Gameplay-wise, I see this game being vaguely similar to Portal, Prince of Persia, and other 3-D platformers, in that the basic game mechanic is all about getting from point A to point B without dying, with little focus on combat and more on evasion and finding the path to the end.
So what made Portal a great game? You could say the story, but if you break that down and be more specific, it was mostly the tone and the atmosphere and one great character. What made Prince of Persia a great game? Because it was fun to find out how to get to the next room. I feel that if Mirror's Edge can achieve (and maintain) a consistent and interesting atmosphere, and the act of running around down a basically linear line is indeed fun, it ought to be a success. The only parts of the game that look a little rough are the combat sections, which the game makers don't appear to want to focus on anyway, so hopefully they either keep those sections brief or tighten it up a bit.
An engaging story will go a long way to make this game worth playing. Engaging doesn't necessarily mean complex, or long. Portals plot is neither complex, or long. COD4's plot really isn't complex, but it's fleshed out and its recurring characters have just enough personality that you care to see how it ends.
I don't mind "short" games. Portal is one example, COD4 another. Even though the campaigns are short, I've replayed them numerous times because the gameplay is solid.
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