Assassin's Creed Mirage is Fundamentally Missing the Point, Here's Why

[@LazerzZ]

This video will make people mad, it’s not one of optimism, why should it be? These games have failed for me year after year, I have no reason to believe this one will be different just because it shows off things that are the bare minimum. UPDATE: The demo simply solidified everything I said in this video, I feel entirely the same way. Mirage does nothing that a 16 year old game doesn't do better by every measure, it's a shame that iconography and shallow parkour is enough to win people over. Everything I said in this video applies to that demo, I just have better evidence of the things I was talking about. I’m not trying to ruin it for anyone excited, I’m just weighing in because people continue to ask me to. If you’re excited regardless… good for you! But this is how I feel. Thanks for watching 👌🏻

[@bendover7981]

Your being honest they have de railed what made them fun to play and what there roots were its not even the same type of game your opinion is logical and is nothing but facts

[@TheDean28]

Damn there is just no pleasing you. The whining I love it!😆😎 Keep it coming!

[@realtalkrealthingsent.8024]

Honesty goes a long way and can save people, money and time. These games have been going downhill for a decade now brings tears to my eyes thinking back to when rogue first came out and it really spiraled out crazy. 😅😢

[@seamaftab]

No james, it does not make me mad... I understand the depth, the storytelling, the effort put in the first four games. Nowadays, Assassin's Creed means playing the first four games and your yearly retrospective... And still playing and appreciating Revelations... Waiting for Black Flag, I guess it is your call. Darby McDevitt is someone you adore... Been a fan, still am... Hope to see you making the in depth videos that I love... Thank you for reading this.

[@BlazerPandaI]

I love your bluntness and your realistic approach to all of this. This is why I love your channel. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don’t. But that’s what makes your videos worth it. You’re not afraid to state your opinion, and what you believe to be the truth. Your channel has always been something to rely on with AC stuff in the past, and something to consider before any AC game I’ve bought lol

[@Ic3h0rnEt14]

I think the best case scenario for Mirage is that it "won't be as bad as we're expecting."

[@numbron803]

That's the best case scenario for every Ubisoft game in the past 10 years or so.

[@matthewconnor6337]

I’d be happy if it was AC unity(after the updates) in the Middle East.

[@numbron803]

@@matthewconnor6337 Hell, compared to the last few AC games we got? I'd be happy if it was AC Unity BEFORE the updates in the Middle East lol.

[@crisschan2463]

thats where ubisoft excels, being mediocre at best

[@The_world_is_not_worthy_of_Him]

The bar is so low at this point Ubisoft doesn't even have to step over it, yet they'll 1000% find a way to sink further than it somehow.

[@christophergroenewald5847]

"Reinventing the wheel every time with little consideration of what the wheel is attached to." What a phrase.

[@johnhanifin1952]

You know things are bad when people are overhyping an assassin's creed game for simply having classic assassin's creed features

[@rhetiq9989]

In other words, praising someone for doing their job

[@DsgSleazy]

AC and Call of Duty fans in a nutshell.

[@connorthompson7683]

It's Ubisoft so people have low standards. Classic assassin's creed is all many people have wanted for a while after odyssey and valhalla

[@joshgreen194]

Fax no printer

[@nishikantpanda8211]

​@@rhetiq9989 No, It's praising someone for doing the bare minimum.

[@flololo]

also: one major aspect that defines AC for me is the entire plot outside of the animus. abstergo vs. the assassins, the eden artifacts, the first civilization, etc. all of this used to actually be the core plot of these games. the story actually took place in the present and you were not really controlling altair or ezio, you were controlling desmond controlling them. that entire concept made the games so much more interesting to me. and then ubisoft just threw all that aside, it's a shame.

[@lassassindu5071]

AC: Liberation gave up on the modern day plot, but remembered its metanarrative/lore. Recent AC games FORGOT about the metanarrative and what it implies for AC, which is WORSE.

[@maestreiluminati87]

Does anyone else get INSANELY irritated, ever since Black Flag, whenever you have to step out of the animus and have to play in this first person tedious pseudo adventure the game forces you to play?

[@dobal1]

tbh never liked the modern day stuff on any AC game

[@uncensoredangel]

It's hard for a corrupt company to make a game about fighting against corrupt companies

[@TheGreatCanadianFuckClub]

I gotta hard disagree here. I thought the Abstergo modern stuff was boring, garbage, and filler. I just want to be an assassin, not some jerkoff tied to a computer.

[@anshumandcjoshi6424]

I'm glad someone came out and pointed out that, from a technical standpoint, we have been shown nothing that would even hint at Mirage being different from Valhalla.

[@benboudreau1221]

theyve so strategically not shown any uncut gameplay, even as of today with the new gameplay footage they promised its very strategic scenarios that wont be what the player sees when it releases, we havent even seen the hud once its insane, this game is a few months away. and of course pre orders have been available for it for over a year now before it even had a release date.

[@tommywright2487]

me when i don’t know what “technical” means:

[@Hewasnumber1]

@@benboudreau1221hat is a REALLY good catch. Looking at the gameplay itself left me unsatisfied, but the idea that they’re actively trying to make it look good through that editing trickery didn’t even cross my mind.

[@benboudreau1221]

@@Hewasnumber1 yeah they've shown it now and it's alright but it really does showcase that all they've done to the Valhalla engine is speed up parkour by having slightly faster animations and locations that actually allow for parkour in the first place. You can see though that basim sort of just snaps to points that eivor wouldn't be able to jump to and it's a shame cuz a true return to form would've had a new engine that's actually built for parkour to be a pillar. It boils down to a visual over haul with a better map at the end of the day. This franchise has been out of the right hands for so long it's really time to stop being surprised by what they do wrong and start being surprised on the off chance they do something right

[@flyingthebuttress]

Apparently you didn't watch the game play trailer, its completely 100 percent different then Valhalla.

[@ciarandgreene]

I've often felt that AC has never recovered from Patrice Désilets' departure. It's lacked a vision and singular focus from someone who truly loved their creation. And even though there has been sparks of brilliance (black flag's piracy or unity's fluid parkour) it has never hit those previous highs again.

[@William93ITA]

You are always able to put into an AC video exactly how I feel about this series. The nostalgia for the first game and the Ezio trilogy is always there and will never go away even if I am about to turn 30 years old. I am so glad to see there are people out there that feel the same as I do when it comes to Assassin's Creed and the turn it took in recent years. Thank you LazerzZ!

[@gamer2101]

The first few games felt like you were an assassin. I love Ezio. He is amazing and I miss a character like him. He was smart and a little cocky. He wasn’t to cocky to where he thought himself better than everyone else. He was willing to learn. Maybe cocky isn’t the right works but he has an attitude that is so smooth and cool. He was sure of himself and that is something I miss. The older games were focused with a clear mission. I miss that as well.

[@kyon_gold]

You saved me typing all this😂❤❤❤❤. This is exactly how I feel.❤

[@27mclaren]

Just spoke from my soul

[@certifedcupcake]

theres not many of us, but we do exist!

[@andreaspavlides7560]

I'm sorry my friend but i don't agree with you. I understand that feeling, having played AC1-Revelations recently and remembering the awesome time i had back then, but we shouldn't judge a game based on nostalgia. It's a bad feeling that leeches us to a past that can't go back to and won't allow us to enjoy anything else we play. Instead of seeing if Mirage "stacks up to other ac games" let's all of us try to say "is it an enjoyable and fun and cool experience?". I'm going in with that attitude, hopefully to have a good time😊 it's a new game after all😁

[@Poison-Hexx]

The big problem with this franchise is that Ubisoft is bad at taking criticism and feedback. Assassin's Creed was such a huge success because is stood out and took pride in being different. By Assassin's Creed 3 people critiqued the franchise saying things felt very "samey" and wanted innovations. In response we got Black Flag which people loved but it didn't really innovate it simply distracted us with the concept of being a pirate assassin. Then we got an actual innovation in the form of Unity which, while amazing, was not well received by most due to how broken it was but ignoring how broken it was it was very close to the perfect improvement to Assassin's Creed that we wanted. Yet because of the criticism the abandoned that base instead of perfecting it. On top of that they saw the crazy success that was the Witcher 3 and then they decided that they would mimic that. That decision is what brought us to these RPGs that they want to lable as Assassin's Creed. They completely lost track of what made the franchise what it was and instead chased after the success of other game genres. I hope they'll actually go back to their roots and remember what made Assassin's Creed so unique and special.

[@domenica3639]

AC franchise in a nutshell. Nicely put

[@Nikolai1939]

AC III was good, story had flaws, sure, but the gameplay and visuals were innovative, the story had thought provoking scenes, they shouldn't have changed the low profile/high proflile UI, also it's material culture historic accuracy beats rogue and 4 by a mile

[@DatAsianGuy]

Unity is definitely not an "innovation" imo, there are core aspects of gameplay that just fall flat and have been done better in previous entries.

