Mirror's Edge: 13 Years Later
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- Опубликовано: 23 авг 2024
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Mirror's Edge is an expression of it's theme. Still Alive. When the industry wanted to do something different, we saw the beginning of an entirely new form of gameplay, an unforgettable art style, and a cult classic that would stand the test of time for simply being special. 13 years later, it's time to see if it's worth the hype.
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Visually, this game hasn’t aged a day
Realism ages in a year, simple is forever.
@@thecompanioncube4211 yet I'd love to see it overhauled with modern tech, not to make it more realistic but just... new? you know how into the spiderverse uses some of the most cutting edge animation tecniques meant for realism but instead does it's own thing and is one of the most unique animated movie because of it? something like that
@@npc6817 Mirror's Edge: Catalyst :-)
But yes - I would like a Remaster too. Just don't price it 60$! Ok, EA?
@@npc6817 a remake of mirrors edge in the frostbite engine with the OG concept art as a visual guide... well, we can dream.
@@igorthelight Catalyst is not what I mean, like it's mirror's edge and it does look pretty but the generic 2010's sci-fi redesign makes it look like something from an unreal demo reel rather than jt's own thing.
Oh well...
True story, I bought Mirror's Edge and Assassin's Creed 2 at the same time without knowing anything about either game. I was confused when the gamestop employee asked if I really liked parkour
Huh I also bought those 2 at the same time. Weird
@@TheChillStart Hotel? trivago
@@TheNighmare1 where did you get that from
A glitch in the matrix?
@@TheChillStart wait so did I? Are we all living the same life?
Proof that you don't need high end graphics to look stunning. All you need is brilliant art style and direction.
In 2008 this game was ahead of most other titles though... The lighting alone was so complex it took days to render each level, they had to make it static because no hardware would have been able to run it in real time up until the recent RTX generation.
Complex baked lightning and PhysX (still one of the best PhysX usage in games, the clothing and glass is just phenomenal) were way ahead of its time. The game _was_ top in graphics for its time. However it aged well because of art style and direction, not graphics itself.
Mirrors edge’s city/environment is somewhat calming, the monotone colors paired with the bright colors along with the noise of the city and gust wind just creates a familiar and yet alien feeling
I occasionally play mirrors edge to calm my mind :)
Mind you, that might be due to my Hardware, but I often thought of the cityscape as painfully sterile, because looking at the bright white facades literally hurt my eyes.
@@nonameiii.2302 I guess you need to find the right place too. ME:C is also good for lounging around at some atmospheric place
Very well said
and the ambient music! i listen to it regularly after all this time, makes me wish i was in one of those big glass cities
This game was such a absolute banger back in the day bro.
Still is
I can't ever uninstall, it's so short and sweet, i lost count how many times i finished it.
and still is
Definitely was. I'm just kind of disappointed that the Catalyst beta wasn't open for free to everyone. If it was, I feel like it could have done somewhat better for sales. I was so hyped when I got in. Then the game came out and it was just as good in my opinion. 2016 was packed with awesome games. Catalyst and Doom were my 2 top games from that year.
@@bsherman8236 - If only I could get through it that easily, I think I finished it once or twice. - I love how weighty controlling a body feels in this game, yet it's clunky and fucks me over all the time. - There's no "gitting gud" with the way it works, it's just really annoying and sadly I got aggravated with it too many times over the simplest bits. - It's unforgiving in how precise you need to be, but you can only know through trial and error. That's just flawed design and it puts me off immensely. I wish it didn't, I really wish I could feel like I WANT to play it, but every time I think about wanting to play it, I feel put off by the memories of it just feeling awful and unfair. - Seriously, I've been annoyed less by games that are actually difficult or multiplayer games in which I get owned, in which cases I just shrug it off. While at 'Mirror's Edge' I need to yell "LET ME LOVE YOU!" and cry as I close the game. - Oh well...
This man can narate the most boring and silliest story and I would still fall in love with it
Mermaid Mission Titanic commentary coming up
its not more silly than lord of the rings
@@Whitelight Challenge : make dear Esther an action audio book.
