Parents' Guide to

Mirror's Edge Catalyst

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Great parkour action with strong heroine, mild violence.

Game PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One 2016
Mirror's Edge Catalyst Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

See all
age 11+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Galahad D.
Galahad D. Adult
November 27, 2016
age 10+

A truly brilliant parkour game.

This game, is about a girl, who goes jumping from rooftop to rooftop, trying to stop a rebellion. The violence isn't intense at all, there is no blood, and sex and swearing is kept to a minimal, ad when I mean minimal, (I mean none at all). To be very honest with myself, I have no idea why this game was rated teen.
longington
longington Adult
June 10, 2016
age 11+

Amazing!!!

This game is a lot better than the first it has a much better story and it's free rome. The game also lacks violence now with no blood so it's very clean. Also there's not much language they mostly only use the d word but rarely it is a great fun game with amazing parkour and I suggest it to any body who's interested out there. Its also not very bad for kids just little bits of violence that includes punching and kicking enemies and instead of killing them you basically just knock them out so its not very bad at all and it's a pritty fun and good game so I give it five stars and say it's a very fun and Amazing game with great parkour this game has some amazing parkour. Finally to rap this up there's no multiplayer so you can't talk to other players but you can create a speed run and share it for any players to see or keep it private but you don't interact with other players this is my favorite and number one game.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

MIRROR'S EDGE CATALYST is a reboot of a beloved free-running action game released nearly a decade ago. It stars Faith, a young woman who functions as a "runner" -- a parkour expert who jogs along the roofs of skyscrapers delivering messages -- in a futuristic dystopian city ruled by a corporate conglomerate that aims to control every aspect of people's lives, all the way down to their emotions. Working with a group of dissidents attempting to subvert the corporation's authority, Faith goes on missions intended to interrupt the city's infrastructure. She also helps her friends when they're in trouble. She's a parkour expert who leaps, slides, tumbles, and grapples her way around obstacles. This running and jumping action composes the vast bulk of the experience. She's also a skilled hand-to-hand fighter who can subdue her enemies with a mix of punches, kicks, and a disruption ability that momentarily confuses opponents by jamming their sensors (though much of the time it's more efficient for her to simply avoid combat using her free-running skills). When not carrying out quests for the rebellion, players can roam the city and complete side tasks, compete in time trials with other players, and search for collectibles scattered around the metropolis.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (21):

There's much to approve of in this vast open-world title. It boldly stands in the face of many of the stereotypes and criticisms normally leveled at action games. Its non-sexualized heroine is a breath of fresh air in a medium known for female characters better defined by their breast sizes than their personalities. The focus on skillful environment traversal as opposed to bloody combat is also a rarity in action games geared for older players. And its story, filled with emotional twists and thoughtful allegories about the companies that rule our lives, and its setting in a gorgeous and distinctive city are a big step up over the bare-bones characters and narratives players were given in the original Mirror's Edge released in 2008.

But it's not perfect. The first-person perspective through which players experience Faith's parkour movement is exhilarating but at times also frustrating because it makes it difficult to properly judge the timing of jumps. It can also be tricky to find your way around the city's rooftop labyrinth. A feature called "Runner's Vision" provides a suggested path, but it's unreliable and sometimes doesn't even work properly. And while combat feels fresh to start, it never really evolves beyond a simple dodge-and-strike formula that lacks much in the way of strategy or satisfaction. Mirror's Edge Catalyst is still well worth playing if only as confirmation that an action game with a strong female lead and only a minor focus on combat can work, but you'll likely finish it thinking about how only a few small design changes might have improved the experience.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the impact of violence in media. In games, violence usually equals killing, but this game keeps combat to a minimum. Have you played any other action games that treat violence in a similar way?

  • Families can also talk about the depiction of female characters in games. Faith is a rare action heroine defined neither by her sexuality nor any romantic relationships, but can you think of other female protagonists who fit this description?

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended game lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate