I am now by Chapter 7. Despite early frustrations and some inherent flaws, the majority of my times with Mirror's Edge has been euphoric. The last few chapters have been absolutely exhilarating. Now that I am familiar with the game mechanics, I am seeing future moves clearer, even before Faith's "runner's vision" kicks in and points me in the right direction by highlighting something in red. I am creating my own lanes through the environment and reacting on the fly to obstacles and unforseen problems. I actually "feel" like I am traversing these environments in this fantastical fashion. It is great.
When presented with a hasty escape scenario, what used to be fear caused by my unfamiliarity with the controls and play mechanics has now been replaced by the adrenaline rush an actual, cocky runner would feel, having full confidence in their abilities and anticipating the thrill of the chase. Sure, the fear of dying is there (death can come quickly in this game) but it is held back by the exhilarating feeling of soaring through the environment and knowing that your chasers cannot follow.
And in a fantastic twist, last night, that "I am untouchable" rush was once again replaced by fear, when I was being pursued by enemies who were just as capable at parkour as I am. That revelation lead to some of the most intense 5 minutes of gaming I've had in a while. A desperate dash to get away, me frantically scanning the environment to determine where I could go next, hearing my pursuer's footsteps just behind me and not daring to look back, while my ally screams at me to get out through my head-set. Once I finally escaped I threw the controller down and fell back on my couch, much like Faith herself did, exhaling in relief and feeling exhausted.
I think the game's price was just justified by that once section. Bravo Dice. This game is not for everyone, nor is it perfect, but when it clicks, it most certainly is special.
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