@@Whitelight love me some ASMR
@@Whitelight that’s a good April fools video
“Those who hated it never played it again. Those who stayed long enough to see what it could become remained to shape its memory.”
God your writing is so _fucking good_
Take enough drugs and this is what happens.
"This game is just a reflection of Hell on Earth" -- Someone somewheres at some time
A bit too good. Sometimes incomprehensible for those with poor auditory processing.
Hey
I just
I lol
13 years, damn time flies. This game was so chill and fresh, I remember how relaxing and carefree that playthrou was
It was mostly frustrating for me. Pretty game though.
Not to me... Very aggravating...
I was just able to have the chance to play both
@@yogxoth1959 I hate when she could make the jump but choose to die
@@Thatkindofmir yeah sometimes she just doesn't hold onto a ledge or rope for some reason. They shouldn't have put almost all actions on the same button
This man's writing is better than most of the games he talks about
His voice is so good and he has such incredible timing in his pauses and his depth of voice is perfectly tuned at different times to convey every meaning behind his words it’s audio perfection
@@fuzi5303 I love his video essays, but I don't really like the intimacy his voice brings. Makes me uncomfortable.
Makes me wish he had captions!! When we he says it it flies by me!
Heh I got the 420th like 😎
@@coba3220 ¯\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯
the hellscape is beneath you. you run the rooves to be on top of those on top, those with the fancy offices and statues you stumble upon when you crash into a building. when you leave those, you see corridors, repetitive, suffocating corridors, urging you to make unnecessary jumps and dashes when the exit is always across the hallway. a sewer where every column is the same, scaffolding left alone, avoided by the people who don't want to be there. when you're below, where everyone else is, it's always a chase to get back up on the roof, where you belong. the horror isn't there because you're running from it
Beautiful perspective. And "you run on the rooves to be on top of those on top" is genius.
@@Whitelight facts
@@Whitelight change your google docs password, this guy has hacked in and stolen your script ;)
@@Whitelight Thanks!
I even read this in Whitelight's voice.
Brilliant
Ah, the prospect of a Catalyst video after this one brings me lots of joy.
Catalyst needs some damn praise. I've only seen it being unfairly bashed for everything by everyone. I personally think it's better than the original in every way.
I think it's better than the original in pretty much everything but the setting (and the musical identity). I think it was a bit too futuristic for my tastes and lacked some of the ambience of certain areas in the original.
Gameplay is great, a definite improvement, though the skill tree was pretty useless. Every new skill should have been given through story progression (and side challenges should appear accordingly). Story was pretty much as bad as the original, though.
@@soku890 I played Catalyst sometimes last year, immediately after had to go back to Mirror's Edge and play that again, and I'm sorry, but Catalyst just does. not. work. Not in gameplay, not in story, not in the pacing (especially in relation to unlockable skills that should never have been locked). It seems like a downgrade in every way, except for having cleaner animations. The aesthetics are worse, but so are the graphics themselves, because that bloomy sci-fi visual contradicts the dystopian nature of the game, and it functions terribly with the gameplay where trying to find routes is anything but natural because it all blurs together. It has some cool Michael Bay moments, obviously riding the giant wind turbine was cool, but they butchered their own characters to make what is in many ways a less perfunctory (if more vast) game.
@@Arcessitor i've played the oringla mirrors edge about 14x, and catalystr about 4x. and catalyst is a much better game in my opinion. better story and characters, the graphics at-least on pc at the highest preset (with optimize vram disabled, or else you get blurry textures) catalyst looks much better than the original graphicaly (just google mirrors edge catlyst hyper settings 4k), art direction I will give to the original though. the stand alone catalyst missions work well with the free running feeling much smoother. in the open world it can be a bit rough. would gladly take a sequal to either game, or just any new mirrors edge game that uses thee best of both.
The open world aspect of the game makes it tedious imo.
Not every game has to be open world. And timed missions are a pain instead of enjoyable.
I liked the first one better. Where the route being marked with subtle red and orange hints, instead of this GridLink thingy that feels like a bother.
It's a good game, but not the best mirrors edge
Still Alive is one of the songs that still gives me goosebumps when ever I hear it.
