An umbrella, to say the least, is an interesting parting gift after a sleek, stylish and classy gaming event. Seeing as no precipitation was in the forecast, perhaps Sony felt that any smidgen of sun would shrivel the pasty Canadian gaming press. Or maybe it’s a message that we should all use that proverbial umbrella to weather out the storm of games that looms upon us this autumn.

Shame that it’s all so appealing though, I might have brave the rain.

The annual Playstation Holiday Preview Event was held in a posh, brightly lit studio turned media venue in downtown Toronto yesterday, complete with an affluent source of drinks, and, more importantly, an avalanche of new titles. Here’s a look at the games that received briefer playtimes. Lengthier ones will get the full preview treatment soon, namely Killzone 2 and Resistance 2, so stay tuned.

Mirror’s Edge

There is a free spirit to EA’s roof skimming first-person action game. Levels are entirely linear, sure, but within the limits DICE has carefully laid a canvas of freeform possibility. Mirror’s Edge feels different in a way nearly elusive to description; the magnitude comes not from the eerily serene environments, but from your every pitch and turn, the physicality of your presence. But this feeling of weight isn’t formed through a bold new set of controls. Turns out it’s far more effortless than the complex actions would denote.

Mirror’s Edge is incredibly simple, taking only minutes to learn, so the appeal is in its mastery. Being either rough and tumble or sleight and nimble, it seems as though both work. But you’ll want that skilfully acrobatic stride, if only for breaking loose in a dystopian cityscape where movement is the only true form of freedom.

Call of Duty: World at War

Treyarch’s latest endeavour speaks with a terse, impactful vocabulary – and that’s not referring to Kiefer Sutherland’s gravely tone as your sergeant. The starkly different war theatres of Russia and the Pacific are imbued with a great deal of complex history, the context reverberates through perfectly framed experiences within this latest Call of Duty.

The two campaigns hold a common thread of brutality. The Russians reviled the Third Reich and its vast army. But your actions, within the situations set before you, can be just as questionable and cruel as those of your enemies. So too is the case of the Pacific campaign, in which the Americans fought on an entirely alien battlefield. The Japanese were a near incomprehensible enemy, their tactics and ideals entirely strange.

The content of World at War may seem all too familiar at first, but with some bold stylistic choices and proper perspective, it has a chance at being something entirely different. Any era can speak to any generation if framed right, and this one might hold some contemporary gravity.

Prince of Persia

Imagine a cooperative game in which your partner never gets in your way, never ignores you, and is simply there to help you out. This is entirely fictional since no person could be so helpful. And Ubisoft Montreal know this, so they are betting that AI controlled Elika is to the brand new Prince, as Yorda was to Ico – albeit not quite as delicate. The new Prince of Persia may seem like a literal cooperative game, but make no mistake that this is strictly a singleplayer experience.

Like Mirror’s Edge, getting into the rhythm of movement and platforming took mere minutes. The weight and momentum of the Prince felt similar to Altair’s romp through the Holy Lands, though simplified and refined.

Elika serves as your saviour when you fall to your death by catching your hand and putting you back at the last checkpoint reached. At the press of a button, she also gives that necessary bit of extra lift when you need to complete difficult jumps. Being competent and unobtrusive are her strong suits, though the hope is that she will serve a more potent affect as the fifteen to twenty hour experience progresses. We just haven’t seen her functions go beyond being a personified tool.

Far Cry 2

The nature of non-linear narrative must be difficult to articulate; the structure of Far Cry 2 has been explained to me repeatedly by the good folks at Ubisoft, but it still doesn’t make any sense. It goes a little something like this: you are hunting a shadowy arms dealer only known as “The Jackal”, but players could potentially reach that climatic moment at varying times depending on how they play. The narrative is consistently rearranging itself.

Apparently, it’s one of those things that need to be experienced since words don’t suffice. But the rest of Far Cry 2 is easily experienced under the guidance of one single notion: you are a hunter, and hunters don’t act rashly. They are calm, composed, and they assess their situation. This is the essence.

Surveying enemy encampments and plotting an attack is just as thrilling as the ultimate pounce. A near roleplaying level of options emboldens any particular style, from customizing snipers to rocket launchers. No matter the firepower though, if you don’t use your brain to gain the upper hand, it’s over.

This one also dashed a shimmering hope. When asked if you can place stampedes of African creatures in custom multiplayer maps, Ubisoft grimly stated that there would be no such feature. The line given was that they wanted to avoid controversy with wildlife organizations. So Far Cry 2 fans everywhere, burn your underwear, don’t wash for a week, and chain yourself to the doors of the closest PETA office. Because you know, that always proves something… right?