[@Nikolai1939]

@@DatAsianGuy parkour for example was better in 1, combat was better in 3, etc.

[@josephpayne2253]

All assassin's Creed games had a super power, eagle vision that's a superpower dumbasses. It's always had it's roots with its own features

[@WillHoward2002]

I think the title of the game is perfect. It's all one big mirage, they know it's the same as the previous games just with an AC1 skin and they are using the visual style to pull people in but they avoid showing gameplay so that we don't realize it's just more of the same. They are hoping the fans don't realize that until they have already wasted their money on getting the game. Just like a mirage, you're walking in the desert and you see a well of water that you want but once you've used the energy to get to it you realize it doesn't have the water you wanted and you wasted all your energy.

[@oneworldproduction5455]

just look at their deluxe edition trailer and you will know why this is shit

[@sk8ermGs]

Perfect comment 😂

[@ac_nerd9794]

I'm going to waste my money either way. The game looks good, Basim seems to be a great protagonist, and Ubisoft are making multiple games with different gameplay experiences. Origins and Odyssey were good games, Valhalla was mid, and the older games were mostly mid with a few standouts.

[@DirtySam0410]

I don't get what you mean, they did show gameplay tho.

[@memecliparchives2254]

I'm surprised people did not caught up this quickly.

[@RandomPersonProbably]

Honestly my biggest issues with AC in recent years has been the divergence from the Assassins Creed as a whole. Not just the lack of Hoods, or even hidden blades but the actual creed itself was abandoned entirely. In the Ezio trilogy it focuses on him learning about the creed and living by it showing us how it impacts his life and in turn how it makes him influence the world around him. In black flag despite playing as a pirate for 95% of the game the philosophy of the creed is still present and impacts the story. Ever since Syndicate with the exception of origins the Assassins Creed which is the foundation of the franchise has been abandoned entirely and reduced to a barley used esthetic.

[@artmanrom]

And the "100%" synchronization requirement, especially when there weren't manual saves as an option you had to repeat the entire missions from the very beginning endless times. Remembering that "tank mission" or the "delta plane" mission where if you were getting the slightest damage you would have to do all of those mission's stages again, and again, and again.

[@spike8525]

I know this is really bad but this game is a literal MIRAGE where everything looks like a return to form but upon a closer look it’s just another shallow experience

[@tlungu962]

Lmao so true

[@AngelxVillian]

Have you played it? Sheep

[@mohammadashikurrahman7530]

What the heck? Does no one research these days?

[@spike8525]

@@AngelxVillian no but seeing this is the same exact engine and has the same look as Valhalla it almost certainly has the same mechanics at a base level and those are pretty shit so I’d love for me to be wrong, I’m just afraid I’m not

[@AngelxVillian]

@@spike8525 wait 4 days before you base your opinion on what another man says

[@SeanVertigo]

I've never seen someone so clearly and succinctly express the importance of AC1 and AC's general fall from grace since (imo) AC3. I completely agree with everything you bring up in this video. Excellent work.

[@SawShotz]

Ac3 was the worst in the series

[@chandlerburse]

@@SawShotz nah bro It was literally the best selling lol

[@lephantomchickn3676]

I'm glad Leo K is getting the recognition he deserves.

[@DarkPanda558]

Leo K is a beast!

[@PharaoahMonk]

I was playing AC1 on a laptop in 2009 that i first bought with my own money. Somehow, something made it special to me. After every day of work i used to play this game for hours and just explore and enjoy it so much. The conspiracies, the intrigues, the characters really got me so deep into it that i lost myself. I even bought an original AC Desmon silver hoodie from ubisoft website and used to walk around town in that hoodie. It symbolised something, it was a feeling, it was a state of mind, it was a movement. They dumbed it down little by little with each passing title until the identity of the original became increasingly stark, washed up. It s sad how they missed the entire point only to monetize on greed and introduce new kids to this franchise. To be honest i think they never expected it to go that big, beyond AC1. It was such a success that it blew even them away. Ac2 and Brotherhood, were superb sequels that deepened the story and the narative in so many ways. I was playing those without sleeping, eating, drinking or breathing. Absolutely hooked to the storyline and every title at the end made me wanted to see what will happen next! I was devouring that knowledge, that information and by putting it piece by piece i felt i was a part of something bigger. Until they lost it with Ac3 and 4. They lost me too.

[@belldandy1378250]

YES EXACTLY OMFG!! The ONLY Assassin's Creed game since Altair and Ezio has been Origins and only because it actually ties into the original games because it's the origins....the franchise has long been gone and dead and it's truly sad because these games used to be a damn masterpiece. I remember creating my own hoodie with the Assassin's logo on it and the Creed for the brotherhood was so beautiful. Loved the lore so much I even read the books that went with the games! The soundtracks made me cry and the scenery was absolutely stunning and authentic you can compare it to the artifacts today. So sad indeed....

[@cptepic5664]

How can you trash Black Flag?!?!? That game was what ignited my love for this series. Rogue was short and sweet and a nice entry. Yes Unity isn't good, and Syndicate is ass to an extent. But cmon man.

[@tylerpurvis5658]

I enjoyed 3 but not 4. But I loved the ezio trilogy.

[@dxzzy2k175]

The fact I still go back to play unity often just to have a glimpse at what could’ve been to me is just sad, it was so close to being something great, if only they did t rush it out in 2014 and maybe released it when they released syndicate this series could’ve gone so differently. What could’ve been we will never know it’s just upsetting.

[@ytk2983]

It coud've been the perfect AC

[@splinterborn]

AC1, AC2, ACB & ACU were made by the Original Team, thats why alot of real AC fans love Unity.

[@numbron803]

AC Unity was near perfect. They just had to blend Unity with Ezio's mechanics and improve upon it with future games, and they would have the perfect AC formula in their hands. But nah, lets appeal to mainstream audiences with dumb bloated RPG's with basic mechanics and massive dead worlds and shit on the decade long fans of the original games.

[@BlackHedgehog]

Admittedly I've yet to ever finish Unity . . . I just find it a much harder game to play than other titles for some reason.

[@naruhearts1]

​@@BlackHedgehogI agree, I personally enjoyed Syndicate more and finished that game no problem

[@ricepint6242]

i think it’s funny how Leo K has both a trailer review and game review that’s in better faith than what this video is

[@bubliverman8007]

Hey ur entitled to ur opinion

[@alma3884052]

You know, with such a big fanbase that has been begging for a true AC experience, it's kind of shocking that other companies didn't pick up on it and create their own stealth games in different historical periods. Clearly Ubisoft isn't interested, so why doesn't some other big company capitalize on that? Could you imagine Capcom with their RE engine making a game about Robin Hood or something?

[@ackvendor]

That depends on the presentation. AC is too big that anyone who tries to produce an improved version of it, wont get lambasted by fans for being unoriginal. Especially if they are in the AAA tier. Secondly, a lot of triple As are just regrinding gears and sticking to their “well to do franchises” so it’s the kind of risk no one would want to take. The closest quality assassination games that have been good over the past few years have been Sekiro and Ghost of Tsushima. Neither of those are pure stealth games though.

[@alma3884052]

@@ackvendor That's true, Ghost of Tsushima is probably the closest we got. I think a good gameplay structure would be something similar to Dishonored or Hitman, where instead of giant open worlds you have decently sized levels with multiple ways of approaching them, that's kinda like what the first AC did

[@roguescorner9042]

Probably because us old AC fans are just a loud minority. We complained about Odyssey and Valhalla, yet wasn't Valhalla the best selling game of the franchise?

[@alma3884052]

@@roguescorner9042 it's hard to say. I feel like most AC fans have trouble with Valhalla, but it appealing to the lowest common denominator allowed it to have reach outside of the fanbase. Great in short term, as it did make a billion dollars or something, but it didn't exactly retain an audience and most people moved on to better RPGs in a span of a couple of weeks. The all time peak on Steam shows 15k people and is now sitting at 5k. So that's not a sustainable model in my opinion

[@DRFESTERPUS69]

@@roguescorner9042 Isnt it the best selling because they dumbed it down while adding RPG shit to appeal to the masses? Which was exactly what they were going for. Ubisoft doesnt care about the old school fans. They care about money.

[@microwaveenthusiast7410]

The first game was an atmospheric masterpiece man. They leaned so heavily into the conspiracy theories back in the day and integrated them beautifully into the scenario of the game where it felt like you were witnessing alternative hidden parts of historical events nobody even knew about.

