‘Mirror’s Edge’: Fun, fast-paced and vibrant

By NICK McCOY

Tiger Media Network

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: “Prince of Persia” had rotoscope animations to make the movement look as realistic as possible, while series like “Assassin’s Creed” and “Uncharted” focus more on climbing and traversal. However, very few games make movement their one and only focus. 

That changed, however, when DICE, the company behind the “Battlefield” series, alongside publisher Electronic Arts, announced “Mirror’s Edge”, 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. 

Having recently played this game, I can say that, despite a few rougher edges here and there, “Mirror’s Edge” 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.

• Released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in November 2008, and for PCs in January 2009. 
• Heavily inspired by the parkour movement, and chase sequences in the film “Casino Royale” and the “Bourne” franchise.
• Over hundreds of different animations were used for the game’s movement
• Followed by a sequel/reboot, “Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst” in 2016

“Mirror’s Edge” 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’s jurisdiction.  The game’s 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. 

The story is, unfortunately, not the game’s strong suit; this is largely due to the fact that “Mirror’s Edge” can be completed in around four to five hours, so many of the story beats just aren’t given enough time to develop. That being said, it’s 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 “Mirror’s Edge” for, it is passable and does have its high points. 

The first thing you will notice about “Mirror’s Edge” is its artstyle. Despite being 15 years old at this point, the game hasn’t aged a day. Most of the cutscenes are shown using a cel-shaded, animated style, which adds a lot to the game’s aesthetic. Even the few in-engine cutscenes look really good for the time. However, the game’s environment is where the game’s artstyle truly shines. “Mirror’s Edge” 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’ll see throughout the game, and this goes beyond just an artistic choice; Every object highlighted in red is something Faith can climb on. “Mirror’s Edge”’s aesthetic not only makes it feel timeless but also gives it such a unique edge.

The gameplay of “Mirror’s Edge” 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’s “Dying Light,” which puts much emphasis on parkour and evading zombies by sticking to rooftops. However, what makes “Mirror’s Edge” stand out is that its entire identity is based on movement and parkour. In each of the game’s 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 “Flow State,” 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. 

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’t the game’s strong suit. It certainly isn’t 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’t have fun with the combat, it drastically slows down the pacing of the game, and simply isn’t as satisfying as the running and flow mechanics. 

This leads into my biggest criticism of this game. Now, as I said before, when all the movement systems worked perfectly, “Mirror’s Edge” 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’t do what I wanted her to do, or something happened that shouldn’t. 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’t happen often enough for me to knock points, but it was always frustrating when it did occur. 

I also really need to talk about this game’s soundtrack. “Mirror’s Edge” 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’s menu music, and “Mirror’s Edge”’s phenomenal main theme, “Still Alive.” Produced by Solar Fields and featuring singer Lisa Miskovsky, “Still Alive” is an amazing piece of music, capturing the game’s bleak but hopeful tone perfectly. Whether it’s played during the beginning cinematic or during the end credits, it’s one of the underrated and amazing themes of any video game. 

“Mirror’s Edge” certainly has its issues, and I completely understand if some people aren’t 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 “Mirror’s Edge”, and anyone looking for a short but sweet title should absolutely check this game out. 

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 “The Understanding of Nick” for KFHS.