Mirror’s Edge is a Parkour Masterpiece on the Xbox Series X


DEATH, THE GAME | Mirror's Edge Gameplay [Xbox Series X]

Mirror’s Edge is a stellar game from way back in 2008 with a very unique take on parkour gameplay.

I really enjoyed Mirror’s Edge back on the Xbox 360 when I first played.

It’s short, fast-paced, and extremely memorable with its quick gameplay and leaves the violence up to you.

I’ll be the first to admit the story is not the draw here; the gameplay is and that’s perfectly fine!

Mirror’s Edge Time Stamps

Let’s shatter the city of glass and wall run to safety in Mirror’s Edge!

Faith Welcomes you to the City of Glass

Shattering the Screen
What better way to start then by breaking into the City of Glass

I cannot overstate just how special Mirror’s Edge is as a game. Back in 2008, games like this didn’t exist.

Ever since EA Play came to the Xbox Game Pass I have been playing a ton of games on the Xbox Series X.

I unboxed the Xbox Series X back when it came out! Be sure to check out my full first impressions!

The parkour gameplay is very unique and makes you feel like you’re running top speed through a city that wants you dead.

But thankfully Faith is the best runner in the business. It’s just a shame that I’m at the wheel because I’m bad at this game. But don’t let that ever deter you from playing a game! One does not have to be the best to enjoy something. Plus, if you play enough you are only destined to get better!

Running headfirst into the sewers we immediately get chased and shot at by the police. Thanks to my running skills, I manage to get a hidden collectible, immediately forget how to climb a wall and die.

The Face of Sadness
A simple vent should not give anyone this much trouble

On try number two, I fall from a height that is just too high and die on impact.

Thankfully, the third time’s the charm and we get through the sewer into a nice blue building that gives us safety.

Turning a value, we attempt to jump into a vent but fail and fall to another death.

Mirror’s Edge Vent
A simple vent should not give anyone this much trouble

This leads to a point where I can 100% say that this game was made back in 2008.

It feels like a game from back then, for better or worse. We have come a long way since Mirror’s Edge was released and experiencing it in this replay is a great showcase of that.

Games nowadays tend to hold your hand a lot more while not letting you make mistakes. Mirror’s Edge doesn’t have too much of that. You learn things the hard way here.

It’s all about how you control Faith and then having to play to the game’s whim.

As stated, there is no hand-holding; you have the controls and the obstacles make it happen.

I finally get into the vent and we run out of a giant red door into the next part of the level.

Down into the Sewers

Mirror's Edge Red Runner Vision
To playthrough Mirror’s Edge you just look for the red and run towards it

Coming into a big open area, we run-up to descend into the sewers.

Dodging gunfire, we wall run down deeper while also doing some sweet jumps. This is another spot where I unfortunately miscalculate and fall to my death.

We shake it off and slide down a pipe, which Faith fails to grab, causing another death.

Mirror's Edge is death the game
I quickly realize I am not good at this game and the title takes on a whole new meaning

But finally, we manage to make it to the bottom and go through a door by hitting a nearby button.

Going through the door, we enter a nice green room and wall climb up to hit a button and press onwards.

Mirror's Edge Green MattCam
Green is the best color obviously

A larger section brings us to ladders that need climbing and snipers that need dodging. Luckily we can climb our way to safety and the other side.

One thing I did want to point out is that after playing a lot of older games on the Xbox Series X, I discovered that it is the best way to experience aged games such as this one.

It feels like this is the way games were meant to be played, with HDR, super-fast loading, and a silky smooth frame-rate. Though, I’m sure I will be saying that twenty years in the future with whatever newly discovered technologies are implemented.

You really can’t complain about playing anything on the Xbox Series X. It’s like having a super-powerful PC with a great selection of games.

As I was mainly a console gamer growing up, it is a true joy to experience these older games at their best.

Getting back to it, we climb a bunch of ladders and continue to dodge snipers.

MattCam Sniper
OH NO I’M IN DANGER

The cool thing about Mirror’s Edge is that you can choose to use a gun or not.

You can play through the entire game without shooting one bullet. Though, the last level is a real pain with this route, however.

But in my opinion, Faith would never use a firearm so I am a nonlethal player all the way.

We take down the sniper and get Faith safely through the rest of the sewer. It takes a few stumbles to move forward but we eventually get there.

Final Push Through the Sewers

We enter a big room where you need to jump over a large gap.

While desperately trying to wall run over the gap, I take a minute to explain the sequel to Mirror’s Edge, which is Mirror’s Edge Catalyst.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst
I think that Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is fine but not as good as the original

The sequel did not take full advantage of what made the original so great. They just kind of shoved the first game into an open world.

The problem was that there was nothing to do in that open-world other than run from point to point. For an open world to work, it needs to have substance within that keeps the player interested. Such as Korok Puzzles and discovering shrines in Breath of the Wild.

Once I manage to get over the water gap after a death or two, it is now time to move upward and out of the sewer into the City of Glass rooftops.

City of Glass Big Ending Chase

The police are right on top of Faith and immediately open fire.

Using runner vision, I discover a door and make a mad dash to the safety it provides. But first I take down a few cops standing in my path and barrel through the door.

An elevator brings us to the top where we start a fun chase sequence.

The mystery man is on Faith’s bad side and it’s up to us to take him down via the city rooftops and acrobatics.

Mirror’s Edge Chase Sequence
WAIT, stop I need to catch you!

We start running, rolling, and ziplining through the city’s rooftops in a high-speed chase.

After jumping across many rooftops, we manage to catch up, but he takes an elevator that we have to follow.

He makes a jump from the rooftop we arrived at and breaks the way across, ending the high-speed chase.

This is where I die a lot, like… a lot-a lot in a constant succession before I finally throw in the towel and decide to call this an episode.

Is Mirror’s Edge Amazing?

Hunter Armada Giving Final Gameplay Thoughts on Mirror’s Edge
Mirror’s Edge has its flaws but it’s still amazing

Mirror’s Edge is a unique parkour game that is extremely fun no matter how much it may show its age.

It is a really fun game that holds up and is worthy of a playthrough for anyone that has Game Pass.

I enjoyed playing through it again all these years later, after not having played it on the Xbox 360 all those years ago.

Mirror’s Edge holds up in the fun department and no other game does parkour quite like it. I highly recommend it!

Is Mirror’s Edge Amazing

Check Out if Other Games Are Amazing!


Hunter Armada

About HunterArmada

I play video games, record it, upload it and write about the experience. Using Youtube and WordPress to help create something new and interesting.
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