I always got the feeling that the City of Glass it's the perfect example of a utopia gone wrong.
It's modern architecture, cleaner environments, and lack of sound polution and poverty in the streets always made me feel like seeing the city that humanity always tried yet failed to build. I literally had to take a break to admire it while playing the prologue mission, due to it's incredible beauty.
However, as the story in the game shows, the beauty of this marvelous looking city isn't reflected by it's governors.
TL;DR: This game is beautiful af boi
Can you never say that TDLR again
Very well said. It's also interesting that it's a dystopian setting where the main character doesn't hide in the worst place (either a dark alley, the sewers, an old industrial area, etc) like in so much media out there, but in the best place; the sunny rooftops (while everyone is working in soulless offices below you). You don't see this very often. Most dystopian movies, games and books are cyberpunk-ish in worldbuilding.
@@gallydex3566 TLDR
The Dystopia of mirrors edge and the Dystopia of Death Stranding are both worlds I feel I would enjoy living in.
Having grown up in Singapore the ultra modern, clean aesthetic combined with a repressive surveillance state felt very familiar.
This wasn't definitely the best game I've play, but the aesthetic, the art, the excellent soundtrack and the kinda boring but emotional story always gives me a vibe.
@beepboop beep II No u
Apparently, the aesthetic was created by accident. The textures were going to be gritter and more complex, but the devs made a test bake that looked like this and ended up liking the look
@@andrewduong2740 I think every level designer at some point looks at the map they've compiled with all the bright dev textures thinking "hey that looks pretty nice" especially in the sun.
@beepboop beep II youre now brainwashed by the video
@@andrewduong2740 Devs rarely utilize that matte with slight gloss but it always looks so good.
Running away from the 'runner' enemies when you can hear their footsteps is pretty nerve-wracking tbh...
It’s actually intense asf. Had my 8 year old self sweating and panicking
That level when you've got a bunch of them on you around this end is still anxiety inducing
the pursuit cop still scares me
when you can hear them banging on doors
Just beat tf out of them lol
13 years later, Mirror's Edge still looks and plays like a game from the future. The art direction is unequivocally unparalleled... I do love Catalyst, but Mirror's Edge is a masterpiece.
Would love to see a PS5 follow up considering this is a PS3 game.
@@Buhrennen Certainly, ANY new addition to the franchise, or the spirit of the franchise, would be most welcome. We have already seen what the visuals and game physics could do on 6-13 year old hardware - imagine what it could do today with a modern script and story and world interaction. I would die to get a game like that as a contrast to the current trend bandwagoning AAA shitshow that is going down where everything is for strict profit and nobody cares about gameplay value and game identity.
I just opened up ME Catalyst after not having played it for years, and it feels years ahead of literally every single AAA game released the past year. How can that be? How can a 6 year old game look and play better than anything made today. The industry truly has been going backwards.
@@Real_MisterSir Just look at the Saints Row reboot, I feel like the gaming industry is doomed
I don't get why they don't make games like these anymore
@@olloi91 They outgrew their balls. live-service easy to monetize fps games are all they care about these days. They dont want good products, they just want products that are easy to market and monetize.
for whatever reason i remember exactly what i felt when first playing mirrors edge, there is something special about it. the idea concept and execution were all very good i think
For me it's the art style it's so beautiful
@@fiel81 The art direction makes the game incredibly timeless. Despite the lower graphical fidelity compared to modern games today, the game looks damn fantastic for something from 2008.
@@SovietMarmalade yeah definitely
This is exactly what I wanted from my favorite RUclipsr. I love you.
I totally agree, what a brilliant topic and critique. I love this channel, and these games.
I am the 69th like B)
I have yet to play Catalyst, but this game left a Faith's shoe-sized mark in me that will never go away. I hope this franchise continues, I want to see it grow and flourish. And Solar Fields' soundtracks are what I live for.
Dont bother...never
Catalyst was great too
@@RickGrimes807 yeah, i especially liked how it impvored upon parkour, combat, the impulse and the open world, etc.
@@Exel3nceyou have no taste❤️
catalyst is spectacular, definitely play it
Mirrors edge was literally built for smooth transition edits
I’m sorry, HOW MANY YEARS?!?!?
