In a city where information is heavily monitored, agile couriers called Runners transport sensitive data away from prying eyes. In this seemingly utopian paradise, a crime has been committed, your sister has been framed and now you are being hunted. You are a Runner called Faith — and this innovative first-person action-adventure is your story.
With Mirror's edge DICE have come up with a unique and interesting new way to play out the standard platform medium.
This is a FPP (First Person Platformer), seen through the eyes of Faith a runner this game takes on the growing popularity of parkour and free-running and gives it an inventive and insightful plot.
The visual style is an element to itself in Mirror's edge, all though we are told the city is rotten and corrupt it gleams and sparkles with all the false pretence we have come to understand from corporate take over. Almost every surface shines and flares which is a visual treat even at high speed.
The first person view is one we normally equate with shooters and is used to give an empathetic and visceral view of the game world we are presented with. This works brilliantly with the premise of Mirror's edge, the key here is to fight as little as possible but to run as hard as you can. In some places the lack of personal perspective can be off-putting, in the real world you could feel when your feet reach the edge of a thirty storey drop as opposed to having to look down which you need to do fairly consistently throughout the game.
The red highlighted trail means that the game pushes you to always be thinking one step ahead, one foot in front of your pursuers; and once in a free flowing run the game feels seamless and fluid in all the right ways.
The attention to detail in physicality is also superb, vertigo and blurred vision occur from looking down or catching the edge of a long jump really do add to the feel of being in control of Faith's physical prowess.
The story is engaging if a little short, taking you through betrayal, solidarity and revelation.
All in all Mirror's edge provides a new view on a common and loved gaming tradition in which you should suspend your disbelief and revel in the experience and glorious landscape of the runner.