Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the next game in the popular franchise, is a spin-off title being developed by Ubisoft Bordeaux. Unlike its predecessor AC: Valhalla, Mirage won’t adopt the RPG-like progression systems and will take the series back to its roots as an open-world action-adventure game with a focus on stealth and parkour. The protagonist of Mirage is Basim, a supporting character from AC: Valhalla. The game is set in Baghdad in the year 861, during a golden age for the city, which will be split into four different districts, including an industrial and gardens district.
The Story and Gameplay
Mirage takes place 20 years before the events of Valhalla and follows Basim’s coming-of-age story as he graduates from a street thief to a fully-fledged member of the Hidden Ones, the first iteration of the Assassin order founded by Aya and Bayek of AC Origins. Ubisoft has said that the game will pay homage to every game in the series, with elements from each finding their way into this game.
The game is designed to cater to the increased focus on stealth and parkour, with bigger crowds, and plenty of opportunities to traverse up, down, and around the town. At the same time, Ubisoft has said that the game will be a tightly crafted, narrative-driven experience compared to the mainline games. This means that Mirage will not feature any RPG-like levelling systems for weapons or your character.
The focus is going to be on a more refined stealth and parkour experience – sneaking into places, blending in with the crowd, identifying your target, taking them out, and disappearing. Social stealth – being able to blend in with a crowd – returns, and the game will also feature new manoeuvres such as being able to slow down time, stealth assassinations on multiple targets, and a pole-vaulting ability to get across wide gaps.
The Tools and Add-On Content
Basim will have a number of tools to help him sneak in and out of places. So far, Ubisoft has shown us footage of gas mines, which can be laid down as traps to stop guards, as well as a smoke bomb to obscure the vision of your enemies. Basim will also have access to an eagle friend, called Enkidu, who can provide you with a birds-eye view of the area and spot guards and resources.
While certain enemies will be able to shoot the bird down, you’ll need to take this into consideration when planning for missions. Ubisoft has outlined one piece of add-on content, the supernatural-themed 40 Thieves, which will be available free to anyone who preorders the game. Also available for preorder is a cosmetic set, with horse armour and clothing inspired by Ubisoft’s other Middle East-inspired series, Prince of Persia.
The Release Date and Deluxe Edition
Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be released on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 12 October 2023. The date was revealed in a trailer shown at the PlayStation Showcase in May 2023. The AC: Mirage Deluxe Edition includes the Prince of Persia-inspired Deluxe Pack with Sand Eagle, Sand Horse, Sand Outfit, Outfit Dye Desert Sands, Initiate of Alamut, Hourglass of Time, Sand Sword, Dagger of Time, Digital Art Book of 78 pages, and Digital Selected Game Soundtrack.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is an upcoming game in the popular franchise, taking the series back to its roots as an open-world action-adventure game with a focus on stealth and parkour. Set in Baghdad in the year 861, the game follows Basim’s coming-of-age story as he becomes a fully-fledged member of the Hidden Ones. The game will feature a tightly crafted, narrative-driven experience, and social stealth, with new manoeuvres such as being able to slow down time. The game will be released on 12 October 2023, and the Deluxe Edition includes a variety of in-game items inspired by Prince of Persia.
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