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News
Release:
Developed by: BioWare
Published by: EA
On spoilers:
Before release, no spoilers. Post-release, use spoiler tags. Don't use tags randomly, give some context
so people won't be clicking them blind and get spoiled on the secret Shepard/Eiffel Tower romance.
EatChildren is a vengeful god, and he will strike you down should you disobey. Obviously, ME1 and 2 spoilers are free game.
The galaxy is a dangerous place. Between the geth, the collectors, slavers and Cerberus, you’ve seen the worst it has to offer. But something worse
lurked outside the galactic bounds… And despite everything you’ve done to halt their progress, they’ve finally arrived. The Reapers are here,
and they won’t stop until they've wiped the galaxy clean of all advanced life. Earth's defenses have been breached, and the planet is under siege.
You are Commander Shepard, and you’re the galaxy’s last hope for survival. Everything you've done, every choice you've made has led you to this point.
The rachni, Virmire, the Council, the geth, the genophage and the collector base: your decisions will come back to haunt you before the end.
Whether you’re male, female, black, white or yellow, only you can stem the tide of the Reapers, save the galaxy and finally find out what Tali’s sweat
tastes like. Travel to the farthest reaches of space, unite the species of the galaxy and gather a fleet powerful enough to retake Earth and destroy
the Reapers once and for all. If you fail, the galaxy falls with you.
Mass Effect 3 is a third-person shooter-RPG hybrid. You create your own character (or import your Mass Effect 2 one), choose one of six classes
and develop your character as you earn experience points and make decisions. The RPG elements (which were severely reduced in ME2)
have been deepened to allow for further customization. You get more control over your powers and can outfit your weapons with mods.
On the shooty-explody front, Mass Effect 3 has also seen some refinements. Weapon restrictions for classes have been lifted. However,
each class still only has a set number of firearms it can carry, with the Soldier having the most and Adepts/Engineers having the least. Your
powers are still affected by a global cooldown, but now this cooldown is affected by your encumbrance (i.e. the number of weapons you're carrying).
Taking cover has been smoothened, and Shepard can now roll to evade fire and quickly dive behind it. Grenades return in differing shapes and sizes,
with each class having access to their own unique variant. The omni-tool, previously a handy tool to open locks and watch porn,
can now also be used to stab people in the face. Or gut. Or whichever body part you prefer.
The galaxy map has also become more dangerous, with Reapers now sometimes actively seeking you out in the hopes of turning the
upgraded Normandy into Swiss cheese. Planet scanning works differently now: the Normandy can send out pulses to detect nearby war assets,
and find them by scanning a planet or sometimes by completing a mission.
As previously stated, you can import your Mass Effect 2 character into Mass Effect 3, providing he or she survived the Suicide Mission.
Major story decisions you made (whom you boned and whom you killed) in the previous two games will carry over, as well as your Mass Effect 2
level and abilities. To accomodate this, the level cap has been raised to 60.
Oh, and there’s Kinect functionality.
In all seriousness, it works pretty well. You can shout orders to your squadmates, open doors and select dialog options using your voice.
Screenshots
Video's
Shepard may be Space Jesus, but he can’t stop the Reapers on his own. While he’s busyhaving sex with recruiting other species
to take back Earth, the Reapers are breaking shit wherever they find it. With the Galaxy At War system, you can kick ‘em in the proverbial quad
from multiple directions. Your progress in the campaign mode and your doings in Galaxy At War can be synched, potentially giving you an edge
against the Reapers in the former. Note that the Galaxy At War system is entirely optional: you can reach the optimal ending in the campaign
perfectly fine without it. Or you can utterly doom civilization. It’s all up to you.
Cooperative multiplayer
For the first time in recorded history, a Mass Effect game comes with a multiplayer suite. Before you highlight this part in a quote and post
your favorite bailout.gif, however, hear me out. Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer pits you and three allies against a horde (see what I did there?)
of baddies, ranging from Cerberus scum to Reaper thralls. As in the single player mode, you can create your own character, choosing from
a variety of classes and species. The victories you score in this mode can influence your galactic readiness meter in Mass Effect 3’s story mode.
Shepard and your character might even cross paths.
For more info and multiplayer discussion, visit the official multiplayer thread by EatChildren.
