Nostalgia meets innovation in Assassin's Creed Mirage story trailer

One of the significant elements of Mirage's design is its smaller map and shorter campaign length. While this might initially raise eyebrows, it aligns with the game's back-to-basics ethos, with the game's creative director, Stéphane Boudo, describing it as a "character-driven story, focused on the core pillars of the first ACs."

However, the compact narrative doesn't make for a lesser game. Quite the contrary, Assassin's Creed Mirage is an intense, focused gaming experience. By following the phrase "less is more", Ubisoft is able to pack a lot of content into the relatively small package of Mirage.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing facets of Mirage is its price. The game retails for $50, a marked decrease from the usual price point for games of this caliber. Yet, this change in price has raised concerns about potential monetization strategies. Some fans have voiced their worry about microtransactions for cosmetic items, a trend seen in recent entries of the series. Whether Mirage will adhere to or divert from this path remains to be seen.

The journey from being an expansion for Assassin's Creed Valhalla to its standalone game speaks volumes about Mirage's potential.

While its conception may have begun modestly, the enthusiasm and confidence fans have for Mirage's unique style, which is reminiscent of the very first Assassin's Creed, is anything but meek.

The return to the franchise's roots, coupled with a new protagonist and setting, is set to breathe fresh life into the series. Fans eagerly anticipating the launch have been treated to promising glimpses of both gameplay and storyline, affirming the potential that Mirage holds.

With Ubisoft going all-in on Assassin's Creed, here's to hoping Mirage is just the first of many.