The party EA threw at San Fransisco’s Vessel Lounge was dark, packed, and well-catered, but we didn’t go for the open bar and free sushi. We went to see game footage from three of DICE’s upcoming titles, and while the other two were fairly satisfying to see (and play [link to BF:BC MP]), the highlight of the event was most certainly the in-game demo of Mirror’s Edge.

Never heard of it? Don’t worry, the game’s been a pretty well-kept secret. DICE has been quiet regarding the specifics of the action title, offering little more than a handful of striking screenshots over the previous months and an enigmatic design focus: "change the way that players are able to move in first person." So the studio that gave us Battlefield is going to change our perception of first person with another shooter, right?

Not quite. Mirror’s Edge has more in common with games like Uncharted and Prince of Persia than with your average shooter. The demo we saw took us through the basics of the game’s extensive platforming mechanics, and one of the first things pointed out to us was the main character’s lack of firearm. Missions orders are barked at you via headset, which shouldn’t blow any minds in this industry, and simple in-game scenes tell the story from the first person.

Only two buttons are needed to move about the rooftops of the City, termed "high" and "low" by the presenter. Pressing the "high" button vaults your character into a jump, while "low" can be paired with a running start to perform a slide. Keeping momentum is key to successful mobility throughout the game, and proper utilization of the "high" and "low" buttons can keep you moving (by, say, rolling after a long jump).

Special platforming items, like ramps, ladders, and narrow pipes, offer additional routes over the City. Items such as these are highlighted in a brilliant red, in stark contrast with the bleached white of the City, and while this color scheme may take any freedom of creative escape from players, it’s not without thought: Faith, the game’s protagonist, has experience in the sky and the developers wish to hand that expertise to the player.

So what is the City and why does it allow its citizens to run rampant on its roof? DICE has taken bits a pieces from our world, its cities and countries, and rolled them into one Brave New World of a town. Information of all kinds is heavily monitored and censored, and so many of its more liberal-minded citizens have resorted to using couriers that work above the law, by moving where it cannot see.