Mass Effect: Infiltrator
This iOs game, developed by IronMonkey Studios, puts you in the boots of Randall Ezno as he kicks Cerberus ass throughout the galaxy.
Your progress in the game can be synched to Mass Effect 3, unlocking special weapons and giving you more assets to send to war.
Mass Effect: Datapad
An iOS app that will allow you to keep track of your Galactic Readiness-meter, even when you’re not at home.
Because fighting the Reapers will totally impress the ladies.
Minimum:
Recommended:
From Ashes
Unearth the secrets of those who came before. Mass Effect 3: From Ashes introduces a new squadmate (
) to Shepard's crew.
In order to recruit this enigmatic character, Shepard will have to travel to the once verdant world of Eden Prime, now a battleground in the war with
the Reapers. Includes the new squadmate, a new mission, a new weapon and an alternate appearance for every squadmate.
Price: 800 MSP / 800 BWP / $9,99 (PSN) / Free for Collector's Edition owners
Release date: 03/06/12
Pre-order DLC
Mass Effect 3, once again, comes with a multitude of pre-order and promotion DLC, unlocked through various means, ranging from
buying an art book to finding the Jade Monkey.
Pre-ordering from Origin nets you the AT-12 Raider shotgun. Playing the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo gives you access to the
Reckoner Knight armor. Completing said demo also delivers the Chakram Launcher assault rifle into your greedy hands. Pre-ordering from
various retailers can get you the N7 Warfare Gear and/or the M-55 Argus. Pre-ordering “The Art of the Mass Effect Universe” from Barnes and Noble
makes you the proud owner of the Collector Assault Rifle for some multiplayer mayhem. Buying the Collector’s Edition gives you a robot dog
for the Normandy, an N7-hoodie to wear aboard your ship, a character appearance pack, an extra crewmember and mission (see above) and extra weapons.
Collector’s Edition:
Sometimes, the standard edition is not enough. Sometimes, you want more than the common rabble. Sometimes you want a robotic dog
running around the Normandy, no matter what the cost. Never fear, BioWare has you covered. The Collector’s Edition includes:
The strategy guide comes in two flavors, a normal edition and a Collector's Edition. The normal edition includes:
with BioWare employees and an art section with never-before-seen panorama shots of the game's many areas.
The Art of the Mass Effect Universe:
Do you ever look at an asari and wonder what painstaking mental process must’ve gone on in the artist’s head? Wonder no more, this
184-page artbook answers every question you might have ever had. In all seriousness, this thing looks awesome and you should buy it.
Can’t get enough Mass Effect? Want to know everything that’s happened in the universe so far? Is your name EatChildren?
Our friends at BioWare have what you need.
If your thirst is still not sated after reading thesefour three novels, you might want to consider reading the comics
or playing Mass Effect Galaxy, the first Mass Effect iOS game.
The war fought around this OT makes the war for the survival of the galaxy looks like child’s play. I'd like to thank Shingonation
for offering his assistance, and Dax01 and RoboPlato for proofreading. I'd also like to thank EatChildren because he’s an awesome guy and
I couldn’t resist taking a jab at his self-professed Mass Effect-obsession. Finally, I'd like to thank Chinner for handing the OT over to me.
I feel bad about all the controversy surrounding his potential thread, but I think he'll like what I conjured up here.
It’s pretty tough finding a balance between information and humor, but I think I found it. And if I didn’t, well…
News
- BioWare has announced they'll be releasing free ending DLC this summer. Yes, free.
- Enjoy the ride, you magnificent bastards. Drink lots of alcohol before the ending.
- 03/06/12: You damn dirty Americans.
- The launch trailer is out. It's space sex.
- 02/28/12: One more week 'til you dirty Americans get the game, so enjoy the OT in the mean time. Or not.
Release:
- Out now (Space)
- 03/06/12 (US)
- 03/09/12 (EU)
Developed by: BioWare
Published by: EA
On spoilers:
Before release, no spoilers. Post-release, use spoiler tags. Don't use tags randomly, give some context
so people won't be clicking them blind and get spoiled on the secret Shepard/Eiffel Tower romance.
