Is there space in the gaming world for a first-person platformer? Absolutely, but I feel like the design decisions behind Mirror's Edge Catalyst limit the number of people it will ultimately appeal to.

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But it's been quite the journey, as Mirror's Edge Catalyst is one of the toughest reviews I've tackled in some time. It was so hard to acclimate to the changes and suffocating AAA mentality after the original was near perfect, but I think once people get over that initial shock, they'll come to adore it in spite of that.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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While DICE has certainly made a bigger Mirror’s Edge here with Catalyst, I don’t think they’ve improved it any ways that were really necessary. A checklist of familiar open world game features strip away most of the charm of the original.

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And once you can focus on that, Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a flawed, but often great breath of something different and exciting in an open-world landscape full of the same old thing.

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When it's not trying to be like everything else, there's really nothing like it.

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But like a parkour run, the point isn’t really figuring out what lies past the finish line — it’s getting there with style.

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The original Mirror's Edge was always a great idea somewhat obscured - how frustrating to find Catalyst polishes the premise only to find itself burdened with a new set of shackles. It's a slight reward for those who've kept Faith, but this is a sequel that's too often lacking grace.

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Catalyst does some interesting stuff but doesn’t add enough to the mix. It’s a game I enjoyed but one that also left me feeling partly frustrated and sad.

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Catalyst contains several exciting platforming moments, but most of them are buried under repetitive world traversal and a mundane metropolis. The original Mirror’s Edge is an overlooked gem from last generation, but even diehard fans will have trouble finding the diamonds in this rough.

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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.

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Yes, certain portions of the game are deeply unimpressive, but I rarely (if ever) found them frustrating, painful, or unavoidable, which allowed me to overlook those elements and enjoy the unique pleasures Catalyst provides.

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For hardcore Mirror’s Edge fans, Catalyst is a wonderful love letter from DICE that rewards the passion of this relatively small group.

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Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a must-have experience that defies the doubters and makes those who had hoped now believe.

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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.

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The wait for a follow-up to Mirror's Edge was certainly a long one, but now that Catalyst is finally here, we can say the wait has so been worth it.

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Mirror’s Edge Catalyst isn’t a bad game. At times, it feels incredibly polished and at others, it could use more work.

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Catalyst’s direction feels like the opposite of what people have been quite explicitly asking for since the original game came out. As a result, while its breathtaking leaps and adrenaline filled ascents are great in their own rights, Mirror’s Edge feels like it has spent the last eight years standing still rather than moving forward.

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Catalyst sits in the middle of it all,imperfect, yet special in its own way.

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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.

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It’s annoyingly close to being the ideal Mirror’s Edge game, but retains a few of its predecessors’ issues, even if those problems have manifested in different forms.

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This in turn emphasises the overriding problem with the whole franchise: that Mirror’s Edge is a great idea that, while well implemented in most aspects, never pushes itself far enough to become the classic you feel it should be.

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Mirror’s Edge Catalyst seems to suffer from the exact same shortcomings as its predecessor.

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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.

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Of course, Mirror’s Edge isn’t about the story, it’s about the immersion: the thrill of running, free, across the glass paved rooftops of a massive city. And that’s okay, because that’s exactly what the original Mirror’s Edge was.

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But as it stands, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is pretty much everything gamers would have hoped it could be.

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If you loved the original Mirror’s Edge, you will likely love Catalyst as well.

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However, as with the original Mirror’s Edge eight years ago, this reboot isn’t all that I imagined it could be.

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At its best, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is a joyous flight across the rooftops of a gorgeous city, with a grace that belies the weight and impact of Faith’s movement, but DICE seem to forget this on a few occasions, dragging it down with combat that brings the free running to a halt.

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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.

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Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is the follow-up no one ever thought would get made. It is clearly a passion project for the team at DICE, and it finally feels like it lives up to its ambitious design.

