Mirror's Edge Review

By Christian Donlan Published 9 November, 2008

Runner up?

Version tested: Xbox 360

Well then, this is going to divide audiences down the middle. It's an ambitious game, but it manages to match its achievements with irritations at every turn; it's bold and forward-thinking, yet stilted and old-fashioned. Some will be able to overlook the gaping flaws, but others will never appreciate its moments of brilliance, and both positions are justifiable. Ultimately there's no right answer, but there are at least two things that prolonged exposure reveal: there are a handful of the crucial parts of a masterpiece here, and the end result still feels like a work in progress.

To start on a high point, you won't be mistaking Mirror's Edge for any other games until the inevitable clones emerge. Its world - huge blue skies, and massive bleached concrete vistas shot through with perfectly placed flashes of lurid colour - is beautiful, distinctive and inviting. Given the Swedish developer, we're already seeing Ikea jokes, but it's more of a city designed by Habitat: classy, solid, and perhaps gently self-involved. It's probably only a dystopia because the bed linen costs a fortune.

And the location is a powerful enough presence to make up for the story. Mirror's Edge tells of a gleaming CCTV hell where the only freedom lies with the Runners - sportswear renegades who dash about on rooftops screwing around with their clients' parcels, like Fed Ex run by Jason Bourne - and it's an intriguing idea, but the game is too breathless to explore it properly. Before you know it, someone's been framed for murder, someone else is upset about it, and you have damp shreds of a limp conspiracy to stitch together. The characters are forgettable, the plot points are so mindless you rarely notice what you're being sent off to do, and the voice acting is patchy. Faith, the strikingly designed lead, sounds like she's seconds away from offering you a timeshare with her anodyne Californian accent, and at least one other cast-member has been parachuted in from Top Cat.

'Mirror's Edge' Screenshot 1

The game's protagonist is called Faith - Patience might have been a better name.

Portal demonstrated what a decent narrative can add to an idiosyncratic game, so it's a shame, but it's a missed opportunity rather than a deal-breaker. What's important is all the opportunities to dash about on rooftops, because this is the true gem at the core of Mirror's Edge: its in-body perspective and quirky control scheme proves that first-person platforming is far from heretical; it can actually be exhilarating, inventive and stylish. Like the very best of its genre, movement itself is fun, and when it works and you're dashing across the skyline, sometimes in control, sometimes barely winging it, Mirror's Edge is brilliant.

The control scheme initially seems lopsided, with the dominant context-sensitive up and down movements on the left triggers, but as soon as you start to trust the connection between controls and environment (the up button really will work out, whether you want to wall-run or just grab a ledge, and down will slide or roll judiciously), the tucks and swings and lunges fall into place. To aid you in stringing moves together, Runner's Vision paints useful bits of scenery bright red, pulling you along the best path without upsetting the game's palette.

'Mirror's Edge' Screenshot 2

Like almost every element of the game, you'll either love or hate the Flash-style cut-scenes. It's much easier to judge the story: not great.

When it's all going well, you move like an urban ballerina. When it gets fiddly, however, you feel like the Elephant Man trying rollerblades for the first time, and for the first half-hour at least, the learning curve is a straight line that plummets over the edge of a rooftop into swift oblivion. This early confusion is mainly because Mirror's Edge can feel like it's built from two conflicting impulses: the magic up/down triggers suggest that, as with Assassin's Creed, all the hard work will be done for you, but at the same time automatic course-correction for jumps and runs is absent. Unlike Tomb Raider or old-days Banjo-Kazooie, DICE rarely cheats on your behalf by nudging you that extra millimetre to the left to grab a drainpipe, or pulling you up short before you accidentally step into empty space. Even as you master the controls and learn the game's peculiarities, you're still going to spend a lot of time in Mirror's Edge falling off things and waiting through the (mercifully brief) reload.

While movement really just takes a bit of practice, combat is more of a mix-up. Hand-to-hand fighting's fun, with a pleasant timing element to disarming enemy coppers. Yet, oddly given DICE's Battlefield lineage, the shooting is drab, with sluggish aiming and a forgettable arsenal. Even though gunplay isn't the point - every weapon is an encumbrance that limits your movement, built to be used and quickly discarded - there's no reason to drive that home with half-hearted shooting.

But a more serious stumble is the indoor bits. In the open air, with huge chunks of freshly scrubbed city stacked around you, Mirror's Edge recalls all the right memories of Jet Set Radio, but inside it struggles. The muddled layouts lack direction, with few useful indicators of where to go next and an unhelpful smattering of red herrings. Equally, the hint button, which works fine outside when you've got nothing but horizon, often directs you straight towards your target when you're indoors, rather than at the path you need to take to reach it. Sometimes it just points at the floor, for example, or at a blank wall, rather than explaining you need to pull off a string of handsprings and wall-runs in the opposite direction to get round it. The best linear videogame levels guide you without letting you know it; the ones in Mirror's Edge often blindfold you, spin you around a couple of times, and then let you wobble off down a nearby manhole.

Like everything else with the game, there's an element of acclimatisation to this: as you progress, you get better at working out where you're meant to be going indoors, even if the game doesn't get better at giving you clues. But the propensity for asset repetition can be disastrously confusing in claustrophobic interiors, and it's not helpful that it's at exactly these moments your Runner's Vision often takes a sabbatical. Throw some armed pursuers and nasty falls into the mix, as DICE often does, and you become conscious that you can only work out how to do something right by first doing it wrong and being sent back to the (very occasionally sadistic) last checkpoint.

These problems are inevitable given the kind of experience Mirror's Edge is trying to provide - a parkour game where you didn't end up as a puddle now and then would be like a driving game without crash barriers - but while it's a resounding victory that the first-person viewpoint is almost never responsible for your demise, the trial-and-error approach the game requires to challenge you can put fatal breaks in the sense of flow - and that flow is the very best thing about Mirror's Edge.

'Mirror's Edge' Screenshot 3

Choppers turn up every now and then to shoot you to pieces.

Even on the rooftops, in the game's safety zone, some may find this a very linear experience, with a scant handful of routes to uncover. It's not repetitive - despite the endless white skyscrapers, and iPod-colour interiors, the game finds time to take you from the top of the city to the bottom, from penthouses to storm drains, via subway tunnels, dockyards, shopping malls, and offices - but it is a funnel more than a sandbox. And while the world is filled with chic details, it's devoid of a human presence other your pursuers. There are no office workers, no pedestrians, not even a stray window-cleaner. Perhaps the people, like the promise of a looser, rangier environment, would simply get in the way: Mirror's Edge may be a platformer at heart, but it has a racing line that rivals Forza.

Linearity isn't the only thing that's going to frustrate. Mirror's Edge is sweet, but short - I got through it in two evenings, so while I didn't want to stop, after seven or so hours I had to, because I'd run out of game. There's speed-running and leaderboards, collectables and those secret paths, but if that isn't in your genetics you're going to feel slightly short-changed. And while the visuals are great, the performance isn't always up to task. There are some weak textures up-close (a problem in a game where you spend a lot of time looking at things while squashed against them), and, while the frame-rate is blessedly unwavering, there's a lot of screen-tearing. Playing on a PS3 and testing both standard and HDTVs, I couldn't improve the performance or locate a v-sync option.

