The History of Mirror's Edge
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- Опубліковано 13 січ 2025
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In the late 2000s, parkour emerged from obscurity, and took over mainstream entertainment. Movies, UA-cam videos, and video games alike took to the urban jungle so that they could showcase the activity in all of its glory, and entertain audiences with fast-paced thrills. And no other video game managed to thrill quite like Mirror’s Edge. The brainchild of Swedish video game developer DICE, Mirror’s Edge cast players in the shoes of Faith, a raven-haired courier tasked with delivering messages across the rooftops of a gleaming dystopia. While many found the sum of its offerings to be far from perfect, most agreed that running through the metropolis was a delight, and that it’s clean, minimalist art was a welcome breath of fresh air from the browns and grays of its competitors.
After Mirror’s Edge came and went, however, it quickly became apparent that it would be a while longer before fans would be able to return to Faith’s world. While DICE would repeatedly express its desire to continue building out its budding parkour series, rumors and news stories alike perpetually suggested that DICE either was at a crossroads on how to proceed with it, or simply not working on it at all. And the more years that passed, the more the studio seemed to become further entrenched in the Battlefield franchise.
In the end, however, the series would finally receive a second lease on life nearly a decade later, in the form of Mirror’s Edge Catalyst - an open-world re-imagining of DICE’s opus that would be met with equal parts fanfare, and equal parts frustration.
This is the history of Mirror’s Edge.
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Hey everyone, we've opened up a new channel where we'll be sharing snippets of our 4K gameplay captures that you can use to produce your own content! You'll be able to find links to our Mirror's Edge and Mirror's Edge Catalyst footage below!
Mirror's Edge: ua-cam.com/video/_NDHkdxoikI/v-deo.html
Mirror's Edge Catalyst: ua-cam.com/video/iTPSpt0wVj0/v-deo.html
idk i dont think this video held the same high standard that you usually do. but, okey even the sun has spots. hope next video is much better
Awesome! Also props to everyone who is involved making these videos. Top notch quality.
This is so awesome of you!
You guys do great mini documentaries of games. Please do more mini docs with less obscure titles. I’d love to see more popular titles be covered by Gvmers
can you do " The History of " or " The Rise and Fall of " on game: " alice in wonderland " ?
The soundtrack of Mirror's Edge alone is unforgettable.
Solar Fields did it so fiine
@@johnpilapil9250 And he managed to do something special twice. Even though Catalyst's soundtrack isn't as memorable as the first one's, it still sounds amazing and you can "feel" how different and unique it is, you know? That muffled, crunchy electronic ambience...
yes. Now I'm crying.
@@reisu_3708 You couldnt have said it any better. They really captured that feel that thing I cant describe. I think what made the OST of the first Mirrors Edge memorable is the design of the game. It just combined with eachother. The sound and the aesthetic.
@@EnjoyCocaColaLight *OOOOHHHHHH I'M STILL ALIVE I'M STILL ALIVE I CAN'T APOLOGISE NOOOOO!*
That first Mirrors Edge game was something really special.
Agreed we need a remaster like now cmon EA
@@Irrelavant__ Please no, they tried to cash in with the second one and gave it to a team with 0 passion for it.
@@thebubs450 Umm Switch, Ps4, Xbox One? Not everyone has a PC ?
@@Irrelavant__ Xbox One has backwards compatibility with the first game... which, mind you, is from 2008. Running on Unreal Engine 3, the game may be easy to port, i'm not really sure... but seriously, why waste so much time and resources with new "remasters" when it's so easy to play the game? I saw the game running even on a shitty low-end PC from 2009 that had a GT 210 and an Intel Core 2 Quad 8400.
@@reisu_3708 ok dude feels like I'm tilting with windmills. All I want is that more people would play the game but you all are so protective of it whatever not worth discussing
There's at least one major omition in this documentary: EA's marketing (or complete lack thereof) was a major factor in Catalyst's mediocre sales. Almost no one knew it was out until weeks after the fact.
True. And it actually sold pretty well considering that. EA themselves said it met their expectations, so I don't understand why everyone says it flopped.
@@giannis_tar Possibly because EA didn't expect high sales to begin with? Just speculation, of course.
I remember the first game having far more marketing, at least in stores, than most games. But that may have been a special case for Sweden.
And they forced PC players to buy the game on Origin. Origin was always almost universally hated, and still to this day just isn't used by anyone except those who are forced to (playing Apex, and a very, very select few other games).
I literally just found out this game came out with this video
The original mirror's edge has a really special place in my heart. The first level is near perfection and I even loved the gunplay and combat. More than anything this game delivered really emotional experience through its art direction and the world design. The ending cutscene is just a thing of beauty.
The gun play and combat was a bit rubbish but the rest was truly special.
I've hoarded similar thoughts over the years. There was nothing better than coming home off a hike or jog in a cool spring or summer day, and coming home to kneel in front of your desk with the breeze and sun coming through the window and getting to fully immerse yourself in it. It kind of shocks me to see that there's still a flame of activity surrounding Mirror's Edge, even if I felt that flame would eventually break through out into the public once again some time in the near future, which just so happens to be loading now.
