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Mirror's Edge impresses at E3

• By Blake Snow
• July 18, 2008 00:17 AM PST
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GamePro gets a hands-on look of a very special game.

Mirror's Edge for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC

Mirror's Edge is a different kind of game. It uses the familiar first-person graphics perspective, but it's not a shooter. It's an adventure game heavy on problem solving. One that has you running on roof tops, doing flips, and scaling walls, all while the camera jarringly follows, much like your real eyes would in a similar situation.

In addition to its unique visual orientation, Mirror's Edge also boasts an original story. You play as Faith, a female courier with ninja-like Parkour skills, who is tasked with delivering sensative information by foot because her totalitarian government has taken complete control of all forms of electronic communication. It's an interesting and believable premise and effectively sets the stage for all the traveling you'll be doing.

One major concern upon first seeing the game is that of motion sickness. "We've spent a lot of time researching and testing," says the game's producer, Nick Channon. To combat dizziness, Channon's team has included a center reticule to keep gamers oriented. "We know it works," maintains Channon. After playing the game this week, I'm happy to report that it does. Never did I feel disoriented or confused by the clean-looking visuals.

After playing an early level at E3, I'm also happy to report that the gameplay is just as becoming as the story and visuals. The primary object of the game is to find the quickest way possible (or any way you decide) to get from point A to point B. This alone was more than enough to keep me engaged, like an action puzzle game on steroids.

Players will roll prior to landing to maintain momentum and avoid certain death

But there's also combat. Faith can punch, leg slide, and air kick opponents Liu Kang style. She can also disarm enemies to gain weapons (which will slow her down while running), but developer DICE has emphasized this is not a shooter, even adding that the entire game can be beaten without firing a single shot (plenty of hand-to-hand combat will be required, however).

Despite our brief time with the game, it's clear that Mirror's Edge is shaping up to become not only the freshest third-party game this year, but one of the most enjoyable too. It arrives on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC in late 2008.

Kick that dude in the face for massive damage

More E3 previews:
• FaceBreaker Wii disputing "best version" title
• Killzone 2 multiplayer details revealed!
• Quantum of Solace first look

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