Mirror's Edge is side-scrolling platform game where the player must control the protagonist, Faith Connors, as she navigates a city.[1] The game acts as a prequel to the original Mirror's Edge, setting the scene about Runners and the city's shady corporations.[1] To progress through the game, the player must complete 14 levels as fast as possible while getting past opponents controlled by the game's artificial intelligence. The player has the ability to dash, jump, wall-run, slide, and use zip lines. Although Faith cannot use weapons, the player can perform melee attacks and disarm opponents.[1] Records can be uploaded to online leaderboards, where records from other players can be downloaded as Ghosts. These are recordings that show the player the path other players took.[1]
The game includes a split-screen multiplayer mode, where two players may race each other across any of the game's unlocked levels.[1] Another multiplayer mode, Rivals, involves players collecting bags under a time limit.