Summary
WhenAssassin’s Creed Miragelaunches later this year it will take on the weighty role of serving as not only a throwback to the gameplay of the series’ earliest entries but also a narrative bridge to the franchise’s future. Even with several titles set to release in the coming years, out ofall theAssassin’s Creedgames currently in development,Assassin’s Creed: Mirage’s setting and story are likely to be the most important to the Ubisoft series’ overarching canon.
Following the adventures of Basim Ibn Ishaq, a Hidden Onefirst introduced inAssassin’s Creed Valhalla,Assassin’s Creed Mirageis set to have an outsized impact on the series’ lore. With the ending ofAssassin’s Creed Valhallaplanting the seeds for the new game’s Basim-centered storyline and hinting at big shakeups in store for the factions vying for control of the world,Assassin’s Creed Miragecould provide answers to some of the series’ biggest questions. This is whyAssassin’s Creed Mirage’s return to the series’ past will move the franchise forward while also paving the way for its next evolution.
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By Returning to its Past, Assassin’s Creed Mirage Will Move the Franchise Forward
When players last sawBasim Ibn Ishaq inAssassin’s Creed Valhallahe’d been revealed as a reincarnation of the Isu god Loki. Doggedly determined to find his children Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel by the game’s end, Basim agrees to help the Assassins in their ongoing war against the Templar Order while still secretly searching for his offspring. By revisiting Basim’s life before he’d learned of his true natureAssassin’s Creed Miragecan show how Loki had been manipulating the trajectory of Basim’s life, and the wider world around him, to his own ends for years.
While some of Basim’s early adventures have already been chronicled in thenovelAssassin’s Creed: The Golden City,Assassin’s Creed Mirageshould help fill in the gaps. Tracing his rise from an orphan to a master assassin,Assassin’s Creed Miragewill explain how Basim mastered his deadly craft and likely helped set the stage for the Hidden Ones’ evolution into the Assassin Brotherhood centuries later. These insights into Basim’s past should flesh out the history of the ancient order at the center of the franchise and pave the way for its next evolution.
The Events of Assassin’s Creed Mirage Should Pave the Way for the Franchise’s Next Evolution
Though likely featuring the most honorable version of the character yet,Assassin’s Creed Miragemay also set the stage for a potentiallyheartbreaking future for Basim. No matter how principled Basim may appear, the increasingly corrupting effect of Loki’s machinations on his human vessel is sure to be a big focus of the story. And given the Isu god’s centuries-long quest to reunite with his lost children at any cost, Loki’s schemes inAssassin’s Creed Miragecould pave the way for a villainous arc for Basim in future games.
Showing how Loki influenced the Hidden Ones and the world at large even before meeting Eivor will letAssassin’s Creed Mirageprovide more insight into the Isu’s ultimate goals. Fleshing out these missing details should shed light on Basim’s motivations ahead of therelease ofAssassin’s Creed Infinity, set to become the home of the series’ modern-day storyline. And with Basim now once again involved in the Assassins’ war against the Templars, his adventures in the ancient world are sure to shape the future of the ongoing conflict.
Though it takes place centuries before the latest events in the series, the story and setting ofAssassin’s Creed Mirageare likely to have a huge impact on the franchise’s future. By delivering a game that not only pays homage to the past, but also sets the stage for what’s yet to come,Assassin’s Creed Miragecould go down as one of the most important entries in the series yet.
Assassin’s Creed Miragereleases October 5 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
