Mass Effect 3

Well seeing as how GameInformer's next issue will feature Mass Effect 3 with some info I thought I would start a thread about it.

What we know so far:

• 
  Kaidan/Ashley is back

• Liara is back

• My Husbando!Garrus is back

• James Sanders (Who is probably the guy from the trailer)

• Wrex, Mordin, Legion, and Anderson are confirmed to show up, but we're not sure if they will become squaddies (I think Wrex will though)

• The Illusive Man also plays a prominent role, and Cerberus is out to kill Shepard.

• The RPG elements are being beefed up, not going back to ME1, but giving more freedom with the character skills. Skill trees will be larger, and powers will evolve several times instead of just once, offering even more freedom. Weapons are ME2 style, with a set list, but mods make a return, not in the ME1 style, but allowing you to swap out different parts such as barrels, scopes, and so on, which effect both the weapon's combat performance and its appearance.

• The game will have numerous endings, some good, some bad, and who you have in your squad and which allies you recruit can have a drastic effect on which are available.

• All classes can wield all weapons unhindered now, but will have limited slots to carry them. Only the Soldier can carry all weapons at once. Probably means Adept, Engineer, and Sentinal will be limited to two, and Vanguard and Infiltrator will have three.
  
• Shepard can roll, jump small gaps, and hit cover in a way likened to Max Payne.
  
• Space battles are possible, but unconfirmed at this stage. The Engineer can build turrets, and weapons are customisable.
  
• New locations include New York, London, the Salarian home planet, a Quarian moon, and Mars. Developing each location takes six months, and BioWare test them as soon as they start working on them.
  
• Pro-human organisation Cerberus, which acts against Shepard in the game, has mechs, assault units and “ninja-style†shock troops at its disposal.
  
• But Shepard and his party members are able to cause damage dynamically to enemies. The Cerberus mechs, for example, have a weak spot that must be shot. Arms can be cut off and armour can be broken.
  
• The combat is described as “more dynamicâ€, forcing players to move quickly. “Game rhythm†is 10-15 per cent faster.
  
• Mysterious alien robot race the Reapers come in different sizes, from 500-600 metres to two kilometres. Sovereign, for example, is a two kilometre Reaper.
  
• Environments are bigger. We’ll see people walking, ships fighting and more detailed architecture. BioWare is looking for photo-realism by using new lightning techniques for the environments. Atmosphere is also better and there are more interactive elements in the scenarios.
  
• A new scanning system has been implemented, and we won’t drive the vehicles of previous Mass Effect games.
  
• The RPG elements of Mass Effect are being expanded for the third game. Skill trees will be larger, and powers can evolve several times.
  
• Characters returning in Mass Effect 3 include love interests Liara T’Soni, Kaidan Alenko and Ashley Williams. Squad members Garrus, Wrex, Mordin and Legion are pencilled in (providing they didn’t die), as is Anderson. Whether these old faces can be recruited remains to be seen.
  
• James Sanders - a possible offspring of Mass Effect novel heroine Kahlee Sanders - can also apparently join your team.
  
• Mass Effect 3 starts as Shepard stands trial for his actions in recent ME2 DLC Arrival. Part-way through the hearing the Reapers invade earth. Mass Effect 3’s prologue involves Shepard escaping to the Normandy, before rocketing off to put the old team back together. He’ll fight Reaper-controlled husks of all species along the way.
  
• Enigmatic Mass Effect 2 patron the Illusive Man also returns, his Cerberus operation now tasked with killing Shepard. Why the Illusive Man has turned the tables on his former champion remains to be seen.

• The game will by default feature a “previously on Mass Effect†comic to make decisions with if starting from scratch.

EDIT (1)

Damn Ash, nice makeover.

EDIT (2)


EDIT (3)
HQ Shots
http://community.livejournal.com/masseffect/938886.html

 

Wrex is back?

YesYesYesYesYesYes

I've never looked forward to a game this much since pokemon blue, if they screw this up somehow, I will be seriously mad. There's a good chance they won't though. I really hope Wrex will be a party member, and Garrus too. I can't wait for my Game Informer Mag this month. C:

 

Spoilerz regarding the games prologue.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/995452-mass-effect-3/58730036

Fuk, you're lucky. Its supposed to have 12 pages worth of info+screenshots ;_;

 

cccccc:

You know Mass Effect is getting it's own anime series too?

 

ugh yeah. I think it will suck.

 

Nice link.

Spoiler

I figured the Illusive Man would become an enemy.

 

I just read this myself. So glad to see even a trickle of information has been released! :DD
It does sound like the team you assemble will be made of old and new. Personally i'd like to se some new faces, I like most all of the party members already, but new ones always spice things up. And it sounds like you'll only be able to recruit only so many companions, since it says that your ending will depend on who you take, maybe you're not allowed to take everyone?

Is that really an image of Ash? Looks nothing like her to me. Then again Bioware maybe changing the aesthetic look of things, like Dragon Age 2, in order to distinguish itself from other games. As long as it's done right, I don't care.

And the voice actor of EDI has done work for ME3 so I presume she's back along with the Normandy 2.0/3.0? Probably gonna change the decal of the ship since they're being hunted by Cerberus. Maybe get some upgrades while we're at it.

 

THE HAIR BUMP SURVIVED

 

My entire opinion of Mass Effect 3 all depends on Thane being a squad mate.

 

I don't think he will be one. Its too early to say but he has not been mentioned at all yet.

 

I think helping him with his 'condition' will be a mission in the game, which may or may not result him being in your squad, or even alive.

 

AHH... those screenshots look so awesome. Brb need to change my pants...

 

Garrus' new look <3



Creating Garrus
Species Design
How Mass Effect began

 

Sweet mother of god-

I think I just drooled then.

 

Spoiler

Spoiler regarding Palaven.

EDIT: Mass Effect 3 has been delayed so it will be released in 2012.

 

Not sure if this is worth a post, but it seems Mass Effect 3 is getting dumbed down to appeal for more people. EA is changing a few things, which is one of the reasons why the game was delayed.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109781-EA-Tweaking-Mass-Effect-3-to-Appeal-to-Wider-Market

 

Oh great... /:

 

I know some people are complaining that it's been delayed but that's kinda of a good thing in my opinion, gives them more time to work on it.
A lot is riding on this game for me, since Dragon Age 2 was a big disappointment for me. I really hope that Mass Effect 3 will be an amazing game.

 

I agree. Dragon Age 2 was a glitchy mess quickly glued together (Even if I still enjoyed it). So lets hope that Bioware uses this time wisely.