Mirror's Edge Catalyst Reviews
First person parkour is just as much fun in Catalyst as it was in the original. The new combat is a noticeable improvement, and the open world makes this a much longer experience than its predecessor.
It's not offensive, and it's not an actively bad time, but it's so very bland and uneventful. I can't really speak for the developers, but Catalyst certainly gives the impression that they'd rather be working on literally anything else.
So I'll end in the spirit of the game, with a refined version of what I said last time: Mirror's Edge Catalyst is good and you should probably play it, but damn, it could have been superb.
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.
Sometimes it takes more than a great heroine, innovative action, and buckets of style to make a game truly great
A flawed but effective take on parkour
Mirror's Edge: Catalyst still has fun parkour, but fails as a compelling open-world game.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst continues in the series tradition of being a divisive game. If you loved the original Mirror's Edge, you will likely love Catalyst as well. On the other hand, the same issues that some people had with the first game are still present in Catalyst. This doesn't feel like it's going to win over any non-fans of the franchise. Yet, I wouldn't say that is a bad thing. Mirror's Edge Catalyst knows exactly what it is, and more importantly what it is not. It is a stylish platforming game that just so happens to be in the first-person perspective; it is not a shooter, and it is not for everyone. The change to an open-world map was a huge gamble, but it paid off. This is a more-realized version of the original Mirror's Edge, and is a fun game in its own right.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a gorgeous game that nails the free-running experience that fans want, but lacks an interesting narrative, compelling combat, and a fast travel system that will likely leave many fans disappointed.
The major difference between this prequel and the cult 2008 original, is that the City of Glass is open-world. It initially seems counter-intuitive for a game about tight design and linear running lines to throw itself open, but DICE makes it work. Firstly because Glass isn't much like the bustling open-worlds you might be used to. Its rooftops are sparse with people, its architecture a gleaming minimalism splashed with vivid, communicative colour that guides your way.
Faith is restored to a visually striking world she deserves in the return of the first-person parkour title – but, as with the original, niggles stop it achieving greatness
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.
We've waited almost too long for Mirror's Edge to make a comeback, but now that it has returned, was it worth it? Yes it was.
Mirror's Edge: Catalyst will likely make people feel the same as the original, it'll be a divisive game. The freedom of movement is excellent, vastly improved over the original, but it's let down by a poor story, unrelatable characters and an incredibly annoying combat system, which it forces you into all too frequently. Still an exciting game to explore and look around, it's hard not to recommend Mirror's Edge if you're looking for something different, which it still is.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst makes some major missteps in the story and character department, but hey, that's what the mute button is for. More important is that when the action is go and Faith is in full stride, Mirror's Edge Catalyst is as thrilling and sure-footed as they come.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a fine successor to its 2008 predecessor in many regards, but a flat story makes for a significant stumbling block.
The running and gameplay of Catalyst are top notch, and the game definitely benefits from the new locales. There are some minor graphical issues that kind of add up over time, but overall, this game has been worth waiting for.
With the addition of an open world, Mirror's Edge Catalyst successfully builds upon the fun, free running gameplay of the original to deliver exhilarating, high-altitude action. It's perplexing that, while demonstrating a clear understanding of what the first game did so well, this reboot still forces you – albeit relatively infrequently – into unsatisfying combat. Like Faith herself, this release is at its best when it's on the run, and while the combat, story, and characters do cause it to stumble occasionally, it never actually falls.
There is little like it out there, which makes it easy to recommend, but also it is not a game for everyone. It is never overly challenging, combat is simply not fun, and there is little variety to the mission design. Still, I couldn't stop playing it until the credits rolled, and again there is simply nothing else like it currently on the new consoles.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst isn't as good as it should be. It's maddening, because there's so much potential here for it to be a good game, but so many odd design decisions result in an experience that's actually less than the sum of its parts.