Will Assassin‘s Creed Mirage be like Unity?

Yes, Mirage is aiming to channel the urban traversal and stealth action that defined Unity‘s gameplay. According to lead producer Fabian Salomon, Mirage will recreate Unity‘s signature parkour mechanics to deliver that smooth free-running feel. As an avid AC gamer since the first title‘s debut in 2007, I‘m excited to see Mirage mark a return to the series‘ roots after the sprawling RPGs of recent years.

Parkour Returns to Form

Ubisoft Brazil explicitly confirmed that Mirage takes inspiration from Unity in terms of navigation and stealth systems. Trailers of Basim dashing across rooftops in 9th century Baghdad showcase animation and movement that looks ripped right out of Arno‘s Revolutionary Paris.

This signals a major shift away from the controversial "RPG-ification" of Origins and beyond with their automated parkour. Instead of holding a button and watching your character flawlessly scale walls, players will once again have full control and responsibility over tricky climbs and death-defying leaps.

As someone who grew up mastering the parkour of the Ezio trilogy, this return to form already has Mirage shooting up my most anticipated games list for 2023.

Stealth Assassinations Regain Focus

Recent entries in the AC franchise shifted away from stealth and careful assassinations toward brawls and melee combat against dangerous mythological beasts. While these RPG elements clearly resonated with many fans, they didn‘t capture that tense cat-and-mouse thrill of silently eliminating targets without being detected.

Mirage puts the assassin back in Assassin‘s Creed. Ubisoft promises a renewed emphasis on substance, subtlety, and subterfuge in carrying out missions. Instead of gear scores and damage numbers, success will once again come down to cleverly exploiting enemy patrols through distraction, sabotage, or hiding in plain sight.

This also means Mirage should lack the overstuffed worlds bloated with markers spamming the map that overwhelmed recent titles. Its Baghdad looks dense and lively but focused around key assassination targets rather than a sea of mindless collectibles.

Narrative Returns to Basics

While Mirage connects to Eivor‘s saga in Valhalla, its narrative represents a clean break from the epic mythological sagas of the recent trilogy. Its contained 15-20 hour experience centers on a personal coming-of-age story. Players inhabit Basim prior to his induction into the Hidden Ones brotherhood.

Free from convoluted connections to First Civilization lore, Mirage can tell a straightforward tale far more grounded in historical fiction. Its narrative scale looks more akin to the first Assassin‘s Creed or follow-up starring Ezio Auditore than the 100+ hour epics since Origins.

This suits Mirage‘s tighter scope and allows richer development of Basim‘s character through a meaningful progression from street urchin to master assassin. I‘m excited to uncover secrets of Basim‘s past through this intimate adventure shaping the man we know from Valhalla.

While we‘ll have to wait for more details on Mirage‘s 2023 launch, itsPromise of reviving Assassin‘s Creed‘s stealth roots has this long-time fan eagerly anticipating some old-school urban assassination action.

Let me know what you hope to see in Mirage or how you feel about the throwback to Unity and early AC! I‘m active in gaming forums and always down for an enthusiastic discussion.