You might recall that many PC fans of Call of Duty (specifically Modern Warfare) got very upset when Infinity Ward announced that they were not going to support dedicated servers for Modern Warfare 2. As something that is a core part of the PC gaming experience, a petition was signed by many people requesting that the decision be reversed. Although Infinity Ward declined, DICE, the developers of the excellent Battlefield series, soon announced that their next game, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, would definitely have support for dedicated servers.

In thanks for this, a fan of PC gaming has sent the money he would have spent on Modern Warfare 2 to DICE and requested that the money be spent on the features he desires- because he couldn’t send them a cake, he decided this would do. I should mention that I think this is a great way to show your support for a developer, but I’d recommend that you don’t do this unless you’re rich or really, really like dedicated servers.

In the latest effort to secure more preorders, GameStop posted Battlefield: Bad Company 2 promotional copy on their site promising:

“free overnight shipping, plus access to the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Beta beginning November 19th, 11PM PST.”

GameStop later pulled the page down, surely after being contacted by EA, and BFBC2 developer DICE was quick to add the following via the Official BFBC2 Twitter:

“Do not pre-order BFBC2 from anyone for a Beta Code until it’s confirmed by DICE on Twitter and the Blog. Even if it’s GameStop!!!”

Since then, EA has gone on to confirm that official demo release details will be revealed later this week. So as of right now a demo seems certain, but the leaked November 19th release date has yet to be confirmed. Stay tuned.

Thanks Qj.net

EA has announced a limited edition version of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and outside of the box looking different, the limited edition will grant those who purchase it access to six “special gameplay” perks right from the start.

How much more will this run you? Not a cent! EA promises that the limited edition retail price will be the same as the standard edition. The catch is that supplies are apparently “limited” and both versions hit stores on the same date.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is a 2010 release scheduled to hit stores in the United States on March 2nd and Europe on the 5th. And remember, cool guys don’t look at explosions. Full press release below.

EA announces Battlefield: Bad Company 2 limited edition

Stockholm, Sweden – October 29, 2009 – DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announced a Limited Edition* release of Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2, the premier first-person shooter of 2010. The Limited Edition game features six special gameplay unlocks that give players a tactical advantage on the battlefield from the minute they fire up the game. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has been recognized by critics worldwide for its uncompromising action gameplay, unprecedented level of destruction, vehicular warfare, squad play and open sandbox environments in a modern warfare game. Available while supplies last, the Limited Edition version of the game will be sold at the same price as the standard version of the game with participating retailers in North America on March 2, 2010 and in Europe on March 5, 2010.

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Limited Edition delivers six special customizations early to give players a day one advantage in multiplayer matches. Four vehicle warfare unlocks will immediately enhance the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 best-in-class online vehicle warfare experience, delivering extra firepower, radar, and armor for the vehicles. Additionally, the tracer dart attaches to any enemy vehicle and allows RPG-toting teammates to track, lock on, and destroy their adversary. Seasoned veterans of Battlefield 1943™ will be able to immediately re-acquaint themselves with two classic and highly powerful weapons, the M1A1 submachine gun and the M1911 pistol.

The full list of six unlocks are as follows:

Four vehicle warfare unlocks

• Improved Vehicle Armor – An up-armor package is mounted on all vehicle types, decreasing the effect of both explosive and penetrating warheads, significantly improving vehicle survivability.
• Supreme Vehicle Firepower – Additional weapon packages are mounted for the driver of all armored vehicles, greatly expanding the range of targets the vehicle can successfully engage and destroy.
• Vehicle Motion Sensor – Use this electronics warfare package to locate enemy units in direct proximity to the vehicle.
• Tracer Dart Pistol – This magnetic dart attaches to any vehicle surface, allowing squad members to track, lock on, and fire rockets onto moving targets even beyond line of sight.

Two classic Battlefield 1943™ weapons

• M1A1 Submachine Gun – Reliable but heavy this classic weapon is a powerful force in the hands of any Battlefield veteran.
• M1911 Pistol – Highly customized M1911 are favored for its dependability and the power of its large .45 caliber round.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be available on March 2, 2010 in North America for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the PC. The game will be available on March 5, 2010 in Europe.

