Mirror's edge is the latest in attempted Hybrids with a little mix of Survival (not horror), Action, and a first-person perspective that flirts with the shooter part of the first-person shooter like a Playboy Bunny flirts with the rich old guy with the oxygen tank. While I would like to see more attempts at this type of game in the future (not necessaryily Mirror's Edge II) I'm sorry to say that there are too many cons for a WIN, and Mirror's Edge will just have to live with a MEH.

...Are the casual passerbys gone? You know, the type who read the summary and nothing else?

Good. Let's get on with this review, then.

I must point out that I have an unhealthy fascination with quirky games. If ever there were to be a game where you ride a unicycle through perilous mazes full of feces-throwing monkeys while answering trivia about popular culture with the guy reading the questions being voiced by Yakov Smirnoff, I would totally be there to buy it.

***GAMER'S HINT***
"In Soviet Russia, monkey throws poo at YOU!!!"
***GAMER'S HINT**

Would it hurt to play such a game? Yeah. But that's a sacrifice I'd make. For you, the reader, of course.

Back to the present, where the monkeys are quiet (for now) and Comrade Smirnoff isn't allowed 10 feet from a video game.

Let's go over the game, shall we?

1 - "In Soviet Russia, wall throws controller at YOU!!!"

This game will frustrate you. Oh, how it will frustrate you. The developers must've been the spawns of The Dark Lord Satan himself and Rosie O'Donnell because the amount of times that you die is insurmountable. Sometimes your character just doesn't want to grab that ledge. Then there's the parts that require trial and error, which is OK in small doses, but like Potassium, it can kill ya when consumed in such large amounts. I'd dare ya to play this game without yelling once at it, but that'd be like putting an item on a high shelf and asking David Spade to retrieve it for you.

2 - "America, what a place, what with the Hippies and all."

The story is painfully status quo. Sure its cutscenes look great (cel-shading for the win!!! Except for it's all a MEH.), but it's your typical 'Hippies taking down The Man' story line. You don't even know why you're doing what you're doing. Nothing evil seems to be transpiring in the city. In fact, it looks like quite a nice place to live. Although eye-seering white and bright primary colors? If the 'Evil' ruler of this fair city killed the designer, that'd be acceptable.

However, apparantly some people just can't stand to be happy and clean and decide go against 'The Man'. Yahtzee's review over on Zero Puncuation made a good point: Carrying around suspicious bags and killing cops... you could very well be the bad guy!

I doubt that's what they were going for, but it'd kick Hippie hiney, man!

3 - "In America, people take their time to do things. In Soviet Russia, we have no time!"

It'd be as much of an understatement to say that the game's short as it would be to say that Chuck Norris is awesome. 6... maybe 10 hours. Tops. Even for fellow Gamium Reviewer, Shawn Boles, who's known to take his ever-lovin' time with a game.

But the Time Trials are actually pretty good. Most of the time I don't even touch such unwanted extras. But in Mirror's Edge it turns the game into what the game was supposed to be: Finding the quicket way through the city. As the rest of the game is pretty linear it makes this part even more tasty.

David's Wonderful Corner of Conclusions

In the end, Mirror's Edge tries something new and it almost gets it. I could forgive the pro-Hippie story (in fact, some of you will love the story... just like you love your 'peace pipes', long hair on guys, and Cher) and I already forgive the shortness of the game. But I cannot, CANNOT, forgive the unneeded frustration that this game puts you through.

And, now, 'Retro Hard' is not an excuse. This wasn't hard, it was unfair.

MEH, but worth a rent.