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Ever since Assassin’s Creed Origins, Ubisoft wanted to do more with the franchise, to get higher up the popularity charts.
And I’m not saying Odyssey or Valhalla were not great games. Both were worth the hours and experiential, showing the absolute depth of work Ubisoft puts in for all Assassin’s Creed games. But there’s not much between Odyssey or Valhalla and the likes of Witcher.
With Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Ubisoft has boldly put out the word that it will be a Return to the Roots. And I say ‘boldly’ for many reasons.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage Release Date
AC Mirage is releasing on 5th October.
That’s a full week ahead of the initial Assassin’s Creed Mirage release date – 12th October.
This means Ubisoft is well on their toes with Mirage and they’re ahead of schedule, which is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.
That’s other than the fact AC Mirage has already gone gold and is ready to be shipped.
With Spider-Man 2 and Alan Wake 2 releasing in October, Ubisoft wanted less competition on release and more social time, and I like that. Assassin’s Creed is a genre and there’s no better at it.
Where Does Assassin’s Creed Mirage Take Place
What makes Assassin’s Creed different from almost all other video game franchises out there is its sensitive attention to detail and whole-hearted attempt to represent the past.
Mirage is Ubisoft’s return to the roots of the franchise.
Everyone remembers the ancient Greek sailor songs in Odyssey. And with Mirage, Ubisoft Bordeaux has taken careful pages from history for an ultra-realistic 9th-century Baghdad.
You are walking down the same alleys simulated in the game as it was back then.
The Assassin’s Creed Mirage Map
AC Mirage will be smaller than previous maps although I did like roaming around ancient Greece (not so the Nordic wilderness where I felt like no assassin.)
But what it means is – Baghdad will be that full-blooded assassin’s playground which is what this franchise was all about.
So, Ubisoft does return to the roots!
Each section of the discoverable map is purportedly what it was back in 9th-century Baghdad. We get to unlock each section of the map as we progress through it – setting up safe houses, restoring order, assassinating behind walled palaces, and vanishing into the crowded streets.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage Main Character
There’s a lot going for Basim, AC Mirage’s main man.
If you’ve played Valhalla, you should know Basim Ibn Ishaq. In case you haven’t (yet), Basim was one of the main antagonists (a.k.a. bad guys) in Valhalla.
He was born in Samarra to the architect who built the Great Mosque of Samarra but was exiled and later died in poverty. His mother dies young too and Basim grows up as an orphan on the streets.
Is Basim in Valhalla the same as Mirage?
In Valhalla, Basim inherits the memories of Loki and is rescued by Master Assassin Roshan who recruits Basim into the Hidden Ones sect and mentors him to be the assassin we see in AC Mirage.
I’d suggest a good long read on Basim here.
Coming to Mirage, we get to see a young, talented, and effective Basim learning his trade with the Hidden Ones, expanding their operations in Baghdad, then the biggest and most prosperous city on the planet and capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, arguably the largest empire back in the 9th century as well.
He may turn bad in Valhalla but he’s the good guy in Mirage.
How old is Basim in Mirage?
Mirage is set 20 years before Valhalla. So, Basim is 17 years old in Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
Will AC Mirage Play Like Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Valhalla will end up as completely different games. With Valhalla, Ubisoft wanted to do another Odyssey in a different setting that has more to do with Norse mythology than the Assassin’s Creed franchise. And despite the sheer amount of AC lore infused into Valhalla as well as Mirage continuing with the storyline in precedence, Assassin’s Creed Mirage will not play like Valhalla.
Here’s how the Assassin’s Creed Mirage gameplay mechanics will turn out.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage DLC
For a DLC to turn into a full game is a rarity but that’s how AC Mirage has turned out is about to release in hours from now. That’s just why AC Mirage might not get a DLC, or any post-release content added on. With Mirage, Ubisoft is shifting sails back home.