EatChildren is a vengeful god, and he will strike you down should you disobey. Obviously, ME1 and 2 spoilers are free game.
The galaxy is a dangerous place. Between the geth, the collectors, slavers and Cerberus, you’ve seen the worst it has to offer. But something worse
lurked outside the galactic bounds… And despite everything you’ve done to halt their progress, they’ve finally arrived. The Reapers are here,
and they won’t stop until they've wiped the galaxy clean of all advanced life. Earth's defenses have been breached, and the planet is under siege.
You are Commander Shepard, and you’re the galaxy’s last hope for survival. Everything you've done, every choice you've made has led you to this point.
The rachni, Virmire, the Council, the geth, the genophage and the collector base: your decisions will come back to haunt you before the end.
Whether you’re male, female, black, white or yellow, only you can stem the tide of the Reapers, save the galaxy and finally find out what Tali’s sweat
tastes like. Travel to the farthest reaches of space, unite the species of the galaxy and gather a fleet powerful enough to retake Earth and destroy
the Reapers once and for all. If you fail, the galaxy falls with you.
Mass Effect 3 is a third-person shooter-RPG hybrid. You create your own character (or import your Mass Effect 2 one), choose one of six classes
and develop your character as you earn experience points and make decisions. The RPG elements (which were severely reduced in ME2)
have been deepened to allow for further customization. You get more control over your powers and can outfit your weapons with mods.
On the shooty-explody front, Mass Effect 3 has also seen some refinements. Weapon restrictions for classes have been lifted. However,
each class still only has a set number of firearms it can carry, with the Soldier having the most and Adepts/Engineers having the least. Your
powers are still affected by a global cooldown, but now this cooldown is affected by your encumbrance (i.e. the number of weapons you're carrying).
Taking cover has been smoothened, and Shepard can now roll to evade fire and quickly dive behind it. Grenades return in differing shapes and sizes,
with each class having access to their own unique variant. The omni-tool, previously a handy tool to open locks and watch porn,
can now also be used to stab people in the face. Or gut. Or whichever body part you prefer.
The galaxy map has also become more dangerous, with Reapers now sometimes actively seeking you out in the hopes of turning the
upgraded Normandy into Swiss cheese. Planet scanning works differently now: the Normandy can send out pulses to detect nearby war assets,
and find them by scanning a planet or sometimes by completing a mission.
As previously stated, you can import your Mass Effect 2 character into Mass Effect 3, providing he or she survived the Suicide Mission.
Major story decisions you made (whom you boned and whom you killed) in the previous two games will carry over, as well as your Mass Effect 2
level and abilities. To accomodate this, the level cap has been raised to 60.
Oh, and there’s Kinect functionality.
In all seriousness, it works pretty well. You can shout orders to your squadmates, open doors and select dialog options using your voice.
Soldiers are pure combat specialists: no one is tougher or more suited to taking down enemies with barrages of gunfire. Soldiers have thorough
weapons training and can use all special ammo types as well as grenades. High-level operatives are outfitted with ocular synaptic processors that
allow them to focus on targets with lethal accuracy.
Powers: Adrenaline Rush, Concussive Shot, Frag Grenade, Incendiary Ammo, Disruptor Ammo, Cryo Ammo
weapons training and can use all special ammo types as well as grenades. High-level operatives are outfitted with ocular synaptic processors that
allow them to focus on targets with lethal accuracy.
Powers: Adrenaline Rush, Concussive Shot, Frag Grenade, Incendiary Ammo, Disruptor Ammo, Cryo Ammo
Vanguards are feared for their high-risk, high-reward combat style, closing quickly on enemies and destroying them at short range with weapons and
biotic abilities. They are outfitted with L5n implants, enabling them to perform a biotic charge that strikes the opponent with incredible force
while bringing the Vanguard in for close-range combat.
Powers: Biotic Charge, Shockwave, Pull, Nova, Incendiary Ammo, Cryo Ammo
biotic abilities. They are outfitted with L5n implants, enabling them to perform a biotic charge that strikes the opponent with incredible force
while bringing the Vanguard in for close-range combat.