In a short four weeks after its release, Battlefield Heroes has managed to get one million players, which isn’t surprising, considering the positive impressions of the game during the beta. EA & DICE’s stylistic Battlefield sequel is also free, which I can only assume helped to entice said one million players.

If you still haven’t signed up for the game, you should probably go do so now- maybe you can be a part of the second million. We got a chance to play the game during the beta, and even with its numerous delays, it was a lot of fun. The game’s multi-player only, so don’t count on a gripping story line or emotionally connected characters- but if you’re all about blowing stuff up and shooting foreigners, this is so the game for you.

DICE is currently performing maintenance on the soldier profiles in the recently released Battlefield 1943, so you may have noticed that your stats have been reset. Not to worry, my friends, as this is temporary.

Simon Dalziel (I presume of DICE) explains that the soldier profiles are actually being made “better than they already are” and that all of the kills will still count towards the Coral Sea challenge. After maintenance is over in the next few days, ranks and badges will be restored.

Game Stooge

Battlefield 1943 hit XBLA and PSN this past Wednesday with three maps – Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Wake Island. When the global kill count on one of the services reaches 43 million, a fourth map, Coral Sea, will be unlocked for that service. While 43 million is quite a bit of kills, it’s coming faster than you think.

Players on Xbox Live have already racked up almost 10 million kills, almost a fourth of the way there, while PSN kills are almost at 6 million. Blend Games seems to think that the kill count will slow after the weekend is over, but consider that the service has been riddled with bugs and they’re currently working on it, I think the kill count will remain steady as more people are allowed to actually play.

I’ll see you on the Battlefield!*

*As long as the servers allow us to play.

Shacknews reports that the upcoming downloadable multiplayer shooter Battlefield 1943 will be released on 360 and PS3 this June, at a price point of $15. The PC version will follow in September, for the same price. No reason for this is given, although I suspect that it will take another few months to compact awesome into the PC version.

Seriously, though, the game looks like it’ll be great. Battlefield games are always fun. Well, except that bit when you run a mile to the battle location because there aren’t any vehicles at spawn, and then you get run over. That bit’s not so fun.

Destructoid reports that EA and DICE have announced downloadable content for Mirror’s Edge, set to be released January 16. The DLC, entitled the “Pure Time Trial Pack”, will cost 800 MS points on Xbox Live, and $10 on the PSN. Hit the jump for the video and more info, and be warned: it’s pretty strange.

If the game didn’t make you sick already, this is bound to. This is one of those videos that makes you feel just a little sensation of “this isn’t right”, and going by that, playing the game is going to feel incredibly strange.

In other Mirror’s Edge news, DICE also confirmed today that the PC version of the game will ship to retailers in North America on January 13th and worldwide on January 16th, 2009. In even more Mirror’s Edge news, the following press release reveals that the PS3 version of the game will recieve a free tenth downloadable ‘race’. It really is a good news day for fans of the game.

Award-winning Action Adventure Game Delivers Fresh Content to Challenge Even the Best Runner
Guildford, UK. – Dec 4, 2008 – Leave the city behind! DICE, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announced that the highly acclaimed first-person action adventure title, Mirror’s Edge™ will release downloadable content (DLC) for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and the PC in late January. DICE also confirmed today that the PC version of the game will ship to retailers in North America on January 13th and worldwide on January 16th, 2009.

Players will be challenged to achieve the fastest times possible on nine races across seven all-new and totally redesigned Time Trial maps. No guns, no cops, and no city: this is true aesthetics, agility and flow that will challenge any runner. This special DLC pack will be available for $10 USD or 800 Microsoft points. As an added bonus, all PLAYSTATION 3 Mirror’s Edge fans will be able to download an additional map for free.

“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,” says Owen O’Brien, Senior Producer, DICE. “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.”