[@icarusgaming6269]

Literally everything I've been saying. Even if there is more depth under the surface, until this series finds a way to make you care in a way that's core to its design, the division will continue to get worse. That's the only way forward

[@degariuslozak2169]

Nice wording,has a pun since the Tom Clancy games hy Ubisoft (the division being one of them) is heading in the same downward direction as AC games

[@edduflema6050]

"This DOOM 2016 isnt like the one i've played in the 90's, so bad, and you're stupid for thinking different than me, you peasent" Dude, you made some good valid points about some games but it really comes off as a boomer talking about how things were perfect back then. To be honest, i wish it was like either the first games or unity but improving on mechanics or adding new stuff instead of a cashgrab as it always was since ac3 probably but mirage isnt even out and you're talking like is the worst in the franchise just because its the new one. Come on, man. Let's play it first, it looks like a good step in the right direction, even if its not even close yet but it might be good

[@roguescorner9042]

He's jaded about it. Very. Which I get, he's been disappointed by AC so many times now that it's impossible not to feel pessimistic about this new one. Still, I'd much rather be cautiously optimistic about it than pessimistic. Only because I don't want to end up as bitter as he is with this franchise.

[@edduflema6050]

@@roguescorner9042 exactly! I mean i get why he's like that but there's no point in being extremely pessimistic about something you dont even see yet (same way as you didnt had to be overly positive about games like valhalla only for their trailers). Tbh i'm not a fan of the franchise, kinda "liked" some of them but this looks like a step in the right direction.

[@roguescorner9042]

@@edduflema6050 Regarding his complaints, I’m like dude, I totally feel you. I also wish AC would go back to the AC1-Revelations era, but you have to realize that’s never going to happen. I’m not a fan of lowering your expectations. I think you should always expect greatness from people who are capable of delivering. But what I will say is that you should adjust your expectations to what is real. LazerzZ, James, my dude, if you went into Mirage looking for, I don’t know, Assassin’s Creed 1 2.0, you were practically asking to get disappointed. That era is long gone, dead and buried, you have to let it go. Regarding Mirage, I also hate the idea that we’re meant to be excited about AC becoming AC again. An AC game’s main feature shouldn’t be the return of the eponymous Assassins. I get that, and I share your sentiment wholeheartedly. But again, we have to adjust our expectations according to the reality of the situation. Like what Sam Adams said in AC3: we have to work with the clay we’re given.

[@unfathomable3434]

My optimism for the series is gone, I just want social stealth sneaking and stabbing back, but sadly it will never happen ever again

[@AngelxVillian]

It’s literally happening in mirage 😊

[@unfathomable3434]

@@AngelxVillian I highly doubt social stealth will be to the level in Assassins creed 1 considering the series never went back to that level (even though the sequels are a lot better games)

[@1lham_edits]

@@unfathomable3434 social stealth was better in Unity, and much better in the Ezio collection.

[@65firered]

Even if it does go back is that what we want? Ubi$oft hasn't shown to be trustworthy with the franchise. Going back to what we had doesn't guarantee an increase in quality. We wouldn't be so skeptical of the games after Mirage if that was the case.

[@65firered]

​@@1lham_edits ​ Of course, because they directly built upon it.

[@kmukayed]

Dude, every SINGLE video you make on AC, you somehow are able to verbalize every thought and opinion I have or have ever had. You are perfect in just how much you understand AC to its core and you are one of the very few people I’m able to relate to when it comes to what once was my favorite franchise of all time. Thank you for keeping on delivering the truth in the most honest and intelligent way.

[@DrTheRich]

So you know as little about game engines as he does then i presume.. lol "Valhalla game engine" hahahaha what a nonsense

[@kmukayed]

@@DrTheRich what are you even talking about, did you reply to the wrong comment? I said nothing about the Valhalla game engine

[@DrTheRich]

@@kmukayed No but the guy of whom you said verbalizes every thought you have and ever had and understands AC to its core according to you did... If you said he speaks the truth, but lies about the "Valhalla engine" how do you square that?

[@kmukayed]

@@DrTheRich I focus more on the philosophical and story aspects of what makes assassin’s creed. He hits the nail on the head on those aspects.

[@DeviniteHD]

I absolutely understand your criticism. For me, after Valhalla I took a break from AC as well. None of the expansions did it for me. I didn't even bother playing Dawn of Ragnarok or the Forgotten Saga. However, after so much time has passed, I'm actually interested in playing a new AC again. I've never judged AC by it's core features, but the impact it had on me. Black Flag for example is far away as well from the roots of the first game, but it still is one of my favorite games of all time. And that's kind of the thing with Mirage for me. I know what it is and I still want to play it. Explore Baghdad and it's history. I've just accepted that not every title can be a hit. Some games like Unity, Syndicate, Odyssey or Valhalla were misses for me, even though I had a good time with them as well. But sometimes a gem like Origins comes around and makes it up. That game definitely isn't core AC, but still a game I remember fondly and that's what it's all about. The old AC is dead, but that's alright because they are still there and will remain as excellent as ever. But that won't stop me from having fun with the newer ones.

[@arcticdoomsd4y183]

I agree with you completely and I feel like if they just kept doing that same formula over and over and over Ubisoft wouldn’t even be making new AC games anymore I don’t really like these viewpoints of making a game exactly like the old ones because I’m playing a new game to get a new experience

[@TheCube2424]

@@arcticdoomsd4y183 exactly. Are there things I miss from the older games that I wish could come back? Of course. Are there new things I don’t love? Yup! But if they didn’t change things, people would’ve stopped playing cause they felt like they already had the game (which is what complaints were like circa 2014). I still had fun with Origins and Odyssey, Valhalla less so, even while some of my favorite parts of the game were changed. I think they have the right idea with this game from what I’ve seen, but I’m also realistic and know the game won’t be built around what I specifically like and want. People are gonna be mad regardless of what the game is like- people seem to like to complain more than they like to do things these days lol

[@ShinRock54]

At the end of the day, Ubisoft's goal is to make money (much like any other company out there). These curent AC games make them a lot of money and are also very well received, so why wouldn't they keep doing them like this? Valhalla alone made Ubisoft over 1 billion dollars. And there are even more AC games on the way, meaning that they have the means to do so. Also meaning that they're more successful doing the curent style of AC than the old one. Why would they bother to cater to jaded fans that are blinded by nostalgia? Even though Revelations is popular in the fandom, a lot of people were already complaining about repetitiveness and how they don't do anything new with it. Now that they are doing new stuff with AC, you complain and want the old shit again. They try to bring back some old stuff and mix it with the new, and it's all "oh they're just doing the bare minimum! it's just a cashgrab!". Nothing will please you lot, let's be honest here. The fact that a bunch of fools that are wearing rose tinted glasses moan about not being able to dickride Ezio is not going to change the fact that the curent era of AC is doing great and even better than the old games. The games are doing great with or without all of you. Haven't y'all wondered why barely anyone outside of LazerzZ' fanbase has this much disdain for the curent AC games? Probably because it's just you? The rest of the fanbase has either accepted that this is the new AC and it's not for them anymore or they like it and they keep playing them. Either follow suit or hop off the train already. Or don't and continue to pat each others' crotches about how much you love Ezio and the older games.

[@Hoppelite]

I’m gonna give it a chance. I’m in the minority which has loved every mainline AC game. I think they’re all super fun to fuck around in. Not gonna deny that they all have many flaws tho, especially Odyssey and Valhalla. Do wish they’d revamp the series and go back to the old formula. Doubt that’ll happen tho. Not until the sales decline hard

[@ac_nerd9794]

Well, I am in the same bunch that enjoys all of the games and honestly thought, Odyssey was an amazing game being that it predates everything. Valhalla was mid though.

[@princeblackelf4265]

Odyssey was great. Valhalla tried to appeal to all sides and that was to it detriment cause it felt like a step backwards, I wanted a game that played just as strongly as Odyssey but with viking stuff and that isn't what I got.

[@ac_nerd9794]

@@princeblackelf4265 My feelings exactly. Has great spots but it wasn't as strong as Odyssey.

[@deadspace297]

I think Valhalla was just entirely too long, if I could've beaten it in like 60 hours I wouldn't mind but it's too long

[@Jamushu]

I am not being sarcastic at all when I say I wish I could do that too. I wish I could like AC again like I did when I was younger, and I just *_can't._*

[@TheDreamManifester]

So, Mirage turned out to be actually good. It’s not a perfect game by any means, but it succeeds the Assassin fantasy and offers plenty in nostalgic gameplay through stealth, linear parkour, level design, familiar environments, and blackbox missions. It’s a very short game, and doesn’t offer too much in side content, but its linear focus is welcoming. I know you’ve already said your piece on this months ago, but I figured I might as well let you know, that as your follower since before Origins, I genuinely think you’ll appreciate multiple things in this game. It feels like a blend of AC Origins with AC1 inspiration, with a dash of Unity. I’m well aware of your viewpoint and I respect your opinion, but I insist that you at the very least try it. There are indeed redeeming qualities in this short gem, and it genuinely feels like it’s catered by a small budget group that actually cares about the past and its original fans. I’d like to watch you experience that. It’s refreshing for once.

