Following months of eager anticipation fans of Ubisoft’s storied stealth series got their best look yet at Assassin’s Creed Mirage today with a fast-paced gameplay trailer that debuted at Sony’s PlayStation Showcase. After having little more to go on than occasional Assassin’s Creed Mirage leaks following the game’s announcement late last year, some fans had begun to worry about the title’s future after rumors began swirling about problems with the eagerly awaited title’s development. With the release of this new gameplay trailer Ubisoft Bordeaux not only shows that development on Assassin’s Creed Mirage continues in earnest, but that the title will be a return to the series’ roots.
One major leak confirmed at the PlayStation Showcase was the October 12 release date for Assassin’s Creed Mirage, putting to rest rumors that the game had been delayed until 2024. This is sure to be welcome news to fans looking forward to enjoying Basim’s epic journey through Baghdad this year, and it gives additional credence to details in the leak indicating that Mirage’s gameplay will be far more in line with the first Assassin’s Creed game than the franchise’s recent entries. This return to a shorter experience may help bring back players who’d become overwhelmed by sprawling games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage Looks Like a Long-Awaited Return to the Series’ Roots
While Ubisoft has claimed that this latest entry would mark a return to Assassin’s Creed’s roots ever since it was first announced, Ubisoft’s silence about Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s development had some franchise fans concerned that the developer may have abandoned these plans. Luckily for those worried that the game had drifted from this initial vision, the gameplay shown off for Assassin’s Creed Mirage looks to channel the same mix of stealth and action that first helped the franchise become a success.
The first thing long-time fans of the franchise likely noticed when watching the Assassin’s Creed Mirage gameplay trailer is how closely it resembles the first Assassin’s Creed. Not only does this latest entry share a similar setting to the franchise’s freshman outing, but it also appears to put a renewed emphasis on combat and freerunning as players make their way through Baghdad’s crowded streets. Parkour in Assassin’s Creed games had slowly become less of a focus over the years, and seeing it take center stage once again shows that Ubisoft looks to be holding to the promise it made when the game was first announced.
Mirage’s Smaller Scale Makes Good on Ubisoft’s Promise
Given the increasingly padded-out length of recent entries in the franchise, many gamers were skeptical when Ubisoft first announced Assassin’s Creed Mirage as a return to the series’ roots. Despite this skepticism, though, Ubisoft appears to be staying true to its word and delivering a game that puts the focus squarely on the combat, stealth, and freerunning mechanics that defined early Assassin’s Creed games. This back-to-basics approach may be a tough sell for players who were introduced to the series with games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which could take well over 100 hours to fully complete, but it should help to bring back old fans and new players alike.
By returning to the series’ roots with Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Ubisoft can deliver an experience that will appeal to players who are either unable or unwilling to devote dozens or hundreds of hours to reaching the end credits. This sort of smaller, more focused title could broaden the appeal of the franchise in the lead-up to the launch of several upcoming Assassin’s Creed games. Additionally, despite its shorter length, Basim’s story is likely to reveal some important new pieces of Assassin’s Creed lore.
Despite featuring a smaller scale than the franchise’s recent outings, Assassin’s Creed Mirage already looks to be a worthy successor to the series’ storied legacy. Whether it can capture the magic that made the first Assassin’s Creed a hit remains to be seen, but this new gameplay trailer already makes it abundantly clear that Ubisoft is determined to give the well-worn formula another chance to shine.
Assassin's Creed Mirage launches on October 12 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
