Earlier this year, I started collecting examples of mirrors and reflective surfaces in videogames, something which I intended to do for the longest time. It struck me at some point that so many of the defining moments in videogames – whether created in the East or the West – appeared to relate to this generally pleasant, sometimes unsettling effect. Even when graphics programming was a challengingly restrictive pursuit, creators resorted to cunning techniques in order to achieve such unexpected and intriguing results. By no means a complete list, I set out to include examples that were either aesthetically significant or technologically advanced for their time – in some instances, both. Unsurprisingly, there is a preponderance of thrillers and horror games in the catalogue.
To avoid any sentiments of frustration, I’ve also taken the time to prepare a list of the titles featured above, arranged in as chronological an order as is possible. I am certain that I have neglected some noteworthy references, thus any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Latest update
22/04/2022 – added 11 new games to the list, now at 143 entries.
Video games were forever changed for me when I worked on a game called Predator Concrete Jungle for Xbox/PS2. There’s a room in an abandoned building with water pooled up around the floor which reflects the player character and the entire space. Since I had access to it, I used debug fly to go under the floor, and wouldn’t you know it, they achieved that reflection effect by creating mirrored duplicates of everything and making it visible through semitransparent water textures. An upside character running around in a shadowy copy of the real world. A literal mirror universe.
I think part of me never left that place.