Street thief protagonist Basim Ibn Ishaq is quickly drawn to a greater cause than picking pockets. 9th century Baghdad, where most of the campaign takes place, is the ideal setting for a game trying to recapture the OG game’s vibe, with its stately palaces, crowded markets, mazy back streets and, of course, abundance of conveniently placed hay bales. Mirage is such a homage to the original Assassin’s Creed you can even select a visual filter that replicates its distinctive colour palette. But is Mirage more than a throwback with shinier visuals? Back to basics Originally intended as DLC for the aforementioned Valhalla, this is a tighter, much leaner and decidedly less intimidating Creed, and one that marks a confident return to the series’ stealthy roots. If you’re nostalgic for the Assassin’s Creed of old then you’ve come to the right place.
That’s where Assassin’s Creed Mirage comes in. 2020’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla had you play as a Viking – not typically people known for their subtlety. They all tie together in a famously convoluted timeline, sure, but you could make a solid case for the series becoming a little bit too bloated for its own good.
Dense city settings were replaced with entire countries, and the focused stealth-action gave way to sprawling open-world RPGs that gradually became less interested in the whole assassin thing. As the series has grown in scale, so too have its virtual worlds.