Bro I was basically a fetus when this game came out, now I’m in my 20s lmao
Same…I feel that
technically you were the target of Lol or Fortnite when this game released.
@@TerrorLTZ what?
@@TarekAlShawwa I think he means that your age would be the target audience for games like Fortnite
@@mr.k1299 oh fair enough, but I think I was a little too old to get into fortnite when it was in its prime, I was more of the alpha-beta minecraft generation when growing up
This is the one and only game I'm re-playing over and over from the first time I've seen It. It's been around 9 years, I saw It when I was in 7th grade on youtube and I fell in love with it...
There is no other game like this. At least for me.
I feel like this is the story of many who have grown fond of this game. Couldn't agree more.
That's the exact same story for me. I was so blown away by the gameplay that even before owning a PC with enough power to run it, I was playing the flash game "Mirror's Edge 2D" over and over again. I've replayed it since then, and it's still pretty good. You can find it on Bluemaxima's Flashpoint if you're wondering :)
@@LeRealMonke i fell in love with the song... then that one youtuber who did POV parkour doing cosplay of Faith that also sparked the rise of "parkour videos"
i think those vids are still there i love the one where he starts from moving the camera away from the PC and runs.
@beepboop beep II Yeah it's atmosphere was also really good
Did you see the new dying light game ? On some parts the gameplay reminded me of Mirrors Edge
13 years later and the visuals still hold up
And that song still makes my eyes wet
Damn, it’s been 13 years since Mirror’s Edge. Seems like only yesterday I was blasting my Still Alive versions and remixes playlist on my iPod while walking to school in the morning. Time flies. And time has been very kind to this game, has to be said.
No way it’s been 13 fucking years.
Weirdly enough, it looks better than a lot of today's games.
@@atlev Older games with high resolution baked lighting tends to look better than nowadays games with dynamic lighting that isn't Ray traced at least. Talking about that, I think Ray Tracing would do wonders on reflections. Not so much on lighting as it's already amazing, as said above.
The PS3 came out in 2006, and the PS4 in 2013. Any games on the PS3 are between 8 and 15 years old 😅
@@cellcube618 They didn't discontinue the PS3 when the PS4 came out.
@@mr.jamster8414 I never said they did. The majority of games for the PS3 would have come out in those years before the PS4 was released.
That montage jump from the game to dark knight rises was a purely cinematic move. A small detail that most people will probably miss, but its still there. That's what sets whitelight apart from all the others
It's great to hear someone talk about how much of a mess this game is on a first playthrough. Some of the writing in this video was fucking poetic by the way.
yup but man games with good replay value just hit different.
@@catcraze8673"Good replay value" and "terrible first experience" are quite different things.
I think one of the most beautiful things about this channel is that Whitelight's commentary sounds like he is in a room, talking to a trusted friend, maybe in front of a chimney, venting his emotions to these games as if it was a loved one. So genuinly pure.
You know I was always in love with Mirror's Edge, I never cared about its flaws cause simply put, it made you feel alive. This review somehow gives that same feeling from feeling the pain of the flaws being put in my face to it ending so magnificantly. It put a smile on my face and brought tears to my eyes
gayy
I see a whitelight video, I drop whatever I’m doing.
Bro is your new born okay?
@@zackleburg7429 Bleaching my eyes now
@@unknown_individual7050 good
@@zackleburg7429 No unfortunately. Watched this one in the E.R
Me two ✌
The graphics were insanely good for 2008. This was the first game I got on ps3. I was so mesmerized by the incredible detail, it was so beautiful. I would take my time transversing the rooftop to enjoy the scenery and music.
- How many rolling and opening doors cuts do we want?
- Yes.
