Mirror's Edge Catalyst Reviews
The first 'Mirror's Edge' was a surprising risk with interesting gameplay that developed a niche audience, and its follow-up tries, mostly successfully, to recapture that same effect. There are stumbles with its open world, combat, and narrative, but Faith's freerunning world persists. Chasing after every red zipline, railing, and air duct is still fun eight years on.
We've been waiting a long time for another Mirror's Edge game, and we finally have it with Catalyst. While the storyline is quite predictable with dull characters, the gameplay is where it truly shines. The movement feels fluid, the time trials and social integration allows for replayability.
As much passion as I had for the continuation of the Mirror's Edge franchise, it seems like DICE has effectively robbed all of the wind from my sails. Though the game is fine as a mediocre playable experience, many of the things that made the original so special have been neutered beyond repair.
The gameplay is fast paced and fun if it weren't for the slow battle system. I can imagine the game eight years ago being a unique game that's so different from others, but this sequel is only a redo of the same ideas that adds no value even with the Open World element, but it will suit those who never tried the first game.
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Forgetting about the repetitiveness and lifelessness of the environments for a moment, it's clear that there's strong art design behind it all, combining clean lines with bold colours to create a world that feels clinical, cool and futuristic
A radical city in a failed system
I won't be going into spoiler territory but it's clear that the best thing Mirror's Edge Catalyst has going for it is the core gameplay mechanics. When they work (which in all fairness is the majority of the time) then the parkour style of movement is a ton of fun and makes you feel like a badass.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst resolves the biggest issues of its forbearer and remains enjoyable thanks to strong core mechanics, and despite a weak narrative and uninteresting open world content.
Your enjoyment of Mirror's Edge: Catalyst will depend greatly on how willing you are to accept its flaws. The load times can be a pain to deal with, there's not much of an inclination to take on side-quests, and the combat doesn't seem to have improved much from the first game, despite the abandonment of firearms. At the same time, the idea of a platforming-heavy, first-person game remains intriguing, and your moves and the layout of the city make the running aspect one of the more legitimately enjoyable parts of the title. Though it may not appeal to all players, those looking for something a bit different will enjoy one more go-round in Faith's shoes.
Despite its flaws, Catalyst is a worthy concept of the game, and the improvement from the last one to this shows that it can mature into a quality game franchise, beyond its concept. The sense of scale and the way the world has been designed for travel makes for a fantastic experience.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a blast to play, but the story doesn't quite keep up
Those looking for a Mirror's Edge 2 would do well to ignore every scrap of side content and smash straight through the story. I know reading back that it seems as if I'm down on this game, but it's only because of the potential I know Mirror's Edge has. Deep down lies the very same core that made Mirror's Edge so fantastic. DICE might have done its best to hide a quality game, but it's still there beneath the piles of filler.
EA's sequel gets lost in its open world.
For a game about running fast, Mirror's Edge Catalyst sure is slow
Mirror's Edge Catalyst isn't a perfect return of the 2008 cult classic and that's okay. If you're looking for a free-running romp through a city ruled by shady corporations backed up by slick controls and navigation, you can't go wrong. As long as your expectations are in check in terms of its open-world what with many a game sporting one, you'll be fine.
The only people I'd recommend Mirror's Edge Catalyst to are newcomers to the franchise. The parkour, when it works, is still just as awesome, but the game has just too many detractors for the fans of the original.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a fun yet uninspired sequel to one of EA's most inspired titles, and a title that has no clear idea what it wants to be.
I really, really wanted to like Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, and when the game lets me run wild and focus on building momentum and stringing together parkour moves, I genuinely do. Then I'll be forced into some mandatory combat section or forced to sit through a monotonous cutscene and the entire game just grinds to a halt.
The open world design shows potential, but keep running: If you stop, so will the fun.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is best when you're on the move, climbing up a tall building and booking it across rooftops. When the world is like a puzzle that you are solving on the fly using all your skills. These moments are in the game, there just isn't that many of them.