 |
| On the run again. |
2008's Mirror's Edge was a sleeper hit when it released and for years, fans were clamouring for a sequel. In 2016, Mirror's Edge Catalyst released and was a follow-up to the original game. Serving as a reboot, we play as an entirely new Faith Conners in an equally new world to run around in. Developed by DICE studio and published by... EA, Mirror's Edge Catalyst shaped up to be an ambitious return for the series. So is Catalyst just as good as the original game? Mostly...
We follow Faith Conners, a courier or "Runner" who delivers sensitive info to clients while evading the surveillance of corporations, who rule the city of Glass. After been released from prison, Faith must run again delivering packages, though this time she stumbles upon a corporate conspiracy that threatens the freedom of Galss' inhabitants. The story was the weakest aspect as important backstory to Faith and certain characters are tied to a comic and hidden recordings to find, making the story fell shallow as a result. That and the characters were forgettable and one-dimensional, which made it hard to care about them during the game's twists. Worse yet is that the ending was abrupt and without a payoff, while also teasing a sequel. Personally, I would've preferred that it acted as a continuation to Mirror's Edge and build its world and characters instead.
 |
| While a reboot, the story leaves a lot to be desired. |
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a first-person parkour game where you control Faith as she runs around Glass City, climbing rooftops and evading danger. You do all that by running around, building enough momentum to jump large gaps and hang on to ledges and poles, to reach the other side-- while also looking as cool as possible. Runner vision will highlight your path in red, guiding you to your objectives. The shooting mechanic from the original was thankfully removed, as that felt clunky and tacked-on. Now, you'll beat enemies with punch and kick attacks while also using environmental attacks. The combat was fun but the AI was mostly dumb as it didn't do a good job of fighting back.
New additions in Catalyst are the hookshot ability that lets you zip through wide gaps and swinging between ledges. The game also has a levelling system that unlock new skills and upgrades for Faith by completing missions. Such upgrades include extended health, extra damage to enemies, and a shock ability that disrupts cameras and enemies. Also, Catalyst ditches the linear gameplay of the original in favor of an open-world design, letting you freely explore Glass city and partake in its activities. It sucked that it was mostly empty with few NPCs to talk with.
 |
| The gameplay is an improvement over the original. |
Catalyst took around 8-10 hours to beat the main story and side-missions. Other activities to check out were timed delivery jobs, billboards to hack, completing mazes optional level (that unlock fast travel), and dash challenges and enemy fights. There's a good amount of side-content to partake in, though they got repetitive and boring quickly.
No surprise, Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a stylish game. From the bright colors of the art-style to the glossy buildings dominating the city, the game oozes with visual flair. I liked how vibrant the city was at night, as areas like Ocean Pier looked beautiful. Also, details such as seeing Faith's reflections on glass windows were cool too. Sadly, the animated cut-scenes of OG Mirror's Edge are replaced with in-game cut-scenes, which were decent. The game ran smoothly despite some clipping issues. As for the voicework it was decent though nothing special. Solar Fields returns to compose the soundtrack and it's packed with some good tracks. My favorite was "Warning Call" made in collaboration with the band Chvrches.
 |
| Catalyst is still a great-looking game years later. |
Mirror's Edge Catalyst was a fun time, but left me disappointed. Sure it improves upon the original with its stunning visuals and gameplay mechanics, but falls short with its weak story and open-world execution. Still, the fluid gameplay and visual spectacles will surely entertain those looking for a short but fun experience. Personally, I enjoyed Mirror's Edge more than Catalyst and I hope we can get another game in the future that alleviates Catalyst's shortcomings while improving on its strengths. Mirror's Edge Catalyst is pretty cheap nowadays so adventure fans and those looking for something new should give it a try.
Comments
Post a Comment