Time Trial is a popular mode in Mirror’s Edge that challenges players to find the fastest route across various maps. Players can upload their best time to the Mirror’s Edge leaderboards for their friends to download and compete against. Players can see their friend’s ‘ghost’ run as they race their way through the course to the top of the leaderboards.

Mirror’s Edge has been one of the most highly anticipated games this season. It takes the tried and true elements of the first-person perspective, mixed with an artistic style and frantic gameplay to make a unique type of game. But is this game worth shelling out the $60?

[Note: The version I'm referencing for this review is the Xbox 360]

Anyone who has played the demo knows that the controls are pretty simple on this one: left button to jump, left trigger to duck or slide, right button to turn 180 degrees, right trigger to attack. The face buttons are Y to disarm, A to activate, B to direct you to where you’re supposed to be going, and X for slow-motion mode.

The game begins with the training and Prologue chapter that were included in the game demo. Having played the demo myself, I got through these levels fairly easily and quickly. I was pretty excited to start the real game and get running.

My excitement, however, was quickly extinguished after trying to plow through the first level. The game’s “runner vision,” which turns key objects red as you approach them, was not quite as helpful as it should be. Often times objects wouldn’t turn red unless you were right next to them, or sometimes the objects that were red were well out of your reach and it was a matter of trial and error trying to reach them.

In fact, that’s a pretty good term for my entire first playthrough of the game. Trial and error.

Oftentimes, the game would direct you (through the use of the B button) into a room where there seemed to be no immediate way out. If the game gave you time to explore the level and find your way, this wouldn’t be an issue. However, most of the times when the route was unclear, there were five or six hostiles shooting at you. This caused me to run around frantically, jumping and trying to grab walls for a minute or so, before Faith became riddled with bullets and fell down dead. Frustrating at the first occurrence, it became almost unbearable the third or fourth time. I frequently found myself being shot dead or jumping aimlessly off of buildings while trying to find the correct direction to go.

Most of the level design is pretty good. My one pet peeve with this game was the number of levels that had the mechanic of “press a button on this side of the room, then quickly run to the other side to get through a door.” It wasn’t fun in the Legend of Zelda dungeons, and it’s not fun in this game either.

Another poor level design choice has to do with the range of places Faith can access. Sometimes a place that looks close enough to reach will be completely inaccessible, and you’ll end up falling to your death several times before realizing that it’s not the way you’re supposed to go. Other times, the most obvious route seems like an impossible length to jump, but you still make it across somehow. Hooray physics!

The plot of the game is almost good. It’s relayed to the player in a series of cutscenes between each level, and sometimes in small bits during the gameplay. There is not enough depth in the somewhat predictable plot for you to really care too much about the characters — when I faced some of the enemies in the game, I wasn’t quite sure I was fighting them. This game frustrated me so much that I didn’t even blame one of the evil characters for repeatedly throwing me off a building.

Part of this frustration also comes from the controls. They’re not terribly broken, but they sometimes felt inconsistent. For many of the moves in the game, you need extremely precise timing, making the whole “falling to your death” scenario all the more frequent. Many times when attempting to do a wall run, I ended up simply jumping next to the wall. Some of the bad guys were next to impossible to disarm, even with the use of the slow motion function. One of the “boss battles” requires you to disarm an enemy, and after dying about six or seven times after failed disarming attempts, I simply mashed Y repeatedly. This method worked on the first try.

All in all, my first playthrough of the game was slow and almost torturous. I had to put down the game several times out of sheer frustration. I actually went to YouTube and searched for videos of people going through some of the levels because I was so completely lost.

After everything I’ve said, you might be thinking that this game is a big pile of crap and not worth buying. Yet this isn’t entirely true. The game becomes enjoyable after the first playthrough, since this unlocks the speed run mode of the game.

Once you’ve played a level thoroughly, speed running through it is a lot of fun. Getting the familiarity of the level in order to successfully speed run a level is tough but ultimately rewarding. Knowing exactly where to go enables you to keep up the flow of movement that was originally intended. Pulling off some of the moves in the game feels satisfying instead of frustrating and reminds you of the reason you bought the game in the first place. And in this case, it really saves the game from being bad.

