Assassin’s Creed means something different to everyone. For some, it's all about the flashy parkour. For others, the main appeal is the high-fidelity recreation of historical settings. There are even those who love the series’ complicated lore, which combines science fiction with a revisionist take on human history’s most important figures.
Every subsequent Assassin’s Creed game has leaned into or pulled away from what fans love most about it. And no design decision splintered the fan base more than Ubisoft’s ditching the GTA-style open-world action genre of older games in favor of an RPG closer to something like The Witcher 3. For Steam users who preferred the simpler Assassin’s Creed games of old, the series’ often-requested return to form has finally arrived on their digital storefront of choice. Assassin’s Creed Mirage is the perfect jumping-on point for lapsed fans who hoped the series would one day return to its roots.
Originally conceived as an expansion for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Mirage throws away everything that made the 2020 RPG such a major departure from the series' roots. Instead of the wide-open rural landscapes of England, Mirage takes place in the 9th-century urban sprawl of Baghdad. Instead of the brutish Eivor taking enemies head-on in a flurry of violent, heavy strikes, protagonist Basim Ibn Ishaq is a silent knife who uses stealth to his advantage.
The story progression of the game is also centered around completing a set number of assassinations. These missions let players approach this goal in a number of different ways by collecting intel on their targets. Though it's not quite Hitman 3 levels of figuring out how to pick off your target, it's nice to have an Assassin’s Creed game focus on assassinating bad guys who’ve wronged society.
Mirage marks a turning point for the series in terms of its scope. Instead of the 100-hour epic told in the story of Valhalla, Mirage is a much simpler story of revenge that can be beaten over a weekend. Valhalla’s leveling and loot system has been cut for a more straightforward skill tree and linear progression of equipment upgrades. In every conceivable way, Mirage rebels against all of the mechanics and added complexities of its three predecessors in favor of a smaller, tighter experience. Mirage is the closest thing players have had to the original vision for the series in over eight years.
Mirage isn’t perfect. It’s built from the same bones as Valhalla, faults and all. Its stealth is very simple thanks to some underwhelming enemy AI. Combat lacks depth unless players are willing to up the difficulty to Hard, forcing them to use distance and equipment smartly to even the odds. And while there’s architecture to parkour across unlike Valhalla, the stilted animations are a long way from the fluidity and grace of Assassin’s Creed Unity.
But all of these elements don’t deter from the authentic Assassin’s Creed vibes it manages to create. Despite the shortcomings, Mirage is fun for what it is. It fulfills the fantasy of being a highly-trained member of a secret order in the ancient world exploring its wonders. Baghdad is one of gaming’s best settings and Mirage revels in it with insightful collectibles that explain the city’s culture and background. Best of all, Mirage is just $50, the perfect price point for its compact adventure.
After years of Assassin’s Creed going big, Mirage is a much-needed break from the bloat the franchise became known for. Its singular focus on being a return to form is a window into the future direction of the series, one that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will likely follow through on when it launches in February 2025.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a refreshingly succinct re-entry point for Assassin’s Creed, one that better represents what made it a success in the first place.
