Mirror's Edge Catalyst: Parkour and Puzzles in a Cyberpunk Dystopia
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a first-person action game developed by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 4. Set in the near future of a cyberpunk dystopia, the game follows Faith, a Runner who specializes in illegal deliveries. When she steals a valuable hard drive from a corporation, she uncovers the Reflection project, which will allow the corporations to control every resident in the city of Glass. The game features a combination of platforming, parkour, and puzzles, with a minimalist use of colors and a cold, atmospheric electronic soundtrack by Solar Fields.
The gameplay in Catalyst requires precision timing as players control Faith, running, leaping, and sliding across the rooftops of Glass. Puzzle-like level design requires the use of pipes, wires, and ledges to reach the destination. Unlike in the original game, Faith cannot use guns and must fight in hand-to-hand combat or avoid enemies altogether. Catalyst's minimalist use of colors, mostly shining white and dark blue, creates a unique atmosphere, with the occasional use of other colors signifying something important. Solar Fields' electronic soundtrack adds to the game's cold, dystopian feel.