Powers: Biotic Charge, Shockwave, Pull, Nova, Incendiary Ammo, Cryo Ammo
Adepts are biotic specialists, capable of disabling and killing enemies with raw biotic power. While they lack advanced combat training, they are the
best at defeating enemies without firing a shot. They are outfitted with L5x implants that can spawn a micro-singularity, damaging enemies and pulling
them into the air.
Powers: Singularity, Warp, Throw, Shockwave, Pull, Cluster Grenade
best at defeating enemies without firing a shot. They are outfitted with L5x implants that can spawn a micro-singularity, damaging enemies and pulling
them into the air.
Powers: Singularity, Warp, Throw, Shockwave, Pull, Cluster Grenade
Sentinels are unique, bringing both tech and biotic abilities to the battlefield. In addition to complete weapons training, Sentinels are equipped with
an advanced shield that makes taking cover much less necessary and rushing their enemies much more productive. This armor system can also be detonated
to blast nearby enemies.
Powers: Tech Armor, Warp, Overload, Cryo Blast, Throw, Lift Grenade
an advanced shield that makes taking cover much less necessary and rushing their enemies much more productive. This armor system can also be detonated
to blast nearby enemies.
Powers: Tech Armor, Warp, Overload, Cryo Blast, Throw, Lift Grenade
Engineers are tech specialists, the most effective class at disabling the defenses of the toughest enemies or incapacitating them to render them harmless.
In combination with their weapons training, Engineers have the unique ability to spawn combat drones that can harass enemies or force them out of entrenched
cover positions.
Powers: Combat Drone, Overload, Sabotage, Incinerate, Cryo Blast, Sentry Turret
In combination with their weapons training, Engineers have the unique ability to spawn combat drones that can harass enemies or force them out of entrenched
cover positions.
Powers: Combat Drone, Overload, Sabotage, Incinerate, Cryo Blast, Sentry Turret
Infiltrators are tech and combat specialists with the unique ability to cloak themselves from visual and technological detection. Their inventory is stacked
with a wide variety of weapons, equipment and powers. Infiltrators are deadly at any range, but particularly so with a sniper rifle. When scoping a target,
superior reflexes take over, time momentarily slows down, and the Infiltrator finds an easy picking.
Powers: Tactical Cloak, Sabotage, Incinerate, Sticky Grenade, Disruptor Ammo, Cryo Ammo
with a wide variety of weapons, equipment and powers. Infiltrators are deadly at any range, but particularly so with a sniper rifle. When scoping a target,
superior reflexes take over, time momentarily slows down, and the Infiltrator finds an easy picking.
Powers: Tactical Cloak, Sabotage, Incinerate, Sticky Grenade, Disruptor Ammo, Cryo Ammo
Screenshots
Video's
Shepard may be Space Jesus, but he can’t stop the Reapers on his own. While he’s busy
to take back Earth, the Reapers are breaking shit wherever they find it. With the Galaxy At War system, you can kick ‘em in the proverbial quad
from multiple directions. Your progress in the campaign mode and your doings in Galaxy At War can be synched, potentially giving you an edge
against the Reapers in the former. Note that the Galaxy At War system is entirely optional: you can reach the optimal ending in the campaign
perfectly fine without it. Or you can utterly doom civilization. It’s all up to you.
Cooperative multiplayer
For the first time in recorded history, a Mass Effect game comes with a multiplayer suite. Before you highlight this part in a quote and post
your favorite bailout.gif, however, hear me out. Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer pits you and three allies against a horde (see what I did there?)
of baddies, ranging from Cerberus scum to Reaper thralls. As in the single player mode, you can create your own character, choosing from
a variety of classes and species. The victories you score in this mode can influence your galactic readiness meter in Mass Effect 3’s story mode.
Shepard and your character might even cross paths.
For more info and multiplayer discussion, visit the official multiplayer thread by EatChildren.
Mass Effect: Infiltrator
This iOs game, developed by IronMonkey Studios, puts you in the boots of Randall Ezno as he kicks Cerberus ass throughout the galaxy.
Your progress in the game can be synched to Mass Effect 3, unlocking special weapons and giving you more assets to send to war.
Mass Effect: Datapad
An iOS app that will allow you to keep track of your Galactic Readiness-meter, even when you’re not at home.
Because fighting the Reapers will totally impress the ladies.
