244: Stumbling Through Mirror's Edge

[Shrewsbury]

I played the PC version for about 5 minutes with a controller before I got pissed off, gave up and played with the mouse and keyboard. It really did feel like a game designed for that control scheme, and I do recommend anyone who got annoyed with the controls to try them on PC.

 

[Bagaloo]

I really enjoyed Mirror's Edge, much like some of the other posters here I wasn't bothered too much by its shortcomings; it was just fun to figure out the fastest routes, and try to be as stylish as possible while doing it.

Also, it had a kick-ass soundtrack, I love the Mirror's Edge theme.

 

[dochmbi]

I never noticed any of the flaws, in my mind Mirrors Edge is and will always be a perfect game, I don't know why I love it so much, I didn't even know of it until shortly before release.

 

[ben---neb]

I both loved and hated Mirror's Edge. I loved the running and jumping part, I loved some of the running away from bad guys part. Several levels were fantastic in their design.

But I hated the combat, I was rubbish at disarming, the brain washed runners just annoyed me and it always interrupted the flow of the gameplay.

I just wanted a game where I could run.

 

[Irridium]

Mirrors Edge was amazing. And despite all its flaws, its still more immersive to me than any other first person game. And for 1 reason: I can see my feet when I look down.

It may seem like a small detail, but nothing, nothing kills immersion faster than looking down and realising your just a floating camera with arms.

 

[Broady Brio]

Only played the demo, so I can only say it is quite original and brightly coloured.

 

[oldmanwynter]

Mirrors Edge was an awesome game. It had NO FLAWS. All the flaws were just players whinging about indoor levels and stuff that they did not understand. Crybabies indeed.

Personally I hope that they do not change a single thing for Mirrors Edge 2.

I don't know, I for one could have done without a few of the gunfights. I think ME was an awesome game, a great pioneer for a different game style. But, like any game it had it's ups and downs. Here's to looking forward to an even awesome-er sequel!

 

[Wicky_42]

Nice article - captures the essence of what held the game back well. So often I would run into a room, start looking for the next platform to leap to then get filled with lead because apparently this room was where you went all masterchief on their asses.

In designing the combat areas, I would have simply ensured that you could ALWAYS run through. It should be possible to play a pacifist in a game that's all about running. Then again, maybe that's a commentary that no matter how hard we try, we cannot always escape violence, the inevitability of conflict catching up no matter how hard you run... or perhaps I'm reading too much into this and Dice just couldn't abandon shooting completely.

 

[nonW00t]

Every critic has to be a critic, it's why they're paid to be critics. lol And to each their own, I guess. I found this game simply incredible, but then I also guess I'm a more easy to please gamer than most. I marvel in the feel of Mirror's Edge, from the visuals, story, and characters (especially when a female lead). But that's just me, too appreciative maybe, having coming into the modern gaming world later than most. But I found the game great fun and hope for more like it! Now for it's length it was quite overpriced, which IMO was what held the game back most. (But then again I never buy a game right out of the gate anyway unless it's a MAJOR desire. heh)

As for the combat, my god, wtf with that already? Flight over fight, sort of, but come on, the whole point of the game was the character was not a fighter! The combat was what it was, not as refined as actual shooters -- ON PURPOSE! Geez.

 

[AntiAntagonist]

Funny thing was taking the pacifist route (never using the guns, just disarming) made the game pretty fun and challenging. I'd get many of the same feelings from 90's platformers where I'd have to understand everything on a game logic level. The room wasn't a simple equation to be overturned with a few swift kicks or a frenzy of button mashing. Each room was a series of hurdles with specific timing for victory.

Play the game more like the original MegaMan and less like a modern shooter/action game. I'd definitely agree that the designers didn't present their case this way though.

 

[WestMountain]

I hope they are going to do what Ubisoft did to Assassins Creed 2 with Mirrors Edge 2, take away most of the flaws and make it super enjoyable :]

 

[achilleas.k]

I'd get many of the same feelings from 90's platformers where I'd have to understand everything on a game logic level.

That's exactly how I felt only I couldn't put it into words. You have to feel the way the game lets you play. It's like the original Super Mario Bros., where you had to understand the timing of pressing the jump key when stomping on a baddie, or how far a jump can take you if you chain it with a jump from a higher location.

