A cult classic of sorts, Mirror's Edge relies more on fond memories than recent playthroughs for it's praise. The game graphics and style are it's strongest points that still shine nearly 10yrs later. But in a game of stark contrasts it has a, politely put, "unique" animation style for it's cutscenes that pale in comparison. And while the universe the story is set in lets the imagination wonder and wander, the story itself is quite bland and dull. The environments seem open and waiting to be explored as you see the horizons from the rooftops but the level design is very sneakily on rails and corridor'd in. Still there are moments of "free running", and even slower more puzzle-like sections, that are absolutely amazing and you enjoy moments of pure bliss and experience what this game was striving for. But then you again are met with contrast. This time in more ways than one. Single awkward (not to be confused with difficult) jumps in the midst of a flowing sequence, thee possibly worst gunplay/combat in a FPS ever (this cannot be understated), or maybe an ill-advised checkpoint that puts you back before a slow door opening sequence or too close to an edge to jump right back in. All these things and more will ruin the good moments. And with regularity. Simply put, the flow of the game is interrupted too negatively too often for it to live up to the tales of grandeur it has developed over the years. Its worth a visit as it is thankfully very very short (4hr range). But for whatever it is worth, it doesn't quite live up to it's reputation in my book
I was actually surprised this wasn't an initial "in development" title when GOG started the program. The way they described their process of meticulously picking titles they felt fit their mold made me immediately think of The Long Dark. I've had this title on Steam for some time and its the only "in development" (cough paid beta cough) purchase I don't regret. The devs made a SINGLEPLAYER survival sandbox to test gameplay for a narrative story they wanted tell. But then the sandbox took on a life of its own as the users loved it. It has been completely expanded and updated multiple times at a very consistent rate. The sandbox stands on its own atop the mountain of singleplayer survival. And the story and full release looms very closely. Regret free purchase in that respect, or indeed just wait a little if you need it to be full release. Right now you'll get a very complete and immersive singleplayer, lonely, survival experience. Which is something I've searched for for some time. No zombies, no connecting to servers, no worrying about "griefers" every time you log out, etc etc. Just you and the elements (and an angry wolf or two depending on your difficulty setting). It's got everything you'd expect from the genre; You'll have to wander, you'll have to scavenge, and you'll get hungry and thirsty. And while this is the most "realistic" survival experience in my opinion it also was never meant to be set 100% in reality at all. This is still a world created by the devs. The crafting for long term survival is a bit shallow and the wolves are not "true to life" and are there to pose a threat to your character beyond status bars. And speaking of status bars I leave you with one "pro tip" to avoid the titular Long Dark (death); Your thirst and hunger are not tedious chores to keep capped/maxed. Pay attention to them emptying and bottoming out, not filling to the tip top. I'd say see you out there, but you're on your own! Highly recommended.
Playing it through again in 2015 the bad camera, clunky yet touchy controls, and some lazy mechanics ended up outweighing my fond memories a lot of the time. Headaches abounded. Then the little bonuses I've learned to love from GOG aren't quite there. For example; modern resolutions and the "goodies" are lacking. If you played it when it came out its worth the price of admission to relive some of those memories despite my complaints. And it might lead to my personal favorite "The Infernal Machine" getting released one day! The game itself is quite unforgiving in parts and the save system requiring you to complete the section of the level can lead to a lot of painful repetition. I was surprised how well I remembered the game and some of the boss mechanics but I don't know how obvious they would be to newcomers which would only add to the painful repetition. The problems I mentioned above cannot be overlooked either. I got a good 7+hrs out of it and relived some great memories though. So I'm happy, but the game just isn't all its cracked up to be. Still, it is Indy.