Perhaps, then, Mirror's Edge is a game that's easier to love than like. After all, love is the most subjective emotion, and if you're being objective, it's full of little annoyances. It's not surprising that people are comparing it to Assassin's Creed, but in reality it's almost an opposite: it's dynamic, punishing and too short, rather than repetitive, forgiving, and drawn out, and each game's take on gameplay (and on parkour) couldn't be more different.

'Mirror's Edge' Screenshot 4

Blasting through red doors into a brand new space is one of the game's greatest pleasures.

What both share, however, is that ability to polarise. It's irritating that a game gets so much right while getting so much wrong at the same time. Previews promised something you hadn't seen before, but on closer inspection DICE has brought huge chunks of the tired and familiar along too, in the game's constant restarts, its railroading, and its fondness for making you crawl through air vents; the result is a postcard from the future, rather than a one-way trip.

There's something broken thematically, deep within Mirror's Edge: it tells you a rambling story about freedom even as it confines you to the tight squares of its own personal hopscotch court, and for many that will be one wrong-footing too many. But for those who can shrug off the contradictions and the limitations, ignore the tearing cityscape and lingering qualms about value for money, this will shove you so deeply into the experience of being in someone else's body, and taking it on a terrifying, breakneck joyride, that nothing else will matter.

If you're still undecided, I suggest a leap of faith: after all, you may be one of us who end up loving it.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Christian.

About Christian Donlan

Chris Donlan writes about games for Eurogamer and some magazines. His heroes include Eugene Jarvis, Errol Morris, and Linus Van Pelt.

Read more articles from Christian by visiting the Christian Donlan archive page.

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Comments (167) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Benno #1 3 years ago

    its okay

  • Oh-Bollox #2 3 years ago

    Great idea, poor execution. Reads like a 5.

    I hate it when people say stuff like that so I thought I'd beat them to the punch.

  • FWB #3 3 years ago

    Sounds how I was starting expect it to be. Great, but short and perhaps a little linear. How little variation in routes are there? Is it totally one route or are there a few?

  • Gearskin #4 3 years ago

    That's a nice review. I like this Donlan chap. He writes good.

  • Tomo #5 3 years ago

    Sounds pretty much what I was expecting, including the sadly very short length of the game.

    Whilst the criticisms are evidently there in the demo, I never really felt they detracted from the game for me though. Discovering the path in a level for the first time is fun, but it's even more fun knowing where to go and bombing it along as fast and effectively as possible.

    I think I'm going to wait till this hits £20 or so though. For 7 hours or so, I can't afford to fork out full price at the moment.

    Great review though Christian, nicely written!

  • gohda #6 3 years ago

    reads like a 7.

  • Tomo #7 3 years ago

    "That's a nice review. I like this Donlan chap. He writes good."

    + the one

  • Oh-Bollox #8 3 years ago

    GOD DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMNNN YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUU, GOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHDDDAAAAAAA!!!

  • TiredRiver #9 3 years ago

    Shallow game.
    These developers only know how to develop novelty.

  • Hunam #10 3 years ago

    Good review. He didn't say great idea, poor execution at all. He says great idea, great execution most of the time.

    I love the demo and have played it far too many times. I suspected the game would be short but I am very much wanting to time trial the levels which is a new thing for me as I've never felt like that before. The visuals and overall style have struck a chord with me.

    Hopefully the troubles in doors wont be too bearing as this seems like a great little title.

  • TiredRiver #11 3 years ago

    The written reviews on Eurogamer are getting better all the time. Keep up the great language.

  • funkyd #12 3 years ago

    That's odd, as soon as I had played the tutorial I was flowing like I'd been playing the game for hours.

  • Gaol #13 3 years ago

    One to play over Christmas I reckon..

    That banner ad blows btw :p

  • mjhoward #14 3 years ago

    The demo made me feel sick :(

  • el_pollo_diablo #15 3 years ago

    I sort of knew I'd have to buy this even before reading the review.
    Poor old Bioshock. I get half way through, then Little Big Planet arrives and eats up all my spare time, and now this.
    Am I ever going to find out the secret behind Rapture?

  • Syrok #16 3 years ago

    Very well written review.

  • IronGiant #17 3 years ago

    Oh dear you mentioned that word again, tearing :)

  • Xerx3s #18 3 years ago

    "Great idea, poor execution. Reads like a 5. "

    If the demo is anything to go by, that assessment is spot on and it actually IS a 5. Up till the actual gameplay I thought that this actually would be any good but the game itself was a massive disappointment.

  • CunningLinguist #19 3 years ago

    What's the deal with all these sub 10 hour games? Do publishers/developers really think people are going to pay 60 euros for 7 hours of gameplay? And yes, it does read like a 7. I guess it got an 8 because of reasons.

  • shamblemonkee #20 3 years ago

    one to be gifted rather than purchase then i thinks

  • doriangray #21 3 years ago

    Well written review.

    It was what I was expecting, playing the demo and things I'd read in other previews, it's obviously a great concept and when it's good it's good, but there's annoying problems that you'd hope they wouldn't have tripped over. Imagine Portal but without the subtle story and less charm.

  • dahsif #22 3 years ago

    Shit! I don't think I'll buy it after all :(

  • disussedgenius #23 3 years ago

    "Mirror's Edge recalls all the right memories of Jet Set Radio"

    /ears prick up

  • Vice.Destroyer #24 3 years ago

    JSR was shit, guys. Utter, utter shit.

    But I liked the demo for Mirror's Edge. I shall play at some point in the future. Far too much for me to play at the moment.

  • philreeduk #25 3 years ago

    i think ill be buying left 4 dead over this wait until the price drops

  • Wildsleven #26 3 years ago

    dunno if i read this reveiw properly but it sounded less than a 8/10 score, so i was quite suprised lol

  • Kokapetl #27 3 years ago

    From playing both demos as well, the 360 version does indeed look better. So naturally that was to be my version of choice but as was pointed out on the forum the PS3 verson will be getting the exclusive content. So i'll be opting for that.

  • JHuxley #28 3 years ago

    As much as I like Dice, the demo didn't really do much to entice me. It was decent enough fun, but there's too much available at the moment to really consider it. This goes on my post-Christmas list for now, when it'll hopefully be a bit cheaper.

  • RedSparrows #29 3 years ago

    JSR was great, shut it.

  • morriss #30 3 years ago

    I don'y understand how Donlan can complete Fable II, Far Cry 2, Gears of war II, write a LBP article and now Mirror's Edge in side of about 3 weeks! The man's a machine!!!

    :D

  • rowsdower #31 3 years ago

    Good review but I have to agree with previous posters, it reads like a 7.

