Not long ago, I got to have some personal hands-on time with EA Mobile’s Mirror’s Edge for iPhone coming out this Spring. Players familiar with the original will be happy to know that they are once again controlling Faith, a memebr of an underground group known as the “Runners,” who deliver messages from the outside world into the city by avoiding the government and using their acrobatics. The way the game works for the new console is very interesting and actually something I really enjoyed.

This new version is very much different from the original, but retains the spirit. First off, the game isn’t presented in a first-person view. That means that all the special effects that were made to make you really feel like you were Faith have been taken out. Depending on who you are that may or may not be a good thing. I’m a hardened FPS veteran but the wind blur and rocking effects really made me feel like I was in the action to the point where it got me a bit dizzy at times until I got used to it.

Now, you’re in a third person view. You can see the city, Faith as she runs, and the terrain around you to allow for your acrobatic moves. The acrobatics will still play a large part of the game. However, now they’re done with different flicks of the screen and even tilting in order to maintain balance at times.

The world is still very color coordinated to tell you what you can and cannot do with specific terrain. For example, the red areas still tell you where to go. This is still a very big part of the game and despite the fact that it adds to the linear gameplay, you still need to figure out how you’re going to tackle each challenge. And that will provide you with loads of fun.

The graphics seem to be done very well for a mobile game. The colors really stand out, Faith is very detailed, the camera angles are very dynamic; it really makes you feel like you are in this “perfect” city. I couldn’t hear the sound very well at all over the thumping background music that filled EA’s press event (which you’ll experience as well in the video).

I can see myself playing this game while enduring the agonizingly slow commute of the NYC subway system or even while just bored and sitting around. My hopes are that there is re-playability value despite it being a mobile game. From what I’ve played, though, it has the potential to be very addicting.  Look for a review in the near future.