Cosmetic-Only Microtransactions
A return to the roots is in full swing. AC Mirage will have limited microtransactions in the game and that too only for cosmetic packs.
The franchise did shift towards microtransactions and even an inclination towards wagering from Origins. That’s mostly due to a gameplay transition towards more grind and less story. Gamers had the option to pay their way through the grind. Some took it while others abhorred it and IMO no one came out better from it.
With AC Mirage, Ubisoft will stem the tide. Again, that’s mostly down to Mirage being a more story-driven linear game that’s more about the character and the story than a vast open world with tons of side quests and missions not part of the central plot.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage Price and Platforms
AC Mirage is available across the following platforms –
- PlayStation 4
- PlayStation 5
- Windows
- Xbox X and S
- Xbox One
Will Assassin’s Creed Mirage be on Xbox One
You bet. Ubisoft has always been a gaming studio ‘for the fans’. Being an independent company, not bought out by large corporations, they have the liberty to release games across all platforms without exclusivity to any one. And their releases are commonly available across previous-gen platforms. Just why Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be available on Xbox One!
Assassin’s Creed Mirage Price and Editions
AC Mirage is currently available in 3 editions. Here’s everything about them –
Standard Edition
Get the game. Do that before the 5th October release date and you also get a pre-order bonus which is the ‘The Forty Thieves’ quest added in with it.
Price – $49.99
Deluxe Edition
This includes the game, a pre-order bonus if it applies, and –
- Prince of Persia cosmetic pack, including weapons.
- Digital Artbook and Soundtrack
Price – $59.99
Collector’s Case
Only a few left across digital stores, this Assassin’s Creed Mirage Collector’s Case will ship with –
- All contents of the Deluxe Edition
- Basim’s figurine
- Steelbook
- Replica of Basim’s brooch
- AC Mirage select soundtrack
- The Baghdad map
- Bonus content
Price – $149.99
Currently here’s where the availability’s at –
You’ll find Assassin’s Creed Mirage Xbox One options on Amazon.
For PC buyers, I’d suggest checking out Ubisoft.
Will Assassin’s Creed Mirage be on Xbox Game Pass?
AC Mirage will not release with Xbox Game Pass users and that’s understandable with Ubisoft responding to the fans with this brief return-to-the-roots game that was initially supposed to be only a DLC to Valhalla with Basim. Will it? There’s no official announcement or comment on that as well. But once the initial launch clamor is up, and the reviews are out, you can expect Mirage on Game Pass down the line.
Will Assassin’s Creed Mirage come to Steam?
AC Mirage is not coming to Steam. Ubisoft is testing the waters with this short game as a loyal response to its cult fanbase. Mirage is available for PC pre-orders on Ubisoft and other retail stores but not on Steam. While this will disappoint some fans, it’s understood that Ubisoft is instead considering strengthening their in-house Ubisoft Plus service for PC access, and Steam being the unlucky cut to accommodate it.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage Early Game Review
Based on what I have so far, other than fan-made stuff and leaks, AC Mirage is for cult fans and new gamers who’d prefer enjoying a brief but pure Assassin’s Creed experience.
We’ll most likely be sticking to urban spaces so parkour and close-quarter combat will be central to most things we do.
Graphics are more about attention to detail and objective realism. Ubisoft has always stayed true to history. Just why I might end up spending hours simply walking down the roads of a newly discovered region or section of the map, less to chalk out the hiding spots and more to take in the essence and experience of the alternative reality.
Without a doubt, AC Mirage will be a return to the roots, where visceral experience and stealth define the game and the gameplay.
A meticulously crafted 9th-century Baghdad is the perfect setting to establish a deep storyline for Basim, the same Basim we get in Valhalla as a key antagonist to the plotline.
Mirage promises nostalgia in its purest form, including new gameplay features aligned with the core gaming concepts that define Assassin’s Creed. And so far, it looks like Ubisoft has delivered in full.
I’ll be adding more Assassin’s Creed Mirage news and quick deals. Bookmark!
