Mirror's Edge: Catalyst (June 9th)

[Shorty]

So, did anyone have a play with the Beta?

 

I did, and enjoyed it a lot. Although it doesn't feel like the outside world flows quite as well as the linear routes did in the first game, it's still great to play. There was one mission in this game that wasn't in the previous demo I'd played, and it had all the final features like XP locked abilities (although several were unlocked already). The previous demo let me play with the zipline-hook gadget which this one didn't. Not sure how much bigger the fully unlocked overworld will be, but hopefully much because it felt like I'd seen it all pretty quickly.

 

The XP locked abilities will be annoying. Not having the tuck-jump or the 180 degree spin at the start felt unnecessarily limiting.

 

The user-generated content was everywhere, absolutely littered the map. Although it might've just felt like that because it was unlocked when all the other beta content had run out. Most of it was rubbish as well, players just start a little running route that goes around a corner and then stops. Could do with some kind of filter so that only well rated routes appear.

 

I did find the main mission to be bugged, which is a bit concerning.... If the beta only has one main mission and it's broken, what does that say for the full game? Basically I fell off the map at the end, when escaping the level, and when I respawned the map was pointing me back into the mission, wouldn't let me do anything else... but when I ran in, the checkpoints wouldn't update. Died again, and the mission basically reset, but then a lift half-way through the map couldn't be called. Not a promising sign.

 

Other than those things though it felt like Mirror's Edge, looked fantastic, the combat was satisfying and didn't have that annoying feeling that you would be cut to ribbons as soon as you got something wrong, like the first game. Still very much looking forward to the full thing

[Kav]

The XP unlocks put me off this so much... although I did love the first game so I probably will still pick this up.

[bob]

I don't see the problem with XP unlocks?

 

You have to progress in Zelda to get weapons and abilities. And you have to level up in RPGs to get better weapons and spells and such.

 

Why not in this? I don't see why it's a negative

[Shorty]

I don't see the problem with XP unlocks?

 

You have to progress in Zelda to get weapons and abilities. And you have to level up in RPGs to get better weapons and spells and such.

 

Why not in this? I don't see why it's a negative

 

Because they're not special moves or anything, they're basic movement controls that were available from the start in the first game. They limit you from being able to do something that your character should easily be able to do, it's just a cheap way to prolong progress.

[Eddage]

The only way I can see it would make sense if is you're playing as a young Faith who has just started free running and so you get better as you gain experience. If the story already has you as an established runner then it seems a bit stupid.

[bob]

If you hadn't played the first game, do you think it would still feel cheap/limiting?

 

People said the same thing about Just Cause 3, but I didn't mind it really.

 

I guess I just like the boring drudgery of unlocking things in games.

[Kav]

IGN give it 6.8... the guy was excited for it but felt very let down.

 

http://m.uk.ign.com/articles/2016/06/06/mirrors-edge-catalyst-review

[Hero-of-Time]

IGN give it 6.8... the guy was excited for it but felt very let down.

 

http://m.uk.ign.com/articles/2016/06/06/mirrors-edge-catalyst-review

 

Reviews seem to be a little all over the place for this one. There's some pretty high scores and then some ones that are in the middle.

 

You still getting it/interested in it @kav82?

[Kav]

I'm not too sure @Hero\-of\-Time, the first turn-off was that you have to unlock abilities... like tucking your legs up when you jump, because that makes fucking sense?!

[Tales]

I will buy, not sure when. I played the beta and wasn't impressed. I love open world games, but I don't see how Mirror's Edge benefit from that. I think the very nature of the gameplay a more streamlined world would be a better fit.

[Ganepark32]

I was expecting the reviews to be around the 7/8 out of 10 area but they really are a bit all over the place. For the most part, the bit that matters is the free running and from the sounds of it, it still plays extremely well on that front. That's what I'm more interested in, well that and the soundtrack, so it still has me ready for day 1. Just find it a bit strange that it's a Thursday release, why not just make it a Tuesday?

 

I loved the first one, flaws and all, so I'm hoping that it turns out to be the case here.

[gaggle64]

Just pre-bought it based on the Guardian review (3/5) - looks likely it'll be another flawed gem but the gem I want.

[Ganepark32]

Put in a couple of hours on this yesterday and must say that I'm really enjoying it so far. The free running is just as good as it was but feels refined and smoother, making it easier to keep up speed on the rooftops and vault over objects or springboard onto higher ledges. Really comes into play on the Dashes where smooth movements can shave off a second or two here or there and push you towards that 3 stars rather than 2, although saying that I've only managed to complete one dash at 3 stars as the others were in areas where I wasn't instantly familiar with the layout. But the opportunity to utilise any route you want, rather than having to stick to the suggested one, does leave plenty of room for experimenting in new areas.

 

The combat feels quick nice as well, again a refinement on what has come before but with the ability to stagger enemies directionally and dodge incoming attacks. I'm still getting used to the latter for landing heavy attacks on the back but being able to string together a run and leap off of a ledge or wall and land on an enemy feels great

 

Loving the aesthetic of the game. Loved it in the original but this seems like a nice ramping up of what was there, that minimalist approach to colour but highly stylised. I can see where reviews are coming from when they say things do look a little ropey at times as I've seen some textures which are straight up last gen/worse and some of the pop in from the Frostbite engine when loading up the game or transitioning to other areas is very noticeable. But that being said, I think it looks great and it runs at a steady framerate throughout. Haven't noticed a drop at all so I'm more than happy that they've sacrificed some visual fidelity to maintain a solid framerate which is necessary in this type of game.

