Mirror's Edge Catalyst

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Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a single player and multiplayer open world role playing shooter game with a thriller theme. It was developed by DICE and was released on June 7, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a single-player shooter game with a good story and masterful gameplay. As Faith, a daring free runner, explore the beautiful yet secretive city of Glass in first-person perspective, combining fluid movement, advanced combat, and environmental interaction. Uncover a conspiracy in this immersive action-adventure game, even though online features are discontinued.

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,002 reviews

story928 positive mentions

optimization33 negative mentions

The parkour mechanics are smooth and satisfying, allowing for fluid movement throughout the city.
The visual design and aesthetic of the solarpunk city are stunning, creating an immersive environment.
The game offers a variety of side missions and collectibles that encourage exploration and add depth to the gameplay.

The story is underdeveloped and lacks depth, with characters feeling one-dimensional and predictable.
The combat system is clunky and often interrupts the flow of parkour, making encounters feel tedious.
The game requires an EA account and launcher, which can lead to frustrating issues, especially after the servers have been shut down.

story
4,314 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
68%
10%
The story of "Mirror's Edge: Catalyst" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lacking compared to the original game. While some appreciate the attempt to expand on the narrative and character development, others criticize it for being predictable, cliché, and disconnected from the first game's storyline. The open-world design, while offering freedom and exploration, often leads to repetitive missions and a sense of aimlessness, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay mechanics and visuals are praised, but the story is generally viewed as a weak point.
- “The story adds context without overshadowing the gameplay, and side activities keep exploration engaging.”
- “The story is engaging and the map is cool.”
- “The story is pretty good, but the most fun to be had is just exploring the vast city and freerunning throughout the big city.”
- “The story feels very cluttered, unfinished, and rushed with inconsistencies in the characters' emotions, unexplained lore elements like the 'families' which require reading the comic, truncated side storylines, and the lack of urgency at the end that was present in the original game.”
- “The story is not engaging in the slightest and the mirror's edge atmosphere and art style is lost with giant flashy screens, loud noise, constant talking and random modern decor everywhere.”
- “The story is incredibly bland with said dumb twists injected to make it feel unique but the whole story is just, 'big company is bad but public thinks it's good.'”
gameplay
1,559 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
5%
The gameplay in "Mirror's Edge Catalyst" is widely praised for its fluid and refined parkour mechanics, allowing players to traverse the urban environment with speed and precision. While the open-world design offers more exploration opportunities, some players feel it detracts from the focused experience of the original game, leading to repetitive gameplay and a lack of engaging narrative. Overall, the game excels in delivering a unique and satisfying movement experience, though it is marred by combat mechanics that many find clunky and unfulfilling.
- “The parkour mechanics are smoother and more satisfying than ever, allowing players to traverse rooftops, walls, and urban landscapes with precision and speed, giving a true sense of momentum and control.”
- “The gameplay is what keeps me coming back.”
- “The gameplay is awesome, the world feels larger, there's more content, more tricks.”
- “The parkour mechanics feel identical to 2008, which would be fine if the level design supported them, but open-world traversal reduces that balletic movement system to a commute between map markers.”
- “Unfortunately, that's about it since the main parts of the game will have the player following intended routes that often times the game designers couldn't possibly navigate as half of the movement mechanics have been snipped and ruined from the original and reintroduced as a RPG system.”
- “The gameplay feels repetitive, the world lacks variety, and the story never really hooks you.”
graphics
1,140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
45%
1%
The graphics of "Mirror's Edge: Catalyst" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and vibrant aesthetic, which continue to impress even years after its release. Players appreciate the game's clean, futuristic design, enhanced by the Frostbite engine, which allows for beautiful lighting and detailed environments. While some critiques mention a loss of the original's unique charm and occasional graphical glitches, the overall consensus is that the graphics are a significant highlight, making the game visually captivating and immersive.
- “The graphics are beautiful and they really do hold up even in 2025 with 4K textures and lighting. Even on lower graphics settings, it still looks stunning since they used the same engine they made for Battlefield 1, resulting in a neon city-like map that I love.”
