Assassin's Creed Mirage

Our analysis

Successful return to stealth-focused assassin gameplay in compelling Baghdad.

Our analysis

Mirage's detailed Baghdad setting and historical learning appeal to Dunkey, who enjoys sneaking and throwing knives. Jerky parkour and weak melee combat make it hard to recommend, though he suggests open-world fans buy it later at a budget price.

Our analysis

Assassin's Creed Mirage's 'back to basics' turn disappoints: a small 20-hour map and stealth built around x-ray vision, whistle-and-stab guards and auto-kill abilities make it trivially easy, and he finds it utterly, mind-numbingly boring.

Our analysis

Assassin's Creed Mirage returns to classic assassination mechanics and offers useful tool upgrades, but dull side activities and cramped, guard-heavy levels undermine the experience. Its limited progression and design frustrations make waiting for a sale advisable.

Our analysis

A strong return to the series' assassination roots, trading the bloated open-world RPG formula for a leaner, stealth-focused adventure set in a richly realized 9th-century Baghdad. The emphasis on infiltration, the well-written historical and cultural detail, and the streamlined gear keep it tightly paced. Open combat and the story are unremarkable, but the intimate focus is a welcome change of direction.

Our analysis

An average outing that recaptures the feel of the older entries through satisfying stealth, gadget-driven infiltration, and a genuinely rich historical database, but it is dragged down by clunky reactive combat, frequently broken parkour, laughable enemy AI, and a pile of progress-breaking bugs. The short, unpolished package feels like a $30 DLC blown up to near-full price, with a story that only partly stands on its own.

Our analysis

A back-to-basics, stealth-focused Assassin's Creed that nails the old-school feel with a vibrant Baghdad setting and strong cultural representation. Sneaking through bases and the historical atmosphere are highlights, and the streamlined tools and skill tree feel meaningful. It is held back by slow, unexciting parkour, unsatisfying assassination feedback, weak open combat, and guards that make stealth too easy.

Our analysis

A charming, stealth-focused Assassin's Creed that strikes a fine balance between old-school assassin gameplay and modern systems, set in a sizable and explorable Baghdad. The tools, contracts, and gear progression are rewarding, and direct combat becomes satisfying once mastered despite very low health. The notoriety system can feel punishing and the early hours are slow, but it grows into an engaging, recommendable experience for stealth fans.

Our analysis

Gets back to the series' roots by refocusing on social stealth within a vivid, history-rich Baghdad, and the central investigation loop hunting the Order of Ancients leads to excellent black-box assassination missions. However, a weak cast of forgettable, paper-thin characters and a story that leans heavily on prior knowledge of Valhalla keep it from reaching the heights of its predecessors.

Our analysis

A serviceable but filler entry in the franchise with solid writing and engaging stealth gameplay, held back by a dull protagonist, technical issues, and failure to meaningfully advance the series.