Through a presentation offered by Ubisoft, I have been able to see what the three new Assassin’s Creed projects look like, creating different aspects to enjoy the saga.
Assassin’s Creed It is one of the most successful sagas in the world of video games and at Ubisoft they are aware of this. Although there have been moments of anxiety about the license, without really knowing where to go, they have always managed to find the formula for their triumphant return, with constant revolutions in playable material and in the very conception of the project. Times change and it’s time to adapt new formats, technologies and devicessomething for which the Assassin’s Creed saga is also beginning to prepare, but without losing the roots that established their name in the industry.
For this reason, there are three major projects that will arrive soon from the hand of Ubisoft: Assassin’s Creed Miragewhich will land on October 12, Assassin’s Creed Jade who will do the same at a time yet to be determined in the summer and, finally, Assassin’s Creed Nexus, the series’ entry into the emerging technology of virtual reality. Thanks to Ubisoft I have been able to see what do the three games look like that aim to revolutionize the future of Assassin’s Creed and I want to tell you about the impressions that this first contact has left me.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the return to the beginning that we were all waiting for
Much has been said about Assassin’s Creed Mirage in recent months, especially for its approach to the first installments of the saga, abandoning the sandbox open world dynamics to focus on the recreation of the city Baghdad in the years 860-870 during the Samarra Anarchy. This return to the origins is especially striking, especially if we look at the strong narrative component which is intuited from the story trailer that was shown to us in this presentation, where Basim discovers the organization of the Hidden Ones and the objectives he must meet to free his people. Of course, a bet with a clear reference in the past of the franchise.
What has impressed me the most about the material that Ubisoft has let us see is that They are faithful to the beginnings of the sagabut they are also able to conjugate them with new items to form a most interesting hybrid that seems to fit like a glove. Going into gameplay, because I was also able to see a few minutes of the game in action, you can see how Basim must infiltrate an enemy base to defeat an objective, in the style of the first installment. However, he is not alone in this imprint.
The Ubisoft team has decided keep the eagle to observe the terrain, providing that global view of the base and the overhead camera that allows you to get a better idea of how to deal with infiltration. It seems to me a more appropriate decision, since now there seems to be many more enemies, well distributed and with a more advanced artificial intelligence than what we could glimpse in the first installments. With this, this previous information that the bird can provide can be key to drawing up a plan.
Nevertheless, not everything is infiltration in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, but the pattern of movements and interaction with the environment Basim’s is much larger. In one of the gameplay fragments you can see how the character performs an animation with a scaffolding to knock it down and be able to provide an escape after executing a murder. Although a small video sequence is activated, that interaction is fully playable and selectable with a button, so it aims to be a very interesting element of gameplay. Another of the aspects in which it stands out greatly is in the return of the classic parkour.
Here I have mixed feelings, because although it seems like a parkour really adapted to what could be seen with Altair and Ezio, I miss the best parkour that Ubisoft has shown in the entire saga: that of Assassin’s Creed Unity. The one from Mirage looks fluid and quite comfortable, but what was done with the Parisian title was absolutely crazy, so I would have liked to see it transferred to a current title. However, despite providing those so classic sensationsaims to be one of the most polished aspects to benefit the gameplay.
On the other hand, some side missions through a board at the base of the Hidden Ones that serve as orders, which can be fulfilled at any time during the adventure and the day-night cycle change from the moment in which it is desired, through the banks that will be distributed throughout the city. Of course, eagle vision is also included and the possibility of infiltrating among the citizens to avoid being discovered, one of the most nostalgic mechanics of the first Assassin’s Creed.
Regarding the combat, I wish I could tell more, but the mission that I could see focused on a virtually seamless infiltration through the use of stealth. It is true that there are very interesting mechanics in this sense, such as an ability that allows you to mark different enemies and eliminate them in one sitting through a spectacular sequence or the possibility of using smoke bombs to stun enemies and avoid being seen. However, in direct combat I have the doubt of how the title will unfold, since the only example of this that I have been able to see is a parry to parry a soldier’s blow and then mercilessly slit his throat.
The sensations are really good, everything is said. What Assassin’s Creed Mirage proposes is to return to the essence of the saga, but without forgetting some of the elements that have sustained it in recent years to combine a mixture that can be the perfect cocktail For all fans of the franchise. We can discover the full result on October 12, when the title officially hits the market.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus, total immersion in the AC universe
Although Mirage is the main title of the saga and the one that has been raising the greatest expectations in recent months, it will be better not to lose sight of Assassin’s Creed Nexusthe first test of virtual reality from Ubisoft with the saga. It will be the first time that Assassin’s Creed is enjoyed in the first person and the first time that different eras and characters from some of the most prominent sagas are included. The protagonists of the proposal will be three: Connorprotagonist of Assassin’s Creed III; kasandra, from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey; and eziofrom the Renaissance saga.
Through the three well-known characters you will be able to live some unpublished sequences of his adventures in each installment of Assassin’s Creed. The title will have large areas that can be explored and in which you can perform Parkour, one of the most interesting elements when it comes to virtual reality and one that I can’t wait to see how it will be introduced in this title. In combat, there Stealth and direct combat elements, mixing the main aspects of any game in the saga. Finally in playable matter, there will also be leaps of faith, although we have not been detailed how they will be carried out and how vertigo will be avoided in this type of situation. What Ubisoft has guaranteed is that they are working with all players in mind, both those who are adapted to this type of technology and those who are more sensitive to it.
In reference to the story, Assassin’s Creed Nexus seeks a formula in which memories can be used against you. The Abstergo team studies your mind so they can turn it against you, so it looks like a game with a great narrative component that connects all the Assassin’s Creed sagas to date. Of course, it will be better not to lose track of it, although unfortunately I have not been able to see any gameplay, since what was shown in this event were pre-processed images that did not belong to the game, so they had a fantastic visual aspect. It will be exclusive to Meta Quest, although it does not yet have a defined release date.
Assassin’s Creed Jade, the new commitment to mobile devices
Finally, it’s time to talk about Assassin’s Creed Jade, the inclusion of the Assassin’s Creed universe in the mobile devices, one of the technologies for which large companies are betting the most lately. The most important thing is that The public beta of the game starts todayso you can try it from the moment you want and know first-hand the impressions that the proposal that it is set in china, during the time when the Chinese Wall began to be built. In the chronology of the saga it is located between Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey.
Regarding the title, Ubisoft points out that it has been developed in Unreal Engine to guarantee good graphic quality on all devices, something that I was able to appreciate with small portions of gameplay that were shown to us during the event. In addition, careful work has also been done so that controls fit perfectly to the platform at hand. According to the development team, they are being carefully studied so that the move to touch screen be as comfortable as possible. As for the playable elements, it stands out that it will allow you to choose combat styles and customize the killer with cosmetics for the first time in the series.
Assassin’s Creed Jade will launch a private beta at some yet to be determined summer timebut you can already access that public beta to discover for yourself what this first installment of the saga for mobile devices has to offer.