Assassin's Creed Mirage, the latest AAA title in the series, has officially made its way to Apple devices. The game is now available on iPad Air, and iPad Pro devices with an M1 chip or later. Moreover, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users can also play Assassin’s Creed Mirage on their devices.

The game, centred around protagonist Basim and his adventures in ninth-century Baghdad, offers the beginning stages for free, but players would then be asked to buy the full version of the game through an in-app purchase. Ubisoft’s AAA title game will cost $49.99 on compatible iOS devices, but there’s a special launch offer with a discount of 50% running at the moment, bringing the price down to $24.99 until June 20, 2024. 

Assassin's Creed Mirage promised to bring the franchise back to its roots with more focus on stealth. In our review of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, we rated it a 7.5/10 and felt that there “could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.�/p>

Ubisoft has also revealed its plans to launch Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for Apple Macbook devices in the winter of 2024. Pre-orders for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown on Mac is now live, with a price tag of $49.99 on it.

Apart from Mirage’s launch and plans for The Lost Crown, Ubisoft has also launched Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse on Apple Arcade. For those unfamiliar, Apple Arcade ?is a paid subscription service that offers you access to a library of games without featuring any in-app purchases or ads.

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ASUS' ROG Ally was the first big brand Windows portable console following on the heels of Valve's Steam Deck launch. All of a sudden, handheld gaming saw a massive resurgence with devices t?hat look like portable consoles but wield t??he full power of PC gaming.

So, what games make the most of what the ROG Ally has to offer? To start, the Ally is more powerful than the Steam Deck, but that isn't the gadget?'s real strength. Running Windows means the ROG Ally has access to a whole host of services that the Steam Deck doesn't. So, here's our list of games capitalizing on both the Ally's beefy hardware and software.

Starfield

Starfield is among the most demanding games of 2023; it does??n't even ru??n at 60 FPS on Microsoft's most powerful Xbox Series X. That came as quite a surprise since 60 FPS had becom?e an unspoken standard on th?e Series X up to now.

You'd be forgiven then for thinking that Starfield is out of reach of handheld devices, but that's not the case. The ROG Ally runs the spacefaring RPG just fine at 30 FPS with the graphics turned down, equival??ent to what the latest Xbox console?s are limited to.

It doesn't look as good as on the Xbox, but on the Ally's much smaller screen, that's less noticeable than you'd think. Another big reason why Starfield tops our list is that the game is ?available with Xbox Game Pas??s, which the ROG Ally can access through Windows.

Assassin's Creed Mirage

Assassin's Creed Mirage is, for some fans, a long-awaited return to the roots of the Assassin's Creed franchise. It's a traditional Assassin's Creed game based on stealth?, parkour, and taking down temp??lars.

It's disappointing then that the game isn't available on Steam. It's currently exclusive to Ubisoft's store, Ubisoft Connect. However, that's not the en??d of the world for ROG Ally owners. Not only can you install Ubisoft Connect on the Ally, but it runs magnificently to boot. I've played at a steady 60 FPS while plugged in on low settings, using 1080p with FSR �mighty impressive for a AAA game on a handheld device.

Mirage is?? also available as part of Ubisoft's PC subscription service, Ubisoft+, giving gamers access to eve??ry new Ubisoft game on day one, as well as a library of 100+ games. If you have the subscription on your desktop PC, you can also use it on your Ally.

Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5

Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5 share a spot on this list because the one you choose depends on your dri?ving style. Are you a wannabe Lewis Hamilton who needs to hit every apex perfectly, or do you enjoy cruising around in your favorite car? Whichever one you prefer, you can't really go wrong.

I tested Forza Motorsport on the ROG Ally and got up to 60 FPS, depending on the track and conditions on medium settings, at 900p with FSR balanced. In dozens of hours of playtime, the game performed as smoothly as you'd hope a racing game would. Forza Horizon 5 is the same story, sporting smooth gameplay as you t??raverse around Mexico.

Both games are available on Xbox Game Pass, so you can try them both out to decide which you prefer if you're subscribed. The only downside to the two Forza games is the hefty download sizes that are bigger than you may think. Motorsport comes in at around 124GB, and Horizon 5 at a whopping 140 GB.

EA Sports FC 24

If you're a futbol fan, EA Sports FC 24 is probably already on your radar. As the first "FIFA" game not to bear the name, FC 24 is still the same game that ??dominates sales and pl??aytime around the world.

It's also a must-have play for the cross-section of soccer fans and Ally owners. In fact, the only way to play FC 24 on a portable PC is ?to do so on a Windows one. The g??ame won't run on the Steam Deck due to EA's anti-cheat software being Windows only.

That's not a problem on the Ally, and once you're up and running, it's easy to forget you're not playing on a PS5 or desktop. FC 24 holds a steady 60 FPS on the Ally and ??feels just as good to play as on beefier hardware.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

If you're downloading the EA app, you might as well check out the best EA game of 2023, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It's another game that really pushes hardware on PC, so i??t's ??not the most obvious ROG Ally-friendly.

While you'll have the best time if you're plugged in and using the Ally's 30w Turbo mode, it's perfectly fine ??unplugged and on the go. In my testing, I was able to ?get between 30-40 FPS at 720p, on low settings, and with FSR set to Quality.

You can lock Jedi Survivor to 30 FPS for a consistent framerate, but it is able to hover around ??37-40 FPS most of the time. If you do want to play in a truly portable (i.e, unplugged) manner, then lock the game at ??30 FPS on both 25w and 15w modes for a decent enough experience.

