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Game Informer gives Mass Effect 9.75
Game Informer has reviewed Mass Effect for the Xbox 360 and the news is good. In short, the magazine thinks Mass Effect is one of the best games ever made. In particular, the magazine lauds the game's storyline and compelling characters. The review praises the game, noting that it has a deep and rich universe easily on par with Star Wars, even noting that it is "the next big franchise for science fiction junkies to latch onto." More importantly, the review notes that Mass Effect represents "a huge step forward for video games" and that it "rings in a new age of interactive storytelling."The only downside of the game seems to be the combat, which is apparently hampered by balance problems and wonky AI. The review notes that the combat certainly isn't a deal breaker, and that it's still fun to play, but it's not quite on par with the grand universe present in the rest of the game.All in all, Game Informer gives it a 9.75. How exactly one equates a game's deficiencies to a value of 0.25 we don't know, but we're sure the team at BioWare is pretty damned pleased (as are their new overlords, no doubt). Keep an eye out for the full review in the latest issue of Game Informer.[Thanks, Morphy]
EA owns Mass Effect ... so, what now?
Also discussed during EA's BioWare/Pandemic conference call was the fate of the (thus far) Xbox 360-exclusive Mass Effect. While Microsoft is still publishing the first installment of the game (which is due November 20) – now that the previously BioWare-owned IP belongs to EA – Gamasutra notes that it "would conceivably from here out be EA published."If one examines EA's publishing practices, it isn't difficult to assume that this would also conceivably be a multi-platform title, meaning Microsoft may have just lost one of their biggest exclusives. Will we see a PS3 sequel at parity with the 360? Or perhaps a Wii version: Mass Wiifect ... over a dozen minigames ... in space!Update: A Microsoft spokesperson tells Joystiq that while the publisher has not "announced specifics regarding sequels" to Mass Effect, it will be "talking to EA and BioWare in the weeks to come." In addition, Microsoft remains "committed to the franchise's long term success."Update 2: BioWare tells GameDaily that the developer's "focus is pure and simple; it's to deliver the best game possible for our fans with Mass Effect, and that's an Xbox 360 exclusive." Currently, there are no plans to extend the franchise to PS3.
EA to buy Pandemic Studios and BioWare
Electronic Arts has announced today that it will acquire VG Holding Corp. from Elevation Partners. VG Holding owns both Pandemic Studios and BioWare, which means the deal nabs both developers for EA. Electronic Arts will be paying up to $650 million in cash to the stockholders of VG Holding, with up to $155 million being paid in equity to specific employees. Pandemic is currently hard at work on the excessively violent sandbox title, Mercenaries 2, which is being published by EA. The deal raises questions about BioWare, as the company is currently developing the galaxy hopping RPG Mass Effect for Microsoft Game Studios. As the game is set to be a trilogy, we have to wonder what this deal means for the next two installments.We'd love to make some sort of Madden RPG joke here (Madden Effect, perhaps?), but we just don't have the energy. Hit the "read" link for the full press release.[Via Joystiq]
EA to acquire BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios
Monolithic publisher EA has today announced an agreement with Elevation Partners to purchase VG Holding Corp. -- a move which sees EA becoming the owner of both BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios. A shocking move to be certain, but one that should make complete sense to a publisher looking to strengthen its lineup of role-playing games and action titles. BioWare, currently finishing development on November's Microsoft-published Mass Effect, has proven itself to be one of the leading developers in the genre, and Pandemic Studios' Mercenaries franchise has shown an alarming propensity for blowing things up. Closing January 2008, the purchase will cost EA up to $620 million in cash payment to the stockholders of VG Holding Corp., with another $155 million in equity going to "certain employees" of VG Holding Corp., "subject to time-based or performance-based vesting criteria." EA has also agreed to lend VG Holding Corp $35 million through the closing of the purchase. Ray Muzyka, Co-founder and CEO of BioWare Corp, thinks it's all money well spent. "This vision is consistent with BioWare's focus on crafting the highest quality story-driven games in the world," he says. "It will enable us to further the careers of the passionate, creative and hard working teams at BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Austin." EA will hold a conference call later today to discuss the acquisition. Oh, and here are all the exclamation marks we wanted to put in the headline: !!!!!!!!!!