@@10secondsrule The gun play and combat in general are probably my least favorite things about the original ME. Definitely felt shoehorned in, especially the gun play.
not my kind of game.. almost buy the second one but see it just week since parkour game is nothing new at that point when ass creed unity was better...
Totally disagree. The ME games actually have parkour mechanics. In the AC games everything is done for you, especially after the first few games. They've made it far less challenging. You basically just press forward and one button at this point to do anything. The ME games actually require you to do something to make any move work.
Mirror's Edge & Catalyst has always captured my imagination. I still log into that game just to run around and look at my surroundings.
@@comfydragon8139 Mmmmm l e g
Same I played it yesterday lol
Key to success when working with EA: stay as far away as possible.
Yet the company got voted as the best place to work and the 2nd largest gaming company in US.
@@channe3049 And consistently voted the "Worst Company in America". You don't become the 2nd largest gaming company by satisfying customers, you become it by using sleazy methods, anti-consumer practices, and sucking off the shareholders.
@@choo_choo_ yeah, that sucks. But nobody dies from that, being a good place to work in America is saving lives,with health insurance and good salaries.
Also the voting was heavily Internet based, nobody really cares besides reddit.
@@terrydrain What lives are they saving? They just buy developer studios to acquire their IP's. Then, they force studios to commit anti-consumer practices. They'll make crazy money for a while until the consumers start to catch on and revolt. The revenue decreases with each game release, until EA decides to close the studio, often firing the staff. And, EA just moves on to the next studio. Most franchises suffer and get extremely watered down whenever EA is involved. Most dev studios are better off growing on their own and never crossing paths with EA.
@@terrydrain Imagine unironically liking and shilling for EA.
i never knew how much i wanted this game to be covered until now
Mirrors edge play through when?
@@CrystlClr404 I concur
Oh, hey thaf!
hang on- hang on- hang on. YOU'VE PLAYED THIS GAME?! HELL YEAH
Mirror’s Edge 3 would be a dream come true.
not with ea behind it
Same thing we said about Mirror's Edge 2 👀
@@PathoMarino
Yeah they really screwed us over there. any potential Mirrors Edge sequel should be crowd funded
Stop making that unoriginal battlefield game and make more mirrors edge
The 3rd game should be a follow up to the first and have absolutely nothing to do with Catalyst the abomination
As an owner of Mirror's Edge Catalyst, very ironically the best parts of the game were the _linear_ sections, essentially being the main missions and the Gridnodes' side missions.
100% true. They really messed up the concept for the sequel - the linear sections were the best part.
I enjoyed running around the beautiful city and searching for collectibles, but I do agree that the best part was the main missions.
I played the original Mirror's Edge game after Catalyst, and I didn't miss free roaming city. I loved that it was all missions.
I agree, but I do really love taking the occasional tour around the city and just take in the beautiful sights
totally agree
I hated the grinodes
To this day, the soundtrack, cutscenes, and even the gameplay of the original Mirror's Edge makes me emotional. Gives me goosebumps every single time.
the first Mirror's Edge was for me one of the most "influential" game i ever played, the same way Halo revolutioned my view on FPS who were Half-Life biased, i don't know how to explained it but in a way this game expanded my universe
Man, this hurts. I love this franchise (yes, even Catalyst) It was nice to get something rather than nothing, even if it wasn't the kind of open world game we wanted... I boot up the games once in a while, just to spend more time in that world and get a thrill out of running.
You didn't buy the $200 pre-order and buy the MTX, you must not love Mirror's Edge enough for it to continue! According to Patrick Soderland.
@choo_choo_ it really is an unbelievably ironic situation. It sold two million copies, he takes that info and somehow comes to the conclusion that nobody bought it and will want more. The irony in Mirrors Edge being different from all the games surrounding it and Soderland chooses OPEN WORLD as the new evolutionary thing for the series is beyond asinine to me.
A third game would be the best news ever. As long as Solar Fields is onboard.
they shuld dicth the catalyst storyline and just focus on the direct sequel to the orginal mirrors edge 2008
@@navylaks2 nobody really cared that much about either story. They can reboot it again if they want.
AND Lisa Miskovsky
@@jothain I really prefer not to hear those cheesy lyrics
it will be in VR - I'm sure
Love the first game. While its story was lackluster I can't deny how much I enjoyed playing it over and over again. And of course the soundtrack.
Catalyst is still good but certainly a step backwards from the first with the skill tree to unlock moves she should have generally such as rolling on the ground after landing. But I can't deny that I still enjoy the game as I always wanted to run across the city without the scripted moments.
And the soundtrack. I think Solar Fields outdid himself with a 5 hours long soundtrack. What a blast to listen to. I hope we wont have to wait for too long for a third title. If they ever going to make one.
@Subi_fan But it was left with a cliffhanger ending. Catalyst didn't even address any of it. It was more of a sequel.
@Subi_fan Catalyst was a prequel to the original that is why they never explored that
@@chrisbullock8158 How is catalyst a prequel? They changed certain characters roles and set the world in a different time period. Doesn't make sense to be called a prequel or sequel, it's definitely a reboot.
