The best thing about Assassin's Creed Mirage is the return of smoke bombs, and now they're even better

We've all heard that Assassin's Creed Mirage is a return to form for the beloved stealth series, but it isn't just an old game reskinned. Ubisoft Bordeaux has done a brilliant job of merging the best of the publisher's RPG trilogy with key gameplay aspects that made the series so iconic in the first place. Ezio's eagle Enkidu soars high to scope out the scene ahead, parkour is once again king, and it's never been more satisfying to execute a kill and vanish like a ghost. In short, old-school AC really is back with razor-sharp vengeance.

We see this no more clearly than in the impressive breadth of assassin's tools protagonist Basim has at his disposal. I am positively giddy to have smoke bombs, darts, and throwing knives back in my arsenal, but they've not returned without a few new surprises. Rather than simply marking a comeback for classic stealth tools, it's now possible to upgrade and respec each one as you move through the game. There are so many upgrade combinations to choose from, but I think I've found my go-to tool build already. And it all starts with a smoke bomb.

Smoke and mirrors

Basim's new assassin's focus ability is cool and all, but it will never beat the humble smoke bomb. It's always been one of the coolest bits of gear in a Hidden One's stash, allowing you to quite literally disappear in a puff of smoke and bewilder any nearby enemies. I used them to cover my tracks before grappling up a nearby building in Syndicate, or to break enemy line-of-sight while zipping through bustling Parisian streets in Unity, but the red-tinged smoke of Mirage offers much more than a quick getaway.

After playing through enough of the main campaign, told through bureau investigations in each of the Hidden Ones headquarters, the ability to upgrade Basim's tools opens up to us. Throwing knives are the first to be unlocked, and with upgrades like making each one poison-tipped or increasing their range, these whippy tools are nothing to be sniffed at. But as soon as I was able to expand my arsenal with the requisite skill unlock, I jumped right on the chance to get my hands on smoke bombs again.

The first tier of upgrades gives you the choice between having more bombs in your stash, more range on the bombs, or more long-lasting smoke after throwing them. Since I plan to use these babies a lot, I naturally opt for the first. The second upgrade is a bit of a trickier choice, as Silent Blast, Healing Vapor and Choking Fumes all sound like a good time. I go for the silent approach, however, which will allow me to pelt my smoke bombs without alerting nearby guards.

Finally, and this truly is the piece de resistance, the third-tier upgrade gives me Mindwipe. Just as you might expect, Mindwipe causes all enemies engulfed in the smoke to forget that they saw Basim, allowing me to get the jump on them later. 

These three tool upgrades combined means I can finally cause some absolute carnage on the streets of Baghdad. It's not really in line with the stealth-centric roots that Mirage seeks to harken back to, but I do love standing around and calling attention to myself before throwing a smoke grenade, assassinating seven foes in a row within the cloud, and scarpering immediately. Honestly, this strategy has worked so well for me thus far that I'm reluctant to waste time on blow darts, noisemakers, or traps.

That being said, the new upgrade system leaves plenty of room for trial and error should I wish to experiment further. After all, traps do look rather tasty in how they can give you 40 seconds of knocked-prone enemies, meaning you can also do the rounds and assassinate them one by one. It's certainly something I'll consider trying out, once I've had my fill of being a lethal puff of smoke. If that ever happens, of course.

It's these little things, like bringing back new and improved assassin's tools, that seals the deal for Mirage to rank high among the best Assassin's Creed games. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you were a little late to the party and feel quite at home in the sprawling likes of Valhalla, Odyssey, and Origins, but Mirage more than follows through on Ubisoft's promises to reinvent and revive the series' roots with style. 

Check out what's next from the AC publisher among the list of upcoming Ubisoft games, from Skull and Bones to Star Wars Outlaws.