Once you're set up and running, you'll find that playing Jedi: Survivor on the Ally is an absolute blast. The game is available through EA's subscription service, EA Play Pro, and like with Assassin's Creed Mirage, that's plenty of time to finish.

Call of Duty

Call of Duty is a game that isn't easily available on the Steam Deck due to the Battle.net service being incompatible due to the anti-cheat software it has. You can't play any of the newer titles on anything? but Windows on PC.

We should note right off the bat that, at the time of writing, there have been reports of ROG Ally players getting erroneously banned for playing the latest game, Modern Warfare 3. The problem is supposedly being looked into by Asus, but it's not the case for the other recent titles. Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War, Modern Warfare 2, and Warzone can all be played on the Ally? without falling afo?ul of the anti-cheat system.

In fact, those games don't just play well on the Ally. They play exceptionally well. I tested Black Ops Cold War on the handheld and was able to get an incredible 75-90 FPS at 1080p, low settings on the 15w performance mode. That's a truly impressive feat for such a big game on a handheld devi??ce.

If you have an ROG Ally and want to get your Call of Duty fix on the go, you're in for a treat. You may have to cough up for a bigger SSD, though. Black Ops Cold War is a whopping 175GB on?? PC, but if you're happy to only install multiplayer, that's a more reasonable 50GB.

Update by Elliott Gatica: Since you've had plenty of time to chew?? through your picks from our original list of seven, how about three more games to play on the ROG Ally? This rounds our best-of list to a nice, even 10, adding to the Steam Deck's growing competition with more RPGs and multiplayer challenges below.

Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 needs no introduction as to why it should be played on more capable devices. Larian's entry to the series easily steals over 100 hours of your time, and if you don't want to be at your desk all day, why not bring that world with you on the go? A little poc??ket Astarion, portable sass.

Sure, you'll sacrifice some visual fidelity to land a m??ore stable framerate during and out of combat or run it at a stable 30 FPS at 1080p. It's not a game where your best experiences relies heavily on a higher framerate. It's up to you ??whether you want to choose performance over graphics and vice versa.

Palworld

Palworld is?? another Xbox Game Pass game worth at least a look. With its rise in popula?rity, seemingly out of nowhere, it took PC gamers by surprise as its concurrent users on Steam skyrocketed for weeks.

Personally, since this is an action game, the higher the framerate, the better. Even if you have to sacrifice texture and asset quality a bit to get a stable 45 FPS and up, it'll be worth it. It seems that getting the game around 900p is the sweet spot to get just that. It's certainly got some performance woes, so you'll have to play around with it, but thankfully developer Pocketpair has slowly fixed some of those since?? laun??ch.

Helldivers 2

Democracy jokes aside, Helldivers 2 is another game that took the world by storm this year and it's a must-play if you like shooter games in general. Even then, it's worth giving it a go just for some of the wild community stories coming out of the online play.

There's a lot that goes on in this game that can easily tank your performance. Despite saying that action games should be at a higher framerate, you should probably sacrifice some performance for better graphical quality. You can get Helldivers 2 running at 45 FPS at best. Setting your R??ender Scale at Balanced and putting most other settings like textures and lighting at medium o??r low will make this a blast in handheld mode.

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Assassin's Creed: Mirage features many beloved elements from earlier franchise? titles while presenting many modern conveniences. Disappointingly, New Game+ wasn't present at launch, though Ubisoft will fix that soon.

The New Game+ mode update will hit AC: Mirage in December. It's free for all players, and it'll also include a permadeath mode to test the best as??sassins. We don't know what else the update will bring, but Ubisoft promises that more details will follow soon.

Mirage follows Basim as he goes from a petty thief and pickpocketer to a deadly assassin. It is set in Baghdad, and the region is filled to the brim with gorgeous sights and well-hidden collectibles. For players who wan??t to experience the ancient city again but don't want to lose all their upgrades, the update will be a godsend.

The trend of games not launching with a New Game+ mode is an increasingly annoying and increasingly common problem. Fortunately, it wasn't enough to completely ruin Mirage, and upon launching, it received relatively good reviews from critics who apprecia?ted the more streamlined approach it takes.

Things are quite busy in the Assassin's Creed world, as AC: Nexus VR launches on November 16 on the Meta Quest 2 and 3. A new mainline titled codenamed Red is also in the works. It's set in Japan, which satisfies a d??esire many fans have had for the franchise for years.

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Assassin's Creed Mirage is now the biggest new-gen launch for Ubisoft, according to the official Assassin's Creed X account on Wednesday. The French publisher shared its Assassin's Creed Mirage sales news, noting figures include ?PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. ??Ubisoft also provided some fun stats about our playtime.

Initial Assassin's Creed Mirage sales numbers seem impressive

"We are proud to [..] share that Assassin's Creed Mirage is the biggest New Gen launch in terms of units sales to date at Ubisoft (PS5, Xbox Series X-S)," said Ubisoft in a social media post thanking its au??dience. "A big congratulations to the Bordeaux Studio and all its partners in the project for this accomplishment."

Ubisoft did not give specific numbers as to how Assassin's Creed Mirage has sold. However, we now know it has initially sold better in its first week than the likes of Watch Dogs: Legion, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Immortals: Fenyx Rising.

Some of the stats celebrated the occasion are kind of fun, too. So far, players have spent 479 collective years parkouring the ??rooftops of Baghdad. Assassins also took 60 million Leaps of Faith. Then there's the most important, we've pet 1.2 million street cats.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a stroll away from the massive open-world formula of recent titles like Valhalla and Odyssey. It's in a smaller space in Baghdad with a focus on the core stealth gameplay??. Perhaps this ap??proach appeals to lapsed fans of the series. It is also at a cheaper price point of $49.99.

