The game isn't all just running and jumping — you're a "Runner," and the oppressive city paramilitary officers don't approve of your kind. Combat involves kicks, punches and disarm moves at close quarters, or you can grab a gun from a fallen enemy and take potshots from a distance. But this is one of the game's few missteps: it's not a shooting game, but there are times when you're forced to shoot because there are just too many enemies. Early in the game, you're counseled to avoid conflict, which leads to some excellent chase sequences. But as the game goes on, more enemies appear that you have to fight through, and you simply can't survive if you don't use a gun. The problem is that when Faith holds anything larger than a pistol, her speed vanishes. At that point, "Mirror's Edge" becomes just another shooter clone, and a poor one at that. Faith isn't a very good shot, but her enemies are — if the bad guys can see you, you're basically dead. It's disappointing to come crashing to a halt when you have to do a spot of shooting after an exhilarating journey across the rooftops of the city. Fortunately, the shooting sections only comprise a small portion of the game and don't hamper an otherwise breathtaking experience.

Graphics: The metropolitan landscapes of "Mirror's Edge" are saturated with light; bright colors accent the super-clean environments and vacant buildings, which are otherwise blank and bright white. When running at top speed, the edges of the screen start to blur, and on the frequent occasions when you miss a jump and fall to your death, the effects are almost too intense — you'll find yourself cringing as the ground whips up to meet you before the screen snaps to black.

Audio: Music is sparse but provides the perfect aesthetic, especially during pulse-pounding chase segments. Faith's various grunts, yells and heavy breathing as she runs through the city lend an air of authenticity to her acrobatics.

THE WRAP-UP

Parent's take: Falling from great heights, which happens often, can be too much for some. Though the player can shoot, punch and kick enemies, no blood is depicted. The cinematic video sequences between levels do contain assorted profanity and a scene involving blood.

Final word: "Mirror's Edge" does something that no game has ever tried before, and succeeds in a big way. Its only failings are its shooting sequences and relatively scant length (only 6-8 hours). But those are minor quibbles. "Mirror's Edge" is proof that games don't just have to do the same old thing.