Mirror's Edge Review

It's pretty rare these days that a game really captures my attention in a way that makes me look at an entire genre in a different fashion. It seems more often than not in this era of gaming that originality has been sacrificed in favour of better graphics and physics, but Mirror's Edge is one of those rare games which, for me at least, has completely opened up the genre to new ideas. Here's the lowdown:

I Love:

The Visual Design: ME looks unlike anything I've ever played before. The idea of the stark white background symbolises the oppression the city is enduring at the hands of the government, and the red "runner vision" which provides a subtle guide through each level is a genius touch. Every indoor area has its own very thematic design, making a very unique use of bright colours. Overall, very impressive.

The Controls: Usually in regards to FPS games, platforming is a terrible idea. When I first heard about the concept behind this game, I shuddered at the idea. A poor control scheme could have ruined this, but what is in place is designed excellently. Pulling off complex maneuvers is a breeze and using the shoulder buttons to do so just feels smooth and natural.

Chase Scenes: When the player is being pursued by various armed personnel across rooftops, along trains and through storm drains, the experience is very intense. When you pull off a perfect stunt, there are very few other games available on the platform which can provide a similar feeling. ME is at it's best at full speed and in the open.

I Hate:

Combat: Although generally it should be avoided, there are times when you must engage the enemy and this is where the fun levels start to dip. The disarming system in place is obvious enough but it seems vaguely hit-and-miss, and attacking the enemy with basic punches and kicks is often difficult because of the hit detection. Shooting is average, but aiming is slightly difficult. Fighting really lets the game down in parts.

Indoor Platforming: Faith's repertoire is designed almost entirely for outdoor use, so when I get restricted to narrow corridors or linear scaffolding, the experience becomes somewhat diluted. Some of Faith's abilities are tricky to pull off on a small scale, and making smaller more precise jumps rather than massive ones seems awkward and needlessly tricky. Too much of the game is set indoors.

The Length: The campaign is very short; 3-5 hours short. For a game like this I can see why the length isn't excessive, but it could of been made slightly longer without becoming tedious. There is a lot of replay value in the time trials and speedruns, but for me I like a varied story experience with some length and a fully developed narrative. Because of the size of the campaign, the plot feels rushed and incoherent as well.

So yeah, ME is one of my favourite games at the moment. Despite the minor criticisms I have highlighted with it, the good points far outweigh the bad. I would definately recommend this to anyone, even though the achievements (especially now the new DLC has been released) are really tough. I'm determined to continue with this until I 100% it, because I think a game as fresh and unique as this deserves the attention.

8.5/10

Achievement Difficulty: 8/10