{"id":76815,"date":"2023-12-06T09:17:52","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T15:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=76815"},"modified":"2023-12-06T09:17:57","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T15:17:57","slug":"mirrors-edge-fun-fast-paced-and-vibrant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=76815","title":{"rendered":"‘Mirror’s Edge’: Fun, fast-paced and vibrant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By NICK McCOY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Movement in video games, similar to something like health, is rarely put into the forefront. It is simply a matter of how a player gets through each level, whether it be running, jumping or climbing. There are games that do put some emphasis on movement: \u201cPrince of Persia\u201d<\/a> had rotoscope animations to make the movement look as realistic as possible, while series like \u201cAssassin\u2019s Creed\u201d and \u201cUncharted\u201d focus more on climbing and traversal. However, very few games make movement their one and only focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That changed, however, when DICE, the company behind the \u201cBattlefield\u201d series, alongside publisher Electronic Arts, announced \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d, a first-person platformer game heavily inspired by the increasingly popular parkour movement. When the game was released in 2008, players and critics alike were enamored with its vibrant art-style, beautiful music and fast-paced gameplay, which put all of its emphasis on running, climbing, and jumping as fast and smoothly as you could. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d was developed by Swedish company DICE, and published by Electronic Arts. Best known for the \u201cBattlefield\u201d series, DICE was inspired to create \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d due to the growing popularity of parkour in the late 2000s. Other major influences were chase scenes in action movies, most specifically the opening scene of the James Bond film \u201cCasino Royale.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>

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Having recently played this game, I can say that, despite a few rougher edges here and there, \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d is a great experience that I would recommend to anyone. Its instantly recognizable visuals, pulsing techno soundtrack and beautiful main theme, and of course, immersive, parkour-focused gameplay make it one of the most unique and fun games on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • Released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in November 2008, and for PCs in January 2009. <\/li>
  • Heavily inspired by the parkour movement, and chase sequences in the film \u201cCasino Royale\u201d and the \u201cBourne\u201d franchise.<\/li>
  • Over hundreds of different animations were used for the game\u2019s movement<\/li>
  • Followed by a sequel\/reboot, \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge: Catalyst\u201d in 2016<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d takes place in an unnamed city in the near future, where an oppressive regime has made crime nearly non-existent, at the cost of individual freedoms, constant surveillance and severe punishments for anyone who steps out of line. Players assume control of Faith Connors, who lost her mother in a riot protesting the regime years before the events of the game. Faith is a member of the Runners, a group of couriers who deliver sensitive information to clients outside of the city\u2019s jurisdiction.  The game\u2019s story focuses on Faith as she tries to help her twin sister Kate, a city police officer, who has been framed for the murder of mayoral candidate Robert Pope, while also uncovering a mysterious government project as she tries to uncover the truth. Her journey sees her evading police, dealing with corrupt officials and of course, running as fast as humanly possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The story is, unfortunately, not the game\u2019s strong suit; this is largely due to the fact that \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d can be completed in around four to five hours, so many of the story beats just aren\u2019t given enough time to develop. That being said, it\u2019s still an enjoyable story, and does its job decently well despite the short length. Really, the strengths for me are the writing and the voice acting, and the world presented here is one I find really interesting, despite it not being fully cooked. While she is far from the most interesting protagonist, Faith is still a solid main character and certainly stands out amongst other protagonists of the time. Her character design is also simply top notch. So, while the narrative is not what you should play \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d for, it is passable and does have its high points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Played from the first person perspective, \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d tasks players with navigating the game\u2019s protagonist, Faith, through various levels by running, climbing and jumping across various obstacles, all while avoiding or fighting enemies. \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d features a vibrant, minimalist art style that makes heavy use of primary colors, mainly reds and blues.<\/strong>

