Highly-anticipated video game hits stores March 6
The fight for the galaxy finally comes home to Earth with the March 6 release of "Mass Effect 3," the final installment in Bioware's "Mass Effect" series. The highly-anticipated game hopes to offer both longtime fans and newcomers alike an expansive role-playing experience that takes full advantage of the series' strong narrative, wealth of characters and commitment to quality action. Acting as more than the finale to Commander John Shepard's saga, "Mass Effect 3" has the chance to set the tone of future action-Role Playing Game series — or, with its weaknesses, pose challenges to the hybrid genre well into 2012.
Shepard's fight against the Reapers — sentient dreadnoughts that systematically purge the galaxy of organic life — has brought him through numerous campaigns and alien conflicts victorious. But the threat is much more than one man, no matter his reputation. The game's demo opens on a scene now familiar to fans: The fall of Earth to invading Reapers. Shepard is forced to escape the planet and rally together races across the galaxy to challenge the Reaper threat.
The narrative premise alone represents the foundational strength of "Mass Effect 3." This type of ambitious story was painfully absent from "Mass Effect 2," which had a main quest devoted more to mystery rather than to suspenseful, active game play. Confined to following the hints and suggestions of the Illusive Man, Shepard's story in "Mass Effect 2" was neither worthy of player immersion nor competent enough to make use of a galaxy-sized map. The coalition-building dynamic of "Mass Effect 3" has the possibility both of maintaining a thread of tension and urgency while bringing out every detail of the Mass Effect universe — from cultural nuances to age-old conflicts among different races. Shepard leaves Earth with a multitude of planets and cultures at his disposal, yet a single burning question leaves the narrative fresh and interesting: Can he pull the galaxy together in time?
Another advantage is a shift in emphasis toward the RPG elements. Special ability options have been increased, and the actual building of a player's individual Shepard has become more interactive. In "Mass Effect 2," an ability's final upgrade came with two options that usually complemented either aggressive or defensive play style. These choices come much earlier in "Mass Effect 3," with ability choices appearing as early as the third upgrade.
Incendiary Ammo, for example, can either be upgraded in terms of its damage from Shepard's weapons alone or as a damage percentage shared with team members, with upgrades available into the fifth and sixth levels. This move toward more customization adds to the player's experience and enhances the action, allowing a player to approach combat in a more creative fashion than just cover-based shooting.
Yet what "Mass Effect 3" added to its RPG elements it seems to have taken away from its action elements. Motion controls now include dodges, rolls, climbs and leaps — a dizzying array of moves that clashes with the standard forcefulness closely associated with Shepard's character. Approaching a point of cover now comes with an added aspect of anxiety, as players wonder whether or not Shepard will duck to avoid the incoming Cerberus fire or roll directly into the open. And since enemies are more armored and more powerful than ever, this worry is certainly an unwelcome concern that could weigh heavily on the game's moments of combat, which is — as always — the other pillar of any action-RPG's success. Game veterans may find the new mobility a welcome advantage, but novices and moderately-experienced players will grapple with the problem of keeping Shepard still in environments where everything from turret fire to biotics make every step a liability.
The balance between action and RPG has always been a delicate one, but the "Mass Effect" series has shown itself capable of navigating these two genres with ease and innovation. "Mass Effect 3" will ultimately be even more proof of this, providing players the chance to see fast-paced game play and concentrated character development complement each other in an engrossing narrative. The fight for Earth may end March 6, but the real battle starts for fans everywhere who take part in this last chapter of Shepard's story.