Assassin's Creed Mirage

Assassin’s Creed Mirage continues that run of solid games, without question. It doesn’t break new ground – by design, I would argue – but it shows that around twenty games in (counting spin-offs), there’s still plenty of story for the series to delve into. Assassin’s Creed Mirage is an Assassin’s Creed game, for all the good and bad (mostly good) that entails.

Assassin’s Creed: Mirage is a return to form for the series. What had become a formula so bloated that it lost sight of what actually made the series good has been simplified to make it more engaging. What you get here is an efficient and clean historical action game. One that gives you the chance to explore a less-travelled part of history from a part of the world that people are usually too busy demonising to explore as a setting. Ubisoft would benefit from writers who understood how to convey narrative efficiently, but in every other way the more focused and streamlined experience that Mirage offers makes it the most cohesive entry in this series for a very long time.

If Ubisoft’s mission with Assassins Creed Mirage was clearly to create something that paid tribute to the series’ roots while acting as an entry point for new fans, and perhaps a re-entry point for lapsed ones, then that mission has been well and truly accomplished. The razor-sharp focus on throwback stealth gameplay, stripping back of RPG systems, and de-emphasizing of melee combat all come together to create the most focused entry in years.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a fantastic return to form for the long-running franchise, and by leveraging the very best of the series' offerings and doubling down on the original game's design philosophy, Ubisoft has created the most authentic Assassin's Creed game in a decade.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage returns the series to its roots with enormous success. Basim’s well-paced journey from street thief to master assassin is full of stealth-focused action and enthralling investigations, and should please fans of the series with its intrigue and heart.

Ubisoft delivers a truly excellent experience with Assassin’s Creed Mirage, wonderfully blending this series’ past and present to provide players with a compact, engaging story driven by captivating characters and secrets worth seeking. It’s everything you could want from an Assassin’s Creed game and a welcome sign of things to come after a divisive few years.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a very good game, a pure Assassin's Creed, according to the rules of the art! More concise, sober and effective in its gameplay, leaving aside the RPG dimension which could make previous games indigestible, it offers a 100% infiltration experience based on the fundamentals of the series: infiltration, parkour and assassination. The story, well told, in the delicious atmosphere of a coherent and sublime Baghdad will captivate all fans of the cult series which marks a real winning return.

Mirage is the Assassin’s Creed many have been waiting for. It pays homage to its roots, bringing with it the challenge and satisfaction of a well-planned and executed stealth assault. It effortlessly blends together the old-school approach with updated design philosophies, a deeper and more immersive game world, and a story that enthralls from start to finish.

Assassin's Creed Mirage wants players to experience its story to the end, and you'll be glad you did. There are plenty of nostalgic set pieces that replicate early entries of the series, but Mirage manages to create a genuinely unique experience that could very well shape future entries. This can easily be played as your first Assassin's Creed adventure, but long-time fans will be rewarded with connecting plot points and thrilling moments of gameplay.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a delightful journey through Basin's early days as an Assassin, with amazing visuals and gameplay that puts together everything we all love in the series. Maybe the story has some flaws and there is a little bit of concern that maybe this is becoming something too similar to Far Cry in the way things play out, but in the end it's another pretty solid entry for a franchise that is already a huge part of videogame history.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a return to form. While the RPG titles offered a huge world, there’s something about the smaller, tight-knit areas that lend themselves to the life of an assassin. The smaller scope and focus on stealth are refreshing which makes the moment-to-moment gameplay a blast. Combat is diverse allowing you to adapt to whatever situation you find yourself in and missions give you the freedom to find your own route to the objective. Aspects from the history of the franchise combine in Mirage to make this the best release the series has offered in years.

If you are thirsty for an Assassin's Creed with a classic touch, it is evident that Mirage will fulfill what you are looking for, and now it is expected that Ubisoft will want to continue returning to the path lost some time ago.

