In this episode, we take a moment to talk about Mirror’s Edge’s approach to platforming.
The subway section best emphasizes why Mirror’s Edge’s first-person platforming works, by taking away a lot of what makes it work.
When this game is at its best, precision isn’t a huge issue. It’s much more about looking around and quickly making a decision about which path to take. It’s not about timing, it’s about identifying and executing on an opportunity.
This subway section directly contrasts that. There’s no high-speed decision making going on. You’re not being directly chased by cops hot on your tail. It’s about waiting for something to go past so that you can get across to the next segment of the level.
I can’t really fault DICE for doing this, though. On the whole, Mirror’s Edge is and was an extremely experimental game. It’s doubtful that anyone would have even been able to figure this stuff out without first having Mirror’s Edge as a point of reference. For that reason, I can’t honestly be too mad about it.
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