Assassin’s Creed Mirage has finally received its long-awaited permadeath mode today via title update 1.0.7. The update is now available on all platforms, weighing 1.94 GB and 5.31 GB on the PS5 and PS4, respectively.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage update 1.0.7 patch notes (February 20, 2024)

Patch notes courtesy of Ubisoft are as follows:

NEW ADDITIONS

FULL SYNCHRONIZATION CHALLENGE (Permadeath)

• You can enable the Full Synchronization Challenge when starting a new game from the title screen.
• Full Synchronization Challenge cannot be enabled or disabled when the game has started.
• Cross-progression AND Cloud saves will be disabled when starting permadeath.
• Rewards include:
  • Unlock a Talisman when you complete the game in easy mode.
  • Unlock the Talisman and Rayhan costume in normal mode.
  • Unlock all the above and 6 new dyes for existing outfits (Initiate, Zanj Uprising, Abbasid Knight, Hidden Ones, Rostam, Bayek) when completed in hard. (Please note; dyes can only be applied to these specific outfits).

NEW OUTFIT FEATURE

Added a new feature where players can now wear any costume they own as an outfit (Transmog).

NEW EASTER EGG!

We added a surprise easter egg to the world, a new special assassin that you might meet purrusing the streets. Be sure to snap a photo if you meownage to find them! 

BUG FIXING

GENERAL

• Fixed visual issues on Basim’s right arm when the player equipped the Bayek outfit or costume.
• Fixed an issue in the store where the sword preview models contained in packs could disappear in certain cases.
• Fixed an issue on XBOX where if a player changed their control mapping and restarted their game, the control mapping would revert to the default settings.
• Multiple stability improvements.
• Players will now correctly receive the upgrade schematics for the Bayek outfit when starting their first New Game Plus walkthrough.

NEW GAME PLUS

• Fixed a bug where the “interact” prompt showed for any historical codex entry in New Game Plus when they were previously collected in their first walkthrough.
• Players can now interact with Al-Jahiz if the New Game Plus walkthrough was started with the “skip prologue” option.

GRAPHICS, UI AND ANIMATIONS

• Fixed a bug where news pop ups would appear during active gameplay. News pop-ups are now only displayed once on the title screen upon launching the game.
• Fixed an issue where spamming ALT+ENTER would launch the game in windowed mode on Amazon Luna.
• Fixed a physics issue when jumping with the Roshan costumes.
• Reward notifications now appear correctly after finishing the main quest and coming back to Baghdad during a New Game Plus walkthrough.
• Adjusted the hidden blade position whilst player is equipping the Bayek outfit or costume.

AUDIO

• Music will now consistently play whilst switching tabs in the codex.
• Fixed an issue where the volume of the game would be louder than what was set in the options menu for a fraction of seconds when starting the game.
• Outfit sound effects will now play correctly when equipping costumes on top of an outfit.
• Music now properly plays whilst on the inventory menu.

MISC

• Enemies ringing the alarm bell are now correctly affected by smoke bombs.
• Fixed an issue where the Smoke Bomb Tier 2 upgrade “Choking Fumes” wouldn’t do damage during the extended range of time of the Smoke Bomb tier 1 upgrade “Extended Range”.
• Update to game credits.
• Fixed some lighting issues.

CAUTION SPOILERS AHEAD!

• Fixed an issue where players could re-collect the mysterious shards in New Game Plus when they were already collected in the first walkthrough.
• Fixed an issue where the player could re-collect the Lost Books in New Game Plus when they previously collected them in their first walkthrough.
• A Dance with Thieves: Murjana’s second clue is optional and isn’t required to complete the quest. It will only show on the investigation board if the player interacts with the letter while Fuladh is in Harbiyah Bureau.
• Guilded Butterflies: fixed an issue where some players couldn’t attend the great auction.
• The Marked Coins: Fixed an issue where the NPC “The Hidden One” levitated towards the roof when slightly ahead of the player.

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Unfortunately, 2023 wasn’t the best year for PlayStation exclusives. The only title from Sony’s stable to make it on our Game of the Year 2023 list is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. However, there were plenty of third-party masterpieces to make up for it. Check out our favorite games of the year below!

