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By Thomas McKinnon 3 February 2009

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Living life on the fringes of a totalitarian society you, Faith, are a Runner. Delivering sensitive packages via the network of rooftops that define your gleaming sterile city, you are skilled in the art of displacement; Pakour. 

The game’s plot is fairly obvious as your cop sister has been framed for the murder of a high ranking official and you are the only one who can help her. Fight or flight? You use all your skill as a traceuses, to evade your pursuers and uncover the information that will set your sister free.

Mirror’s Edge can most readily be described as an action platformer as you perform numerous jumps, grabs and slides in combination, often requiring trial-and-error patience, to overcome various urban obstacles. The game is however unique in the perspective it offers, as you play in first person. The PC version is superior to console versions for two reasons; it is easier to play a first person game with a mouse and the graphics are far superior provided you have PhysX support. The implementation of PhysX in Mirror’s Edge is excellent with far more realistic character interaction with the surrounding environment. Effects such as Faith, shattering glass or causing a flag to flutter as she breezes past are superb.

The game’s best features are its beat-your-record races and level speed runs, with both modes featuring online leaderboards, ensuring hours of intense competition. This is more than can be said for its extremely short campaign mode, offering at very most six hours of play. 

PROS
Unique take on first-person play. The design is striking and online gameplay absorbing.
CONS
There isn???t much in the way of combat and the game is ultimately linear with a very short campaign.
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