Without announcement, the Pure DLC pack for Mirror’s Edge on the PlayStation Network appears to be available free of charge. The DLC originally costs £7, but it has since become free. The Pure DLC includes challenging time trial levels, including:

• Kinetic
• Actino Rise
• Razzmatazz
• Actino
• Reflex
• Chroma
• Flow
• Velocity
• Synethesia (PS3 Exclusive)

So, what are you waiting for? Go download the content while you still can!

Read (TheSixthAxis)

The story is nothing short of awesome. Ripped from today’s headlines in a Next Sunday A.D. sort of way, the world is gradually descending into a morass of fascism and censorship. Soon, all communications are monitored and those who dissent are criminalized by the government, who has a network of cameras and surveillance equipment everywhere. The only way to communicate in secret any more is to employ runners, couriers who hand-carry messages across the rooftops of the city. One runner, Faith, recently saw her sister get framed for murder, and finds herself forced to use her runner’s skills to attempt to keep out of the clutches of the law, and clear her sister’s name.

Okay, remember how that sport Parkour was big for like twenty minutes a year or so ago? Mirror’s Edge is a gigantic attempt to cash in on that popularity. And while they made an interesting enough setup–that plot is STRAIGHT out of Orwell and might well have made a decent movie if it had a solid script and a decent director behind it. I bet Devon Aoki would make a sweet Faith. But anyway, I digress. Like I said, the plot is fun on a bun, but the game itself is downright unplayable.

Advance warning here–if you have any kind of fear of heights, this game WILL freak you out. And if you tend to get motion sickness when playing a first person shooter, then Mirror’s Edge will be downright unplayable. Here–let me give you a VERY early example just to show you what you’ll be getting into. This is from the TRAINING LEVEL, implying that it will be the easiest level in the game. You’ll jump off a roof ledge onto an overhanging boom crane, which you’ll slide down before running to a series of jumps involving razor wire. Then, you’ll learn how to run ON WALLS, jump off a zip line to land on a pillowy mass of something and ultimately walk across a gap between rooftops by balancing on a section of PVC pipe.

Now, in terms of SHEER PHYSICS there’s at least two things wrong with what I just said. The kind of momentum required to run across a ninety-degree oriented sheer surface like a wall is astronomical unless you have some kind of modified footwear or a body weight of like ten pounds. And I don’t even want to think about trying to use PVC pipe as a balance beam. It’s curved. It’s plastic. It’s probably slippery. Trying to balance on that would be almost like trying to balance on an oil slick.

Now try imagining doing all this while fighting off the cops.

Yeah, I know–I’m freaking out too.

But that’s the biggest problem with this game. It’s a GREAT idea–credit where credit is due and all that–but man, they didn’t go very far with it, nor did they put a whole lot into the gameplay. I had a rough time trying to get anywhere in this world. Even when I knew where I was going, I really didn’t want to go there. And that’s a problem. When you don’t want to make that roof jump or walk that pipe or shimmy down that high-tension power line strung across two thirty-story rooftops, then there’s just no point. It’s worth a rental if you want to experience that high-flying mayhem, but otherwise, just keep both feet on the ground.

The pack is priced at 800 Microsoft points ($10) and will add seven maps that will surely be good to play while high. It will also add nine new races and promises “no guns, no cops and no city.”

The pack was originally expected on January 29. It is already available on Xbox Live Marketplace; PC and PS3 users will have to wait a while longer.

The figure includes all versions of the games released last year. Both titles were released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, though the PC version of Mirror’s Edge hit earlier this year. Thus, the PC sales of the game were not reflected in the total 2008 sales.

Brown did not talk about the planned sequels for either game.

Electronic Arts has confirmed that the Pure Time Trial Map pack for Mirror’s Edge has been delayed to February, though the free PS3-exclusive “Synthesia” map will still drop tomorrow.

This was revealed through a PlayStation Blog post by producer Tom Farrer. The pack was previously expected today, but won’t hit until early next month since DICE wants to take some more time to provide a “completely smooth experience.”

The $10 pack will add seven maps and nine races to the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game.

Have you ever wondered what Mirrors Edge would look like had it been developed with a third-person view in mind? Well then you probably shouldn’t watch the above video. 

