Mirror's Edge Preview + Exclusive Interview

by Adam Byrne - July 9th, 2008

This generation of gaming is seemingly synonymous with first-person shooters and convoluted movie tie-ins. While some might be content with this, the rest of us have finally seen, in a midst of the grey and dark tones that there was room for a game that not only pushed the boundaries of gameplay, but also for graphics, too. Cue that games’ entrance; Mirror’s Edge, DICE’s latest foray into the world of fast-paced action with a twist.The tagline ‘’No more restrictions, no more being blocked by simple barriers such as walls and fences’’ has never held such premise. Mirror’s Edge isn’t actually free-roaming in the sense that you can go anywhere, it’s a lot more story driven - the city isn’t made of just merely empty boxes and hollow walkways, instead the focus is on the fluidity of movement and the amount of fun you can have; after all, that’s what we’re looking for! While not exactly free-roaming, it would be a common misconception to presume that Mirror’s Edge is linear - in fact, it’s quite the opposite. There’s multiple ways to approach each level, different routes can be taken and different combat styles can be used, and of course you won’t be restricted by simple barriers which would usually hinder the experience of most first-person games. The game employs a system called ‘’Runner Vision’’ which by the name itself is quite self-explanatory. It aims to convey the first-person aspect of the game as a means to see every possible route in which the player can take in order to achieve the goal. Another system used within the gameplay is ‘’Reaction Time’’ which is basically derived from bullet time, but in Mirror’s Edge it’s used as a sort of planner to choose where to go next without losing momentum.Mirror’s Edge’s unlikely heroine is Faith, a far cry from many of the female protagonists we see today. Instead, Faith is just an ordinary person put into some very extraordinary situations, and the way she reacts to these problems and the character that she shows ultimately determines her as a hero. While she didn’t ask for any of this, she won’t back down when the people she loves are threatened. Faith wasn’t initially supposed to be the main character, but after seeing her in motion it was decided that it could be no one else. DICE want to break the mould of the conventional gun-swindling protagonist, and instead introduce a character whose strong will and determination see them overcome anything. The story revolves around Faith’s struggle to free her sister from a corrupt government. Her parents were killed while protesting against the government’s, forcing Faith to grow up on the streets, eventually becoming a Runner. While growing up Faith was taught not to communicate in a modern form, partially due to the police taking a liking to eavesdropping. As Faith’s quest for her sister continues, she is pursued by the government - presumably due to her ties of running messages for the criminal underworld. However, during the game, Faith will have a guide named Mercury who will help her in her attempts to outwit the government who are trying to find her.Since there isn’t an on-screen HUD within the game, there’s been other means put in place to different aspects of the gameplay, since DICE have purposely chosen only primary colours and orange for the game’s scenery, it becomes apparent that Faith’s health is deteriorating because the said colours desaturate.There is a also a distinct lack of green, even plants and trees are just white - possibly for conveying the seemingly sterile environment. While there isn’t a fundamental HUD on-screen at any time, there is however a reticle which wasn’t seen in the gameplay video present. The reticle is used as both an aiming crosshair and a focal point, to prevent motion sickness when up on those high buildings. The controls have been simplified for the context in which you play, the up button for instance enables Faith to traverse over different obstacles and controls leaping, jumping, and zip-lining. The down button however, controls other manoeuvres such as somersaults and flips. While in many games, having guns is vital, in Mirror’s Edge they can hinder the overall feel of the gameplay, depending on the weight of the gun, Faith will react differently and become slower and possibly lethargic. After a weapon’s ammo is used the gun is thrown away in order to maintain the momentum needed for leaping from building to building.The main single-player story mode is about 10-12 hours in length, which is quite an accomplishment given the fast-paced nature of the game. Players can expect to finish the game significantly faster the second time around provided they know the best routes and course of action, and we’ve been promised that the game is worth playing over and over - mainly due to the immense feeling you’ll get when you’re running as fast as you can, making leaps across buildings or even wrenching weapons from the grips of your enemies.While we weren’t able to get any details about any different modes, it’s been