Mirror Edge feels like a first person Prince of Persia-esque platforming game and it is turning out to be a highly anticipated game to get.
The controls are relatively easy to learn but the complexity of the gameplay make it hard to master. The company noted that the Playstation 3 is the lead development platform of the PC and Xbox 360 versions and demonstrated the game’s Time Trial mode.
Two levels from the game’s campaign were shown – the familiar rooftop level and a new underground sewer level, both with platforming challenges and multiple routes that indicate the difficulty of the game.
The easy way to get up to the roof of a shed is to jump from step-like ledges while the faster and much harder was is to perform mulitple wall-jumps from the corridor next to it. Jumping from ledges utilizes the context sensitive “up” action — the L1 button on PS3, LB on 360, and whatever key is assigned to on PC — in order for Faith to perform jumping, leaping, climbing or what the situation dictates. Leaping from wall to wall however requires the player to use quick turn — the R1 button on PS3, LB on 360, and whatever key is assigned to on PC — indicating that wall jumps must use both keys alternating in timed succession.
There is also a “down” trigger which enables context sensitive moves like slides and rolls. Maintaining Faith’s momentum and knowing when to utilize up and down remains an integral core feature of the game’s controls, with quick jump as an advanced technique.
While the game’s environments sports many options to approach going through a level, Runner Vision, where objects are painted red in order to indicated the most obvious choice in direction. Although it is also noted that Runner Vision is not the most efficient path and only provides a general path to reaching the objective. It can be disabled in the game options.
EA DICE is performing optical performance tests to reduce simulation sickness in players, which leads to an optional focal point which is placed at the center of the screen as reference.
Mirrors Edge is set for a simultaneous release for PC, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 this Winter.
