Mirror's Edge: Catalyst

Mirror's Edge Catalyst feels as though it is more of a straight reboot then a prequel. You control Faith Connors as she and a group of runners try and take down KrugerSec's plans. This a first person parkour game where you must maneuver around obstacles to get to your destination. Unlike the first installment where Faith was able to use weapons this time around it is all hand to hand combat.

The best part of the game is the flow that you are able to create as you are running from place to place. The controls are easy to use and it makes getting a full focus shield easy to obtain. The first couple of missions are fun to play as they are not reliant on the upgrades. The missions that include the upgrades feel to simple and boring to complete especially the last one. The most fun I had playing the game was unlocking the fast travels as they were the only events that reminded me of the first Mirror's Edge, where you actually had to think where to go in order to succeed.

The visuals in this game are beautiful in some areas but as you look closer you start to see some problems. They don't effect the game at all but kind of takes you out of the moment. The main problem with the game is the game's AI as they are not always responsive. There were definitely a few instances where I was being chased and they would stop chasing me for no reason; I was still in eyesight but they just disappeared. Enemies also just get stuck in the environment when you give them a solid hit, even if they were not knocked out.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst is still a solid game to play but it doesn't have the lasting appeal players want. It would be best to wait until the price drops to pick up this title and explore the City of Glass.

7.4/10

Mirror's Edge: Catalyst is the follow up the 2008 original game, but serves as a reboot of sorts for the series. It's a promising follow up that improves on a lot of the previous games flaws, but new flaws arise.

The overall presentation, art direction and atmosphere is fantastic. The environmental design and soundtrack is a hypnotizing spectacle and is a lot more sci-fi than the previous game. The game is visually stunning in a lot of aspects, but inconsistent in others.

The gameplay is very much improved and is a lot more convenient than the previous game. The parkour is much easier to grasp and master and feels mostly polished to a tea. The combat, while not great, is easier to perform and to learn but is still a little bit janky. The mission design is good for the most and the open world design is also good, but designed in a limited way.

The story takes the biggest hit in terms of inferiority to the first game. While the first game didn't have the best story, it still had a personal and interesting story that was brimming with life and soul. While the world and lore of Catalyst is brimming with life, too, the main story isn't all too good. It's very on the nose and by the books. Most of the writing and characters are clichéd and also don't have much of an interesting set up, therefore resulting in a characters that aren't compelling.

But in the end, the gameplay and overall presentation of Mirror's Edge: Catalyst is really promising and compelling in certain aspects. The world design, although flawed, allows for some freeing gameplay. The atmosphere and soundtrack is some of the best in gaming. The story isn't all too good, but the missions are pretty fun to run through.

Faith Connors, who had been detained in juvenile delinquency for a period of two years, has finally been released back into the City of Glass. Although she had hoped for a fresh start and a chance to turn her life around, her return has been anything but peaceful. Instead, she finds herself caught in the crosshairs of a ruthless and diabolical leader who has devised a sinister plan to seize complete control over the entire city. Faith's life is thrown into utter disarray and turmoil as she struggles to survive in a world where danger lurks around every corner and her every move is being watched. Will she be able to overcome the odds and emerge victorious, or will she fall victim to the tyrant's twisted machinations? Only time will tell.

Many people tend to overlook this particular game; however, it's actually quite enjoyable and entertaining once you give it a chance. Despite not receiving the recognition it truly deserves, it's definitely worth trying. From my experience, I can say that the game has a unique and engaging storyline, with well-designed gameplay mechanics that keep the player hooked for hours. The game's graphics and sound effects are also top-notch, adding to the overall immersive experience. All in all, if you're looking for an underrated gem in the world of gaming, this one is definitely worth checking out.

this game takes the player through dizziest heights of gravity where from start to finish its constant insanity of fun but it's not a game for those who suffers from vertigo where it has tones of gravity defying stunts that pushes the boundaries and limits of video game logic the set creations of environments are amazing but the acting is sub par at best and filled with Easter eggs like the mark around faiths eye that bare similar to a clockwork orange and the surname Kruger from a nightmare on elm street if you are a fan of parkour then this game is for you and worthy of an VR augmented reality treatment but lacking the choices of unlockable costumes but the game slows down a pace with padded flashback sequences and fetch quests but the other flaw was the lack lustre combat mechanic that is ropy and an unforgettable villain that you don't take on at the end but more or less fun to watch or play 10 out of 10.

Frankie croft Smales

alienbugstomperfan

I wish I could rate this higher, but it suffers from the same issues as its predecessor. The biggest two: Mis-time a jump by a pixel or two and you're falling to your death faster than you can say Glass; and any kind of "combat" level (read: button mash) swings the difficulty level so far away from the "runner" aspect of this game it brings the player to a screeching halt. Areas that combine the two-precision moves plus a swarm of guards to take down and/or avoid-will find any average player dying and retrying over and over until the technique is "just right".

Story and cutscenes (new and improved third person!) are engaging and enjoyable, and Faith as a character is a fantastic protagonist, but the hurdles in playing are just too frustrating when taken as the sum of its parts. Maybe we just need a Mirror's Edge movie instead.