"For the most part, Mirage achieves its goal of returning to its assassin ways," says our review. "But in some ways, it also shows me why Ubisof??t made the decision to take the franchise in a new direction in the first place."

The post Assassin’s Creed Mirage is the “biggest new gen launch” for Ubisoft yet appeared first on Destructoid.

The Assassin's Creed franchise has been on quite a roller coaster since the original was released over 15 years ago. At first, each successive title seemed to enhance the core mechanics of the stealthy gameplay you'd expect from a game with the word "assassin" in the title. But then Assassin's Creed Origins changed up the formula a bit. Assassin's Creed became an open-world game, with more similarities to Far Cry than the original Assassin's Creed games. The next two entries in the franchise, Odyssey and Valhalla, built upon that formula. With Valhalla, it felt like the combat had finally reached its peak, but something was lost along the way. It no longer felt like Assassin's Creed. In fact, Valhalla often discouraged you? ?from taking the stealth route.

Mirage seeks to return the series to its roots, so to speak. Instead of a sprawling open world, Mirage takes place in a single location: Baghdad in the year 861. It sheds the massive free-roam style in favor of a handcrafted linear experience, with a focus on the story and getting to learn the ins-and-outs of the bustling city of Baghdad. And while still keeping the polished and optimized combat from recent entries, stealth becomes the focal point once again. For the most part, Mirage achieves its goal of returning to its assassin ways. But in some ways, it ??also shows me why Ubisoft ma?de the decision to take the franchise in a new direction in the first place.

Assassin's Creed Mirage (PC, PS5 [Reviewed], PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One)
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Released: October 5, 2023
MSRP: $49.99

The Hidden Ones

In Mirage, players take on the role of Basim, a character those who have played Valhalla will recognize. Mirage is essentially a prequel to Valhalla, taking place a decade before the Viking invasion of England. In Valhalla, Basim is already a Hidden One—t??he name of the Assassins before the later formation of the creed.

But Mirage focuses on the story of a younger Basim, as he grows up as a thief in 9th century Baghdad, learning about the Hidden Ones and eventually joining their ranks. Even though those who have played Valhalla might appreciate this prequel story a bit more, the narrative is its own confined experience. You do not have to have played Valhalla to understand what's going on in Mirage.

The events of Mirage take place over eight different chapters, in a mostly linear fashion. Around the halfway point you get ?to choose which order to tackle three of the chapters in, but all of them must be completed regardless. Afterwards, it continues to be completely linear.

The story is definitely a strong point for Mirage. It's probably an unpopular opinion, but I was a fan of the modern-day story in the earlier Assassin's Creed titles, back when Desmo??nd Miles wa??s the main character.

While Mirage doesn't have a strong focus on the modern-day story, it does touch on it at times. But the main focus is certainly what's going on in Baghdad in the year 861. It's got some twists along the way, and overall is one of the stronger stories Mirage has told yet. My favorite in the franchise story-wise beforehand was probably Assassin's Creed 3, and I feel like Mirage is right up there with it.

Basim Holmes

The primary gameplay loop of Mirage is Investigations. Essentially, each chapter of Mirage has an ??ultimate goal. For example, in the first chapter, you are trying to track down Ali ibn Mohammad, a leader of the rebellion against the Caliphate in Baghdad. He's been taken captive by the Caliphate, and you are tasked with rescuing him. It’s a more fluid system compared to previous entries that would either beeline you to each objective.

You will start with a breadcrumb and a single clue to track someone down who may have more information about your in?vestigation. Along the way, each person will give you more clues as well as other leads to follow up on. Once you have gathered every clue for a specific Investigation, you can move forward with the original objective. Overall, I feel like the Investigation s??ystem is a nice touch to the formula of tracking down your target and building up your knowledge base about them. It’s a very rewarding feeling to unlock each clue and build your Investigation.

Plenty to do around Baghdad

Of course, in between investigations, there's plenty more to do. The series staple of climbing the highest points of the city to synchronize with it, thus revealing the surrounding area and creating a fast travel point, makes a return in Mirage. There are also assignments you can pick up at the Hidden Ones Bureau that give you side missions, with rewards including resources and Favor Tokens. While it’s nice to shake things up between Investiga??tions, there’s not much of a point in doing so. The only time I took on assignments was when I needed extra Fa?vor Tokens.

Resources can be used to upgrade your gear and unlock new tools. Favor Tokens can be used to enlist the aid of various groups around Baghdad. For example, you gain Notoriety when being seen carrying out nefarious acts like pickpocketing, killing someone, or trespassing. Your Notoriety has a meter, sort of like a Wanted Level in Grand Theft Auto. You can visit a specific NPC to exchange a Favor Token for c??ompletely erasing your Notoriety. Once again, the system just feels irrelevant, unless you are a completionist and want to ??fully upgrade and collect everything. It’s nice that it’s here, but doesn’t feel overall worthwhile to do.

In terms of visuals, it's sort of a mixed Bag(dhad). I originally tried Quality Mode but struggled to stay above 30 FPS. Honestly, it wasn't necessarily unplayable, but it was pretty close. I feel like there are some optimizations that could be made there. In Performance Mode, I consistently stayed above 60 fps. But the downside to supporting a previous generation was definitely visible. Fro??m far away, everything looks beautiful. But up close, textures are pixelated and low resolution. It's a shame because the bustling city of Baghdad is a beautiful sight at a glance, but when you take?? a closer look, not so much.

