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00:00 Welcome to Mojo Plays and in this installment of Versus, we're pitting Assassin's Creed
00:21 Mirage against the original Assassin's Creed.
00:45 Although Altair and Basim appear in more games than just AC1 and Mirage, here we're specifically
01:04 comparing them in those games only.
01:06 This means that we're not taking into account Basim's development in Valhalla or Altair's
01:12 in Revelations.
01:13 With that said, it was Altair's job to launch a new franchise for Ubisoft and he certainly
01:20 delivered on that.
01:21 Often video game protagonists don't need to be the most interesting on their own, you
01:26 just need to believe that they'd follow all the same orders and objectives that you'll
01:30 be following for the story, and Altair is certainly that.
01:35 He does grow throughout the game, learning about the pieces of Eden and that his mentor
01:40 Al Mualim has been corrupted by them, but he's still not the most compelling character.
01:56 Basim is certainly more interesting from the get-go than Altair was.
02:01 With his rakish charm and difficult life on the streets of Baghdad, we're already rooting
02:06 for him.
02:07 He joins the Assassins and begins to grow as a character under the mentorship of Roshan.
02:12 He starts off strong but gets even better.
02:15 By the end of the game when his ideals as a Hidden One are pit against his destiny as
02:19 a Sage, he definitely comes into his own.
02:23 Though it is unfortunate that the ending of Mirage won't really make any sense if you
02:28 didn't finish Valhalla.
02:30 Basim also has more interesting relationships and conversations with other characters, whereas
02:35 Altair only talks to each of his allies a few times.
03:02 It's definitely a close call, and arguably both characters are at their weakest in these
03:08 games.
03:09 But we're going to have to give this one to Basim, because Ubisoft has clearly learned
03:14 a lot since it created Altair.
03:16 Winner, Assassin's Creed Mirage.
03:36 Round 2 - Setting
03:49 The entirety of Egypt was great to explore in Origins, but ever since Ubisoft took this
03:55 country-wide approach, many fans have longed for the days when there was just one sprawling
04:01 city.
04:02 Baghdad was a return to form in many ways, with a dense ancient city full of history
04:08 and interesting landmarks to discover.
04:10 The streets are packed so closely together that running across rooftops is actually fun
04:16 again.
04:17 It was a great callback to the early days of the franchise, only now able to make use
04:21 of dynamic weather and lighting to make everything even more immersive.
04:26 Plus, it was recreating a city that had been sacked and destroyed time and time again,
04:32 bringing Baghdad and its prime back to life.
04:47 But equally, there's a lot to be said for the five major maps in the first game.
04:52 Not only is there the Assassin's base, Masyaf Castle, and its surrounding village, but there
04:58 are three huge cities - Damascus, Jerusalem, and Acre - all connected by the kingdom.
05:05 Each location makes use of a different color filter to give it a distinct style and feel,
05:10 not to mention being split into rich, poor, and middle-income districts.
05:15 As a proof of concept, the first game is phenomenal, and some of those cities remain beloved settings
05:22 in the franchise.
05:23 Even with Mirage, people still want a full remake, or at the very least, a remaster of
05:29 the very first game.
05:30 And its superb open world and immersive setting are the main reason why.
05:42 Recreating Baghdad is a triumph, to be sure, but you'll never forget the first time you
05:47 ride through the kingdom and find one of those vast cities in the Holy Land.
05:51 That's why this one goes to AC1.
05:54 Winner, Assassin's Creed 1.
06:06 Round 3, Stealth In truth, if you get the countering down and
06:14 learn how to handle the tougher enemies that have to be staggered or dodged, you can probably
06:19 finish both games with minimal stealth.
06:22 But obviously, that's not the way they're intended to be played.
06:26 So which really has the better sneaking?
06:29 Altair is weak in combat, especially at the start of the game, so you're always better
06:34 off running and hiding rather than fighting large mobs of enemies.
06:39 But if you haven't played the older games in a while, you might not remember there was
06:43 no crouching at the beginning.
06:45 Altair is trying to sneak, but he stands up the whole time, which certainly isn't ideal.
06:52 It's also all too easy to get seen and ruin unique assassination opportunities.
06:59 Mirage, on the other hand, has the benefit of being the latest in a long line of games.
07:10 Basim can crouch, he can whistle, he's got various tools he can use to distract guards
07:15 and hide, he can blend with more people than Altair could, and crucially, he has superior
07:21 eagle vision.