I suspect the next time we see a $90 Assassin’s Creed it will be something significantly larger in breadth of world and play. Until then, Assassin’s Creed Mirage serves as an excellent stopgap, a historical adventure that proves entertaining and edifying in equal measure while leaving time to enjoy some of the other great games releasing this fall.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage didn’t lie to us. The new opus offers us a return to basics in due form, with an old-fashioned credo and modern mechanics à la Unity. A true melting pot - both in terms of approaches, NPCs and mechanics taken from previous ACs - Mirage is a call to almost limitless freedom. On the other hand, its old-fashioned gameplay, its small technical shortcomings and its very classic side risk leaving some behind. But fans of the license have with Mirage a gripping story, a pleasant breath of nostalgia and a new grandiose dive into great History. Yes, Basim's adventure does not reinvent the wheel, but it is an excellent way to wait for the next big game in the license, Assassin's Creed Codename Red.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage underscores Ubisoft's commitment to bring the series back to its roots, making it a compelling choice for those who are long time fans. Despite not revolutionizing the franchise, it still expertly transports players to an intricately designed Baghdad, and presents a captivating narrative through the lens of one of the most beloved assassins in the series.

Assassin's Creed Mirage aims for a pretty obvious main objective: to get back to the roots of the franchise, which implies taking away the RPG components that were gradually introduced with the last three entries.Mirage manages to recover the essence and magic of the Assassin's Creed games from the past, especially through its gameplay and plot. If you are one of the nostalgic fans and really needed a trip to the past, Mirage, the city of Baghdad and Basim as the main character are definitely what you were looking for.Although the game clearly speaks to the Assassin's Creed fans from back in the day, it is also designed for newcomers, so you won't need to have completed any other previous entries from the franchise in order to enjoy Mirage.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a true love letter to the early years of the franchise, but it does not really bring anything new or revolutionary to the gameplay and story. You're gonna get the same mechanics - albeit without the RPG elements and as refined as you can imagine - and a charismatic protagonist that leaves its mark in the hall of best assassins.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is the return to basics that Ubisoft had hoped for. Without reinventing the JV tricks of the trade, it relies on solid fundamentals (infiltration, parkour, exploration), simple but effective characters and storyline, and is one of the pleasant surprises of 2023. More than just Valhalla's DLC, Mirage takes us away and immerses us in a splendid Baghdad, full of life and activity, where it's easy to get lost by stealth.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is an excellent homage to the past and a well-realized title in its own merits. Evoking elements that made the franchise a huge success and marrying them with several of the improvements made in recent games, it is a great game and it has a beautiful approach to telling the story of one of the most intriguing characters in the franchise: Basim.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is the game that old school fans of the series have been waiting for. By taking the action back to its roots, Ubisoft has crafted one of the most exciting entries in the long running stealth series for the best part of a decade.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is not a remake of the first chapter of the series in disguise, as some might think, however the declared intention to pay homage to the origins of the series has been fully respected. With everything that comes with it, for better or for worse. The more compact and not at all distracting experience benefits not only the pace of the game, but also that of the narrative, which manages to always be focused on the figure of Basim. Unfortunately, many of the historical defects of the series remain, primarily the poor artificial intelligence of the enemies, while the structure of the main missions is overall of a good standard, with a few small exceptions. However, a successful operation was completed by Ubisoft Bordeaux.

Mirage successfully returns to the roots of the Assassin's Creed series, but also stumbles a bit over those roots.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a nice mixture of old and new. The look and feel of this more focused adventure match that of earlier entries, whilst going back to it's roots with the focus on stealth. Deep skill trees and a gigantic map have been swapped for a slimmed down Bagdad and a few skills to choose from. Fans of the Ezio and Altaïr era are going to feel at home right away, and even the mediocre story and the nagging bug now and then, are not going stop you from having a fun trip down memory lane.

I could say so far that everything I've collected about AC Mirage is positive, but as with pretty much every other title, light casts some shadows, and literally in this case. Performance mode works fine at 60 fps, but visual glitches are pretty annoying. AI hasn't evolved much either (...) but all in all this mild return to the series' roots feels very convincing. It's not revolutionary, but clearly keeps the flame alive.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage returns to the roots of the franchise, but doesn’t bring anything new to the table, at least nothing important. This is far from being a bad game, but it’s certainly not a breath of fresh air for an antiquated series. The things that pull Assassin’s Creed Mirage out of the mediocrity pool are the setting, voice acting and soundtrack. Although I had an enjoyable experience playing Mirage, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve already played this game numerous times in the past.