- Also yes
Mirror's edge's world is...... beautiful and so ambitious , i always wished they explored it more. The Soundtracks gives it the dystopian vibe where you are alone in the fight against thousands
Same
*I'M STILL ALIVE I'M STILL ALIVE I CAN'T APOLOGISE NOOOOOO!*
Oh god. Why? I CAN HEAR BENNY BENASSI IN MY HEAD.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Best song
Its ALWAYS ringing in my head lol
Back when I played it I didn't have any internet
So I played the game again to listen to this song
mirrors edge's main theme always makes me depressed. Brings back the nostalgia to playing the demo of this game, being a kid not knowing how life would end up
Tmrl
me too bro
I thought the setting was beautiful, but the fact that it's so empty is what's unsettling. There are all these huge places with nooks and crannies, but the only one who's using them is someone who's breaking the law.
I adore Mirrors edge. Its a short game, but its so unique, weirdly calming even. The simplistic artstyle and well flowing gameplay mixed with combat was such an interesting concept, amazing game
This game still holds up so well. What a good artstyle can do. And the parcour hasn' been topped yet
Let's see if Dying Light 2 will compete
@@zeal0tseven57 and it did
@@z-chan946 n’t
@@Legendary_Bleu no, it did
@@z-chan946 n’t
It's always a good day when there's a Whitelight upload. It's like when Ahoy uploads, I get the same calm sense of certainty that I will watch the whole thing uninterrupted and be completely entertained
Add "Mandalore Gaming" too ;-)
and LGR!
Mirror's Edge is one of few games I keep revisiting because of its simple design, good pacing, and aesthetic choice which feels much more grounded and something close to reality. Yet, it has layer of gameplay complexity and new little details that I discover in every playthrough. It's not perfect and require practice to master movement, but it represents strong sense of parkour experience set in charming fictional world that feel great and motivated in traversal. I also love main theme "I'm Still Alive", have been listening since secondary school.
One of if not the only "timeless" games ever made , visually and mechanically this game will still be relevant for ever
Solar fields music makes mirror's edge so much better every song was made with the purpose of Faith's perspective of the surrounding environment from the adrenaline filled running from the blues to the calm puzzle solving moments running with the flow is still so satisfying to pull of the aesthetics of this game haven't aged and still look great.
You have no idea how relieved I am to find out the cutscenes made someone else think of those insurance commercials. I've been bottling that up for years. Anyone else?
This game was so ahead of its time. You forget a lotta games u played but this is one of those iconic ones you never forget.
This game gives me so many good memories.
I remember using the left over money I had from a PS Store card to buy this game.
This game is a masterpiece, the music, the environments, the parkour elements are some the best I've seen in a game so far. I stopped playing the PS3 version a long time ago and eventually put the OST on my phone and listened to it in school and eventually got the steam version years later. I prefer keyboard and mouse in a lot games but for some reason, I can only really use controller for a enjoyable experience in Mirror's Edge.
God i love the art direction of this game. It feels so open and big
I used to think the 2d cutscenes looked a bit cheap, but i think they've aged a lot better than cgi cutscenes would have.
My current health, my confidence, my love for working out and running, large pieces of who I am developed because a younger, chubbier version of myself got his hands on this game and it changed him forever
Faith made me who I am today, for that I’ll always love and be thankful for Mirror’s Edge
Godspeed friend
Man, this is one of my favourite games, still listening to theme song - Still Alive by Lisa Miskovsky
Well, actually the song is by Solar Fields and features Lisa Miskovsky on vocals. Btw, the song "Catalyst" from the sequel is also amazing in my opinion.
I don't think any other game makes me more incredibly nostalgic. I remember playing this when I was 8 so perfectly. Hadn't a single clue what life would hold for me.
i feel you! played it as a kid, and just one look at the way the sun shines in this game transports me back to that time.
The story is very underdeveloped, and the games story is unnecessarily short, but the core focus of Mirror's Edge was really its immersive first person gameplay and its visual approach, which still holds strong to this day. Truely, this is one of the most underrated third party games of the 7th Gen, one that every hardcore gamer needs to play at least one.
If you have never played Mirror's Edge yet and own a PS3, Xbox 360, or Gaming PC, you should definitely give it a try. This game still holds up graphically to this day and the same is true for the controls, the vibe behind the atmosphere, and even the musical themes you listen to while playing. This game will never get old for many decades, I'm sure.
The first Mirrors edge from 2008 will always be close to my heart❤
Played this game on the 360 at release when i was 8 years old, and it was mindblowing. It holds up so well, and glad to see this video covering it again.
