MIRROR'S EDGE doesn't just make the leap and nail the landing...it utterly obliterates it.
October 28, 2012
This review contains minor *spoilers*!
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INTRO
MIRROR'S EDGE is easily one of the most underrated games in history, and it's a wonder why so many gamers remain ignorant of this jewel hidden in the dirt. With its superb soundtrack, intuitive free-running gameplay, and futuristic design, MIRROR'S EDGE could easily be one of the best recent games in the last four years since its release in 2008. However, problems with a shoddy storyline, lack of gunplay, and difficulty level can turn some gamers away. However, this isn't a game you want to miss.
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STORY - 5/10
Thankfully, the majority of MIRROR'S EDGE is focused on free-running the rooftops of a dystopian society in the midst of political upheaval. See, the background of Faith Connors' world - the female protagonist you control - is relatively unknown and remains a mystery to the player and even Faith herself. However, this both helps and harms the way the story is presented. Helps, because the atmosphere of the game is very mysterious, almost dark in some ways. Walk along a white corridor in a top-secret facility and happen to glance in a darkened window? Don't be surprised if you see a guy slumped in a single chair with a light illuminating blood splatters around him. Harms, because you're left in the dust as to what Runners truly are, and unless you go researching fanfiction and wiki, you'll never know.
And so the City is revealed to be a dystopian society governed by one single mayor and his/her cohorts. And that's where the Runners come in - fast, agile, strong humans who refuse to conform to the iron-fisted way of life that the City is ruled under. They, along with countless of incognito citizens around the City, deliver and trade message with various documents and other things not meant to be seen by governmental eyes. It's a promising start, and I would have liked to see a chapter that allowed the player to get to know the other Runners of the City.
The story of MIRROR'S EDGE generally revolves around Faith and her sister, Kate Connors, who's a police officer...dubbed the "Blues" by Faith's superior, Mercury (aka Merc). At the beginning of the story, Kate is summoned to Robert Pope's office, a candidate looking to be elected for mayor against Callaghan. Suddenly, Kate is knocked out and wakes up to find Pope dead with her own bullet lodged in his brain. The setting sounds hopeful for a Farenheit-esque setting, but unfortunately, it's muddled by poor script writing and shallow characters. You won't find yourself even remotely interested in side characters like Faith's sister or Jacknife, a cocky Runner hell-bent on teasing Faith every second he speaks to her. While MIRROR'S EDGE main focus IS on the fluid gameplay, it would've been nice to be given even a remotely interesting story line to boot.
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GRAPHICS - 9/10
The aesthetic of MIRROR'S EDGE's design in everything from buildings, glass, sidewalks, architecture, and interior of buildings is incredible. The palette of MIRROR'S EDGE revolves around the primary colors of red, yellow, green, orange, and blue. There's also a lot of white, but it helps to accentuate the bright colors of billboards, scaffolding, and billowing flags that dot the horizon. It's even more thrilling when you realize you get to free-run through that area, dodging enemy fire along the way.
However, the Xbox 360 version does lack the graphical power the PS3 version boasts, but nonetheless, with no framerate issues found and everything else looking great, it's hard to complain. On both versions, in-game character models aren't exactly exempt from jagged edges. They're almost PlayStation 2 quality.
A lot of complaints about this game also stemmed from the comic book-esque cutscenes, which play out in 2D animations. However, considering MIRROR'S EDGE started out as a comic book, it's something I praise more than degrade.
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SOUNDTRACK -10/10
Watch any YouTube video about video games' best soundtracks, and you can be guaranteed to see MIRROR'S EDGE slapped on there. Solar Fields composed the electronic music that makes up the majority of ME's soundtrack, and with my SteelSeries headphones in, it was pure epic. Tracks range from frantic beats to fill a fight with city cops while more ambient themes help to create the surreal vibe ME displays throughout the game. THe most notably tracks are of course, "Shard," "Kate," and "New Eden." It's a unique combination and one never heard in games before, and it's something I spent money for to buy the OST. It doesn't get much better than Solar Fields.
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GAMEPLAY - 9/10
MIRROR'S EDGE is every traceur's dream; to be able to run the rooftops as a swift, agile, witty woman named Faith Connors with some slick parkour shoes to boot. The majority of the game, minus some tedious gunplay moments in the latter stages of the game, play out as a fluid Runner moving from point A to point B...exactly what a free-runner does. What makes ME's gameplay so successful though is the thrilling adrenaline rush you get from leaping to rooftop to rooftop, sprinting 30 mph across a bridge, climbing a twenty-story atrium, and other thrills among those mentioned. Faith's movements create realism as you control her through the game; the soundtrack helps to create a frantic environment as well, or create a more mellow experience.
DICE was smart to include Faith's limbs in the camera's view to add realism, and there'll be several moments where you're holding your breath as she makes a bold leap from the top of a 30-story building to a 15 in just a few seconds.
Running through levels and going back to do speedruns and beat your score is also a delight left for gamers looking for a challenge. There are also "Runner Bags" that can be picked up in all levels to be collected towards obtaining three achievements, which are plentiful and fun to snag in ME.
Even when the action slows to put your brains to the test to solve a puzzle in a room, surreal ambience and the general design of the room had me simply gazing in disbelief.
Difficulty level jumps from medium to hard in just a few chapters, so even when it seems you're being spoon-fed, it's only the beginning. Those looking to improve their Running skills can replay levels or play Time Trials to learn new acrobatics to more easily train your brain for puzzles and fight-and-flight moments later on in the game. Things rarely slow down for very long, so you'll be crashing through glass, busting doors down, and taking out SWAT teams in no time flat. Are you up for the challenge?
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VERDICT - 9.0/10
MIRROR'S EDGE definitely isn't for those looking for a light, easy game to tackle, but for those that do choose to take on this thrilling ride, it's an experience you won't forget anytime soon. Its breathtaking soundtrack furthers the adrenaline rush from the realism of gameplay and is accentuated by impressive graphics to form the unique world that MIRROR'S EDGE is made from. If you own both consoles, I would recommend the PS3 version, but either way, this is a keeper for sure.
-Bayonetta2013