Washed and reincarnated, Assassin's Creed returns to the roots that made it famous, ready to show new generations what made this franchise iconic. Smaller in scale and devoid of bugs and glitches it will for sure appeal to all those who did not like the megalomania of the last few sequels.

This is an ideal way back into the franchise if you’ve lapsed from it recently. And a much-needed step backwards to, ultimately, take a step forwards.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a great return to form for the series, the gameplay is less bloated and more focused on the minute to minute fun.

After huge worlds and hours-long campaigns, it's time for something shorter and more modest. Adventure on a smaller scale works well in Assassin's Creed Mirage, even if it's simply a well-executed sequel. There's nothing particularly amazing here, but also nothing to pick on.

Assassin's Creed Mirage takes the series back to where it all began, and while it feels great to take a break from more and more complex RPG gameplay that we've seen in the past few entries, it is not necessarily a step forward for the series as the game becomes too boring too fast. Mirage is still a great action adventure, but maybe a balance between Role Playing gameplay and linear story telling would be what this series need to find its path again.

Mirage is a beautiful and competent throwback to Assassin's Creed's origins that unfortunately fails to leave its own mark in the series. Despite that, it's refreshing as a shorter adventure - one that proves that less can be more.

Mirage is more of a tribute that a return to the classics, but the setting, the level design and the reasonable length are welcome changes to make Assassin’s Creed more enjoyable for the fans of the first games.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a triumphant return to the roots of the series. Basim invites us to be stealthy and think carefully, calculating every step in a Baghdad full of details and places to explore. It is a different installment to what we are used to with the most recent releases, but both newcomers and veterans of the saga should give it a try.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is proof that Ubisoft doesn’t need an expansive open-world to create a compelling Assassin’s Creed game. I don’t need a laundry list of neverending chores to knock out, or endless quests and question mark icons to explore in order to level up. All I need is my hidden blade, a cool hoodie and some darts, and I’m good to go. Mirage is Ubisoft’s most focused Assassin’s Creed game in six years, and a much-needed revitalization of the series.

Mirage is the ultimate Assassin’s Creed comfort food for those who’ve been longing for a return to the classic stealth formula. It’s not going to blow you away, but it’s well done, and the nostalgia you’ll feel playing it will remind you of why you enjoy the series in the first place. Ultimately, Basim and Baghdad coalesce to create a tantalizing vision of what the future of Assassin’s Creed could be – a reincarnation of what it once was.

In returning to its roots, Ubisoft has made a more focused Assassin’s Creed, one that those with limited time have a hope of completing. And in setting all the action in a single city and its surrounding countryside, the team has packed its sidestreets with fascinating snapshots of life – such as heated hagglers bickering in the bazaar, musicians drawing a crowd beside a mosque and pigeon fanciers feeding their birds on a rooftop aviary. Ubisoft lets down the liveliness of its world with a well-trodden story, but after a string of formless open-world games, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a stab in the right direction.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a strong return to the original identity of the series. The increased emphasis on stealth encourages you to get more invested in your surroundings, while the streamlined equipment options and shortened length ensure Basim doesn’t wear out his welcome. Open combat and the story aren’t anything particularly special, but learning about Baghdad continues the series tradition of celebrating different time periods. With multiple Assassin’s Creed projects in the works, hopefully Ubisoft embraces the intimate focus of Mirage.

Mirage represents Ubisoft at its best; fuelling historical intrigue with tight, uncomplicated gameplay systems that make puzzles out of environments, that breadcrumb you to fantastic treasures, that sucker punch you out of your false sense of security whenever you get too comfortable. The game comes undone under the pressure of combat, but that’s OK, because the options it gives you to tiptoe around it feel superb in the hands. Assassin’s Creed is a helix, representing Ubisoft’s future and its legacy, and Mirage is at the intersection of both – proving it’s possible for Ubisoft to deliver something focused and fantastic, even without that new-fangled RPG finish.