@@nate4mate Yeah I guess but, game reveiws said it was a reboot that takes place before the original. I havent played since 2017 so I could be wrong, dont actually care too much though
@@chrisbullock8158 It's definitely touted as a prequel but alot of the things in the universe has been changed completely. Ex. Merc isn't even in Catalyst yet in the original it was established that he took faith in at very young age after her parents died in the November riots and showed her the ways of the runners. Also her sister Kate was a cop and not an adopted daughter of a CEO like in catalyst. I definitely see how alot of confusion is spread tho since these games aren't as widely known as some other franchises.
With Dying Light being so popular and a 2nd game on it's way, I believe the market is ready for a new Mirror's Edge.
The music of Mirrors edge always breaks my heart for what really could've been a spectacular sequel
Seeing that beta gameplay in the street honestly looked like an amazing experience had it been flesh out and elaborated upon.
Yeah, it's a shame you don't get anything like that in Catalyst. Having an open world is a great way to explore lower levels of the game world, but for whatever reason the devs delegate you to just rooftops, and a construction area. Both games were bursting with so much more potential than what the end products were.
I agree but I get why they didnt go with it.
Shes just a really good free runner, not spiderman
The first one is still a magical experience to me everytime I replayed it. Thank you to the swedish DICE/Digital Illusions team who worked on it! Wish you all the best here from Vienna!
In the original Mirror's Edge you had "the adventure" feeling, a linear path with no repetitive places and obstacles. Besides, you had the opportunity to run in the streets and in closed alleys, giving the city a more real and dangerous feeling.
And in Catalyst, you start from the beggining in a open world (completely set in the roofs) making it *repetitive*
I still close my eyes and listen to the soundtrack sometimes thinking back to this time. The soundtrack was a huge part of this games amazing experience.
That late 2000s really was a magical time.
The theme song gives me chills every time I hear it. Hell, I even got chills while writing this comment and thinking about it
@@Makedeth thats true. Pure optimism
Catalyst nailed the graphics, atmosphere and soundtrack imho. The parkour also feels spot on. I can run in the open world for hours enjoying it's ambience.
I agree so much I do love the original, but it is so linear that it doesn't make me play it very often. I love the ability to traverse an entire city in anyway you want in Catalyst! Lets hope a third game will happen one day!
The story i catalyst is so poor and Faith come's off as such a pussy compared to ME1.
Plus does every FPS game need a grapling hook now ?
@@navylaks2 grappling hooks can be awesome if you can use them freely and physically, like in Titanfall 2, for example. The thing they put in was more of a gimmick only transporting you between two fixed spots.
Catalyst ruined the atmosphere of the first, god it looked so ugly.
I liked the 2nd game too! It's different but the things I care most about (artstyle, music, parkour) are still awesome.
I just completed Catalyst for the second time and while I agree that the story and combat aren’t that great I still think the game is amazing and deserves more credit than it deserves, especially because you can get the game now for less than $10. The world, parkour and overall beauty of the game is stellar and I’m still surprised they made a game like this run on the Xbox/PS4 without it being a stuttering mess. I still wish we would get a third game, but with the state of DICE, the money driven focus of EA, and the mixed response of Catalyst, I highly doubt we will get another one, but I still hope we do.
Shame this franchise never got love it deserves from EA. The first game was such a fun and unique experience for it's time.
Few things get the love they deserve from EA. Except for money.
The first 2008 game was awesome but Catalyst on the other hand was such a letdown
EA either fucks good concepts over or is kind enough not to interfere. I recall only one single instance when their intervention actually amounted to something good, when they pressured Will Wright into going ahead with the original Sims after he felt like abandoning the project altogether.
@@navylaks2 even if the story of catalyst could had been better you gotta admit the races and parkour in that game is amazing.
We've been spoiled with the 30+ minute videos, thank you GVMERS for everything you do.
You have made me very happy by making this video! Mirrors edge 1 is one of my favorite games!
God... I miss Mirror's Edge like you wouldn't belive. This video hit me harder than Ropeburn.
The OG Mirror's Edge has a fantastic feel. I played it constantly in the late 00s and 10s. It was slightly lacking in the story imo. Catalyst is good too, but suffers from the same problems and a skill tree. I think Catalyst feels much better to control and has better move sets though.
The original Faith Connors and Merc were way better than the reboot Faith and Noah. I liked the new Faith design, but her neck seemed a bit long.
As a whole, I REALLY hope Mirror's Edge isn't dead. It has so much potential, but both games have something that holds it back. The original had a meh story and was a little short, the reboot had another meh story, skill tree, and repetitive open world.
For me it was a No Go going from beautiful optimistic New Eden, which really captured the 00s mentality about life and how the future would look , to rainy, dark and pessimistic "Glass City".
Reason I never touched the game. And because I knew that Open World doesent fit after what we got with the scripted first game which really feels like a rollercoaster right of ups and downs, stressful and calm moments in perfect timing
You heard of that fanmade prequel "initiation" coming up?
@Cats are Comrades [dogs based, too] the difference in movement system between 1 and 2 really throws me off on 2, it definitely just doesn’t have the same weight or logic
I'd like to see a game about Mirror's Edge cleaners. Imagine parkouring around scaffolds and rope climbing around with a wiper and a bucket making those glass buildings sparkling and the elevator shafts pristine. The main antagonists are the runners who keep tracking dirt everywhere
Give Super Mario Sunshine a try, seems right up your alley.
