Mirror's Edge Catalyst Reviews
The entire upgrade system is downright painful. The majority of unlocks are simple moves that should have been available from the beginning such as running up a wall, turning around and jumping, or a simple leg tuck to clear a railing.
If you loved the original Mirror's Edge, or enjoy the concept of free-running around a beautiful city without the fear of falling off a skyscraper or crotching yourself on a railing, Catalyst is most definitely right up your alley. As an open world adventure game however, it has some way to go. There are too many elements in the mix, and not all of them pan out.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst's unique take on first person parkour is something that no other game or series manages to deliver. Due to this, even when it stumbles, it's easy to look past its faults, simply because it's so damn unique and novel.
There's a clear set-up for more stories to be told with Faith and the runners of Glass with Mirror's Edge Catalyst, and while it isn't quite as shiny and perfect as the city of Glass, hopefully in due time we'll get to see more from Mirror's Edge and experience the series at its full, untapped potential. Though it trips itself up occasionally with combat and a lackluster story, at a full run few games can catch up to Mirror's Edge for pure exhilaration and Catalyst is more than ready for the race.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst brings back a welcome second portion of high-speed free-running in a beautifully gleaming setting, but its concessions to modern AAA game design bloat let it down.
Catalyst is certainly a step forward for Mirror's Edge, but not the leap that it could be. If this is the return of Faith on a regular basis though, DICE have created the foundations for a very strong sequel indeed.
For hardcore Mirror's Edge fans, Catalyst is a wonderful love letter from DICE that rewards the passion of this relatively small group.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst tries hard to engage players and develop the concept outlined in the original game further, but it doesn't completely succeed. It's a pity that the developers haven't put a a little more effort into it and it's kind of a missed opportunity. If you're a fan of the first game, Catalyst will surely delight you, but the rest of the players may not be interested.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
A solid free running game that is bogged down by it’s own ambition into changing the formula, come the city but stay for the gameplay… But PLEASE just disregard the story.
I want this franchise to excel, but just as the first game struggled to get off the ground, Catalyst struggles to soar as well. The core gameplay and artistic direction have vastly improved for this entry, and while it explores new territory with an open world and a grander narrative that act as solid foundations, they're squandered since little is built atop them to make this game tower above its peers. Despite these letdowns, DICE now has an even better framework to construct a phenomenal sequel, and I earnestly hope it will seize and run after this opportunity. I have faith in Faith's future, but her time to shine hasn't been struck just yet.
The open world design shows potential, but keep running: If you stop, so will the fun.
The staples of Mirror's Edge remain refreshing and unique in the first-person genre in 2016, but Catalyst's attempts to keep up with the open-world Joneses don't always jive with its design strengths of movement and momentum. On top of that, muddy-looking console versions and a lame story filled with unlikable characters doom Mirror's Edge's return to fall short. I was so happy this game was being made, but in the end I'm just as disappointed in how it turned out.
A radical city in a failed system
To be honest, I was disappointed shortly after I first started playing Mirror's Edge Catalyst as I was put off by the open world approach that quickly got boring and repetitive.