After an abrupt twist and dark turn of events in the tutorial mission ofAssassin’s Creed: Mirage, players may seem confused as to what happens next. Basim’s journey has taken a sharp turn for the worse ever since he infiltrated the Winter Palace and was charged with the Caliph’s murder.
The mission feels like an homage to whatAssassin’s Creedused to feel like before Ubisoft completely changed the mechanics. Basim’s growth and determination also invokes a sense of nostalgia among fans of the franchise.
A New Beginning Quest Guide
After waking up to Roshan in his room, Basim explains his experience with the artifact to her. However, the situation in Anbar is dire and not safe for him. Even his dear friends have been massacred due to his actions. This calls for a new beginning in Basim’s life as a hidden one under training, far away from theoutskirts of Baghdad.
Roshan offers him a place among the ranks of the hidden ones if he can make it to the docks alive. Upon reaching the docks, Basim is cornered by guards who are instructed to find and kill anyone who looks like him. However, Roshan arrives just in time to save Basim, and they leap off of a tower into the water below.
Hence, the quest called “A New Beginning” picks up Basim’s story after 2 months as he swims across a beautiful lake in a completely new area of the map. As players reach the shore, their new objective is presented to them, which is returning to training.
Players can spot a large and beautifully detailed fortress in the distance as they approach the quest-marker. Upon reaching said quest marker, players get to reunite with Roshan, who has taken Basim under her guidance and training.
Her training regimen starts off with the most fundamental aspect when it comes to becoming a Hidden one, the leap of faith. Players should climb the rock wall with climbing supports and scale left to the natural scaffolding.
Upon reaching the perch at the top, one can easily spot the haystack at the bottom. For players who are new to the series, a leap of faith can be executed byholding Xon PlayStation consolesandA on Xbox consoleswhile pushing the assigned move stick forward.
It seems that Basim still has a lot to learn about the ways of the Hidden Ones as per his mentor, who leads him to the campgrounds. Here, players are tasked with finding a man named Fuladh.
To do so, players must explore the designated exploration area to look for NPCs who may have information regarding Fuladh’s whereabouts. Interactable NPCs have a text bubble pop-up above their heads and speaking to them might give out clues to Fuladh’s whereabouts.
Fuladh can be found in his office, which can be located with the help of an updated quest marker after successful interaction with said NPCs. Fuladh tasks Basim with fetching some leather strips for Rebekah. After following two more quest-markers to finish the errand, Rebekah presents a pair of weapons to Basim. Here, players are introduced to their first weapon set in the game, the Initiate of Alamut Sword and the Initiate of Alamut Dagger.
Throwing Knives Tutorial
The game introduces players to the combat and throwing knives mechanics in this segment of the quest. However, the throwing knives tutorial is optional and is marked with an orange exclamation icon. Basim is tasked with using throwing knives at certain targets and players can do it byselecting from the tool wheel. Players can do it by holdingR2on PlayStation andRTon Xbox consoles.
Then,hold L2/LTto aim and adjust their aim to the targets, and finally, pressR2 / RTto make Basim use the throwing knives on the targets. Now, players should head on to the training grounds for a proper introduction to the melee combat system. Throwing knives are one of the most versatile tools available to players as they deal extremely high damage when aimed at the head. They can alsooverpower Half armored enemieswith a clean shot to the knee, making them lose their balance and fall down in a vulnerable state.
They should head towards the waterfall and scale any wooden supports available. Keeping an eye out for lifts can make the climb easier for players. Eventually, Basim will come across an arena where his mentor, Roshan, is waiting for a practice spar with him.
Combat Mechanics Tutorial
As Basim and Roshan start their practice spar, players are finally introduced to the combat mechanics inAC Mirage.The first lesson is locking on to Roshan by pressingR3, which helps players circle around targeted opponents easily. Upon attacking, Basim focuses on the targeted enemy.Some armored enemies require hits to their back for effective damage, which makes this an important skill to master when players are cornered without any tools.
Then, players are instructed to hit Roshan with light attacks. To do so, hitR1/RBwhile locking on to her. This introduces players to the overall pace of the combat as their mentor continues to deflect some of the attacks. Quick attacks deliver swift slashes at the opponent but fall short when it comes to overall damage dealt. These attacks can be chained pretty quickly, and one is advised to end light attack combos with heavy attacks.
Next up are heavy attacks, which are slower but deal more damage. This requires players to time it correctly in order to avoid taking damage. To perform heavy attacks, one needs to hold downR1/RB. Once Roshan is satisfied with Basim’s display of heavy attacks, he is asked to showcase his defensive abilities.
This involves parrying Roshan’s attacks at the right moment to leave her vulnerable to increased damage. Players can perform a parry by pressingL1/LBto deflect incoming attacks and replenish stamina. Upon parrying her consistently, Roshan introduces players to attacks that cannot be parried and are indicated with a red aura around the attacker.
These attacks can be avoided by dodging right after the red aura appears by pressing theSquare / X button. This ensures Basim does not get caught in the attack by dodging late. As the dodging lesson ends, Basim is done with practice, and actual sparring with his mentor is the final step. Roshan can be expected to try quick slashes mixed in with heavy attacks that appear randomly.
However, the easiest way to overpower her is by parrying her light attacks and taking advantage of the increased counterattack damage. It should be noted that her attacks with the said red aura cannot be parried, and players should only attempt to parry her once her attacks turn white. The combat mechanics showcased in the tutorial with Roshan are very basic and must be paired with proper tools while facing strong adversaries. As the spar ends, a cutscene is triggered, which ends when Basim is on camp patrol duty with Nur.
Patrol Duty with Nur
Basim and Nur meet their fellowHidden Oneson their way to the designated watchpoint. They informed them that they had not made it to the Main Canyon at Alamut. Nur concludes that they need to start there, and upon reaching the watch point, a band of mercenaries could be spotted by the duo.
They quickly cross the chasm and drop into the dense vegetation that can help them stay hidden and eliminate the invaders using stealth. Players are tasked with attracting the mercenaries by whistling and taking them down quietly. However, Basim does not have thehidden bladeat this point of the game and has to resort to knocking them down. Soon, the duo takes down two mercenaries simultaneously, which catches the other three enemies by surprise.
Hence, it is time for Basim to engage in real combat for the first time. The mercenaries are not tough at all and can be easily killed with parries and counterattacks. As Basim and Nur get rid of the invaders, the game cues a cutscene that marks the end of “The New Beginning” Quest.