But, if you’ve wondered what the current Mirrors Edge would look like with a third-person view, then watch on.

You too can experience all of the game’s glory in third-person using the below method:

“Go to ‘Documents\EA Games\Mirror’s Edge\TdGame\Config\’

Open the file “TDInput” with notepad.

Add this line to the “bindings” list:

Bindings=(Name=”F4¿,Command=”FreeFlightC amera”,Control=False,Shift=False,Alt=Fal se)

Press F4 a few times. First you get the free cam (noclip) and later the third person cam.” 

As you can see upon utilizing this method Faith goes from a lean mean parkour machine to a stiff-figure who looks like shes performing the shimmy when she runs so this is probably one of those use for 5-minutes for a kick then toss it-deals.

With the PC version of Mirrors Edge being shipped to retailers today, EA sent out word that the games upcoming DLC will be made available to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 gamers on January 29.

The DLC will be priced at 800 Microsoft points ($10), offering seven maps and nine races all in time trial mode.

EA had previously mentioned that PS3 owners would gain an exclusive free map, though no mention of that content was made in todays announcement.

“Dead Space looks like a long-term big winner for us,” EA CEO John Riccitiello said in a conference call. “Mirror’s Edge is one that was very strongly reviewed. That one’s gonna go forward–we’ll be looking at some issues around the design to make sure strong IP is married with strong business.”

He added, referring to Mirrors Edge, that what happens with new IP is the first edition doesnt generate the units that subsequent editions could generate. Riccitiello also talked about Warhammer Online, noting that the MMO will continue to perform very, very well.

“The freedom of movement and control in first person has been the most popular aspect of Mirror’s Edge so we decided to distil these down to their purest form for this map pack,” said DICE senior producer Owen O’Brien. “We deliberately chose a more abstract aesthetic that is still within our distinctive art style and then focused on flow and gameplay to create an experience and challenge very different from the main game.”

The content is scheduled for release in January 2009. It can be pointed out that the PC version of the game ships on January 13, so the DLC should be available sometime after that.

However, to bring some form of consolation to gamers, the company also announced the first bit of downloadable content for the game. The DLC is expected sometime at the beginning of 2009, with more details expected soon.

Both PS3 and Xbox 360 versions will get the DLC. Console versions of the game are due out later this month.

Happy Halloween everyone! To celebrate for the season, Sony has given us some treats on the PSN. Unfortunately there are no ghouls or goblins to be seen, just demos, trailers, add-on packs and more.

While you can check out the list in its entirerty after the break, but the one thing you should need to get your hands on is the demo of Mirror’s Edge. You remember that gameplay video jumping from roof-top to roof-top parkour style, right? Yeah, that’s this game, which is why you need to download the demo ASAP.

Again, you can check out what else was added, thanks to ThatVideoGameBlog, after the break.

North American Update

Full Games

• Siren: Blood Curse ($29.99 or $10.99 per episode)

Demos

• Mirror’s Edge
• Tom Clancy’s Endwar
• WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009
• Alone in the Dark: Inferno

Add On Content

• Civilization Revolution Wonders and Artifacts: The Mythic Pack ($3.75)
• Civilization Revolution Wonders and Artifacts: The Iconic Pack ($3.75)
• Civilization Revolution Wonders and Artifacts: The Eternal Pack ($3.75)
• Guitar Hero World Tour “No Rain” by Blind Melon ($1.99)

Videos

• Life in LittleBigPlanet: Ep 3

• MotorStorm Pacific Rift Stormer Trailer

• MotorStorm Pacific Rift TV spot (60 sec)

• SOCOM: Confrontation Behind the SEALs – Part 2

• SOCOM: Confrontation Behind the SEALs – Part 3

• SOCOM: Confrontation Behind the SEALs – Part 4

• Far Cry 2 Anything Goes Trailer

• Far Cry 2 African Swim

• Guitar Hero World Tour Ozzy Osbourne Vignette

• Guitar Hero World Tour Sting Vignette

• Midnight Club: Los Angeles Trailer #4

• Midnight Club: Los Angeles Cops Trailer

• Stormrise: Echelon Snipers Engage Trailer

• Stormrise: You Are In Command Trailer

• You Don’t Mess With The Zohan Trailer

• Casino Royale Collector’s Edition Trailer

Now, GameStop isn’t exactly the most reliable source for information, so don’t take this news as being official just yet. That said, it does seem like a plausible date for a demo, since the game releases less than a week later on the 11th. Either way, it is not that long of a wait until November 6th.

