Chris InglisMirage 7 is a dark fairytale, third-person adventure with a unique blend of fantasy and sci-fi, developed by Drakkar Dev and published by Blowfish Studios. The game launches on March 6, 2026, on PC and consoles and trades mechs and exosuits for an atmospheric, desert-bound mystery. Having recently spent time with their previous games of War Tech Fighters and Blackwind, this change in genre and setting was refreshing giving me vibes of playing the old Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones games.
The story follows Nadira, a young woman navigating a world where reality and illusion blur under a harsh sun. What starts as a mythic quest to find the legendary Princess Taishma in the Moon Palace—the only one who can resurrect Nadira’s sister—quickly takes a sharp turn into the surreal. The Arabian Nights aesthetic is frequently interrupted by jarring high-tech anomalies, from crashed reconnaissance drones to hidden underground military facilities linked to Project Mirage. This contrast between ancient folklore and futuristic wreckage gives the game a self-proclaimed dark fairytale vibe that feels distinct from anything else in the developer’s catalogue so far.
Visually, the sweeping dunes and ornate ruins is a fantastic setting, and the graphics style reminds me of games of yester year. Couple that with gameplay that is slightly janky and more puzzle-heavy than combat based, and I was transported back to the 90’s and early 00’s while playing the early Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones adventure games.
A standout feature is Jiji, your loyal lizard companion. Occasionally we take control of Jiji to do things like hunting scorpions and shooting them with his tongue, keeping Nadira safe while she rests, and helping navigate the more complex puzzles with tight spaces. The synergy between the two characters adds some teamwork and tactical depth that keeps the exploration engaging.
The core of the experience lies in its environmental progression. The puzzles are well-integrated into the world, offering satisfying “aha!” moments without feeling like artificial roadblocks. We can also use Jiji’s vision which discolours the world and highlights interactable items. This revealed diary entries that gave insight into the overall story, as well as helping find resources. There were times where I was stuck thinking of a solution and the voice acting for Nadira can become repetitive where she frequently vocalises your next objective.
I must say though that the clunky gameplay comes to the fore in some of the platforming sections. Jumping feels noticeably clumsy and relies on perfect timing. Missing a jump by a hair usually results in getting caught on the geometry of the platform edge, which immediately breaks the flow of movement. Furthermore, I found myself stuck on an elevated ledge and I couldn’t just jump down. I had to resort to a frantic combination of dodge rolls and pure luck just to return to the ground to reset for another attempt.
Players looking for a balance of combat versus the puzzles may be disappointed as most fights come down to a simple strike twice, dodge away loop with your dagger initially. Eventually you unlock the use of a slingshot. This then became my primary weapon and only used the dagger for up close fights or if I ran out of stones. The health system requires you to stop for a slow sip of water which makes mid-heal fights difficult.
Overall, Mirage 7 is a niche release leaning into those that like puzzles and older adventure games like Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones. Combat is there but it’s a filler between item gathering and puzzle solving. While some platforming physics and combat loop could use some polish, the utility of Jiji’s abilities make this a journey worth taking for fans of atmospheric adventures.
This review utilised a key provided by Stride PR and Mirage 7 launches on March 6, 2026, on Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, Xbox, and PlayStation.
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Daniel Agius