While I played a couple more levels of "Killzone 2" yesterday (don't tell anyone!), the only gaming I can share my thoughts on is "Mirror's Edge" and its one cool-looking free PS3-exclusive level. But what's there to say other than that it looks like a level from "Super Mario 64" or, more precisely, a FLUDD-less level of "Super Mario Sunshine" -- and that, sorry for the mixed signals, developers, I prefer this game when I'm being chased by a gust of bullets?

Can you tell we're still working through our backlog from 2008? The first month of 2009 is almost over, but we're still mulling over which games from last year we need to push through before we can really enjoy what 2009 has to offer. Read more...

In the second issue of publisher WildStorm's "Mirror's Edge" video game comic we supposedly find out the secret origin behind lead character Faith's tattoo. So why am I still confused? Read more...

EA tried a lot of new games this year. What did the head of the company think of them?

Here's EA CEO John Riccitiello speaking on an investors conference call today to report lower-than-expected revenue for the company's financial year. A financial analyst asked Riccitiello what he thought of EA's 2008 original games:

"We're very pleased with a lot of our new franchises this year. We think 'Spore' has established a strong base for being an ongoing franchise. We think the same of 'MySims.' 'Dead Space' looks like a long-term big winner for us. We expect 'Warhammer' will continue to perform very, very well, it's life measured in multiples of years, not multiples of months. 'Mirror's Edge' is one that was very strongly reviewed. That one's going to go forward, we'll probably look at some issues around the design to make sure a strong [intellectual property] is married with strong business. …

"We did manage to put quality and innovation on the board in 2008 and we're very proud of that. Many times what happens with a new intellectual property is the first edition doesn't generate the units that subsequent editions can generate. And I would argue that in this particular year the consumer might have been more reticent to take risks than they otherwise might be. It was a very crowded holiday.

"I think we've established value for EA and value in our franchises and things we can build on for the future."

Related Posts:
EA Announces Impressive ‘Spore’ Sales, Big Lay-Offs
EA Vows To Not Make ‘Crappy’ Licensed Games, Pushes Original Content
EA Chief: Slow-Starting Wii ‘Boom Blox’ Is Video Games’ ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’

Video games comics. How can we benefit from them?

I decided to read the first issue of DC's "Mirror's Edge" comic to see if it added anything to the EA/DICE's innovative first-person platformer. And for my four dollars (!) I got 22 pages written by the game's writer, Rhianna Pratchett. What's unfolding in her story is a tale that seems like it will reveal details about the father of the game's heroine, Faith. I'm intrigued, and $20 later, at the end of this six issue series, I hope I'll have some answers.

But why else might a video game comic be handy, besides allowing the game's writer to elaborate on her story?

Because the comic's artist, Matthew Dow Smith, doesn't just draw things we were able to do in the game (see the middle thumbnail image). He also draws things we couldn't do in the game (third thumbnail image) but would be cool if we did.

EA/DICE, can we free-run through a swimming pool next time?

Related Posts:
‘Mirror’s Edge’ Producer Found Sexed-Up Fan Version Of Heroine ‘Depressing’
‘Mirror’s Edge’ Producer: ‘We Liked The Idea Of Making A Game Where It Felt Good To Throw The Gun Away’
Italian Models Dress Up For ‘Mirror’s Edge’ [photos]

Does "Rock Band" mastermind Alex Rigopulos see a cascade of colored lights in his sleep?

Does "Gears of War" creator Cliff Bleszinski hear snoring that makes him dream he's wielding a Lancer chainsaw?

Does "Burnout" architect Alex Ward dream that his car has flipped?

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, Patrick and I asked a few game developers how their work in the gaming industry affects their dreams. We heard back from creators behind "Fable II," "Mirror's Edge" and "Alone In The Dark" as well as from one game-crazy p.r. man.

Here are their gaming-affected dreams. Brace yourself: Read more...

Vs.
In an inspired bit of blogging last month, Kotaku's Brian Ashcraft presented these two images of "Mirror's Edge" protagonist Faith.

He showed the official version made by EA-owned Swedish development studio DICE, as seen up to the left here. And he showed a version made by a gamer on a Korean message board apparently in the interest of depicting what that gamer found to be a more appealing vision of Asian female beauty, which is on the right.

The result:

• Hundreds of comments debating the depiction of women in games
• Dozens of arguments about designers from one culture who craft characters drawn from another culture
• And... what we didn't know until now, at least one crest-fallen developer at DICE.

I asked "Mirror's Edge" producer Tom Farrer if he'd seen the images -- of course, he had -- and what he thought of them. His unvarnished answer: Read more...

Despite suggestions from elsewhere in Electronic Arts, the game developers at DICE who made "Mirror's Edge" refused to even prototype a third-person version of their daring new game.

They declined to do many of the things people might have expected from the creators of the violent and successful "Battlefield" series.

Instead, by sticking to their guns, they created one of the freshest-feeling games of 2008. They did so by creating a first-person platforming game whose protagonist literally doesn't stick to her guns.

I recently interviewed Sweden-based "Mirror's Edge" producer Tom Farrer by phone to talk about the risks taken in this most unusual EA game. It turns out that his team changed quite a few things. And they considered leaving guns out altogether: Read more...

We've found the real-life Faith. Or two.

While searching through Getty Images' database, we stumbled upon pictures of models dressed up as the parkouring protagonist. They were taken at a "Mirror's Edge" launch event held in Milan, Italy last week.

Take a look to see if they match up to the virtual wall-scaling maven...

Read more...

I've been excited about "Mirror's Edge," the upcoming console and PC first-person parkour game from EA's DICE studio, since I read a cover feature about it in the magazine Edge. Just look at the screenshots!

Last month at GDC, EA hosted an event showcasing DICE's work, which included a live demonstration of "Mirror's Edge." The sight of the game's heroine running through a stark, gleaming city, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, taking enemies out with her hands, was impressive. Seeing it all in first-person was exciting. But, watching what it looks like when she tumbles forward into a roll and the game stays in first person was... disconcerting.

I wondered if presenting parkour in first-person might be asking for trouble. My head was spinning:

• Is this game going to make us all sick?
• In the era of "Assassin's Creed," what's the point of having a parkour game played from a "Halo" perspective?
• Where did the color green go?

I had to talk to the developers. EA PR obliged, setting me up with two quick, on-the-spot chats. We talked about several key issues and I got some intriguing answers...

(Warning to EA marketing team -- there's a possible surprise in here for you...)

Read more...