The aforementioned games already have “sequel ideas planned,” noted Gibeau. He also expressed that EA is looking to expand into game-inspired films, books and television shows.

All the games mentioned above have sold well since release – though Mirror’s Edge isn’t due out until next month. In fact, Army of Two has been one of the year’s best-selling Xbox 360 titles so far.

The CEO noted that the company’s holiday portfolio shows signs of progress, with original titles like Mirror’s Edge and Dead Space which “bookend a degree of risk for a large publisher.”

Riccitiello also talked about the company’s outward “bookends”, which includes partnering with Japanese developer Grasshopper Manufacture. He is apparently conflicted about the whole thing, noting that he “agonized about that one a little bit.”

EA has slowly progressed to making crappy licensed games and annual installments to quite a creative powerhouse recently. What do you guys think? Has EA dropped its evil mask, or is it hiding something sinister underneath?

Mirror’s Edge

"The story we’re telling at the moment is kind of a trilogy, a three-story arc," he revealed. "For these first couple games, it’s all about Faith. It’s all about her experience in the world."

While it may be a trilogy, they are looking to take it even further: "I think there’s a lot of scope to take the story in different directions, or maybe tell someone else’s story… I think the world we’ve created, the city and the culture and the environment, is almost as interesting or more interesting than any one individual story."

O’Brien also noted that a level editor may be among the features in the sequel. He added that the editor would have to be “as easy to use and intuitive as the game is.”

The first game drops November 11 on PS3 and Xbox 360.

As was previously announced, those who preordered the game from GameStop and other select retailers will receive a code that will enable Time Trial mode in the demo, allowing them to compete against parkour co-creator Sebastian Foucan himself.

It wasn’t mentioned if a PC demo would be released. I highly doubt they will release one, as the PC edition of Mirror’s Edge is scheduled to arrive in a rather vague winter timeframe.

Today DICE, the developer for Mirror’s Edge, announced that the soundtrack for the game will be made available on November 11th (which is also the date on which game itself will be made available), and features six songs. All of which are titled “Still Alive”. The complete list is as follows:

Lisa Miskovsky: Still Alive – Mirror’s Edge Theme Song
Benny Benassi: Still Alive – Remix
Junkie XL: Still Alive – Remix
Paul van Dyk: Still Alive – Remix
Teddybears: Still Alive – Remix
Armand Van Helden: Still Alive – Remix

The top one is the actual version with the other five being remixes. DICE and EA are excited about the song itself, because they feel it is groundbreaking. I think another reason it will be recognized among the gaming community is because it shares the exact same title as the second most popular song in video game history: “Still Alive” the Portal theme song. In case you are wondering, the most popular song in games is the Super Mario jingle, and even EA wouldn’t be bold enough to title all six of the Mirror’s Edge songs “Super Mario”. Whether there was any plan to exploit Portal’s success or not, there is no possible way that DICE was unaware of the real “Still Alive” or its popularity.

Says DICE’s Owen O’Brien: “I’m not sure [about] wall-running, but certainly the others — certainly the sense of physicality in the world: the running, jumping, vaulting, [and] sliding…I think, yeah, we will definitely try to incorporate them into future Battlefield games.”

That’d be pretty cool. Awesome destruction combined with agile moves? Count me in for the next Battlefield!

The Ultra Limited Edition of Dead Space, available only for the Xbox 360 and limited to 1000 copies, will cost a cool $150. That money will net you the game itself in special packaging, the animated movie DVD, bonus content DVD, exclusive lithograph art, a 97 page art book, a 160 page graphic novel and an Ishimura crew patch. The game arrives October 14.

Mirror’s Edge will get a $130 Runner’s Bag Bundle available for both PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. It will include an exclusive bag from Timbuk2, the game itself… and that’s it! Only a small quantity of these bags have been made; thus, the exorbitant price. You’ll be able to spend your hard-earned money on November 11.