Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is one of a kind. The parkour mechanics are the staple to the free running simulator. Following up on the original Mirror’s Edge, the environment is tailored as a playground for protagonist Faith Connors. But this time it’s different, introducing the City of Glass.
The City of Glass is a sleek, modern take on brutalist architecture. Brutalism is synonymous with dystopian settings, and Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is no different. Unsympathetic skyscrapers fill the screen as you explore their rooftops. All the while a totalitarian government rules over the city in which the citizens are dubbed “Employs” (Very subtle from developer DICE). Total control and heavy surveillance plague the city. But there seems to be hope.
Faith is an energetic protagonist. As her, you run, jump, and vault through the constructions, using the environment to traverse your surroundings. Harsh buildings turn into a playground. Concrete becomes springboards for Faith to launch off. White walls become signs to jump right into them so Faith can smoothly sail through her signature wall run.
This streamlined gameplay means more to me than just mechanics. It makes Faith a symbol of freedom. In a world where the government rules with an iron fist, Faith is the exception. She elegantly traverses the oppressive edifices. Instead of silencing her, Faith uses the City to revolt against authority. When successfully maintaining momentum, she is impervious to bullets from the people trying to stop her. Oppression doesn’t affect Faith when she is leaping large bounds and swinging off scaffolds. The domineering setting harmonises with the fluent gameplay and creates a theme of revolution. The City of Glass is tyrannical while Faith Connors is the rebellion.
