Assassin’s Creed Mirage stands apart from the franchise’s previous installment in various aspects. The game offers a notably shorter gameplay experience, spanning a mere 20 to 24 hours. Moreover, its setting has undergone significant downsizing, a choice that brings its own advantages when compared to recent entries in the Assassin’s Creed series.
The developers at Ubisoft have revealed in a recent interview with Comicbook, how a departure from expansive open worlds has allowed them to focus on intricate details, promising players a more immersive experience than ever before.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage opts for a more compact setting, centered around the bustling city of Baghdad. This deliberate shift from sprawling landscapes to a densely packed urban environment has enabled the development team to infuse the game with an unprecedented level of detail.
Fabian Salomon, Mirage’s producer, commented on the challenges and advantages of this new approach, stating,
“Our world is smaller, but at the same time, we had to treat it like a city that is way denser than in the previous games. So, bringing back dense cities, narrow streets, parkour, et cetera, is another challenge, to be honest. What is way different is the playtime. Our storyline is shorter, is more dense, it’s condensed. We wanted to have a story that is finished at some point with no RPG or very light RPG aspect is the process. But working on a city like Baghdad as you experience it is not easy. It’s another complexity to be honest.”
Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s visual director, Jean-Luc Sala, emphasized:
“Increasing the focus on specific elements allows us to enhance overall quality.”
Sala further explained that their primary emphasis was on depicting the city, even though the game encompasses more than just Baghdad.
In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, meticulous attention has been directed towards minute intricacies, enabling players to discern distant landmarks and houses from elevated vantage points. The team underscored that achieving this level of detail was beyond reach in the initial installment of Assassin’s Creed.
Nonetheless, this dedication to detail is also evident in close quarters. Sala asserted that this meticulousness extends even to the tiniest objects within locations such as stores and streets, resulting in a deeply engaging experience.
This shift in focus towards a more intricate, detailed world promises to offer players a new level of immersion and realism in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. By prioritizing depth over sheer size, Ubisoft aims to provide a gaming experience that stands out in the series‘ illustrious history.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is slated for release early next month, with the worldwide launch scheduled for October 5. Surprisingly, the game is also headed to the iPhone 15 Pro in 2024. Fans of the franchise can expect a unique and engaging adventure through the vibrant streets of Baghdad, brought to life with an unprecedented level of detail.