Assassin’s Creed Valhalla‘s Basim is the star of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the upcoming game that will serve as the latest entry in the franchise. In many ways, Mirage represents a return to an older for the series, as it will borrow many elements from older entries. It will also have a length and scope similar to the classic titles, which may be a relief for players who were overwhelmed by Valhalla‘s epic size.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is much shorter than Valhalla
In 2022, there were rumors and reports that Ubisoft was planning a shorter Assassin’s Creed title centered on Basim. As the release date for the since-revealed game draws nearer, we are discovering just how short it will be. Ubisoft lead producer Fabian Salomon recently sat down for an interview with YouTuber Julien Chièze and discussed a bit about what players can expect from the upcoming game. The conversation is in French, though the important parts have been translated by PCGamesN.
According to Salomon, Assassin’s Creed Mirage can be completed in around 20-23 hours, and completionists can expect to spend 25-30 hours. Basim’s adventure will be a lot closer to the classic Assassin’s Creed titles which also had much more manageable lengths. The first two entries and Brotherhood all have playtimes of under 20 hours according to HowLongToBeat. That’s far shorter than 2020’s Valhalla, which has a playtime of around 60 hours, or over 100 if you’re trying to see everything.
This isn’t the only way the upcoming game will resemble classic titles. As vice president and executive producer of Assassin’s Creed Marc-Alexis Côté explained to IGN, developers looked to the first game in the franchise for inspiration, and Mirage is very much a love letter to the game that started it all. Hence, like the first game, Mirage will have a greater focus on “stealth, on close-quarter combat, on parkour, and a denser city”. For players who really want to crank up the nostalgia, an optional visual filter featuring the desaturated blue-grey color palette that characterizes the first Assassin’s Creed game will also be available.
It appears that you can expect a far more streamlined experience with Mirage. As developers have previously revealed, the upcoming game will have less of a focus on RPG elements, and it will have a story-focus linear structure. A short and sweet playtime may be welcomed by some, as a recurring criticism of Valhalla is that it is bloated with busywork to pad the playtime. Many wallets may also be grateful, as the standard edition will launch with a price tag of $50 to reflect the game’s smaller scope.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is scheduled to release on October 12 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Players who pre-order will receive an exclusive mission titled “The Forty Thieves.”