  • absolutezero #32 3 years ago

    Its worth noting that the 360 version will have you using the bumpers constantly. Look forward to that while playing the marginally more attractive copy of the game.

  • doriangray #33 3 years ago

    People saying it reads like a 7. I think that's the importance of both the actual review and the score being looked at in combination. Obviously you picked out the more negative aspects from the review, but the 8 at the end implies that whilst the game has faults, its entertainment value is of an 8/10 game even if it isn't that good on a technical level.

  • littlehamster #34 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:23:26 14-12-2011

  • TriggerHippie #35 3 years ago

    I've played the demo on the ps3 and the 360 and honestly I couldn't see any difference. I'm not saying theres no difference but there was nothing that made me think one was better than the other. I really didnt enjoy using the 360 pad though which means a PS3 buy for me.

  • MrDurandPierre #36 3 years ago

    Review read more like a 7 to me, but whatever. I still say that this games looks like first-person Sonic. Fun when you're going fast, but rubbish at everything else. I'd like to give it a rent though, if I have the time.

  • Pulsar_t #37 3 years ago

    Isn't this obsession with scores getting a bit out of hand? I guess it drove away many veteran posters from the site. You lot ought to become teachers. At least you'd give a bit thought when grading students. "Hmm this essay reads like a C- but I'll give it a B anyway". Hilarious!

    As for the game I was hoping for more content but you can't have everything. Will wait for the PC version (cheaper and hopefully controls better)
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/08 @ 03:36

  • hahayou #38 3 years ago

    So, to summarise: reads like a 7, plays like an 8, looks like a 9, lasts like a 4, sounds like a 10 and demos like a 6.

  • smelly #39 3 years ago

    With the number of ads on here for it, i was expecting a 10.

    So - i'm guessing that said, an 8 is more likely a 6?

    Just wondering :-)

  • smelly #40 3 years ago

    "Poor old Bioshock. I get half way through, then Little Big Planet arrives and eats up all my spare time, and now this.
    Am I ever going to find out the secret behind Rapture? "

    Yes.. as you can get there in no time at all once you realise the revitalising chambers dont penalise you for anything..

    You could complete it twice and find both endings in not long at all.

    Thus the reason i always recommend to people to rent the overly average game rather than waste money buying it... It's an average shooter, with a tacked on story which feels out of place, gets boring very quickly, despite being short.

  • Pulsar_t #41 3 years ago

    @hahayou
    Funniest comment I read all day. Thank you :)

  • makeamazing #42 3 years ago

    Wasnt on my list until i played the demo and the demo was fun, something alittle different.

    Will be getting this now. On the list of all the other games I'm getting.... hope i get some time to play some of them sometime :(

  • JohnnyWashnGo #43 3 years ago

    Had a go, wasn't impressed.

    I don't even like the idea behind the game, so it had to be something very special to capture my attention.

  • Agent_Llama #44 3 years ago

    Exactly as we'd figured at the Expo - it would be too short and the inside bits wouldn't be as good.

    Am now torn as to whether or not to get this, especially with WotLK this week. Gah.

  • gaselite #45 3 years ago

    Not that it matters but this was reading like a 7 at best I have to say.

    That said I am completely willing to overlook the criticisms you've levelled at it. I don't mind 'short' games (I prefer punchy games that I know I'll finish to sprawling epics that I'll play for a few weeks and never come back to, a finished game feels like better value to me than an incomplete 20+ hour game that I have no desire to finish), linearity (should never be a criticism of a game), problem solving leading to trial and error (although I can see how this would be disruptive and a bit of a let down in a game like this) etc etc.

    I played the demo and really enjoyed it. My only problem is deciding whether to hold out for the PC version or just get it on PS3.

    Incidentally I thought it was interesting how you invoked Portal and Assassin's Creed in this review because for the past year or so I've been saying that this game would turn out to be like one of the two (I enjoyed both). A runaway success or ambitious but flawed. Looks like the reality is somewhere in between. That's good.

  • daver #46 3 years ago

    I agree with the other guys above, this is a very well written review. Having played the demo, I think you're spot on Mr Writer. I loved the style and grace, but was niggled unbearably too.

  • Obiwanshinobi #47 3 years ago

    The very word parkour is abominable. Language of love, hell yeah.

  • drumbaby #48 3 years ago

    Review reads like a 5 or below. Is this just a shit game that you really wanted to be good, EG?

  • bad09 #49 3 years ago

    Good Review.

    I have to admit I went from excited, to REALLY excited after seeing it at the expo, then after some proper time with the demo I'm not so sure. Might give my wallet some time off with this one - Besides, my girlfriend really wants MR so I'll just nick her copy!

    Oh, and my god did they set PS3 version in jaggie world or what?

  • muscleblade #50 3 years ago

    Its not too short at all. This is a game with old school kind of gameplay. There are challenging time trials, leaderboards and achievements. This is a game about playing the levels over and over until you get it perfect. It willl take ages to beat the timetrials. I know gamers that will love this and gamers that will hate it ( Darren).

  • Widge #51 3 years ago

    I decided to cancel after the demo too.

  • karstux #52 3 years ago

    Not a word about the PC version, and no demo either. :-( I wonder how mouse+keyboard controls work out for this game...

  • lambtron #53 3 years ago

    "Its worth noting that the 360 version will have you using the bumpers constantly. Look forward to that while playing the marginally more attractive copy of the game."

    Eh???

  • Zomoniac #54 3 years ago

    I was really excited about this after seeing all the promo footage, but couldn't get on with the demo at all. There were a few bits where there were things that were red that I spent ages trying to get up something which I eventually realised was physically impossible, and that there was an unmarked door around the corner which was the actual 'way'.

  • Darren #55 3 years ago

    I didn't get on with the demo at all. The rushed pace and lack of time to explore put me off it. IMO it's one of those games that looks so much better when you watch someone else play it but it's a whole lot less fun when I have to play it. I guess that explains why it looked so thrilling in the trailers but felt like a frustrating trial and error platform game albeit in first person when I actually tried it. I welcome new concepts but in this case it's one I didn't like unfortunately. Still saves me £40 I guess. :)

  • siro #56 3 years ago

    I agree with Oh-Bollox (Commenter #2). Reads way worse than an 8. Judging from the demo, almost certainly "most overrated game of the year" for me.
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/08 @ 08:20

  • Dizzy #57 3 years ago

    Hmmm based on the demo I would have given this a 7. Good review. I am gonna skip this one... really have too many things to play with right now :)

  • Vice.Destroyer #58 3 years ago

    JSR was/is shit. You shut it.

  • bad09 #59 3 years ago

    "IMO it's one of those games that looks so much better when you watch someone else play it but it's a whole lot less fun when I have to play it"

    My mates used to say that about Resident Evil (the bastards!).

    I think you're right though Darren, that's pretty much the way I see at the moment. I'm not saying it's a bad game though, it's not really. It's just that I'm not "feeling" it now I've got my hands on it.