Mirror's Edge was a silent revolutionary game. Games to this day still use parkour as a movement system in their games and this game is to thank.
I still really enjoyed Catalyst. Hope to see more of Mirror's Edge :3
Elise Same. I really like the open world of Catalyst.
Cascadia is one of the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen as much as how authoritarian it was.
You're in the minority then Catalyst was a huge let down compared to the 2008 original
navylaks2 The story was unfortunately. It was so predictable and kind of cliche but the setting was absolutely gorgeous. I wish they would’ve added more character to faith.
@@navylaks2 maybe your selective blindness is going into effect but quite a lot of people like Catalyst, me included
Mirror’s edge got me into parkour, I listened to the soundtrack while doing so. I still get goosebumps when playing the first one.
The most fun I had in Catalyst was collecting items. That says a lot about how shoddy the missions and plot were. Such a shame, ME1 might be in my top 5 games of all time, it's stellar.
I dunno, I think it's subjective. The first game was a piece of art with great puzzles, a different genre to second. The second was much more narrative driven. I very much liked the characterizations, character interactions and mood. Despite its lackluster plot/story, it's still one of few works which attempt to seriously tackle cyberpunk themes rather than treat them as mere gloss.
Far from perfect but too often unfairly maligned IMO.
2:01 man that Battlefield 2 intro was something else for its time
Battlefield 2 is a gem and one of the best PC games of all time
I'll never forget seeing the trailer for the first time and thinking, "HOLY SHIT... The future of gaming." And when I played it the first time, before sinking an easy +1,000 hours into it, it was kinda like what cavemen must've thought upon discovering fire. There had been similar games, like RTCW-Enemy Territory or BF1942, but modern day (albeit basically the 90s) warfare on a large scale with helicopters, tanks etc? One of the best parts was, you didn't have a bunch of people crying about not being able to pick from a +100 gun and gadget arsenal, it was ALL about the core gameplay and making good content, that's basically it.
Proud that Battlefield 2 was my first exposure to games as a child. Strike at Kharkand and Operation Clean Sweep with Expert bots all day, not a single second of boredom.
@@coffeenick1480 Isn't it funny how when we're kids, playing against bots was just as fun as it is to play online now ☺ Definitely a great game for the first of many, mine was Max Payne 1 back in '01, very hard to believe that was damn near 20 years ago.
BF3 is even better
I dont just remember and miss this game but also those years
Mirrors edge and catalyst are both absolute masterpieces. Both belong in the video game hall of fame
I like it when GVMERS releases a new video. It's like the History Channel, Nationa Geographic or DMAX of the Game Universe!
Keep it up, I hope you're all healthy and doing well! :)
Have a nice upcoming weekend and thanks for another great video, I'm gonna watch it later :)
Funny how you said ‘I’m gonna watch it later’
@@ImJustLayZ true, but I've watched it a few hours later :P
Freidenker CH oh
I love both games. Mirror's Edge still has a special place in my heart but Catalyst also is a very nice experience and I love OOB exploration in Catalyst. Catalyst's combat is just so much more better I love the feeling of kicking K-secs out of the rooftops or pushing them to each other. Both games are very good to me in different ways.
I love both games. The first being more, as when I discovered it, it blew me away by how futuristic and modern it looked, all while still looking clean. The second game for me was much more exciting for me since I love the first so much. After playing through the 2nd game, while I felt that it could have been much more, I still appreciate everything that was done. And the graphics for it was just spectacular. I just dont understand why people hate the second game so much. It wasnt what it should have been, but it wasnt complete garbage either. Big shoutout to Solar Fields btw
My thoughts exactly 🙏🏻
Even now, when I see a Mirror's edge video I smile and get all warm and fuzzy inside.
Something about the aesthetic, the world, the music, Faith... Its just incredible.
If EA kills off this franchise... Well, its just depressing.
Give it to a team with passion and hunger for it. This franchise has unbelievable untapped potential.
One of my favorite video game series, and yet I rarely see UA-cam videos dedicated to it recently. Thanks for making this!
Honestly, I think that both games are amazing. The first game introduced us to the series, and it's immersive parkour. The visuals also still hold to this day. I love Catalyst. It's story was weaker in comparison, but it really ramped up the parkour and visuals. I also love the open world of Glass, although I would've preferred a proper sequel rather than a reboot. I wish that Dice would hurry up and make a sequel for either game, I don't mind which one
I love the music in both of these games. I remember getting to the View District in Catalyst and the ambience just made me stop for a while to admire the scenery. Catalyst may not have been the best Mirror's Edge game but it has some unique environments and Solar Fields made a fitting dynamic soundtrack to go with it.
Yeah the graphics of the game are still amazing
Thank you Agent 47 explaining to us what this game series was about and how it was developed. I remember school days when this game come out, I remember finishing first Mirror's Edge 9 times. When I was playing this game I felt funny to say a freedom. First game made me felt relaxed, but now this feeling is gone and would be nice to have it back.
Still Alive still gives me goosebumps after all this years
Throwing the theme in at 4:03 hit me so hard... got tears in my eyes trying to type this. I loved the first Mirrors Edge so much.
