I finally got the original game on my ps3. After I played through the reboot.
This is the original version developed by the same creators DICE and its published by EA back in 2008.
The game is a first-person action adventurer platformer.
The story of this game is where you play as a runner named Faith Connors in an unnamed utopian city where she and her fellow group of runners are fighting against the corporations that run the city. It focuses on themes as what would you give up to live a completely comfortable life. And the effects of living in a world where privacy is nonexistent.
It does feel like you can see this in any other sci fi show and it is not the most original story. I do however like Faith Connors as she is pretty good at what she does and she has a sarcastic sense of humor that matches her adventurous risk-taking nature.
Unlike in the reboot this is actually one of the other times that DICE did not use the frostbite engine for their games. As they wanted to create something different than battlefield. Instead it uses the Unreal engine version 3 and the graphics do look really good in this game.
The game is open ended and you can explore the levels however you like. But it is not an open world unlike in Mirrors edge catalyst. It is told in several chapters where each puts you in a different section of the city. And you can be able to explore how you see fit in order to reach to your objective.
In the game the main way you travel is through parkour. You can run off walls and jump off from them. And you move at a pretty fast speed too as well. It feels agile and light weight and the parkour aspect is pretty well done.
The world has distinct visual style to it where most of it is in the color white and buildings are made out of steel and glass. It feels pretty striking and it gives this game a unique look to it. As the game goes for a minimalistic style and nothing over the top.
And the world itself is pretty large and with its first-person perspective and the feeling of agility. It gives you this sense of freedom and it encourages exploration on finding different routes and experimenting with the world itself.
The game has no heads up display. But it does give you a few hints where you are supposed to go when a item is highlighted in the color red. So, it does take time to getting used too if you are accustomed to games with a lot heads up displays.
A unique thing about this game is its style of cinematic cutscenes it uses for before and after missions. It uses a cel shaded style which looks really cool. And it feels like watching a cult classic cartoon late at night.
I like the musical score in the game as the ambient and electronic style of it matches the world and story the game has. And the sound effects as well in the game feel really good too.
You can also go on time trial missions where you can race against time in specially created parkour missions. And it is a fun thing to do if you are into competition.
The game has a lot of extras in it as well as you can also look at concept art during the development of the game. After you finished a level and grabbing certain runner bags which is part of the replay value in the game.
Controls in the game are highly context sensitive. You could easily keep moving up and you do not have to press another button to jump a ledge as it automatically does this for you. As keeping momentum is an important part of the parkour movement in the game. Pressing up is for pulling up into ledges or getting over obstacles.
And pressing down would be useful for sliding and ducking down. So, once you are able to get a hang of it be more easier to understand how to move around in the game.
And this is quite useful whenever you are able to string multiple moves together.
There are a few downsides to this game.
The combat in this game is pretty clumsy. You could hit an enemy in this game and it can feel like your punches are bouncing off from him. And using a gun as well having a small reticle and no way to aim down your sights for most of your weapons but the sniper rifle. Can make your accuracy go off. And be careful with disarming enemies because timing is an important aspect of it as it often a hit or miss chance.
There is a lot of trial and error in this game and you have to time your jumps right or else you would fall off a lot. So, patience is going to be required.
There are parts in the game's levels as well where it can feel cramped and confusing. It can also interrupt your momentum as well while you are in the middle of parkouring a section.
The game is pretty short as well with only 9 chapters. But you can replay them in order to collect anything you might have missed or play the mission in a different style so there is some replayable value to it.
It certainly does feel something quite unique and stylish. And I did liked this more than the reboot.
I'll give this game 4 stars.
If you like cult styled games and if you enjoy games that are open ended. Then you would certainly like this game.