    I'm sure many will love it though and EA/DICE have a hit on their hands, hell my missus can't get enough of the demo, she's clocked it quite a few times!

  • SlackMaster #60 3 years ago

    The thought of having to platform in first person just really turned me off this game from the start, whether you can see your feet or not.

  • ryohazuki1983 #61 3 years ago

    Yep, agree with the others reads like it should of got less than 8, but happy it got that score as it is a brilliant game.

    I loved the demo and am able to ignore the flaws as I love the style of the game.

    Picking this up on friday :)

    BTW, it might of been worth a mention that there's a 100 point achievement for not killing anybody in the game. So it doesn't matter that the shooting is dull or whatever theres more creative ways to defeat the enemies.

  • peterfll #62 3 years ago

    I got really stuck on the inside section in the demo, when doing the jump from wall ledge to pipe, which started me wondering whether some of the controls would be so flawed it'd make me want to grind the controller into dust. And whilst there wasn't a lot of combat, what there was by way of training didn't fill me with confidence. This review (and the Gamer.tv one at the weekend) has kind of summarised my concerns so I think I'll give it a miss. A shame, as it looks stunning. Hopefully if there's a sequel they can iron out the issues.

    In the meantime I've got the new Motorstorm and Gears 2 to be getting on with, whilst I toy with ordering LBP and Fallout 3.
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/08 @ 08:48

  • Kiigan #63 3 years ago

    I loved the demo, and none of the negatives pointed out by this review are things that upset me. So that's good :)

  • ryohazuki1983 #64 3 years ago

    @peterfll

    I got stuck on that bit as well, thought you had to run on the wall or something, but all you need to do is jump up on the crates, then jump onto the ledge (its highlighted red) turn the camera to face the vent and press jump.

  • Tzetrik #65 3 years ago

    Not a single comment on the awesome audio design that went into this. Not sure how you can slate the story of M.E. so much and not even blink when Marcus Fenix spews out another cog-cliche.

  • Tomo #66 3 years ago

    Read like an 8 for me. A 7 perhaps, mainly because he talks more about the criticisms than the positives which I thought he conveyed well enough with fewer sentences, things that we already realise are good.

    However, it's pretty a pretty trivial difference. A 5 it does not read like however 0_o

  • Widge #67 3 years ago

    Whats with all the "reads like" comments?

    I really wanted to like this, I really wanted it to be awesome, but that demo just killed it for me.

  • Andriesc #68 3 years ago

    OMG Its 10!!

  • Blackthorned #69 3 years ago

    Wow what a short game - I can understand the quality over quantity argument with 10 hours and multiplayer but not here.

  • StooMonster #70 3 years ago

    Face-off! Or wait for PC version?

  • Widge #71 3 years ago

    10 hours is fine for a game, even without multiplayer. How many epic games plus multiplayer can you fit into life?

  • kangarootoo #72 3 years ago

    "The control scheme initially seems lopsided, with the dominant context-sensitive up and down movements on the left triggers, but as soon as you start to trust the connection between controls and environment (the up button really will work out, whether you want to wall-run or just grab a ledge, and down will slide or roll judiciously), the tucks and swings and lunges fall into place"

    First thing I did in the demo was swap the shouler controls. Did that before even playing the game, as I oculd tell from the control setup screen that the setup was wrong (don't ask a player to consistently and simultaneously use triggers and stick on the same side). So that shouldn't present an issue for anyone.

  • Lexx87 #73 3 years ago

    Ok EG, I respect the ads...it's fine. That Shaun White one can seriously fuck off though.

  • ryohazuki1983 #74 3 years ago

    It being short is more of a positive for me (strange I know!) because I don't have a hell of a lot of time to play games, I'd prefer to play it from start to finish rather than leave it unfinished.

    Also leaderboards etc are a nice addition, although multiplayer would of been better!

  • XdarXideX #75 3 years ago

    An 8 puts you guys off??

    I'm certainly buying Mirror's Edge, but then I like to get the most out of my games and not just play the story mode and none of the extras.

  • Fernando #76 3 years ago

    cant wait

  • merkdot #77 3 years ago

    I can't really see past the PC version for this. Joypad controls just don't feel adequate.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #78 3 years ago

    Just a small question not that it really matter whatsoever, but if the reviewer played the PS3 version why is the review in the XBOX pages.

    This is an OCD thing not a fanboy thing

  • mingster #79 3 years ago

    Jet set radio was amazing for its time.
    Style wise its still fresh.

  • UltimateWarrior #80 3 years ago

    Have to second everyone saying what a superbly written review this is. And PLEASE get rid of those annoying banners at the top of the page. Whatever marketing muppet came up with this irritating idea should be shot.

  • chrisjm #81 3 years ago

    played the demo last night - sold.
    probably wait though as too much to play right now.

  • andromeda #82 3 years ago

    i played the demo and it fucking rocks. Welll done EA, you got a purchase from me.
    the music is awesome as well. truly unique game.
    If u have the means, a projector makes this this x1000 times more awesome :)

  • saku_luk #83 3 years ago

    Oh man, I was planning on getting this day 1, but I am not sure now....7h is like heavenly sword, and I didn't touch it after I beat it ever again....

    How are time trials and other bonus stuff? does it boost game time to at least 15h? full price for 8-9h (with hunting trophies) game is a bit to much, as I can have Valkyria Chronicles for way less and it will last me for a long time....

    If not, than Ill wait till it hits bargain price ~_~ .....

  • jonsaan #84 3 years ago

    Really loving the demo. I'm going to have to jump in methinks.

  • Carpathian #85 3 years ago

    It's all very well with all these teasers, previews, demos and reviews for the console side but anything to do with the PC version is rare as rocking horse at the mo.

    I just want a demo, nothing more than that.

    EG, have you heard anything on that front, however vague ?

  • Eighthours #86 3 years ago

    Interesting review. Read like a 7, but Christian's writing is great as always. From the demo, I was worried that the gameplay wouldn't sustain itself over a whole game.

  • curtlikesmeat #87 3 years ago

    Good review as others have said, nice one.

    I enjoyed the demo a lot and have played it quite a few times - the best thing about this is the sense of flow and the way if you do something just right you build momentum... it's a nice feeling. I think if you like parkour or free running or like the idea of it then you will enjoy this.

    I guess it's one of those scores where you +1 if you like the idea, -1 (or 2) if you don't. As much as I like it though I won't be buying because there's too much other stuff out at the mo - note to publishers, release some games in summer. I'll probably buy this next summer by which time it'll be £19.99 and you'll get less money.

    Lastly sort your site out EG - that Shaun White ad is really annoying. Also in Opera I couldn't get to page two of the review and kept getting forwarded to Mirror's Edge on GAME. Have noticed this happening a lot lately.
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/08 @ 10:13

  • andromeda #88 3 years ago

    +1 Tzetrik

    the sound is incredible,from the dreamy menu screen to the impact sound of landing on those crash mats.
    And yeah how people can be be spunking their cash on Generics Of War 2 when this brilliant title is out there, staggers me.

    every game has its niggles, but you concentrate on the positives and this has them in droves.

    and i hate Parkour too. XD

  • michaelius #89 3 years ago

    I was going to buy a second hand copy for PS3 (still boycotting EA till they remove activasions limit from pc versions) but with few hours gameplay time it slipped to buy used copy once it drops to 10 pounds on ebay category. Especially with demo being quite boring.

