Ubisoft recently announced that image from Assassin's Creed Mirage, but previously revealed rumors can shed even more light on the game ahead of its full reveal.
Since the franchise's first installment, which launched back in 2007, Assassin's Creed has brought players to a wide range of settings while letting them control a colorful cast of characters. The original game put players in the stealthy shoes of Altair Ibn-La'Ahad, an Assassin who operated throughout the Holy Land during the Third Crusade. Assassin's Creed 2 subsequently brought players to the Italian Renaissance and cast them as Ezio Auditore, a hero whose positive reception led to an entire trilogy focused on him alone. Since then a huge variety of new time periods and locations have been recreated, from Ancient Greece to Victorian England, and an Assassin's Creed Valhalla spinoff starring Basim will reportedly give the franchise a fresh start.
Industry insiders like Assassin's Creed Mirage rumors paint a pretty clear picture of what the game might be about.
Assassin's Creed Mirage Tells Basim's Origin Story
Introduced in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Basim Ibn Ishaq serves as a companion and antagonist to protagonist Evior throughout the Viking Age adventure. Born in the Abbasid Caliphate and growing up in Baghdad, Basim became a dedicated member of the Assassin Brotherhood at an early age. However, later in life Basim also discovered himself to be the reincarnation of the Norse god Loki, a revelation which led him on a quest to free his lover Aletheia from the Staff of Hermes. While he clashes with protagonist Eivor at several points, Basim's origins and goals make him a sympathetic and fascinating antagonist in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
According to most rumors, Assassin's Creed Mirage will let players experience Basim's early years in Baghdad. The new Assassin's Creed game will reportedly be set between 860 and 870, with Basim starting out as a young thief before being recruited into the Hidden Ones organization. This particularly turbulent era in the Abbasid Caliphate, known as the Anarchy at Samarra, will likely lead to some high-stakes assassinations of high-profile political targets. Rumors also suggest that Assassin's Creed Mirage will include "Visions of Loki" gameplay segments, which will reveal how the God of Mischief gradually took over Basim's mind following a tragic event.
Assassin's Creed Mirage Gameplay Goes Back To Basics
While the series was once known for the three core pillars of stealth, combat and freerunning, recent Assassin's Creed titles have dramatically diverged from these features. Melee combat is still strongly emphasized, but recent Assassin's Creed settings like Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and the Viking Age have made stealth and freerunning less of a focus. These titles have instead introduced various RPG elements to the series, with players collecting randomized loot from fallen foes and filling out massive skill trees after earning experience through gameplay.
Most rumors suggest that Assassin's Creed Mirage will return to the franchise's roots by bringing gameplay back to its most basic elements. Taking inspiration from the first game in the series, Mirage will apparently strip away RPG elements like dialogue options, character customization and the leveling system. The iconic Eagle Vision mechanic will make a grand return, and Assassin's Creed Mirage's Baghdad location will likely lead to a renewed emphasis on freerunning traversal, thanks to its dense architecture, and rooftop hiding spots are rumored to return. Other rumors suggest that Mirage will boast massive crowds of citizens, similar to Assassin's Creed Unity, which will make social stealth much more prominent.
Assassin's Creed Mirage DLC & The AC Remake
By all s, Assassin's Creed Mirage will borrow heavily from the setting and gameplay of the series' very first entry. That game saw Altair track and kill a list of targets throughout the Holy Land, with cities ranging from Jerusalem to Damascus. Rumors suggest that the two projects will share this Middle Eastern setting, though Mirage will only feature a single city, as well the bare-bones gameplay focus on stealth and parkour. However, additional rumors suggest that this connection between Assassin's Creed Mirage and the original game will go even deeper.
According to insiders, Ubisoft is building a complete remake of the original Assassin's Creed with Mirage as its foundation. This project will reportedly reuse many of the assets crafted for Mirage and Baghdad, which will likely lead to reused gameplay mechanics and character animations. This Assassin's Creed remake is apparently planned for inclusion as part of the Assassin's Creed Mirage Season , which will also include other DLC like The Forty Thieves Quest and a journey to Constantinople.
Assassin's Creed Mirage has the potential to bring the open-world franchise back to its roots in of setting, scope and gameplay. Basim was a fascinating part of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and a game that explores his origins has a ton of potential for stealth gameplay and fascination history. The title is also rumored to return focus to stealth and freerunning, which will mirror the franchise's earliest and arguably best installments. Ubisoft will officially reveal more about the game on September 10, so time will tell whether Assassin's Creed Mirage rumors hold any water.
Source: Jason Schreier/Twitter