Mirror’s Edge review (2009)
Mirror’s Edge, reviewed in PC Gamer Issue #197 (February 2009), features first-person parkour gameplay centered on fluid free-running mechanics. Players control Faith, a “Runner”—acrobatic courier who delivers messages illegally across urban rooftops to circumvent government surveillance. The game emphasizes seamless movement through first-person perspective, incorporating techniques such as wall-running, vaulting, sliding, and rebounding off buildings without breaking stride.
According to reviewer Graham Smith, the early levels best communicate the “free-running dream” that defines the game’s appeal—the fantasy of gracefully inventing routes through urban environments while maintaining momentum. However, the review suggests the game’s implementation has significant shortcomings, with Smith critiquing how the developers execute the core concept.