  • Thunderbolt #90 3 years ago

    Get ad-blocker installed and you wont get all the annoying ads.

    No Shaun White thank god!

  • Goodfella #91 3 years ago

    I was going to say 'what Shaun White ad' then realised I have Adblock plus installed in Firefox.

    As for Mirror's Edge, this review has done nothing to put me off getting the game. It's breath of fresh air in a stagnant room of shooters and racers, I'm looking at you GoW2 etc.

  • Toothball #92 3 years ago

    @ryohazuki1983:
    It being short is more of a positive for me (strange I know!) because I don't have a hell of a lot of time to play games, I'd prefer to play it from start to finish rather than leave it unfinished.

    I actually prefer that it's not very long too, especially when there are so many other games due out this month.

  • samk #93 3 years ago

    "Its not too short at all. This is a game with old school kind of gameplay. There are challenging time trials, leaderboards and achievements. This is a game about playing the levels over and over until you get it perfect. It willl take ages to beat the timetrials. I know gamers that will love this and gamers that will hate it ( Darren). "

    So he's right then, it IS too short. Anyone who couldn't care less about time trials and perfect run throughs (which I imagine is the vast majority) will only play through it once.

  • bad09 #94 3 years ago

    "And yeah how people can be be spunking their cash on Generics Of War 2 when this brilliant title is out there, staggers me. "

    It's called preference and strangely different people have different preferences. Honest, no kidding different people like different things! ;)

    TBH tho, I love MP gears (never cared for the SP much) and only played MP gears2. Still it's pretty slick (well, except for that REALLY cheesy stupid missile weapon) and, even tho I've not touched SP yet, I know which game I'm happier with. Is that wrong or something.....

  • dingo75 #95 3 years ago

    The PC version is delayed into 2009 that's why no mentioning / demo.
    On the plus side this version will probably be cheaper when it comes out than the console versions especially if it doesn't sell that much. So PC gamers like me win in the long run. :)

    I had the same impression than the reviewer based on the footage I saw. I would compare it to "The Club" which also is a game to love or hate without much middle ground. Time trials sound like the ones in "The Club".
    Since I'm a sucker for story it will mean 7 hours and I don't pay full price for that.
    The review reads like a 7 indeed but the reviewer clearly states that he liked the game besides its shortcomings so the +1 is ok.

  • FaceOmeter #96 3 years ago

    I was expecting more, but I think I'm going to pick up the PC version of this anyway - I played it at the EG Expo and I can't believe I'm not going to get my money's worth out of it

  • Rash' #97 3 years ago

    I can't be spending £50/40 on a game that doesn't deliver on content. Value for money has become increasingly important to me.

    I've been hearing a lot of negative feedback driven by the view that a game is linear. Well alot of the best games are linear. They all start the same, end the same and are filled out with the same middle and yet are brillant. Gears, Halo, LittleBigPlanet and Resistance: They're all linear experiences. So how can Mirror's Edge be critised for being linear? From what I've read, the whole experience of ME is to pull of a succession of tricks to traverse the level (with the ultimate goal being to do it without a fail). It's about the exhilration of overcoming one obstacle after other. It's about that dymanic. Games can be linear without criticism. A linear experience isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think it's about understanding linearity as a design choice and whether it's a successful decision in context to the devs aims.
    Edited by 2 at 10/11/08 @ 11:01

  • merkdot #98 3 years ago

    preferring games to be short because "there are so many other games due out this month" is crazy. Stop falling for the marketing hype.

  • FooAtari #99 3 years ago

    Another style over substance game if you ask me, which seems to be the way of things these days.

  • merkdot #100 3 years ago

    Rash': I think it's more about how you get from A to B, not just that you're doing it. With fewer random chances (basically less AI etc. to worry about), the gameplay will obviously vary less.

  • Rash' #101 3 years ago

    merkdot. Yes but it's your skill that will vary on a level until you feel you've mastered it.
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/08 @ 11:04

  • Ged42 #102 3 years ago

    Good but flawed, kind of what I was expecting.

    Though I'll still probably end up getting it once its dropped in price a bit.

  • mugwump #103 3 years ago

    Wow, nice review; very well written. Mirror's Edge is staying on my shopping list :)

  • ukslim #104 3 years ago

    I wish the review had dwelled on time trials more. Previews suggest that this is the life and soul of the game. There's little satisfaction blundering through a level, but lots of satisfaction in practicing it until you can dash through smoothly and quickly. Previews also suggested that there are alternative routes, and the time trial interface compares your distance covered against the shortest possible route.

    On game length - I personally prefer a game I can "complete" (i.e. reach the end of the story) in 12 hours or so (and being crap at games, that translates to 7 hours for most gamers). I'd prefer a small bowl of delicious food, to a huge bowl of average food I stop enjoying half way through.

    If I can then squeeze out more value through replays, then so much the better.

  • andywilkie35 #105 3 years ago

    I was gonna wait til this was reduced to about £20 in a few months time, sounds like that's the right thing to do

    review reads more like a 4/10. I liked the demo tho...

  • login_name #106 3 years ago

    I'm in the loving it crowd. I love how it looks, how it sounds and how it plays. It feels a little old school in execution, which I like. It was always going to be a Marmite game though.

  • Mayhem64 #107 3 years ago

    A lot of people won't blast through it... many people can't devote hours at a stretch to gamesplaying anymore. For some, they will get 30 minute chunks maybe twice a week. So the game might last them a month or so... who can say? I certainly start to grit my teeth now if anything takes over 15-20 hours to finish because of the backlog of games I have...

    As for the game itself, I fell in love with the demo. I suspect this will be one of the games I get early on when I finally get around to buying a 360...
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/08 @ 11:59

  • dryden555 #108 3 years ago

    beautiful technical engine in the demo but the constant dying from falling because I didnt hit the trigger at the right time got (for me) old real fast. Back to Dead Space.

  • Trigga_Tybalt #109 3 years ago

    @bad09:" "IMO it's one of those games that looks so much better when you watch someone else play it but it's a whole lot less fun when I have to play it"

    My mates used to say that about Resident Evil (the bastards!)."

    that's so true i used to love watching my bro play resident evil even though i was the on who bought it. this game looks like it would frustrate me too much and its way too short. i hate games that use a time trial mode or something equally as frustrating and repetetive to beef out their games. no dice!

  • gamecubeisbest #110 3 years ago

    Nice, Im getting this.

  • spammage #111 3 years ago

    Demo was completely meh. Anyone else find zip-lining utterly unintuitive and frustrating?

  • #112 3 years ago

    Seen a Tv review on this on Bravos Playr2.

