Is Assassin’s Creed Mirage a Prequel to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla? Explained

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is an exciting, back-to-basics entry in the classic franchise, but there may be more to it than meets the eye in this stealth-based game. If you’ve played through the most recent action RPG in the franchise, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, then Basim may be rather familiar to you since he is such a big player in the overarching narrative of Valhalla. Are they the same person, and if so, does Mirage connect to the events of Valhalla in any meaningful way?

Is Assassin’s Creed Mirage a Sequel to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla?

As you may have already come to suspect, the events of Mirage directly impact the person that Basim is in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, making this a direct prequel to the events of the previous title in the franchise. Fans seem to love Basim, especially with the overarching role he takes on in Valhalla, and this smaller title takes us to sand-soaked streets in the 9th Century so we can learn about how Basim became who he is today and in the past and the future.

At the end of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Basim is ordered to take out the final member of The Order, a group of five elites that are working on taking control of Baghdad. As he approaches the final member, Qabiha, she warns him that “he knows not what he is, “setting off a chain reaction of events that lead to the final confrontation and the eventual truth.

As Basim ventures deeper into the caves of Alamut, he stumbles upon a giant door. Nehal, his partner throughout this adventure, slices his hand, as his blood is the only viable way to open the door, revealing the truth behind it: an Isu Temple filled to the brim with futuristic technology from a “primitive age”. As Nehal stumbles behind, hesitant for Basim to open the final door and reveal the truth, we must swiftly navigate through the ending chamber to reveal an Isu Pod with an unexpected guest inside.

Once the Pod has been opened, it is revealed that Nehal is inside, and her presence throughout the adventure is a figment of his imagination. They are two separate people, yet they are still the same. Basim is the one who killed the Caliph at the beginning of the game and set off the events before him, even if he “remembered” that it was Nehal that did so.

After a lengthy explanation, Nehal and Basim join hands in the ethereal sands, becoming one, but also someone different: the reincarnation of Loki, whom Basim is the physical manifestation of in AC Valhalla. Yes, it’s THAT kind of a twist. Rule number one; we don’t talk about Baghdad Club.

Confusing? Yes, but it is also rather interesting. They could have taken this story in a variety of different ways, but I’m personally intrigued to see the direction they went with this in the long run. Whether you’ve played through every Assassin’s Creed game to date, or Mirage is the first time you’ve been back in the shoes of the titular characters in many years, it’s a great adventure to partake in.

Be sure you’ve got your eyes peeled on our Assassin’s Creed Mirage section below to get your hands on plenty of helpful tips and tricks, especially because it’s been so long since we’ve been in the shoes of a stealthy protagonist. Be sure to learn where you can steal the ledger in a confusing twist of events, and get ready for a wild ride before you in Mirage.