Assassin’s Creed’s pivot into more traditional RPG territory has been divisive, especially considering the strict level requirements that came with that shift. Assassin’s Creed Mirage is calling back to earlier entries in many ways and that even extends to its lack of level gating.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage will have “no XP-based progression”
Ubisoft revealed this in a short developer diary about Mirage’s protagonist, Basim. Creative director Stéphane Boudon explained how Mirage’s progression is tied to the story, not an experience bar.
“The story of Mirage follows Basim’s evolution from apprentice to mentor, a journey that’s reflected in the game’s systems,” said Boudon. “There’s no XP-based progression in Mirage, instead, progression is linear and story-driven. As you follow the story and complete missions, your rank increases within the Brotherhood, giving you new opportunities for missions, outfits and tools.”
The video during that section shows some of the skill tree, including a move where Basim can automatically roll after a long fall, slow down time while aiming in mid-air, or kick an enemy after a parry, which were all unlockable through skill points. The skill tree wasn’t nearly as expansive as the one in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which backs up how this game isn’t as much of an RPG.
Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla all had level gating where players had to grind side content in order to progress in the main campaign or damage certain enemies. The foes in Mirage, as shown in that very video, did not have said level icons above their head.
Many criticized the level gating in the last three Assassin’s Creed titles, as it threw off the pacing and enforced grinding. Ubisoft also sold experience boosters in Odyssey and Valhalla, which pointed out to some how the company was monetizing the newly added grind.
There are still some RPG elements, though, as Boudon said that there will be upgradeable tools.
“We have new tools that can be upgraded and customized for Basim, giving him a deadly and effective Assassin toolset,” said Boudon. “When fully upgraded, these tools can allow for some interesting and unexpected gameplay strategies. We crafted a range of different outfit options for Basim so you can make the character feel personal to you.”
The pause screen from the post about the History of Baghdad feature also didn’t have a gear section, implying that Mirage also won’t have a ton of armor to sift through. However, as explained in the video, players can find different dyes for their outfit like they could in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (and other earlier Assassin’s Creed games).