RPG-Lite

Even though Mirage strives to be more like the originals, there are some RPG elements that have become prevalent in more recent entries.? As you complete main story missions you will unlock skill points which you can use to unlock skills on your skill tree.

Unfortunately, most of the skills feel rather inconsequential. Nothing is really game-changing in any way, instead just offers minimal enhancements. To give you an idea, the ability to evade an attack via dodge and then follow up with a counter has become a staple early-game skill in the recent AC titles. However, in Mirage, this is a final skill in the tree.

The same can be said for a lot of the other RPG-like elements, such as gear. You can find different weapons and armo??r throughout Badhgdad, pri??marily in Gear Chests. You can even take them to blacksmith NPC's and enhance them, making them better. But the enhancements are minimal as well, granting just a little more damage.

It's evident that Ubisoft wanted to keep some RPG mechanics in Mirage, but no longer make them a focus like they were in Valhalla and Odyssey.

Hardcore parkour

Mirage is the best assassin simulator yet. Scaling the beautifully architectures buildings in Baghdad is peak Assassin's Creed. Pickpocketing and assassinations are well-executed and don't feel like a hassle. Even the combat is probably at its highest quality. Mirage definitely wants you to avoid combat if possible. Stealth assassinations still take enemies out in a single attack, while combat is a more lengthy—and challenging—experience. But when you do break out the sword, it's the well-refined combat system similar to Valhalla, w??hich was probably one of its strongest elements.

But once again, the formula has its issues too. Most of the end-of-the-investigation missions are the same. Find a way to sneak into a heavily guarded building, then navigate its multiple levels to track down a target. This isn't necessarily a bad mechanic—it's been in a lot of the previous AC titles—but for some reason in Mirage, Ubisoft decided to put a lot of?? doors in its buildings.

The problem is that some doors are essentially walls and cannot be interacted with at all; some are barred shut from the inside, and some can be opened from both sides. I spent a lot of time running around similar-looking corridors of doors trying to find which one I was supposed to interact with to proceed. They all look the same, and most are essentially just walls. This is the biggest problem with Mirage. In between the good parts, things can get really boring ??and just not fun.

A glitch in the Animus

Unfortunately, I did encounter some pretty annoying bugs and overall tedium throughout Mirage. If you played previous entries, surely you know the staple "feature" of always grabbing onto the wrong thing when trying to scale buildings or evade guards that are hunting you down. Sadly, this is still a thing in Mirage.

I also encountered a pretty annoying bug deep into an assassination mission where, when I tried to execute a running assassination on an enemy, the animation caused me to ??drop straight down off a ledge, through the roof of a building, and into a locked building with no way to escape. I clearly wasn't meant to be in there and had to reload a previous save. erasing about 25 minutes of progress.

There are also some pretty glaring oversights in terms of game design, that really bog down the experience. The ability to use Eagle Vision to highlight enemies' returns in Mirage, which in itself is a good thing. However, the enemies glow red for an extended period of time. If you get into combat with an enemy that's marked red, you can't see when it's attacks that can't be parried. Typically th??ey flash red when doing so, but now you can't see, due to them already glowing red. I'd be lying if I said this didn't result in a handful of deaths. Eventually, I learned to just wait for the mark to fall off before engaging, which probabl??y isn't intended.

You think you do

I have to admit that Assassin's Creed Mirage is a challenging title to review and score. It's almost as if it nee??ds two separate scores: one for its ability to be an assassin game, and one for how enjoyable it is. But unfortunately, that's not how things work.

When Assassin's Creed Mirage is at its best, it's an entertaining experience. But in between those moments, the repetitiveness really starts to weigh it down. The middle part of the game is a bit hard to get through just because of how boring it gets. For those looking for a pure return of form to the original Assassin's Creed, you're going to love Mirage. After all, the stealth, parkour, and accompanying systems are the best they've been. And Baghdad is one of the best ci?ties we've explored in the series yet. But for me, I can't help but wonder if the true mirage was thinking this return to the old formula was the right direction? to take.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Assassin’s Creed Mirage appeared first on Destructoid.

Assassin's Creed fans have Assassin's Creed: Mirage to look forward to. The upcoming game will focus on Valhalla's Basim, and it is set in ancient Baghdad. We've already learned a lot about the game, including that it will have a smaller scope than your average modern AC game,?? and it'll return to the franchise's roots by embracing stealth gameplay.

Although the game will be shorter than Valhalla, developers are still pushing current gaming platforms, including PC. The recently?? revealed PC requirements show that you'll need a beefy PC to max the game out, though you can get away with a weaker P??C if you're willing to turn down some of the settings.

This is what you'll need to play Assassin's Creed: Mirage on PC

The minimum system requirements target 1080p at 30FPS, and you'll require 8GB RAM. You'll also need an NVIDIA GeForce 1060 (6GB) GPU, an Intel Arc A380 (6 GB), or an AMD Radeon RX 570 1600 GPU. The recommended specs target 1080p at 60FPS. To hit this, you'll need 16GB RAM. As for video cards, Ubisof??t recommends an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (6 GB), an AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (6 GB), or an Intel Arc? A750 (8 GB).

If you want to max out the game, you require 16GB RAM. You'll also need an AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT (16 GB), an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10 GB), or better. Manage this, and you'll enjoy the game at 60FPS at 4K.

