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'Mirror's Edge' TV show in the works from 'Big Brother' studio
Mirror's Edge, the cult-classic video game franchise from EA, is set to become a television series from the makers of Big Brother, The Biggest Loser and Hell on Wheels. Endemol Shine Studios acquired the TV rights to Mirror's Edge and is working with EA to transform it into a female-centric action series (much like the game itself). Deadline originally reported the deal and EA confirmed its existence to Engadget. "We are excited to be working with Endemol Shine Studios to explore a potential Mirror's Edge project for television," an EA spokesperson said.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' and the long shadow of a cult classic
"It's a game that's built a lot on momentum and forward movement and not stopping, reaching almost a zen-like thing." That's how DICE Design Director Erik Odeldahl describes his latest game, Mirror's Edge Catalyst. It stars Faith, a freerunner, as she sprints, slides and leaps around a stark-white futuristic urban sprawl. The city is her playground. On top of a skyscraper, Faith builds up speed and swings onto a thin ledge, where she seamlessly dashes and jumps, rolling onto the roof of the next building and always running, running, running. For many fans, this constant motion is what the series is all about. But Odeldahl's favorite part of Catalyst involves no movement at all.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' gets delayed once again
EA will release Mirror's Edge Catalyst on June 7th in North America and June 9th across Europe, a delay of two weeks. This is the second time Catalyst has been delayed; the first re-scheduling pushed the game's release back three months, from February 23rd to May 24th. In the first instance, DICE Senior Producer Sara Jansson said the team needed more time to polish the game's mechanics. This time around, Design Director Erik Odeldahl says DICE needs more time to work on Social Play features.
Registration opens for the 'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' test run
February 23rd, the date when publisher Electronic Arts originally promised Mirror's Edge Catalyst is coming up. But rather than mope until it finally releases in May, there's a reason to turn that frown upside down: We have news to share of a multiplatform (!) closed beta in addition to a pretty good looking new trailer. Wait, a beta for a game that doesn't have traditional multiplayer? Yep. Apparently EA and developer DICE, fresh off Star Wars Battlefront, want to ensure that returning protagonist Faith's asynchronous multiplayer modes work as smoothly as possible. Best of all, the test isn't locked behind a pre-order or console purchase -- nor is it exclusive to one console.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' release date pushed back to May 2016
Mirror's Edge Catalyst, the long-awaited sequel to 2008's free-running spectacle Mirror's Edge, has been delayed from February 23rd to May 24th, 2016. The developer, DICE, will use the extra months to polish the game's mechanics and make it "as entertaining, impressive and memorable as it can be," Senior Producer Sara Jansson writes. The publisher, EA, will probably put the extra time to good use as well -- Catalyst's original February date was getting crowded, with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Far Cry Primal also launching then. Packed release dates aren't new: Last year, it looked like five major games would launch on the same day, October 7th, and of course a few of them ended up changing dates.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' is make or break for Faith
Even now, after seven years, Mirror's Edge is a unique and exhilarating parkour thriller. It's littered with flaws -- a paper-thin story, some frustrating level design and unnecessary gunplay -- but the clean, dystopian world and fluid motion still impress. The game didn't sell particularly well, so it was a surprise when EA first announced that it was giving developer DICE another roll at the franchise. Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a complete reboot for Faith, but it could also be the team's last chance to prove the series has a future. If the game can't find a larger audience this time around, it's unlikely that EA will green-light another.
Watch Faith return to freerunning in 'Mirror's Edge: Catalyst'
EA and Dice are returning to the Mirror's Edge franchise early next year, and today we got an in-depth look at the game in action. Just like the original, Mirror's Edge: Catalyst has Faith leaping from buildings, bounding up ledges and taking out enemies with some brisk hand-to-hand combat. The squeaky-clean aesthetic is intact, but it's clear the jump to current hardware has given the parkour playground a little extra sheen. Check out the new gameplay trailer below to see the futuristic first-person freerunner in motion.
The $200 'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' bundle might be worth it
Note the operative word, "might," in that headline. It's difficult to quantify a bundle of egregiously nerdy items, but for those with Faith in their hearts, the Mirror's Edge Catalyst Collector's Edition looks like a real treat. For $200, the Collector's Edition comes with a 14 inch statue featuring Faith as an adult and as a child, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a pane of glass between them, plus 10 concept-art prints, a limited-edition lithograph and steelbook case, two temporary tattoos and a box to house it all. This package will be available in limited quantities at "select retailers" for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC versions of Mirror's Edge Catalyst, and of course the full game is due to launch on February 23rd.
