First officially revealed at a Ubisoft Forward in September 2022, Assassin’s Creed Mirage will serve as the subsequent mainline game in the series after 2020’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Recent entries in this series have undergone some significant changes, but Mirage goes back to the series' roots, reversing the direction taken by games like Valhalla and Odyssey, which featured expansive open worlds and RPGs. Assassin's Creed Mirage will be closer to the traditional stealth experience as a love letter to the game that started it all, and fans can't wait for its anticipated 2023 release date.
Assassin's Creed Mirage’s Plot
Assassin's Creed Mirage takes place in Baghdad in the year 861, 12 years prior to the events of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The plot centers on a younger Basim, who you may recognize from the Valhalla storyline, as he develops from an ordinary street thief into "the most versatile Assassin in franchise history" after collaborating with the mysterious Hidden Ones and studying under master assassin Roshan.
Basim was shown in Valhalla to be the Isu (god) Loki's human reincarnation and after realizing his true character and remembering that Isu Odin imprisoned Loki's children, Basim confronted Eivor (the protagonist of Valhalla and the reincarnated form of Odin) at Yggdrasil. However, he was defeated and trapped inside The Grey - an unidentified afterlife-esque digital realm that has been referenced in several Assassin's Creed games.
The Golden Age of Baghdad's setting will be "dense and vibrant," with residents who "react to your every move," according to Ubisoft, even though Assassin's Creed Mirage won't be the biggest Assassin's Creed game ever. The city will be divided into four districts, including the more lush Round City and the industrial district Karkh. However, you'll also have the option to leave Baghdad and, for the first time in Assassin's Creed history, explore the fortress of Alamut, the fabled capital of the Hidden Ones.
Assassin's Creed Mirage’s Gameplay
The gameplay in Assassin's Creed Mirage is planned to return the series to its roots in social stealth, quick parkour, and nimble assassinations. Ubisoft Bordeaux says that "there's a bit of every Assassin's Creed game in Mirage, and players can look forward to going back to the roots [of the series] while experiencing a modern take on gameplay and iconic features of the early games."
This more constrained focus will be coupled by a storyline-driven method of progression and a more constrained map to explore, especially when compared to Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Additionally, the main city of Baghdad will be divided into four districts, and the Assassin's headquarters will be located in a smaller area outside the city called The Alamut.
With a focus on stealth and parkour, the game has a more traditional approach to gameplay. The new engine used from Valhalla is said to have significantly improved both of these systems over previous iterations. Players can also select the order in which they want to kill their targets. A few gameplay elements will also be dropped from Assassin's Creed Mirage, including dialogue options, gender options, and Eagle Vision.
For that final point, however, the technique used in Origins and Odyssey to command an eagle to scout out potential locations will be back. It remains to be seen whether combat will continue to be more action-oriented or shift back to the animation-driven, counter-based style of the older games.
Assassin's Creed Mirage announcement trailer
What platforms will Assassin's Creed Mirage be released on?
It has been confirmed that Assassin's Creed Mirage will be released on the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One. Assassin's Creed Mirage will be made available for PC via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store, according to Ubisoft.
When will Assassin's Creed Mirage be released?
Assassin's Creed Mirage will be released in 2023, ahead of other games like Assassin's Creed Red and Assassin's Creed Hexe, according to Ubisoft, though the publisher hasn't provided a specific date. The 2023 release date already falls behind the series' intended two-year release cadence, and the year has already passed through the first quarter without any new information on the game.
Even though it's still entirely possible that the game will be released this year, the same could be said about a potential delay announcement.
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