Mirror’s Edge Demo Impressions

I wasn’t expecting to like this game very much, because I’m usually not a fan of any 3D platformer’s, first or third person, but the demo is a lot of fun. The running and jumping mechanics are very visceral from a first person perspective and the idea that the player is supposed to run away from most enemies is refreshing.

The graphics are very crisp and more detailed than I expected given the color palette. Once I got used to looking for the red highlights on objects that indicate the path, I was rarely held up looking for which direction I was supposed to go. This game is all about the flow–keeping Faith moving constantly is exciting and aside from falling to your death, just having her stop feels like failure.

I did fall to my death several times, but I never felt like the death was cheap–there was always something I had done wrong. My other deaths were by gunshot, which seemed to be the hardest part of the demo. Disarming enemies is fairly difficult, but there is a time slowing ability that makes it manageable for even the reflex-impaired like myself.

Before playing the demo I considered this game a rent just for the art style, but now I’m seriously considering purchasing it. If the story is well implemented this could be a game I play over and over.