The game isn't too big, as you're?? advised to have 40GB free. An SSD is required f??or all configurations, which is a move that is becoming increasingly common among modern games. You'll also enjoy multi-monitor and widescreen support.

Assassin's Creed: Mirage will be available on October 5 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. An iOS port is also in the works.

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The year is moving so quickly, and somehow the October 2023 games are drawing near. We'll finally be able to continue Spidey's story in the Insomniac Marvel universe and play a traditional-style Assassin's Creed game. Both Sonic? and Mario return to the 2D plat?forming genre as well. Here's what to expect from the October 2023 games lineup.

Alan Wake 2

Publisher: Epic Games
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Price: $49.99 (PC) $59.99 (PS5/Xbox Series X|S)
Release Date: October 27
Trailer

The Alan Wake series is going survival horror in the sequel more than a decade in the making. The titular writer has been imprisoned in the Dark Place after saving his wife, and he's been stuck there for 13 years. Enter an FBI agent named Saga Anderson investigating the murders of the Bright Falls townsfolk: You'll be playing both characters as you try to solve the mystery of these missing people. Check out these games if you can't wait to play Alan Wake 2.

Assassin's Creed Mirage

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Bordeaux
Price: $49.99
Release Date: October 5
Trailer

At a cheaper price point, Assassin's Creed Mirage is going back to its series origins. There isn't a huge open world to explore, and there's more of a focus on the core components of the franchise. It's also a shorter game at approximately 20 hours rather than the hundreds you've arduously spent in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. It? could be a ref??reshing change as we explore 9th-century Baghdad.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Publisher: PlayStation
Developer: Insomniac Games
Price: $69.99
Release Date: October 20
Trailer

PlayStation's biggest release of the year Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is swinging on by your PS5 this month. You'll be playing both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as the former struggles to deal with his demons. You can instantly switch between the two heroes as you swing around the open world. Two new boroughs (Brooklyn and Queens) have been added to the game. Some major villains from the comics like Kraven The Hunter and Venom will also test your abilities.

Sonic Superstars

Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Price: $59.99
Release Date: October 16
Trailer

Sure, it's a disappointment that Sonic Superstars isn't pixel-base??d. However, there's still so much potential within this 2D platformer. Three of your friends can join your adventure, and the visuals look vibrant on-screen. There are new powers you can utilize in the game, and you can swim up waterfalls using the power of the chaos emeralds.

Additionally, there's a competitive local and online mode that has you racing against up to seven players. Sonic Superstars seems to be the next ?big step for the 2D sub-series?.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Price: $69.99
Release Date: October 20
Trailer

Just four days after Sonic's latest 2D adventure, Super Mario Bros. Wonder jumps out of the warp pipe and into your Nintendo Switch. Also featuring four-player co-op, this game includes a new generation of gorgeous visuals an??????????????????????????d imaginative level design. You'll also be able to play as Daisy for the first time in a platformer like this.

As someone who disliked the dull New Super Mario Bros. series, ??I'm looking forward to getting e?xcited about a 2D Mario again.

Honorable Mentions

• Cassette Beasts: Pier of the Unknown (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC) - October 4
• Front Mission 2 Remake (Switch) â€?October 5
• Detective Pikachu Returns (Switch) - October 6
• Sword Art Online Last Recollection (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 6
• Forza Motorsport (Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 10
• Batman: Arkham Trilogy (Switch) - October 13
• Lords of the Fallen (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 13
• The Caligula Effect 2 (PS5) - October 17
• Wizard with a Gun (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 17
• Endless Dunegon (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 19
• Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 - Turbocharged (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC)
• Gargoyles Remastered (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) - October 19
• Cities Skylines 2 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 24
• Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - October 24
• Ghostrunner 2 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - October 26
• UFC 5 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S) - October 27

The post Most anticipated games – October 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

It looks like Apple is leaning more into the gaming market than ever with the iPhone 15 Pro. At today’s Apple Event, it was announced that some big titles will be running natively on the new device, including Resident Evil 4 Remake, Resident Evil Village, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Death Stranding.

This is a massive deal because this will be the first time a mainline Assassin’s Creed title will run on iPhone without the ??help of cloud streaming. This could be a significant improvement over the latest generation of iPhones, especially for those looking to play the biggest titles on-the-go, but don’t want to invest in a fully (or partial) portable console li?ke the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck.

It’s not ??the first time a console quality game has been?? natively run on mobile phones, however. An example of this would be Fortnite, which has been running the same experience as on consoles on mobile since its launch in 2018.

So, the viability of this announcement will largely depend on how the iPhone 15 Pro’s battery life holds up while playing as an assassin or skulking the village in search of your missing daughter in Resident Evil Village.

It’s worth noting that while Assassin’s Creed Mirage is set to release for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on October 5, the game will not launch for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max until the first half of 2024. As for Resident Evil 4 Remake, Resident Evil Village, and Death Stranding, those are due to arrive later this year. It would seem that, if Apple has anything to say about it, 2024 could be a red letter year. 

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After a long period of rumors followed by an official announcement, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is finally nearing launch. Ubisoft's next installment takes place in 9th-century Baghdad, with Basim Ibn Ishaq taking center stage. Mirage is said to return to the Assassin’s Creed series roots, embracing stealth and parkour.

As the case with past Assassin’s Creed games, Mirage features historical locations and figures that complement more fantastical aspects of its story. In the latest developer behind-the-scenes, the Mirage team discussed the meticulous details and research that went into making Mirage. It's all in an effo?rt to deliver a more a??uthentic recreation of Baghdad—one that doesn’t fall victim to common tropes and cliches.