[@Montanajj]

Having a bare bones version of what we used to have in assassins creed, Just now with janky parkour and combat is not “good” by any means

[@TheDreamManifester]

@@Montanajj- I think it’s the best we’ve received since AC Unity, and that says something. If you continue to compare it to the past, you’ll be disappointed, same as any new entry since then. But if you’re looking for the Assassin Fantasy, Mirage accomplished that beautifully. Each update improved that factor more and more, with Parkour eject improvements, and the recent Permadeath Mode which I’d love for James to Stream. I’ve always agreed with James, even with this video, when originally uploaded. But he hasn’t even played it when he made this, and I believe it would be a dawning experience for him to try. There are redeeming qualities here, genuinely speaking. Mirage scratches the itch that Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla failed to do. I finished Mirage 3 times now, and my appreciation for it only increased with each run.

[@memecliparchives2254]

​​@@TheDreamManifesterI am not praising a damn game just for having those mechanics, when it literally fails at everything else. Saying people should like this game as a true AC game just because it had the iconography and mechanics down yet none of the substance is unacceptable. Mirage lives up to its name after all. Its nothing but all smoke and mirrors with a shallow yet no substantial essence of Assassins Creed. Rogue, Unity and Syndicate also fail in that regard and are as bad or mid as Odyssey and Valhalla is. Stop thinking in a damn monolith that everything until Syndicate was an AC game. The true ac games might as well have ended with Revelations. Onl3, Black Flag and Origins tried to at least somewhat capture the spirit of it anf they never needed to fill an arbitrary quota of certain game mechanics.

[@jackbrassil5318]

Omg ending the discussion with Ezio' Family got me in my feels

[@narly2099]

I think it's 'Home in Florence' but yea I got chills hearing that

[@marioauditore2859]

Well, the key point you're missing here is that you didn't play the game. Yeah, your criticism is valid, but not until you really play the released game. If we start to throw rocks on it before it even launch, then we're just being dumb and not really giving a chance to it (And by giving a chance i don't mean pre-order it or even buy it at all, but actually wait to see it on release or play any demo)

[@el0g242]

I agree with all of this, wish I could like this video more than once. Its like everything I ever thought about this series compiled into one video so understandably.

[@Rinzler86]

He's going to buy and then make these types of vids like he always does. Though I remember him saying he wasn't going to support ubisoft anymore. I mean the best way to handle this is to just stop talking about it. There's an infinite sea of people that could care less about what your community thinks, ubisoft will make its money regardless. All you're really doing by continuing the conversation about this series is drawing more attention to it before the game is even out. A person's experience will always vary. That's why the I hate AC community is so small but still exist based on past experience and nostalgic cope. The OG creator isnt coming back, Ubi is going to keep doing what the do. The best for you and everyone else on your island is to just leave it behind. Only people that are severely bothered by a thing continue to talk about it and cant let go. btw bet 80-90% of your audience is going to either buy or at least play the game no matter how edgy and intelligent they try to sound in your comment section. As much as I miss the old days of ac 1-2 I just play them and unity and those communities(Unity especially) are still highly active. But youtube rather fight about what has been lost ages ago and be hypocrites about it...and delete comments as usual

[@LazerzZ]

I don't even know what this comment wants or is trying to say, you just seem a bit frustrated that I don't like how Mirage looks. I made a video giving my feelings toward something I used to love quite a bit. I'm not trying to achieve anything, I'm not trying to stop anyone buying it, I really don't care, I hope you love this game man, and all the future ones to come, if they float your boat that's brilliant for you. I just wanted to take my feelings and put it into words, I enjoy the exercise. I wont play the game, I'm not buying these games anymore, but that doesn't mean feelings evaporate, writing out scripts and videos is a nice outlet.

[@Rinzler86]

@@LazerzZ If you read my whole comment you'd see I have no love for mirage, thats you reading something that isnt there. JUst because youre video is about mirage doesnt anyone that says anything opposite to you is automatically defending it. You see either you only read a few words and put them together in your head or you have a problem with perception; What i said has no underlying meaning. Take it for what has been written, plainly. Nothing more, nothing less. I explicitly stated that Im a ACU/ACI & II player. But I'm just not holding to years of baggage about it. The younger or dumber the generations get the more BS they will buy from Ubi.

[@birboartt6598]

Even though you said this video is just a cashgrab, it is the type of video I need. The marketing on Mirage was growing on me just like cyberpunk did and those types of videos help me to see that the expectations I’m creating can only be fulfilled in my mind. Ac 1 became my favorite after I saw your retrospective and decided to give it a go. It’s saddening to know that mirage won’t be near as good as the first one, but still it’s better to cherish what was great back in the day and not spend my hardworked money on a copy/paste game that I already know how it is going to be and just don’t want to believe it.

[@fernandobarcelosvillarreal8815]

Feel the same man

[@numbron803]

"The marketing on Mirage was growing on me just like cyberpunk did and those types of videos help me to see that the expectations I’m creating can only be fulfilled in my mind." THIS!! I fell for this garbage with Valhalla's marketing and bought the gold edition of that game. After 100+ hours of doing the exact same things with boring gameplay and basic mechanics done better 15 years ago, I realized I regretted buying the game and fell for the manipulative marketing of Ubisoft... I promised myself never to fall for Ubisoft's sweet little lies and manipulative marketing anymore

[@ChrisEzio]

@@numbron803 Cyberpunk was way better. Every mission was diffrent to each other. Dont compare ubisoft game to cd project red. They still updated their games from free.

[@numbron803]

@@ChrisEzio tell that to OP lol

[@mariobarbara2893]

The truth is you don´t even know much about the game. You don´t know the story, you don´t know the UI, the only thing you know is the trailer they showed, and yet you're talking like the game is out. I'm not defending Ubisoft though, I don´t defend billionare companies and they've failed us too many times. You might be right about all this and you don´t have to be optimistic but you need to calm down.

[@izanazir7088]

6:04 this hurts, and i am glad that you see the point, i watched your ac 1 vid and subbed, (didn't completely completed it) but it felt like i finally met someone who knows why assassins creed is assassins creed

[@Jnigo]

Wow?? U found lazerzz this year? Bro he has some golden videos watch them

[@izanazir7088]

@@Jnigo yep first let me finish his ac 1 vid lol.

[@SuperSymbiote1]

I disagree only for the reason that Ubi has made a new video explaining the opposite to this essay. I'd say give them a chance.

[@hsizzle4502]

lets trust ubisoft . you are joking right? one of the most trashiest companies in gaming?

[@SuperSymbiote1]

@@hsizzle4502 Companies can change

[@cookingsauce8274]

Bro believes anything ubisoft tells him

[@randomusername3587]

@@SuperSymbiote1 🤡

[@SuperSymbiote1]

@@randomusername3587 Sheep

[@nikjovan4816]

You have voiced my opinion as well. These games were my childhood. AC Revelations was my first console game I bought for my new XBOX 360 in third grade. Played that game like 15 times in a row. Went back to play the older ones then. Thought AC3 was okay (Desmonds death was red flag), loved Black Flag. And AC Origins at least had a soul and I enjoyed it, but it was the beginning of the end. And I still have Unity on my console and just go back and wonder what might have been. It is literally the perfect template for an AC game. Big dense city with interiors, huge crowds, great stealth including social stealth, tools, focus on Assassins, fantastic parkour, challenging combat that incentivizes stealth, good side content, very cinematic, blackbox missions. But Ubisoft and their yearly relase boner made them produce a buggy mess(Unity) that led to huge scrutiny that led to the RPG games. Now for the last two games, there is no soul, no respect for what came before. Odyssey is a game I hate with the most passion. I refuse to call it AC. It's not. The only thing that game is good at is that Ancient Greece is well recreated. I hate everything else. I have Valhalla on my console. I am at 70 hour and it feels empty, souless, better than Odyssey, but that's not asking a lot. And Mirage is a side project, clearly intended to shut up some OG fans. Ubisoft Bordaux is making it. Not a big team. They don't have big resources to make a new engine, new mechanics. They have to scrape something together from the Valhalla engine. So I'm not going to be hard on them, but the people in charge. The next game is codename red an RPG. So clearly it's over.

[@splinterborn]

I agree about AC Unity it should of been the best one, it was the last true ac game. Whereas Origins is ok but its not an AC Game its 99% Odyssey which is 95% Valhalla which will be 90% Mirage. its all the same C&P Shite.

