Will the Focus Assassination Mechanic Clash With Ubisoft’s Much Anticipated Return to Its Roots With Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Published 10/03/2023, 3:56 PM EDT

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Ubisoft planned on making Assassin’s Creed Mirage a game that takes players back to the roots of the series. That being said, there are many elements from the original AC games that have been added to Mirage. The devs have planned on bringing back the stealth-focused gameplay that fans got to see in the initial games of the series. With many old features making a comeback to the game, the devs have worked on some new ones too.

As Assassin’s Creed Mirage brings old elements of the game back to the series, players can’t wait to see what more the game will unveil. Mirage is set to bring back the instant kill feature, along with the ability to take down multiple enemies in one go. Although the latter is being appreciated by most fans, some believe that it makes the game stray away from its roots.

Assassin’s Focus in Assassin’s Creed Mirage

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With the new installment to the series, Ubisoft has introduced one new mechanic that fans are on the fence about. As first seen during the Summer Game Fest, players noticed a new feature. Although many iconic features from the original series have made a comeback, this new feature is receiving a lot of mixed attention. 

The new ability is called Assassin’s Focus. According to creative director Stephane Boudon, “Assassin’s Focus is a new ability for Basim that allows him to quickly chain assassinations. It’s really a showcase of Basim’s incredible agility and mastery.”

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While this new functionality adds a new layer to the combat mechanics in the game, many fans are unhappy. Ubisoft promised players a gameplay experience that is reminiscent of the original games. And the Assassin’s focus brings a new element to the game. While it’s not entirely surprising that there are new elements, there’s always a possibility of it overshadowing the “back to roots” experience. This is what is bothering fans who plan on playing the game for nostalgic reasons.

How to use the Assassin’s Focus Ability

To use the Assassin’s Focus ability, players have to enter a focus mode and then target nearby enemies in succession. This feature enables Basim to mark multiple targets and swiftly eliminate them one after the other. Players can also cancel the chain or remove a target from a single enemy if needed.

While the ability seems powerful, it can’t be used repeatedly throughout the game. The number of chain assassinations Basim can perform depends on how much his focus gauge is filled. To fill the Focus gauge, players need to carry out stealth missions through Basim. In the gameplay demonstration, a full gauge allowed for 3-4 assassinations in a row.

The concept is very similar to the fear takedown in Batman: Arkham Knight, which allows Batman to drop down or sneak up on unsuspecting bad guys and perform and chain of takedowns.

Ubisoft has implemented this ability in a way that makes assassinations feel swift and dynamic. Although they expected fans to receive the feature with open arms, there has been some major criticism towards the new mechanic.

The comeback of old features in AC Mirage

Basim brings back parkour to the Assassin’s Creed series. Climbing walls and buildings with puzzle like mechanics will throw players back into the feel of the original AC games. Players can use Basim’s eagle, Enkidu, for scouting and marking enemies. The iconic eagle vision is also back, which can be used to identify enemies, persons to follow and various other NPCs. Mirage also brings back the “leap of faith” which was truly missed by fans in the previous titles.

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It will feature assassinations from older games. This includes bench assassinations, rooftop garden assassinations, and instant kills. The hidden blades mechanic which was revived in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is back too. And the wanted posters are back as well. Previously seen in games like Assassin’s Creed 2, players will need to take down these posters to reduce notoriety.

The main reason Ubisoft mentioned that the game will be a throwback to the roots is due to the stealth-based gameplay. This is because the last few titles focused heavily on the RPG element. Assassin’s Creed Mirage introduces a smaller compared to recent titles. A smaller map provides players with a more streamlined experience during their adventure in Baghdad.

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Assassin’s Creed Mirage is just a few days away. Although the new features are exciting, fans expected a more streamlined gameplay experience. However, with the introduction of the Assassin’s Focus mechanic, do you think that Ubisoft is not being true to its original promise? Let us know below.

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Written by:

Viren Mirpuri

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Viren is an Esports Writer at EssentiallySports. With a Mass Media degree in one hand and a gaming controller in another, he is set to document every milestone in the gaming industry. As an Esports journalist, he has covered over 500 articles about what is fresh in the scene.
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Edited by:

Rohan Karnad