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    The first thing you will notice about \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d is its artstyle. Despite being 15 years old at this point, the game hasn\u2019t aged a day. Most of the cutscenes are shown using a cel-shaded, animated style, which adds a lot to the game\u2019s aesthetic. Even the few in-engine cutscenes look really good for the time. However, the game\u2019s environment is where the game\u2019s artstyle truly shines. \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d uses a very vibrant color palette, which makes strong use of primary colors. The entirety of the city is rendered in white, while interior levels make strong use of blues, oranges, reds, and greens. Red is the main color you\u2019ll see throughout the game, and this goes beyond just an artistic choice; Every object highlighted in red is something Faith can climb on. \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d\u2019s aesthetic not only makes it feel timeless but also gives it such a unique edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The gameplay of \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d is one of its most unique aspects. As I mentioned before, there are certainly other games that put movement at the forefront. Another good example of this is 2015\u2019s \u201cDying Light,\u201d which puts much emphasis on parkour and evading zombies by sticking to rooftops. However, what makes \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d stand out is that its entire identity is based on movement and parkour. In each of the game\u2019s nine chapters (10 if you count the prologue), you will guide Faith across rooftops, office buildings, storm drains and more. Each level puts its focus on one thing: getting to the end as fast and as smoothly as possible by running, jumping, and climbing. Faith can perform a variety of acrobatic moves, from wall running, swinging from poles, and rolling to prevent hard falls. By performing these moves without stopping or without losing momentum, players enter the \u201cFlow State,\u201d where every move is significantly faster. This entire system, when performed well, is incredibly satisfying, and makes replaying each chapter rewarding as you try and find optimal paths to succeed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now, in each level, there are enemies you have to deal with. Most, if not all, of the levels will eventually lead to the police chasing Faith down. This is where the other aspects of the game come in: combat and gunplay, and much like the story, it certainly isn\u2019t the game\u2019s strong suit. It certainly isn\u2019t bad, but is far from perfect. Excusing some mandatory combat sections near the end, it is entirely possible to run past enemies without engaging them, but sometimes, it is best to fight them. Combat just involves punching and kicking enemies a number of times, with the player being able to perform a sliding and jumping kick that deals much more damage. Players can also disarm enemies if they press a button at the right time, or can pick up guns from defeated enemies. One thing to note is that engaging multiple enemies in melee combat at once is a death sentence. Instead, you should focus on one enemy at a time, and either run away from the others or try to take them out, too. Although I would be lying if I said I didn\u2019t have fun with the combat, it drastically slows down the pacing of the game, and simply isn\u2019t as satisfying as the running and flow mechanics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This leads into my biggest criticism of this game. Now, as I said before, when all the movement systems worked perfectly, \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d was a fun, smooth and satisfying experience. Unfortunately, the game could also be really finicky. There are certainly times where this can be blamed on my lack of skill, and the movement system is admittedly a bit hard to get the hang of at first. However, there were also plenty of instances where Faith simply didn\u2019t do what I wanted her to do, or something happened that shouldn\u2019t. There were several instances where an innocent looking drop resulted in her hard fall, completely stopping my momentum. There were also a few times that I would hold the jump button to do a wall run, but instead, Faith plummets several stories to her death. It didn\u2019t happen often enough for me to knock points, but it was always frustrating when it did occur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d features an electronic soundtrack composed by Swedish musician Magnus Birgersson, better known by his stage name Solar Fields (left). A prolific electronic musician who has released 15 albums as of 2022, Fields would also lend his work to the game\u2019s sequel\/reboot, \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge Catalyst.\u201d \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d also features Swedish singer Lisa Miskovsky (right), who lends her voice to the game\u2019s main theme, \u201cStill Alive\u201d.\u00a0<\/strong>

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    I also really need to talk about this game\u2019s soundtrack. \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d contains heavy use of techno and electronica in its music, all of which was produced by Swedish musician Solar Fields. The music in this game adds so much to the overall experience; it ranges from pulsing and heavy during chase sequences and certain story moments, while also calm and serene. The second effect is perfectly exemplified by the game\u2019s menu music, and \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d\u2019s phenomenal main theme, \u201cStill Alive.\u201d Produced by Solar Fields and featuring singer Lisa Miskovsky, \u201cStill Alive\u201d is an amazing piece of music, capturing the game\u2019s bleak but hopeful tone perfectly. Whether it\u2019s played during the beginning cinematic or during the end credits, it\u2019s one of the underrated and amazing themes of any video game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d certainly has its issues, and I completely understand if some people aren\u2019t able to get into it. However, even with its problems, it is still a fun and thoroughly unique experience that stands out amongst other titles, both in 2008 and even today. Its fast paced parkour gameplay features some really fun mechanics and, when done perfectly, gives a level of satisfaction some games can only dream of. All in all, I enjoyed my time in \u201cMirror\u2019s Edge\u201d, and anyone looking for a short but sweet title should absolutely check this game out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Nick McCoy is a senior at Fort Hays State University, studying digital media and journalism. An avid gamer and music listener, he reviews video games and songs and hosts the radio show \u201cThe Understanding of Nick\u201d for KFHS. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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