[@DrTheRich]

there is no "Valhalla engine" There is only AnvilNext 2.0 on which every game since AC Unity is based. All the engine stuff from the first game engine Anvil, that made the first game possible, is still in here, they just didn't use it. They don't have to "scrape something together" and they don't need to make a new engine. The engine is absolute epic in it's technical capabilities and it's amazing how even after 10 years, it's still able to produce next gen games and insanely big worlds. The game engine has nothing to do with gameplay mechanics though. Please stop believing in this guys ignorance.

[@joshdidgit6398]

Amazing how can you say that Mirage has nothing to say narratively we barely even know what the stories about you can't judge the narrative yet

[@DragonBallG69]

No way in hell it’s going to happen, but I really want to be pleasantly surprised by this game.

[@abneraranivar346]

I think thats what alot of us feel. It’s probably our best case scenario right now.

[@justinbrummett]

This is what I would consider being Cautiously Optimistic

[@Roscoe1903]

It's quite funny reading the comments about things like social stealth never returning after watching the video they released today saying it was a main focus. May still be nothing but I'm intrigued to see what they show at the conference in a couple days

[@JackJanuary]

Yeah lol, a lot of these criticisms were addressed in that video

[@numbron803]

They also did the same for Valhalla's "social stealth", and we all know how shit it ended up being. I'm not trusting them anymore. Hope it's good and surprises me, but I expect it'll be shallow and shit.

[@shira_yone]

I mostly play the series for the parkour, and it's not looking good so far.

[@dachshund_gaming]

@@numbron803we saw in the gameplay showcase that social stealth works similarly to the older games now, where you just walk into the group of people without having to press a button. Not much can be said rn about how the crowds will work, though. I assume it will work similarly to Unity and Syndicate and there won’t just be groups of 3-4 people that you can blend into, but I’m ready to be disappointed.

[@numbron803]

@@dachshund_gaming we dont see any crowds in the trailer so I'll assume the worst until the game actually comes out.

[@DrTheRich]

You have good points, but as a game dev the "Valhalla game engine" argument is absolutely silly to me (and anyone who knows even a bit about game development). If that's truly what you believe is the limiting factor here than you have no real understanding of how game work behind the scenes and what game engines actually are... Valhalla and this game are literally based on the same game engine as AC Unity. AnvilNext 2.0. Which is a redesign of AnvilNext, which is a rewrite of Anvil, the game on which AC1 and Prince of Persia were build on. An engine does all the technical stuff, all very generic technologies you can also find in engines like Unreal Engine 5 or any other. You can build a race game on the AnvilNext 2.0 engine if you wanted, you'd just be torturing your devs. An game engine is a library of technical features, with a collection of tools to help you make a game. It's not the game itself. Since the engine used in Valhalla is literally the same as Unity, which is in it's core the same as the one AC1 was made on, you could literally remake the first game, exactly as it was in the new engine. Like down to the most obscure mechanical details. A more practical example: the engine calculates the physics and mechanics of grabbing a ledge, and gives devs the tool for placing ledges in a level. What it does not describe: what ledge is grabbable, what animation plays when you grab a ledge, what the ledge looks like, how long you can hold on, from where you can grab it etc. These choices are made by the game devs (and behind them the executives) make, not by the engine.

[@MerciLessSKiLLz]

I understand your view and I really hope you eat your words in the nicest way possible.

[@LazerzZ]

Would love to be proven wrong, all they had to do to prove me wrong was show a back eject in the demo, but they didn't, because they aren't there, because advanced movement doesn't exist, because it's running on the engine that made Valhalla. You can tell because the run speed is still determined by how far you push the stick rather than walking being your default max speed with additional inputs causing you to run. I'd love to be wrong, but I wouldn't make this video if I thought there was any chance I could be wrong. I mean tbf people may disagree and may feel Mirage does enough, and that's a different story. But when looking at the specifics of what I talk about in this video, the things I need, the things I genuinely desire and crave from these games, will not be present. It'll be superficial at best, because that's what Ubisoft has done for nigh on a decade now.

[@aidengrandsimon4103]

I agree with most of the things you say (as usual), but I do have certain points that I feel are maybe a little too far. I think the constant referral of this new entry as "junk food" is a bit unnecessary. Yes mechanically and thematically the game might not be as deep as the first four entries in the franchise, and while that is definitely something worth being furious about it doesn't mean other aspects of the game won't be decent or even strong. After watching most of your videos I understand that the history and the setting don't matter to you as much as gameplay mechanics, storytelling, franchise coherence and overall thematic consistency. However, they matter to some people and if the 9th century 3D representation of Baghdad turns out to be accurate, interesting and immersive then I find it reductive and damaging to historical games if we refer to it as "junk food". I think that just because people don't look for exactly the things you look for in games it doesn't mean that the games are "junk food". I've talked about historical context here but I haven't seen anything on mirage pointing in the direction that the storytelling, characters and dialogue will be shit yet, so I could've made my example on that too. Anyways, I'm massively excited for the AC4 video you've announced and will be greatly looking forward to that one. Keep up the good work James and hope the Italy trip was fun !

[@SPQRKlio]

You summed up what I wanted to say, so here’s my: yeah, what you said. I definitely respect the opinions in the video, but I have a measurement of strengths and weaknesses that align more with yours. (I might agree to call Odyssey silly but tasty junk food, though!)

[@conyo985]

People are so gullible! I can't believe just by saying they're going back to their roots and making the game smaller, people giving Ubisoft a pass. Ridiculous!

[@ResoluteCS]

LazerzZ, give this game a try. It’s a love letter to AC and its special for obvious reasons.

[@EvilParagon4]

I mean, can a "return to form" not just be that they're returning to pre-Origins? I never figured they'd return all the way back to AC1 or AC2 as their source, but definitely the Syndicate/Unity era. In which case, I'd say that's a return to form. Could be better, but at least it's not the RPG games... I hope.

[@berice4390]

They literally say they refer to ac1 to revelations when it was first revealed

[@EvilParagon4]

@@berice4390 That's because they're using a setting. Basim will be in the same location as Altair at a similar (but not same) time period. Of course they're going to _say_ it's AC1 inspired. Kinda hard to make Damascas without acknowledging that. As for 2 onwards, that's just buzzword stuff because every game has been inspired by the Ezio Trilogy. Look at Valhalla's settlement stuff. It's just Monteriggioni's upgrade system again. Look at every protagonist after Connor trying to be the charismatic darling that was Ezio. Look at Origins randomly having Requiscat in Pace randomly inserted. Everything calls back to those games because fans are most motivated to buy things relating to those games.

[@ota-02yashodeepjadhav81]

Can't wait for his video called "I WAS WRONG ABOUT ASSASSIN'S CREED MIRAGE"

[@FrumpyStuff]

L take

[@brandonpowell3254]

Hae wasn't lol

[@brandonpowell3254]

​@@FrumpyStuffexactly

[@christianclyne3851]

In retrospect, much of this video turned out to be wrong, imo. While not close to the genius of the original AC, and while definitely a cash grab, I would honestly say that Mirage is mostly good. The point about social stealth kinda bugged me because I’ve played Mirage twice and the social stealth has been great, albeit not as flexible as the Ezio games. And the Black Box stuff is decent. (Btw I love your content, you definitely have the best AC retrospectives/analyses imo, just wanted to say that to offset my disagreement with this vid lol)

[@cdizzytv3753]

It is about stealth & parkour, whether u enjoy that type ac gameplay u will enjoy Mirage 2 a DECENT Degree...

[@guesswilsey]

If this game came out right after Unity, it would be a laughing stock but now it is praised as the second coming. It's so crazy to me...

[@domenica3639]

Because people back then were eating good. Now people are starved for actual assassin's creed that when they smell something that resembles it they go wild and ravenous for it with frothing mouths. They'll consume anything with a white hood and a hidden blade nowadays lol

[@m.r4841]

Unity was already a laughingstock. Along with Syndicate

[@INoticed_XIV]

Ubisoft: “Fuck it set it in the Middle East and cut off the guys finger these idiots will buy anything”

[@acmartialarts2227]

But it’s not the crusade

[@DarkoRavens]

I won't be buying this one. Does that make me an idiot?

[@joyfulgamer11]

Spoiler alert the game is actually pretty great

[@LazerzZ]

I’m glad it is for you. But I still wholeheartedly stand by everything I said in this video. It’s just that what you want out of these games is astronomically different to me and that’s fine 👍🏻 I’m glad your expectations were met for a game you wanted to play.