PlayStation LifeStyle Game of the Year 2023 List:

10. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Cyberpunk 2077’s had a long road to redemption. When Son kicked the game off the PlayStation Store because of technical issues, we never thought its DLC would end up on our Game of the Year list two years later. Phantom Liberty has enough content to be a game in its own right and offers an alternate take on how V’s journey could have ended up. Unfortunately, the DLC and the 2.0 update that launched alongside it are only available on PS5. However, if you have the PS4 version, you can still upgrade for free!

Buy Cyberpunk 2077 on Amazon

9. Final Fantasy 16

It seems inevitable that Final Fantasy 16 will be one of the more divisive entries in the series. It primarily concentrates on one character, Clive Rosfield, as opposed to a huge party, and the story is focused on his perspective. For some fans, that eschews franchise tradition, but we appreciated the narrowed focus compared to Final Fantasy 15, which was a bit all over the place. Clive’s story stands out as one of the more poignant we’ve seen in a Final Fantasy, and it’s a spectacle to behold.

Buy Final Fantasy 16 on Amazon

8. Assassin’s Creed Mirage

This pseudo-prequel to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes the series back to its roots and pays homage to the original. Unlike the sprawling epics we’ve gotten in the last few entries, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is localized to 9th-century Baghdad and ditches many of the role-playing elements to emphasize stealth, assassinations, and parkour. We couldn’t help but be relieved to play a distilled experience, and Basim Ibn Ishaq’s origin story reminded us why we fell in love with the franchise in the first place.

Buy Assassin’s Creed Mirage on Amazon

7. Hogwarts Legacy

Despite the controversy surrounding the Harry Potter franchise, Hogwarts Legacy managed to captivate us with its rendition of the titular wizarding school and the surrounding countryside. For those of us who grew up alongside Harry, the chance to attend Hogwarts was a dream come true. Exploring its nooks and crannies, attending classes, and seeing the many easter eggs the developers included was a treat. Where Hogwarts Legacy goes above and beyond, though, is that the gameplay is fun enough to stand on its own merits. Even if this is your first visit to Hogwarts, you can still have a blast and leave wanting more.

Buy Hogwarts Legacy on Amazon

6. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order itched the scratch Star Wars fans had for years when it was released in 2019, and we couldn’t wait to get back to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It’s everything the first game was, but bigger and better. Cal gets more abilities and equipment, environments are more expensive, and we even get to chill in a cantina whenever we want. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor provides the excitement that most of Disney’s projects have lacked and has done much more to keep the franchise alive than it gets credit for.

Buy Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on Amazon

5. Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is our favorite fighting game of the year because of its respect for newcomers and veterans. It’s an excellent point to enter the series, thanks to its revamped mechanics and multiple control options. However, it still retains enough of the franchise’s traditions to keep from alienating those who cut their teeth on SF 2-5. We also loved the absolutely bonkers story mode that channeled Yakuza to make one of the best create-a-fighter experiences ever. If you have even a little interest in the fighting genre, it’s worth checking this game out.

Buy Street Fighter 6 on Amazon

4. Resident Evil 4 remake

Resident Evil 4 revolutionized the series when it debuted in 2005 and is lauded as one of the best games ever. Its influence on gaming as a whole is so strong that many doubted that a remake could do it justice. However, Capcom managed to pull off a fantastic retelling that complements the original perfectly. Almost every aspect of the original has been remade or expanded, and the updated gameplay makes blasting through Ganados a thrill. Resident Evil 4 remake is another excellent entry in the alternate continuity started with RE2 remake, and we’re excited to see which game gets reimagined next (fingers crossed for Code Veronica)!

Buy Resident Evil 4 remake on Amazon

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Marvel’s Spider-Man and its Miles Morales-centric follow-up were hard acts to follow. Somehow, Insomniac Games managed to outdo themselves and then some with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Peter Parker and Miles join forces to take on a multitude of threats while navigating their personal lives. From Kraven the Hunter’s militaristic menace to the symbiote Venom sapping Peter of both his good nature and healthy relationships, this gutsy sequel took an already solid foundation and gave both heroes an expanded inventory of unlockable abilities, gadgets, and suits with which fans could explore and defend New York City. While this movie could have resulted in a tired storyline or rote gameplay loop, instead it strengthened an already excellent series with thoughtful writing, inclusive characters, and comic book-powered combat to satisfy all players. The biggest problem with this tandem adventure is that it eventually has to end.