- “The skyline and architecture offer a unique visual contrast to typical urban game settings, with the bright and clean aesthetics contributing to a feeling of hope amidst the dystopian narrative.”
- “The graphics are a significant step up, and the gameplay feels smoother, featuring additions like a skill tree and a grappling hook.”
- “The graphics are an improvement, but the art style has gotten a downgrade compared to the original Mirror's Edge.”
- “While the original's stark, minimalist aesthetic was a standout feature, Catalyst's visuals feel uninspired and lackluster.”
- “The stylized graphics of the first game (that still look decent now; 13 years later) have been replaced with 'realistic' graphics which already don't look great and somewhat aged in this 2016 title.”
music
502 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
46%
2%
The music in *Mirror's Edge Catalyst* is largely praised for its atmospheric and dynamic qualities, composed by Solar Fields, who returns from the original game. While many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the gameplay experience, some feel it lacks the memorability and iconic tracks of the first game, particularly missing the standout song "Still Alive." Overall, the soundtrack is described as beautiful and fitting, contributing significantly to the game's immersive environment, though opinions vary on its impact compared to its predecessor.
- “The soundtrack complements the gameplay perfectly, featuring a dynamic electronic score that builds tension and energy during chase sequences and exploration.”
- “The atmospheric electronic OST by Solar Fields perfectly complements the unnerving feeling of the futuristic, high-tech world and trouble waiting around every corner.”
- “The music now reacts to your every move, fading in and out different elements of the songs and applying different effects to them.”
- “The soundtrack is lackluster.”
- “The soundtrack in this game is bland and boring.”
- “The music is alright, but really only because it's essentially identical to the first game's soundtrack (minus the unique stuff).”
atmosphere
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
39%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant colors, futuristic design, and immersive soundscapes, particularly the ambient music by Solar Fields, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the captivating dystopian setting of the city, with its unique environments and dynamic weather, although some feel it lacks the charm and coherence of the original game. Overall, the atmosphere is considered the standout feature, providing a compelling backdrop for the parkour mechanics and gameplay.
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the free running is second to none, all coming together to elevate the desire to get lost in this rooftop world.”
- “The atmosphere in this game alone deserves a round of applause.”
- “The blissfully futuristic city of glass oozes a dystopian atmosphere that the writing emphasizes.”
- “The gameplay and story are improved, but the level design and atmosphere are very lackluster.”
- “The story is not engaging in the slightest, and the Mirror's Edge atmosphere and art style are lost with giant flashy screens, loud noise, constant talking, and random modern decor everywhere.”
- “Unfortunately, it doesn't capture the sublime atmosphere of the first game.”
optimization
117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
28%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While some report smooth performance and good graphics on modern systems, many others experience significant issues such as stuttering, texture pop-in, and freezing, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, while the game shows potential in terms of optimization, persistent performance problems detract from the experience for a considerable number of players.
- “The graphics are crisp, and the performance is smooth, delivering an immersive experience without any noticeable hiccups or technical glitches.”
- “Optimization on PC deserves applause, ensuring that players can fully enjoy the breathtaking world.”
- “Probably one of the most gorgeous looking games that you will ever play with outstanding performance all around the board.”
- “This game has an awful hitching stuttering lag problem that I can't manage to resolve no matter what I do. I still played the whole game regardless because otherwise it was great, though the performance totally kills my desire for any future replays.”
- “The worst issue is the horrible optimization; it lags terribly, especially for Mirror’s Edge. It completely breaks the flow to have a delay on every input.”
- “Despite being well above the recommended system specs, the game suffers from frequent stuttering—approximately every 10-30 seconds—lasting anywhere between over a second to a fraction of a second; the game runs smoothly on both 'hyper' and 'low' settings with no changes in stuttering behavior.”
stability
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
1%