[@danielainger]

The game is not even out yet lol

[@Wveth]

It's really nice to see more critiques on KZbin that acknowledge that different people want different things from games. When I was younger it seemed really important for me to like things that were "good," and I would argue about what exactly that meant. Now I know what I like in a game, I know the kind of quality I'm after and if I find it, I don't need other people to agree with me. I like that I'm seeing more critical essays done with that kind of philosophy in mind; it makes it easier to genuinely tell if I'm going to enjoy something, even if the person I'm watching doesn't like it.

[@victorsouza4554]

You know, after watching so many of Lazzerz's videos and trying to make analysis videos of my own (and failing miserably), I can't help but appreciate how skillfully he manages to articulate his ideas. I tried writing a script, going with the flow, somewhere in between, but every time I'm editing video and audio together I find myself thinking "Jesus Christ, this sounds like I didn't even try".

[@FREE_WILL_DEFENDER]

Totally know jow you feel cause i definitely wanted to start an AC channel after lazzers and tynamite slowed down cause the games sucked just to hold up the mantle but its hard

[@silverassassinyt9181]

you'll get better, just make sure you don't act about it, just pour your heart into your script and see how it goes! I believe in you

[@silverassassinyt9181]

i've subbed to you btw

[@jaysonkstone]

critically, you mustn’t look at the top of the mountain when on your journey, but each step at a time🪑🪃 🐸

[@Glamosapien]

Psuedo intellectuals are well spoken

[@Fire6435]

Hey! Someone has said People do their best at the start but.... The more recognized and rich they get the less effort they put Its sad ;(

[@ulissesstag5806]

Yeah, I wanted an Assassin's Creed game about Assassins, neither Odyssey nor Vahalla really went into depth with the Assassin-Templar which I love about the series, involving these two factions in our world history. They may be called the Hidden Ones & Order of Ancients but it's still the Assassin-Templar war and that's what I'm in for.

[@theyincorporated5711]

Same here

[@sethgreen936]

Why name it Assassin’s Creed when it has almost nothing to do with the story they built up for years. It’s just a cash grab for Ubisoft. They know people are invested into the AC franchise. That is why they didn’t just end the series when they ran out of innovative ideas for another AC game. They have become too greedy I fear.

[@indedgames4359]

But that fight has veen ther. Freedome vs order. It takes many forms

[@X-SPONGED]

The assassin templar dynamic is what they should've explored. It's so easy to get caught up in the sci-fi stuff that you completely forgot what makes AC games enjoyable in the first place, the characters.

[@josephwatson886]

As a long time fan of assassin's Creed and this channel please keep making these in depth videos

[@AngryMidget1]

I feel like I'm one of the few people that still love AC, even in it's current form.

[@EmpireZzzz]

U liked valhalla and oddysey

[@AngryMidget1]

@@EmpireZzzz I preferred Origin's but Odyssey and Valhalla were both good fun. They're not amazing games but they provided me with hours of gaming. However some of the story for Valhalla was insultingly bad.

[@EmpireZzzz]

@@AngryMidget1 yh valhalla story bored me ngl and oddesy was alright

[@matijota8728]

I'm still like it because there's a lot of this game that i love besides the core mechanics or the overused iconography since there's no other game as identical as this (But beign honest there are some lore and narrative aspects that i still can be interested and digest, but that particular thing lost it's charm long ago). The problem is that it has been a very abused product to experiment with things that should never been there in the first place like RPG elements or narrative freedom over historical accuracy, and beign honest the very concept of the franchise has aged poorly and it will never appeal the masses like it did with the Ezio Trilogy (AC4 was an incredible hit but for the wrong reasons, a lot of people like it because is a very well made and fun game, not because is a good AC)

[@Harfizz]

I hate your analogy about sequel was supposed to be a copy paste of the first one. Every game in every franchise is different from each other. Games will always evolving whether you like it or not. You have to let it go of the past to open yourself to new ideas that expand this franchise whether in a good or bad direction. Mirage isn't meant to be 100% back to the roots, it was meant to be an appreciation of the old games while still blending with the new ones

[@LazerzZ]

That would be fine if it were actually good, deep, mechanically complex. But it's not, it's worse in every way. It's shallow, it's soulless. Evolution isn't an issue. AC isn't an example of evolution though. Uncharted is, Arkham is, to be fair, AC1 - Rev is, they're all examples of taking something and evolving it forward. However when you cast aside for something that barely resembles the original thing, that isn't evolution. It's crazy to me that people like yourself, define our stance as "you just want the same identical game every time" because that's not true. You can resemble the original thing, you can iterate on it and make it fresh and exciting. Look at Grand Theft Auto, look at Red Dead, Elder Scrolls, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Persona, Zelda, even something like The Sims. They evolve and change and become better with more depth, but they don't discard their identity and become something entirely different, which is precisely what AC has done and continues to do. If you wanted to be an homage to AC1, then you need the same, or greater mechanical complexity. Mirage isn't this, it's the same shallow slop they've been pushing out for the last 5-10 years. It's fine if you do not care, you're allowed to not care. But to paint my position as "you just want same game every time, you just can't accept when something evolves" is a complete misunderstanding of what I'm even saying and of what AC has even become. The current state of AC is not an "evolution" by any stretch of the imagination. It's something entirely different. If you like that, that's cool, but don't try to act like I'm wrong for noticing this is the case.

[@_wolfynstine]

This is something I think needs to be shared around more. I LOVE assassins creed (most of them) as a franchise and they’re my favourite games to go and replay again and again. This pessimism combined with slight optimism from Leo is perfect for what the community needs. I am hopeful it’s actually going to deliver a decent building block of an experience to return further to roots with updated engines, but I’m expecting to be let down once again and receive a half-baked Valhalla experience with hoods and assassins

[@m.poppins4843]

its not even pessimism/optimism its just having some critical thinking, and not falling for an add. When you're watching tv you just dont buy into any adds you see during the break, why should it be different with video game trailers that are basically just an add?

[@DoartYT]

You either die a hero Or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

[@arkadiusznagorny3111]

There's being harsh and then there's just being unfair

[@unc54]

He's harsh but what is he unfair about? Ubisoft is heavily marketing this as a return to the roots but has what you have seen felt like "roots"? It's familiar but it doesn't really feel the same.

[@arkadiusznagorny3111]

@Hemanth Swarna Right but guess what? If it was new rpg game he'd also complain, so literally whatever they do, it just can't win against his reasoning

[@unc54]

@@arkadiusznagorny3111 I mean he's pretty open about what he wants in an AC game and is deeply skeptical of Ubisoft.

[@arkadiusznagorny3111]

@Hemanth Swarna and let him be a sceptical as he wants it's his right, but I think he most likely didn't liked the rpg games and now he will look at ac through that view, like seriously we will be getting ac in fucking Japan and he is complaining that it will be return to rpg(in some ways atleast, I do think red will be way more stealth focus then last rpg titles)

[@eo9107]

the game hasnt even come out and ac fans are already complaining like its been out for a while lmfao but this is expected with ac fans.

[@lamenamethefirst]

Interesting because I gave Odyssey and Valhalla a pass after Origins so I'm actually somewhat curious to try Mirage because it's an attempt at something somewhat different. I expect the same disappointment I had post Origins but I'd like to confirm it for myself. I feel like at the very least, the map will be more focused than the previous games' barren blank sheet of paper.

[@dustinakadustin]

What did you end up thinking of it? Personally I really enjoyed it, I liked that the whole game was built around the investigations and each arc had something different to offer. It's not perfect or anything but it's definitely a step in the right direction. The whole game was focused on the fight between the assassin's and the order of ancients and the intrigue of the first civilisation, I liked the stealth if it was a little easy, Basims journey was interesting enough to me. I liked this a lot more than the last Ac game I played which was syndicate.

[@Hegericc]

I mostly agree with the video but I find it to be a disingenuous argument to essentially say that "AC 1 unlike Mirage had social stealth" when it has already been shown to be a feature they returned to, I also wouldn't say social stealth truly blossomed until Unity but I know your counter argument is only against their "return to the roots" so I won't use that. It's also disingenuous to paint the game's stealth mechanics as "get behind the guy and stab him" when at the core, every assassin's creed game when played as stealthily as you can has this at the core. I do agree with the parkour though and the way the guy moves, I'm also aware this is an old video and the "sped up" parkour only appeared recently.

[@Swordsman1425]

You know, I was initially excited for AC Mirage, but... after watching this, I remembered the reason why I still have the AC: Revelations soundtrack and why the main theme from that game brings me so much emotion. Why when I first played AC 1 I couldn't pull myself away despite the frustrations I had. So thanks, Lazer, you definitely saved me $50 that I probably would've spent.

[@Carlisho]

Whitelight made a video about AC’s parkour and how it has never reached its potential and its down precisely to what you said, they keep reinventing the wheel for no reason.

