Game Info
Game Name: Mirror’s Edge
Developer(s): EA Digital Illusions CE
Publisher(s): Electronic Arts
Platform(s): PS3/Xbox 360/PC
Genre(s): First Person Shooter
Release Date(s): November 12, 2008 (PS3/Xbox 360) January 13, 2009 (PC)
ESRB Rating: T
Make the jump!
Faith Connors is a runner. She makes her living by deliver illegal packages across the rooftops of the city. When Faith’s law enforcement sister Kate is framed for the murder of an up-and-coming political official, Faith sets out to find what a program called Icarus has to do with the set-up. Becoming a target herself, Faith must make her way rooftop-to-rooftop to escape and find the truth.
Developed by EA Digital Illusions and published by EA, Mirror’s Edge is a first-person shooter parkour video game. The game was met by mixed to positive reviews with some of the criticism being a real lack of puzzles and a rather short story. The game’s story was also expanded upon in a Wildstorm Mirror’s Edge comic book limited series that ran six issues (December 2008-June 2009).
Mirror’s Edge was really intriguing. The ideas and concepts of the game were unique, and it was a bit of a revolutionary stylized video game. The “free-runners” style emphasized escape instead of killing and that upped the challenge. For the review, I played the Xbox 360 version of the game.
Just follow the red!
The real catch to Mirror’s Edge is the first person style. The game really moves and you do feel pretty skilled if you can fly through the levels quickly (check out some of the speed runs on YouTube if you want to see some real high level playing). The developers had to do a lot of work to make the motion realistic but they also didn’t want to give players motion sickness a complaint on films like The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield which have a similar first-person style of presentation. Faith seems to move smooth and the bigger the obstacles, the more fun.
The combat portion of Mirror’s Edge is a bit lacking and possibly the most frustrating. The real goal is to get through the game by avoiding and disarming the enemies. Firing a gun isn’t necessary to finish the game. When you do get into hand-to-hand combat, disarming and subduing the enemy is usually a pattern of buttons. For fun, you can flip-off the enemies but it doesn’t really do anything.
No guns? I don’t think so!
The game is a bit short, but I don’t know how much more could have been done with it. You really are flying by the end of the game, pushing yourself to the edge. It doesn’t feel like they could expand the gameplay a lot more. With the release there were immediate plans for a sequel, but I don’t know where else the game could go. More complex levels and less patterned escapes could help but too much thinking would take away from the freeflow feel.
Online play includes races and time trials with other players. Your scores are matched and a Pure Time Trial download provides more fast runs through the game. It would have been cool to have some sort of team-based raid since there are supposed to be runners all across the city. With this, there could be an interesting Assassin’s Creed based open world based game or possible sequel.
I enjoyed Mirror’s Edge for its ingenuity. The game was fun and different. I actually enjoy a game around Mirror’s Edge’s length or a bit longer because it isn’t a huge investment in time. If you want a unique experience pick up Mirror’s Edge. It usually can be found for relatively affordable prices and if nothing else can provide an afternoon of fun. Mirror’s Edge was followed by a handheld 2D version of the game and a true sequel Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst in 2016.