My god, when "Still Alive" began playing at 8:35 I instantly started tearing up because this has to be the most unique game I played back when it was released, and it sticks with me still.
Because the gameplay is so different from most other games. Violence and fighting are a side-note, not the main focus. Getting from A to B was fun and didn't make you want to use a fast-travel feature that has become mandatory nowadays (And often demanded when it's missing, like in Fallen Order). The story was gripping for my then ~11 year old brain, some mechanics like the sounds and visuals when falling from a building or the suspense of being chased by certain enemies scared the living shit out of me. The visuals were stunning while being simple, as you said.
This is a trip down memory lane, a stream of nostalgia that I don't think I'm ready for, but I'm gonna subject myself to it anyways.
i feel you so much, ive been fascinated with and loved this game since i first got it as a kid
never gets stale, looks cool and stimulating, and its fun
its design makes me feel things and i friccing love that
Picked this game up last summer and was amazed at how well the graphics held up, superb!
One of theeeeee best implementations of UE3 in a gen that was full of UE3 games
to be honest the city bit I think depends on who's viewing it. There are many people who instinctively distrust something that appears too good to be true. That's the vibe I've always gotten from the city. To you it's difficult to see this utopian setting as anything really too bad. But to me, this portrayal of the city strikes a specific nerve. It represents the fake visage of a utopia. The powers that be have put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears into constructing this perfect, pure and serene cityscape. What easier way is there to control a population when the population believes they live in perfection? That's what always unsettled me about the city, it's neo-corporate simple, bright blocky colours, it's bleached clean pure white construction. It reeks of insencerity. That's just what it was for me. Of course we are allowed to disagree, and all art's interpretations are valid.
If anything, this video reminded me how grateful I was to find a mod to up the FOV before I finished installing the game.
"Well thats a shame cause this isn't a fucking insurance commercial" Dude yes! I thought the same thing when I first played ME.
20:05 Perhaps the difference between some things being camera determined vs button determined comes down to the game's namesake. A 'Mirror' is a flat plane that you have to look at while an 'Edge' is something you can feel without having to fixate your eyes on it to know how to interact with it. So look at the 'Mirror' to engage and feel out (or remember) where the 'Edge' is to do the same.
I reckon it's more to do with programming.
In the video examples, to initiate a wallrun you can see that you pretty much have to be 45° parallel to the wall you want to run on. And to climb a ledge, even if not looking at it, the player model is facing it head on.
So the game would register those states as being the same, if that makes sense
This game is, and always will be, one of my favourites of all time. So many beautiful memories of both games and the music. I love them both, despite their flaws.
You know what might work well with the free running? A time reversal skill powered by manna accrued with unbroken running. The manna meter fills up with fluid , unbroken running, to perform special moves with powered jumps and more importantly, the ability to reverse errors by going back in time to the moment where a faulty move was made, so that you can course correct and continue running... A la Prince of persia sands.
I just started the video but I want to make my comment now. Mirror's Edge left such a profound impression on me when I first played it. Not because the story was anything to write home about, or because the characters were interesting, but because of how intentional and stunning the visuals and atmosphere are, and how tight and thoughtful the gameplay is. I have never seen another game (other than Catalyst) like it. You mention how Catalyst went for a sci-fi look, while the original is more grounded in our reality, which makes the entire mood of it hit harder.
This game kickstarted my journey on becoming more of a minimalist. Not the "Kim Kardashian boring, empty house" type, but being more intentional with how I do things and buy stuff. My interest in colour theory. Becoming more active, because I wanted to be like her. Being more quiet and thoughtful, and aware of my surroundings. It introduced me to Solar Fields, whose ambient music and others like his I'm now obsessed with. My interest in graphic design, because of how smart all of the visual choices are. This game was one of the tiny dominoes that started the huge chain reaction that resulted in who and where I am now.
No doubt this game has lots of flaws, as does Catalyst, but they are the most unique things I've ever experienced and I don't think anything else could live up to it. I owe a lot to Mirror's Edge. It sounds silly, but it's true. I've replayed the campaign dozens of times, just to enjoy the sound of wind passing by as you run, or to slow down and bask in the chilling atmosphere of the city. The only thing that hasn't aged well is the controls, but thankfully Catalyst fixed them. Now if only we could get a true, FINAL reboot, combining the direction of the original and gameplay style of Catalyst.
