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The final chapter in Commander Shepard's saga was looming ever closer when Mass Effect 3 was Scheduled to release closer to the end of this year. Now delayed to into 2012, many gamers are busily scrounging for details on Mass Effect 3, hoping for a morsel of news not yet seen. As time goes on, more and more information comes to light, more tidbits enticing gamers back into the galactic conflict that has become a sci-fi epic to be remembered. With the official forums abuzz with chatter on theories and rumors, here are some of the facts as we know them.
First off, Mass Effect 3 will be released on PlayStaion 3, Xbox 360, and the PC at the same time across the world. Even better, gamers won't feel out of the loop if they didn't play the previous two installments. Just like the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2, gamers will be given a recap of the events thus far via an interactive comic recodring their every choices. This comic allows them to tailor their story to match their play style before they even begin the game. Characters new and old will make an appearance in this final installment of the game, assuming they survived in the first place of course. In addition to these, a supporting cast of cameo appearances and temporary crew mates will also join the player, either to provide support or to join Shepard for specific missions before moving on to handle other situations. Bioware has confirmed quite a list of characters and squad members already, which include: Liara, Garrus if he pulled through the events of the second game intact, Ashley or Kaiden depending on which one the player chose in the first game, and muscular newcomer James Sanders.
Other characters named were Wrex, Mordin, and Legion, all three of which will have a role in the third game assuming they survived the previous stories. Also mentioned is Admiral Anderson, but his exact role in Mass Effect 3 has yet to be determined, much like Udina and the Illusive Man. While it has been confirmed that they will make an appearance, whether they will be dedicated squad mates or only temporary allies remains to be seen. Much like in Mass Effect 2, the artificial intelligence EDI will return, as well as the Normandy's pilot, Joker. Also mentioned were Jack, a.k.a. Subject Zero, and the Quarian Tali. In addition to the new arrival of James Sanders, the swashbuckling assassin Kai Leng has been named as one joining the characters in the game aswell. Those who have read 'Mass Effect: Retaliation' will recognize the name, and will finally have a chance to interact with the character in the series.
Small bits of information on the storyline have also been brought forth, placing the setting a few short months after the events portrayed in "The Arrival" DLC. The Normandy SR2 has been put through a massive overhaul, rebuilding and enlarging it in preparation for the battle Shepard anticipates with the Reapers. As evidenced by the teaser trailer, the story seems to kick things off with a bang: namely a Reaper assault on Earth itself. With chaos taking hold, Shepard must unite the disparate civilizations of the galaxy to stand against a threat they didn't want to believe in, or face extinction itself. Not yet confirmed is whether or not Shepard will be able to find time to fit romance into his busy schedule(what's Next - Alien Sex). Bachelor or romantic, rumor has it that Shepard will become something of a role model for his team, and they will take their cues from him, possibly even making choices based on how he's influenced them.
In the course of saving sapient life from destruction, Shepard will visit a variety of locales to accomplish missions and enlist aid. Sur'Kesh, tropical home of the Salarians has been mentioned. From the jungles to the peak of a volcano overlooking the Salarian homes ("Hey Mordin! I can see your house from here!"), the environment brings to mind a peaceful quality at odds with the devastation promised by the Reapers. Also mentioned is a Quarian desert world of Rannoch, land of pyramid structures and of course, Geth. Also on the list is the Turian home world Palaver, a facility on the human-controlled Mars, Illium, and a large city on Earth that appears to be Seattle and Vancouver combined into one megalopolis. The expanded locations aren't the only aspects of the setting being upgraded. Architecture will be more detailed, with new lighting effects to accent richer details. The bulky, long ramps of previous installments will be replaced by ladders, allowing for more vertical game play. Also noted is that Shepard will be able to leap small gaps, and has some upgrade maneuvering in combat(Duck and roll, Shepard, duck and roll).
Class and combat have also been revamped. While they strived to keep the action oriented combat of Mass Effect 2, developer Bioware has heard the cries of fans of the first game's RPG qualities. Rather than starting players talents from the beginning and putting them on a simplistic skill track as was done in the second game, players will start Mass Effect 3 with skills in line with what they ended the second with. More variety will be added, with the goal being each level of a skill is a choice, rather than only the final option. This will grant far greater customization of characters, separating each from others of the same class. Speaking of class, a few new changes have been mentioned. First off, all classes will now have the ability to use all weapon types. No longer defined solely by their weapons, players will be differentiated by class and skill choices. Don't think that means each weapon is the same though. Players will be granted the ability to customize several different traits of their gear, altering the qualities and appearance to match. Rumor has it that the Technician class will have an artillery ability. Also of note is the improved melee system, granting each class a different melee attack.
The AI of the enemies has also been improved, allowing them to adjust their tactics and behavior to better hunt Shepard and his team. Each enemy will take specialized roles in order to thwart humanity's first Spectre in his quest. They'll be hard pressed to accomplish this lofty goal, however, now Shepard is able to target different points on an enemy's body for different reactions, or even chip away fragments of their armor or body to weaken their attacks or open new weak points. And even more dangerous for those who stand in his way, Shepard will be able to pick up the weapons of fallen foes to turn them on his enemies. What enemies? Well, obviously the Reapers, but one can only imagine how many dreadnought-sized opponents Shepard can defeat at a time. The Husks have expanded their catalogue as well, adding Turian, Batarian, Rachni, and possibly others to their ranks. And for some as-of-yet-unknown reason, Cerberus has turned against Shepard, and is actively working to halt his progress( I smell and Illusive man, oh wait, now the smell is gone, it's so illusive).
Civil wars, Reapers, and shadowy organizations. Shepard must stand against all three, pulling the galaxy from the brink of destruction. And while it has been confirmed that choices from the previous two games will alter the story of the third, and that there will be multiple endings, one thing is certain: this is Commander Shepard's last chapter in the Mass Effect saga. But just because Shepard's story ends here, doesn't mean Mass Effect is over(Hint). Stay tuned for more details on Mass Effect 3 and my interview with Casy Husdon taking place at E3 2011.
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