How many games have you seen transition from a 3D to 2D environment? Usually, it’s the other way around, with Mario and Sonic being the most iconic examples. But the subject of today, Mirror’s Edge, transports the prodigious runner Faith from the 3D urban jungle into a straight 2D (well, 2.5, but still) left-to-right-racecourse.
In a way, Mirror’s Edge has its soul taken away. I’ve heard from IGN that M.E is meant to be 2D, but I frankly disagree with that statement. In my mind, Mirror’s Edge for the consoles is not just a love letter for the sport of parkour but is also one of the best games in terms of immersion. The shaking of the camera to indicate momentum, the heavy breathing and of course the first person view are all what makes the gamer feel what Faith feels while she speeds off faster than a speeding bullet, and is what makes the game unique and special. Transitioning to the 2D-sphere takes all of those one-of-a-kind qualities away, so without a doubt this version of Mirror’s Edge will feel so much different from the console interpretation. But fear not: Mirror’s Edge for the iPad/iPhone is still a fun game to play.
The gameplay, as stated earlier, has a drastic facelift, but the presentation still retains the same design and sound mapped out by the first game. Faith is still doing her parkour gymnastics in a city of major contrasts, of bright white buildings and other red or orange objects. In other words, you’ll be baffled and wide-eyed from how wonderful this game looks, even though it is not the most realistic-looking product you’ll find. The soundtrack is also taken from the consoles, and expect to listen to cool, minimalist beats that reflect the pristine nature of the urban playground. Oh, and “Still Alive” is back, undoubtedly one of the best theme songs for a video game. While I question the placement of these tracks at some stages (ie. a calm beat during an escape mission), the music is one of the best features of this game.
Now we move onto the gameplay, the major part of the game that had to be drastically changed for the 2D template. The bottom line of the game still revolves around Faith going from point A to point B, dodging bullet fire from police and slide tackles from rogue runners. Think “a more grounded version of 2D Sonic the Hedgehog”. Controls work well for the most part. You slide your finger to the left or right to get Faith moving in the direction your finger is sliding. You slide up to jump and slide down to either slide or do a roll that breaks your fall. Of course, there are more moves than that, such as sliding off buildings, wall climbing and skidding through wires, but they still come from the same finger dragging commands. I’ve originally thought that the sense of speed is mitigated in this release, but upon further investigation I’ve changed my mind; when Faith is moving at max speed without obstruction, sliding on rooftops and leaping far and beyond normal human capabilities, it is a sight to behold. About the only issue I’ve had with the controls is from maneuvering tight corners. Faith knows only two speeds: Super fast and absolute stillness. Therefore, landing on a platform and then stopping immediately to stay there is a chore. Thankfully, the instances of these situations are few and far between.
Fighting past enemies was a hassle in the console versions, but thankfully the iPad iteration simplifies the action to make this part bearable. There is no gunplay to be found here, and Faith either disarms and dispatches an enemy, or jump kicks/slides to stun him temporarily. I do have timing issues with disarming opponents, and there are some instances when nearby police is absolutely oblivious to the incoming protagonist, but fortunately these strange oddities are not game-breakers.The major downfall of this game is that the campaign, chocked with clichéd and overly simplified discussions of freedom of speech vs. no-freedom of speech, is incredibly short. I’ve been able to complete the campaign in under three hours, though there are some more options worth exploring. There’s a local multiplayer that allows two players to race in specifically-designed courses. There’s also a time-attack option if you really want to test yourself. Back to the main story mode, there are also achievements (like downing x number of officers, running y meters etc) and hidden bags to find. By finding more bags, you can unlock some wallpapers, all of which I’ve seen look fantastic. If you want to spruce up your iPad background, finding those bags should be considered.
At the end of the day, you won’t find a package that has a phenomenal presentation and gameplay like Mirror’s Edge. At its best, you’ll scale buildings, perform acrobats, and leap hundreds of feet into the air with the greatest of ease, all while admiring the quietly brilliant soundtracks dancing in your eardrums and soak in the wonderful urban scenery. But the game is so short it would’ve been a rental If you can actually do that for the Appmarket. But still, if you have an iPad and 5 bucks to spare on an iPad game, this is one option you should think hard about.
Final Verdict: Between 4 and 4 and a half stars, but I’ll lean to the former because of the laughable initial campaign, and the staying power is more than suspect when compared to even mediocre products on the iPad. But make no mistake: EA managed to create a brilliant game for the iPad. In the brief time, you’ll be sucked in to Faith’s world from start to finish.