Ubisoft is back again with another game from the series of Assassin’s Creed Mirage Steam. As a long time fan of Assassin’s Creed games, I was definitely not expecting something like Mirage to be released. After the release of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla, Mirage has taken a step back from them and has rerouted to the original story.
GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: ASSASSIN’S CREED MIRAGE.
Over the recent years, it really felt like the story line of Assassin’s Creed had gotten off track. But, with Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the story comes back being traced back to its roots to the original series. This makes us actually expect the future games to also be based in such theme.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the latest addition to the renowned gaming franchise, has recently made its way onto the Steam platform, bringing with it a tale of intrigue and adventure set against the backdrop of a mesmerizing desert landscape. Developed by Ubisoft, this installment promises to deliver the immersive gameplay and captivating storyline that fans have come to expect.
The Heart of this Game:
The heart of any Assassin’s Creed game lies in its narrative, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage is no exception. Set in a richly detailed historical setting, the story follows a compelling protagonist on a quest filled with mystery and intrigue. The narrative weaves together elements of political intrigue, ancient conspiracies, and personal vendettas, creating an alluring method of storytelling that keeps players invested from start to finish.
The dialogue is well-written, and the voice acting is top-notch, bringing the characters to life and immersing players in the unfolding drama of the desert landscape.
Start of the Story
The story starts in ancient Baghdad revolving around a young man named Basim Ibn Is’haq. He starts from being a common thief to an assistant assassin and finally a seasoned professional assassin after joining the Hidden Ones. The Hidden ones is a small organization of assassins that seeks to root out the oppressors in their land and to bring prosperity to the people, as with all the AC games narratives. Although the game is small and it may feel very sped up, with not many side quests, it is just enough for you to stay intact with the story and enjoy yourself.
The setting of Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a departure from the urban landscapes of previous installments, offering players a chance to explore the vast and unforgiving desert. The attention to detail in recreating historical elements of the region is commendable, from the bustling souks (Arabian Bazaar) to the majestic architecture of ancient civilizations. The houses and windows are all open so it really helps to escape the guards.
Day-Night Cycle:
The day-night cycle and dynamic weather contribute to the immersive atmosphere, with sandstorms sweeping across the landscape and creating a sense of unpredictability. The overall ambiance of the game captures the essence of the desert, making it a unique and memorable setting within the Assassin’s Creed universe.
Although Assassin’s Creed Mirage is an open-world, there is not much “world” to explore as the map is kept short and precise. This helps with keeping in line with the story and not detracting. The city roads are always bustling with people which creates a great overall ambience. It actually feels like an inhabited place. It also dives much into the Muslim culture which also adds to the game’s uniqueness as it is not much seen in the gaming world.
Gameplay:
Now, we dive right into the gameplay of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Assassin’s Creed Mirage continues the tradition of fluid and intuitive gameplay mechanics. Whether you’re scaling ancient structures or engaging in intense combat, the controls feel responsive and well-designed. The parkour elements that the series is known for are present and refined, allowing for seamless navigation through the bustling city streets and the vast expanse of the desert.
The addition of new traversal options, such as the ability to ride camels or navigate sandstorms, adds a layer of depth to the overall gameplay experience. The integration of these mechanics into the game world enhances the sense of freedom and exploration.
The gameplay emphasizes on stealth a lot. Most of the missions can be easily cleared if you maintain anonymity. You can do stealth kills by using the surrounding to your advantage such as using a bag of powdered red spice near the guards as a smoke diversion or just go and buy the powder spice bombs from a seller or trader. You also have your familiar weapons from throughout the series such as the daggers hidden in your sleeves.
Guards
The guards are as quite as always. You can easily gain their attention by whistling, luring them to you and performing a stealth attack. Or you can just hide in bushes or haystacks while a guard passes by for you to assassinate. The guards do remain quite and unaware but this awareness increases as your notoriety level rises. The notoriety level rises as you perform crimes publicly or kill guards out in the open. You can easily decrease notoriety level by removing the “wanted” posters, or bribing public speakers to hush them.
The gameplay involves much of its familiarity through parkouring, stealth combat, whistling, bribing people to start riots, blending in the crowds while trying to stay anonymous. You can, again, also bribe them to do your budding or to use the people to distract guards. The thing is that unlike other Assassin’s Creed games, you don’t use money but instead some kind of special token for people to help you out. Like, if you need the merchant to hire you as an apprentice so that you can infiltrate a base, you give them the token and they’ll do it.
What does Token Show?
This token shows the people that you’re you know “one of the good guys”, or trying to just “do good” which leads them to help you out. You can acquire these tokens by doing quests or exploring the map and interact with stuff, or just pickpocket the public. I mean, not like you’re pickpocketing in real life. Knock yourself out.
As far as I’ve seen, the parkouring has a bit delay in it, it isn’t as smooth. Similarly, with the stealth kills. Like, I just don’t feel the satisfaction when you’re casually walking and insert the daggers in the enemy’s throat. It’s just not smooth enough that give you the feel that “oh man, this is the real deal”. While these are just personal opinions, I’m sure it might not be the case for all people. Overall, I do like Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s gameplay, ambience, setting and sounds.
Sound Design:
The sound design in Assassin’s Creed Mirage contributes significantly to the immersive experience. The ambient sounds of the desert, from the whispering winds to the distant calls of wildlife, create a sense of realism that adds depth to the game world. The musical score complements the setting, blending traditional Middle Eastern influences with the series’ signature sound. The result is a soundtrack that enhances the emotional impact of key moments in the narrative, immersing players further into the world of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Therefore, I advise for you all to download it from steam and wear headsets while playing the game.
Steam Platform
On the technical front, Assassin’s Creed Mirage performs admirably on the Steam platform. The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on a range of hardware configurations. The system requirements are reasonable, allowing a broad audience to experience the game without sacrificing visual constancy.
The inclusion of Steam’s features, such as achievements and cloud saves, enhances the overall gaming experience. While a few minor bugs and glitches may be present, Ubisoft has been diligent in addressing these issues. This is through regular updates, ensuring a more polished and enjoyable gameplay experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Assassin’s Creed Mirage on Steam stands as a worthy addition to the long-standing franchise. From its breathtaking visuals and engaging gameplay mechanics, the game successfully delivers on the promises of the Assassin’s Creed series. As an old player, my spot of Assassin’s Creed 3 and 4 have still not left the spot as being one of the best Assassin’s Creed games. However, if you’re a new player, this game just might hit the bullseye for you.
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