Buy Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on Amazon

2. Baldur’s Gate 3

Player agency has been a hot topic in the gaming industry for decades. Some studios like to keep players focused on the task at hand, while others open their worlds up for a bit more interaction. However, with Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios went beyond this. It removed practically all limitations to how a player could affect their surroundings. See a locked door? You can talk the key out of an NPC, blow it down, find a hidden route to completely bypass it, or simply ignore it. The challenge in this CRPG is to find your way, and there are so many possibilities and so much raw content that everyone’s playthrough will be different.

1. Alan Wake 2

It took 13 years for Alan Wake 2 to be released, but the wait was worth it. FBI agent Saga Anderson joins Alan’s struggle to escape the Dark Place, and we’re once again thrust into the madness surrounding the town of Bright Falls. The plot is a roller coaster examining family, religion, and the supernatural, and it had us hooked from beginning to end. Excellent pacing keeps the lengthy story from becoming a slog, and the ability to alternate between Saga and Alan’s story means each player will have a slightly different experience during their playthrough. While it’s rooted in survival horror, we recommend this game to anyone who wants a strong single-player experience.

The post PlayStation LifeStyle’s Game of the Year 2023 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Ubisoft is rolling out Assassin’s Creed Mirage update 1.0.6 across all platforms, bringing with it the highly-requested New Game Plus mode. Unfortunately, however, the previously promised Permadeath mode couldn’t make it into this patch, and has been delayed into 2024.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage update 1.0.6 patch notes (December 12, 2023)

The update weighs 2.03 GB and 3.05 GB on the PS5 and PS4, respectively. After the patch is applied, you can start New Game+ via the main menu or the pause menu (prologue can be skipped and players can jump straight into Baghdad). The reward for starting the campaign in New Game+ is Bayek’s Medjay outfit from Assassin’s Creed Origins that comes with three unique dyes that are unlocked through the New Game+ run.

Rest of the patch notes are as follows:

PARKOUR IMPROVEMENTS TO SIDE AND BACK-EJECTS

• The range of back and side ejects during parkour has been increased, allowing Basim to reach heights faster and cross bigger distances.

BUG FIXING

GENERAL

• Fixed issues when pickpocket loot could not be retrieved properly after eliminating a target.
• Improvements made to Chain Assassination.
• Basim’s last known location will now display correctly after changing the enemy proximity option’s value.
• Fixed several situations where level design was blocking parkour movement
• Fixed issue where player could fall whilst performing a pole vault.
• Fixed Follow Road to Quest Objective feature which was not working on World Contracts.

GRAPHICS, UI AND ANIMATIONS

• Numerous graphics, environment or VFX improvements.
• Fixed an issue where musicians were playing continuously after being paid with a faction favor.
• Fixed the “Poster Boy” achievement.
• Fixed the volumetric fog flickering during the loading screen.
• Fixed an issue where mercenaries would leave their position to follow a guard to investigate a body nearby.
• Fixed collision issues.
• Fixed NPC navigation and interaction issues.
• Fixed clothes corruption on NPCs.
• Improvements were made to the contract card UI after the player modified the Hold Alternative setting.
• Numerous fixes and improvements to character animations.
• Codex orbs will now stay visible after being collected.
• Territory discovery pop up now appears with no delay.
• Fixed a black screen issue after skipping the game credits.
• Improvements made to the Investigation board. Icon now fits the description whilst using colorblind mode.
• Benches that are not usable will no longer be highlighted.
• Fixed undesired swimming animation when colliding with walls.
• Fixed an issue with Window Mode when clicking on the frame’s top bar caused the game window to be misplaced.

AUDIO

• Music now continues playing whilst reading the codex details.
• Various audio fixes and improvements.
• “A New Beginning”: Fixed the volume of a Novice’s voice.

COMPATIBILITY

• Improved OWO Haptic Suit support.