Now, I absolutely love the first game, but I thought the second was great as well. I think people didn't like the second one as much because you can't really recreate the experience of playing this kind of game and being in its setting for the first time. The open world was actually really beautiful in the second one.
@lord of the onion rings Yeah, the retcons to the first game's story (one in particular...) hurt the game's narrative. It was basically the same story told a different way with a different antagonist. It is probably technically better, but I had a hard accepting the character they chose to be the bad guy. Why make her the villain?
The first Mirror's Edge was really something else. The soundtrack, atmosphere, parkour were all spot on.
I still remember how obssesed I was with the first Mirror's Edge when it came out. Also, the soundtrack has something special that motivates you beyond words.
Catalyst was my favourite. People just don't understand how it can be fun ;)
Thank you sooo much for this video. We need more Mirror's Edge!!
Remember Me would be an interesting game to take a closer look at!
Dude, i had concept art as my wallpaper from the game like 10 years before game actually came out...
Remember me was one of the first games I bought. The story was great, however the gunplay was basically spamming combos till u bored.
It really sucked.
Ironically no one really remembers Remember Me
Omg yes! I honestly loved that game. The storyline was amazing
Remember Me is such an interesting game.
I remember buying a full 7.1 sound system, ps3 and 42 inch 1080P tv just for the game and its one of the best gaming memories i have
When shipping millions of units isn't considered a success, you're doing something wrong on a fundamental level.
There is a sharp difference between indie and triple A game, hell even for double A games a million is sometimes not enough.
There is of course solution for this, making prices higher, but that you would not like to hear.
Stupid EA marketing mentality
@@KeyUSeeCZ Well or reducing the scope. Did we really need an open world game with skill trees and combat mechanics?
I think the problem lies in modern AAA development. When you are creating a game with hundreds of people the need for a blockbuster title increases.
Also higher prices will make people less likely to buy a game unless they are diehard fans of the series.
@@marcelh7864 Well then there is the problem isn't it.
People would not buy either because of high price or reduced scope (content).
There is a reason why double A games is a term made around 2010s, it is simply that games made in 2000s as triple A, would now be seen as double A in budget, scope, team and price.
And you see... Triple A games are most profitable as seen in Fifa, NHL, COD so the term Triple A would never seize to exist or lower its expectation.
Gamers need to understand that their games are now made as Double A (that they would enjoy the most) and stop crying because someone markets its game as triple A, as not only it hurts smaller developers, (As many gamers would not buy double A or for that matter indie game), but it hurts the entire structure of gaming where indie and double A developers don't have enough money and don"t know what players want. And where triple A developers sees gamers as cry babies that dont know nothing, because if they make smaller games they would lose a lot of money.
Good example is KC: Deliverence, great double A game, good profit and sold over 1mil copies. Is that enough? Yes!
But why would they? When they can make gigantic game that makes millions upon millions of dollars and not care in the slightest if they have to deal with gamers that they see as cry babies anyway.
PS: For every successful double A game there are 4 unsuccessful, whilst for every Triple A there are only 2 and their development was paid for, unlike AA.
@@KeyUSeeCZ I'm a bit out of the loop with the gaming community in this regard. I mostly buy games on sale and couldn't care less as what they are marketed as I look at some gameplay and reviews before buying the product.
The game with the most copies sold is hardly a Triple A title(Minecraft). For a potential KC: Deliverance 2 I would expect better sales even if the size of the team/the development time doesn't change by much simply because it got a following that automatically increases marketability.
I think more refined games are a more interesting way of exploring different game concepts (as the indie scene does but with more polish) but of course this runs contrary to Triple A sales cycles. A triple A title is more of a gamble due to its investment it has to perform better and I'm not sure that this business model will work as good in the future (especially with the upcoming depression after this crisis).
Dude, I have so many memories of coming home after a hella stressful day and putting on a MEC speedrun and just.... losing myself in the world and soundtrack.
I honestly love both entries. I finished the first one like 4 times in a row. I'm so sad we're probably never gonna see another entry again. While EA is now showing signs of improvement, with Fallen Order being a great single player experience, I don't see them going back to their varied portfolio they once had. They seem mostly focused on franchises that are guaranteed to sell well.
I don't know, i liked the first games cutscenes, as well as the story. No world saving, no supernatural boss fights, just someone trying to save her last relative. Thats a lot more relatable than most game stories. Also the cutscenes were artistic and fit the world of the game. Somewhat harsh and simple looking, yet beautiful. After playing the first game however, i just couldn't go back to these ego shooters at the time. "Oh, there is a fence. What now? Where does the game want me to go? And how to get over that curb? Its 10 cm high!"
Thank you for making this video, it does bring back a lot of joyful memories of the 1st Mirror's Edge.
To me, Catalyst loses a lot of the original's touch in both the architecture design and story's world setting. The 1st, although having a very dramatic color palette and stylish architecture and interiors, the setting and layouts are pretty grounded, that it feels like people actually live and work there; in Catalyst, the designs feel like conceptual architecture showcases, and definitely feels like a designed parkour playground dressed in a futuristic setting. Much of the coolness of parkour is that they transform mundane urban environments into a free-running playground and turning what saw as defined paths and obstacles into new paths, which Catalyst didn't give me such sensation, I feel like I'm running through pre-determined paths even though it was claimed to be an "open-world" game.