    Basically you die ALOT and end up wishing you could just FPS your way thru the game as it feels tacked on when you eventually get a gun. Also they mention that theres no multi player, and if you think about it, even tho you can save your ghost on the best runs you can play against a real person in real time running across a level which would ahve been super fun.

    The story is apparently extremely predictable, the cut scenes are like flash movies and they said you never get to attach to the main protagonist. They ended saying it was a gloried tech demo for the inevitable sequel where they will probably fix said problems.

  • TriggerHippie #113 3 years ago

    Read like a 7? What the hell does that even mean?

  • Miths #114 3 years ago

    I was also a bit puzzled by the lack of mention of time trials. I've pre-ordered so I got an unlock code for the demo, and I spent almost an hour on the two short demo time trial tracks last night - and I still wasn't even remotely close to getting half decent times (in fact I only managed one star ratings on the two tracks).
    As I practiced my line got better (though I couldn't for the life of me manage to pull off the much needed short cut I watched a downloaded ghost file take) and the feeling of flow and fluidity multiplied, and that feeling does indeed seem to be where this game shines - and it sounds like the time trials are where you'll really reach that.

    I generally have a very low tolerance for trial and error gameplay, but I do however love racing games, and it feels like this could be a rather unique addition to that genre - even if you're the only runner on the track.

  • ThePissartist #115 3 years ago

    I thought the demo was pants. Not enough guns.

  • ryohazuki1983 #116 3 years ago

    @Miths

    Where did you pre-order from?

    I've pre-ordered from GAME. Haven't got a code though.

    I just searched, I spose you get code when you pre-order from EA store only?
    Edited by 2 at 10/11/08 @ 13:04

  • Miths #117 3 years ago

    @ryohazuki1983

    A Danish online store. I did have to send them an email to remind them though, as they didn't send me the code on the day they had claimed on their site they would.
    Edited by 2 at 10/11/08 @ 13:07

  • SilentScream #118 3 years ago

    @ThePissartist - the whole game is based around Parkour and Hand-to-Hand, not weapons, you can use them but they purposely made them a burden.

    I swear "screen tearing" is the new in thing. Who really cares?
    "Oh no, look..."
    /sobs
    "What?"
    "..the..the wall!"
    "What?!"
    "It doesn't ALIGN!" /cryface

  • Pulsar_t #119 3 years ago

    Read like a 7? What the hell does that even mean?

    I hope the esteemed teacher-wannabes here would answer that question too! It's amazing what their minds can come up with for criteria to rate things. Almost psychic.

  • Cronan #120 3 years ago

    This game is never an 8.
    It also made me feel very very ill.

    Would it be cheeky to suggest that the score may correlate with all the advertising on this site for Mirror's Edge?
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/08 @ 13:22

  • HolyJebus #121 3 years ago

    Some people just didn't like this game from the get go. Earlier complaints of, platforming is impossible to do well in first person, have now been replaced with, its too short.

    To me this is prob the most original game out for Christmas so I look forward to picking it up and especially trying the time trials.

  • ThePissartist #122 3 years ago

    @SilentScream

    I miss chainsaws and lasers too.

  • ryohazuki1983 #123 3 years ago

    @Pulsar_t

    I suppose its because the review seemed to mention a lot more negatives than positives which would usually indicate the game gets a low score.

  • SleepyMagpie #124 3 years ago

    I don't see why this review was so good. It was well written and shows a good command of the English language, but other than that, it told me little conclusively about whether this is a good game or not. Donlan writes as if he believes videogame journalism to be some precise science, and grasps furtively at some objective "truth", when some "faith" (pun somewhat intended), his own gut feelings, would have served him better. That is why so many of you are writing stuff like "...reads like a 7".

    An 8 in my non-inflated view of scores I take to be a very good title.

    He does add that it's a love it or hate it kind of game, and if he hates it, I think he should say that, it should be allowed. He's spot on about the "anodyne Californian" voice-over of Faith though, that wasn't quite right.

    Anyhow, I loved the demo to bits. This game is the first TRULY next-gen feeling game - whatever that is, I guess I feel it's next-gen cos it made me believe I was actually leaping off buildings. And I would love to do stuff like that, but you can't because then you'll die. The vertigo I was feeling, like never before, told me DICE achieved something next-generational here, I guess.. The visual design feels really new. To me, that's important. But it does not alone a good game make, of course. What did make it good, was the relative difficulty in getting the jumping and leaping right - fuck casual gaming, i want some challenges. When I got past the learning curve, it slid into this really nice flow. I felt a sense of mastery. Also, the story works for me, that the view of a nasty future for once is squeaky clean and white, and not some drab-grayish brown hell-hole, is a refreshing change. I also love the "pacifism" of the runners, grab the gun, chuck it out of reach. Guns kill people, and are the tools of the oppressors, away with them.

    I can't say whether it's too short yet.

  • LenH #125 3 years ago

    Well written review...?

    'But a more serious stumble is the indoor bits'

    Oh dear...

    Anyway, apart from that I enjoyed the review and really looking fwd to playing this. Something a bit different, bold and new.

    Bring it on...
    Edited by 2 at 10/11/08 @ 14:16

  • SleepyMagpie #126 3 years ago

    'But a more serious stumble is the indoor bits'

    Oops. Missed that one.

    Mostly well-written review then. Heh. ^^

  • kupocake #127 3 years ago

    An 8 is a validation for me. I could wait for someone to come along and do all the great stuff in Mirror's Edge right, or I could have what I enjoyed in the demo with the bad stuff I could already see under the thin veneer here and now.

    Except the PC version is a few months away. Tits.

  • Roamer #128 3 years ago

    I hate the first-person viewpoint and look forward to it becoming a thing of the past in all games...

  • speedjack #129 3 years ago

    I'm prepared to take the plunge... (no pun intended) but I'm a bit disapointed re: the game length.

    btw... is it just me or is the comments threads now littered with idiots that have nothing better to do than criticise reviews of games that they havn't played whilst holding some bizzare personal grudge against E.G./the reviewer ?

    Please - if opinion offends you so greatly then can I suggest you go somewhere else your delicate sensibilities won't be so easily offended... North Korea maybe ?

    Edited by 1 at 10/11/08 @ 15:19

  • SEVQA #130 3 years ago

    I know I could be the only poor gamer here but has anyone else experienced their SD TV almost blowing up when playing this game, especially when approaching the red highlighted objects?

  • Harmonica #131 3 years ago

    Great review, Christian.

    I feel like buying Mirror's Edge to support the creativity, but I don't think I can afford it for two evenings or less. And I know the foibles (which are more than present in the demo) will annoy the hell out of me.

    In the end, I don't think the idea is a strong enough factor to support a game without a solid story, and with unforgivable game mechanics, as Christian points out - the trial and error aspects, the railroading, and the brevity.

    mingster wrote: So, to summarise: reads like a 7, plays like an 8, looks like a 9, lasts like a 4, sounds like a 10 and demos like a 6.