STABILITY

Addressed:

• Multiple stability improvements.
• Multiple camera fixes.

MISC

• Guards will now react when seeing Basim ripping the wanted posters.
• Narrative consistency improvements between Fuladh’s speech and Rebekah’s letter.
• Enemies will no longer investigate burning bodies that are affected by the Fire Demon outfit perk.
• Update to game credits.
• Updated the tool upgrade screenshot in the Codex.
• Hide/Show panel functionality now works in all cases.
• The Samsaama Dagger will now only heal the player every 5 hits with the sword.
• Guard captain can no longer blow the horn whilst berserked.
• Guards closer to the alarm will ring the bell first. 
• “The Marked Coins”: Fixed the merchant outfit.
• Fixed issues when guards would not move from their position after detecting Basim.
• Roshan will no longer block the entrance to Assassin Bureaus preventing the player from entering/exiting.
• All landmine perk effects should now properly apply, no matter the order they are unlocked.
• Improvement made to the Upper Harbor puzzle.
• The Zanj Uprising Dagger perk will now correctly refill stamina for successful dodges.
• Fixed refreshing issues in the store page.
• Whilst wearing the Fire Demon outfit, players can now complete assassination objectives.

CAUTION SPOILERS AHEAD!

Addressed

• Prologue: Nehal will now appear in the cinematic the day after the Winter Palace event.
• “The Master Thief of Anbar”: Fixed the transition between gameplay and time passing (day to night) cinematic.
• “The Master Thief of Anbar”: Players can now interact with the coin pouch on the merchant table.
• “The Master Thief of Anbar”: Guards no longer ignore Basim while he is escaping the Winter Palace.
• Tha’abeen (elite Order members) tag and healthbar are now properly displayed.
• “A Dance with Thieves”: Merchant in the background will stay visible during the cinematic dialogue with Murjana.
• “A Dance with Thieves”: Murjana is no longer stuck after killing the Thieves.
• “A New Beginning”: As Basim is joining the training ground, Roshan and her apprentice are now invincible whilst training together.
• “A New Beginning”: Fixed an issue where a chest would randomly spawn after the cinematic with Rebekah.
• “A New Beginning”: Fixed Nur’s behavior after Basim kills an enemy.
• “A New Beginning”: Nur now correctly assassinates his first target no matter how the player assassinates their own first target.
• “Al-Jahiz’s Lost Books”: Added a clue that informs the player to collect a final book after bringing the 6 Lost Books to Al-Jahiz. The clue is not shown if the book has already been given to him.
• “Baghdad Bound”: Fixed the transition between cinematic and gameplay.
• “Baghdad Bound”: Purchased content now appears in the inventory after completing the cinematic to avoid the pop-up being hidden by the cinematic.
• “Bird Trap”: Player can now confirm the kill of General Jasoor.
• “Blade in the Crowd, Tool in the Shed”: Guards now spawn correctly.
• “Den of the Beast”: Player can now properly loot key from Warden’s body if they kill him.
• “First Order”: Added an icon over Al-Ghul’s head when the player kills him from afar and leaves.
• “First Order”: Al Ghul’s office door will now unlock properly.
• “First Order”: Fixed an issue where a civilian would appear next to Roshan after loading a save.
• “First Order”: Fixed an issue where Ali triggers the fight state (yellow icon) for him and the player after seeing a dead body on the ground.
• “First Order”: Fixed the assassination prompt on Al-Ghul.
• “First Order”: The Caravan leader now moves correctly.
• “Follow the Fiery Trail”: The guard holding the key that opens the Scriptorium door now appears correctly.
• “Gilded Butterflies”: Guards in front of Ning’s chamber will de-spawn after completing the quest.
• “Gilded Butterflies”: NPCs now stay spawned if the player skips the auction cinematic.
• “Gilded Butterfly”: Once pushed out of the doorway, the shelf can be pushed back to its original position.
• “In Pursuit of Truth”: Lighting issues fixed when using Enkidu towards Alamut Lake.
• “Jailbreak”: Ali now follows Basim correctly to the guard’s quarters.
• “The Head of the Snake”: Quest will now unlock properly for players.
• “The Hunter”: NPC can no longer drown around the Teahouse.
• “The Marked Coins”: Fixed the “The Hidden One” NPC who was sliding towards the last building at the end of the race.
• “The Serpent’s Nest”: Fixed an issue where the prompt asking the player to call Enkidu to locate quest objectives would appear while being indoors.
• “The Servant and the Imposter”: Basim no longer repeats a sentence about the magic potion before and after delivering it to Makira.
• “The Slave Merchant”: Guards cannot see Basim assassinating targets through the curtains.
• “The Trade Delegate”: The guard carrying the key will now be visible.