Another element that adds to the replay value of the game is the three runner bags scattered around each level. I know I died several times in pursuit of these bags, but I didn’t mind as much because once I get them, I keep them (even if I died immediately afterward).

The bottom line here is that if you can suffer through six to ten hours of fumbling your way through story mode, you’ll end up with a decent game on your hands. However, my personal advice would be to either rent this one or wait until the price drops a little.

If you weren’t convinced that Mirror’s Edge is a worthy GOTY contender before, perhaps the newest trailer from EA and DICE will convince you otherwise.

The video you see above is EA’s official Mirror’s Edge launch trailer, with smoother transitions and more cop butt-kicking than before. After playing the demo and the consequent time-trial, I’m thoroughly convinced that this game has serious GOTY potential, even with it’s lack of a multiplayer mode. My favorite part of this trailer is probably a tie between the rope-to-rope transfer and the cop crotch kick. What can I say, I’m a sucker for crotch kicks.

Yes, I know the demo was released on PSN yesterday. However I have a 360 and I had to feverishly wait for the demo to go up today. Ever since I saw the first videos for this, I’ve been excited to get my hands on it. I didn’t have a chance to at PAX since the crowd was so large, but being able to watch someone else play the demo on an HD screen was a pretty cool experience.

So after months of anticipation, the moment of truth: Does the demo live up to the high-flying hype of this game?

The demo begins (as most demos do) with a tutorial that explains all of the controls: Left button for jumping, left trigger for sliding, right button for turning 180 degrees, right trigger for punching, and so on. What surprised me a bit was the amount of ways you could use this simple controls for some pretty neat combos–like jumping off a building, landing into a roll then taking out a cop with a sliding kick.

I think the only part I had a bit of difficulty with was using the red highlighted objects as springboards. For some reason, either because of my own bad timing or the game, I just couldn’t seem to consistently use this mechanic properly. Then again, it took me a few tries to also get the wallrun-turn-jump combo down, so I’ll chalk it up to my own inexperience on the controls. It seems like one of those games where it is easy to pick up the basics, but it takes time to really master the controls and have some good flow. Some of the controls, like using X to slow time, seemed a little bit misplaced and somewhat unnecessary, however they do add to the game’s cinematic aesthetic.

Speaking of the flow, the way the camera moves in this game is nothing short of amazing. I know there were some concerns about having a freerunning game in a first person perspective, but overall I feel like it was executed very well. You have a very good hold on your view, and the game also tends to be a little forgiving if you’re not exactly on your mark. I think my one complaint might be that it doesn’t feel like you’re going terribly fast when you’re running through the level.

However the rest of the gameplay is so good that this is fairly negligible; you’ll be so distracted by jumping and swinging all over the place that you probably won’t even notice. It was probably also done so that people wouldn’t get terribly motion sick while playing. The view corresponds so well with the movements that sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re actually playing and not just watching a cut scene.

Also, if you’re doing anything wrong the game will let you know right away. Taking a wrong turn or trying to jump to the wrong building leads to instant death, however you regenerate pretty quickly so it doesn’t take away from the fast pace of the gameplay. Even though directions on where to go in the game aren’t terribly explicit, you learn fast from your mistakes. Plus, part of the fun in the game is finding your own way around obstacles.

Gameplay mechanics aside, I was pleased to see what a piece of art this game really is. You can tell that there was a lot of thought and love put into the game’s creation. I was worried that the white-blue-red would start to irritate the eyes after a while, however clips provided after the demo show a number of different environments with equally beautiful color schemes of their own. The game stands out like a shining gem amid the gritty gray and brown toned next gen games the market has been seeing. Even the music provides the proper tone for the game.

I think my real concern is for the game’s depth. From the trailers we see bits and piece of the story, but in the demo I felt like the story wasn’t in the forefront of the game. Even if it is “just a demo,” it would have given off a better impression overall if there had been some sort of connection to the story’s plot–just enough to keep the player intrigued.

