Falls just short of amazing...

Mirror's Edge did something that has been done before with verying degrees of success: putting a modern spin on a classic idea. At first, I didn't think it would be a good idea to create a platforming game in first person because it seemed to me that the fluidity with which the game flows would contrast with the first person viewpoint. However, I have to say that in the end it worked out very nicely. For most of the game you have this sense of flow that can't be found in most games. However, one thing that frustrated me was the fighting. Contrary to what I wanted in other first person games, I didn't want epic shootouts because they stifle the flow of the game. One other flaw that I found with the game was that the story left a lot to be desired. It's not that the story was bad, but that it felt, at times, quite generic. Other than these small issues, I would have to say that this game is without a doubt one that should be enjoyed by everybody. Don't rent, just go out and buy it.

Butter scraped over too much bread.

Mirror's edge can be fun. It's definately unlike anything I've ever tried before. Unfortunately, the game quickly loses steam. First person free-running is a great idea, but this game doesn't do enough with it to justify an entire game.

The graphics in Mirror's Edge are interesting, but hard on the eyes. The game uses colors in an entirely unique way, using only a few colors in the scheme. The colors you'll be seeing almost soley are red, white, blue, and green. This does look impressive at first, but quickly becomes unnerving. Every area begins to look like every other area, and you lose any feel for where you're going. It also hurts your eyes after prolonged exposure.

The music in the game doesn't fit the game at all. While you're running from building to building, daftly cheating death, there's a very soft and calming ambient sounding technoish music playing. It reminds me of what alot of old Dreamcast games used. It's good music, something that would be good to fall asleep to, but in the game, all it did was take me out of the experience.

The combat in this game is dreadful. You're can only run, jump, slide, kick, or punch your enemies, and while that might seem alot, after five minutes of combat you'll start to feel that you're somewhat limited for someone who can run straight up a wall and jump off a building onto a crane. The biggest problem with this is all your enemies have weapons that can kill you with about three direct shots. And the enemies are pretty accurate. You can pick up these weapons, but when this FPS actually embraces the Shooter aspect, it falls apart. The controlls are clunky, it's VERY difficult to aim, you only have enough shots to kill maybe three enemies, cannot pick up additional ammo for your gun, and can't see how many shots you have in the first place. The most annoying part is that, despite the fact that the characters remind you that it's better to run, and the loading screen tips do so as well, the game likes to put you in a situation where you have no choice other than to fight. The combat quite literally feels like it was tacked on as an after thought.

While we're on afterthoughts, I'll mention that there is a story, and it's as well developed as this paragraph.

This is the basic problem with this game. It doens't feel developed enough to justify an entire game. The game still isn't long; you could easily complete Mirror's Edge in a single night. There are about 9 half hour missions in the game, but despite this, it STILL feels long. I say, with all honesty, that just get the demo. You'll get more enjoyment out of wondering what the rest of the game is like than actually playing it.

The game consists of, basically, get from point A to point B. But there are only about 10 or so freerunning moves you can do, so the obstacles quickly begin to become almost identical and tedious. Combined with the interesting yet bland art the game does, quite literally, feel like you're doing the same level over and over again. Because the combat feels so shallow, I really feel like Mirror's Edge is a great idea that was undeveloped.

Overall, Mirror's Edge is a great idea, and it's real fun to play, but it gets old FAST. The biggest problem overall with this game is that there isn't enough content to justify an entire game. I can't help but think of Portal when playing it. Portal was a great, yet simple. Valve knew that they didn't have enough to justify an entire game, so they made a fun-size, two hour game out of it. If mirror's edge had done this, I'm sure that it would have inspired a cult following worthy of Tom Cruise. Unfortunately, the game stays well past it's welcome, and by the time you finish, you'll feel the sense of relief you do when your awkward relatives finally leave after christmas dinner.