Orderoftheflame

Mirrors Edge is a unique new idea from Digital Illusions CE, incorporating the gameplay of a free-running action platformer, into the feel of a first person shooter.

Although Mirrors Edge wasn’t particularly well advertised during it’s early life, it was a game I was intrigued by. A completely new style and look, with gameplay not really seen in any first person game before. However it was only when the initial gameplay trailers were released that I got excited.

The trailers showed fast movement, flowing over objects on rooftops, with fantastic graphics and a hint of good story. Unfortunately however the full game struggles to provide any of these things.

Whilst a fresh and original idea, the use of a first person view for what is essentially a platforming game has not worked on this occasion. The gameplay doesn’t retain any of the flow from the trailers, and there are many other flaws with key gameplay elements. Combat particularly feels very broken, and mis-timing the precise action sequences results in regular death.

The game also feels very repetitive, with the same animations used over and over regularly. This repetitiveness also continues into the look of the game, with many of the environments looking identical apart from their colour. The graphics are a considerable let down compared to the trailer, and the PS3 version of the game suffers extensively from aliasing (I usually don’t find this too annoying, however due to the large amount of straight edges from the buildings, it’s particularly noticeable on this occasion).

The other major disapointment for me was the story of the game. The plot twists were extremely predictable, and the methods of getting the story across I found to be particularly poor. Short cut-scenes at the end of each mission, with graphics that I found to be a joke. The setting of the story gave it potential to be good, but in my opinion it was a second thought for the game that had very little effort put into it.

In the end, Mirrors edge was so disappointing because of what I expected from it. To be fair, it’s not completely terrible, but it is below average by today’s standards. Whilst I admire DICE for attempting a new idea, I can’t forgive them for not putting the effort into this game.

If you’re looking for an interesting new game involving fast paced running over roof tops, with excellent combat sequences and a gripping plot, settle for an older game and buy Assassin’s Creed. Mirrors Edge is worth playing, but only in my opinion if you manage to pick it up cheap.