Credit: UbisoftThe juggernaut video game publisher, Ubisoft, has built their company around massive hits such as Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and soon will pioneer the highly-anticipated epic — Star Wars: Outlaws. Yet, before the tropical murder sprees, the masked eco-fighters, and the scruffiest of nerf-herders, there was a franchise that would covertly puncture its way into the hearts of millions of gamers with Assassin’s Creed.
Assassin’s Creed would become Ubisoft’s flagship franchise that centered around a secret order of devout assassins. Each acolyte pledged their loyalty to a creed to defend humanity from a sinister organization that has sought to control people’s free will. Its rich mythology coupled with historical fiction would captivate players as the games would go onto to make $5.4 billion.
The latest installment, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, would reignite a new fanbase as the game would go onto to gross $1 billion alone. Its success has had fans patiently waiting for another game. Ubisoft has provided its final teaser to build excitement for the long-awaited prequel.
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage will transport players to ancient Baghdad. It will take place in the 9th century AD as fans will explore the origins of the Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla’s villain, Basim Ibn Ishaq. Ubisoft has expressed that Mirage‘s gameplay will be different from its predecessor by focusing more on stealth, parkour and more acrobatic assassinations.
The most notable change is that it will deviate from the open-world format of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Odyssey to a more streamlined action adventure like the original games involving fan-favorites, Altaïr and Ezio. The story will focus on a young, talented assassin Basim as players will experience how he became one of the franchise’s most cunning antagonists.
Another significant change to previous games is that series will leave ancient Europe. Mirage will showcase a flourishing Baghdad. This city was a global hub for science, commerce, and art in its heyday. The metropolis will be divided into four unique districts that will include the ancient industrial center of Karhk and the prosperous garden of the Round City.
Another enhanced to the game will be that every inhabitant will react to Basim’s moves, so every action or inaction could have a consequence. This will also be the first game to feature The Alamut, which is the Assassins’ main headquarters within its lore. The game will also reintroduce the much beloved gadgets back to the series. This sect of assassins will rely more on smoke bombs, blowdarts and detection mines than sheer brutality as in previous games.
Assassin’s Creed‘s creative director, Stéphane Boudon, stated that they listened to the fans who wanted to go back to the smaller scale experience that was narrative-driven. There was also a desire to concentrate on the classic gaming mechanics of stealth and parkour. Basim will be the ultimate “old school” assassin that will show his ascent from “street rat” to Master Assassin. This will be a welcomed addition as fans wait for Netflix’s reimagining of Assassin’s Creed in a new TV series.
Assassin's Creed Mirage Trailer
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October 5th, 2023.Edited by @TheHiddenValar #AssassinsCreed #AssassinsCreedMirage #Theoneswhocamebefore pic.twitter.com/4iBR17WCq2
— The Ones Who Came Before 🦅 🔜 AC Mirage ⚔️ (@ACFirstCiv) September 28, 2023
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage is set to be released on October 5, 2023 on all gaming consoles, including PC.
What do you think about this return to original games? Should the franchise keep it that way or go back to an open-world style?