The post Assassin’s Creed Mirage New Game+ Update Out Today, Patch Notes Released appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Ubisoft has announced a free Assassin’s Creed Mirage update for all players that’ll add new highly-requested features. Out in December, the update will add New Game+ alongside a Permadeath mode across all difficulty levels.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage update follows excellent sales reports

Ubisoft didn’t provide a specific release date for the aforementioned AC Mirage update but did say that it’ll share more details soon.

Ubisoft’s post-launch support for Mirage doesn’t come as a surprise. Despite being a departure from recent entries, the game has sold very well irrespective of mixed reviews. Earlier in October, Ubisoft revealed that Mirage is its best current-gen launch in terms of units sold, with launch player numbers in line with popular games in the series like AC Origins and Odyssey.

Now, Circana reports that Mirage beat a number of titles to become October 2023’s third best-selling game in the U.S. behind Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Despite being a much smaller entry compared to popular AC games, it beat a number of new games from popular franchises, including Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, Sonic Superstars, Forza Motorsport, and NHL 24, among others — quite a feat for a game that was conceived as AC Valhalla’s DLC!

The post Assassin’s Creed Mirage Getting New Game+ Following Fan Requests appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Ubisoft has rolled out Assassin’s Creed Mirage update 1.0.5, which adds the ability to disable Chromatic Aberration. The patch weighs 2.83 GB on the PS5 and 5.79 GB on the PS4.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage update 1.0.5 patch notes (November 7, 2023)

Complete patch notes are as follows:

BUG FIXING

GENERAL

Addressed:

• Added an option to enable/disable Chromatic Aberration.
• Whilst wearing the Fire Demon outfit, players would not receive the correct number of shards after assassinating any ISU Hunter.
• Basim now has an equal chance to play any of his take down animations during front executions.
• Fixed issues with store rewards.
• Fire Eater enemies hitbox is now properly considering one shot kills with the throwing knife when breaking the oil jar on their back.

QUESTS

Addressed:

• “Speak with Ali” – Ali is no longer stuck.
• “Follow the Fiery Trail” – Removed blockers from investigation objective.
• “Nehal’s Calling” – Player can now access the final clue.

GRAPHICS, UI AND ANIMATIONS

• Numerous visual improvements on environment, VFX and weapons.
• Fixed multiple NPC navigation, animation, and interaction issues.
• Fixed clothes corruption on NPCs.
• Various animation fixes, including unnatural leg movements for Basim.
• Fixed a FOV pop after a cinematic when FOV settings have been modified by the player.
• Fixed NPC rendering from short distance.
• Store page display improved.
• Reward notifications appear properly when opening medium chests.
• Key icon & quest objective now remains above the head of NPCs in Eagle Vision.
• Highlight on NPCs lasts for a shorter amount of time in Eagle Vision.
• Cinematics should now run properly after credits.

AUDIO

• Option added to enable/disable background music during call to prayer.
• Fixed animal sound effects.

COMPATIBILITY

• Improved OWO Haptic Suit support.
• Fixed number of active monitors for laptop players.

STABILITY

Addressed:

• Multiple stability improvements.

MISC

• Fixed time tracking for hours played on PS5.
• Offline achievements now transmit to 1st party.
• Fixed issue with Japanese PS5 button mapping.
• The refresh rate option in the settings now displays the correct value.
• Master Assassin Upgrade #1 and Master Assassin Upgrade #2 are now displayed in the in-game Store.
• Update to game credits.
• When loading into the game, the main menu music will no longer infinitely loop and will transition smoothly.