    +1. Apparently 'reads like' is the hip new way to point out lack of reading comprehension.
    Edited by 4 at 10/11/08 @ 17:38

  • darc #132 3 years ago

    "It's probably only a dystopia because the bed linen costs a fortune."

    LOL!

    I was hoping this would rise to a 9, at least. Never saw a 10 out of it as it's a bit limited in scope by design, sort of a unique specialty item (Shadow of the Colossus comes to mind... except that was a plain 10.)

    I'll probably buy it once it's selling for a bit less than retail. That'll take the sting off the short length. It seems like the kind of game you'd want in your library for the long haul, if you like the gameplay. Not like you'd finish the story and never want to see it again, more like you'd enjoy the mechanics and want to take it out for a spin from time to time. Again like a racing title.

    However, it's definitely not a game to be playing while you're concurrently finishing up with Tomb Raider Anniversary and toying w/ the Tomb Raider Underworld demo. The control discrepancies were giving me fits! :)

  • darc #133 3 years ago

    "Poor old Bioshock. I get half way through...Am I ever going to find out the secret behind Rapture?"
    Don't bother. If you think Bioshock has gotten boring, that's because it has. It was never a great game, and a good movie will more than make up for whatever you miss.

    "IMO it's one of those games that looks so much better when you watch someone else play it but it's a whole lot less fun when I have to play it"
    That's true, now you mention it. Watching a friend made me a) want to grab the controller out of his hands so I could play it, and b) hurl.

    "There should not have been any combat."
    +1. And exactly what I've been saying about the Tomb Raider franchise for years now.

    "First thing I did in the demo was swap the shouler controls. Did that before even playing the game, as I oculd tell from the control setup screen that the setup was wrong (don't ask a player to consistently and simultaneously use triggers and stick on the same side). So that shouldn't present an issue for anyone."
    Good idea, thanks!

    "because I have been playing it almost every night for the past couple of weeks and putting in some serious weekend quests and I'm still not at the end"
    LOL seriously. How DO people finish these games in n hours per their complaints. I have "6 hour games" I've been playing for months!

    "This game is the first TRULY next-gen feeling game - whatever that is, I guess I feel it's next-gen cos it made me believe I was actually leaping off buildings."
    I'd say it's tied in first w/ Tomb Raider Underworld. There's nothing as revolutionary in the POV in the new TR, but it's hands down the prettiest 360 title I've seen yet.

    "I hate the first-person viewpoint and look forward to it becoming a thing of the past in all games..."
    I'm all about 1st person. It's the closest approximation of real experience. But I have come to realize that a 3rd person perspective is necessary in some games to give you a sense of your body relative to your environment. That's why this game is so interesting to me: the combination of a 1st person view point with well-executed body awareness.

  • wingZero21 #134 3 years ago

    Seriously who the **** is reviewing the games here at Eurogamer? After reading that I could not believe you have put an 8 at the end of it???? Is it just me :D sort it out Eurogamer....

  • poorwretch #135 3 years ago

    As I was going through the review I thought "what the hell is this guy talking about" (based on my demo experience) but then I got to the part where he says "Perhaps, then, Mirror's Edge is a game that's easier to love than like" and I realised he had completely nailed the review (exellent job by the way), I guess I am one of the guys thats in love with this game and has preordered 5 minutes after playing the demo, but that's not the point.

    I read many comments saying "it read like a 7" or something along the lines, or "its too short, i won't buy it", who cares, maybe I am too old a gamer and too financially independent to care about such things, but I still believe you can't sum up parts of things to try and make a whole sometimes you just know something is right for you even if there is every indication to the opposite.

    I know this is a great review even if I don't agree to most of it but I agree with one crucial part of it, just as I know this will be a great game for me even if I become aware of its shortcomings.

    Sorry for the long post and feel free to boo me of the stage.

  • smelly #136 3 years ago

    @Crofot :

    "OMG a none 10/10 review for a over-hyped game!

    Eurogamer is now 0.01% towards redeeming itself after some of the worst reviews seen in the history of gaming (and yes, I'm including Official Magazines in that)."



    It seem that the game needs to be:

    a) over hyped
    b) have pretty graphics
    c) have lots of shooting

    This game is missing out on c...

  • ph101 #137 3 years ago

    @hahayou
    "So, to summarise: reads like a 7, plays like an 8, looks like a 9, lasts like a 4, sounds like a 10 and demos like a 6. "
    Heheh very funny :)

    Well written review (I say so because it seemed thoughtful).

    The game looks great but how much better if it was a true free running "sim" - with a proper sandbox working with the running jumping, integrated with perhaps a GTA influenced mission structure/delivery/killing people among a living breathing city kind of deal. Still it sounds fun though. Hopefully others will pick up and run with the whole "in body" perspective for other FPS's. And hopefully we will see some more free roaming FPSs to go a bit off topic.

  • Killerbee #138 3 years ago

    As others have already said, great review.

    Personally, I loved the demo - it really convinced me to give the full game a go, whereas before I was a bit uncertain. I definitely agree that the fun comes from maintaining momentum and speeding through levels you've learned - much the same as WipEout or... well, any racing game really.

    Thing is, I still find corners in WipEout that catch me out and frustrate, yet it only took me one playthrough of Mirror's Edge before I felt able to start experimenting with the layout of the level; finding different routes and moving quickly from one rooftop to the next, chaining moves together to keep my speed up. It was all very enjoyable - and I'm someone who usually can't be bothered to race tracks again and again and again just to shave a few hundredths of a second off my lap time.

    The biggest tragedy as far as I can see is that the story didn't live up to expectations. I already feared that the characters and voices would end up a bit rubbish from the demo, but I had hoped they'd save the best for the full game. Ah well.

    Still a "buy" for me, I think.

  • docrob #139 3 years ago

    I was actually expecting the 8 - probably because of the 'runner up' tagline!

    I think the reviewer wanted to make it clear why he was marking the game down, but didn't put in enough of why he loved it all the same. Although I agree it is well written.

    Slightly in two minds now. I wanted to buy this, but it might well be worth waiting for it to come down in price - which I suspect may not take that long. Assassin's Creed was available for £25 not long after its release. I don't mind if it's a bit short - I have a pretty tight schedule most of the time and don't complete anything like as many games as I would like. And although I never played the demo, I really like the idea behind the game (I'm probably one of the +1 crowd in that regard). It's also very nice to see something genuinely original.

    I'll leave it for a little while. Either that or I'll ask someone to buy it for me for Christmas. :)

  • cyber_nicco #140 3 years ago

    "JSR was shit, guys. Utter, utter shit."

    @Vice.Destroyer:

    But, but, you've been playing Ratatouille lately...

  • Mayhem64 #141 3 years ago

    I should note part of the appeal for me IS the first person viewpoint. Now I don't play a lot of FPS generally, but it's the bounding about Metroid Prime stylee (a series I loved to death) but to even more extremes that does it. Makes you seem like you're floating on air... I should also note that on my second run through the demo (at the Eurogamer Expo) I didn't die a single time, even with the slightly cruddy PS3 analog sticks. A bad workman always blames everything but himself...