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If you're a fan of the original Mirrors' Edge, this will probably be a no-brainer, but Catalyst would be an easier recommend even with the clunky controls if it had been sold cheaper, perhaps as episodic content.

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It’s a solid game as far as playing the story missions are concerned, but ­like Faith herself ­ it can sometimes fail to find its legs elsewhere.

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Playing Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is addictive, there’s no question about it. Making your way from the Anchor District to Ocean Glass View to Downtown is so rewarding and it never gets boring.

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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.

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Catalyst is at its fleet-footed best when it barrels forward and sticks to the rooftops, but it never manages to fully shake the cookie-cutter corporate nonsense its rebellious heroes claim to despise.

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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. It is sad to see the game released in this state, especially when it has been so eagerly anticipated.

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An okay storyline keeps you running, but ultimately, graphics that are above-average at best, and an open world that is essentially corridors stitched together means Mirror’s Edge Catalyst falls short of what we really want out of this franchise.

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Catalyst will not make you feel the thrill of the original Mirror’s Edge, nor will it make you feel something new. The parkouring that Mirror’s Edge fans want is in Catalyst, but you’ll have to climb over a lot of steep problems to enjoy it.

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Mirror’s Edge Catalyst represents a compromised vision. It’s one part exhilarating first-person platformer, one part bland open-world title. In a year crowded with great releases, not to mention last year’s Dying Light representing a much better open-world parkour experience, that’s a vision many people won’t want to put their money on the line for.

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Not only did Catalyst manage to capture the adrenaline rush that comes with performing parkour and unbelievable athletic stunts, it is able to do while surpassing the original Mirror’s Edge, which I felt is an enormous feat.

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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.

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Though there are many parts of Mirror’s Edge Catalyst that fail, when it manages to fire on all cylinders, the game works quite well.

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Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is an exceptional sandbox. There’s nothing in the entire medium that feels quite as unique as being able to sprint, duck, and dive towards the horizon, making the most of the many varied paths on offer in this superbly sculpted playground.

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Overall, there is a lot to like with Mirror’s Edge and despite the bland story and characters, EA DICE gives you a large vibrant world with so much to do.

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I’d still argue that Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst is a failure, but it’s an interesting failure. It started from an idea that nobody’s been able to make work, and it still didn’t make it work, but an attempt was made. I’ll take that over a game that’s simply mediocre any day of the week.

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While it's great to see Mirror's Edge finally make a comeback after all these years, it seems the only way it can exist in the hands of a major publisher is to be just like everything else.

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But once the story is done, Mirror's Edge Catalyst still has all the stuff left to do that makes it unique. This is a review-unique scenario — I have to play the critical path, and most people will never finish the game. Instead, I imagine most players will happily bounce from side mission to delivery to grid node and back again, content to do what Mirror's Edge has always been best at: constantly moving forward and up. And once you can focus on that, Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a flawed, but often great breath of something different and exciting in an open-world landscape full of the same old thing.

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Mirror's Edge Catalyst is the first game, but more so

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What a shame, then, that it's an all-too-familiar tale for this sequel. The original Mirror's Edge was always a great idea somewhat obscured - how frustrating to find Catalyst polishes the premise only to find itself burdened with a new set of shackles. It's a slight reward for those who've kept Faith, but this is a sequel that's too often lacking grace.

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Catalyst does some interesting stuff but doesn’t add enough to the mix. It’s a game I enjoyed but one that also left me feeling partly frustrated and sad. While it has good ideas and mechanics, they peak early and, in such a sparse and minimalist space, struggle to carry the whole game.

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LiK said:

I have faith

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F0rneus said:

Gameinformer 6.5

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Floex said:

Gamesradar - 3/5

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F0rneus said:

I think people are forgetting the reviews of the first game. This is reviewing better so far.

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DR2K said:

Hmm the reviews are faring a little better than the first one.

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Kenzodielocke said:

Mirror's Edge will also get reviews in the 6-7's.

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Plinko said:

Not sure why people are freaking out. These aren't bad scores.

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