And the story's world setting is stuffed with convoluted elements that don't need to be there, it is not until I go to their official website that I know the city is called Glass in a nation called Cascadia that is in constant cold-war with a nearby nation, water is extremely rare in this world, areas where the food dome are dangerous wastelands etc...but all that wasn't something shown to the player during the entirety of the game and definitely didn't add much to sell the audience about this world.
I really hope if we're lucky enough to have a 3rd installment, at least we could go back to the setting of the 1st game.
Seeing all these ME fans make me happy honestly. I just replayed the game and it's so good
Can’t lie that flash mirror’s edge game on the computer was really good. The movement felt really good I just wish it was longer
Whats a real shame about catalyst is that nearly everything in the gameplay department (outside of having to unlock stuff via skill trees) is a straight upgrade from the first, but that gets overshadowed by all of the other not so great choices.
Just played “still alive” on imusic whilst making my morning coffee. I went straight to UA-cam to watch this documentary again. Superb. I’ve no idea if I’ve already commented on this video months ago, but I thought I’d check in again to say thanks for making this. Mirrors edge is one of my all time favourite games. Everything about it is so perfectly made and fits so well together. The music, the visuals, the gameplay. 12 years later it’s still so fresh and new. And nothing has come close to that original game.
I see GVMERS, I click and like every time.
Thanks for reminding me how incredible the OST to Mirror's Edge was.
The most underrated game of all time.
Call of Craig
The first one. Not the second one.
Brando yep. My best max to this date still.
@@brando3342 both games are great, but I prefer Catalyst. I feel the smoother movement makes it alot more fun.
Definitely not.
at this point i would say catalyst is more underrated. the first is better but by now people have finally started to come around and realize how amazing it was, whereas for catalyst i still see almost nothing but negativity for a game that was still nearly as great but suffered from a few stumbles
The mirrors edge series is the definition of criminally underated
Sorry, but being "unique" was definitely the opposite of EA's focus for the sequel. They literally just took a bunch of popular for the day mechanics and plopped them clumsily into the game, seemingly without any thought.
It was an utterly lazy and uninspired cashgrab (or an attempt at one). Dat Faith's design though...
EA in a nutshell
Mirrors Edge 1 was unique. Mirrors Edge 2 was definitely not unique and desperately wanted to cash into the Ubisoft styled open world trends of the time.
Even the setting turned into sci-fi cyberpunk when the original was a modern setting. What a shame.
It wasn't EAs focus for any of their games lmao :DD
Mirrors edge is that first time experience impossible to describe
I loved the first mirrors edge, one of my proudest moments as a gamer was completing a full run through without using guns. I was really hyped for catalyst and the futuristic setting and revamped story were definite improvements over the original. Sadly the open world, while a great concept, ended up being severely limiting with a massive number of bottlenecks and a over reliance on gadgets plus a lack of design variety meant that the actual parkour part of the game got stale too quickly as there were no stand out segments like there was in the first game. Still I do hope we see another mirrors edge in the future.
I am beginnig to kinda like all these mixed reviews about Mirrors Edge.
It continues to show that this is more than just a game. It is art!
I replay Mirrors edge 1 pretty much every summer, its not a perfect game but i love it.
cant say the same about mirrors edge catalyst tho, in my opinion its very mediocre and it has lost 1st game charm and atmosphere.
Faith's design is the only good thing in Cat
Actually i think Catalyst is yet another beautiful game. It's just that they had the same problems they did on ME1...not such a good story, and clumsy systems, getting in the way of the running flow.
But they did vastly improve the look of the city, the soundtrack is amazing again, and the cut-scenes this time were just fucking great...even if the story itself was mehh.
I still firmly believe they should continue Catalyst because it has SO MUCH potential, and it would be an utter waste of possibly the most unique game in recent history. Perhaps it would serve a new game best if it were linear, with a better focus on the story more-so than being revolutionary game-play wise (since it's already revolutionary)
Dude i do the same thing. There is something about playing it in the summer that makes it feel real. Although catalyst seems like a step back i feel like it improved on certain things like adding more ways to traverse the environment. I think the main issue with the open world was just eh design. It didn't allow for good "flow" . I think an open world is still the right move but a better world design is needed.
@@Joshandthekingdom because the game is vers nostalgic and the epitome of the 2000s feel and atmosphere in my oppinion. I instantly get tons of memories and good feelings replaying it. Also its creativity, its colorfulness, its music. anything about it just reminds you of how great things were back then and how much darker not just games, but media and well pretty much the world in general has become. even catalyst, just dark and serious and the color and graphics just look like Battlefield IV without guns
Thats why I knew the sequel will be a disaster after hearing new people work on it. ideas come from minds and minds cannot be recreated by other people who have their own fantasy, ideas and visions. its just sad we will never see a real mirrors edge sequel ever again
@@GigglingStoners
I don't even like that
This franchise deserved so much better.