'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' hits consoles and PC on February 23rd, 2016
Do you recall that Mirror's Edge reboot we reported on at last year's E3, and the E3 before that? Yeah, EA is finally providing a close look at the long-in-the-making parkour title Mirror's Edge Catalyst, which is slated to arrive February 23rd, 2016, on the PS4, Xbox One and PC. As hinted early on, you're witnessing Faith's origins as she becomes an underground hero in the corporate-dominated City of Glass. This is an open-world story with no arbitrary levels and loading times -- your main goal is simply to navigate the urban landscape and fight the oppressive regime of business mastermind Gabriel Kruger. There are a few new activities, too, such as A-to-B races and the as-yet-undescribed "Dash" mode. The new Mirror's Edge will be playable on the show floor, and you can be sure that we'll give it a spin. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
The 'Mirror's Edge' sequel is due to launch in early 2016
The sequel to the beloved 2008 parkour game Mirror's Edge is scheduled to release in early 2016 for consoles and PC, EA's quarterly financial presentation reveals (PDF). EA announced a new Mirror's Edge during E3 2014, but didn't provide any information about the release window, platforms or gameplay details, so this is the best we have so far. EA's financial presentation suggests the game will launch on consoles and PC within the same window, from January 1st to March 31st next year. Keep the Faith, folks.
DICE's upcoming 'Mirror's Edge' sequel features new parkour controls, tighter combat
Remember that Mirror's Edge sequel DICE showed off at last year's E3? Yeah, well we're no closer to an actual release date for the title, but the studio did show off some more rendered footage at Electronic Arts' press event. The focus this time around is on the all-new move set the team's built into Faith, the game's protagonist. DICE consulted with actual parkour artists to include a new range of controls tied into actual combat. DICE also promised there'll be more in the way of player involvement with the story and a focus on the who and why behind Faith and the other "runners" occupying the game's world. We've got the full trailer, so head on past the break to check it out.
Humble Bundle's Origin package offers up some of its biggest games yet
Humble Bundle has had a pretty good run with its game offerings so far, but its newest grouping of Origin titles provides some of its biggest names yet. Included in the bundle are Mirror's Edge, Medal of Honor, Dead Space, Dead Space 3, Crysis 2 Maximum Edition, and Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box (most of which are available on Steam). The games can all be purchased for $1, but paying over the average (currently $4.54) will also net you Battlefield 3 and The Sims 3 Starter Pack. Buying the bundle won't just score you some sweet games; you'll also be contributing to a few good causes, as Electronic Arts is donating its share of the proceeds to charities like the Human Rights Campaign, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society. For more info, check out the video after the break or follow the Humble Bundle link below.
DICE to require 64-bit OS for some 2013 games, that Windows ME box in the den isn't cutting it
We're entering a world of mainstream 64-bit computing -- whether we like it or not. Just weeks after Adobe started requiring 64-bit Macs for CS6, DICE's Rendering Architect Johan Andersson has warned that some of his company's 2013 games using the Frostbite engine will need the extra bits as a matter of course. In other words, it won't matter if you have a quad Core i7 gaming PC of death should the software be inadequate; if you're still running a 32-bit copy of Windows 7 come the new year, you won't be playing. The developer points to memory as the main culprit, as going 64-bit guarantees full access to 4GB or more of RAM as well as better virtual addressing. Andersson sees it as a prime opportunity to upgrade to Windows 8, although 64-bit Vista and 7 (and presumably OS X, if and when Mac versions exist) will be dandy. Just be prepared to upgrade that Windows XP PC a lot sooner than Microsoft's 2014 support cutoff if you're planning to run the next Battlefield or Mirror's Edge.
TUAW's Daily App: Mirror's Edge
Usually, we like to use this space to highlight developers and apps that could use a little more exposure, not call out big-budget titles from developers like Electronic Arts. But this one's worth it -- Mirror's Edge is a pretty terrific, completely original translation of the plaforming game that arrived on consoles last year. It was out on the iPad at launch earlier this year, and now the game has made its way to the iPhone, bringing Retina Display graphics and the same well done gameplay. Out of all of the "major" game publishers, EA has shown Apple quite a bit of love in the past, and this is probably the company's best original (in mechanics, if not actually name or premise) title for the iOS platform. It's a real shame that it took so long for this one to make it around to the handheld, but now that it's here, it is worth the $4.99 purchase price for those looking for a premium iPhone experience. And heck, if that's too much, just be patient another eight months or so and you'll probably see the game on sale. If you're interested in this gameplay at all -- basically a complicated Canabalt, with heroine Faith running, sliding and shooting her way across rooftops -- definitely give it a look.
