Mass Effect 3 Previews

BioWare’s Mass Effect 3 made an appearance at GamesCom and is now making a big splash at this weekend’s Penny Arcade Expo, and that’s led us to a variety of hands-on previews for the threequel.

Hooked Gamers:

Judging by what we have seen at Gamescom, it is safe to say that Mass Effect 3 is set to be the giant series ender that we were promised. In the pivotal moment in the story where the Reapers begin their invasion of Earth it was plain to see that Bioware is pulling out all the stops for this installment. We see Shepard looking out over a ruined cityscape as the Reapers land all around the city. Dropships and attack fighters swoop overhead, crashing into buildings and trying in vain to take down the massive behemoths. There’s definitely a certain ‘˜War of the Worlds’ feel to it all, not only in visuals, but sound as well. The Reapers emit eerie low pitched wails as they decimate the surrounding environment with heat rays and all manner of alien tech. I would call it a step in the right direction (for the Reapers, not humanity).

While story is an integral part of the Mass Effect universe, where would we gamers be without gameplay? Returning in the 3rd installment we will see Mass Effect 2’s ammo system, an updated cover mechanic which bares a striking resemblance to the classic Gears of War style with combat rolls and SWAT turns. As well as a weapon mod system similar to that of the first game rather than the set weapons of the 2nd game. What was generally nice to see, and a real boost to Mass Effect 3’s appeal, was the updated leveling system. Instead of the 1st game’s intricate and sometimes confusing array of options or Mass Effect 2’s slightly lacking amount of optional upgrades, the new system offers 9 different skill trees you can explore to level your Shepard into a veteran fighting machine. Each of these 9 trees will have a variety of different paths to choose from so that each of your powers will be different to the next person’s. Overall it seems like a much more user-friendly experience for those who just want to run and gun, but intricate enough that hardcore RPG fans won’t be left wanting if they want to explore all the options.

PikiGeek:

After upgrading my squad, I got into the game proper. The level on display took place on the Salarian homeworld and was shown only in video form at E3 earlier this year. It involves Shepard and his squad, in communication with Mordin Solus and Urdnot Wrex, moving through a ruined science facility, taking out indoctrinated Cerberus agents and trying to protect a rare female Krogan.

It’s a very combat-heavy mission and really served to highlight the game’s improvements. Combat now feels much smoother, giving it an almost Gears of War feel. Now, don’t take that the wrong way I’m not insinuating the game has been dumbed down. However, the combat feels much more shooter-like than before. Attaching to cover is easier and more responsive as is moving between various cover points.

PlayStation Universe:

The developer plans to literally bring us right back down to Earth by creating a storyline that has a number of layers to it and will engage us more emotionally than previous games. The E3 demo was disappointingly shown again at Gamescom, but this was the first time we’d seen it in the flesh and it does demonstrate BioWare’s desire to get players emotionally evolved. In this section of gameplay, Shepard discovers a young boy trapped in an air vent begging for his help. It’s a real dilemma because bringing this boy back to your ship could impede your fight against the reapers and possibly get you killed. We saw here the consequences of leaving the boy behind as Shepard makes the decision to get himself back to the Normandy without hindrance.

As you leave the boy on Earth and escape onto the Normandy, you witness him jump safely onto another evacuation craft. Just as you breathe a huge sigh of relief, the reapers blow the craft to pieces. It’s a clever piece of drama which tugs at your heart strings, and that feeling of elevation you gain as he gets on the ship turns into devastation as he’s blown to pieces. (In every decision you make, there’s a consequence,) explains BioWare’s community manager, Mike Gamble. And this is just one of the many morale-based choices that we’ll have to make in Mass Effect 3.

And Game Hounds:

The mission was set in a devastated high-rise urban environment with rubble everywhere and Cerberus soldiers trying to kill the Krogan. My squad members were Garrus and Liara, and both used their abilities much more frequently and more intelligently. It seemed like I was the one lagging behind now. Mordin also makes a nice appearance in the demo, explaining the situation to Shepard and the consequences if he fails.

I decided to go with the tried and true soldier class for the demo, with incendiary and concussion abilities boosted all the way up. The shooter controls and ammo drops are what you would expect from the franchise: Conserve your rounds, aim for the head, and pick up any ammo clips you see on the ground. The cover system allows you to find cover a little more quickly and better judges what you want to take cover behind, so you don’t end up behind some random desk or barrier. Switching weapons and the rest of the user interface are unchanged from Mass Effect 2. I had an assault rifle, handgun, and SMG in the demo, and all the weapons handled exactly the same as they did in the second game.