I abhor the first-person perspective. It just doesn’t work for me. It somehow messes up my sense of movement, and I usually feel dizzy. However, this hasn’t completely stopped me from playing the occasional first-person shooter. Metroid Prime is a blast, and Half-Life 2 is one of the slickest shooters in existence. But for some odd reason, I felt compelled to play one of the more unique first-person games available: Mirror’s Edge for the PlayStation 3. And it is definitely worth your time if you can understand its quirks.
Mirror’s Edge is about a 24-year-old woman named Faith. Faith isn’t like most women. She is a runner. Taken literally, she cannot stand staying put in one place for too long. For the purpose of the game, a runner is a carrier of things that people might not want others looking into. Especially the dictatorial government. It’s not a bad way to make a living, but it is a dangerous one as the police will relentlessly hunt down runners. Faith would have continued her dangerous living except one major thing happened: Someone framed her twin sister Kate for murder. So here’s the question Mirror’s Edge asks you: How far are you willing to go to exonerate a sibling?
Mirror’s Edge is full of propaganda during elevator rides. This mainly consists of advertisings supporting the government. And how bad is wearing red and running? As a sport, running is one of the healthiest activities. But if all a person does is run away from things, especially responsibilities, then that is not a good thing. So what do we need running for? That is something you’ll have to answer on your own.
First things first, the graphics in the game are amazing. Everything is seen, literally, from the first-person perspective. Faith’s limbs are seen as you make her run across the various environments. You can even look all the way down at the floor and rooftops and see her feet. Heck, even the few times that there are mirrors you can clearly see her body. Environments have a nice, overly clean look. Of course, it should considering how clearly the government keeps things running. The cutscenes, on the other hand, are quite different. They consist of watching Faith’s interactions from the third-person perspective. Plus, it is done in the cel-shaded style. Some folks will like this, and others will not. I think it is rather cool as it mirrors the game’s themes.
Anyway, you are probably wondering how Mirror’s Edge plays. Faith runs, jumps, slides, wall runs and climbs over the environments. Sometimes it is tricky figuring out where to go and how to get there. Thankfully, there is the handy dandy hint button that will orient you toward Faith’s current goal. It doesn’t tell you how to get there. But the most important thing is to keep her momentum going because it can make crossing obstacles easier. If a situation is too difficult for you to traverse, you can slow time for a few moments to have a tactical advantage over the enemy or environment. Of course, you are trading movement for responsiveness.
Combat is present in Mirror’s Edge. Some people claim that it isn’t satisfying. And I disagree with this statement. Yes, guns are present in the game. Yes, you can disarm your opponent (this can be tricky at times) and use it against them. However, that is not Faith’s main weapon. Her primary weapon is her speed, which allows her to avoid attacks and move forward; her secondary weapon is her body. When those work in tandem, she can easily dispatch any opponent. The downside is that the enemy almost always uses deadly force. It isn’t always fair, so this makes combat sections work like a clockwork puzzle. What is the best way to approach your enemies so Faith can make it out alive? The best part of all of this besides the awesome sense of achievement? The simple fact that if you mess up and Faith dies, you’re only sent a few minutes back.
The sound in Mirror’s Edge is done well. The music is mostly techno, with drums rolling during combat, which makes for intense situations. The title screen music is oddly soothing and ethereal. Sound design is also done well with Faith grunting while climbing objects (or falling a bit too far), chain fences rattle as she climbs over them, footsteps are heard as she runs around the environment and gunfire is heard. Voice acting is also top-notch and perfectly fits each character. At first, I thought Merc’s (Faith’s “supervisor” and friend) voice didn’t fit. But it grew on me. Hearing him make comments about what I needed to do was a nice touch of immersion. Be warned, though! The language in the game pushes the limits of a “T” rating as it is exceedingly coarse.
In conclusion, Mirror’s Edge is a solid platformer. And I really enjoyed it. This is the only first-person game that I didn’t get dizzy while playing. Well, most of the time. What kept me going was the emotionally charged story. Never before had I seen a story unfold before me in such a manner. The controls are tight and responsive, though they take a bit getting use to as jumping from one building to another can take some practice. Mirror’s Edge gives me faith in the first-person perspective. Add in a dose of political philosophy, and it is something that can give people a lot to think about. If you have a next-generation console and $20 to spare, go grab it! If you have any reservations, there is a nicely sized demo available from the PlayStation Network. Mirror’s Edge has become one of my favorite PS3 games. That is no small feat.
