Mirror’s Edge had a lot going for it. Taking the popular concept/pastime of free-running and using a first person perspective was certainly an inspired decision, while going for a more stylistic and ambient atmosphere was refreshing when compared to the numerous dark and gritty games that have become so popular. Unfortunately, even the best intentions will come unstuck if they are not executed properly. That’s not to say that Mirror’s Edge is a bad. On the contrary, at times it can be great, but these times just might not be frequent enough to save it.
Often with a new story or a new IP, you are thrown into a world that has most things established within it, and you learn and figure them out as you play. Mirror’s Edge makes the mistake of throwing you too far into the story. Playing as a rogue runner named Faith, her prerogative is to save her sister, who is framed for the murder of a candidate for city mayor. While games, movies and literature have managed to do the whole ‘dystopic unnamed city’ thing, Mirror’s Edge fails by not really giving us an idea of why things are so bad and why being a runner is so righteous (or so maligned). So while it isn’t too long and has a satisfying conclusion, the developers really missed a trick with the story.
It's a long way down...
Assassin’s Creed is one of the few other games currently available in which to free-run, but it does so from a third person perspective. So it was very brave of the developers to take it straight to the first person perspective. Brave yes, but also understandable. After all, what better way to get a player immersed in the rush that comes with free-running then directly out of the eyes of their game character. Unfortunately, it’s the parts where a game like Assassin’s Creed succeeded but Mirror’s Edge not so much.
The majority of the nine chapters in Mirror’s Edge are played across the rooftops, through the upper floors of high-rises as well as subways and occasionally the street. The world looks fairly open and accessible, but in reality there are only one, two or possibly three paths that are available from point A to B. To help players figure out the way to go, some objects such as ramps, doors and pipes will be highlighted in red (runner vision) to show you the way or you can also press a button that will give you an idea of what direction you should be heading.
At its best and once you’ve got a grip on the game’s mechanics, Mirror’s Edge is truly an exhilarating experience. There is very little that can compare to what is on offer here. Also, there is a similar satisfaction associated with the finding the right path and then getting across it as there is to solving a hard puzzle in a game like Braid. As we keep saying though, these are unravelled by the fact that there is too much space between the best moments that the game has to offer. It boils down to a couple of things.
Who turned on the bloom?
Firstly, the game’s mechanics are too punishing for a game that tries to be free flowing and fast paced. Often this will occur when jumping at pipes and slightly less during wall-running. Even with the lenient respawns, it has a detrimental impact on pace and flow. However, it leads into the second problem, where even though you are assisted with your direction, this assistance is rather vague sometimes. So if you don’t ‘spot’ the right way to go, you’re left with a lot of trial and error. And again, this trial and error can greatly disrupt the flow of the game.
Finally, we found it strange that the developers intended to add some combat to the game. It works when you’ve got one or two opponents and where you have a choice of fighting or running. It’s annoying because there are a few situations late in the game that are very difficult to get through without fighting, especially because you die very easily. Often this means knocking out or disarming an enemy and taking their gun. Thankfully, there aren’t too many of these situations. In all, these things are flawed aspects of the game but shouldn’t deter anyone remotely interested in the concept. However, these flaws are likely to deter those with less patience and gaming nous.
As mentioned, there are nine chapters in Mirror’s Edge. Including all the times that you’re likely to restart from checkpoint, this only translates into a six to eight hour story. However, those who are keen can search for ‘bags’ hidden in each chapter. Furthermore, finishing the game unlocks speed runs for each level and you have the option for time trials from the start. To really clock good times, you have to get very, very proficient at the game. Unfortunately, accessing the leaderboards requires signing up to EA, which is rather disappointing and annoying.
To you I decree... A boot to the head!
One of the areas that doesn’t disappoint are the games visuals. While technically not the most proficient, their style supersedes any of those shortcomings. And it’s not just a matter of adding colour, but really the developers have managed to create a city or a world that is distinct from most things out there. That makes the game easy to distinguish from the crowd. This is complimented with some rather nice animated sequences between chapters. However, there are a few points where the developers could have turned down the bloom though. Colour and brightness is great, but not when they are burning the back of your retinas.
The audio department in Mirror’s Edge was quite a surprise. While the dialogue that accompanies the voicing isn’t anything special, the voice actors do their jobs quite well despite this. The sound effects also do their job quite well, even if there aren’t too many that need to be employed. However, the soundtrack to the game was an exceptional surprise, as it created a very soothing and ambient atmosphere whenever you were running on your own. It evoked (what we assumed to be) the feeling that you get as you’re free-running.
Despite the early promise shown prior to its release, Mirror’s Edge hasn’t been able to fulfil the expectations. However, despite the weak story, trial and error gameplay and length, Mirror’s Edge is still a game that ought to be tried. While it doesn’t quite succeed at doing something different, it still manages to provide an exhilarating and unique gameplay experience. By ignoring it, you’re implying that you prefer to have sequels churned out rather than something new and original. So even if Mirror’s Edge is not the best thing since sliced bread, it still tastes good.
Loading...
