Release
Mass Effect 3 will be released March 6, 2012, as announced during the E3 2011 Mass Effect 3 premiere. The game was originally slated for a 'Holiday 2011' release but was delayed to "[ensure] that it exceeds everyone's expectations "and "address a far larger market opportunity. " Prior to that, Ray Muzyka had stated that the release timing would be based on maximising both "quality" and "commercial success".
During E3 2011, EA Games Label President Frank Gibeau did not discount the possibility of Mass Effect 3 being available for the Nintendo Wii U console, stating that EA will only "announce that when it's ready."
BioWare is releasing a Collector's Edition of Mass Effect 3, the Mass Effect 3 N7 Collector's Edition. This edition has numerous exclusive items, Downloadable Content, a free digital soundtrack, and an exclusive Xbox 360 Normandy Avatar Prop among other things.
Demo
BioWare plans to release a demo of Mass Effect 3 in January 2012. The demo will contain both single-player and cooperative multiplayer content.
Those who purchase a copy of Battlefield 3 will be able to gain early access to the multiplayer portion of the demo.[9] Access is unlocked by redeeming the Online Pass included with new copies of Battlefield 3.
Additional information about the demo and how to acquire it will be released in early 2012 after BioWare's Christmas break.
“There won't be an Earth left to save...” — Spoilers for Mass Effect 3 follow.
Plot
“ Earth is burning. Striking from beyond known space, a race of terrifying machines have begun their destruction of the human race. As Commander Shepard, an Alliance Marine, your only hope for saving mankind is to rally the civilizations of the galaxy and launch one final mission to take back the Earth.
— Official Plot Summary
Fate of the Galaxy
The story is the 'epic conclusion' to the story started in Mass Effect and continued in Mass Effect 2, as well as the conclusion of Commander Shepard's story. The player's choices in the previous games are expected to have a much more significant impact on the plot than the choices in Mass Effect had on Mass Effect 2. As Mass Effect 3 is the end of the planned trilogy, the developers are not constrained by the necessity of allowing the story to diverge, yet also continue into the next chapter. This will result in a story that diverges into wildly different conclusions based on the player's actions in the first two chapters.
Throughout Mass Effect 3, Commander Shepard will be bringing the civilisations of the galaxy together as allies to take back Earth and repel the Reaper invasion. The player's choices throughout not only Mass Effect 3, but the entire trilogy, will affect the fate of these civilisations and the endings the player can receive.
Characters
Squad Members
As with the previous games in the Mass Effect trilogy, Shepard will be able to recruit companions that can follow Shepard into battle. Currently, these are known to include:
Kaidan Alenko 1
Tali'Zorah vas Normandy 2
Liara T'Soni
Garrus Vakarian 2
James Vega
Ashley Williams 1
While some squad members will be required, and core to the story, some will be optional and others may only be available for a single mission.[14] Project Director Casey Hudson has also stated that Mass Effect 3 will have fewer squad members than Mass Effect 2 to focus on "deeper relationships and more interesting interplay".
1 One or the other, depending on the outcome of Virmire: Assault in Mass Effect.
2 Depending on the outcome of the Suicide Mission in Mass Effect 2.
Returning Characters
The following characters will appear in some capacity in Mass Effect 3, provided they survived the events of Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.
David Anderson 1
Kelly Chambers
EDI
Jack
Captain Kirrahe
Thane Krios
Miranda Lawson
Legion
The Illusive Man
Zaeed Massani
Jeff "Joker" Moreau
Mordin Solus
Jacob Taylor
Donnel Udina
Conrad Verner
Urdnot Wrex
1 Temporary squadmate.
The following characters make their first game appearance after appearing in other Mass Effect media:
Kai Leng, from Mass Effect: Retribution.
Locations
Commander Shepard and the team will visit a wide variety of new locations in Mass Effect 3, including:
Earth
Mars
Rannoch, the quarian homeworld, now occupied by the geth.
Sur'Kesh, the salarian homeworld.
