Mirage 7 is a science fiction fantasy adventure game just released by Blowfish Studios. A young woman and her pet lizard are searching the desert for her sister. Meanwhile, a dark figure is awakened in an underground facility. The mystery of Mirage 7 is promising, but can it deliver? I’ve just beaten it — taking only a few hours — and my thoughts on the game are conflicting. I’m not really sure how to feel about it.
Arabian Ni-i-i-ights
When I first looked up the game, I was expecting a clone of Prince of Persia, but that’s not really the package here. While at times reminiscent of the Ubisoft franchise, Mirage 7 is definitely more of an adventure game (in the LucasArts sense). The game has combat with dagger melee attacks and a slingshot for ranged combat, but most of the experience is spent searching the environment. The structure is similar to old-school adventure titles: picking up items and combining them either with each other or with the environment. There are also some sections where you play as the pet lizard, Jiji, which provide a welcome change of pace.
While I wasn’t disappointed that the game wasn’t like Prince of Persia, I was still disappointed in the gameplay and overall scope. Starting with the gameplay, it never felt fantastic to control either character. The main protagonist, Nadira, often feels awkward to manoeuvre — especially when climbing or during combat. Climbing can feel janky, and Nadira sometimes glitches around during the animation. Combat was immediately disappointing because of how basic it is. There’s only one melee attack, and the dodge often sends you too far away from the target to land a counterattack. Jiji is also quite slow, and I wish the character had a sprint ability. It’s not a huge issue, but it can be frustrating.
Science and Magic
The scope of Mirage 7 is another interesting topic. In a literal sense, it’s quite a small experience, lasting only a few hours. However, the ideas are intriguing, and the presentation is ambitious, to say the least. I don’t want to spoil much, but the game begins with a cutscene at a modern-day military base in the desert before transitioning to a fantasy setting. The connection between the two is never directly explained, which allowed me to form my own interpretation of the story.
Lore is mostly laid out through diary entries and reports scattered throughout the world. I really enjoyed reading them — the writing quality is solid, and they continue developing the mystery of the setting. I admire the ambition shown by the team, but I feel the game doesn’t quite meet the expectations set by its own premise. That being said, I would like to see the story continue in a hypothetical Mirage 8.
While simple and short, Mirage 7 can feel a bit tedious at times. I was often lost during the latter half and spent far too long running through the same hallways looking for the correct room. Each zone has its own aesthetic, but they could have been more varied to prevent players from getting turned around so frequently.
A Dark Fantasy tale
Mirage 7 is definitely a game – and firmly an adventure game at that. However, it feels like the game plays things a little too safe when compared to its premise. I don’t like to ask “what if,” but I do feel the cohesion between its themes could have been stronger. I wanted to see much more of the sci-fi elements, but they remain underdeveloped.
Despite that, I feel a strange connection to this title, even though it isn’t particularly polished or expansive. The juxtaposition of settings really drew me in, but the payoff ultimately feels a little lacking. I’m interested in what other people make of the story and will be keeping my eyes and ears open, watching and listening for Mirage 7.
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