Games these days are too "standardised" in that regard. There's no flow. Whether you jump forward from a standstill, jump while you're sprinting or jump after running up a ramp, it just feels the same.

 

[beemoh]

I hope they are going to do what Ubisoft did to Assassins Creed 2 with Mirrors Edge 2, take away most of the flaws and make it super enjoyable :]

But hopefully not tie it down with The World's Most Arse Backwards DRM.

Also: parklife!

 

[silvain]

In designing the combat areas, I would have simply ensured that you could ALWAYS run through. It should be possible to play a pacifist in a game that's all about running. Then again, maybe that's a commentary that no matter how hard we try, we cannot always escape violence, the inevitability of conflict catching up no matter how hard you run... or perhaps I'm reading too much into this and Dice just couldn't abandon shooting completely.

This is the winning answer. The fact that shooting was in the game at all was a bit of betrayal to the flow of the game. The inevitability of violence thing is silly thing to put in a game; conflict will catch up, but you still can get out of it a different way. Just look at Ghandi.

Anyway, I liked the game, but not enough to experiment for hours with the time trials, once I figured out how hard they were to get good at. I would have preferred first person, honestly. The tunnel vision of first person is not something I've ever done well with, and parkour's all about using different things in your environment anyway, but I can understand others feel differently than I do.

 

[reg42]

I actually stopped playing this game, because the stop/start gameplay annoyed the shit out of me. If it was all free-running it would have been much, much better.

 

[talkstogod]

I love this game, one of my favorite on the 360, but I agree that the plot is nonsensical. Skippable cutscenes minimize that, though.

My main problem is with the slow combat. Yes, the learning curve is a little steep compared to some other games, but with practice you can combo parry/one-hit-kill virtually anyone. This is great. The problem is whenever you are forced to hide, wait, or fight from cover the momentum for the game breaks... it's not particularly hard (compared to, say COD) but it stops the game cold. It's the equivalent of putting mandatory GH boss stages in a FPS. ("You may have infiltrated my base, but can you survive Through the Fire and Flames on expert???")

 

[True Nero]

Mirrors Edge was an awesome game. It had NO FLAWS. All the flaws were just players whinging about indoor levels and stuff that they did not understand. Crybabies indeed.

Personally I hope that they do not change a single thing for Mirrors Edge 2.

ok, i wouldn't say the game is broken, but i DEFINATLY would not go as far as to say that it had no flaws.

personally, i liked the indoor sections of the game, it gave a whole sense of realism to the world that we were pretty much plunked into, and seeing construction equipment, cars, unopened stalls in the mall, and the elevator articles all gave a sense of "this is a believable place" that gamers like me are looking for, what i DIDN'T like was one of the first things that came up in the original article. the combat.

oh dear god this was awful, every fight for me consisted of running at an enemy, slide kick to the nuts, the punch till he falls down. if he doesn't fall down fast enough or has a really big gun, i slow motion and disarm. there really wasn't much as far as variety with practicality goes.

also, the game felt too short, the hint button was no use at all during the first play through, and the games intentions felt very schizophrenic, i.e. wanting to fit 12 hours of ideas into a 8 hour game. but now i'm just nit-picking. if anything, this article made me want to play it again... and i think i shall.

 

[TitsMcGee1804]

i also get intimidated by the dirty pigeons, they love a bit of it!

you legend

 

[BobisOnlyBob]

I beat Mirror's Edge using only 2 disarms (on the mandatory boss disarm section) and 1 weapon (the sniper rifle provided against a truck). At no point did I disarm anyone else, or use a single firearm against a human.

I did, however, kick about a hundred men in the balls.

And I enjoyed it a lot!

The server room was ridiculously hard, though.

 

[Miral]

All the parkour stuff was really fun, and I liked the storyline too (although it went by far too fast -- you barely get introduced to people before they get their twist revelation). The combat was the major downer.

I made the choice beforehand to try to avoid using weapons at all (despite playing on PC so not having an achievement to earn for it). For the most part this was pretty straightforward and felt good and in tune with the game's theme. But in some areas (especially the opening area of the ship, where you arrive in the back of a truck) it got just a little too tedious (wipe out three guys, run for the fourth but just a little too slow and you're dead. Rinse and repeat.) Oddly enough I don't remember having nearly as much trouble in the server room.

I'm glad there's going to be a sequel, though.