CAUTION SPOILERS AHEAD!

Addressed:

• “Fight Roshan” – Player can no longer skip this objective.

The post Assassin’s Creed Mirage Update Finally Lets Players Disable Chromatic Aberration appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

A dataminer claims to have found cut content from Assassin’s Creed Mirage that hints at the series exploring futuristic settings starting with Assassin’s Creed code name Hexe. The content in question is an unused post-credits scene.

Are Assassin’s Creed games headed to the future?

The datamined content can be seen in the video below courtesy of YouTuber Sliderv2. If you haven’t finished Mirage and are wary of spoilers, we suggest reading on for a spoiler-free explanation below as opposed to watching the video.

Dataminers found files in Mirage referencing a post-credits “tease” for AC Neo, which is another name for the AC game code-named Hexe that Ubisoft has yet to officially reveal. This tease happens to be a scene that shows an antenna in the middle of a desert. The antenna triggers a conversation between two Animus employees who refer to the 21st century as “ancient history.” The pair then talk about some kind of a “shift” that happened in the 21st century.

If the 21st century is considered “ancient history,” then it looks like the series’ timeline is taking a massive leap forward. However, since this content was left out of Mirage, it’s unclear if Ubisoft has abandoned those plans or not.

Take this leak with a grain of salt because the authenticity of the video has not been established yet.

The post Assassin’s Creed Games May Be Jumping Into the Future, Datamine Suggests appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Assassin’s Creed: Mirage launched on October 5th and takes players to medieval Baghdad at the height of the Islamic Golden Age. One of its more immersive new features is the option to play through the game with subtitled Classical Arabic voice work. Ghost of Tsushima‘s Japanese language option played a major role in inspiring Ubisoft’s decision.

Ghost of Tsushima Influenced Assassin’s Creed’s Arabic language option

Games Industry.biz recently spoke to Mirage’s art director Jean-Luc Sala and cultural consultant Mohammed Alemam.

A bit part of the interview was the pair’s explanation of the game’s localization priorities. Usually, Ubisoft’s primary objective is just to make sure players understand what the characters are saying. The first two Assassin’s Creed games actually reference this, directly stating that the Animus automatically translates spoken words.

However, the developers of Assassin’s Creed: Mirage thought it would be more authentic to include an Arabic option as standard. Sucker Punch Productions’ Ghost of Tsushima played a big role in influencing Ubisft’s decision. The samurai game allowed players to go through the game with Japanese voice acting and English subtitles. This created a more authentic experience, and was an element that Ubisoft wanted to emulate.

“We [paid] special attention [to the fact] that people love to play Ghost of Tsushima in Japanese, for example,” said Sala.

The version of Arabic spoken in Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed: Mirage is the Classical Arabic spoken in the 800s. However, while modern Arabic has drifted somewhat, many people in the Arabic world still use and understand the medieval version. “Honestly,” said Sala, “it would have been a shame to miss that opportunity to return to the Middle East with Assassin’s Creed and not [include] a language that is still here.”

The post Ghost of Tsushima Influenced One Big Part of Assassin’s Creed: Mirage appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed Mirage sales are off to an excellent start, making it the company’s best current-gen launch in terms of units sold. Long-time series fans had been clamoring for a game in the vein of older entries, and it certainly helps that Mirage launched with a $50 price tag.

Ubisoft “humbled” by Assassin’s Creed Mirage sales and reception

AC Mirage’s critic reviews didn’t reach the same height as the Ezio trilogy but response from fans has been positive. Following a number of extensive RPG-style releases, Mirage has been termed a breath of fresh air in terms of its length and linearity. According to Ubisoft, Mirage’s launch player numbers are in line with AC Origins and Odyssey.

“Thank you for joining us on this incredible journey that celebrates, honors, and builds upon the 15-year legacy of the Assassin’s Creed series,” Ubisoft tweeted. “We could not have been happier that our back-to-the-roots experience has been embraced by the community.”

Ubisoft also shared the following gameplay stats:

• 479 collective years spent parkouring the rooftops in Baghdad
• 60 million leaps of faith
• 1.2 million street cats pet

Ubisoft didn’t share specific sales numbers. Assassin’s Creed Mirage is also available on the PS4.

