Set to release later this year, Assassin’s Creed Mirage will give players the chance to learn more about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s mysterious Basim and the origins of the Assassin Brotherhood itself. Unlike previous series entries, developer Ubisoft Bordeaux has clarified that Assassin’s Creed Mirage won’t contain playable segments set in the present day, choosing to focus solely on Basim’s adventures in Baghdad in the ninth century. While the mainline game may be set in the past, DLC set in the modern-day would be a great way to mix up the series’ gameplay while moving the franchise’s lore forward.
When it was first announced that a new Assassin’s Creed game starring Basim is in development gamers speculated endlessly about what the game would entail. It’s since been revealed that the Basim-led Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be a return to the series’ roots, featuring a more streamlined story that won’t require hundreds of hours of play to reach the end credits. Given this smaller scope, it makes sense for Mirage’s story to restrict itself to ancient Baghdad, but this short-form format would also lend itself perfectly to DLC exploring Basim’s exploits outside the Animus.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage DLC Set Outside the Animus Makes Sense for Basim
The ending of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla revealed that Basim is a reincarnation of the Isu Loki, with that game’s final DLC The Last Chapter marking Basim’s most recent appearance. The DLC closed with Basim providing a sample of his blood to William Miles and the Assassins, setting the stage for Assassin’s Creed Mirage. With the Assassins almost certainly the ones exploring Basim’s memories during the events of Mirage, DLC set outside the Animus would be the perfect way to explore the real-world Basim’s next moves.
One thing that was clearly established about his character during the story of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is that Basim loves his children, Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel. While the Assassins are exploring Basim’s memories during the events of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, DLC set outside the Animus could let players take control of Basim as he continues to try to find his children while working in an uneasy truce with the Assassins. The story could even see Basim working to secretly exploit the brotherhood to his own ends.
Unable to rely on the foreknowledge of events accessible to players in Assassin’s Creed’s historical simulations, Basim’s journeys outside the Animus could be far more unpredictable. This could let players step off the beaten path without the ever-present worry of becoming desynchronized and having to restart a mission. The more open structure would fit with Loki’s unpredictable nature and could even lay the seeds for Basim becoming the villain in future Assassin’s Creed games.
A Real-World Story Could Reveal Other Surviving Isu
On his journey to reunite with his children, Basim could also encounter other survivors of the Isu race. The true ending for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla revealed that, in addition to Loki, there were eight more Isu who managed to plug themselves into the Life Tree in order to be reincarnated in the future. While many of these reincarnated Isu appeared in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, others remain unaccounted for, leaving the door open for Basim to either find or attempt to bring them to the modern day in some way.
Although Assassin’s Creed’s previous detours into the real world have often proved to be a point of contention with players, a Basim-focused DLC outside the Animus could shake up the series’ formula positively. And by making it into its own story rather than interrupting the narrative of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the series could finally make the real world a priority rather than just an afterthought.
Assassin's Creed Mirage is currently in development.