[@redhoodie4111]

While I agree with 99.9% of what you talked about, I still don't understand the issue with the cosmetics. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood had Raiden skin from Metal Gear Solid. Assassin's Creed 3 introduced the concept of hacking the animus to import assets or change parts of the user's experience by allowing you to manipulate the weather or in the case of Black Flag add a skeleton crew to the Jackdaw as if we were in Pirates of The Caribbean. Hell, we can actually go all the way back to AC2 to find the first evidence of cosmetics that shouldn't be there. The Altaïr outfit has a description that references "animus trickery" I don't agree with the cosmetics being paid, or how whacky some of them are (especially the one from Origins with the Q-Tip and the unicorn camel), but for a franchise that literally spun off of Prince of Persia, I'm amazed that it took this long to get PoP stuff in Assassin's Creed. Though technically the Dagger of Time appears in Odyssey, so this isn't the first time, but my point still stands. You don't have to like the cosmetic stuff for what it represents, or for what you feel it takes away, that's totally fine, but to pretend that it hasn't been a thing until recently is disingenuous.

[@methatis3013]

It definitelly hasn't been a thing to this extent. Heck, I don't even remember the option to get Altair outfit in AC2 or Raiden in ACB. Here, ut is constantly down your throat, with the store being advertised on the opening screen and being able to open it from literally every single menu

[@captainmacmellon8909]

Mirage is really living up to its title. We're really getting a mirage of assassins creed

[@pendentz8617]

Great video James. Doing the lords work as usual 👌

[@michaelbodnardonovan]

Im kind of curious where, objectively, you see mechanics that are negative. From a place of respect, this game IS for sure, the closest "Assassin's Creed" feeling Assassin's Creed game since maybe Unity (which is not a great example of an AC game, but at least had the formula). All I have been able to disect as negative from this review is the instant kill mechanic, which arguably has been plaguing the series in some form or fashion since we played as Altair. Again, no disrespect, but it doesn't sound like your points are supported; instead, it sounds like you have been frustrated with the recent titles (fair point, I still refuse to play them) but as someone who loved the original Creed games, this one is the most promising looking one I have seen in ages. And by the way, as a side note, the inclusion of a hooded protagonist and hidden blade ARE DEFEINITELY crucial in an AC game. I think that is a great example of why the RPG style has been received so poorly. I don't think anyone would feel otherwise.

[@TravisElliott-sf4hq]

I’m really hoping we get to actually play as young Basim, and experience him grow into his role as a Hidden One, sort of like how Ezio did. I doubt I’ll feel the same connection though.

[@benboudreau1221]

there are 2 constants in life, ubisoft being shit, and james not being able to free himself from talking about assassins creed

[@JEBEDIAH8D]

nostalgia bait at it's finest the old back to the roots. It really feels like developers these days never played these games or have any understanding of how they are meant to feel. it's like they are artists that don't show restraint they get greedy and implement to many ideas and suddenly you've started to far from the roots.

[@gabiruman]

Assassins Creed is a delicate thing to give your opinion about. I played every single game, and Valhalla made me feel things I didn't since even Black Flag. I realised that the franchise didn't exactly need to stick to the original formula of playing as an assassin to be a good game, Eivor's story was the proof of that, and I will still praise Valhalla for acomplishing what other actual assassin games didn't manage to do, which is making a story I actually care and tiying to events from as early as Brotherhood, too bad they didn't make Eivor's story compelling enough as she felt like a tool to tell the overarching story they needed to tell, and because of this and much more, Valhalla is miles far from being a perfect AC game, it was a step in the right direction though. But this brings us to Mirage, and in the same way I don't think you have to play as an Assassin to have a meaningful story and intricate gameplay, saying you're going "back to the roots" doesn't mean anything to me. Especially when we all know they won't stick to it, what's the point of going back to said roots but you're not going to build upon it in the upcoming games? This is not the formula Ubisoft wants to stick to, and you can tell they are not taking it seriously by pricing the game at 50$, in another scenario this could be a good thing, but knowing how Ubisoft works, they're just tossing us a bone to keep us interested, this is the DLC for Valhalla they decided to expand upon and make a full game of. At this point we can only hope that this one game does some justice to the very interesting character that is Basim and meaningfully builds upon the world as well. As to will I buy it or not? I don't know, AC is still one of my all time favorite franchises despite my strong negative opinion about many of the games, I'm on the fence and still enjoy it because after the train wreck that was Odyssey I actually liked Valhalla quite a lot. I completely understand James' decision not to play it, maybe I should have the balls to do the same, just believe me when I say James you are a real loss to the community, I definitely wouldn't have enjoyed Valhalla as much as if I had not watched your playthrough. Thank you for your insights.

[@m.t.zrocks1434]

Yes, this game was supposed to be a Valhalla DLC and I wouldn't say that Ubisoft listened to the fans as it looks like the upcoming AC codename Red will be an RPG game. However, we have been asking for a game where you play as an Assassin for a while and this is the closest it gets, sadly. I hated Odyssey and Valhalla but I might give this game a chance. If it fails y'all should forget about Assassin's Creed returning to its roots ever again

[@alephsilva8783]

How can you have an honest opinion over an unreleased product...

[@CTKixCT-6116]

he is from the future /s

[@jaws013]

God how seeing all these "ac games" just constantly shit all over everthing this series meant to me growing up. Like yourself, from a young age starting at the first game, it captured a peice of me, spoke to me. I can vividly remember playing them for hours on end. God this makes me sad.

[@user-fm9ww2wk1i]

Its so sad. A part of me wishes that I had never gotten into this franchise in the first place

[@ezkiimehh7464]

Of course AC fans will be mad, they've been in denial for years. Y'all have been letting Ubisoft run away with the bare minimum for so long!!! I've never seen a franchise release 10+ games and still have little to no improvements in between them so CONSISTENTLY!

[@X-SPONGED]

What I hate about this entry is they're advertising it as a "return to basics". A "back to the roots" entry when it's simply not the case. I've seen some gameplay footage and it's bad for what's supposed to be a modernized AC 1 Unlike the older entries, assasinations are not silent nor subtle not even quick. Basim treats assassinations like it's a public execution. Every assassination I've seen displays unnecessary amounts of brutality and most importantly TIME. You could've stopped at stabbing him and walking away but NO! You had to CQC his dead corpse to the floor like that isn't going to alert all the nearby guards. You can't assassinate two people at once, which I understand is because Basim predates Altair's revolution but did you really have to brutalize him right beside the coworker he was just talking to? You could've just stabbed him in the neck, took the blade out, and then stab the other guy aswell. Actually USE your CQC to aid in assassinations if you're worried he might try to slash you whilst going for the throat stab. That's not all either, despite the flashy stabby kills now, you don't even have special animations for unique circumstances when assassinating. Remember when you would pounce on an unsuspecting guard and stab him on the ground when assassinating from a zipline? Take a look at Modest Pelican's preview of the game. Basim fucking teleports behind the guard and then stabs him. Don't get me started om parkour, it's as springboardy as always. The deliberate parkour moves the old AC games used to have is gone as always. The ONLY thing I see changed was the fact that enemies don't take 300 hits to kill anymore and the parry system is more fleshed out so you don't need to spam every skill in your hotbar to kill one guy who's a level higher than you. But again, is this supposed to make me ignore all the previous problems? No, and I won't. I was already skeptical Ubisoft could pull this off in the first place. Now seeing some early review gameplay, I can safely say I'm not buying this.

[@ProtoBrown]

Ok bye

[@davestar4718]

I started AC:Unity this week. (Got it for £1.50) I'm really impressed with it. I can look past bugs, which i think have been ironed out. Great setting, story seems alright, everything works quite well. The AC games after it bored me to death after 8 hours.

[@themythicfire]

You should play the best AC games : the Wzio trilogy, Black Flag and AC1

[@SoySilent]

Ac1 is the worst one in the whole franchise

[@OptimumSlinky]

I have never understood the love for the Matrix-wannabe Animus and tedious "modern day" stuff in AC games. I played AC1, at launch on the Xbox 360. I enjoyed it for what it was, but every time the game ripped me out of the Crusades to make me go check an email or some shit, I rolled my eyes and wanted to turn it off. The entire thing was a solution in search of a problem, another layer that wasn't needed when you could just say, "Throughout history there's been a secret war between Assassins and Templars. This is one of those stories." I still love AC1, and I loved AC: Origins, and I would love to see an AC game that embraces a more immersive-sim/emergent sandbox style of gameplay and melds Dishonored, Hitman, and Splinter Cell into an amazing historical setting instead of the garbage that was Valhalla.