Mass Effect Collector's Edition details released
Here's a bracing thought for your Thursday morning: Have we become spoiled by Limited/Collector's Editions? Take, for instance, the recently revealed contents of the of the forthcoming Mass Effect Limited Edition package. Fiction Book: Galactic Codex: Essentials Mass Effect Art Book: A Future Imagined 2nd DVD with exclusive videos about Mass Effect (Art of Mass Effect, Interactive Storytelling of Mass Effect) Sure, books. Everybody loves books. But where are the cat helmets? Where are the gorgeous (though fragile) Big Daddy figurines? We can't decide if we're disappointed because there are no toys, or because the obvious choice (two girls made of pewter and totally doing it) is nowhere to be found.
Mass Effect trilogy aims to begin & end on Xbox 360
While he could not comment on exclusivity, BioWare president and co-founder Dr. Greg Zeschuk has told Games Radar that the developer's goal is to have all three installments of the planned Mass Effect trilogy to appear on the Xbox 360. The only problem Zeschuk foresees in the plan is the console life cycle. "I hope, I hope, I hope that this cycle is longer than the last one," he said, adding that the advent of downloadable content means they could bridge the gap between iterations with "new little islands of story between the big game releases." Sony has previously stated its intentions to have the PlayStation 3's life cycle exceed previous consoles; if that holds, Microsoft would less incentive release its own competitive hardware upgrade within the traditional cycle. Zeschuk would not comment on the exclusivity of the series to the Xbox 360.Mass Effect is due out November 20 in North America.
BioWare: Mass Effect trilogy stays on 360
In an interview with CVG, BioWare president Greg Zeschuk intimated that the company plans to release all three iterations of its upcoming trilogy, Mass Effect, on Xbox 360. When asked if that means console exclusivity, Zeschuk states that it's too early to make such claims. Zeschuk further notes that BioWare is hoping that the latest console cycle will last longer than the previous cycle. He also mentions the kinds of downloadable content that might be released for Mass Effect, which could conceivably bridge the gap between sequels. Also, the company would like to produce a Mass Effect demo, but time is concern. In other words, don't cross your fingers. Zeschuk also discusses the DVD / Blu-Ray question (hint: Mass Effect fits on one DVD), KOTOR III, and the question of homosexuality in Mass Effect. Hit the "read" link for the full interview.
New Mass Effect media abounds
With November 20th over two months away, Mass Effect fans are probably keen to fill their senses with any information they can soak up. Lucky for them, the internets have obliged with some fresh new media. GameTrailers is hosting several new gameplay videos and developer interviews. Our favorite gameplay video of the bunch is embedded above. It highlights the game's dialogue and combat systems. More videos, which include exploration, combat, and (female) character creation are embedded after the break.
Mass Effect officially arrives November 20th
Emerging from a wormhole in space, the official release date for the next RPG from BioWare, Mass Effect, has been announced. No longer confined to the nebulous date of "November," Mass Effect will be landing on retail shelves -- where it will no doubt encounter hostile alien life -- starting November 20th. We were very impressed with what we saw of the game at E3, and the media that has arrived since then has done nothing to dull said impressions. Yup, we can't wait to play Peter Moore's most anticipated game. Alas, now we are saddled with the knowledge that we have nearly three months to wait for it. Sigh ... if only there was something to keep us occupied until then.
