Meltdown

Game Title: Mirror's Edge
Developer: EA Digital Illusions CE (EA DICE)
Genre: First Person Action-Adventure; Platformer
Rating: T
Release date: November 12, 2008 (360 + PS3); January 13, 2009 (PC)
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Game Overview: Mirror's Edge is a new, creative game from our friends (sometimes enemies) over at EA. Set in the near future in a huge city, where a totalitarian leader rules with an iron fist. All communication is now done electronicly, so that the police may monitor any and all information. To counter this, revolutionary groups spring up all over, and protest against the new leaders. Since all forms of electronic communication are monitered by police, the groups have what they call "Runners" to transfer information to each other. Runners are courriers, carrying packages and information, from group to group. They do this by using Parkour (a french athletic practice, involving moving from Point A to Point B, then back to A, in the most quick, efficient way possible. It involves vaults, jumps, wall-runs, flips, climbing, and anything else. It's all about overcoming obsticals, both mental and physical. The word itself is derived from a french word which means "The art of movement."). Using the rooftops to stay out of sight, runners are common targets for police who want to crush the information lines.

You control Faith Connors, a female runner who appears to be of Euro-Japanese decent. Embarking over 10 missions, you need to move from point A to point B as quickly as possible. To do so, you need to overcome various obsticles, such as ziplining from building to building, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, climbing pipes, crawlingthrough vents, wallrunning, vaulting, and various other techniques. As you progress, police forces will try to stop you in a violent manner, using patrol officers, riot cops, SWAT teams, and even helicopters. This requires that you fight enemies in hand to hand combat to knock them out, or simply try to run past them. It is also possible to disarm them, or to pick up the weapon from a KOd officer and fire back at other enemies, though use of weapons and killing of enemies is somthing the game encourages you not to do. The desginers means the game to be about overcoming obsticles, not a first person shooter. Also, if no one noticed, the game's symbol is actually just a red silhouette of Faith's eye and tattoo.

To compliment this journey, you have an amazing soundtrack. Composed by famed Ambient artist Solar Fields, the soundtrack concists of 40 different songs, changing depending on level, combat situation, puzzles, chases, etc. The theme song, titled Still Alive, also composed by Solar Fields, with guest female vocals by Lisa Miskovsky, is a beautiful composition in it's own, and really has a setting in the game.

The Ratings
1. Audio: 10
The audio in this game is aboslutely beautiful. Each song fits the game so well and sets a gorgeous backdrop for the entire game. It's a soundtrack that you can listen to on your own and still enjoy. Here is a sample.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGeL4FtvIQ0

2. Graphics: 10
The graphics are actually quite breathtaking. They look very realistic and radiant. The graphics on PC are even more amazing, with physics that would blow your mind, although most PCs can't handle the graphics yet.
Example - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQJlpMwyK5Q

3. Controls: 8
The controls are pretty damn tight. Easy to use and easy to learn. Only complaint here is that it seems like sometimes when you do certain maneuvers, you don't do what you attempt.

4. Content: 9
There is quite a bit to do in this game, from the story to the achievements to the time trials and speed runs. They are also releasing map packs, the most recent one came out last week, as well as 2 more installments in the series.

5. Replayability: 6
Sadly, when you are like me, and you finish the games achievements off... there isn't a lot of motivation to go back and play it again. I do finds myself craving to play from time to time, but it's not like, say, GTA, where you can just enjoy yourself outside of a storyline or time limit.

6. Refresh: 7
The game is great fun, and the concept of the game in general is enough to keep you going. But in the end, you realyl are just doing the same moves over and over. It's just how good the designers change up where you use these moves that keeps the game on edge.

7. Story: 8
The story is interesting and enticing. Though it ends too soon. It also seems like it was rushed, and it could easily be ignored, though I did like it. Again, this is just the first in a trilogy of games.

8. Innovation: 10
Hands down one of the most innovative games in years. They took a great concept, and made an amazing game out of it. They not only made a parkour game, but they made it more than just a parkour game, they gave it reason.

9. Getting Into It: 10
Once I started playing this game I just couldn't stop. It's very addicting and so easy to get into with the simple controls.

10. Game Length:7
I beat it in a day. But then again, I beat a lot of games in a day. I'm jsut that good. But with only 10 levels, including the prologue, it is a pretty short game. Levels are long, but if you get as good at it as I am, you blow right through them.


OVERALL SCORE
8.5 out of 10

Final Comment
I definately suggest picking this game up. It has easily become one of my favorites. Though for some people out there, you may want to at least rent it. You could beat it while you have it. But I purchased it because of the fun I have with it while it was still new.

I liked Mirrors Edge a LOT.
It was certainly lacking in a lot of areas, like length, but it was still a very solid game for what it's worth.

Time Trial mode is a total nigger.

I still stand on my decision not to buy this game because of my suspicions of this being a one time playthrough game.

It kind of is, unless you play for achievements. In that case, there ar ehidden packeges to find, re-beating in hard mode, playing through without shooting any enemies, etc.

And time trials are yes, extremely hard.
But if you don't want to buy it, at least give it a rent. It is an amazingly fun game.

Four hours long. Also, the game has no fucking story. GRR CORPORATIONS BAD. THEY WATCH US & CLEAN THE CITY. No signs of real evil.

Trevor have you played and beaten the game?

It's short as hell but it isn't four hours long.

Yeah really.

And what do you mean there's no story? You just don't pay attention... at all... because there is story involving Faith's family, childhood, reason for the corruption, what has changed, why they have runners, etc. It has nothing to do with corperations at all... or cleaning the city...

Christian blew through it in four hours, no joke. In any case, I played the damn game at a friend's. I beat it the same day. I know, Project Icarus, assasinations, protests, the cop sister, all of it. But they go into NO detail concerning the omnipotent evil government, or just why they're so damn evil. The story felt detached, it gave me no real reason to care. About anything. Don't get me wrong, the game is a blast, I love the idea so much I'd have sex with it, but the story was weak, & the characters are pretty...erm, to be kind, stoic. And, to hit the final point, the cutscenes were pretty bad. Poorly written dialogue & flimsy presentation an epic cutscene do not make. But at the end of the day, the gameplay more than makes up for it, it was a great game, & I loved it.

Stop basing all of your judgment on your friend Christian.

Besides, did you ever stop and think that other players play games at a slower pace? Someone probably beat the game in two hours, and someone probably beat it over the course of a weekend. Why would you want to "blow through it" when you can sit down and immerse yourself in to?


Awaiting your snide comment about how wrong I am.

You're not wrong, you play in a different style. All I am saying is that if one sits down & seriously attempts to beat the game, it will take a little over 4 hours.

Awaiting everyone yelling at me for my opinions on the games storyline.

This is the internet, damn you! You're not allowed to have opinions!

*Fun Police enters*

HEY WHAT'S GOING ON DID I JUST HEAR AN OPINION?!?!

OHSHI-

And on topic, Mirror's Edge is one of my favorite platforming/action/parkour game ever. Actually, no, my favorite platforming/action/parkour game ever. Actually, scratch that, the only platforming/action/parkour game ever. But really, I love it, even the somewhat medicore action (shotgun shell/butt to the face is still satisfying minus blood).

HOFUX

The fun police aren't going to scare many people when their doing dry fire practice drills.
Check them MP5A4s. They got no magazines in them.

The more you know <3

They only need one bullet.