Valley of Memory Spoiler-Free Joint Review

Review

6 Dec 2025

Written By:

Edited By:

TOWCB Team

Colum Blackett

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Contributors:

Zephryss James Davis Colum Blackett Taylor McKay

The latest update for Assassin’s Creed Mirage adds the Valley of Memory DLC, a compact yet emotionally powerful adventure that expands Basim’s journey in meaningful ways. Ubisoft Bordeaux delivers a story-rich experience supported by improved cutscenes, new gameplay features, and a beautifully crafted environment that players are sure to enjoy exploring.

Assassin's Creed Mirage was released October 2023, so many were shocked to hear that a previously released title would be receiving a free expansion in late 2025. The DLC came to fruition after a partnership between Ubisoft and Savvy Games Group, a Saudi-backed corporation set up and financed by the Public Investment Fund, which comes directly from the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. Many were naturally sceptical at first, expecting the expansion to act as an advertisement for Saudi Arabia, or portray a highly censored experience, removing creative control from the developers, but the expansion would go on to surprise fans and critics alike.

Valley of Memory is poignant and reflective, demonstrating the best of what Assassin's Creed can be on a personal level. In this review, the team here at The Ones Who Came Before will unpack what makes the expansion such a triumph.

Narrative

Valley of Memory is short and sweet, taking roughly 4-6 hours long depending on playstyle, and really highlights the impact of a linear Assassin's Creed narrative, in a time of non-linear structures of the past few entries. The success of the expansion is proof that linear storytelling for the series is the way to go, as it's memorable, impactful and acts as a worthwhile addition to the main game. The story is emotional and has weight to it, feeling like Ubisoft at their best for many years.

Despite being a shorter DLC, the writing and presentation are outstanding. The story is heartfelt, well-paced, and more emotionally impactful than many recent Assassin's Creed DLCs, perhaps even surpassing some full game stories. The ending genuinely moves players, and is some of the best writing we've seen in Assassin's Creed for many years. This is where Valley of Memory really shines. The linear pacing of a plot inside an open world is handled expertly here.

Noticeable major improvements are the cutscenes and dialogue in comparison to the main game. Presentation is everything. The expansion takes its time to explore character relationships, concepts and ideology.

Although some of the themes can be compared to Claws of Awaji (finding a parent, enemy is a consequence of past actions, travel to a new area), it is executed much better than what we’ve seen in recent AC games, where the narrative has been a weakness. Ubisoft Bordeaux really nailed it. One of the things on display here is the main conflict which is established early on in the expansion. Both Basim and the main antagonist of the DLC are foils to each other in this story, both are seeking the same goal and deal with the consequences of their actions. Ultimately the story is about retaliation and seeking a conclusion, but it has a deeply personal focus, and Lee Majdoub does an amazing job bringing real emotion to Basim. Majdoub really shines as Basim in the more emotional moments and trauma, something the main game often lacked. It was fascinating to learn more about his past, demonstrating great character growth by the story’s end. Players will be left empathizing with him more than they did throughout the main campaign.

There are only a few side characters in this DLC, but all of them are well-written. You will remember them even after finishing the story. Memorable side characters have been lacking in recent releases such as Assassin's Creed Shadows, but we're certain that players will remember the cast of Valley of Memory fondly.

The DLC also gave some philosophical nuance to the righteousness of the Hidden Ones, and the certainty of their actions. Basim is challenged on his ideological position, and gives his reasons for supporting The Hidden Ones and their Creed. This is something which the series hasn't explored properly since Black Flag, so it really felt like the writers of the expansion really understood the Assassins, the Creed, and what it means to fight what they perceive as injustice. It really felt like Basim was seen as a threat for the first time, as he was recognsied as a member of the Hidden Ones. There is a degree of fear due to his actions in the main game, which only improved his overall character, as the writing team did a great job at delivering thoughtful and intriguing dialogue. We also liked how the expansion went deeper in to the connection between Basim and Enkidu, aiding him in his moment of need, and overall acting as a friend during a difficult journey. It was nice to see this relationship develop further,

This personal story will be remembered for years to come. We only wish it had a little more to do with his role as a Hidden One, but overall, this story solidified his way moving forward, and acted as a final attempt for Basim to reclaim a shred of his original identity before the inevitable transition in to Loki occurs in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

It's clear that Ubisoft Bordeaux understands Assassin's Creed, and we only hope that they are given more control over projects going forward. It's interesting to note that this particular branch of the company does not fall within the recently established Tencent-funded 'Vantage Studios' umbrella group, which is a subsidiary established in late 2025 to take control over the direction of Assassin's Creed, Rainbow Six and Far Cry. We can only hope that this means they have creative control of projects and are free to work on more unique and memorable projects such as this expansion.

World

Valley of Memory gifts players a beautifully crafted world, which can be explored within the first hour of the expansion. The map introduced in this DLC is visually spectacular and packed with memorable landmarks. It is divided into six distinct regions:

Southern Wilds
AlUla
AlUla Oasis
Northern Wilds
Ramm Valley
Hegra

Each region offers its own sense of wonder, history, and atmosphere, giving players plenty to explore and learn. From the Southern Wilds to AlUla and beyond, you feel the pull of discovery. The smaller map means you don’t have to go too far off the beaten path to find something interesting.