Mirage teases a larger mystery that connects to Basim’s role in the earlier Valhalla release. But in this case, the resolution of that mystery is unsatisfying and feels like an odd wrap-up to an otherwise self-contained narrative. Concerns about the conclusion aside, I still had a wonderful time in Baghdad’s ancient alleys and palaces. Not everything is perfect, but the “less is more” design philosophy goes a long way to making this one of the most consistently engaging titles within the series for some time.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage's back-to-basics approach is a successful first step in returning to the stealthy style that launched this series.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a short, sharp trip through the blood soaked streets of Baghdad. A welcome return to the series' roots, Mirage is a breath of fresh air in the endless sea of open world adventure games.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage doesn’t make the sharpest first impression with its dated visuals and by-the-book mechanics, but like its hooded protagonist, the game sneaks up on you with its manageably-sized yet vibrant map, intricately-woven campaign, and varied missions. Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s blade may be slightly tarnished, but it still leaves a mark.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a gorgeously crafted love letter to the memory of the franchise, establishing a vibrant new world but coming up a little short on ideas to match it.

Despite some disappointing narrative moments, Mirage is a refreshing return to what Assassin’s Creed used to be, and consequentially a glimpse into what has been lost by the series being waylaid into vast, open-world adventures.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage might be a smaller experience than the mammoths that have preceded it, but that doesn’t make it lesser. Clocking in at a decent 20-30 hours of focused gameplay and story, it’s a great return to form to the stealth-focused days of Altair and Ezio. While the main missions could have used more variety, it’s encouraging to see that Ubisoft hasn’t forgotten the franchise’s roots.

Ubisoft really succeeded with Assassin's Creed Mirage. Slimming down the experience was a good move to prevent the fatiguing nature that was oh-so apparent in the bigger RPGs.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a great stealth fantasy game, with a fantastic setting you want to just simmer in, and a pace that gently but consistently pulls you through interesting missions you find yourself eager to tackle. Its focused scope gives you the breathing room to invest more interest and care in the makeup and history of the world, along with the plights of its characters, and leaves you feeling content with the time you spent in it. This is how all Assassin’s Creed games should be.

Although Basim isn't the most interesting protagonist, he's likable and has an eager charm. The stealth mechanics are solid; however, the parkour can sometimes feel sluggish and almost choppy. The missions are fun, letting you tackle them in multiple ways depending on your play style, too. This doesn't quite have the agency of Valhalla, for example, but there's enough freedom to give that illusion. Assassin's Creed Mirage is a step in the right direction for the series and a solid entry. Old and new fans don't want to miss out on this tale of Baghdad.

If you're a long-time Assassin's Creed fan that fondly remembers the early entries of the series, you're likely to love Assassin's Creed Mirage. Those who have found the last trio of entries simply too big will appreciate its sharper focus, too. While it does little to propel the series forward mechanically, it's a return to what made it stand out in the first place: an open world stealth game where hiding in plain sight and making use of your parkour skills is key. Factor in the brilliant setting and some challenging assassination scenarios, and you have a game that pays homage to the series' roots while successfully standing on its own two feet.

Ubisoft Bordeaux has delivered exactly what it promised. Assassin's Creed Mirage is a compact, stealth-focused adventure that punishes anyone trying to go in loud, and it does so in a world that's always a delight to explore (and be chased through).

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a triumphant return to the style of the original Assassin’s Creed games. It maintains some RPG elements such as upgrading equipment and learning abilities through skill points, but this is done on a smaller scale than the most recent predecessors. Mirage hits the sweet spot when it comes to game length, long enough to feel worthwhile but short enough where it never drags or feels bogged down by filler content.

Mirage is an accessible throwback to when Assassin's Creed games didn't demand 100-hour commitments, and it's a brisk fun adventure, too. Its story didn't blow us away, but its gameplay loop is simple and satisfying.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage from developer Ubisoft Bordeaux is a scaled-back version of the last three games. It puts more focus on story delivery than it does on gameplay options and complete execution of them. It’s a good game with a wonderful lead character, but at the end of the day, you’re probably going to leave the experience wanting more.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is an entertaining product, but also one that makes me wonder about everything that could have been. I'd be lying if I said I had a bad time running around Baghdad, doing parkour and turning into a shadow to take out my enemies. It was quite the opposite, there were even several moments where I felt like I was in front of my old TV with an Xbox 360 controller in hand and ignoring the history homework to better immerse myself in virtual Jerusalem. Sadly those feelings remain just that -feelings- and Mirage is unable to transcend and recapture all the magic that made Assassin's Creed one of the biggest franchises in the medium.