[caption id="attachment_397660" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via Ubisoft YouTube.[/caption]

Assassin’s Creed Mirage focuses on the beauty of Baghdad

With its rich history, Baghdad is an easy city to draw inspiration from. It was once the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, and it had the honor of being one of the world’s biggest cities during the Islamic Golden Age. Even so, despite its rich history, Mirage developers were aware modern depictions of Baghdad often ne??glect this rich cultural heritage.

According to artistic director Jean-Luc Sala, research for Mirage was a little harder than usual because, unlike other settings, “almost nothing from the period has survived to the present day.�Hence, they consulted various experts and relied on descriptions from Medieval travelers, as well as arc??haeological findings from ne?ighboring cities. Using this information, the team carved out their rendition of Baghdad into four distinct regions:

• Abbasiyah - Baghdad’s cultural hub where scholars and scientists congregate.
• Karkh - A market district where people barter, bargain, and trade.
• Harbiyah -The industrial district,  described as a "dense, grimy part of the city."
• Madinat As-Salam - Baghdad's vibrant center.

//youtu.be/nruL1RS4gKs

In the video, Sala highlighted how modern depictions of Baghdad in movies and games often portray it as a ruined landscape. While developing Mirage, the team took their approach the opposite direction, attempting to capture the city's beauty and culture instead. As you explore Baghdad, you'll experience the city’s vibrant culture and note some of those small, attention to detail moments. Listen closely and you'll hear the Adhan - the Muslim call to prayer - when approaching the mosque. Through these moments, developers hope to “tackle some of the common cliches about the region and its culture.�/p>

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is slated to release on October 5 on PC, a??s well as current and last-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

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Ubisoft has announced that the upcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage has gone gold. Even more surprisingly, the game's release date has shifted up a week, from October 12 to October 5. ?No explanatio?n was given for the changed release date, though it's unlikely fans are complaining.

//twitter.?com/assassinscreed/status/169111753384??6482944

Assassin's Creed Mirage is supposed to be a smaller, more streamlined Assassin's Creed. Promotional material for the upcoming game, which is centred on Valhalla's Basim, reveals that it returns to the franchise's roots by placing gre??ater focu?s on parkour and stealth gameplay.

[caption id="attachment_396580" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Ubisoft.[/caption]

Assassin's Creed Mirage coming sooner than expected

The "gone gold" announcement simply means t??hat a release version of the game is complete and ready for du??plication and shipping. Rather than sit on the game, Ubisoft has decided to release the game earlier. While this does suggest some confidence in the game, it doesn't necessarily mean it won't be getting any post-launch patches.

One of the benefits of the new release date is that Mirage gets to launch relatively early in a month which is absolutely stacked with headlining releases. Ubisoft has avoided releasing Mirage on the same week as Forza Motorsport and Lords of the Fallen, though it now shares a release week with Detective Pikachu Returns. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Alan Wake 2 are b?oth highly anticipated sequels also sch?eduled to release in October.

In many ways, it feels like Assassin's Creed Mirage is a response to some of the complaints lodged against Valhalla. If it can avoid the open-world bloat that plagued Valhalla while providing a compelling narrative for Basim, Mirage could be the breath of fresh air the f??ranchise needs.

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Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Basim is the star of Assassin's Creed Mirage, the upcoming game that will serve as the latest entry in the franchise. In many ways, Mirage represents a return to an older for the series, as it will borrow many elements from older entries. It will also have a length and scope similar to the classic titles, which may be a relief for players who were overwhelmed by Valhalla's epic size.

[caption id="attachment_394615" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Ubisoft.[/caption]

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is much shorter than Valhalla

In 2022, there were rumors and reports that Ubisoft was planning a shorter Assassin’s Creed title centered on Basim. As the release date for the since-revealed game draws nearer, we are discovering just how short it will be. Ubisoft lead producer Fabian Salomon recently sat down for an interview with YouTuber Julien Chièze and discussed a bit about what players can expect from the upcoming game. The conversation is in French, though the important parts have been translated by PCGamesN.

According to Salomon, Assassin's Creed Mirage can be completed in around 20-23 hours, and completionists can expect to spend 25-30 hours. Basim’s adventure will be a lot closer to the classic Assassin’s Creed titles which also had much more manageable lengths. The first two entries and Brotherhood all have playtimes of under 20 hours according to HowLongToBeat. That's far shorter than 2020's Valhalla, which has a playtime of around 60 hours, or over 100 if you're trying to see everything.

This isn’t the only way the upcoming game will resemble classic titles. As vice president and executive producer of Assassin's Creed Marc-Alexis Côté explained to IGN, developers looked to the first game in the franchise for inspiration, and Mirage is very much a love letter to the game that started it all. Hence, like the first game, Mirage will have a greater focus on “stealth, on close-quarter combat, on parkour, and a denser city� For players who really want to crank up the nostalgia, an optional visual filter featuring the desaturated blue-grey color palette that characterizes the first Assassin's Creed game will also be available.

It appears that you can expect a far more streamlined experience with Mirage. As developers have previously revealed, the upcoming game will have less of a focus on RPG elements, and it will have a story-focus linear structure. A short and sweet playtime may be welcomed by some, as a recurring criticism of Valhalla is that it is bloated wit??h busywork to pad the playtime. Man?y wallets may also be grateful, as the standard edition will launch with a price tag of $50 to reflect the game's smaller scope.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is scheduled to release on October 12 on PC,?? PlayStation, and Xbox. Players who pre-order will receive an exclusive mission titled "The Fo??rty Thieves."