  • FenderMaster #142 3 years ago

    when will dev's learn that 7-8 hours is just too damn short, considering how expensive games are...

    Imean, it's almost 10 Euro per hour!!

    if it was longer it would be a definite buy, but as it stands, its a rental, so no money for EA

  • penhalion #143 3 years ago

    So sadly like a lot of us suspected from the gameplay videos. You need to effectively know the route beforehand to pull of any kind of smooth stunt work while running about the city.

    Scratches this off the list of getters. That's 40 quid saved then :)

  • Beano #144 3 years ago

    I played both the PS3 and 360 demo and noticed no tearing in either version - looked identical. Have anybody tried the full game on 360 and is there tearing on that version also?

  • kangarootoo #145 3 years ago

    "I swear "screen tearing" is the new in thing. Who really cares?
    "Oh no, look..."
    /sobs
    "What?"
    "..the..the wall!"
    "What?!"
    "It doesn't ALIGN!" /cryface"

    Hehehe. +1

  • merkweasel #146 3 years ago

    I actually thought this review was very negatively written, when this game has tried to be ambitious and original. No need to drone on about it's flaws, especially when you turn around and give it an 8. Then again I dont read EG for the scores.

  • Byzanite #147 3 years ago

    I guess they didnt know Habitat is owned by Ikea.

    Dont think this shouldve scored an 8. As good as some of it is, i dont think its everyones cup of tea. Especially as its very short.

  • The_Surreal #148 3 years ago

    I see how this works...

    You guys give good games bad scores, and bad games good scores.

  • chrisjm #149 3 years ago

    'Imean, it's almost 10 Euro per hour!! '

    which is still cheaper than the cinema or buying the latest film on dvd

  • chischis #150 3 years ago

    Infinitely more believable than Kristian Reed's backside-kissing Fallout 3 review. Might try a demo, but it's EA so... DRM or no DRM? That is the question.

  • darc #151 3 years ago

    "8/10 is a very worthy score, to read some of the comments here you would think it scored a 3. The review was very positive."

    It is really funny how that's changed. I remember as recently as a year ago, I would scour the reviews archive, and anything that scored an 8 I'd rush right out to buy, even if I'd never heard of it or it was in a genre I didn't much care for. A 7 would still be in my sights if it was a genre I tend to enjoy. Suddenly, if a hyped AAA title gets anything less than a 9, it's a let down.

  • Harmonica #152 3 years ago

    The sensible amongst us will still plonk down money based on the words not the score, hence I've bought anything if it sounded interesting. And I agree, you'd be silly to point blank ignore games based on a score.

    People treat reviewers as if they are handing down the letter of the law. They're not. They're sharing their experiences of a game, and then sticking an arbitrary number on the end to keep the chatterers happy, sometimes it even roughly corresponds to the sentiment of the piece (I know, shock horror).

    Hence an 8 here, as befitting a game trying new things, which accomplishes a lot of them, has short falls, but will be enjoyable to those who are interested in it. Cue a lot of people throwing numbers around like sweet wrappers.

    If you want to know what Christian's 8/10 looks like, read the bloody words, don't carp on about whether you'd have given it a 7.
    Edited by 1 at 11/11/08 @ 19:52

  • darc #153 3 years ago

    "The sensible amongst us will still plonk down money based on the words not the score..."

    ...and in the age of cheap rentals and free demos, based on our own impressions. That's the really funny part - that some people will get so upset when they disagree w/ a review's score, rather than being thankful that they have the opportunity to form their own opinion without spending a thing.

  • Les #154 3 years ago

    Still have to try out the demo. What I learned from quickly scanning the review didn't exactly remove my interest. See if it'll still last after the demo. Either way, won't be picking this up until it has hit the bargain bins. Just too much stuff I picked up from PS2's bargain bins still left to play (in-between sessions of Warhawk for now)... :)

  • spookyzombie #155 3 years ago

    Played this earlier this evening. I sort of wanted to like it more than I actually did like it. I played through the training level and then the first two story levels. I spent most of the time running away from guards/falling off things. No real time or opportunity to explore (so far). I took the 360 and PS3 version home to decide which version, if any, I'd buy. The 360 version is the better looking game, but there's not a huge gulf between the two. I also found the 360 pad more user friendly with this particualr title.

  • chessboxer #156 3 years ago

    Uh-oh... IGN said the PS3 version looks a bit better than the 360 version - http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/927/927781p2.html and awarded the PS3 version the higher score.

    I imagine the DualShock 3 would be much better for this game than the 360's controller.

  • spookyzombie #157 3 years ago

    I don't agree with IGN and have no bias as I own both a 360 and a PS3. I found the 360 pad better because the jumping felt nicer to use with a bumper button.

  • Landmaster #158 3 years ago

    Do Not Want.


    "Reads like a 7." +1

    Lol 7 + 1 = 8 (:
    (I'm a genius!)
    Edited by 1 at 13/11/08 @ 00:45

  • m0thr4 #159 3 years ago

    As with a lot of recent PS3 games I had been looking forward to (Motorstorm 2, LBP, Resistance 2), the endless drawn-out hype for Mirror's Edge over the last year has dampened my enthusiam to the point at which the game can only ever be a disappointment,

  • Madafunkola #160 3 years ago

    My copy arrived from play.com this morning! Can't wait to get home and rinse it before Left 4 Dead comes out next week.

  • darc #161 3 years ago

    When Faith plays video games, I'll bet she plays De Blob.

  • HardCoreGamer999 #162 3 years ago

    i played the game live last week.(next08 videogame fair Brussels) it's nothing for me. jump from a to b , run from a to b or die.
    graphics are to bright, simple and over-coloured ,not my style.
    simply no satisfaction at all.

  • Harmonica #163 3 years ago

    @ HardCoreGamer999

    Writes like a 5.
    Edited by 1 at 13/11/08 @ 21:08

  • Harmonica #164 3 years ago

    EA are making some good games these days. skate, FIFA 09 and Mirror's Edge are just three completely distinct examples. Get yer facts straight, to be honest.

  • Agent_Llama #165 3 years ago

    The text (not the score) of the review is pretty much spot on from what I've played so far. I'm really *really* disappointed with Mirror's Edge overall. :(

  • Les #166 2 years ago

    Finally got around to playing this. Am about halfway through and really love it. Art direction is ace and the flow of the game is amazing. Will be tough to get back to the bald, tank-like space marines in their shiny brown worlds... The one thing I don't really like is the completely unintuitive control scheme.

  • Les #167 2 years ago

    Finished it. Was a truly great game IMHO.

    FPSs will never be the same. Put in Half-Life 2 afterwards and if felt extremely floaty (but otherwise it's still a great game of course). Luckily for most FPS developers few people have actually played this gem, otherwise they'd have to deal with seriously raised expectations.