Palaven, the turian homeworld.
Thessia, the asari homeworld.
In addition, the player will return to the following locations featured in past games:
Illium
Tuchanka
The Citadel
Noveria
Normandy
The Normandy SR-2 will return in Mass Effect 3, and it has been claimed by the Systems Alliance, who has taken the ship apart, studied it, and then rebuilt it with new technologies and new areas.
Gameplay Changes Edit
In a presentation by Lead Gameplay Designer Christina Norman, at the Game Developer's Conference in March 2010, titled Where Did My Inventory Go? Refining Gameplay in Mass Effect 2, Norman outlined her goals for Mass Effect 3.[31] These included richer RPG features, more combat options and more complex enemies.
According to Project Director Casey Hudson, Mass Effect 3 will continue, with adjustments, the approach of Mass Effect 2 by focusing on "an awesome sense of exploration, intense combat, a deep and non-linear story that's affected by your actions, and rich customisation of your armour, weapons and appearance" instead of an approach where the player "(equips the) hero by sifting through an inventory of hundreds of miscellaneous items and spend hours fiddling with numerical statistics" noting the "overwhelmingly positive" response Mass Effect 2 received for its approach.
Combat
Mass Effect 3's changes to Mass Effect 2's core combat mechanics are not as drastic as the changes Mass Effect 2 made to the original Mass Effect, however improvements have been made and new capabilities introduced. These include:
Difficulty will be increased, with Casey Hudson describing Normal as "the new Veteran".
An increase in overall combat speed of 10-15%.
Shepard is now more agile in combat. Changes to movement in combat include the ability to roll, leap over ledges or gaps without taking cover first, optimised maneuvering and firing from cover and the removal of fatigue while running.
Melee plays a larger role, all classes receive improved melee with each one receiving a unique heavy melee attack.
Enemy AI has been improved. Enemies now perform specific functions on the battlefield and coordinate with other enemies. For example, 'cover buster' enemies, such as Husks, are often paired with a 'suppressor' enemy type, which will try to keep Shepard in cover while the Husks get in close.
Weapons
Mass Effect 3 makes several changes to the way weapons worked in Mass Effect 2, these include:
The ability for all classes to wield any type of weapon. However, classes will be limited by the number of weapons they can carry at any one time, with the Soldier being the only class that can wield every weapon class at once.
The return of weapon modifications. Players will be able to modify their weapons with different parts, such as barrels, scopes and materials, that will affect the weapon's combat performance and appearance.
Shepard can pick up and wield weapons dropped by enemies.
All weapons that the player acquired in Mass Effect 2 will be available, including downloadable firearms, such as the M-96 Mattock.
Grenades will return as a usable weapon. The new grenades have a different appearance and mechanics than those in Mass Effect. Mass Effect 3's grenades are "round, [and] conventional", they are thrown at enemies and detonate after a short time.
Powers
Main article: Powers (Mass Effect 3)
Mass Effect 3 features larger skill trees that offer a greater degree of freedom when it comes to choosing skills. Whereas Mass Effect 2 offered a choice of two evolved versions of a power upon reaching Rank 4, Mass Effect 3 grants the ability to evolve powers multiple times.
In addition to Powers returning from Mass Effect 2, there are several new additions to the lineup. These include:
Frag Grenade
Proximity Mine
Exploration
Vehicle-based exploration will be closer to Mass Effect 2, where it didn't form part of the critical path. Casey Hudson had previously indicated that the vehicle exploration segment of the Mass Effect 2 DLC pack Overlord was an attempt at addressing issues players had with the exploration segments in the original Mass Effect, and lessons learned from its implementation could be used to implement similar segments in Mass Effect 3.
While Cristina Norman has noted that "nobody liked" the mining mechanic in Mass Effect 2 and Casey Hudson has stated that the mining part of the game will be changed, nevertheless the notion of exploring the galaxy in a non-linear fashion will be preserved.