This game has the potential to push the game industry further into the realm of art, and I hope that this game can really step up and deliver. I don’t want to get my hopes up too high on the fumes of the hype machine, but this is still a game I am greatly looking forward too. The demo is very promising, and if you haven’t already I highly recommend giving it a try.

EA has got a little something for your Halloween goody bag — when you’ll get it depends on which console you own.

PlayStation 3 owners will get a head start on their Halloween treat fest with an opportunity to download Mirror’s Edge on October 30th, while the Xbox 360 “Faith”ful will get their shot at the first person rooftop runner October 31st. Time Trial mode will also be available on both versions of the demo for those who pre-ordered the game.

A bag full of chocolate sounds and a screen full of virtual acrobatics — sounds good to me. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Take A Leap Of Faith Before Mirror’s Edge Hits Retail Stores In November With Downloadable Demo!

This week gamers can ‘take a leap of Faith’ with a special demo for Mirror’s Edge™, available at the PlayStation® Store on October 30th and on Xbox LIVE™ Marketplace on October 31st. The demo will feature the prologue of the game, a tutorial and a segment of the single-player story mode. Now is your chance to experience the action that has GameSpot saying “Unlike anything we’d ever played before.”

Players who pre-order the game* will also receive an unlock code for exclusive access to the Time Trial mode. Time Trial is an addictive mode that challenges players to use their speed and best moves to find the fastest routes throughout the city. Gamers can upload their best time to the Mirror’s Edge online leaderboards for their friends to download and compete against. Players can see their friend’s ‘ghost’ run as they race to the top of the leaderboards.

But only on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. DICE announced today that Mirror’s Edge will ship for consoles on November 11, with the PC version to appear later this winter.

The game’s prologue – a tutorial and early chunk of the single-player story – will be released as a demo through Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store at some point before the game’s release. And if you’re keen enough to pre-order Mirror’s Edge, from the 26th September you’ll be given a code to unlock a time trial mode in the demo too.

Source: DICE

We’re going to have a very large closed beta almost to the point where every hardcore gamer in the world will probably be able to get a key if they want to – it would just be within a closed beta so that we can control the size of it to a degree.

Cousins says they aren’t expecting to have a huge splash release, but that they’ll have built up a large player base by the time the game leaves beta.

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

We don’t believe you David Reeves. It would be kind of us to say that much of what you spout is exagerated, but now you, Mr SCEE boss, have more “news” for us. DICE’s promising first person adventure game, Mirror’s Edge, will be a timed PS3 exclusive.

A Turn Up for Sony?

That would certainly be good news for Sony, especially considering our impressions of the game at E3 and the seductive footage revealed at Leipzig GC 08. Moreover, it’d be a better move than Sony’s Hazey chapter with Ubisoft. According to Heise.de, David Reeves has informed them that Mirror’s Edge will “initially be PS3 exclusive this year”, with the “PC and Xbox 360 versions to follow much later”, further stating:

We are continuously, month after month publishing new titles that bring something unique and target different groups. In a month it’s Gran Turismo, in the next SingStar, and Third-Party Title’s such as EA’s Mirror’s Edge are all part of the strategy.

Developer Confusion

DICE were bemused when asked, either by David Reeve’s incompetence, or by EA’s reluctance to inform them of the exclusivity deal; “We know nothing of that so far. But it is possible that there is collusion at the highest level, of which we are still uninformed.”

So DICE certainly don’t rule out the possibility and it’s not uncommon for a publisher to collude with console giants without developer input, as was the case with Ubisoft choosing the PS3 for Free Radical’s Haze. Remember, money rules the roost in software development.

PlayStation 3 Lead Platform

We can stir the rumour a tad more by remembering that DICE’s lead platform is the PS3 and any public showing of Mirror’s Edge has been on Sony’s platform.

If the rumour is false, David Reeve’s has further diminished our view of him. If the rumour is true, David Reeve’s can’t keep a secret, has a bigger mouth than Denis Dyack, and risks Microsoft cottoning on.

