Summary
Alongside the Hidden Blades andshifty cloaked protagonists, theAssassin’s Creedseries is also well known for its easter eggs, many of which are a little more on the unusual side which ends up making them very memorable.Assassin’s Creed Miragefollows the trend, although it’s nothing like a weird giant squid that Ezio spots inAssassin’s Creed 2, or a list of Voldemort’s Horcrux items inAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, the series is synonymous with these secrets.
If Basim travels off the path a little bit and explores his surroundings, he can run into some prettyweird, whacky, and very unusual easter eggs, many of which make reference to other media or entries in the series. These are some of the best easter eggs and hidden secrets that are well worth seeking out during a second playthrough ofAssassin’s Creed Mirage.
7The First Blade
The Hidden Blade, one ofthe most iconic weapons in video game history,received its very own DLC inAssassin’s Creed Odysseywhich explored the character of Darius and how he came up with the design of this lethal weapon. There’s a very neat reference to this which can be found by snooping around Alamut at the beginning of the game. In a small hut, Basim can find a letter addressed to Roshan, a Persian Assassin, talking about Darius using something then titled “Xerxe’s Bane”.
This is a very small callback that can largely go unnoticed if players aren’t investigating every inch of this starting area, but always nice when the games make reference to the formation of the Hidden Ones and their preferred weapons. Anyone who wants to explore this origin story even further should definitely try outLegacy of the First Bladeas it’sone ofOdyssey’sbetter DLCs.
6Indiana Jones Costume
After the Ali ibn Muhammad investigation, players will be able to start collecting theDervis' mysterious Artifactswhich need to be robbed from specific individuals wandering around Baghdad. Usually, they can be traded for some simple resources like leather and steel, but if players manage to seek out all of them, they will be rewarded with theTreasure Hunter Costumewhich is identical to the get-up Indiana Jones sports inRaiders of the Lost Ark.
The description of the outfit confirms this is the case by calling it “The garb of someone who hunts the desert for treasure” which is exactly what Indy sets out to do in the first film of that beloved film franchise. Anyone hoping to get their hands on this outfit should definitely acquire the pickpocket skill before venturing out to obtain the Artifacts asthis will make retrieving them a whole lot easier.
5The Mandalorian Way
Anyone who isn’t too familiar with the world ofStar Wars, and especially the hit TV showThe Mandalorian,will no doubt have missed this easter egg completely, but anyone who is a fan of that spinoff series may have already picked up on this one. In that show, Mandalorians have a religious mantra of “This is the way” and while the phrase has begun to reach meme status for how much it’s mentioned, it’s still uttered by many of the major characters throughout the story.
This quote can be heard inMirageduringthe Throwing Knifetutorial in Alamut. After successfully launching several knives into the targets, Basim will then say “This is the way” in what seems to be a very subtle but clear reference to the mantra that refers to the codes and traditions of the Mandalorian.
4Ezio Auditore Reference
While training with the Hidden Ones at the beginning of the game, if the player explores the areas a little bit, they’ll eventually come across a letter addressed to Rebekah which hasa few references to Ezio, and more specifically, the dual hidden blades. The letter starts by talking about how an individual in Constantinople has had the bright idea of creating two blades instead of one, and whileAssassin’s Creed Revelationsis set far later thanMiragein theAssassin’s Creedtimeline,it’s in that game that Ezio travels to Constantinople as part of his journey.
There’s also a more comical reference to the legendary Assassin when it says that the comrade “didn’t seem to mind losing a second finger” to make use of the blades. Back inAssassin’s Creed 2,Leonardo da Vincisays that Ezio must cut off a finger for the same reason, only to then admit that he was messing with Ezio the entire time. As anyone who has played the older games knows, Ezio acquires the dual hidden blades during his time in Florence, so while he doesn’t actually retrieve them from Constantinople, this is still a fun easter egg that makes small references to the fan-favorite Assassin.
3Assassin Cat
Basim can come across a plethora of wild cats while freely roaming around Baghdad, but there’s one specific feline who has a unique appearance that makes reference to the main logo of the series. Because cats will wander around at their own will, this cat can literally be found anywhere, but the logo on its snout is very recognizable, with it being in a triangular shape with a cut-out in the middle that looks exactly like theAssassin’s Creedicon.
Believe it or not, this is actually inspired by a real cat who was owned by a fan of the series who sadly passed away beforeMirage was released. Upon his friend sending a picture of the cat to Ubisoft, they decided to include it in the game for players to find which is a great show of respect from developers, and a hidden secret that can only be found by petting as many cats as possible to eventually find this “Hidden kitty”, and one of thebest cats in gaming.
2Hytham’s Backstory
Hytham was a young man trained by Basim who appeared inAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, but players didn’t really get any clues as to how both of them met, or even what their relationship was. This is expanded upon inMirage, though it’s actually very easy to miss out on the line of dialogue at the end of the mission which confirms that it’s him.
While parkouring around Baghdad, Basim eventually comes across a young and timid boy who is eager to prove himself to the Hidden Ones. To do this, he has positioned himself on a ledge, ready to take a Leap of Faith. Basim, realizing that the boy is far too young to be performing such stunts, asks him to climb down and advises the boy to come and find him when he matures. Agreeing to this, the boy runs off as his friends call him over by using the name “Hytham” in an extremely quick line of dialogue which is easy to miss when sprinting to the next mission.
1H.P Lovecraft
Near the beginning of the game, Basim runs into Al-Jahiz, a scholar who tasks him withcollecting six Lost Booksfor which he will exchange some robes in exchange. However, a secret seventh book can be found in the south-east of Baghdad’s wilderness area. After a bit of galloping, the player will eventually come across a small ruin with a distressing set of notes that talks about an astronomer who witnesses some strange beings at night.
This already hints at some sort of Lovecraftian entity, but what really confirms this theory is the book hidden underground just behind the camp which can be found by blowing up the wooden planks with a bomb. There, a book can be found which Basim claims to be unsettled by, and if he returns it to Al-Jahiz, he will be given aMonstrous Talismanwhich is designed in the face of a mythical creature known as Cthulhu in his most popular iteration.
