Mirror's Edge

[PZ]

 ^+-+  You boys are too much; at least I always know where to come for a laugh!

[Art Blade]

 :-()

[spaceboy]

The difficulty in executing what I need to do in Chapter 6 made it a bit less enjoyable.  The deaths from the gunners come swiftly if you take the "wrong" path.  I hope the rest of the game doesn't keep this level of heat from the guns.  The enjoyment of running and taking out a few cops along the way got lost in this chapter.  I wouldn't mind even having to run through them all (too many to fight) if the paths to escape were easier to identify (on the run) vs. trial and error or internet video walkthroughs.

The first 2/3 of the game were a lot of fun, I'm nervous the change it took will stay for the remainder...

[JRD]

Mirror`s Edge is about trial and error.

Period.

I got tired of it after a while too. I don`t see how they would do a game with such story line in a different way. If you can identify the path straight away, then it gets too easy, if it`s quite hidden then it akes a lot of trying and dieing  :-(

There`s not much to do but run as fast as you can and as smoothly as possible, which makes the game a bit fast too... which chapter is 6? where are you now?

[spaceboy]

I know you're right, but sometimes the joy of it being easier is in the fluidity of the action.

But the biggest way they could make it different is having multiple paths to your destination and the city being more of an open world.  You might not even need the red highlights.  That way if you veer off in any direction as long as you don't plummet to your death, you can always find a way back to your where you need to be by climbing, jumping, etc.

Think of Ezio in AC games, of course big falls will still kill him but you quickly learn which jumps you can make, and you also naturally see different paths as options.

But this hadn't hurt the experience until the snipers came out and just nail you unless you make a perfect run (which you have to figure out)

Ok so anyways...I've just gotten out of that building with the Dog sign.  Getting in was real tough, but once I was into the conveyor belt section it wasn't so bad.  I've just started the boat level and again once I jump out of the van I am swarmed by gunners, I've run around the room and am missing where to go - all the while being shot  :(

[JRD]

Can`t help you with any tips as where to go since it`s been a while to me, sorry.  :-(

You`re right about the fact that they could`ve made it more AC2 style, more open world with multiple paths to choose. Maybe some kind of reward if you can make it in less than X minutes so you`ll try to figure out the fastest way instead of going around blues.

I don`t think ME hit the nail in the head after all, but if they ever come up with a sequel, I just hope they improve those aspects  ;)

[spaceboy]

I finished this up and even made it through without shooting anybody - but I was quite tempted a few times that's for sure! 

So in the end despite the few rough parts where the trial and error nearly got the best of me (especially when trying to go through without shooting anyone) in the end I really enjoyed it. 

You can see some of where DICE was going with the animations on with BF3 coming up.

I think the game is well worth a playthrough and I applaud the fact that it was something different than most other games.   :-X

[Art Blade]

Nice, glad you enjoyed it, space  :)

By the way, looking back, did you look down some more and perhaps discovered other body parts as well?  :-()

[JRD]

Ok, it took me a while as I was out of town for the weekend and haven't played much of ME after the reinstall.

Here are a few screeneies:

This is as close as you can get to a mirror and see what Faith looks like

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Concept art

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You get to see Celeste though...  :-D

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Split toe shoes and shadow.  >:D

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Finally this is the training (tutorial) level and thast what pretty much you get to see throughout the game. Sometimes indoors, sometimes outdoors with a main color changing at each level but all with that clean, sterile look.

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I'll play some more this weekend and post a few more pics of the action... it's a nice looking game.  :-X

[Art Blade]

cheers, nice pics, JRD  :) :-X

[spaceboy]

nice shots JRD.

Oh, here is a nice vid/trailer with in-game footage showing the free running and melee combat.  At the end you get a nice shot of Faith.

