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When you pass the same NPC for the hundredth time in exactly the same spot they really do betray their purpose and make the whole game feel like a set of props rather than a living breathing world. You do see the odd worker or socialite (presumably wandered up from a party in the office below) but they just stand there static and unchanging. However, I would have liked to see more people or at the very least more activity. The world itself also feels utterly devoid of life which might sound like a strange (and unfair) thing to say about a game that is predominantly about running on rooftops. Only when being discovered would you then embark one the heart-pounding chases of the first game. I would also have loved to see Faith utilising some sort of stealth gameplay, sneaking around and using her speed to remain ahead of the enemy. When the development team sat down to start forming ideas for MEC I can see how they thought the next game should be open world, but them knowing their own product should have given them an insight into why this just does not work. I wouldn't mind these so much if they were mixed into a selection of other more meaty activities: alas they are not.įor me, part of what made Mirrors Edge so satisfying to play was it created a path or channel in front of you and which gave you an unrelenting feeling of direction. There is a central campaign to push forward but also a litany of 'take this here' quests which are little more than that. Open world games have become very popular in recent years and titles like the Witcher 3 show that they can be wildly successful: but that doesn't mean every game should be a sprawling map that lets you run in any direction. When I consider the open world of Mirrors Edge Catalyst (MEC) I can't help think of Jeff Goldblum's line in Jurrasic Park "you were too busy wondering if you could you never stopped to think if you should". The movement system while similar is considerably more refined than the first game with some very nice touches: if this aspect of the game is why you enjoyed the original then you will not be left wanting. You also need to unlock a few of the skills from the previous game, something I don't mind so much as they are easy to acquire and this will help new players get to grips with the games core mechanics. The problem is that it doesn't feel well conceived at all: a little more damage here, an extra health bar there. This is unlocked in the progression tree which is split between gear, combat and movement. Faith can now swing around corners, use an MGrope (really?) and a few other new moves.
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I'm glad to see the same feeling of weight and speed has been carried forward to this new game: with a few new tricks as you might expect. While a game representation of Parkour will never give you anywhere near the same thrills that doesn't mean it can't be fun. If the original Mirrors Edge did nothing else it certainly captured the feeling of movement and momentum. It's a fascinating activity (culture even) and with an equally interesting history: if you have time I suggest having a read or watching some of the awesome documentaries on the net. The word parkour derives from 'parcours du combattant', the classic obstacle course method of military training. If you bang the word 'Parkour' into Google or do a search on YouTube you will soon be watching brave souls (apparently made from rubber) showing off some truly impressive acrobatic abilities.