An enjoyable classic approach to the franchise.

Assassin's Creed Mirage offers a gaming experience that all in all works and entertains without much pretension, although it does not allow the series to take any major step forward.

Assassin's Creed Mirage takes elements from the modern and classic era of the franchise to give us an experience that works halfway. However, bland combat and a predictable story mean that it fails to stand alongside other much-loved installments and does not allow it to be the triumphant return many wanted.

A classic Assassin's Creed for good and bad. Direct and shorter content, a very successful setting and soundtrack, but with unsatisfactory combat in both direct action and stealth that harms everything else.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is not perfect. The voice acting can be stilted and the acrobatic traversal feels more sluggish than I remember (which may be due to a controls layout that didn't quite make sense to me). But if you've got rose-tinted glasses for the original Assassin's Creed games, Mirage certainly looks like a refreshing oasis.

A good Assassin's Creed for those who prefer stealth, parkour and a small but still formulaic open world.

When Assassin’s Creed Mirage is at its best, it’s an entertaining experience. But in between those moments, the repetitiveness really starts to weigh it down. The middle part of the game is a bit hard to get through just because of how boring it gets. For those looking for a pure return of form to the original Assassin’s Creed, you’re going to love Mirage. After all, the stealth, parkour, and accompanying systems are the best they’ve been. And Baghdad is one of the best cities we’ve explored in the series yet. But for me, I can’t help but wonder if the true mirage was thinking this return to the old formula was the right direction to take.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a passionate tribute to the origins of the Ubisoft series, and those who missed those mechanics, atmosphere, and architecture will certainly not be disappointed with the game. Unfortunately, it's clear that something didn't in the delicate balance of stealth phases and combat: Basim can rely on an excessive number of abilities and gadgets that lowers the challenge progressively instead of increasing it, and as a result even the hand-to-hand fights are not the bogeyman we had hoped for.

Assassin's Creed Mirage recalls the chapters of the "pre role-playing" era with a certain effectiveness, with a system of notoriety that pushes you to return to anonymity with the means at Basim's disposal. Between the pleasant exploration of Baghdad - well characterized and equipped with the right amount of secondary activities - and interesting main missions, at least as regards level design and approach methods, Ubisoft Bordeaux has created a valid and fun experience, but not without quality problems and fluctuations. The problems related mostly to the martial choreography of the battles are accompanied by a narrative segment that is not as incisive as we hoped and stealth phases impoverished by unrefined enemy AI and offensive solutions that are all too effective.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is perfectly serviceable and will certainly scratch an itch for major fans - though it's arguably not a bad entry point for newcomers either.

Assassin's Creed: Mirage excels in level design which allows for the best parkouring in years. It is a highlight of the game along with the soundtrack, the Tales of Baghdad and the greater focus on stealth. At the same time, it is clear that the previous games are the foundation, making stealth more of an addition than a core element. In addition, the story pauses a bit too long between the beginning and end, and the combat is a bit dull at times. Ultimately, a fine game, but one with both many pluses and minuses.

If you are looking for originality with this Assassin's Creed Mirage, you will be disappointed, the game only focusing on the nostalgic fiber and the roots of the license. Less RPG elements, smaller open world, 15/20 hours of gaming maximum, the return of the Middle East and gameplay centered on stealth mechanics, some players will appreciate the return of the old Assassin's Creed philosophy, others will not because the game is less complete, with old school stealth mechanics. Assassin's Creed Mirage is simply Assassin's Creed in the most basic way the formula has to offer. It's not bad in itself, but after 3 years of waiting, we were still entitled to expect something more surprising.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a divisive trip down memory lane for Ubisoft: it's a retelling of the origin story we've heard many times in this franchise, and a re-enacting of the same mechanics and moment-to-moment gameplay the saga was known for before Origins. It's up to personal tastes if this is enough or not, but we were expecting more.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a condensed version of the modern Assassin’s formula. That may disappoint some who hoped for something that felt new while also significantly harkening back to the series’ past. Stealth does get a boost, alongside occasional engaging narrative and characters, but there’s plenty of padding that dampens the fun.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a nice reminder of what this series can do well. Movement through the densely populated cities can feel kinetic and slick whilst stealth is straight-forward and easy to plan. Combat is serviceable, if a little clumsy when multiple enemies arrive. There's a sense of nostalgia I get from what is ostensibly a more complete and considered take on the series' first steps. I wish the story had more weight to it but the actors do a good job of delivering what they're given. It's not a stellar example of the genre but a rather solid one.

