Summary
Over the past decade, Ubisoft has been trying to reinvent its acclaimedAssassin’s Creedfranchise. Not only did itbring theAssassin’s Creedfranchise further backthan it ever did before, but the games also shifted from action-adventure titles to fully-fledged RPGs. While all of these experiences were very successful for the studio, this change lost a bit of the franchise’s identity along the way. However,Assassin’s Creed Mirageis bringing the series back to its roots, and so far, it seems to be paying off.
Assassin’s Creed Miragehas delivered a much smaller-scale adventure compared to its RPG predecessors, and it does not seem to be held back by that size. It may not be perfect, yet fans should find a lot to love within. Specifically, its main story has put the Creed and The Hidden Ones, actual Assassins, front and center once more. While it would make sense for anAssassin’s Creedgame to follow the assassins, the past two titles have strayed extremely far from that concept. And now that the series has returned to it, future titles need to stick with it.
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Assassin’s Creed Cannot Forget About the Creed Again
TheAssassin’s Creedfranchisewas built on the concept of two mysterious orders fighting across history. That was the entire focus of the narrative, or at least it was before the launch ofAssassin’s Creed Odyssey. AfterOriginsshowed players the beginnings of the Hidden Ones through a brand-new RPG lens, players were excited to see where the franchise would go next. And that next chapter may have been a great time, but it seemed to have forgotten what the point ofAssassin’sCreedwas to begin with.
Instead of following the Creed,Assassin’s Creed Odysseyfelt more likean RPG set in Ancient Greece. Neither of the playable characters were actually Assassins, players spent their time taking out the Cult of Kosmos instead of a form of the Templars, and the story had almost nothing to do with the franchise’s narrative outside of the modern-day setting. While the game may have been a great exploration of history, it felt like anAssassin’s Creedgame in name only.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallawould end up involving the Hidden Ones again, but it also put players in control of someone who was not an Assassin. Instead,players controlled the Viking Eivorduring their quest to establish a new Viking clan in England. Even though the story involved elements of the franchise’s core conflict, Vikings are not often known for their subtlety, so the core gameplay hardly felt like anACgame.
WhileAC Valhallamay have brought some of the series' staples back, it only went so far, and fans yearned for a return to form. Luckily, Ubisoft seems to have listened asAssassin’s Creed Mirageis once again tellingthat classic Assassin vs Templar storythat the series is known for. Players control an assassin, work alongside other assassins, and attempt to rid a city of Templar influence like they did in many of the older titles. It may be a bit rough in some places, yet it also seems to be answering many of the fanbase’s wishes, which is great to see.
Now thatAssassin’s Creed Miragebrought the franchise back to its core, Ubisoft should continue down this path. Many players got annoyed by two games that barely involved the Creed, and now that they got that again, it would be a shame if it was stripped away. Not only would that be a confusing decision, but it would likely anger diehard fans as well. Instead, future titles should stick with the Creed.
Assassin’s Creed Mirageis available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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