The saga ends and we've played the co-op!
Check out our interview with Bioware General Manager Aaryn Flynn
Few series are more emblematic of the evolution in the RPG than
Mass Effect. First released exclusively on Xbox 360 in November 2007,
Mass Effect was an epic sci-fi role playing game filled with expansive worlds and graphics which harnessed the power of the next gen technology. But it was also, in its formulation, not many steps removed from a regular RPG, with laborious quests, barely concealed stats and often clunky gameplay. It made up for it with an astounding story and impressive depth but it was
Mass Effect 2 which really started the action RPG revolution which continues today, streamlining the experience to appeal to a wider fanbase.
March 2012 sees the release of
Mass Effect 3 – the blockbuster end to a trilogy many years in the making. And
Bioware have made no secret of it being their most accessible yet – working hard to make their shooter mechanics as responsive as any third person action title and even making the shock announcement that
ME3 will include a fully featured multiplayer mode. We got hands on with this mode at EA’s Winter Showcase, read on for details.
Galaxy at War is
Mass Effect 3’s integrated system for tracking the progress of Commander Shepards fight against the Reapers. You’ll make progress by shooting your way through the multiplayer but can gain extra kudos by loading up the game’s co-operative multiplayer mode. These levels, featuring unique locations and characters, throw wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemies at up to four players, complicating matters with a series of objectives. Survive, and you’ll earn points to unlock new weapons and abilities, excel and you’ll have a positive impact on your progression through the main story.
The gameplay is fundamentally similar to the cover and shoot mechanics of
Mass Effect 2 but the controls have been simplified to up the pace of play – with powers like biotic abilities mapped to dedicated keys. There’s no pausing and little down time in multiplayer so you’ll need to change weapons, chuck a grenade or melee some fool without hesitation. After going bizarrely MIA for
ME2, grenades are indeed back while melee options are much improved, making you feel like you’re doing more than gently nuzzling your enemy with your gun.
Speaking on the new mode,
Bioware General Manager Aaryn Flynn was keen to point out that, while multiplayer does give you benefits, the expereicen is totally optional: ‘The idea is that if you choose to play the multiplayer campaign, all the benefits you’re getting there can be seen in the single player. It’s just another way to achieve those things, should you choose.’ (
Read the full interview) It’s encouraging to know that we won’t be forced to fabricate some friends in order to get the most out of
Mass Effect 3, though there’s word that the feted 100 percent completion is easier with both modes in use.
Co-op in
Mass Effect 3 is fun – the controls are solid and the mechanics work well – but the chaotic pace still feels a little out of place in the universe. It remains to be seen whether players used to a more considered, tactical and solitary gameplay style will enjoy take to these explosive interludes and, on the other hand, if online shooter fans will be interested in dipping a toe into the expansive experience of the single player story mode.
Given the quality of the series to date, it’s unlikely to be much of a gamble on Bioware’s part but we’ll have more impressions, and opinions, on
Mass Effect 3, ahead of its March 2012 launch.