[@Mazen39]

I understand how ridiculous the witches idea sounds, but I honestly believe it's a very nice idea to go to, it's perfect to link the POEs to the salem witches and such for example, it reminds me of what subject 16 used to show that POEs were in the present in every weird phenomenon or strong leader If they put assassins in that era it CAN be pretty cool. Tho that's ubisoft so I also have low hopes. Still it's nice to dream 😂

[@tylerrussell9926]

Honestly would like the idea playing as someone using a piece of Eden and being called a witch fleeing from villages and then meeting the assassins to try to get rid of it before the witch trials get worse while the templars stroke the people's fears to get more power in the region. The potential is there the likelihood of living up to it is not

[@some_random_dude13]

The timing of this video is truly remarkable

[@NecroxProduction]

Unity was the last AC that felt like something new rather than a reskin or an addon. Origins gameplay changes is a literal downgrade in everything imo.

[@gazzeerbeheerst3278]

This is a mayor problem in many game franchises nowadays. Assassins creed, Pokémon, fifa, call of duty. Those games feel like lazy and with half the effort made they could put in. And when they announce the most simple small extras, comebacks of old features. Or anything people are overhyping it like it’s the best thing they ever got… so why would they do more effort when they can just keep cash grabbing cause people keep bringing their money

[@solomonrex3955]

Saying you'll dislike the game before you've even played it, would be like if i commented negatively on this video without watching it. Just saying.

[@LazerzZ]

What it would be like is if you watched 10 of my videos and didn't like any them and then I put out a new one and you thought, before watching it "man, I don't think I'm going to like this very much" then it would be similar, yes.

[@CTKixCT-6116]

@@LazerzZ kinda bad comparison i think it would have been better if you said that " what if you watched 9 videos and you didnt like the last 2-3" this would be a more similar comparison and i dont think its fair to throw with rocks on something before giving it a chance ( that doesnt mean playing the game, you can watch walkthrough etc).

[@solomonrex3955]

@@LazerzZ Saying you'll dislike the game before you've even played it, would be like if i responded negatively to your reply without reading it. Just saying.

[@X-SPONGED]

10:14 Fun Fact: The assassinations shown in the trailer is approximately 2-3× faster than the assasinations you actually do in-game. In the trailer, Basim stabs a guard and then swiftly moves on to stab another in quick succession. In the game, Basim will linger for an extra 2-3 seconds to brutalize the body first before moving on, this would even alert other guards in the process because he refuses to only go for a quick stab before leaving.

[@nandoman4769]

For me what drew me into the AC series was always the blade in the crowd aspect of the series. AC Mirage from the gameplay honestly seems like it's finally giving that back to us. I think it's way to early to make any claims to what this game is really going to be cause they've shown us so little of it.

[@danieltoenning9273]

I was afraid i was missing some huge new information drop. While i agree with some of the aspects the video points out, i fail to see how we can judge the game so harshly already. I thoroughly enjoyed AC1 and saw the improvements they made over time up untill Unity. However i dont think the equation of Valhalla engine + AC1 "looks" = Shit game is truly correct. Maybe i am keeping a false hope alive, but i''m staying optimistic untill something of actual gravity is revealed and not just some staged gameplay.

[@bradley8258]

@@danieltoenning9273lol here after the game is out and all the pessimism was correct. The game was dog shit

[@cyclogaming960]

they should have made you be able to play along side big assassin's, like Altair or Ezio the same way they play along with Da Vinci, almost as an easter egg

[@ospherxcal]

The only thing that will ruin mirage, is the fact that the people crying about the gameplay and design, are the ones who played valhalla. Valhalla sucked. Mirage looks promosing, and i played ac1, 2, brotherhood, revelations, and almost all of them since then. Until the game comes out we cannot call it a cashgrab. The graphics are incredible as usual, the storydriven mechanics they promise - just like ac1 a huge step from valhalla, removing that repetition and grind, removing the number based assasination system, which sucked. It looks more like assasins creed 1 or 2 more than any of the other games have. Aslong as the story is immersive, as ac1 was. I see no reason this game shouldnt be Ubisofts comeback to finally creating a good ac game compard to recent ones. Game developers cant make copypastes of old games, people get bored of it which is why they switched to an RPG style, hopefully the smaller map and more story driven aspects will remove that repetition and grind seen in valhalla. Lots of ac fans forget that after 5 games of the same mechanics, loads of fans complained about the repetition which is why they switched to RPG style in the first place, and now they want ubisoft to bring back its original mechanics, how does that work? In order for this to be a good game, it need to find the perfect balance between being a modern triple a game with rpg elements, to its roots with ac 1.

[@knottwapple1561]

What’s so wrong about people just wanting hidden blades and Assassins robes? Why is that an invalid reason to be hyped for a new game?

[@EI-diablo-r9i]

Thats a bare minimum you shouldnt need to get hyped about at this point. The only point for the hype is that AC having strayed so much from what makes it great that you appreciate the bare minimum as if its worth anything.

[@endertuber8300]

I have already accepted that the core elements of what made AC1 to AC3 truely unique, with a tight narrative and deep connection between not only Desmond and his ancestors, but the ancestors themselves, with Ezio and Altair having a deeper and more intimate connection than any other characters ever had in the whole series with the only exception of Desmond... are never coming back, not unless a real miracle from heaven comes down and I'm tired to wait for miracles, but at the same time, probable because I'm not a content creator, I still can't get out of it, so I'll just find some cheap dopamine in a robed man running around Baghdad after waiting some time to find it on Steamunlocked because I'll never get tired to shit on this clown ass of a company and I really hope that stuff like Infinity are going to be bad enough to bring the company down...

[@numbron803]

That miracle would be for Ubi to sell the AC franchise to a better developer. I highly doubt Ubisoft will ever go back to being the great developer they used to be back in the OG AC, Splinter Cell and OG PoP days.

[@MakanaMediaFilms]

LazerzZ. My guy. Did you watch "Assassin's Creed Mirage: A Return to the Roots"? I am curious how you feel after watching that. It sort of addresses many points you make in this video. Anyway, I am happy to see you make another AC video. I hope you continue making AC videos. Love what you do. Hope all is well!

[@critickman]

Personally i loved assassins creed unity And 90% of the bugs are patched The parkour system was the best in all Assassins creed And the game looks really good I love how the clothes look real Like i can feel the textures

[@JamesSmith-ny2gb]

Lmao best parkour in the series

[@pressstart8738]

Yeah agreed best parkour in series

[@rokudodamaza]

My favourite in parkour in the series and third favourite story but still quite buggy still in latest patch but yea, 90% of bugs are indeed gona

[@unevenbutter1122]

I know this comment section is a bit of a circle jerk so I'll probably get dislikes for saying this. But this is a horrifically bad take. AC1 is honestly not the masterpiece you make it out to be and saying that every game in the series should stick as close to it as possible is incredibly obtuse and narrow minded. I'm glad we got games like AC3 and Origins which tried to do something different and interested to see where they go with Mirage.

[@franks2796]

Assassin's Creed fans trying to be happy about anything *impossible*

[@LazerzZ]

Ah yes, I should just be happy with garbage.

[@franks2796]

@@LazerzZ the games not even out yet and your already crying about it even though it's literally doing what you want at this point your just pissed that it's not like the ezio trilogy.

[@LazerzZ]

Ah yes, I'm pissed it's not the Ezio Trilogy, that has to be it! What a logically thought process. I must be insane to not think Mirage looks good!!

[@franks2796]

@@LazerzZ your not insane no one's claiming that you just have a clear bias.

[@LazerzZ]

Wait my subjective, biased opinion has bias? No way dude, that's CRAZY. It's almost like all of my videos are my subjective analysis of things.

[@indedgames4359]

Basim is the protag as he is in the modern day and thats a unique chance to tell his story outside of emails or photos

[@DonPasquale_]

Now this is some classic LazerzZ content 😂 it pains me to see how many people online are buying into the surface-level "return to roots/form" nonsense Ubisoft has been peddling. Thanks James as always for not being afraid to give your own critical analysis of the situation

[@ChumlyFernando]

Your video essays are amazing! You perfectly articulate the majesty and wonder of AC1, and how impactful that type of purposeful gameplay is to players who appreciate it. AC1 wasn't easy, I couldn't teleport, I couldn't fly over the entire map to spot enemies, but god damn was the hunt rewarding. The reason Super Mario Wonder is praised is bc it built on the foundations and challenge presented in the originals. Not for the sole sake of mass appeal, but because they knew there was a demographic that wanted the challenge and sense of excitement presented in the original, just modernized. I had hoped AC Mirage would be that, but your AC1 video essay and this video beautifully articulate what made AC1 special, and why Mirage isn't the Messiah we were promised.

[@LazerzZ]

Thank you, I really appreciate that!