Over fifteen years since the first Assassin’s Creed game, Ubisoft takes players back to its stealth-focused roots in the upcoming October 5 release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
Fresh from the success of the massive open world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the Ubisoft Bordeaux team has been busily building their next instalment of their hugely successful franchise and opened their doors to 7NEWS.com.au for an exclusive sneak peek.
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Becoming Basim
While Valhalla has all the hugely popular trademarks of a hundred-hour RPG, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a much shorter game, taking players only 25 to 30 hours to complete.
Intimate yet intricate, Assassin’s Creed Mirage follows the journey of Basim Ibn Ishaq, a street thief navigating his way through ninth century Baghdad. For fans of Valhalla, you’ll know Basim plays a supporting role when he arrives as a stranger from the Holy Land. But in Mirage he is the game’s central protagonist.
Part of the first Assassin Brotherhood, Basim learns his trade from Persian assassin portrayed by Shohreh Aghdashloo. Focusing on stealth and parkour, and as a fan of some of the original releases, I couldn’t help but feel an immediate connection with Basim. As his skill grows, so does yours as a player, and the accompanying gameplay details only strengthens that bond.
As Basim’s confidence grows, his breathing eases. When in danger, the sound effects masterfully heighten and then lower as danger dissipates. When in “Assassin Focus” stealth mode (yes, this is a new gameplay feature) Basim can expertly eye off imminent threats and seek out treasures and marks that otherwise elude him in normal gameplay.
Naturally, this is exactly what the Ubisoft Bordeaux team intended, as narrative director Sarah Beaulieu explained.
“We want players to experience Basim’s evolution as a character, and equally feel their own growth as a player as they progress through the game,” Beaulieu says.
“We have aimed to please the different types of players with Mirage, from those that enjoy following all storylines and exploring the world, to others who are objective focused and completionists. We think we have nailed it.”
Rebuilding 9th century Baghdad
Basim’s growth from street thief to master assassin plays well with the bustling backdrop of 9th century Baghdad. The city has all the hallmarks for the parkour gameplay experience Mirage aims to deliver. From pole vaulting between buildings to corner swings and cat leaps, navigating through the ancient city couldn’t be more fun.
More importantly, as art director Jean-Luc Sala described, the city reflects medieval Baghdad like players have never seen before.
“Having Basim as the game’s protagonist created an entry point to the middle east.
“During our research, 9th century Baghdad kept surfacing, so we looked into it, and what we found was a city that was at the centre of the world for a period of time.
“It was also a conscious decision to give the world a view of the city that is well known for other reasons today,” Jean-Luc said.
Having ties to the region himself, there is an immense sense of pride with what he and his team has delivered with Assassin’s Creed Mirage. This unexpected, lush location filled with canals, marshlands and thriving markets contrasts with the cliché desert and camels most players would expect.
“It was really obvious to me to do it the proper way, to surprise everybody with what it really was. What that meant was pink flamingos, palm trees, canals with green and water everywhere, because that’s what 9th century Baghdad was.
“We had to be true to the world and true to Assassin’s, that was the two pillars in our decision making. As a result, and through close collaboration with our team of historians and cultural experts, the feedback we have received has shown we have gone down the right track,” Jean-Luc explains.
Divided into four districts, Basim can make his way through The Round City, completing jobs in Karkh and Harbiyah while training and learning in the Abbasiyah district which is home to the House of Wisdom. Players will note the huge doors that divide the distinct districts, each with their own design and theme, adding a helpful way to navigate the topographical map or via the return of the game’s much loved eagle vision.
Jean-Luc, however, will feel the most pride in the reaction from the Arabic world.
“We know the reaction have already seen is overwhelmingly positive. My favourite moment is when I joined our cultural and historical experts for a tour of the world we created, and they became emotional during the screening.
