Assassin's Creed Mirage is a blast of pure 2007 nostalgia

Look back at some of the video games that were released back in 2007 and you’ll see it was a year in which legends were born. Portal, BioShock, Uncharted, Mass Effect, and Assassin’s Creed all launched in 2007, kicking off some of the most beloved game series of all-time in the process.

It’s worth pointing out that the OG Assassin’s Creed has launched more sequels than all of those other games combined, and some of ‘em are much better than others. There are also concerns from longtime fans of the series that it’s lost its way. The last three mainline titles were open-world RPGs filled with numbers and loot, more in line with something like The Witcher 3 than the action adventures we fell in love with.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage, then, is the video game fans of those early adventures have been waiting for. You’ll know by now that Ubisoft has promised its latest adventure is a real back-to-basics approach to Assassin’s Creed, but it wasn’t until I saw an extended section of gameplay for myself that I really understood just how much of a love letter to the original games Mirage is. It’s a white hot blast of nostalgia that should please the old school contingent while still offering plenty for newcomers to get excited about.

When I say Assassin’s Creed Mirage feels like it could have come out in 2007, I mean that in the best possible way. Obviously it’s a stunning piece of work, visually. The open world of Baghdad is the perfect size after the off-putting bloat of Odyssey and, to a lesser extent, Valhalla. Every inch of the city has been lovingly designed with parkour in mind, allowing players to dart through buildings and zip across the rooftops and narrow streets in search of targets. This is, hands-down, the best parkour has looked in an Assassin’s Creed game in quite some time, and the smaller map makes for a much more condensed city that feels properly lived in - making those contracts all the more perilous.

Stealth is the big focus once again, and there are plenty of new tricks and traps that make sticking to the shadows a genuinely rewarding experience. Basim can throw a sleeping dart at an enemy to distract multiple guards at once as they rush to check on their snoozing comrade. There are also explosive traps and noisemakers that can be used to lure or disrupt. While getting caught isn’t an instant fail (thank the lord), fighting your way out should always be a last resort.

In choosing not to simply remake or remaster the 2007 game, Assassin’s Creed Mirage ends up being something much more special. With 15 years of hindsight Ubisoft has the opportunity to completely refine- and in some cases redefine - the well-worn formula for modern audiences, bringing a fresh take to one of gaming’s golden eras. You’ll definitely want to keep an eye on this one.