Assassin's Creed Mirage Players May Need to Kick Some Bad…

Summary

Assassin's Creed Mirage marks a significant departure from the recent gameplay formula, reinvigorating disinterested fans by returning to the old format.
Players will have to unlearn gameplay habits from Assassin's Creed's RPG games to successfully make the jump back to the old gameplay style.
Mirage offers a classic AC feel with parkour routes and a focus on stealth, requiring a serious change in approach for fans of recent RPG titles. They will need to memorize escape routes and treat combat as a last resort once again.

The upcoming Assassin’s Creed Mirage stands out clearly from the many upcoming projects within the franchise. The release is set to be a significant departure from the recent gameplay formula of the AC games, reinvigorating parts of the fan base that were otherwise disinterested.

While the return to the old gameplay style with Assassin’s Creed Mirage is exciting, it will of course bring with it some slight hiccups. In particular, fans may find themselves having to unlearn many gameplay habits that have been instilled by Mirage’s predecessors, which is one downside to the wide range of experiences that the IP offers.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s Move Away From the RPG Formula

One of the most bold and controversial elements of the Assassin’s Creed franchise came to fruition recently with its adoption of an entirely new gameplay framework. While older entries were typified by intimate yet complexly crafted central cities, recent entries like Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla all opted for large-scale open worlds.

This change of setting was primarily to foster the new RPG elements of the franchise, with a focus on deep exploration, complex skill trees, unique gear, and more layered NPC interactions. The full breadth of this ambitious gameplay is only possible in areas much larger than what the franchise had previously explored, creating a clear disconnect between classic Assassin’s Creed and its newfound identity.

Many fans welcomed these changes as a sensible switching up of what had become a tired formula, yet there are of course segments of equally-passionate fans who are vocal in their preference for the original titles. This fresh RPG approach is set to continue for Assassin’s Creed, with the highly anticipated Japan-set Assassin’s Creed Red being another mainline RPG project. However, it is clear that Ubisoft is looking to diversify this approach, with Mirage offering an experience more in-line with that classic AC feel.

Habits That Assassin’s Creed Mirage Players Will Need to Forget

With the last three mainline AC entries featuring the new RPG formula, many fans will have likely developed some gameplay practices that will not be fir for purpose within Mirage. From general exploration to combat, these habits will have quite wide-spanning consequences if not forgotten.

Immediately, Mirage players will need to kick the habit of not looking for dedicated parkour routes within built-up areas. Historically, knowing the parkour routes of a location was integral to fast getaways and general travel, yet the large-scale of newer games and mounted travel negated this. Ubisoft has stressed how Mirage will feature classic parkour, meaning fans should memorize the best routes to master the art of escape.

It is also likely that Mirage will feature much less aggressive and bombastic combat than the likes of Valhalla and Odyssey. As a Viking or a Spartan, newer AC titles allowed the player to move away from the tenets of stealth that AC was built on, with in-game abilities allowing for lethal head-on combat. As Mirage will feature a young Basim rising the ranks of the Hidden Ones, players will need to return to the mentality of stealth being their biggest ally when facing enemies. While Mirage may share storytelling similarities with its RPG predecessors, it is clear that gameplay will require a serious change in approach for fans of the recent RPG titles.