Mirrors Edge was a fantastic game. It had moments of frustration of course, but overall, it was a wonderful idea wrapped in a neat package that I enjoyed immensely. Though it wasn’t one of my top 10 games of 2008, it was definitely a “just missed” kind of title. My favorite part about the game was the thrill and exhilaration the running sequences gave you, as there was nothing more satisfying in the Mirrors Edge universe than running and jumping on rooftops, over fences, through alleys and around your enemies.

That’s why when EA announced that there would be additional time trial maps for purchase in the future-and that they would leave the city behind and delve into the realm of main character Faith’s imagination-my attention was caught. The first of these maps was released exclusively for the Playstation 3, and it’s called Synesthesia.

Synesthesia means a “joining the senses”. If you were to experience the effects of synesthesia, your perception would be slightly different, as you would be more aware of the colors, shapes and sensations surrounding you.

The map is aptly named, as all you can see stretching around you are brightly colored blocks, all different geometric shapes, and with various paths amongst them that you need to traverse in order to make it through in the shortest amount of time possible. Unlike the city, where your brain would naturally seek out certain objects-the red colored objects that signified at least one way through the maze of rooftops, or maybe a fence, ledge, etc.-all you have to work with here are the shapes and your own imagination as it seeks out the fastest route.

If you have played the time trial maps that come packaged with the game, and you enjoyed them, then this free map is right up your alley. If you’re on the fence, remember; this is essentially a demo of the downloadable content, so you have nothing to lose but the time you spend testing it. As for my own opinion, playing through Synesthesia was as fun as the trailers led me to believe, and I’ll be waiting for the rest of the pack to release later in February.

Check out the screens from the downloadable map pack, to see what a difference there is between the original game’s level design and these new sets, developed exclusively for time trials. Remember, though this map is PS3 exclusive, the DLC will be available across all three platforms that support the title.