91%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and unresponsive controls that detract from the overall experience. While some enjoy the occasional humorous glitches, many find them frustrating, particularly in critical gameplay moments, leading to a perception of the game as unfinished. Overall, the game is described as a mix of enjoyable elements overshadowed by significant stability issues, making it difficult for players to fully engage without encountering technical problems.
- “Mirror's Edge Catalyst runs great and looks great on the Steam Deck.”
- “It runs great, stable FPS on both my desktop on ultra and even my old laptop on low-medium. There's enough options to fine-tune it to run well even on hardware that shouldn't run it.”
- “There are no glitches or issues in the game.”
- “This game is a buggy mess and it's clearly unfinished.”
- “I got softlocked almost immediately and had to restart the game; I've heard of people just straight up not being able to play anymore because of EA account glitches.”
- “The story was barely above average and pretty predictable, and there were just so many bugs/glitches which made gameplay very frustrating.”
grinding
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
28%
69%
The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players describing it as tedious and repetitive, particularly in relation to collecting items and completing side missions. Many reviewers noted that the open-world design and combat mechanics contribute to a frustrating experience, often forcing players into unnecessary backtracking and repetitive tasks. While some appreciated the game's aesthetics and parkour mechanics, the grind for upgrades and collectibles detracted significantly from overall enjoyment, leading to a consensus that the game feels more like a chore than an engaging experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game makes a good first impression in the first hour, but the minute the world 'opens' up, it quickly devolves into a very tedious game.”
- “I came across a decent amount of them while grinding the story and side missions, but not having an end game option to either mark where collectibles are, 'sense' where they are with an upgrade, or at least be able to show on the map the ones you did get, makes the collectible grind an absolute slog.”
- “The game is uninspired, bland, boring, and needlessly grindy.”
replayability
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers enjoyable main story missions that can be replayed at any time and features like speedrunning and diverse activities that enhance replay value, some players feel that the lack of multiplayer modes and certain design choices limit its long-term appeal. The open-world design and additional challenges provide more content than its predecessor, making it more replayable for those who enjoy exploration and mastering mechanics. However, some users noted that the game may lose replay value for those who prefer a more structured experience.
- “To its credit, the main story has good set pieces and unique action sequences that make them one of the most fun and replayable aspects of the game, and thankfully you can replay any mission at any time (a feature some open world games tend to leave out nowadays).”
- “The game's impressive replayability, with its open-world design and diverse activities, ensures that you'll be hooked for hours on end.”
- “There are plenty of races that will test your understanding of the game's mechanics, as well as user-created time trials & races, and after completing the story you can replay it from the main menu using your fully upgraded self, so the replay value is surprisingly high.”
- “Overall it's a good experience, but there's no replayability.”
- “The game's replay value was destroyed because of the server shutdown.”
- “Without going on for too long about the broken movement, this game has a much lower skill ceiling for the average player, and has little replay value outside of doing story missions with new abilities that you unlocked with your stupid skill points.”
humor
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often derived from its glitches, unintentionally funny character interactions, and absurd combat mechanics, such as kicking enemies off buildings or into each other. Players find amusement in the game's silly moments, like the quirky dialogue and humorous easter eggs, despite its overall flaws and a lackluster story. The combination of these elements creates a lighthearted experience that many players appreciate, even if the game itself has significant issues.
- “Being able to kick enemies into each other, into walls, and off edges was *deeply* funny, especially when blended with the movement system.”
- “There was one hilarious moment where I unintentionally ran into a room of 20 soldiers and I just spam kicked to win the entire fight.”
- “The combat, although underdeveloped, is actually fun, and more than that, absolutely hilarious given an evolution of the 'dark messiah kick', which works well with the slightly overpowered dodge.”
emotional
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
85%
15%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed responses from players, with some finding it deeply moving and heartwarming, while others criticize it for lacking depth and emotional weight. Many reviewers express that the story fails to develop characters adequately, leading to predictable and forgettable moments, despite a few standout scenes. Overall, while some players feel a strong emotional connection and satisfaction, others find the narrative uninspired and lacking the impactful storytelling of its predecessor.