07:22 Altair can only use eagle vision when he's standing still, and the ability to use it
07:27 to see enemies through walls wasn't added until many games later.
07:31 Basim can do all of those things, as well as being just as adept at countering when
07:37 he does get into a combat situation.
07:40 It's not really a competition in this category.
07:43 Yes, the first game was still fighting in its feet, but Mirage is the apex of Assassin's
07:49 Creed stealth mechanics.
07:50 Plus, Altair doesn't have a pet eagle to scope out areas.
07:58 Ultimately, the stealth is just a little too tedious in the first game, and we're so glad
08:10 Ubisoft has improved it so much that it's as good as it is in Mirage.
08:15 Winner, Assassin's Creed Mirage.
08:26 Round 4, Controls
08:36 The first game still has plenty of fans who replay it regularly, but over 15 years on,
08:42 and it's definitely showing its age, mostly where its controls are concerned.
08:47 A lot of the issues in AC1 were, admittedly, ironed out quickly enough by the time of AC2,
08:54 but that doesn't mean they're any easier to deal with.
08:57 Altair controls awkwardly, he's a very slow climber, and switching weapons during combat
09:03 can be annoying enough that you get killed while you're attempting it.
09:07 Altair also has no easy way to quickly descend buildings, and you can only assassinate his
09:13 targets with the hidden blade, even if his other weapons are equally lethal.
09:18 It's something you get used to, but the difference between AC1 and its sequels is night and day.
09:31 Mirage, on the other hand, controls better in almost every way imaginable.
09:38 Basim, while slower than some other AC protagonists, is definitely faster than Altair, and much
09:45 more mobile, especially where the parkour is concerned.
09:50 You have a toggle to run, the left thumbstick on consoles, and you don't have to constantly
09:55 hold down a trigger and a face button, which makes Mirage a lot more comfortable.
10:00 And while Basim doesn't have the iconic hidden blade, you can use other weapons to take out
10:05 your targets, and you don't ever have to switch to the blade.
10:09 Combat is also more reactive in Mirage, since you have to time Basim's parries correctly,
10:15 instead of just holding down buttons.
10:32 This category isn't close at all.
10:34 It has to go to Mirage, which iterates on the first game in every single way.
10:40 Here, Assassin's Creed Mirage.
10:48 Round 5, Story
11:00 The first game started with a bang.
11:03 We were introduced to Desmond Miles and the conceit of the Animus, a machine that lets
11:08 someone relive the memories of their ancestors.
11:12 He goes back in time to the Crusades and goes through a spectacular opening sequence where
11:17 Altair fails to steal the Ark of the Covenant and gets demoted.
11:21 But the really memorable parts of the first game come at the end, when we're finally shown
11:26 the power of the Apple of Eden, and everything becomes well and truly science fiction.
11:32 You'll never forget the first time you were introduced to these concepts, or the revelation
11:37 that messages were written for Desmond in Subject 16's blood.
11:41 Even the political machinations of the Holy Land during the Crusades are fascinating.
12:03 Mirage on the other hand, isn't necessarily telling a complete story on its own.
12:09 You really do need to have played and finished the main story of Valhalla to understand the
12:15 impact of some of the events of the game's final hour, which definitely makes it more
12:20 limited.
12:21 As well as that, Basim's story is one we've seen in the series before.
12:25 A young man who has ambition and drive, and joins the Assassin Brotherhood as a way to
12:30 find meaning in his life.
12:32 Bonner and Arno also fit this mold, and they're arguably more interesting in their own games
12:37 than Basim is in his.
12:40 That's not to say Mirage doesn't have its moments, it certainly does, but it's clearly
12:44 going over old ground again and again.
12:48 That is what it set out to do though.
12:59 The story of AC1 is just more engaging and impactful, and was able to introduce so many
13:05 original concepts and ideas from the first civilization to the Animus, as well as many
13:11 beloved characters.
13:13 We have to give it the victory here.
13:16 Winner, Assassin's Creed 1.
13:31 It's definitely close, and there's no topping the original in many ways, but Mirage benefits
13:37 from 15 years of improvements and refinements to the franchise's tried and true formula.
13:43 With three points to two, Mirage is our overall winner.
14:01 Let us know in the comments who YOU think should have won!
14:18 Thanks for watching!
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14:32 [BLANK_AUDIO]