This week marks the release of Assassin's Creed Mirage - and reviews have been lauding it as a return to the original format of the series. However, a major alteration has also been implemented.
This edition of the game, which is set in 9th Century Baghdad, has been recorded in Arabic by Ubisoft developers.
Games in the long-running stealth series that have hitherto spanned the Middle East, Europe, and Africa have had their main characters voiced by English-speaking actors as a baseline.
Players can still opt to play the game with English voices, but its creators are hoping they'll select the more "authentic" Arabic option.
When the game's first international trailer debuted at the end of August, it was the sound that was heard by supporters. The shift was welcomed by fans such as Ameer, who was raised in Baghdad.
He claims that Arabic being incorporated in games is not something that is new, but it is typically used by a villain who is saying something that people can recognise as coming from the Arabic language.
Ameer, a 20-year-old engineering student, expressed his admiration for the trailer, where fans could hear Basim speak in Arabic and get a peek into the game's environment.
Ameer exclaimed, "this is perfect!"
He declares that Arabic is a lovely language, and that the dialect spoken in Mirage is an especially enchanting one.
Mohammed Al Imam, an employee at Ubisoft's Middle Eastern and North African branch, says classical Arabic is the language used in the game. He elaborates by noting it is a version of Arabic that has been preserved for more than 1,000 years, which is still taught in schools, and is used in academia, news outlets, and entertainment.
He claims the language is distinct from contemporary, spoken dialects yet is still generally comprehended.
Mohammed noted that it is not uncommon to observe Western media featuring characters with Arabic-sounding speech which is rendered as if they are speaking but with an inability to grasp the meaning of the words.”
Their enunciation is incorrect, their articulation is not correct.
This has been a source of pent-up frustration for the Arabic consumer for years, comparable to somebody who is non-French attempting to imitate a French person.
He informs Newsbeat that the genesis of the project was to make certain that "every Arabic phrase has to be delivered by somebody who is acquainted with the language".
Mohammed stated that this philosophy was also applicable in the opposite direction - the translation team required a comprehensive comprehension of divergences in English and Arabic expressions.
He indicates one line written in English, in which an irritated character exclaims that "camels will grow wings on their backs if they have to put off any more".
In the Arabic, Mohammed states that the line is actually "if I waited any longer the Phoenix would have risen from its ashes".
He claims that these "minor details" are spread throughout the game, and might not be detected by people who don't speak the language.
Mohammed states that Arabs would be aware without delay.
They will point it out and claim that the information is not correct, indicating that the research has not been done.
A major element of Mirage and former Assassin's Creed titles is authentically reproducing their respective ancient settings.
Mohammed stated that Ubisoft employed various specialist historians to ensure that the necessary areas of the game world were accurate.
Ameer, who resides in Istanbul, wishes that his game will assist other nations in viewing Iraq in a new light.
He believes that players will come to appreciate the significance of Iraq and the wider Arab world in world history. But today we are discussing other issues such as education, poverty, and the environment."
In the past, the topic of conversation was primarily war. However, nowadays, we are looking at other matters like education, poverty, and the environment.”
Yet Baghdad and all of Iraq in the 9th Century made a tremendous impact on history.
"He declares this to be the golden age," says Ameer. According to him, Iraq and Baghdad were the sites of origin for all wisdom, literature, and the noted authors, mathematicians, and the like.
The project fuelled Mohammed's enthusiasm due to his personal commitment.
He expresses that seeing an optimistic portrayal, a precise characterization, and an absence of stereotypes and blasé characters, encouraged him to give his all to this project.
Mohammed believes that the current, English-speaking audience will be open to the alterations to the famous franchise, even though long-term supporters may dislike them.
Due to social media and the web, people have more exposure to diverse cultures, leading to increased understanding.
I grew up taking in entertainment and media from other cultures and observing others doing the same, so it is stimulating to see the alternative.
The Metacritic aggregator has noted that early reviews of the game, which is playable on Playstation, Xbox and PC, have been mainly positive.
Websites such as Polygon, IGN, and Eurogamer have given positive reviews to Mirage due to its more focused approach in comparison to the expansive recent entries to the series.
However, The Gamer pointed out that the reverting to the style of the franchise's earlier entries brings back issues that could have been forgotten.
Ameer expresses enthusiasm to immerse himself in the project, and he is hoping the game's approach will help make an impression on a local level while opening pathways for Middle Eastern game creation.
I wish that this game motivates individuals to envision themselves playing an active role in creating something similar.
Can't we also make something for ourselves? If we had more developers from all around, it would be a wonderful future.
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