Mirror's Edge 2 Rumours Detail Open World, Revamped Combat and 2016 Release

EA and DICE are set to totally overhaul the Mirror's Edge formula in the upcoming sequel to 2008's cult classic videogame, according to reports.

Australian website Rocket Chainsaw claims to have seen the game in action, and lists a number of new features for the series – including an open world, overhauled combat and a persistent "always-online" component.

They also – disappointingly – say the game won't be released until 2016.

While what is reported is by no means solid fact, the author does have a decent track record according to NeoGAF member Nirolak, who posted the news on the videogame forum.

Rocket Chainsaw claims to have seen "video" of the game in action, and says the gameplay sections of the game's announcement trailer were real and not a pre-rendered mock-up. Calling Mirror's Edge 2 a "total reboot" the site also says its goal "is to create an open world, living breathing city for you to explore".

In 2008 the first game from Battlefield developers DICE, was critically praised for its innovative use of the first person perspective coupled with a core free-running mechanic.

Continuing about the game's online component, the site says: "The open world is considered a multiplayer 'playground' where other plays can drop-in/drop-out seamlessly, freely choosing their level of interaction with other players and the game world. A comparison to Journey's online feature was given as the closest example."

Other more general multiplayer options are said to include co-op and competitive modes such as time trials for each mission.

The site also details a completely overhauled combat system, with the old one-button system of the first game removed entirely.

"Heavy revisions have shaped the combat away from useless gunplay and one button combats (like the nut-punch) to a deeper system that emphasises speed and fluidity. Environment interaction is also a key feature of the combat system, [lead character] Faith able to push, punch, and kick enemies out of the way, over ledges, tables, and railings.

"These physics driven interactions are combined with 1-2-3 punch/kick style combos, wall running, flips, and other martial arts moves, as well as brief grapples. Occasionally a third person take-down move will be used when an enemy is beaten, and "adaptive slow-motion" is used vary sparingly, mostly just to highlight cool sequences, like the E3 2013 trailer face punch. Rocket Chainsaw has seen all of these combat functions performed in real time, without scripting."

Mirror's Edge 2 was announced at last year's E3 with the trailer which you can watch below.