12 Terrible Video Games That Actually Had Great Ideas

3. Mirror's Edge Catalyst - Sleek Sci-Fi FPS Based On Parkour

Viking battle for asgard
EA

The original Mirror's Edge was a game that everyone tried to like. Free-running was fun, the clean futuristic world looked nice, and it felt like a breath of fresh air. The sequel, Catalyst, was to solve all its niggling problems and unleash its true potential.

But it was not to be, and Catalyst falls so far short of expectations that it's hard not to be mad at it. It's a veritable free-running sandbox, with every incidental placement of boxes, ladders and walls presenting an opportunity for some high-flying fun. And yet, try digging beyond this playfulness into missions or the plot, and it all falls apart.

The missions are uninspiring at best, with the worst of them entailing you chasing your own ghost (which shouldn't exist outside of hardcore racing games), the world is samey and un-engaging, and you're forced into way too many combat situations that the controls and tools at your disposal just aren't cut out for.

Contributor
Contributor

Gamer, Researcher of strange things. I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.