- “I cried during the credits, and this game holds up amazing.”
- “The story is rich and heartwarming yet a little sad too.”
- “Story wise, it is emotional and gripping, and the ending leaves you with a bittersweet feeling of hope for better days.”
- “A boring story that is impossible to follow.”
- “Add repetitive useless combat, not so good visuals, boring story...”
- “The first Mirror's Edge is way better than this one even when it had an equally boring story.”
character development
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
60%
24%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the depth added to the protagonist, Faith, while others criticize the overall lack of meaningful growth for both main and side characters. Many reviewers noted that the game's short runtime hindered the exploration of character arcs, leading to abrupt changes in personalities and insufficient emotional weight in key moments. Overall, while some elements of character design were praised, the execution of character development was often deemed shallow or rushed, detracting from the narrative experience.
- “I'm perfectly content with short games - in fact, it was one of the reasons I loved the original - but this game is so undeservedly short considering the themes and character development the creators were attempting to convey.”
- “Unlike the first game, I believe that this game's story is a heavy improvement and has a lot more content than the original; it has good character development.”
- “Everything about this game is just perfect, the graphics, the plot, the character development.”
- “The game makes a big deal of the finale with no character development or lore to give Faith's actions any weight.”
- “I got to the point that I just want to see how the plot goes but not playing the game; even the plot is unreasonable, the character development was so sudden and there is no explanation for the characters' personality change.”
- “[i]Catalyst[/i] tries to tell a story of rebellion, drama, and tragedy, but fails to execute it proficiently due to lack of character development and world building in its short 8-9 hour runtime.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
8%
69%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some praising the absence of loot boxes and microtransactions, which is a rarity for EA titles. However, many reviewers criticize the overwhelming presence of advertisements and the game's corporate dystopia theme, feeling it clashes with the intended counterculture aesthetic and suggests a cash grab mentality. Overall, while the game is considered enjoyable for its price, the monetization approach leaves a sour taste for some players.
- “No loot boxes or any microtransactions (it's sad that I count this as a positive, but it's EA, so for them it is).”
- “For $10, it is well worth the money as it is one of the few franchises/titles EA didn't screw over with microtransactions or having a studio known for single-player make an MMO.”
- “Seriously though; it's a mechanically fun, if aimless, open world game with cringy missions, unneeded RPG ability unlock mechanics that gate away most of the fun gameplay, and a publisher and monetization strategy that completely clashes with its counterculture aesthetic.”
- “The game had me hooked right from the beginning, there is a scene where Faith gets plugged into the main grid for a second and the world transforms from a bunch of bland white walls to a screaming ADHD nightmare filled with real-life spam mail and constant pop-up ads that make it impossible to even focus on what's in front of you.”
- “On top of the issues that other reviewers outline (half-baked open world, critical freerunning movement locked behind shoehorned-in 'progression', pointless collectibles, and terrible writing), there's a point at the beginning where your view is overloaded by AR HUD advertisements and other garbage in an attempted parody of corporate dystopia.”
- “All EA makes is multiplayer cash grabs and it will be a cold day in hell if we ever see another original IP like this that isn't trying to get you to buy a loot box to change Faith's fingernail color to black or some dumb stuff like that.”

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66%Critics’ scoreBased on 36 critic reviews

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8h Median play time

53h Average play time

8h Main story

31h Completionist

4-17h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 35 analyzed playthroughs

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Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a open world role playing shooter game with thriller theme.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 8 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 31 hours to finish. On average players spend around 53 hours playing Mirror's Edge Catalyst.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst was released on June 7, 2016.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst was developed by DICE.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Mirror's Edge, Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Thief and others.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst

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