8.5
Mass Effect 3 Demo Impressions
The Mass Effect 3 demo launched yesterday and to sum up my personal impressions in a single word – YES! With a taste of both the single player campaign as well as the new co-operative multiplayer, the demo shows just how much the final installment in Bioware’s epic space faring trilogy has to offer.
The single player portion covers the game’s intro as well as a mission taking place a bit later in the game. The graphics engine seems to have been overhauled yet again, leading to some stunning vistas and smooth animations. Character models are more detailed than ever, and draw distances are a sight to behold. The dialogue scenes are very well directed, making this the most cinematic Mass Effect experience yet. Mobility has been enhanced with an improved cover system and a new evasive roll mechanic. Squad control has been streamlined, making tactical positioning easier than ever. Grenades have been brought back into the series and shooting controls have been further refined. Coupled with the option to have dialogues simply play out as cutscenes, third-person shooter fans who haven’t yet tested the waters of the series will likely find plenty to love about Mass Effect 3.
Nay-sayers of the newly added multiplayer suite be warned: by skipping this part of the game, you’ll be missing out! This wave-based survival mode with up to four players offers challenging enemies and random objectives that keep things fresh and engaging throughout. All six story-based classes are present and playable, with unlock-able included to spice things up. By playing the co-op, you’ll level up your characters and earn credits which can be spent between matches on booster packs, which surprisingly function like real-world collectible card packs. Each pack contains random items, with 5,000 credit packs occasionally awarding an ‘uncommon’ item, and 20,000 credit packs guaranteeing one. To put these prices into perspective, after two consecutive matches that both ended on the 10th wave, I had earned over 30,000 credits. The potential items include powerful single-use items, new weapons and weapon upgrades, and even character unlocks that include XP bonuses to specific classes. The gameplay was a lot of fun and, assuming there are a wide variety of maps and objectives in the retail release, should hold players’ interests for a very long time to come.
It’s clear that EA and Bioware are crafting Mass Effect 3 to be a widely accessible experience. Regardless of whether you’ve never heard of Mass Effect or if you’ve been patiently waiting to finish your own Commander Shepard’s journey through the cosmos, there’s plenty of reason to check out this demo. With tightened shooting, enhanced character customization, freer mobility, heightened production values, and an exciting and engaging multiplayer offering, Mass Effect 3 could easily end up being one of the most significant game releases this year.
Mass Effect 3 launches on March 6th, so stay tuned for a full review of the game soon.
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Its gratifying that Bioware has absorbed all the lessons about cutting corners after the fan back-lash for Dragon Age 2. Good that they DELAYED this game, and decided to ENSURE it was good. They will get 2 rewards for taking their work seriously. (1) They will make a game in the Skyrim mold, that is simply too good to score bomb, so its reviews will hold up over time. (2) They will make oodles of money. They are welcome to it, because millions of folks will get plenty of gaming joy on the dollar. That’s the business. Great that they are serious about learning and improving with this franchise. Hope they will do Dragon Age justice and follow up with as much serious effort for Thedas.
what about the low res textures on your armour?