Source: Heise.de via Blorge.com

[UPDATE] – Sony has gone on record to squelch rumors that Mirror’s Edge would be a timed exclusive, stating that the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC versions would all release on the same day. Read more…

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Several scans (six if you’re counting) of the Mirror’s Edge comic book surfaced on the web today, and it appears I wasn’t too far off when I created the graphic above last week for visual purposes.

I am a little disappointed to be honest. You would think that a game edgy enough to go first person where many would have gone third, would have carried the theme into the comic. Come on guys! A first person comic would have been brilliant marketing! Oh well.

The real cover and 5 inside page scans are available after the jump.

Source: Gamekyo

In an effort to explore the background of the world in Mirror’s Edge, one of EA’s impressive looking new titles, the software giant has teamed up with a giant in the world of comics to bring you four of the first five letters of the alphabet. And a comic book.

The first issue will be debuted at the San Diego Comic Con, and will feature an original story written by the game’s author Rhianna Pratchett with artist Matthew Dow Smith. The first of a planned six-part series, Mirror’s edge will help set up the world in which Faith, the game’s main character, lives.

“This partnership with DC Comics sets the stage as readers explore Faith’s world in Mirror’s Edge,” said Owen O’Brien, Senior Producer at DICE, the EA studio producing the game. “The unique graphic style offered by the comic book genre is perfect for taking fans through her back-story. Frame by frame, page by page, we’ll learn more about the events that shaped both her and the city.”

The game will also be on display at the Comic Con, so if you’re fiending for new info on the game, looks like San Diego is the place to be.

Mirror’s Edge was easily one of the most highly profiled games by EA at this year’s E3, and it rightly deserved to be.

First-person action that plays like a third-person game, Mirror’s Edge is played through the eyes of Faith, the game’s beautiful heroin and a runner, who’s in charge of relaying important information from one party to another without be caught by the “po-po”, or the law enforcement for those who aren’t familiar with street slang.

The level that was shown at the EA press conference, and in Sony’s demo room, was a massive and brightly lit realistic city setting, in which you were mainly jumping from one rooftop to another (ninja-style), trying to keep your momentum going as best as you could.

Speaking of momentum, the game is all about moving quickly, hence Faith being labeled as a “runner’. The quicker you finish the level, the more rewards you’ll be given, but no details on what type of rewards just yet. There’s also a reaction time button that slows things down in the game for more precise actions and movements, complete with blur effects adding to realism.

There were also some other obstacles like cat-walking a pole using the left analog stick to keep your balance (I actually fell off here and had to start the demo over) and even a time where you had to run against a wall (Prince of Persia style) and jump across to the next platform.

The controls of the game were pretty easy to learn. Since there isn’t a sprint button, you just run with the left analog stick and the longer you hold it, the more momentum and speed you get. There was a button to slide and roll, and another to grab on ledges. The controls were responsive and intuitive, but still it took some time to get use the whole 1st-person view and really know exactly where the ledge was and when to jump off.

Sadly, I didn’t get to actually play any part of the demo in which combat was involved, but I did see some action. I noticed when you use your reaction time to slow things up when in a scuffle with an enemy, the bad guy’s gun turned red, notifying you that you could grab if from them and use it as your own. But be careful, because you’ll only have what ammunition is left in the gun. No bullets or ammo laying around in this game.

One of the neatest features in the game is the Runner Vision, which color codes specific areas of the level as a means of revealing paths to the next area. All levels are said to have multiple routes to advance, but some are faster than others.

The game has no HUD, no health meter, but just a dot in the middle of the screen just for focusing and centering purposes, but which can actually be turned off. And when you’re damaged, the screen will turn red like a lot of other games these days. All you ever see on the screen is the action of the game — mainly your arms moving back and forth while you run or your legs when you take a huge jump.

Mirror’s Edge is really looking to be one of the highlights of the fall, with extremely beautiful visuals, intuitive controls, and just a completely different kind of action game. Gamers should watch out for Mirror’s Edge this October when it hits the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.