Mirror's Edge Trailer

[JRD]

Nice video, space... I remember that one, I guess it was one that sold me out  :-D

I like the part where Faith jumps into the void and turns back to shoot at a blue... I never managed to do that  :-(

[spaceboy]

well the only time I shot a gun was in the server room breaking the glass around the servers trying to open up running platforms (which was unnecessary in the end)

But I recognize that part in the game and I did succeed in slide kicking a blue off of that scaffolding  ;D  pretty satisfying indeed

[Art Blade]

I remember that vid, too :) What a nice blue sky.. <starts to dream> *sigh*  :)

[Binnatics]

Indeed very nice pics JRD. That last one, with all the roof tops, seems pretty complicated to go running and jumping over...

Nice vid indeed space. That gives a little more sense to the jumping and stuff. Very nice Faith-shot in the end :-D

[JRD]

Ok, a few more screenies  ;D

You alternate rooftop parkour action style with indoors, underground plattforming style, here's a level at the water drainage system at the city, main color scheme changes drastically.

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The way out of the drainage system is up, up, up

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Next chapter (ch 3), escaping an office buiding. Again, main color scheme change drastically!

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Out again

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A change in the bright blue sky

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Some humor at the elevators

5 signs someone you know might be a Runner
No5: A fondness for the color red

The new threat to children: Running

[smg id=3675]

I'm enjoying this playthrough a lot. I can't remember some areas in the game so I have to find my way through again. Fighting somehow became easier this time around and disarming blues is quite satisfaying once you get it right.  8)

[Art Blade]

 :-X

"a fondness for the colour red" -- as in red stop signs?

[JRD]

The game hints you where to go by highlighting some elemnets in red. Follow that color whenever you see it and you are on the right way!  ;)

[Art Blade]

Then that remark on the checklist indeed is humorous  ^+-+

[Binnatics]

I like the coloured world in that game  :-X
Better than all these grayscale graphics in CoD games  :-()

[JRD]

The visuals of this game are really nice, even for today's standards.

The contrast between bright colors and white was very well thought. It is full of nice details like your legs and arms showing as you run, the sound of your (err... Faith's) breath and the footsteps.

Too bad that the gameplay lacks a lot of freedom.

I'd have made it a bit different;

- Multiple paths instead of only one most of the time
If ME was a true openworld game it would be a blast. They could've made it so that if you reach a certain place in less time, thus taking the fastest and more dangerous route, you get a bonus like better shoes for running or climbing hooks to help you get higher areas. If you choose another route, it takes longerm you don't get the perks but still are free to do so if you want to try another approach.

- Reward system. If you manage to explore and find other bags (which you already can) you get to deliver it to the Runner that left it behind and earn other perks like a district map, night vision goggles, decoys to attract blues to a certain area and so on... now all you get if you find all stashed bags are unlockables like soundtrack and artwork... lame.  >:((

More variety in missions and even side missions. Help another Runner to do this and that, tail someone unnoticed, break in and out and place a spy camera somewhere.

Well... so much for dreaming, let me go back to ME and finish it. I think I'll post a rating afterwards  ;)

[spaceboy]

nice shots JRD, and I like your ideas there.  :)

[mmosu]

JRD, the time trial map DLC that they released for ME . . . did it have multiple paths through the courses?  I never played it of course, but from what I saw of it, it looked like the courses were so complex there would almost have to be multiple paths to take to the goal 

[Binnatics]

I think this game might be like Portal; A test-like game to try a new way of thinking. If there will ever be a Mirror's Edge it might just be anything you'd wish for; different paths, more explorables and bonusses, who knows ;)

[JRD]

JRD, the time trial map DLC that they released for ME . . . did it have multiple paths through the courses?

I didn`t play any DLC, only the main game, but I don`t think they made anything much different from the game.

In some areas of the map the path branches a bit so you get maybe two ways of getting to a place but there is no difference between taking one or the other path.

I read that DICE, the developer of ME, was working on a sequel but it was cancelled after a while, so probably no ME 2 at all. It didn`t sell well so there`s no way a company will risk putting money in a project with high chances of failing again.

I`m almost finishing this playthrough now and will post a few more pics just for the fun of it!!!