The first-person perspective in video games has been a frequent one to use across all genres, from shooters to role-playing adventures. But a decade ago, EA DICE took a new approach to what gaming in first person can offer with the parkour adventure of Mirror’s Edge.
The title first released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2008 before arriving on Windows in January 2009. It followed the courier, or “runner,” Faith Connors, who works for revolutionary groups within the city that are working against its totalitarian government. Faith begins investigating how and why her sister, Kate, has been framed for murder. After Kate is arrested, Faith begins investigating “Project Icarus,” which has been training the oppressive governmental forces to move about the city in the parkour style of the runners. Faith eventually is able to uncover the people responsible for the goings-on in the city, and is able to flee with Kate.
While the vast majority of first-person titles simply display the hands of the player character, Mirror’s Edge set itself apart by showing all of Faith’s limbs on-screen (legs included) during combat and parkour segments. Also notable was how the camera would accordingly move with however much strain Faith was going through at the time – the camera bobs as she runs faster, and follows her head as she spins. Momentum gained during movement is key, as Faith needs a certain amount of momentum gained from previous actions in order to make certain jumps throughout the game.
The game was received positively upon release, with much of the praise going to how the development team was able to make a first-person video game feel unique and stand out from so many others that make use of the perspective. A side-scrolling spinoff title for the iPhone was released in 2009, which would later see ports to other smartphones. In June 2016, a sequel, Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst, released. With a unique sense of style and compelling gameplay, combined with themes that deal with control versus comfort, Mirror’s Edge has become the kind of cult darling that seemingly only arrives once in a generation. Whether or not any further media in the Mirror’s Edge world ever arrives is still unknown, but it’s clear that the developers have made a lasting mark on the gaming industry.
