The original Mirror’s Edge launched way back in 2008, but Catalyst isn’t Mirror’s Edge 2.
In summary:
Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst to be released on 9 June 2016 Closed beta started on 22 April 2016Not a sequel but is instead a reboot of the franchise
How to buy and play Mirror’s Edge Catalyst at midnight: best price and deals
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst UK release date: 9 June 2016 Mirror’s Edge Catalyst goes on sale at midnight and you can be playing it at 00:01 if you buy and pre-download a digital edition You can buy and pre-download the game from EA’s Origin site for Windows PC (£49.99), plus the Playstation store on your PS4, or the Xbox store on your Xbox One (Mirror’s Edge Catalyst Pre-Order Edition, £54.99). If you sign up to EA Access, you can get a 10 percent discount on the Xbox One version. It costs £3.99 per month and gives you early access to the game, too. For the same monthly subscription price, PC gamers can sign up to Origin Access and get the same discount. Game key marketplace sites, such as G2A.com, are listing pre-orders for under £32, but it’s a risk to buy from these sites.
If you’re a huge Mirror’s Edge fan, the Collector’s Edition comes with a bunch of extra stuff and costs £149.99 from Game.co.uk. (It’s available in either Xbox One or PS4 versions.)
What is Mirror’s Edge Catalyst?
The original Mirror’s Edge came out on Xbox 360 and PS3 in November 2008, with mobile versions launched in 2010. The new Mirror’s Edge was announced in 2013, and Catalyst was originally supposed to be released on 25 February 2016 in Europe (those in North America get it two days earlier). However, the game wasn’t ready in time and was delayed until 24 May 2016, according to an EA blog post. While we thought that was the end of it, it wasn’t. Fast forward to April 2016 and Design Director Erik Odeldahl took to the Mirror’s Edge Catalyst blog to announce that the release date has been pushed back again, and would be released on 9 June 2016 in the UK and Europe. Odeldahl cites the implementation of “a brand new online technology” as the main cause for the delay, while the extra time also provides developers with enough time to address player feedback from the beta. Whatever the reason, let’s just hope that this isn’t another The Division.
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst closed beta: How can I get access to the Mirror’s Edge Catalyst closed beta?
Back in February, EA announced that Mirror’s Edge Catalyst would run a closed beta for gamers across the PS4, Xbox One and PC platforms at some point before its general release in June. The beta wasn’t only focused on multiplayer gameplay like the Gears of War or DOOM betas, instead, it will offer a mix of single-player and multiplayer content. All gamers had to do was sign up on the Mirror’s Edge website. Unfortunately, the beta is now over, and you’ll have to buy the game in order to play it.
Mirror’s Edge trailer: Official video
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst: gameplay
The official Mirror’s Edge website includes a message from Senior Producer Sara Jansson which explains that “The team has spent a lot of time re-evaluating every aspect of the [original] 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 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.” At the E3 launch, the full details were unveiled: “Mirror’s Edge Catalyst immerses players in the origin story of Faith, and her rise from a careless young woman to a heroine who opens the eyes of an entire city. Featuring fluid movement and combat in a massive city where you can run free and explore from the highest, most pristine skyscrapers, to the dark and gritty tunnels that lie beneath, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst adds a new level of immersion to action adventure games by putting you in the first person perspective. You are not just watching Faith’s fight for freedom, you will experience it through her eyes.”
You’ll see the city of Glass from Faith’s perspective and experience the life of a runner on the rooftops in first-person. The game is about skill and precision, but there’s an ‘easy’ mode for novices. As you build up your skills, you’ll be able to jump higher and further, as well as collecting gadgets to make seemingly impossible locations reachable. The main story is told through a series of missions, but between them you can explore the city freely, running races and solving puzzles. One example of a race is Dash, a point-to-point sprint. Puzzles include “Billboard Hack” where you have to work out how to get to the billboard and then ‘hack’ it to show your runner tag instead of the ‘corporate propaganda’.
This promo video was posted to YouTube, showing parkour runners performing a real-life level in Croydon of all places:
It was a full year ago when the first details about gameplay were shared by Sara. “Mirror’s Edge is all about fluidity, physicality and movement. We want to make sure we evolve the game and Faith in a way that gives you an exciting new player experience. We want the game to be accessible enough to embrace new players while at the same time reward the skilled player. We are also committed to provide the best 1st person close combat in the world. Advanced combat that is integrated into an improved fluidity of movement. These are not small undertakings, but they are challenges that we are up for. “I am fortunate enough to play the game we are building every day and I cannot wait to share it with all of you and soon enough, I will. The way that the team has reduced all the little obstacles of playing the first game, while adding a bunch of innovative stuff makes it an extremely thrilling experience. The uniqueness of the Mirror’s Edge universe is still there, but with a new and fresh feel to it. We’re also dedicated to let you know more about both Faith and the world that she is a part of this time around. But more about that later…”
Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
