- Quick Turn is a Traversal skill that lets Faith spin 180 degrees without losing Momentum.
- Unlock cost is low, making it an S-tier early pickup in the skill tree.
- Best use cases: redirected chases, Dashes, Time Trials, and reversing out of dead ends.
- Pair it with Fast Climb and Skill Roll for the smoothest traversal build.
- Practice spot: the Anchor district training runs near the Runner's Hideout.
What the Quick Turn Does in Mirror's Edge Catalyst
The Quick Turn is one of the most impactful Traversal upgrades in Mirror's Edge Catalyst. Before unlocking it, Faith's standard 180-degree turn bleeds away most of her Momentum, forcing you to rebuild speed from a standstill — a disaster during KrugerSec chases or leaderboard runs. With Quick Turn equipped, Faith pivots sharply and keeps a large portion of her Flow-based speed intact.
Momentum and Flow are the heart of Catalyst's movement system. Chaining moves without stopping fills Flow, letting Faith jump farther and reach ledges that are otherwise inaccessible. The Quick Turn exists specifically to protect that chain when a route doubles back on itself.
Video Highlights:
- Faith's core parkour toolkit shown in official gameplay
- Wall-runs, kickslides, and directional turns in motion
- How momentum-driven movement shapes the city of Glass
The default turn animation is slow and deliberate. Quick Turn replaces it with a snap pivot, which is why so many veteran runners treat it as a mandatory unlock rather than an optional extra.
How to Unlock Quick Turn (Upgrade Chip Route)
Faith's abilities are expanded through Upgrade Chips, purchased with Chipsets earned from exploration and side activities. The skill tree has three branches — Traversal, Combat, and Gear — and Quick Turn sits in the Traversal branch.
Progress Past the Opening Chapters
Complete the Prison Break and the early Anchor missions with Icarus. The full skill tree opens up as Glass becomes free-roam, letting you spend Chipsets anywhere in the city.
Bank Chipsets Early
Collect Chipsets from hard-to-reach parkour spots, and earn more by scoring stars in Dashes, Billboards, and Security Zone events. A single strong Dash session funds several Upgrade Chips.
Buy Quick Turn in the Traversal Branch
Open the upgrade menu and purchase Quick Turn. It has no deep prerequisite chain, so it is one of the first Traversal chips you can afford.
Practice in a Safe District
Head to the training runs near the Runner's Hideout in Anchor. Perform the turn input at sprint speed until the snap pivot feels automatic.
| Upgrade | Branch | Priority | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Turn | Traversal | S — Unlock First | Fast 180° turn that preserves Momentum mid-run |
| Fast Climb | Traversal | S — Unlock First | Speeds up ledge mantling so climbs don't break Flow |
| Skill Roll | Traversal | A — Unlock Next | Reduces fall damage recovery and keeps movement fluid |
| Mag Rope Enhancements | Gear | S — Unlock First | Extends reach and swing points across districts |
If your goal is speed and traversal mastery, resist dumping early Chipsets into Combat branches. Traversal and Gear chips change how the entire city feels to move through.
Where Quick Turn Wins You Runs
Quick Turn shines in three distinct situations. Recognizing them is the difference between a good runner and a great one.
Dead-End Recovery
- Missed a ledge or wall-run angle?
- Snap 180° and re-approach
- Keeps Flow alive instead of a full stop
Chase Escapes
- KrugerSec on your tail
- Reverse direction unexpectedly
- Breaks K-Sec pursuit lines instantly
Time Trials & Dashes
- Tight checkpoint loops
- Ideal for routes that double back
- Shave seconds on leaderboard attempts
District layout also matters. Dense Downtown rooftops favor tight 90° and 180° turns on stair sets, while Anchor's long glass facades reward extended wall-runs where Quick Turn serves as your reset tool when a line fails.
| District | Terrain Style | Quick Turn Value |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | Dense rooftops, tight stair sets | ★★★★★ — constant direction changes |
| Anchor | Long facades, MAG Rope gaps | ★★★☆☆ — used as a recovery tool |
| View District | Vertical climbs, chase sequences | ★★★★☆ — critical during the Kruger chase |
Study ghost replays of top runners. Their routes through Dashes exploit Traversal upgrades like the Quick Turn — and a clean line with no Flow breaks usually beats one flashy jump.
Combos and Advanced Usage
Once the Quick Turn is muscle memory, layer it into longer movement chains. The goal is always an unbroken Flow state from start to finish.
- Quick Turn into wall-run: pivot off a failed approach directly into an adjacent wall surface.
- Quick Turn into kickslide: reverse direction and immediately slide under an obstacle to keep speed low and tight.
- Quick Turn into coil jump: double back off a ledge and coil onto a lower platform without losing momentum.
- Combat escape: after a Focus attack or evade, use Quick Turn to exit a fight at sprint speed instead of walking out.
| Combo Chain | Difficulty | Best Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Turn → Wall-Run | Easy | Missed approach angles |
| Quick Turn → Kickslide | Easy | Interior routes with low obstacles |
| Quick Turn → Coil Jump | Medium | Descending routes in Downtown |
| Evade → Quick Turn → Sprint | Medium | Escaping K-Sec group fights |
Plan routes a few moves ahead using Runner Vision — the red objects highlighting the suggested path — and mark the spots where a Quick Turn keeps your line continuous instead of restarting from zero.
Training Checklist for Quick Turn Mastery
Use this checklist to lock the technique into your runs. Each item builds on the last, and completing all of them prepares you for star-rated Dashes across Glass.
Quick Turn Mastery Goals:
- Unlock Quick Turn in the Traversal branch
- Perform 20 clean snap pivots in Anchor training runs
- Clear a Downtown Dash without a full-stop turn
- Escape one KrugerSec chase using a direction reversal
- Earn 3 stars on a Time Trial using Quick Turn resets
FAQ
Q: Is Quick Turn available from the start of Mirror's Edge Catalyst?
No. It is a Traversal skill unlocked with an Upgrade Chip, purchased using Chipsets earned from exploration, Dashes, Billboards, and Security Zone events. It is inexpensive and has no deep prerequisite chain, so most runners grab it very early.
Q: Does Quick Turn work at low speed?
You can perform the move at any speed, but its main value is preserving Momentum during a sprint. At low speed it simply functions as a faster way to reverse direction.
Q: Should I unlock Quick Turn before Mag Rope upgrades?
Both are top-priority unlocks. If you focus on Dashes and Time Trials, take Quick Turn first. If you explore the open world and want new swing routes, prioritize Mag Rope enhancements immediately after.
Q: Does Quick Turn help in combat?
Indirectly, yes. It lets Faith reverse out of a fight at full speed, and since attack damage scales with movement speed, re-engaging after a Quick Turn sprint hits harder than fighting from a standstill.