confirmed that it’s not a traditional multiplayer game, but there is other modes to play through.Within the main game, Faith can only take a limited amount of damage, and she’s most susceptible gun shots - although her health does regenerate over time. There will be checkpoints within the levels but DICE are adamant that the important thing is to make the player feel challenged, not frustrated; and making them feel as though their skills are paying off as the game progresses. Also since momentum is such an important factor as the gameplay, it seems as though the check points will be far apart.Mirror’s Edge is certainly shaping up to be a blockbuster, its refreshing feel and great look bear testament to the hard work DICE have been putting in to make a truly fantastic game. We really can’t wait for the game to get a firm release date, so we can mark our calendars, and by the looks of it, so should you.Mirror’s Edge Q&A//We talk to developer DICE about its upcoming first-person adventure…Tom Farrer, ProducerDICE described Mirror's Edge as having 'No more restrictions, no more being blocked by simple barriers such as walls and fences'. How are you attempting to make Mirror's Edge open world without the risk of players getting lost?Mirror's Edge is not a free-roaming game in the sense that you can go anywhere - and I think it is a better game for that. It is a story-driven action game and we want you to experience the story. We didn't want to build a big city of empty boxes, we wanted to design the levels for the maximum amount of fun and to make the best use of the movement. There are multiple ways of tackling every level whether it is the routes you take or the combat style you adopt. Faith's movement allows her to vault fences, climb walls, and deal with the kinds of obstacles that are traditionally an impassable barrier in a first person game. You will not feel restricted in Mirror's Edge.The game seemingly revolves around parkour, and presumably missing just one jump could kill you in some situations. How much damage can Faith absorb and will there be checkpoints in place?Faith can only take a limited amount of damage particularly from firearms but her health does regenerate over time. There will be checkpoints throughout the levels. The important thing is making sure the player is challenged but not frustrated and feels that improving their skill pays off.Now for the obligatory question: will there be downloadable content and, if so, can you hint at anything?I'm afraid I can't comment on that right now.We imagine Mirror’s Edge to revolve around the single-player story mode a lot, but will there be a free mode of sorts for people who just want to get to the business of jumping from A to B like a madman?We do have other modes of play that we'll be talking about at a later date.We have to ask, will there be any multiplayer, either online or off?We don't have a traditional multiplayer game but as I said above there are other modes of play that we'll talk about in the near future.It could be argued that for a game of Mirror’s Edge’s scale, something has to give, namely length. Is this reflected (excuse the unintentional pun) in the length of the single-player mode?Well the game is actually pretty large, it had to be because Faith is able to move so quickly. A first playthrough (dependant on the players skill level) should take around 10-12 hours. However we have actually designed the game to enable it to be played very quickly indeed, if you are skilled with the moves and are more familiar with the levels. So on repeat playthrough I would expect the time to drop dramatically and I would be very happy about it!Why did you pick a female lead character for the game? Was it a stylistic approach, making a female stand out as being strong in the same vein as Lara Croft, or was there deeper thought behind the decision?She was originally not the main character but once we saw her we just knew it had to be her. With Faith we wanted to get away from the stereotypical portrayal of women in video games. She is not a typical video game heroine. She does not have huge breasts, superpowers, magic or even carry a weapon of her own. She is an "ordinary" person put into extraordinary circumstances - and it is how she reacts to that situation that makes her a hero. In the same way Ellen Ripley was just a Warrant Officer on a mining ship in Alien. Faith does not ask for this or seek it - but she does not back down when her family and her life is threatened.Now’s your time to shine – feel free to tell our readers what makes Mirror’s Edge so unique.Well, I can't tell your readers why they should like it, that's for them to decide. However I can tell you why I do. For me it comes to down to the look and the feel of the game. I must have played it a million times but I still get a buzz when I'm sprinting as fast as I can through a level, making epic leaps between buildings, or wrenching an enemy's weapon out of his hands.Thanks to Tom Farrer, the DICE team, and Ashley Coomer for the questions.

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