Assassin’s Creed Mirage is the latest installment in the popular stealth-action franchise, developed by Ubisoft Bordeaux and set to release in 2023. The game takes place in the 9th century, during the Abbasid Caliphate, and follows the story of Basim Ibn Ishaq, a young thief who joins the Hidden Ones, a secret organization of assassins. The game promises to deliver a narrative-driven experience that explores Basim’s origins, motivations, as well as the history and culture of Baghdad, one of the most advanced and prosperous cities of the medieval world.
Gameplay Reveal
Ubisoft has recently revealed more details about the game’s gameplay, features, and mechanics, in a series of trailers and interviews. One of the most anticipated aspects of the game is its parkour system, which allows players to traverse the city’s rooftops, walls, and structures with fluidity and grace. Parkour has been a staple of the Assassin’s Creed series since its inception, and fans have been eager to see how Mirage will improve upon it.
Parkour
According to Ubisoft, Mirage would feature parkour mechanics inspired by Assassin’s Creed Unity. Assassin’s Creed Unity’s parkour, which was arguably the best in the series. Unity’s parkour was fast, smooth, fluid, and dynamic. It allowed us to move across the city with ease and style, performing acrobatic moves and animations that made us feel like we were in a movie. It was fun, it was satisfying, and it was empowering. But unfortunately with mirage that inspiration was only for marketing and cant be seen in the actual game. Now, I’m not saying that Mirage should have copied Unity’s parkour exactly. I understand that Ubisoft wanted to try to do something different with the tools they had. And I respect that. But I also think that they could have taken some inspiration from Unity’s parkour, and incorporated some of its elements into Mirage’s parkour.
Stealth
Another aspect of Assassin’s Creed Mirage that is worth mentioning is its focus on stealth and assassinations. The game aims to revive the series’ classic stealth gameplay, which was less prominent in the recent RPG-oriented entries. Basim can use various tools and abilities to infiltrate enemy bases, avoid detection, and eliminate his targets with style and efficiency.
Some of the tools and abilities that Basim can use for stealth and assassinations are:
- Throwing knives: Basim can throw knives at enemies from a distance, either to kill them instantly or to distract them. Throwing knives can also be used to cut ropes, trigger traps, or create openings.
- Blow darts: Basim can use a blowpipe to shoot darts at enemies, which can have different effects depending on the type of dart. Some darts can knock out enemies, while others can poison them or make them hallucinate.
- Smoke bombs: Basim can throw smoke bombs to create a cloud of smoke that obscures his vision and that of his enemies. Smoke bombs can be used to escape from combat, hide from guards, or perform stealth assassinations.
- Noise bombs: Basim can throw noise bombs to create a loud noise that attracts the attention of nearby enemies. Noise bombs can be used to lure enemies away from their posts, create diversions, or set up ambushes.
- Assassin Focus: Basim can activate a new ability called Assassin Focus, which is recharged by performing stealth assassinations and allows him to eliminate multiple enemies simultaneously as long as he remains undetected. Time is slowed after each assassination, allowing the player to target the next enemy.
These tools and abilities make Assassin’s Creed Mirage a more stealth-oriented game than its predecessors, and also give the player more options and creativity in how they approach each mission. The game also rewards the player for being stealthy, as they can unlock new outfits, weapons, and skills by completing optional objectives and challenges that require stealth and finesse.
Combat
The combat system of Assassin’s Creed Mirage is designed to be more realistic and challenging than previous games in the series. It is based on timing, positioning, and strategy, rather than button mashing. Basim can use light and heavy attacks, as well as parry, dodge, and counter enemy attacks. He can also use his tools, such as smoke bombs, throwing knives, and poison darts, to create diversions, weaken enemies, or finish them off. The combat system also features a stamina bar, which depletes as Basim performs actions and regenerates over time. If the stamina bar is empty, Basim cannot attack or dodge, and becomes vulnerable to enemy attacks.
While Assassin’s Creed Mirage does seem to be a return to form for the series in many ways, it could have been even better if it emulated more of Assassin’s Creed Unity’s parkour system. By improving its precision, variety, and challenge aspects, Mirage could have delivered a more refined and enjoyable parkour experience for the players.
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