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Like half a sitcom of Assassin's Creed Mirage

As the penultimate act of the Ubisoft Forward stream, we saw a lot of footage of Assassin's Creed Mirage. The first revealed trailer, as has been the rhy?thm of this show, focuses on the story. Unsurprisingly, this splices together some cinematic scenes to give us an overview of the ch?aracters and show off some environments.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hjico7nYvo

Of course, the real meat and potatoes lies in the subsequent gameplay trailer. This provides us almost eight minutes of footage showing what Assassin's Creed Mirage will bring to the table.

That said, we didn't receive any confirmation over whether this was an an open world or a semi-open world. I think they should have included th??at vi??tal detail.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxpYHW-M_Ac

As we reported previously, Assassin's Creed Mirage will launch on October 12 for Xbox Seri?es X|S, Xbox One, ??PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. Pre-orders are available now.

The post New Assassin’s Creed Mirage trailers confirms it is Assassin’s Creed appeared first on Destructoid.

Sequel? Online Shooter? Probably one or both

Ubisoft has released a new trailer teasing its upcoming summer presentation, Ubisoft Forward �The live stream event, which will take place o?n June 12, will feature updates on an array of the publisher's titles, as well as the reveal of an all-new my?stery game.

The trailer, which you can check out below, features clips from some of the studio's incoming wares, including Assassin's Creed Mirage, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and The Crew: Motorfest. A group of models, impossibly too trendy to be watching a publisher live stream then enquire as to a mystery image, delivering a delightfully wooden "Wait. What's that Game?" I dunno, probably another crossover shooter for m?obile platforms. Why not? Also, it helps if your TV is actually turned on.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAsWtB4f5Ls&t

If you want to check out the action for yourself, then Ubisoft Forward kicks off June 12 at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET / 18:00 BST and can be watched live on Ubisoft's YouTube, Twitch, and social? media channels. Of course, Team Destructoid will be sat around for the affair, likely in an apartm??ent far less perfect than the one featured in this video), and will bring you all of the headlines as they occur.

Assassin's Creed Mirage launches on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox October 12. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora launches later this year on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. Finally, The Crew: Motorfest also launches ??later this year on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Preorders available now

During the Sony PlayStation Showcase, Ubisoft threw their hat into the ring to showoff some footage of Assassin's Creed Mirage. As part of this present??ation, we received confirmation that the game will make its d?ebut on October 12.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=G97lx7orMN8

Pre-orders are available now, so if you're ready to make that commitment to the newest Assassin's Creed, you can put your money where your computer mouse is. As per usual with Ubisoft's upcoming releases, you can choose between a Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, and a Collector's Case. Depending on whether you want the game itself or a handful of digital and physical collectibles, you have some options to ch??oose from.

Assassin's Creed Mirage w?ill appear on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC.

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A long-awaited reset

Assassin's Creed is one of those game series that's been around for decades at this point, and in that time, the titles have evolved a lot. From the tightly-focused stories?? of its early days to its sprawling open world adventures in recent years, there's something in there for everybody. Long time fans of the games, though, have requested that the series take a step back and make a return to its older games, and this time, Ubisoft has taken fans' requests?? to heart.

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Assassin's Creed creative director Stéphane Boudon confirmed that while the series' sprawling titles like Odyssey and Valhalla are "great games with the promise to live an epic journey in a strong fantasy," they will be pivoting to place a greater focus on "character-driven story" and "the core pillars of the first ACs in a more intimate scale." This is music to my ears as a fan of shorter single player experiences, so I'll be excited to check out a new Assassin's Creed title that presents a more streamlined experi?ence.

//twitter.com/assassinscreed/status/15686901336663?40864

Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed: Mirage would be the next entry in the series last September, and soon after revealed that the game would follow Basim from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The story will follow his ??comi?ng-of-age in the backdrop of ninth century Baghdad.

As much as I love hearing that Assassin's Creed is going back to its roots, part of me wonders if scaling back was a necessity first. Ubisoft's release lineup has already been hit by another wave of cancellations and delays, so cutting back to a smaller scale for the AC series would help relive some of the pressure on the development team. Whether it was a survival move or a creative on, I think it's a smart move -- players have been asking for more narrative-heavy AC games for years now.

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A strange AO+ rating and description appeared for Mirage

Ubisoft officially revealed Assassin's Creed Mirage, its next installment in the franchise, over the weekend at Ubisoft Forward. But now it's clearing up the details on a still-pending ESRB rating for Mirage.

Users spotted that Assassin's Creed Mirage appeared on the Microsoft Store?? with an Adults Only 18+, or AO, rating. It previously showed an AO rating, for "Intens??e Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Partial Nudity, Real Gambling." As of this writing, it has since moved to an RP, or Rating Pending, designation.

That AO rating also appeared on a VOD of the Ubisoft Forward livestream. In a statement to GamesIndustry.biz, the publisher says the rating is a mistake.

"Following the announcement of Assassin's Creed Mirage during Ubisoft Forward, some store pag?es?? mistakenly displayed the game for preorders with an Adults Only ESRB rating and are being fixed," said the publisher.

Ubisoft ??also addressed th??e real gambling notion in particular, as it might surface worries of gambling, loot boxes, or other odds-based rewards.

"While Assassin's Creed Mirage is still pending rating, Ubisoft wants to reassure players that no real gambling or lootboxes are present in the game," Ubisoft told GIbiz.

