There aren’t many games that get me excited pre-release, especially new IP's as your never sure what your going to get. I normally only get excited about games that I know how they will play. Mirrors Edge was one of the exception's to the rule, I first saw a sneak peek of it in the gaming magazine I get monthly and then saw a few TV adverts for it, before I knew it I had fallen in love with the game before it had hit the shelves. Unfortunately it came out in a pretty busy time, being released alongside Tomb Raider Underworld, CoD5, Fallout 3 and many other big names Mirrors Edge slowly got moved to the back of the pack. I managed to grab hold of a copy for 50p only a year later which made me begin to doubt my initial thoughts on the game.
Mirrors Edge is developed by DICE (Battlefield) and produced by EA which at first glance makes you think shooter. The game is presented in a first person viewpoint where gunplay is accessible but is not necessarily needed in order to progress through the game. The story is a tale of two sisters and a city under the eye of big brother (not the TV show), in a society where behaviours is heavily monitored and constrained people have their own way of communicating, The Runners. Couriers of messages and packages that may conflict with the interests of the people behind the camera's. The other side of the coin is the law enforcement which regularly conflict with the runners. You play Faith Connors, a runner. Your parents were killed in the major overturn of society in your childhood and only you and your sister Kate remain of your family. As you separate and go different ways Kate joins the police force, your enemy. Kate is accused of murder and you attempt to clear her name and find the real killer but as you dig up secrets of the past and present a much more sinister threat is upon the horizon.
As mentioned before Mirrors Edge is a first person game that can have shooty bits in it however it is not an FPS, its more of a first person action-adventure. As a runner you are highly skilled at martial arts and parkour meaning that your speed, skill and strength are much more powerful than any gun offered in the game. The free-running element of the game was perhaps the most interesting drawpoint, its so different than anything I've seen before in a game and yet it works so amazingly. The controls are a little awkward to get used to at first, with LB (L1) being Jump and RB (R1) being slide, they are the only major buttons you will use, the triggers are attacks and the face buttons aren’t necessary in gameplay, only for enhancement purposes (such as time slow). This means simple, effective and awkward but easy to pick up controls. Guns if used, slow movement making you vulnerable as you are very weak, and are very inaccurate and weak making them a last case scenario only.
The graphics are what you expect from DICE....beautiful, the game is largely made up of whites, blues, yellows and reds making a welcome change from brown and grey. The game is smooth and no problems with frame rate even at speed, all textures are smooth and colours crisp which is what is needed in today’s market.
The voice acting wasn't top notch but it was still great, the touch chick routine was played on way too much throughout the game and all the enemies were cliché', but this didn’t detract from the experience as a whole. The soundtrack was nice, calm moments, punchy moments and a fantastic theme song made for varying sound pleasures, however many moments in the game it was completely silent and as much as I love the sound of footsteps and women grunting I would have liked some music to listen to, I mean who doesn’t go jogging without their iPod now?
Once campaign is done, that will be a good 6-7 hours and room for a sequel you have Race mode, you can replay chapters from the story and be timed for them whilst having your time posted on leaderboards for your friends to compete with. The lack of online multiplayer makes this a very short lived title, even if you do want to replay it for the collectables and shaving off your best time. Mirrors Edge is undeniably one of the best titles i have seen in recent years that offered innovation, style and a great story/gameplay mix making the game unmissable but only at a cheap price. However i stick by my statement that it is the best 50p I have ever spent.
Mirrors Edge – 8/10
+ One of the Most Unique and Stunning New IP's In Recent Memory
- Far Too Short