The team did a great job at recreating iconic monuments such as the Qasr al-Farid monument and Elephant Rock, the second of which acts as a synchronization point for players. In particular, the deserts bring with them a unique sense of calm in comparison to the blistering heat of Baghdad. It also brings with it a sense of danger, as bandits, known as robbers patrol points of interest and set traps to snare unwary travellers such as Basim and his camel.

The lighting in the DLC is wonderful, and we can't wait to see the Virtual Photography shots!

Combat

There is a new enemy faction in the DLC called Robbers, who wear purple outfits. There is also a new Poison Archetype enemy who uses a sword with poison build-up. In this DLC, you will also encounter ambushes where enemies place traps on the roads, similar to the Claws of Awaji DLC in AC Shadows. Ambush encounters in Valley of Memory work much the same as they do in the Claws of Awaji DLC for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. They continue even after you beat the main story, which is a joy for players who love random encounters in an open world.

The expansion lent well in to what makes Assassin's Creed Mirage special, and avoided the inclusion of Boss battles, which were incredibly overpowered in Claws of Awaji. It's great to see that the team behind this expansion didn't cave to the temptation of adding huge boss battles, to compete with RPG titles or past AC releases like Shadows. Basim isn't a combat sponge, and that's a good thing as it encourages the player to take a more stealth-based approach.

The expansion does enhance the overall crafting experience, making tools even deadlier through upgrades which can now be achieved at work benches rather than visiting The Banū Mūsā brothers at Bureaus. Tool upgrades include: Corrosive bombs, explosive knives, sleep noisemakers and our particular favourite: The Madness Trap. The new upgrades really add to Basim's arsenal, and gives players more control over situations.

Let us know in the comments which upgrade is your favourite!

Side Content

New Side Activities

The DLC brings several fresh activities that expand exploration:

Oud Melody: Where you have to chase a music page using parkour. After collecting it, you can play the new instrument, the Oud, at various marked spots on the map.

Folktale: Where you sit on a bench and listen to stories.

Stolen Goods Clue: You have to pickpocket treasure maps from enemies, read them, and locate the treasure. You can also eliminate the specified enemy and loot the map.

Other activities are similar to the main game, such as Historical Sites where you find codex entries about locations or landmarks, and the Tale of AlUla where you must save or find someone to complete the side quest. There are also Contracts in the DLC that reward you with cool items, so don’t forget to complete them.

Other Additions

Parkour improvements

Overall feels responsive and intuitive. Ubisoft has added new moves like Free Jump and Side & Back Ejects. You’ll have to enable these features in the settings first. There is also a new parkour control scheme. Some specific Viewpoints in the DLC require you to follow a parkour route to reach the top, you can't climb them directly. It was really fun. Many players will love the new control scheme. Not only is it fun to freerun through AlUla, but all of the mountains in the wilds and the hidden tombs are highly manoeuvrable as well. Ubisoft is really flexing their muscles here.

New Abilities and Outfits

We love the new outfits you can find in Valley of Memory. Three of them unlock over the course of the story, but the other three you have to figure out how to get on your own.

New Skill and Tool Upgrades

There is a new skill called Engineer 2 that lets you unlock all Tier 1 tool upgrades. There are also new upgrades for each tool, and they are especially helpful in the Animus Sequence missions. The tool upgrades are also a joy to use, especially the explosive throwing knives. They come in handy when taking on the Animus challenges.

Animus Sequence Missions

Animus Sequence missions are fun and challenging. Some missions are easy, while others may take a couple of attempts. There are a total of 31 rewards for completing these missions. After completing a main mission or contract, you’ll find an icon in the same area, interact with it to replay the mission, but this time with extra challenges like no Eagle Vision, no tools, no detection, etc.

New In-Game Filters

There are 4 new in-game filters added in the update (AC 2, AC Unity, AC Origins & AC Odyssey), and they all look stunning. You’ll unlock them after completing the Animus Sequence missions.

Conclusion

Valley of Memory acts as a beautiful send-off to Basim’s story before the transformation in to Loki. It features a captivating narrative that delivers rom the opening moments. You know you’re walking into something memorable.

The Valley of Memory DLC and the new Mirage update are truly amazing additions to the game. Ubisoft Bordeaux has done a remarkable job enhancing the story, presentation, parkour, and overall gameplay experience. This DLC is a must-play for Assassin’s Creed fans.

Our Rating: 9.5 out of 10.

This is truly one of the best Assassin's Creed DLCs.

We thoroughly enjoyed this DLC and are still astonished that we got all of this for free. Ubisoft did a great job bringing Basim back into the fold.

Positives

• Pretty meaty for free content

• Excellent narrative

• A narrative tie in

• Attention given to a dark subject

• Interactions between Basim and Antagonist

• Voice acting

• Motion Capture in cutscenes

• Philosophical debate

• Lighting

Negatives

• A lot of unused space on the map

• ”The Tales of” side missions are very simplistic and feel like extra padding

• Confusing environmental context on what's climbable

• Blackbox mission feels unnecessary

• Ambush mechanic from the Shadow’s Awajii DLC gets repetitive

• Tying legacy colour filters behind the Animus rewards system.

We would also like to say a massive thank you to the Assassin's Creed team and Ubisoft for this amazing free DLC, early access to assets and for all the support.

How To Access The DLC

The Valley of Memory storyline takes place before the final events of the AC Mirage main game. The quest appears on your objective board once the mission “The Head of the Snake” becomes available.

A mysterious boy awaits you at the Harbiyah Bureau. He directs you to Dervis’ shop, where the Valley of Memory questline officially begins.

The DLC can be started in several ways: