Mirror’s Edge is a special game. It has problems, sure, by any work that tries something new will always have some kinks to iron out down the road. However, the first Mirror’s Edge has a certain spirit to it that came through fantastic art direction, a catchy but atypical soundtrack, and death defying first person acrobatics. Well, all of those and a non-sexualized non-white female lead… which, you know, thank God.
But the game came out in 2007… and most of us never thought it would get a sequel. It did alright upon release, but as the years passed and we remembered it more fondly… that seemed like all we were going to get. Until, of course, E3 2014 when the next game was announced with a trailer.
The trailer looks gorgeous, sure, but some were scared there would be more emphasis on combat than platforming in this outing. While we don’t have an answer to that debate, we do know a little more info today.
So, what’s the news?
The game isn’t called Mirror’s Edge 2, but rather Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst. The reason for the name? Senior producer of the game, Sara Jansson, answers that in a blog post:
“Mirror’s Edge has always had a special place in the hearts of all of us at DICE. The first game had a lot of promise. It was unlike anything else in terms of the gameplay and style – it had a unique soul. But as much as we loved that game, we know it could be more. So that’s what we have set out to do as we introduce Mirror’s Edge to a new generation.
The team has spend a lot of time re-evaluating every aspect of the game and making it a new experience. This is not a sequel, this is not Mirror’s Edge 2. We have landed on a vision that honors the first game – pushing the boundaries of the first person movement and diving deeper into the story behind our heroine Faith – but also brings a lot of great new, interesting gameplay and features to the experience for our players.”
So, if it’s not a sequel, does that mean it’s a –
– it’s a prequel, yes. If you go to the youtube link for the announcement trailer from E3 2014, the description of the video reads:
“Mirror’s Edge sees the return of Faith, on her way to becoming a legendary runner in a totalitarian city overrun by corruption. In this video, the DICE team tells you about creating Faith for a new generation.”
So, origin story it is.
So, it’s the story of how she became a runner?
That’s probably how the game starts, yes. Over the course of the game, it wouldn’t be surprising if she stumbled onto a conspiracy or two and her resulting fight for her life results in more than a little infamy. We’ll know now next week, hopefully.
I’m not caught up in Mirror’s Edge lingo. What’s a runner?
Glad you asked. Here’s a pair of handy videos to catch you up:
As someone who’s been burned by an EA game before… the word “catalyst” is not inspiring confidence.
Well, luckily it’s just a name rather than a silly lore breaking plot device that tarnishes the otherwise phenomenal legacy of a series… we hope?
