Ubisoft has a knack for tugging the heartstrings of audiences with a healthy dose of nostalgia and the forthcoming entry in its best-selling series, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, is a testament to that. In an intriguing fusion of nostalgia and innovation, it promises to give the feel of an evolved version of the older games in the Assassin’s Creed series while integrating a bunch of new mechanics and artistic elements in Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
Drawing from the series’ beloved entries, Assassin’s Creed Mirage reintroduces crowd blending as a key infiltration tactic. The feature enables players to weave through throngs of strangers, navigating the bustling streets of 9th-century Baghdad undetected. The parkour element is reimagined to resemble the fast-paced agility of the Ezio-era. The densely populated cityscape makes for swift transitions from ground to rooftop, further enhanced by new mechanics such as poles for faster movement.
But the trip down memory lane doesn’t stop Ubisoft from innovating. New enemy archetypes are introduced in the game, including spear-wielders who search haystacks for your presence. Another foe type will aim to shoot down your eagle, obstructing aerial scouting.
For ardent fans yearning for an authentic Assassin’s Creed experience, Ubisoft’s addition of a “nostalgic visual filter” will be a delightful surprise. This filter allows the game to mirror the desaturated blue/grey graphics of the original release, which is a nice way to recreate an environment reminiscent of Altair’s iconic PS3 outing. Although an optional feature, it stands as a testament to Ubisoft’s commitment to encapsulating the spirit of the classics.
As Jean-Luc Sala, artistic director at Ubisoft Bordeaux, explains, this nostalgic visual filter will help recreate the 2007 title’s desaturated blue-gray color palette, making Assassin’s Creed Mirage appear strikingly like the original Assassin’s Creed.
While this homage to the original game is fully appreciated, it should be noted that Assassin’s Creed Mirage isn’t a full throwback to the supposed golden age of Assassin’s Creed.
Billed by Creative Director, Stéphane Boudon, as a “love letter to the origins of the franchise,” Mirage’s goal is to bring the rhythm mechanics of the early games into the modern-day, resulting in a game that feels more like the stealth-focused early Assassin’s Creed games than the recent wide-scale, open-world titles.
Scheduled to be showcased at the upcoming Ubisoft Forward presentation on June 12, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is already generating buzz for its potential to be one of the best PS5 RPG games and Xbox RPG games.
We’ll find out on October 12 if this tribute to the first Assassin’s Creed will satisfy long-time fans or if gamers will have to look elsewhere, like Assassin’s Creed: Codename Jade and Assassin’s Creed: Codename Red, to scratch their itch.