A ratings mirage

It's stil?l curious why an AO rating popped up on the stream, but it ?seems to be a miscommunication all around.

The weekend's Forward saw a bunch of Assassin's Creed news roll out. The publisher has laid out its plans ahead for Assassin's Creed Infinity, i??ncluding project titles like Codename Red and Hexe.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=x55lAlFtXmw

Assassin's Creed Mirage, meanwhile, follows the origin of Basim from Valhalla. It's a bit of a re?turn to the series roots, it seems, with the plot headed to ninth century Baghdad. It's due to arrive in 2023.

Ubisoft has also been addressing issues stemming from allegations that arose in 2020. The publisher says it has been improving its culture, though A Better Ubisoft, a group founded by current former employees, say there's more to be done.

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Head back to the ninth century with Basim

The next Assassin's Creed heads way, way back in time. Assassin's Creed Mirage will spotlight t?he assassin Basim, and arrive sometime in 2023.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is set 20 years before the events of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, where we first met Basim. It will explore ninth century CE Baghdad, as the young orphan div??es into the world of the Hidden Ones. And yes, that includes cutting a finger off.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=x55lAlFtXmw

The reveal comes after several reports and rumors about the game. Ubisoft confirmed its existence prior to today's showcase, teasing more to come in the reveal trailer.

Guiding Basim in hi??s training is Roshan, voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo. Here's the story rundown ??from the trailer:

In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, you are Basim, a cunning street thief with night?marish visions, seeking answers and justice. After an act of deadly retribution, Basim flees Baghdad and joins an ancient organization �The Hidden Ones. As he learns their mysterious rituals and powerful tenets, he will hone his unique abilities, discover his true nature, and come to understand a new Creed �one that will change his fate in ways he never could have imagined.

No firm date has been set yet, outside of 2023. But with some excellent voice talent already on-hand and a focus on narrative adventure, this seems pretty interesting for longtime Assassin's Creed fans. Meanwhile, Ubisoft did reveal a collector's edition for Assassin's Creed Mirage.

If you want more to check out, Ubisoft also posted a developer breakdown of its reveal trailer on YouTube.

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Ubisoft is turning up the AC for this Forward

Ubisoft is set to discuss what's on the horizon this weekend, during its Ubisoft Forward stream. And several reports say that a healthy amount of Assassin's Creed will be there.

Bloomberg reports today, confirming other reports, that Ubisoft is set to announce several new Assassin's Creed games this coming Saturday.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Fr3cS3MtY

According to Bloomberg's sources, Ubisoft plans to show off a mobile title and tw??o major games. The first is code-nam?ed Red and set in Japan, being developed by Ubisoft's Quebec City office.

The second is code-named Neo or Hexe, acco??rding to Bloomberg, and is set during the later Holy? Roman Empire, specifically revolving around the witch trials. This is being developed by Ubisoft Montreal.

Both of these are reportedly part of Assassin's Creed Infinity, a platform for the series that will contain multiple settings that has been previously reported on. Neit??her game is expected to release until 2024 at the ??earliest.

The future of Assassin's Creed

Ubisoft has already confirmed it plans to showcase Assassin's Creed Mirage as well. Though it hasn't revealed further official details about that game, it has been the subject of leaks and reports as well.

Suffice it to say, we'll likely be seeing a lot of Assassin's Creed this ??weekend. And w??hile it might not be everyone's cup of tea, I'm actually pretty interested in all of this.

Assassin's Creed taking a platform approach could be interesting. I enjoy the more recent games in the series but never got around to finishing Valhalla due to how huge it was. Focuse??d experi?ences with a bunch of different time periods could be intriguing.

Either way, it won't be long until we know for sure. Ubisoft is airing its Forward stream this Saturday, at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET. You can watch it on Ubisoft's Twitch channel here.

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After several rumors and leaks, the Mirage appears

The next Assassin's Creed game has been officially revealed. Ubisoft confirms that Assassin's Creed Mirage is the next entry in the series.

No more official info was shown, outside of the art reveal. Ubisoft says it plans to share about the game at its Ubisoft Forward event. The stream will air on September 10 at 3 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. PT. You'll be able to follow it on Ubisoft's Twitch channel here.

//twitter.com/as?sassinscreed/status/1565369047461642240

This news follows several leaks and rumors about Mirage. This morning, artwork started to leak out around social media, reportedly leaked from Ubisoft's own store.

Details of Assassin's Creed Mirage had already been leaking out prior, including the name and other details. It seems likely to be the project reported on by Bloomberg earlier this year.

A new creed

If the reports are true, then the game will purportedly follow Basim from Assassin' Creed Valhalla and target sometime next year.

Either way, the Assassin's Creed 1 vibes from this artwork do seem pretty interesting. The last Assassin's Creed was Valhalla itself, which was released in 2020 and received a number of post-launch content updates.

We do seem just about due for another Assassin's Creed. Meanwhile, several other Ubisoft?? projects are on?? the horizon.

Skull and Bones, namely, is finally looking to set sail in November. The pirate ship combat sim has been in development for a while, and it's nice to see it fina?l??????????????????????????ly get out there.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i2eHxj5NMU

The publisher also recently shuttered several projects, including Splinter Cell VR and Ghost Recon Frontline. The Avatar game from the company has also been delayed ou??t of 2022, and is currently targeting fiscal yea??r 2023.

Ubisoft Forward seems like an ideal time for the publisher to ?lay out its new schedule, after so many shifts. We'll see what they have in store next week when the Forward airs.

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