Five apps I love on my iPad, and three that need more work
We've had the iPad available for the better part of a week now; here are a few apps that have risen to the top, along with a few more that have sunk to the bottom. 1. GoodReader. Despite Air Sharing going iPad (I had the iPhone version) and MobileStudio providing a nifty universal binary (so the app upscales nicely), I decided to give GoodReader a try. It now sits in my dock. MobileStudio requires FTP, and I wasn't in the mood to drop more cash on AirSharing Pro as I've already spent way too much on apps. I also tried MyPDFs and iPDF but felt they were too limited and rushed to be useful to me. GoodReader, however, hits the spot as a wonderful and capable PDF reader. Plus, it'll read text, image, audio and video files and anything that can be opened by Safari. I'm using GoodReader to manage some big PDF files, upwards of 200MB each, and it handles everything brilliantly. It also plays .mov files. Granted, this performance is thanks in part to the powerful processor in the iPad, but the speed boost in working with PDFs is a welcome change to my now-cramped iPhone readers. There are a few UI tweaks that could be made when managing files, it's true. Still, adding folders, moving things around, and so on, are all there like a little mini-Finder. Piling a bunch of data into your iPad is easy and will look good. %Gallery-89961%
iPad apps: games that stand out
Now that we've had a couple days with the iPad, some apps are rising to the top and monopolizing our lounging time. We'll have some more roundups for you in just a little bit, but we thought we'd start off with one of the iPad's most natural talents: gaming. The large screen and hardy processor offer a wild in-between space, much more immersive and "stunning" than a PSP, DS, or iPhone game, but hardly on par with modern laptop or desktop graphics. We haven't leapfrogged any platforms here, it's just an evolution, but it's a pretty fun evolution, complete with multitouch gestures, accelerometer tilts, and cheesy soundtracks pumped out over the iPads surprisingly loud speaker. Of course, these games aren't cheap anymore -- most clock in at $9.99, often with the threat of "introductory pricing" -- so we thought we'd wade through the masses and pluck out some of our favorites as well as a few titles to be wary of. Follow along after the break.
Revolutionary: On the Edge
Nintendo fans have been practicing parkour with their very own platforming princess since the 8-bit days. Now it seems another traceuse is stepping in on the territory Samus pioneered. On the surface, it doesn't seem as if Mirror's Edge has very much in common with the Metroid franchise. Yet,the respective series heroines' exploits can be experienced and enjoyed in either first person 3D or 2D sidescrolling viewpoints. Mirror's Edge 2D is currently in the beta stages of development with its destined platforms still unannounced. It hasn't yet got any of the fascist oppressors seen in the 3D version, but they'd only get in the way of the acrobatics that are on impressive display here. Rarely do we get to control such fluid and graceful 2D animation, and it makes the treat all the more delectable when you get to do it with a Wii Remote.
The Digital Continuum: Can a space colonization MMO work? (part two)
Working puzzle games into MMOs isn't a new concept either, but there's still plenty of ground to be covered with the idea. Puzzle Pirates has a few examples of taking things like equipment and introducing them into the puzzle aspects of the game. While having too little is obviously a bad move, I'd rather see an MMO that takes five or six puzzle games and goes deep instead.
GDC08: First screenshots of Mirror's Edge
click to embiggen At the EA DICE event during GDC last week (the same one where we saw Battlefield Heroes and Bad Company), we had a chance to watch a trailer and a one-level walkthrough of Mirror's Edge, a stylistic first-person game reminiscent of both Parkour and the Bourne movies. DICE went for a more realistic perspective by slightly tilting the camera back and forth depending on how fast you move. The level we saw had the character jumping over fences, sliding under pipes and traversing through and over buildings like a crack-addicted monkey looking for its next fix. Items and platforms turn red while you run to provide context clues for what you can use to keep your momentum going and move forward (e.g. a swinging rope you can grab jumping off of the side of a building).As for combat, it seems the point of the game is rather nonviolent; when our hero did steal a gun from an opponent, she quickly disassembled it and kept running. The game looks promising, but we can't help but wonder how it would have looked if they used the same camera/blur effects and moved the camera back to third person.%Gallery-17126%
Digital Illusions reveal Mirror's Edge, a console-only shooter
Shooters! They're everywhere, like a hail of bullets aimed straight for your wallet. Most of them suffer from the "well, we're best on PC" virus, so getting word of a new shooter that has its crosshairs exclusively locked onto consoles is always fantastic news. Developers of the Battlefield titles, Digital Illusions, revealed a console-only (PS3 and 360) FPS titled Mirror's Edge that is supposedly going to shake up the genre. Supposedly, it's going to have a cyberpunk design to it. In anime terms, think Lain except replace all philosophical and existential mumbo jumbo with explosions. If that doesn't do it for you, then maybe the anime Texhnolyze would be a better comparison. There aren't many cyberpunk movies out there besides the Matrix. So, from Digital Illusions, we'll have Battlefield: Bad Company and the futuristic Mirror's Edge to choose from. Pick your poison, or bullet.