“They weren’t expecting the level of detail we committed to so far in production. One of the biggest rewards has been the working with these cultural and historical experts who have dedicated their lives to preserving this rich history, and its alignment with Assassin’s Creed Mirage,” Jean-Luc said.
Art, history and music
One of the standout features of Assassin’s Creed Mirage is its visually impressive world. The game’s art direction is nothing short of a masterpiece. Every city, marketplace, and historical landmark is crafted with painstaking attention to detail.
From the grandeur of the Karkh Bazaar to the mystique of the House of Wisdom, every location feels alive and historically accurate. The vibrant colour palettes, intricate architecture, and authentic costumes transport players to a bygone era, immersing them in the rich history of the Silk Road.
The musical score of Assassin’s Creed Mirage is also nothing less than enchanting. Composed by the brilliant Brendan Angelides, the soundtrack seamlessly blends traditional Middle Eastern and Central Asian melodies with modern orchestration.
The result is a emotionally charged soundtrack that perfectly complements the game’s narrative and atmosphere. Each note resonates with the cultural richness of the Silk Road, enhancing the player’s immersion in this mesmerising world.
For players like myself who have immersed themselves in this franchise, we know Assassin’s Creed Mirage is not just a game; it’s an educational journey through history.
Mirage offers an optional Discovery Tour mode, which allows players to explore the game’s world without combat or time constraints. Within this mode, players can embark on guided tours narrated by historians, providing valuable insights into the historical and cultural significance of the Silk Road. While informative and engaging, the educational aspect is comprehensive, offering deeper dives into specific topics.
It’s a commendable step towards using gaming as an educational tool, which is precisely what the game’s art director Jean-Luc says the Ubisoft Bordeaux team had set out to achieve.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage hands-on preview
As part of my Ubisoft experience, I was one of the lucky few who could get hands on with Mirage. What started off as the typical character snapshot and gameplay backdrop, became an immersive deep dive into a vibrant and colourful city.
In comparison to other AC franchise protagonists, Basim feels faster and more nimble, making his swift movements and parkour ability easy to become accustomed to.
The Black Box missions that were set included collecting maps and keys for future missions that would involve assassinations of guards and other NPCs that often are central to Basim’s story. But if you think you can stab and slash your way through Mirage, you are very mistaken.
Violence, particularly in full view of NPCs, will trigger unwanted attention and will point guards your way. I learned this the hard way, having to respawn on multiple occasions. If you’re trying to assassinate a target, it’s best to have a strategic approach, laying traps cleverly and doing your best to remain hidden. And if you are spotted, it might be better to escape and try again later–fighting your hunters may put you in an early grave.
But once you come to appreciate the delicate nature of investigating and identifying targets, you can better understand the full arsenal of tools at your disposal. These include multi-kill assassination, allowing players to kill at once in quick succession, Assassin Focus stealth mode that highlights targets and their surroundings, new vanishing tools, blow darts and trusty smoke bombs that provide valuable cover. There’s also a trap, torch and throwing knives at your disposal.
In the hands of a skilled player, these tools will prove vital in Mirage, enhancing Basim’s ability to manoeuvre around Baghdad with accuracy and proficiency, as well as guaranteeing an immersive and engaging gaming experience for stealth fans.
The gameplay map also seems smaller in comparison to previous AC games, but considering the 25 to 30 hour expected completion time, this makes sense, and for fans like me who took so much pleasure out of the original gameplay, it serves as a clear indication of the more concentrated and familiar experience I’ve longed for.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is sure to be a triumph in the gaming industry, showcasing excellence in art, music, education, and design. It not only entertains but also educates, offering players a chance to immerse themselves in the ancient city of Baghdad while experiencing the thrill of being an assassin. Ubisoft has once again raised the bar for historical open-world gaming, making Assassin’s Creed Mirage a must-play title for both fans of the franchise and history enthusiasts alike.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage launches on October 5, 2023 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, Amazon Luna and will also be available on PC with a Ubisoft+ subscription.