GameFocus E3 Preview: Mass Effect 3
Million of units sold worldwide, a memorable hero, a rich cast of supporting characters, numerous awards and universal gamer acclaim. To Mass Effect fans, this sci-fi space opera is just as great as Star Wars or Star Trek. At least, it is for me. Travelling to distant worlds and building key alliances, among other things, while saving the galaxy and fighting for freedom...all are ingredients for success, provided it’s done right. And BioWare’s dedication to deliver the best gaming experience isn’t new. Knowing right from the beginning in 2006 that the Edmonton-based developer would slowly build up towards the epic third chapter that is Mass Effect 3 (especially for those who will be carrying over their ME1-ME2 save games), my E3 demo in Los Angeles was one of the most anticipated moments of 2011.
Presented as the pinnacle of the Mass Effect experience and after eight years of intense hard work, this ambitious series reaches its climax in 2012. Commander Shepard’s new mission is to enlist the help of key personnel scattered across the galaxy, retrieve critical war assets, and liberate facilities in an effort to save Earth from the malicious Reapers, who are determined to harvest the green planet’s resources and subsequentially destroy it.
As Shepard and his squadmates travel to Sur’Kesh (Mordin Solus’ homeworld) to secure a female Krogan, a rare species in the Mass Effect universe and the key to unite the divided Krogan worlds. The demo showcased the different ways gamers can tackle missions in the game, whether it’s the tactical route using squad-based movements (via the Power Wheel, which is once again used to set powers and queue up attacks) combined with a fluid cover-to-cover system a la Gears of War for both stealth/flanking strategies or the universal run n’ gun path. Among the improvements and additions, Shepard now has an Omni Blade, a glowing knife used for efficient closed-quarters-combat or to surprise an enemy from behind with a deadly takedown. Hand grenades are also part of Shepard’s arsenal. Going towards a more action-focused Mass Effect and giving players further offensive/defensive tactics, Bioware is literally augmenting Shepard’s "badass level" up a notch, as if he wasn’t bringing enough pain already.
Nothing to worry though, despite having evolved into a third-person action-shooter, Mass Effect 3 still has an interesting RPG aspect. On top of the dialog and moral choices Shepard will face throughout his journey, weapons can be modified - via work benches - for visual preferences and statistical values but also, to adapt to the different play styles. Character progression was also expanded, giving the possibility to branch out towards various powers and skills. Casey Hudson, the franchise’s executive producer, pointed out that despite being the conclusion of an epic trilogy, Mass Effect 3 was also designed with the intent to allow beginners who have never experienced the first two games to jump right in, as the third chapter opens up the future of the Mass Effect series after this trilogy concludes.
Hudson closed out his demo with a segment towards the beginning of the game. Those who’ve been following the franchise know that Shepard has a troublesome past. Detained on Earth for hearings (on previous actions in the game’s universe), his hearing is being cut short as Reapers land and attack. I won’t be detailing what happens because I have a personal issue with spoilers. However, I must say that action games rarely get to touch the sentimental cord. As much as a game like Gears of War 2 managed to get out a few tears outta me, I never thought Mass Effect would ever put me in that same state. Proof that video games aren’t always about pew-pew-pew and immature fun. Immersing storytelling is important and its one of the reasons why BioWare strikes gold with pretty much every title they make. At this point, it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you that Mass Effect 3 is my most anticipated game of 2012. Hopefully its yours now too. Look out for it.
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