Mirror's Edge (PC)

Introduction: Mirrors Edge.One of those top class games thats ready to hit the top spots on Gamespot and other web review site lists.Whats so special about Mirrors Edge?.And why did I even bother getting the game for myself?.Well for the special thing you can read on ahead.But I'll tell you the second one.Why i got it.I was visiting a game video website when I saw a really nice video.I did some research on it and found something about it.It had a very special engine and was supposed to be a really great and impressive game with stunning graphics and a very addicting and "want to play" storyline.So yes I was actually impressed by not the trailer, but by the graphics.Never had such a game been invented in which such hard work had been put into to make sure that even the tinest to object be very clear and detailed.Then I waited some more till the coverart was released.And when I first saw the coverart I was like "Sweet!.Awesome looking characters!.Its gotta be a great game!".And so it was. Plot: Mirror's Edge plot is quite very simple and yet so very fascinating and interesting.The game takes place in an unnamed city where information is monitored very closely.All kinds of electronic communication are put under surveillance to reduce chances to crime.A mayoral election is up ahead in which two mayors are candidates.One is Mayor Callaghan and the other one who is quite a favoured one is Robert Pope.Faith's sister Kate a police officer works in one of Pope's offices.One day the Pope is murdered and the blame is put onto Kate and is arrested for the crime.Will she save her sister?.Or will her happiness be destroyed?.Play the game to find out.Till then read on ahead to discover other unique aspects of the game. Menu: Whoa!.I was totally stunned when I first saw the menu.I have never seen such a great and simple menu with such a blending colour scheme.Not only the menu but the starting videos are no less.They are so very excellent that it actually makes you feel like “Hey.This game looks great!”.The menu actually potrays a city in the background but the city is not coloured but is actually something like a premade 3D version of the city with a white material or filter applied over it.But even so it looks great (see screenshot).The text is so very clear and the options are actually quite very easy and not difficult and it has not many options but simple ones such as e.g: Resolution,graphic quality and Anti-Aliasing. Character: Faith Connors or just Faith is a protagonist and also a "Runner".A "Runner" for your information is a person trained to use the rooftops and other means to deliver messages between people without being caught by the police or any person.A really charming and fast character.Shes quite trained in jumping from one building to another without her bones being broken.She is also very agile and can easily slide under pipes and shes fast like hell!.Not only can she jump from one place to another but can also perform many disarming and “Prince” (Prince of Persia) style moves.Other than Faith we have Celeste,Kate and Mercury.Celeste is just another female runner like Faith and is also a friend of her.Kate is Faith’s sister and is probably the main reason for the game.Mercury is the guy who gives you radio support and all the information you need about your current and next objective.He is kind of like who guides you through the missions and keeps you up to date with the latest happenings and all. Sound: The sound in the game are no less to be talked about.Electronic Arts (EA) has surely done a great job with the sounds present in Mirror’s Edge.Most of the ambience sounds are present and perfect like when you go closer to birds they flap their wings and fly away.Then when you climb a netted fence you can hear the rattle of the fence.If you are being bored of your “running” life then jump off the roof to hear yourself breaking through the air and then hear the breaking of the bones like snapping of twigs.After that the radio sounds and other sounds are great.The gunshots make a very realistic sound when they hit the netted fence or any other object.After that comes your character sounds which are quite real.After running like hell your character starts panting which sounds very real.Then the running footsteps also make a very realistic sound adding its touch to the game.Not only are the game sounds great but the soundtrack present in the game is totally mind blowing.With soft music and great beats!.Its one of the best game soundtracks I have heard in a while. Controls: Looking at the screenshots and other stuff might make you think that the game is either difficult or boring?.The answer: no.The controls of such a game are actually quite simple and I assure you that if you play the tutorial once then you will be quite happy with the control system and also be very easy with it.Mirror’s Edge doesn’t utilize many keys for its unique gameplay.It actually excluding the movement keys only involves 3 keys and also the 2 