Kinect Functionality
Mass Effect 3 for the Xbox 360 will include optional Kinect functionality. The Kinect will allow the player to choose dialogue options by reading the paraphrase aloud and give tactical orders to the squad, such as changing positions or using powers, with voice commands. The Kinect features will not serve as an alternative control system, but will "augment" in-game conversations.
Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War
Main article: Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War
Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War is a "bonus" to the Mass Effect 3 single-player campaign. In Galaxy at War, the player can manage and experience the galactic war on multiple fronts. The system monitors the "Galactic Readiness" level, which is measured by Commander Shepard's ability to utilize assets, such as people, weapons, resources, armies, and fleets, to confront the Reapers. Galactic Readiness is influenced in several ways, including co-op multiplayer. Other platforms and interfaces will be announced later.
Using Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War is optional. Although the system can affect the single-player campaign of Mass Effect 3, it can be ignored and the same results achieved by playing only the single-player. Access to Galaxy at War and its components will require an Online Pass, which will be included with new copies of Mass Effect 3.
Co-op Multiplayer
Main article: Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer
Mass Effect 3 will feature an online four-player co-op multiplayer mission mode separate from the single-player story. In this mode, the player will create a new custom character to fight on different fronts of the galactic war. Players can choose between turian, krogan, asari, and other races to create their character, each with their own unique abilities. There will also be character progression, weapon upgrading, and leveling up.
Playing the co-op multiplayer mode is optional. Although successfully completing missions in this mode can affect the single-player campaign of Mass Effect 3 through the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system, co-op can be ignored and the same results can be achieved by playing only the single-player.
Soundtrack
Composer Clint Mansell, known for scoring films such as Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain, will be composing the score for Mass Effect 3. Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 composer Jack Wall will not be involved; however, Sam Hulick will return, as well as Christopher Lennertz, Cris Velasco, and Sascha Dikiciyan, who composed the soundtracks for the DLC for Mass Effect 2.
Save File Transfer
Main article: Save File Transfer
As with Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 will allow the player to import their save file from the previous game, carrying over their decisions from both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, totaling over 1000 variables. As Mass Effect 3 will import decisions not just from Mass Effect 2, but the original Mass Effect as well, some of the player's decisions from Mass Effect that did not have impact in Mass Effect 2 could potentially have an impact in Mass Effect 3.
If Commander Shepard died in the player's Mass Effect 2 playthrough, the player will be unable to import their save game. Mass Effect 3's story is a continuation of Shepard's story and if Shepard died in Mass Effect 2 that death is considered final. Similarly, any squadmates who did not survive the suicide mission at the end of Mass Effect 2 will not return in Mass Effect 3.
A player importing a save from Mass Effect 2 will be able to change both their appearance and their class at the beginning of Mass Effect 3.
Mass Effect 3 System Requirements
Minimum Requirements
Intel CPU Core 2 Duo E4400 2.0Ghz
Amd CPU Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3600+
Nvidia GPU GeForce 6800 GS
AMD GPU Radeon HD 6380 G
RAM 1 GB
OS Win XP 32
Direct X DX9
HDD Space 17 GB
GD Adjusted Requirements
Intel CPU Celeron E3400 Dual-Core 2.6Ghz
AMD CPU Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5400+
Nvidia GPU GeForce GT230
AMD GPU Radeon X800XT
RAM 2GB
OS Win Xp 32
Direct X Dx9
HDD Space 17 GB
Predicted Requrrements
Intel CPU Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8Ghz
AMD CPU Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition
Nvidia GPU GeForce GTS 240
AMD GPU Radeon HD 6740
RAM 1GB
OS Win Xp 32
Direct X 9
HDD Space 17 GB
As Far As I Can Tell!
Well, it seems that Mass Effect 3 will be quite optimized, and "as far as I can tell" I'm sure that it will run on Windows 7 of course!
My point of view!
I think it is a great game and I like the fact that it continues the story. I like the fact that it affects the Mass 3 gameplay by what you did in Mass 1 and 2.
Let's pray that the release date is true and there won't be any delays!
Please comment and share your point!
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