I can't help but appreciate Whitelight for this analysis. The editing,audio design etc was brilliant. Everything about this video was brilliant.
The original looked so good when it initially came out. God I'm so pissed that this is underrated.
For me, it's the vibes this game brings to me. I played it when I was a kid and I realize I am never getting those days back. Still alive means those times are gone but still here to create new memories.
This game will always have a special place in my heart
Awww yeah, such an underrated game from that generation. Catalyst was such a big disappointment for me. They made it "open world" and yet I always found myself running through the same path over and over and over. Works much better with a linear design.
@Yung Katt Yeah, ME1 was technically designed as an open world (visible as the white model) but they added extra detail to the playable parts.
Bro is a yapping master 🙏😭
I was born and grew up in Hong Kong, so for me playing Mirrors edge as a kid the city was like an idealised version it. Sure I sort of got that there was bad happenings going on, but it was overwhelmingly familiar and... comfy? (for lack of a better word).
As ive gotten older I recognize more of the dystopian undertones, but I still think its a very grounded despite its clean sheen.
The washed but slightly grimy and worn down concrete, massive and well organised social infrastructure, the shoved in advertisements that arent as overbearing as catalysts, large yuppie/upperclass malls, clearly used and unkempt back alleyways with garbage bag piles.
All for me give a super strong feeling of being lived in within a very public image conscious society without overly greebly or overtly pushed onto the player .
Reminds me of the 'clean Hong Kong' and cleanliness push of Singapore (banning chewing gum etc).
It's somewhere that looks super appealing to live in for me due to familiarity and promise, but I know would actually be a nightmare to do so.
Which is kind of why I love Mirrors edge so much as it's the best part of my fantasy childhood city paired with the freedom fantasy granted by parkour.
No one's talking about the cheeki breeki bandit music at 21:50. I'm talking about it. SCHUKHIR!!! A NUUUUUUUU!
Damn I forgot this game had guns. Oh well, it's been 12 years.
I played whole game without ever using a gun. This is how you should play.
i think the emptiness of the game does hold some horror potential (in a way kind of similar to portal)
the city is so big and sprawling, implying the presence of many people, but the level environments are mostly devoid of them. the nice spacious offices are probably reserved for the elite, plazas, subways and aren’t in use when you’re running through them. The streets, from your vantage point, have only some cars and a couple pedestrians
the city needs a large population to sustain it, but where are they? what do they do? do they leave their apartments for anything other than work?
you feel like a free rebel while running on the rooftops, but you’re only one person in a huge city, with zero evidence to suggest the other residents have freedom like that
You voice goes so well with the games gameplay and music. No loud shooting, yelling, or grunting. Just soothing
You’re one of the only creators with these kinds of videos that doesn’t have an irritating voice
Not irritating is understating it, he has an amazing voice
Personally his narrator voice often tilts between incredibly relaxing to borderline obnoxious. I think it's because of two things:
For one he'll often relax his already calm voice so much it'll sound more like ASMR then narration, which personally makes me uncomfortable.
Second he has this... for lack of better words I guess, Anime-ish speaking trope where you slightly extend the last word of the sentence by verbally exhaling. You can hear him doing it often.
I adore his writing and love his excited voice, but some parts of his videos I have to actually skip entirely because it just makes me uncomfortable listening to.
I recommend everyone to try ME with some FoV, HUD & graphical tweaks to the UE engine. It kan look freaking insanely good, almost photorealistic at times.
Turn up the FoV, turn off the crosshair, remove DoF and play it in 4K DSR if you got a 1080p monitor. Jesus, I love the phenomenal atmosphere that ME1 got! It holds a very, very special place in my heart.
"graphical tweaks"? I need some.
I already thought that the game looked photorealistic as hell, especially indoors. The textures definitely help with this.
@@sulphurous2656 True, I've seen screenshots in 360p and thought they were real for a good four seconds.