Assassin's Creed Mirage was full of promises. In the end, it's more of a tribute than a true return to its roots. The game offers a melting pot of the latest episodes, stripping out all the RPG progression and its open world, leaving us with the most basic things the license has to offer. It does manage to give a nostalgic vibe in its best moments, but this throwback is combined with a lack of modernity, originality and technical shortcomings that are hard to forgive in 2023, especially in terms of AI and parkour. It's not bad in itself, but it clearly doesn't live up to its promise. Hopefully, Ubisoft will be able to turn this around in the future, because while Mirage leaves us wanting more, it clearly whets our appetites.

Assassin's Creed is going back to its roots, substituting the vast environments of the previous entries for a much more concise experience. This may be a welcome retread for fans of the series but, at the same time, Ubisoft doesn't seem eager to take risks with this formula or fix some of its prevalent issues.

Assassin’s Creed: Mirage is a decent reflection on the essentials, but is often too timid and unimaginative.

I'm not sure who's the target audience for Assassin's Creed: Mirage. It goes beyond returning to basics and is just basic. It's not terrible or unplayable, and if you enjoy the core Assassin's Creed gameplay or want a chance to run around Baghdad, it might scratch your itch. The problem is one that I've never had with an Assassin's Creed title before. They have problems, flaws, and issues aplenty, but each one felt like there was ambition behind it. Mirage feels unmemorable and bland and plays like a phoned-in Assassin's Creed title.

A return to the past with all the pros and cons that go with it, but also a mixture of mechanisms that don't always go well with each other. If you're longing for assassins that used stealth as a prim, you've come to the right place; however, don't expect a novelty that could surpass the older parts of the series.

Assassin’s Creed gets back-to-basics with a shorter, more focused – if slightly less polished -campaign, and a return to an impossibly beautiful looking early-era Middle East.

I hope Ubisoft continues to make city-based Assassin’s Creed games because it’s refreshing to play something this tight and focused after the more bloated, RPG-focused AC games, but the developers need to update it for modern tastes. From the tech powering it to the structure and base mechanics, I’d love to see where the series could go with a proper overhaul. I’m not asking for a completely different game, but the physics and parkour controls feel drastically dated, and it’d be nice if they could find a way to let us infiltrate buildings beyond making us search for keys like it’s Doom.

Despite its faults and playing it very safe, Assassin's Creed Mirage is a step in the right direction for Ubisoft, an exercise in concision and a solid attempt to rekindle what made early AC games memorable.

Assassin's Creed Mirage will appeal to anyone who's been pining for a return to the old school open world stealth of the earlier games. It's pretty much exactly that with a few extra refinements and additions. Some of those additions are a bit distracting and immersion breaking, but nothing gets in the way of some good old fashioned assassinations.

I reiterate many times that the real question should not be what a game is about but how it is about it, and to a certain extent, it's unfair to mark Mirage down because it's trying for a solid base hit. But I do think it's fair to mark it down for not just playing it safe but playing it way less than it could be. I characterized Valhalla as a game well worth playing even if you aren't generally fond of this franchise, but Mirage? It's just another Assassin's Creed game with no ambitions of being more. Far from feeling like a loving tribute on the anniversary, it feels like coasting…If you've loved this franchise since the first game, you're going to have fun with Mirage. But just like its namesake, there's less here than there appears to be, and beneath the surface it's lacking. Not enough to be bad, but enough to be just rote. And that, ultimately, is a letdown even if the game can play the hits well.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a solid adventure with an entertaining story and many engaging challenges. Sneaking in the shadows and picking off one guard after another is and will be great entertainment, and that's one reason why there are still new chapters in the series.