mouse buttons.Simple eh?.Its been some time since I have seen such an easy controllable game with an addicting storyline.For the unique graphics and top notch gameplay read on ahead. Graphics: The most important and anticipated part in the whole review.How are the graphics?.They are actually amazing.Since the game does use PhysX it has many goodies in it.Lets discuss about character graphics first then we shall come onto the environment.First of all the shadows are quite impressive.Suppose if a character is standing and another one comes over and casts its shadows over the other one the shadow will become more darker.The skin is no less with great graphics and amazing shadows.The anatomy of the body is correct and well a nose is a nose and not a squished pancake or something and a face is a face.Atlast!.The clothes they wear are actually quite nicely rendered.You can easily see the stiching somewhere and and even the strands of that material can be seen.The hair is quite impressive though it looks like some 3D made hair and not much rendered though it does go very well with PhysX as when its windy atleast the hair is moved by it.If by somehow you see her pants which you do (see screenshot) you can easily make out that she has this set of pockets and also you can make out the creases in the pants.Really realistic and interesting I would say.Now for the environment and the outside world in Mirror’s Edge.Great environment I have to honestly say.Its quite very impressive and has a great set of details bind to it.The sun shades are blocked from the other buildings shadow and the shadows are just nicely reflected.Window reflections are totally unique and I would have to say that this game would potray the best reflections ever to be reflected in the gaming history.The streets are not very detailed but the rooftops are.You can make out the cars and people and a bit more stuff but not more than that.Water is totally top notch quality.Clouds are done well and are not like other games that they are all the same size and shape and don’t move.But actually are sometimes only wisp’s and some times there are huge clouds over the city.The details are given quite nicely on the rooftops since you can clearly make out the netting of the fence,stairs and almost everything.Its a very big and colourfull environement but actually it looks beautiful from above.After that the last thing that I would say is the PhysX on the rooftops.Now suppose there is a blue cover over a building and its very windy.So it will be moving in creases and that’s excatly how it goes in Mirror’s Edge (see screenshot). If you wanted to see the most beautifull game that has a very playful environment and also has breath-taking graphics then I would have to see without any hesitation that I would say its Mirror’s Edge. Soundtrack: As I have said before.The game has a really touching soundtrack and it has been made into many version by many famous Dj’s like Benny Benassi,Paul van Dyk and Armand Van Helden.Heres the list of Standard songs released of the soundtrack. The whole soundtrack comes to a total of 37 minutes of worth brilliant music by fantastic Dj's # Title Length 1. "Still Alive (The Theme from Mirror's Edge)" (radio edit) 3:38 2. "Still Alive" (Benny Benassi mix radio edit) 3:42 3. "Still Alive" (Armand Van Helden mix) 5:25 4. "Still Alive" (Paul van Dyk mix short version) 6:48 5. "Still Alive" (Benny Benassi mix) 8:26 6. "Still Alive" (Junkie XL mix) 4:38 7. "Still Alive" (Teddybears mix) 4:37 Gameplay: The gameplay in the game is quite fun.All you gotta do is run from one place to another and dodge obstacles.But don’t think that if all you gotta do is run its boring.Its actually fun.Thats what makes the game different from other games.With sets of obstacles and a very big and nicely made city top you can do whatever you want.Now its not always the running.Sometimes you have to disarm enemies and steal their guns and then well throw them away.Yes that’s right, you just cant have a gunfight and cant carry a gun either since carrying a gun will slow you down and thus making your jumps more difficult to be made.So its better to be not carrying a gun and jumping.Now for the animations a bit.This might surprise you a bit but the game actually uses anime style and cell shaded animations to display the cutscenes.Sweet isnt it?!.But no worries the cutscenes actually look so much better in anime style drawings that you wont want a real animation made.If you don’t believe me then look below for the screenshots. Final Thoughts: I have clearly mentioned a lot of times that the game is excellent and would not require much more graphics or anything.The plotline is totally amazing and the gameplay is just out of bounds and yet so very interesting.The character is really great looking and does great jumping.I assure you gamers!.This one game wont disappoint you so I really urge you people to try the game out.For a list of screenshots I have not used in the review can be seen below. Screenshots: