"Mass Effect wasn't high on my list of 'most wanted' Xbox 360 games this year, with titles like Bioshock, Halo 3 and Project Gotham Racing 4 all vying for my attention, but having spent some time getting to grips with BioWare's new space epic, it's certainly on that list now," Riyad Emeran of TrustedReviews writes.
TrustedReviews was among the reporters invited to preview Mass Effect at BioWare last week, and Emeran has written a 4-page report that covers every facet of the game.
Bioware writes: "Like you, we’ve heard the rumors lately. You’ve made it clear you care deeply about what’s next. So let’s start by setting the record straight: the next Mass Effect game is in development, and EA and BioWare remain committed to telling more stories in this universe."
I expected nothing and I'm still disappointed
Like with Fallout, it's starting to feel studios are using TV / Film adaptations when they have no game info to talk about.
I feel the same way.
I mean, how difficult would it be for them to release SOMETHING of substance? Another short trailer? A couple of proper hints? A short story set during the original trilogy, but focused on fringe characters?
Hopefully they're working so hard on the game that they don't have time. But still, with every passing year and so little to show, the franchise will be slipping further and further from people's minds.
Yeah agree it's almost a cop out since Dev times are 5 to 10 years just throw out a few seasons instead you get them done in a year
So the TV show will take place after the OG trilogy. I wonder which ending they’ll use?
Should’ve just posted a picture of an Elcor saying “regretfully, we have nothing to share.”
Thanks to their innovative approach to gaming, RPGs like Dark Souls, Final Fantasy VII, and Dragon Quest left a significant impact on the genre.
GF365: "A friend makes the adventure all the more fun. Here are the best video game companions that will keep you company."
Insights from a reviewer who was 'not very interested' in Mass Effect...
"First up, Mass Effect Looks absolutely stunning! I simply can't describe to you how good the facial models look in this game - this is about as close to in-game, photo-realistic imagery I've ever seen on a console game. And if you think that the screen shots look good, wait until you play the game itself on a large screen, high definition TV - you'll find it hard to believe what you're seeing."
"It's also good to see that absolutely all the cut scenes and animations use the in-game engine - nothing is pre-rendered in Mass Effect."
"One of the most important things about Mass Effect is that it's as much of an RPG as you want it to be. This game could very nearly be described as an over-the-shoulder, third person shooter, if that's the way you decide to play it. The basic combat is very slick and definitely doesn't feel anything like kind of laborious combat systems that are often associated with role playing games."
"BioWare has created a combat system that is both strategic and fun, and that's no mean feat. It's also a completely open system, so if you're facing a couple of relatively simple enemies you can just dive behind some cover and take them out with your pistol, old school style. But if you're facing a superior force, that's when the strategy part comes in, making sure that the right members of your party are attacking the most important targets. It's also a case of using the right attacks - knocking an enemy down with a Psi attack, so that a comrade can then finish them off with a clear shot is extremely satisfying."
"But the real beauty of Mass Effect is how you approach the game - the story line really does appear to be driven by the player, to a far greater extent than most games."
" ...there are at least three completely different endings to the game, and it should take the average player around 25 hours to reach one of them, assuming that they choose a direct route. Greg was keen to point out that once you have completed the first section of Mass Effect, the universe really is your oyster and there are many, many planets to explore which have little or nothing to do with the main story line."
"Mass Effect employs Ageia's PhysX engine for in-game physics, and from what I saw it's very well implemented. The Mass Effect world seems to react as it should to your interaction, rather than throwing up physics eye candy. Obviously you've got the usual debris being blown all over the place when there's an explosion, but it's not over the top, making the physics implementation an enhancement rather than a distraction"
"Going back to visuals, it's not just the facial textures and animations that look good. The environments are well rendered and add atmosphere, especially when you're exploring new planets. There's good use of motion blur and even some film grain thrown in for good measure - the latter can be switched off if you don't like it. Most impressive though, is the depth of field effect, making it very easy for the player to concentrate on the focus of the scene - in fact I'd say that the depth of field in Mass Effect is the best I've seen in a game."
"With games this strong hitting the street before the end of the year, I can see Santa delivering a lot of Xbox 360s again."
Sorry for the long post... alot of ppl on this website don't take the time to actually read these articles. I love this game & this is what SHOULD be expected in NEXT GEN GAMING.
'Nuff Said.
MASS EFFECT = GOTY