Why turn up the FOV? For the incressed speed sensation? Cause other than that I don't really see any point
This game and it's music hit something that truly resonated with me. I still listen and watch that gem of a music video "Still Alive" by Lisa Miskovsky regularly. Still give me chills.
Damn, 13 years, I feel old now. It's like I played this game yesterday, I kinda did, I replay this game every 2 years.
41 minutes of a good game? Count me in!
I always loved how mirrors edge, for as brief as it was, said more with less-less dialogue, less fetch quests, less fixation on a gritty emotional narrative, and so on. With catalyst, it felt like they wanted to redo everything (including faith for no apparent reason) because the original wasn't strong enough to stand on its own, but in the end all its faults landed exactly where the original did, just on the opposite end but without the running momentum of the original 's concept.
I think taking the esurance commercials out and having a fixed camera angle throughout the entire game would've made it a more seamless experience, but its all still a very stylish and memorable experience all the same. If anything i believe mirrors edge was much more akin to portal than assassin's creed. Maybe thats what catalyst missed so dearly to make it as memorable as the original. Hopefully we see a full remaster or better yet a vr port sone day for psvr2 ^^
I feel like Mirror's Edge Catalyst is not getting the appreciation it deserves. It had an amazing atmosphere, fantastic gameplay, cinematic storytelling (albeit weak story) and incredible soundtrack. Something about it just stuck with me the same way the first one did for so many of us. In fact, I am currently working on a short animated video about the game. I don't know if it'll ever get finished, but I hope to upload it to my channel once it's done. Anyways, just wanted to say how much this game series has inspired me.
Amazing video btw!
IVE BEEN PRAYING THIS VIDEO WOULD COME OUT
Mirror's Edge means the world to me I adore this game with all my heart since the day it came out and im extactic to finally see this video come out.
Just a cheeky algorithm booster. Something about Mirror's Edge. That this is an interesting critique. That you're an inspiration ❤️ good stuff as always.
Thank to Whitelight for sponsoring my lunch time
Really like the usage of both the M.E. and M.E. : Catalyst tracks in the video. Your point about how Mirror's Edge changes as you replay it is something I haven't really seen discussed in any other video essay on the game. It'd be interesting to hear your take on Catalyst, a similarly flawed game with some standout features.
Your criticism of the combat is interesting because I played the game twice a few years ago and remember almost none, and did very little shooting at all as far as I remember. Maybe I found the faster routes earlier or maybe I nostalgically only remember the good parts of the game
I loved this game when I was younger. The soundtrack is so good!
Thanks whitelight for keeping me company while I do a six hour drive home.
That transition at the start broke my brain. I've spent too long doing speedrun of this game you're not allowed to just inter splice levels together like that it's dangerous!
I extracted manually every single music track in this game and it's sequel, the music practically is a part of my everyday
10:43 hold up, can we give some appreciation to this transition?
his narrating is so elegant and his writing is so easy to understand. i love the contrasts like "blurs east to west, Soviet and capitalism". it's such a good description it's so good omg
If anyone wants to revisit the soundtrack, the artist is Solar Fields and the album is on Spotify!! The main title music will stay with me forever, it's so beautiful
the girl who wrote the song Still Alive is Swedish, Lisa Miskovsky, and I luckily got to see her live about 5 years ago, she performed "Still Alive" and it was fucking magical let me tell you.
If mirror's edge had some well done meta narrative about freedom it could've been an absolute masterpiece, the style and gameplay is absolutely timeless and could've worked so well with something artsy, some kind of meaningful journey
Aight lads it's time for something that can only be called RUclips kino. Strap in, because Mirrors Edge is a wonderful time and my fav essay RUclipsr has made a video on it. Let's run.
Every year since 2013 after the school year ends and summer begins, I like to replay Mirror’s Edge. Been keeping up tradition and it’s nice to see other’s haven’t forgotten this game
I jumped into Mirror's Edge looking for a parkour simulator since that was taken from me because of the lockdown, but I got way more than I expected. The music, the action, the visuals, everything just... Clicks. And when I'm running around my city and vaulting above simple obstacles I remember that I'm Still Alive