Demo: Mirror's Edge

I've seen the car ads with those guys running on roof tops, flipping off cars and shimmying up tight hallways and running out at full speed. It's pretty popular as far as underground sports go.

Well it didn't take long before EA snapped up the idea and turned it into a game. It's kind of crazy to watch someone else play, but I downloaded the demo and played the tutorial and first mission (the one in the video) myself.

The game takes free running and gives it a purpose: smuggling information and packages through runners, bypassing a new age of government security and control. There's the ability to steal guns and shoot enemies, but your probably better off blowing by them and scaling the closest sky scraper or sliding off the edge of one. It's aimed to be intense and fast pasted with a bit of calculated risk.

It looks gorgeous and sounds great. Your character's footsteps speed up as she runs faster. Every time she runs and jumps and lands, you can see or hear her limbs react to the movement and the environment. It's pretty enveloping.

I couldn't have imagined how fluid the running and jumping all felt. I felt perfectly in control and not like I was controlling a video game. With the camera swaying around like the head of the character your playing, it really makes the game more steady. And I'm awful with in-game vertical heights.

This one is definitely going on my Christmas list.