Assassin’s Creed Mirage Review – A True Homage to the Creed

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is undoubtedly the most awaited old-school Assassin experience fans have longed for in the past two games. After three long RPG adventures in Egypt, Greece and England, Ubisoft has taken us back to what the original Assassin’s Creed was.

Developed by Ubisoft Bordeaux, you can play Assassin’s Creed Mirage on the PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One and iOS.

With that, let’s dive into our Assassin’s Creed Mirage Review.

BASIM’S STORY

Assassin’s Creed Mirage takes place almost 12 years before the events of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. It explores the life of Basim and his struggles against the order that resides in the heart of Baghdad. Basim did not begin his life straight with the hidden ones. Instead, he was a petty thief hoping for a brighter future. Basim always wanted a more significant opportunity.

Since the hidden ones had eyes and ears at every corner of the city, it is evident that Basim was approached for many thieving missions by the Hidden ones. And Basim would always be in and out of enemy strongholds and camps without a breeze.

But Basim did not want to be a low-timer, and Nehal, one of the closest to Basim, always advised him to break free and fight for what he truly deserved. This drove Basim to infiltrate and explore the opportunity of stealing a piece of Eden from the security of the order and Caliph.

Unknown to the history of Eden and the fact that he is the key to the pieces of Eden, he finds himself shocked by what he witnessed as he held the part of Eden. Shocked and thrown off guard, the Caliph discovers Basim, and soon, tragic events follow Basim’s destiny.

Left alone and stolen of everything Basim held dear, he was then adopted into the hearts of the Hidden ones. Thus began the journey of the Master Assassin, hailing from Baghdad, who proved pivotal in bringing justice to the horrors of the ancient order. Basim, with his mentor Roshan, travelled back to the nest of Assasin’s – Alamut.

THE MASTER ASSASSIN

Assassin’s Creed Mirage answers the fans pleading for the Assassin’s Creed 1 remaster. While it may not have Altair or the iconic locations, it returns the proper Assassin mechanics from the first game. The sounds, animations, takedown styles, and stealth all feel fresh and revamped from the original game.

The game length and content can last only up to 16–20 hours and feel too short since Valhalla took almost 100 hours to complete. Among all arcs and order missions, the buildups have been entirely accurate. Still, once the assassination is done, it does not provide a follow-up or closure to the impact a particular order member made. There is a beautiful cinematic for all order members that explains their monstrous activities and how people suffered under their reign. However, you will not see the suffering happening in the game itself.

This game was previously supposed to be a DLC for Valhalla, so the content size makes sense. But the decision to make this a separate game is a step in the right direction, since it carries over many things from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla but leaves behind all the aspects that separate it from being a proper Assassin’s Creed Game. And since it is already a separate game, more content should’ve made the city of Baghdad more memorable apart from the Tales of Baghdad.

The world of Baghdad is intensely designed to allow you to grasp the density and intricate details of a bustling city. The city is so densely packed that it will undoubtedly blow your mind. You can parkour through the different parts of cities without even touching the ground once. This fulfills the promise of a seamless parkour experience, as shown in the game’s trailer.

Coming to combat, the game always prefers you to adapt stealth in almost all situations. While the open conflict combat is simple and only offers the usual heavy/light attack, dodge and parry, it is still simple and fast-paced for a hooked experience. But the way the gamer provides multiple paths and opportunities to pick every single enemy one by one is as satisfying as possible.

I have never used as many tools as I did with Mirage in the previous game. The tools perfectly blend with Basim’s playstyle and elevate the experience of making the perfect strategy in breaking through the enemy ranks. While the game discards having godly powers, you will never feel powerless with your tools, no matter the given threat.

THE CITY OF BAGHDAD

All Assassin’s Creed games have given a fresh new experience through time. Although the game uses the same Anvil engine as Valhalla, the environment takes a huge step forward and makes you feel like a part of the city. From the ambience to the detailed design of how NPC’s behave, especially when you pickpocket them, it is all done perfectly.

But the true essence is revealed when the sun sets. The land turns orange-red, and the prayer plays. All noises calm down, the guards stop shouting, and candles and lamps are lit through the city, all the while hearing the noise shift from a chaotic city to the ambience of fireflies. This indeed became an etched memory in our hearts for Assassin’s Creed Game.

The outskirts also bring about the dense feeling of the desert while spotting natural formations. The oases’ are made so beautifully that I can guarantee you’ll stop and click a picture. One significant Easter Egg is the inclusion of the Assassin’s Creed 1 filter found in the options menu.

VERDICT

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is the best revisit to the nostalgic experience and truly pivots to be the OG Assassin’s Creed game. With the city of Baghdad being highly detailed and dense, the game will often keep you hooked on how magical the city looks and feels. The combat is light but makes you prefer stealth since each area is well-designed, allowing multiple approaches and infiltration opportunities. The game’s story may not be the most memorable, especially with the shorter length, but the closure leaves more options for future content.

FINAL RATING: 90/100