Got really sad when they sayed that the voice actor for faith changed for catalyst, loved the original va, the original mirrors edge is still a underrrated gem,such a great concept at the time and even now the game still holds well, one of my favorite games of all time
Mirrors edge 1 holds a special place in my heart. I always replay it and that ending theme just gave me chills. I even bought it on my iPod that day I beat the game.
Ahhhh, the game that introduced me to solar fields. Man I wish someone would make a spiritual successor to Mirror's Edge
Parkour Fortress in Team Fortress 2
the opening level of first game is MAGICAL. the music, the bleek but dreamlike pretty white buildings and red accents. it literally feels like a dream, and i get bit melancholic but also very happy and dreamy from it. i just want to savour every moment,. like smelling a beautiful flower over and over again and trying to recapture that first smell. or that first lick of icecream, its just magical
I’ve never clicked so fast in my life
Everyone seems to hate the combat in the first ME. Meanwhile the fight sections were my favorite. I just loved disarming and gunning down guys. And when you shoot at someone while wallrunning... That is the most badass thing ever.
This soundtrack was amazing!
love it. Thanks for supproting Mirror's Edge by making content like this.
Ah back in 2007-2008 when EA constant released new great IP, a damn fine time for a terrible company
It's because they were known as a terrible company back then, and tried their best to win back favor in that time by releasing decent games. Games that ironically, had nothing to do with EA and were made by studios that EA just bought. After that, EA said "fuck it" doubled down on their shitty reputation, focused more on fellating their shareholders instead of their company's reputation (because fuck the consumers, "they'll buy anything!"), and then shut down all of the studios that made all of those good games. Only ones left alive are Bioware and DICE, and let's not kid ourselves, they're just those companies in name only and are just hollow shells with no original members. Aside from that mime looking motherfucker Soderland.
The lighting in mirror's edge is what makes it the most special. Every area in this game is strategically lit for the best aesthetics.
With Dying Light beeing a thing, this has no chance of coming back, at least not throught EA.
eh dying light had me on a one month binge, but i still didnt get the same thrill as playing catalyst (when really high in the buildings). i hope they make a third man
@@SicSemperBeats yeah I agree 100%, it's just the way EA operates we won't see it happening unless someone buys the IP from them. Dying Light came to mind as I was watching this, for me it was the closest thing to Mirror's Edge.
Gifas true i understand. Im hyped for the dying light sequel too
Dying Light is a multi package game at once. you rarely see that kind of stuff, nowadays. I'm insanely hyped for the sequel though
Tbh I thought maybe that would be a motivation for DICE to release a new Mirror's Edge game as a direct competitor to DL, but I see your point. Plus they're vastly different in concept, one is a zombie survival game with an emphasis on parkour and the other is a dystopian game revolving entirely on parkour.
Solar Fields made me fall in love even more with Mirror's Edge, the ambience and immersion was so beautiful.
we wanted mirror's edge 2, not a reboot. and "open world" is getting tiresome, why does everything have to be "open world"?. what they did is something like this:
they: you guys liked our strawberry ice cream that's not like all the other chocolate ice creams in the market. do you want another one?
people: yes, we want more of that strawberry ice cream.
they: ok, here you are, but we changed the strawberry to chocolate.
people: we won't buy it, it's not what we wanted.
they: I guess there's no market for strawberry ice cream and nobody wants it then, so we'll keep making chocolate ice cream like everybody else.
Because when you have the ability to jump across rooftops, run up and along walls, scale up and down buildings, you will get an itch to keep expanding your playground, eventually covering entire cities. The freedom which parkour provides is limitless and, because you don't need transportation for the most part, cost next to nothing.
Running all the way from the Black November base underground to the lavish upper class neighborhood of Regatta Bay was satisfying along the way.
That's not how it happened. After the first game out there were polls held and the community made it pretty clear they wanted it to be open world.
because the linear-ness of the first is such a shitty idea.
@@sakuraogami6885 I have a feeling you never played Mirrors Edge
@@marsmurderer9868 are you fucking crazy? I have hundreds of hours in both. Nice wrong judgement, dumbass. I loved the first & it will always have a special place in my heart but I always wanted to run around & explore & I was very disappointed to find out I couldn’t. It almost soured the game for me.
Mirror’s edge Catalyst is one of the best games I’ve ever played
Greatings from Brazil! love this Channel!
Very happy you made a video on one of my all time faves
This game is one of my favorite. Constant fun experience.
Both games will always hold a place in my heart. I like them each for different reasons, but I personally think I prefer catalyst. The graphics are gorgeous and it plays much smoother, the story line is fantastic and made me tear up at certain points. Not to mention I liked the aesthetic more as opposed to the minimalistic style in the first game (which is also great on its own) My only wish is that it was longer and that more people appreciated it.
Both are legendary. I wish they'd make a 3rd. The music is outstanding
"Gamers being able to convince there would be a market for a second try on Mirrors Edge" sums up all that is wrong with Catalyst. There was zero passion in the second game, passion, which doesn't come with high sells. A shame.
I find in the glossy textures and shiny graphics, a little soulless and no life in there. The game really is a stunner and so is the graphics, but still... The rooftops felt empty and too clean to be realistic. No other video game does this and I think it's somewhat special in its own way.