The post Assassin’s Creed Mirage Is Ubisoft’s Biggest Current-Gen Launch appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Ubisoft will roll out Assassin’s Creed Mirage update 1.0.2 today on all platforms, fixing a number of progression blockers and gameplay issues. The patch will roll out at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT and will weigh 2.18 GB and 5.40 GB on the PS5 and PS4, respectively.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage update 1.02 patch notes (October 5, 2023)

Complete patch notes are as follows:

GAMEPLAY

Addressed:

• Elevators would kill Basim.
• Shards were not properly awarded.
• End Game rewards are now properly awarded after finishing the game.
• Enemies now properly take damage from falling.
• Auto-loot skill now works properly on all enemies, regardless of how the player kills them. 
• Players will not lose control of Basim after Fast Traveling.
• Enemies parry reaction time is properly slowed down using the “Dagger of Time” perk.
• The “Sand Sword” perk now properly heals Basim when killing an enemy.
• While wearing the “Sand Outfit” Basim now won’t be killed if taking two fatal damage from two separate enemies at the same time.

UI

Addressed:

• Quest markers no longer disappear after performing a save/load action.
• English language option now properly appears only once in menus
• Instances of misplaced or wrong UI displayed. 

WORLD

Addressed:

• NPC on boats will continue to sail and not stay stationary.
• NPC’s drinking animation fixed.
• Removed invisible collision for some objects in Baghdad.

QUESTS

Addressed:

• NPC detection has been improved during the Gilded Butterfly quest.
• Forty Thieves quest items rewards are not visible in game.
• Eavesdrop lines now properly play.
• Baghdad Bound – Could not interact in the Harbiyah Bureau if the investigation board was opened too quickly after the Dialogue Scene.
• Den of the Beast – Could not interact with Ali properly in the “Speak with Ali” objective.
• To Catch a Demon – Could not interact with the Tool Wheel or World Map if detected by enemies while interacting with clues.
• Gilded Butterflies – Fighting during the “Great Auction” would break the quest flow.
• The Great Symposium – Fixed blockers for the “Find Frazil the Great Scholar” objective.
• The Serpent’s Nest – Dialogues now trigger correctly for Basim.

GRAPHICS, ANIMATION, AND PERFORMANCE

Addressed:

• Numerous graphics, environment or VFX improvements.
• Multiple stability improvements.
• Enemies and bosses having anormal poses.
• Unnatural animations for Basim and/or Nehal.
• Refresh Rate settings will now display proper information.
• Animations for takedowns are more polished.
• Placeholder lines/dialog appearing for too long are now removed.
• Fixed conditions in which cinematics were not displaying carried objects.
• Setup optimization for ultrawide and multiscreen modes.
• Settings are now persistent on Luna.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Improved OWO Haptic Suit support.
• PS4 update history will now be populated.

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The Assassin’s Creed theme swells in the intro montage for Assassin’s Creed Mirage that celebrates the franchise’s 15th anniversary. Bayek readies his bow. Eivor sprints into action. Arno is there out of a contractual obligation. It’s a collection of hooded figures that has taken millions of players to a few dozen historical settings and gotten the series where it is today.

But that is not an enviable spot to be in. Assassin’s Creed has become more and more bloated over the years and substituted innovation for more. More empty square miles. More meandering DLC. More looping storylines about an endless modern day conflict. The churn has meant Assassin’s Creed has long since lost its ability to lead and is merely content to follow dated trends and have shallow worlds as others like Sony, Nintendo, and Rockstar Games push forward. Mirage is meant to be the antithesis of this with its smaller scope and callbacks to the 2007 original, but is instead a slimmer version of all the same annoyances the franchise just can’t shake.

Those annoyances intertwine with its blandness and become the two sources of most of Mirage’s problems. Baghdad initially seems like a great setting for Assassin’s Creed, as the Middle East’s unique climate, architecture, geography, and wealth of cultures contrast nicely with the many European-centric locations seen in past installments. The richness of its culture is evident in its handful of disparate districts from the giant mosques to the smaller details like its gorgeous mosaics and rugs, all of which are explained wonderfully in its detailed codex. The Assassin logo in the home base that’s compiled of hundreds of lovely blue stones is the purest distillation of this effort to portray the beauty of ninth-century Baghdad.

