Mass Effect Interview

GameSpy has published an extensive three-page interview with BioWare’s Casey Hudson about their upcoming sci-fi Xbox 360 RPG, Mass Effect.

Q: Can you tell us more about the important vehicles in the game? Specifically, the ship and the all-terrain land-based vehicle, and what the players will be able to do with them.

A: The Normandy is a large starship, something like a cross between a stealth bomber and a submarine. It has a crew, and in Mass Effect they all answer to you. You will also be able to use its Galaxy Map, which is an interactive map of the Milky Way. Through the Galaxy Map, you’ll be able to decide where you want the ship to go. Throughout the story, your relationships with the crew and the squad members you adventure with will develop and change.

You’ll have an all-terrain combat vehicle called the Mako, which is essentially a six-wheeled tank with a machine gun and cannon. It is tremendous fun to drive over rough terrain, and it allows you to explore areas of several square kilometers when it would take forever to see the same amount of the game on foot. You can actually drop the Mako from the Normandy in mid-air, to land onto the surface of dangerous uncharted worlds.