Assassin’s Creed Mirage: How Long to Beat

Assassin’s Creed Mirage takes most players roughly 20 to 24 hours to finish the main story, and about 28 to 35 hours to complete everything (all side quests, collectibles, and trophies/achievements). These figures come from player-reported times on tracking sites like HowLongToBeat, which aggregate data from thousands of users. Your actual time will vary based on difficulty, playstyle, and how much optional content you pursue.

Main Story Length

The main story of Mirage is deliberately shorter than recent entries in the series. Unlike Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (which can take 60+ hours just for the main quest) or Odyssey (often 50+ hours), Mirage was designed as a more focused, stealth-driven experience. The story follows Basim Ibn Ishaq, a street thief who joins the Hidden Ones, and it takes place in 9th-century Baghdad.

Players who stick to the critical path—completing the 12 main story sequences and ignoring most side content—typically finish in 20–24 hours. On the easiest difficulty, with minimal exploration, some players report finishing in as little as 15–18 hours. On the hardest difficulty, or if you die frequently and retry stealth sections, the main story can stretch to 25–30 hours.

Completionist Run (100%)

If you aim to complete every side quest, collect every gear piece, find all the mysterious shards, and earn every achievement, expect a significantly longer playthrough. Here’s a breakdown of what adds time:

• Side quests (Contracts and Tales of Baghdad): Around 20–25 side missions, each taking 20–45 minutes. That’s roughly 8–10 hours.
• Collectibles: There are over 100 historical sites, 30+ mysterious shards, and dozens of gear chests and enigmas. Collecting everything can add 5–8 hours.
• Trophies/Achievements: Some achievements require specific stealth takedowns, using every tool, or completing all contracts. Add 2–4 hours if you’re actively hunting them.

In total, a 100% run usually lands between 28 and 35 hours. A small number of players report up to 40 hours if they read every codex entry and take their time with the environment.

How It Compares to Other AC Games

Mirage is a deliberate departure from the massive RPG-style entries that preceded it. Here’s a quick comparison of average main-story completion times (based on HowLongToBeat data):

• Assassin’s Creed Mirage: 20–24 hours
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 60–70 hours
• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: 45–55 hours
• Assassin’s Creed Origins: 30–35 hours
• Assassin’s Creed Unity: 15–20 hours

Mirage is closer in length to the older, pre-Origins games like Unity or Syndicate, which is exactly what the developers intended. It’s a smaller, more intimate game that rewards stealth and planning over grinding levels.

Factors That Affect Your Playtime

Several variables can shift your total time by several hours:

• Difficulty setting: On Easy, enemies are less aware and combat is forgiving. On Hard, stealth is more punishing and you’ll likely retry sections.
• Exploration style: If you fast-travel constantly and follow the main marker, you’ll be faster. If you explore Baghdad’s districts on foot or by horse, you’ll naturally discover side content and add hours.
• Stealth vs. combat approach: Pure stealth runs tend to be slower because you wait for patrols and plan routes. Combat-heavy runs can be faster but risk more deaths.
• Tool usage and upgrades: If you stop to upgrade your gear and tools, you’ll spend time gathering resources, which adds playtime.
• Reading codex entries and lore: The game has a rich historical database. If you read every entry, add 2–3 hours.

Tips to Beat It Faster or Slower

If you want to finish quickly, focus on the main story and ignore optional objectives. Use the city’s fast-travel points, upgrade your hidden blade early, and don’t bother with the mysterious shards unless you want the special costume. For a slower, more immersive experience, turn off the HUD and use the environment to navigate—this is how the developers intended the game to feel, but it will easily add 5–10 hours.

Common Misconception: It’s Too Short

Many players expected Mirage to be a full-length RPG like Valhalla, and were surprised by its length. But Mirage’s shorter runtime is intentional—it’s a celebration of the classic AC formula, focusing on stealth, parkour, and assassination. The developers stated they wanted a game that could be completed in a weekend. So if you’re coming from Valhalla, adjust your expectations: Mirage is a compact, polished experience, not a 100-hour epic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Assassin’s Creed Mirage longer than Unity?

No, Mirage is about the same length as Unity. Unity’s main story takes around 15–20 hours, while Mirage takes 20–24. Mirage is slightly longer due to the inclusion of some side content integrated into the main path, but both are considered “classic-sized” AC games.

How long is the main story without side quests?

If you only do the main story missions and skip all side content, you’re looking at roughly 20 hours on normal difficulty. Speedrunners have completed it in under 6 hours, but that requires skipping cutscenes and knowing exactly where to go.

Does difficulty affect playtime?

Yes. On Easy, enemies are less aggressive and stealth is more forgiving, which can cut your time by 2–3 hours. On Hard, you’ll likely die more and retry sections, adding 3–5 hours to your total.

How many missions are in the main story?

There are 12 main story sequences, each with multiple missions. The total number of main missions is around 30, though some are very short (5–10 minutes) and others take 30–45 minutes.

Is Mirage worth playing if I only have 20 hours?

Absolutely. A focused playthrough of the main story fits neatly into a 20-hour window. You can easily finish the game in a week of casual evening play sessions, making it one of the most accessible AC games for busy players.

How long does it take to 100% the game?

Expect 28–35 hours for 100% completion, including all side quests, collectibles, and achievements. The biggest time sinks are the mysterious shards (which require solving puzzles) and the historical sites (which require reading codex entries).

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