Mirror's Edge is a first-person action game set in a dystopian society ruled by a totalitarian regime that exercises a high amount of surveillance on citizens. The city has a clean look, with bright cold tone visuals that are mainly white with hints of orange. Players control Faith, a female runner who transfers information by moving over the roofs of the city as all other forms of communication are monitored. She grew up alone in the streets when her mother died during the November Riots and her father deserted her shortly after. She was taught as a little girl by a man called Mercury, who caught her breaking in and was impressed with her skills. Hunted down by government agents, she needs to find a way to free her sister.
The gameplay focuses on the freedom of movement based on parkour principles. Although the game path is largely linear, the controls are context-sensitive, allowing Faith to string up moves to build a fluid flow of movement. Players can run up walls, slide below fences, jump, vault, or climb using pipes, ramps, or objects as zip-lines. The camera spins and bobs up and down according to speed, while the player's arms, legs, and torso are prominently visible. The game is largely HUDless.
The game applies various mechanics to assist the player in fast-paced movement, such as Runner Vision, which highlights environmental pieces when they occur near Faith as possible escape routes. In complex situations, Reaction Time can be applied to slow down the pace without losing momentum. Players can also attack enemies using melee combat or disarm them to grab and wield their weapons. The game takes place both outside and inside buildings, with ten chapters in total. The story is furthered through animated films between missions, while a time attack mode allows players to compete for fastest times.
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