Faith is a little bit more powerful than she was in the original Mirror’s Edge, thanks to a new piece of equipment to be introduced in Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, called the MAG Rope.
To understand the MAG Rope, or the Manifold Attachment Glove Rope, immediately, imagine web-swinging a la Spider-Man. When Faith gets the MAG Rope, she can use it to get across gaps that are too far apart to jump across. Having the MAG Rope gave EA DICE the ability to create a more realistic world than would have been possible otherwise.
When the MAG Rope is activated, it shoots out a carbon fiber line that attaches to security cameras. The line will carry Faith’s momentum from when she runs into the swing, so that you have control over the speed and direction of the swing.
The MAG Rope will also get incremental upgrades, increasing Faith’s abilities. The first upgrade, the VD Torsional Motor, will let Faith pull herself up, just like Batman and his grappling hook. Another upgrade, the Grappling Tip, is Faith’s grappling hook, so she can then pierce and grab objects within the city in the course of moving around.
An interesting point about the MAG Rope is that EA DICE specifically designed it so that you will not feel like a superhero. Rather than an overpowered piece of equipment, it is supposed to feel like a natural extension of Faith’s abilities. EA DICE also cites how MAG Rope will extend options for speedrunners, especially when paired with Runner’s Vision.
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst releases on May 24 in North America for the PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. You can learn more about the movement and combat systems in these videos and read about its E3 reveal.