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Everybody knows Mirror’s Edge, Swedish developer DICE’s flawed yet incredible foray into free running. While it didn't sell as well as hoped, we've heard rumors of a sequel ever since it was released. This past week at industry trade show E3, Electronic Arts President Frank Gibeau confirmed that Mirror’s Edge 2 is still in development and may very well run on Battlefield 3's Frostbite 2 engine. But he didn't say anything about gameplay changes that would pair that gorgeous, totalitarian world with fluid, unbroken parkour.
Let’s just hope DICE has played Mirror’s Edge 2D.
I saw this image far too often when playing Mirror's Edge.
The original Mirror’s Edge was at times a thrilling experience. When you really got going, you felt alive. Every obstacle disappeared with an aptly timed button press as you slid and rolled your way past slick glass and hot steam.
And then you missed a jump by two feet and plummeted to your death, pushed back to a checkpoint with the wind forced from your sails. At that point, Mirror’s Edge ceased to be fun.
Mirror’s Edge 2D, an online Flash game by EA2D and Borne Games, has found an ingenious fix to this problem. Simply put, they keep you running. If you mistime a jump or lack the momentum to make it over a chasm, you will drop only to the rooftop below. There are often multiple levels you can fall to before actually dying. The game utilizes a scoring system, and the lower levels don’t have nearly as many points to collect as those above them, encouraging you to keep your running precise.
Don't be deceived by the simple graphics of Mirror's Edge 2D.
Of course, the last thing Mirror’s Edge 2 should implement is such an obvious way to reward skilled players. While this would work for certain time trial modes, it would break the immersion DICE tries so hard to build in the main game. Yet there are several other ways a higher route could be more rewarding than the one you fall to.
For one, the upper path might simply be more interesting — a steel and glass plaza along the tip of a skyscraper versus a simple concrete alley. DICE could implement this not just with art design but with visual cues. Perhaps color fades from the world the lower you get, until you’re running in monochrome. The top, on the other hand, would be a vibrant tapestry of life and escape. This effect would surpass its gameplay function to accent the game’s theme, rising above a totalitarian regime.
If only this kick felt as good as it looks.
A second method would be to force you to tangle with more enemies on lower levels, slowing your progress and disrupting your flow even further. If DICE can also fix the combat in Mirror’s Edge, this could even lead to two distinct gameplay paths. A more aggressive player might intentionally drop to the lower levels so he can fight, while a stealthy pacifist would do all he could to stay running along the tips of buildings. I'd prefer any change along these lines instead of simply falling over and over again.
I really hope the Mirror’s Edge 2 team has played their Flash-based counterpart. The lessons learned would go far to fixing the issues of the first game. Play it yourself at http://www.mirrorsedge2d.com.
Do you think Mirror's Edge 2D is a good model for Mirror's Edge 2? Discuss in the comments.