A true return to the origins of the license, suffering from an outdated engine.

Assassin's Creed Mirage sets off in search of its roots, and it finds them — both for better and worse. Undeniably basic in its approach to stealth and combat, it feels oddly dated in terms of design, but it's also a refreshing reminder of the series' original strengths. Ultimately, it's a solid sandbox title, and it successfully scratches the hidden blade itch that was so clearly absent in Odyssey and Valhalla.

If you are stripped far enough, you will eventually be in your shirt. Assassin's Creed Mirage also experiences this. Everything that does not have to do with assassinations is omitted, but nothing new is added either. The result is at times nostalgic and entertaining, but ultimately as fleeting as a mirage.

Assassin's Creed Mirage recreates the city of peace wonderfully in terms of architecture, visuals, and audio presentation. Though storytelling isn't free of Orientalism and its stereotypes guilt. However, its the gameplay where Mirage falters in our opinion, as the AI is weak and swordplay is mediocre. The whole game loop is repetitive overall.

Glimmers of a great throwback are here but nothing holds up upon close inspection. Missions lack depth while this combat was better left in the past. [Issue#34, p.86]

For a story centered on revolutionaries, Mirage is oddly conservative, mired in the middle ground between honouring tradition and embracing innovation. Ubisoft has seldom felt closer to delivering on the power fantasy promised by Patrice Desilets in 2007; equally, it has never felt farther away from its contemporaries. [Issue#391, p.108]

After releasing at least one new game almost every year, developer Ubisoft simply fails to surprise with Assassins Creed Mirage. What was supposed to be an homage to the first games feels too much like déjà vu. The same moves, the same controls, the same missions in a similar setting. There is wear and tear on the golden formula of yesteryear.

When it comes together, Mirage does manage to evoke the same feelings I had back in 2007 running round Acre for the first time. There’s an exquisite stealth sandbox nestled away in here, but a few excellent missions don’t make up for the frequent bugs, lifeless city, utterly pants combat, or the fact it completely wasted The Expanse’s Shohreh Aghdashloo on some of the flattest, most perfunctory writing the series has ever seen.

Outside of its stunning setting, Assassin's Creed Mirage doesn't have anything exciting or new to offer. It's a mixture of the worst parts of classic and modern Assassin's Creed, sacrificing both storytelling and exploration in an attempt to appease fans from both eras.

While I adore the mood, vibes, and look of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, it is also one of my least favorite games in the series in recent memory. It is a step backwards in pretty much every sense of the word, for better and for worse. I admire the idea of going back to the roots with inspiration from games I enjoyed more than a decade ago, but it creates mixed results because of this.

I wish Mirage were the game I’ve been waiting for as a fan of the franchise, but it’s not. The developers’ desire to make it similar gameplay-wise to classic installments of the series is obvious and welcome, but as a whole, this is a surprisingly bland product with an average story, poorly written NPCs and embarrassingly weak dialogues. Moreover, Basim’s adventures do not bring anything valuable to the series. It’s a hollow, shallow and basically unnecessary game developed to showcase the Middle Eastern setting.

With so many games on the horizon, the series is threatening to mimic sports franchises on an action-adventure level; the addictive same-old repackaged and resold back to you year-on-year. Mirage might promise a fresh oasis from afar, but get closer and it’s the same formula, drier and less quenching than before.

In the end Mirage was mainly one thing: boring. It is not a game with embarrassing bugs or crashes, but one that fails to fascinate. It took hours to get going, after which it told a lame story and didn't introduce any cool new ideas. I worked my way through it reluctantly. It's great that the game handles its setting a little better than the first part, but that one bright spot does little to make the game worthwhile.

While its brevity impedes the story, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is thankfully a lot shorter than the last few entries. However, its relatively slender figure only points out how the series has used quantity to overcompensate for its stagnation. This is laid bare in Mirage, as its stealth and open-world design all pull from eras that have long since fallen out of style — an unforced error that is mostly because of Ubisoft’s decade-long overreliance on that structure. Baghdad’s potential as a classic setting in the franchise has also suffered because of this and has been undermined by the artificiality of its blueprint. Mirage was designed to go back to basics, but it just ended up being too basic.