Minimum:
- Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP1 / Windows 7
- 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent AMD CPU
- 1GB RAM (Windows XP) / 2GB RAM (Windows Vista / 7)
- 56 MB video memory with Pixel Shader 3.0 support; NVIDIA 7900 or better; ATI X1800 or better.
- DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Recommended:
- Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP1 / Windows 7
- 2.4+ GHz Core 2 Duo Intel or equivalent AMD CPU
- 2GB RAM (Windows XP) / 4GB RAM (Windows Vista / 7)
- ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB, NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT 512MB, or better recommended
- 100% DirectX compatible sound card and drivers
From Ashes
Unearth the secrets of those who came before. Mass Effect 3: From Ashes introduces a new squadmate (
the Prothean
In order to recruit this enigmatic character, Shepard will have to travel to the once verdant world of Eden Prime, now a battleground in the war with
the Reapers. Includes the new squadmate, a new mission, a new weapon and an alternate appearance for every squadmate.
Price: 800 MSP / 800 BWP / $9,99 (PSN) / Free for Collector's Edition owners
Release date: 03/06/12
Pre-order DLC
Mass Effect 3, once again, comes with a multitude of pre-order and promotion DLC, unlocked through various means, ranging from
buying an art book to finding the Jade Monkey.
Pre-ordering from Origin nets you the AT-12 Raider shotgun. Playing the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo gives you access to the
Reckoner Knight armor. Completing said demo also delivers the Chakram Launcher assault rifle into your greedy hands. Pre-ordering from
various retailers can get you the N7 Warfare Gear and/or the M-55 Argus. Pre-ordering “The Art of the Mass Effect Universe” from Barnes and Noble
makes you the proud owner of the Collector Assault Rifle for some multiplayer mayhem. Buying the Collector’s Edition gives you a robot dog
for the Normandy, an N7-hoodie to wear aboard your ship, a character appearance pack, an extra crewmember and mission (see above) and extra weapons.
Collector’s Edition:
Sometimes, the standard edition is not enough. Sometimes, you want more than the common rabble. Sometimes you want a robotic dog
running around the Normandy, no matter what the cost. Never fear, BioWare has you covered. The Collector’s Edition includes:
- The game in a premium metal case
- A 70-page hardcover art book
- A limited edition Mass Effect: Invasion comic issue
- A 4x6 lithograph featuring our favorite ship,
SerenityThe Normandy SR-2 - A digital soundtrack
- A Normandy prop for your Xbox Live avatar
- Some swag for your BioWare Social Network account, should you ever dare to venture there
- Extra DLC, including new weapons, an extra squadmate, an extra mission and extra outfits.
The strategy guide comes in two flavors, a normal edition and a Collector's Edition. The normal edition includes:
- Fight YOUR Way - Multiple approaches to every key battle
- Dominate in Multiplayer - Comprehensive maps prepare you for battle and help you survive
- Choose the Best Gear - Every weapon and piece of armor revealed, including mods and upgrades
- Take Earth Back - Class breakdowns and build recommendations give you the advantage you need against the Reapers
with BioWare employees and an art section with never-before-seen panorama shots of the game's many areas.
The Art of the Mass Effect Universe:
Do you ever look at an asari and wonder what painstaking mental process must’ve gone on in the artist’s head? Wonder no more, this
184-page artbook answers every question you might have ever had. In all seriousness, this thing looks awesome and you should buy it.
Can’t get enough Mass Effect? Want to know everything that’s happened in the universe so far? Is your name EatChildren?
Our friends at BioWare have what you need.
If your thirst is still not sated after reading these
or playing Mass Effect Galaxy, the first Mass Effect iOS game.
The war fought around this OT makes the war for the survival of the galaxy looks like child’s play. I'd like to thank Shingonation
for offering his assistance, and Dax01 and RoboPlato for proofreading. I'd also like to thank EatChildren because he’s an awesome guy and
I couldn’t resist taking a jab at his self-professed Mass Effect-obsession. Finally, I'd like to thank Chinner for handing the OT over to me.
I feel bad about all the controversy surrounding his potential thread, but I think he'll like what I conjured up here.
It’s pretty tough finding a balance between information and humor, but I think I found it. And if I didn’t, well…