"What do you mean you won't buy our game that's just a soulless, passionless, by-the-books, rip-off of the original? Guess you don't like the series and don't want more!"
@@choo_choo_ But But people like bland open world skill tree games.
Maybe it wasn't bland enough?
@@Ineedgames Assassins creed, Destiny and The Division turn their heads on you, as they wisper "join us".
I needed this video so much... thanks
"EA is unlikely to return to the series unless it significantly lowers it's own standards of success"
very true. Great video :) love both these games.
shoutout to the active community on reddit www.reddit.com/r/mirrorsedge/
The original Mirror's Edge is one of the few games I've played and beaten on every platform where it was offered. I have the game on Steam, Origin, and GOG on the PC side. Despite its flaws, it's easily in my top 10 favorites of all time, maybe even top 5.
Mirrors Edge was one of my favorite games that generation. Catalyst really disappointed though.
The only good thing in Cat was Faith's design. Everything else... oh boy. 0 passion behind that project.
@@GigglingStoners Voice actor was definitely better in first. And I do not see anything that special in faiths redesign in catalyst
@@vjellu I meant the visual design.
@@vjellu She looks better in Catalyst, are you blind or something
Dat Boii that your opinion it’s generic for you since you can’t get nostalgia off your ass
The music always gets me nostalgic. Great video as usual.
I really don't get the hate/negativity that Mirror's Edge has always gotten.
Mirror's Edge is something really special as (like what was said in the video) it is something that really stands out in the video game world.
When the first game was released, the choice for gamers at the time was either "brown and green army game", "brown and green army game (with explosions)", "zombie game (A)", "zombie game (B)", "sports game" or "game with middle aged protagonist".
Mirror's Edge is none of those things and at the time, (again, like what was said in the video) was a huge gamble and what an absolutely beautiful gamble is was, and I've always felt that that is one of the reasons why Mirror's Edge gets so much flak, because it dares to be different.
Society tends to not like things that are different at first but the more visible it becomes, the more "normal" it becomes and society grows to accept/like it and I feel that that is what happened with Mirror's Edge. I feel that the eight years between Mirror's Edge and Mirror's Edge Catalyst did in a way hinder the series because by the time the second game was announced, people had already pretty much forgot about the first game and we were back at square one again when it came to attitudes towards the series.
Both games are an absolute joy visually and audibly and I firmly believe that both games are actual works of art (then again, all games are art, but I hope you know what I'm getting at).
[Spoilers Ahead]
I felt that the stories were although not the best, they were nowhere near as bad as people say they were and I feel that Mirror's Edge Catalyst actually had an improved story from the first game. I don't know what people were expecting from a game where the main character is essentially a pacifist who's trying to save her city and get her sister back.
DICE took the story from the first game, kept a few things in, such as your mentor dying and your sister being on the side of your enemy and improved it and I feel that it worked. The story worked as a blueprint, a starting point for the Mirror's Edge Catalyst story and it was built on that and improved, just like everything else in the game. It made sense considering that Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a reebot.
The ending of Mirror's Edge Catalyst also seems to get a lot of negativity, but it gives me hope that another game will be coming soon and I feel that people seem to forget that DICE's aim is for a trilogy, so obviously, the ending to Mirror's Edge Catalyst would be a semi-cliffhanger of sorts, because the next game could potentially involve Faith's sister either being in charge or the aftermath of being ousted.
Another improvement were the characters. Mirror's Edge Catalyst introduced so many new characters and they all stood on their own and had their own traits. Even the enemies had their own characteristics, something that was a major step up from the first game, as in the first game, they all looked pretty much alike and nothing about them stood out to differentiate one KrugerSec division from the other.
All characters, both good and bad, were all believable as individuals in Mirror's Edge Catalyst.
I'm still hopeful of another game in the future but I hope DICE don't leave it too long but if doesn't happen, I feel that Mirror's Edge will go down as one of the most underrated video game series in history and a series that pushed for change in the video game world and showed that it's okay to take risks and to be different and was, in a way, a series that the video game world was just not ready for as it was too ahead of its time.
The negativity comes from the games flaws crappy story, bad pacing, flawed melee combat and horrible gunplay, little replay value on top of being a relatively short game. If anything critics were generous because it was something new I personally feel the game is highly overated by it's fanbase. Lastly it only released around those types of games last gen we had Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls, Little Big Planet one and two, Flow, Journey and Flower all come out before and after ME. You don't get critical acclaim solely for being different.
K.
This game reminds me of so much good stuff. Hours trying to get a trick right with my mate, shouting and congratulating each other when we eventually managed an impressive manoeuvre. Pure nostalgia for a time gone during which I had no idea I’d remember it so fondly in the future.
The first mirrors edge was beautiful, memorable, and something never seen or done before. I definitely recommend using the FOV fix on PC though.
Catalyst... well that was a chore to complete, and I can't remember a single part of the story.
This was a great look back at two games, both of which I enjoyed but for different reasons and had great potential. The original will always be one of my top favorites. But now I have to listen to Still Alive again!
rumors with foundation that Sarkeesian would be involved for the sequel killed the IP.
I don't even like Mirror's Edge. but when GVMERS uploads, I shut up and watch.