Ubisoft recently introduced a permadeath mode to Assassin’s Creed Mirage. The Full Synchronization Challenge offers its players a new level of difficulty and immersion. In this mode, the game ends permanently if the protagonist, Basim, dies or commits any illegal actions, such as killing innocent civilians or venturing beyond the game’s designated areas.
Permadeath, as introduced in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, isn’t just about the risk of losing everything with one wrong move. It’s a test of a player’s skill while offering rewards for those who’ve truly mastered the art of blending into the shadows while leaving no trace behind, offering tangible rewards for those who navigate Basim’s perilous journey. The mode requires a perfect blend of stealth, strategy, and combat skills to survive. If you fail, it gives you a summary of your achievements, including your gameplay time, total conflicts, cause of death, number of enemies killed, assassin rank, and the difficulty level chosen.
The new game mode is only activated when starting a new game and you can’t toggle it on or off mid-game, ensuring the challenge remains pure and uninterrupted. It also disables cross-progression and cloud saves to emphasize the high stakes.
Given the excitement surrounding it, it’s fair to wonder if Ubisoft plans to make this a regular series fixture.
In older entries, reaching “Full Synchronization” requires completing certain missions in a specific way. The in-universe explanation was that the real assassin, like Ezio Auditore, Altair or Connor, did it. To achieve “Full Synchronization”, you had to perform a certain way. This forces you into playing in one way because that’s how the events happened.
While the intention was to make the games more immersive, the counter-productive requirements were sometimes so complicated that they prevented you from enjoying them. Even if you ignore the objectives, you’re constantly reminded of your failure to play the “right” way. This takes away your creative freedom to approach things your way.
In Mirage, you aren’t forced to, let’s say, avoid bumping into anyone in the crowd while you’re chasing someone to achieve “Full Synchronization.”
With the introduction of the “Full Synchronization Mode”, your goal is simple – finish it without dying or doing anything illegal.
While Mirage was initially criticized for being short, the permadeath mode enhances its replayability while setting a precedent for future titles and even in potential remakes. It introduces a level of intensity and engagement that challenges its players to master the game’s mechanics and narrative fully.
But if we’re being honest, we’d very much prefer this mode over having to slog through the infamous “Hell of Wheels” from Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood than trying to achieve 100% again the same way in case Ubisoft decided to remake the Ezio trilogy.
Ubisoft is currently working on several new Assassin’s Creed entries, with Assassin’s Creed Red next in line.