But a lot of these efforts are betrayed by the hollow nature of its world. Baghdad is a checklist filled with elements borrowed from other Assassin’s Creed games, which makes it an unexciting place to wander around. Players are mindlessly guided toward map icons that are mostly just collectibles, and there’s little reason to stray from the designated breadcrumb trail. There aren’t any random, special, or surprising events that make the world feel alive.

It’s an artistically pretty yet predictable hub that’s treading water in the open-world design of yesteryear and ignoring the freedom (and level of quality) that other teams have been pursuing. Finding objectives isn’t engaging since the game goes out of its way to pinpoint them even with the underdeveloped “Unguided Objective” mode turned on, a feeble setting that has not evolved since Odyssey.

Its toolset is also limiting since there’s no unpredictability or room to experiment. Most of the side and main quests are the basic infiltration missions that have taken precedence in recent years where players are essentially given the same limited tools to do the same things against the same guards with the same shaky AI. It’s a sandbox with very little sand; ironic for a city surrounded by it.

Melee combat is lacking for its own reasons — there aren’t many options and even the most basic enemies strangely tank through slashes — but the stealth is most heavily impacted by the game’s static nature. Infiltrations aren’t satisfying since its small handful of possible entrances are often deliberately pointed out to the player. The aforementioned familiar toolset means there aren’t any new ways to dispose of threats. Crouching in waist-high grass, whistling to attract a guard, stabbing him, and then repeating that is not a loop that can sustain so many games, especially since Ubisoft has done little to expand upon it. It’s functional and periodically empowering, but those brief spurts of amusement are just a small oasis in a bone-dry desert.

Sneaking also doesn’t always go according to plan since Mirage is still heavily coated in the typical Assassin’s Creed bullshit that is as unspecific as it is infuriating. Enemies can occasionally see the player through walls or automatically detect them. A crucial throwing knife might not actually fire after releasing the trigger. Basim may get stuck on a small nub in the wall and fail to climb over it for no good reason. Mirage’s faithfulness to the past should not have included the aggravating control issues that have lingered in some form since the franchise’s inception.

Its narrative isn’t plagued by technical jank, but is yet another aspect that relies too heavily on what the series has done many times before. Basim’s journey to root out corruption in Baghdad is about as banal as an Assassin’s Creed story can be. Unmasking each one of its cartoonishly corrupt villains is a quick process that lacks any intrigue or surprises that differentiate them from one another. They all fall to Basim’s hidden blade shortly after being introduced and then it’s on to the next one. 

The story’s attempts to speak to anything broader are lost in the predictable shuffle of crossing names off a board. Mirage flirts with questioning the hypocrisy of the brotherhood and how its quest for freedom robs its members of it, but this appealing idea is dropped almost as quickly as it is brought up. 

Basim also lacks almost any personal stakes for this mission, making him a dull protagonist that misses what made Ezio, Bayek, and Kassandra so memorable. The nightmares that haunt him seem to be the team’s attempts at giving him a unique twist, yet this thread is inconsistently spread throughout the game. It doesn’t develop at all until the final cutscene where it rushes to an unearned climax that is almost unintelligible, especially for anyone who hasn’t studied some very specific parts of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. 

Assassin’s Creed Mirage Review: Final Verdict

While its brevity impedes the story, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is thankfully a lot shorter than the last few entries. However, its relatively slender figure only points out how the series has used quantity to overcompensate for its stagnation. This is laid bare in Mirage, as its stealth and open-world design all pull from eras that have long since fallen out of style — an unforced error that is mostly because of Ubisoft’s decade-long overreliance on that structure. Baghdad’s potential as a classic setting in the franchise has also suffered because of this and has been undermined by the artificiality of its blueprint. Mirage was designed to go back to basics, but it just ended up being too basic.

Disclaimer: This Assassin’s Creed Mirage review is based on a PS4 and PS5 copies provided by the publisher. Played on version 1.01 and 1.001.000, respectively.

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