Following their recent titles like Assassins Creed Odyssey and Valhalla, Ubisoft promised that the next installment in the series would be “a return to the roots.” This comes as little surprise considering fans have said in recent years it seems that the series has lost its way. With this reception, Ubisoft appears to be bringing the series back to what made fans originally fall in love with it. However, many have been concerned that this will not really be the case. They fear that Ubisoft is only saying this to build hype for the new game and it will be more of the same. Now that Assassin’s Creed Mirage is released, is it truly a return to the franchise’s roots, as they say?
Where it Falters
A franchise trying to recapture the image of its old self can be a difficult task. It requires reintroducing what players loved about the older titles but must do it in a way that doesn’t feel like a regression. Many players are saying the freerunning animations are one such regression. While the mechanic itself feels more polished, the appearance is slow and janky. While this looks more akin to what we would have seen in the Ezio games, it gives the game a more dated look than the smoother freerunning we’ve seen in some of the more recent titles. Namely, Unity and onward.
Some players have complained about the teleportation in the game as well. Specifically in the game’s “chain kill” mechanic. While the assassins have shown some superhuman abilities, such as Eagle Vision and jumping from extreme heights with minimal injury, they always try to maintain a certain level of realism throughout the early series. In addition, they have kept the eagle pet that can scout and mark enemies for you. The mechanic was first introduced in Origins and received a mixed response.
The game is also lacking any modern-day gameplay. Modern-day gameplay outside of the Animus was implemented in the first game and has varied ever since. Since this is supposed to be a return to the game’s roots, it seems like modern-day gameplay should be a given, but there is none outside of some cutscenes. This isn’t a huge surprise, considering the state of the modern-day has been in limbo since Desmond’s departure from the series.
Back to the Past
Mirage very literally goes back to its roots with a Middle East setting. We haven’t seen the Middle East in Assassin’s Creed since Revelations, and it hasn’t been the setting of an entire game since the first installment. This is also the first game since Odyssey where you actually play as an Assassin. As opposed to having the Assassins in the background, Basim is a full-fledged member of the Assassin Brotherhood. This means that the Assassins are, once again, front and center in the franchise.
Ubisoft has also revamped the gameplay to reflect previous titles in the series. Stealth is a main focus in this area. In some missions, stealth is now a requirement. While in the newer games, stealth has more or less been optional, in Mirage, stealth is once again a requirement. To push the emphasis on stealth, combat is slightly more difficult. Additionally, some missions will fail if caught, much like in the older games. Pickpocketing has also made a return and is an integral part of gameplay.
The Hidden Blade is integral to stealth gameplay.
Something Old and Something New
As mentioned before, some mechanics such as chain kills and eagle scouting are still present. Depending on your persuasion, this could be a good thing. While they aren’t necessarily a “return to the roots,” this doesn’t mean they are a bad inclusion. Ubisoft still has to spice up the game somehow and not completely copy and paste what they did with the Ezio games. So the inclusion of such mechanics can be seen as a blend of what’s old and new. Ubisoft has also freshened up the games with new aspects and obstacles to freerunning. These are not from older titles, but would have fit in perfectly in the Ezio games.
Ubisoft also added a little something special to sweeten the pot. Mirage has an “Iconic Color Filter” which adds a blue-gray filter over the game which makes it look more like Assassin’s Creed 1. This gives Mirage an incredibly nostalgic feel for OG players of the series.
The “Iconic Color Filter.”
While it doesn’t exactly affect gameplay, it is a nice little touch to make it seem more nostalgic.
The Verdict
Assassin’s Creed Mirage does do a lot to recapture what made the series great in the first place. Going back to a familiar setting and including the Assassin Brotherhood heavily in the story definitely remedied some of the recent problems. Stealth also brings a familiar feel back to the franchise. Despite some issues like the eagle pet and chain kills, the game does a good job of blending new ideals with old ones that will make old time fans feel right at home. With that, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a masterful “return to the roots.”