 

Played through a couple of story missions so far and some side missions, along with completing some dashes and scouring for collectibles, but really starting to get a good feel for it. The collectibles in particular I think are a nice addition in helping getting you thinking about how the environment is laid out and how best to approach them, with this feeding back in when you do dashes and such later on.

 

So yeah, from my perspective I'm really enjoying it and say its definitely been worth the wait. Can't wait to put more time in and mess about with setting up my own time trial runs and such.

[Ganepark32]

Guessing this kind of got swept under the carpet with E3 and such, EA really didn't think about the release of this again.

 

Anyway, managed to finish this up yesterday and have to say that while reviews were a bit all over the place and middling, I personally loved it. Being a big fan of the original helped obviously but I just thought the game played and worked so well.

 

The game more or less ignores anything that happened in the previous game, opting to reboot everything afresh and while there are some names and references back to the original game, it remains at that giving Catalyst a blank canvas, more or less, to work from. Story wise, there are some loss similarities to what’s happening this time around. The Runners, headed up by a man known as Noah, are afforded the freedom of the rooftops to make courier runs and deliveries as long as they stay out of the way of the Conglomerate, an amalgamation of the various companies and families ruling over the city of Glass and the region of Cascadia with an iron fist. It’s very much a dystopian society with a clear hierarchical structure and the design of the city with its bright billboards and signs clearly highlight who’s in charge.

 

You pick up as Faith who has spent 2 years in a correctional facility after a job went down wrong. Almost immediately upon release, you’re taken back off of the grid and on the run from the city’s police force, KrugerSec, running, jumping and sliding your way around the city.

 

The pace of the opening sets the scene for much of what comes later in the game as you’ll be running all over the city, making deliveries, taking down some enemies and escaping capture. The story does see you infiltrating companies of the Conglomerate along the way, uncovering corporate secrets with wider ramifications for the city and beyond and this, along with a twist that is pretty apparent early on, comprise of what drives your actions later on. A lot has been made about the story being throw away and while it’s not going to compare to more story heavy games, I didn’t think it was that bad and actually enjoyed aspects of it. Sure, the dialogue at times doesn’t best convey some of the key moments but it’s a better job than the original and a solid foundation for potential extension should there be another sequel.

 

The opening acts as a very good introduction to your moveset and the new melee systems in play, I felt. These will evolve as you progress through the game, more so because of how you start to consider the environment around you and how best to make use of objects to your advantage. It gives the game a natural progression and while yes, there are move unlocks behind an XP barrier, even early on you are capable of putting together some good moves to free run across the roofs and dispatch of the KrugerSec guards coming your way. Those skills locked behind XP are quickly unlocked as XP is handed out readily so it’s never usually too long a wait for certain things and even then, your arsenal of moves is more than enough at default to launch across the city.

 

The free running was the best part of the original and once again, it takes centre stage and feels fantastic. It’s flowing when you get into a run and the layout and geometry of the locations helps to facilitate speed. There’s nothing like stringing together a good set of moves and maintaining your focus as you plough through a group of enemies and take them out at speed. I will say that I did find that during Dashes, the game’s speedruns, that it occasionally doesn’t flow as well but I have a feeling that may be more the engine creaking under the speed of things as I found that it wouldn’t let me drop off of ledges (even with jumping somethings) and that I wouldn’t be able to slide under objects even though I’d pressed the button to do so. That is really the only downside to the parkour and it’s only really apparent through those optional Dashes and even then, only occurring because of the engine.

 

Those issues with the engine are apparent at times when playing as textures load in slowly when changing districts at speed. Textures aren’t really up to much either and look bad for a 2016 title, especially on Frostbite 3. That being said, the frame rate is solid throughout which I’m thankful for and even in some of the more chaotic sequences, I didn’t experience a single blip or drop. Even with the issues with the visuals, the look and aesthetic of the game is beautiful. It nails that clean, futuristic look with loads of geometrical patterns and shapes and the use of colour is good as well giving a bit more character to the city than the original had. And the soundtrack, once again by Solar Fields, is great again, tapping into some of the original’s best moments but also creating some beautiful ambient pieces that play while out running through the city.

 

The game isn’t without its faults but I really enjoyed the whole game from start to finish. Getting a chance to play a new Mirror’s Edge after an 8 year wait and after lacklustre sales of the first game is a fantastic feeling and I am sad that the story has ended. I’ve still got collectibles to grab and some Dashes to complete on 3 stars to nab the platinum but that’ll allow me more time with a game that grabbed me from the start and had me hooked.

 

I only hope that if there is more Mirror’s Edge to come that the wait isn’t as long this time. Really hoping we do get more. Superb game and probably my favourite of this year so far.

[Hero-of-Time]

For those interested, the game is now £19.99 at Sainsburys. HUKD posted it this morning and I can confirm that it was this price when I popped into the store during my lunch.