I fell in love with this game when it came out. I was slightly nervous about it because it was a little different than most of the stuff around then, but that was also what drew me in. That, and DICE was making some really great games like Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, Battlefield: Bad Company (and BC2 after Mirror's Edge), etc. I was already interested in their games' different aesthetic, and the soft lighting of Bad Company.



It features a female protagonist with an emphasis on free-running/parkour and martial arts. In fact, it is so focused on these concepts that it actually "penalizes" you when you pick up and use guns by reducing your movement speed. I thought it was interesting how the game kind of discouraged you from using weapons.



Then of course, the graphics. I loved what they did with this game. Even years later, it still holds up very well in my opinion. I loved the minimalist design approach, and the strong use of bold colors. When you're just starting the game this helps out a lot by showing you "Runner Vision," which is somewhat of a guide so you quickly know where to go. You will learn that maintaining your momentum is very important at times, so knowing your destination and how to get there (ahead of time) is pretty crucial. Then of course, once you feel more comfortable with the game, you can turn it off for an extra challenge! The other visual aspect that stood out to me is definitely the lighting. It really just made every scene look beautiful. I couldn't help but just stop and look around in the game from time to time to appreciate the visuals.



Having surround doesn't hurt this game in the slightest either! The sound of the helicopters and the Doppler effect give me Battlefield vibes in a good way. DICE's audio expertise continues to shine through in this game. Being a parkour/freerunning game, the sounds of your steps and breath sound great too.

Once you're done with the single player, there is a Time Trial mode available for you to hone your skills and improve speed on several different courses.



I would recommend this game if you liked some of DICE's earlier aesthetic, or like first person games with some parkour, hand-to-hand combat, and a little bit of weaponry. Now, years later, it can often be found on sale so it's totally worth it!