Mass Effect goes into effect Nov. 20
The nebulous "November" release date for the highly-anticipated RPG Mass Effect is now primed for dimensional travel November 20. The preview videos have been yummy, the conversation system looks amazing, even our time with the game was nice -- now if we could only get a straight answer on those weird frame-rate hiccups we keep seeing. We hope that'll all be cleaned up by November when we'll be partaking in turkey and then sitting our tryptophan overdosed selves down for hours of Mass Effect. Who would watch football after dinner when there's a galaxy to save? %Gallery-1968%
Video: Mass Effect character customization
1UP and GameVideos posted an exclusive Mass Effect video where they get a chance to show off and discuss the game's character customization as well as talk about other features the game offers. First off, the character customization looks amazing. It's so detailed, natural and, from the looks of things, highly customizable. You'll have to watch the video to get a sense for what we're talking about. In the video the editors also chat about other Mass Effect topics like the command system, dialog interaction, the hopping vehicle and show in-game clips from the game while discussing each topic. It's definitely a great watch and even though it's nearly fifteen minutes long, we're sure you'll be interested enough to watch the full video without needing to skip ahead.[Thanks, DjDATZ]
Watch a delicious, 15-minute Mass Effect preview
With the delay of one big property last week, you might be a little down in the dumps about your gaming prospects in the fall. Allow yourself to be soothed by the healing power of Mass Effect, namely 15 minutes of previewing from your friends at 1UP.There are some dialog scenes, a look at the driving mini-game and a fairly extensive sample of the character creation. Oh, and, of course, there's some good, old-fashion shooting. You don't need to hear anything else from us. Go. Watch. Delight.
BioWare details Mass Effect villain
In the most recent Mass Effect blog update on IGN, BioWare takes a little time to describe the creation of the game's main villain, Saren. It seems the masses would like to know who Saren is and why he's so deliciously evil. First of all, those truly curious should probably check out the official novel, Mass Effect: Revelation. As for the rest of you, read on. It turns out that Saren is a Spectre -- an elite military unit that can basically do whatever the hell he wants to quell galactic threats -- just like the main character, Commander Shepard. He even spent time with Shepard's mentor, Captain Anderson. As the game wears on, you learn more about Saren and what his motivations are and, as is the case with any good villain, you may actually be able to empathize with him. BioWare assures us, however, that you'll still want to kill him. The blog goes on to detail the creation of Saren's look, which actually began with the creation of the Turian race itself in Mass Effect. It's a good read and definitely worth checking out for Mass Effect fans.
Video: E3 Mass Effect demonstration
Without a doubt, Mass Effect was one of the highlights of our time at E3. Sporting compelling gameplay and gorgeous visuals to boot, Mass Effect proved to be one of the most promising titles at the show. Hell, Peter Moore even told us it was the game he's most excited about. Of course, not everyone can go to E3 and not everyone got the chance to see BioWare's behind-closed-doors Mass Effect presentation. IGN managed to grab Greg Zeschuk, president of BioWare, for a live demonstration of the game. Zeschuk takes time to discuss the game's dialogue system, story, and it's combat system. For those curious about Mass Effect -- and even those who have already laid down their pre-orders, it's definitely worth a look. Check it out after the break.
Video: Mass Effect's delicious dialogue
Perhaps you read our recent impressions of Mass Effect. If you did, you'll know that we were mightily impressed with the game's dialogue system. Rather than simply presenting players with a set of scripted responses, Mass Effect more or less has players choose their gut response. This gives conversations a much more natural flow, and as a side effect, actually made us pay attention to what the characters were saying. If a game can actually make you enjoy the things your character says, rather than simply skipping over it, that's a good sign.Having seemingly read our minds, GameVideos has posted a video of the dialogue system in action. Give it a watch and see how interesting it can be. Take special note of the choices the player didn't make, and you'll have an idea of how many possibilities there are. November can't come fast enough.[Via Joystiq]
Mass Effect makes even talking magical
It isn't every game that could get us excited about a conversation system, but, luckily for us and the guy that sells Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk their gold-plated yachts, Mass Effect isn't every game, as this video of a single conversation proves with authority.Are we alone in being slightly slack-jawed at the fluid, cinematic conversation that plays out? Should we maybe wait until we've seen more to set up lawn chairs outside our local game store in preparation for November? Nay, we say. If loving well-constructed dialog is no longer "hip", then we'll be in our room, playing The Adventures of Willy Beamish.
Joystiq impressions: Mass Effect
For many people, the wait for BioWare's Mass Effect has been a terribly arduous one. We've been treated to a few snippets of gameplay action, some very pretty screens, and even a novel, but the game itself is still four months away. We got a chance to take an extended look at the game at E3 this year, and honestly, it looks like it's going to be worth the wait.First thing's first: the game is visually stunning. The level of detail in the character models is pretty much a textbook example of what the current generation of video games should look like. Even since its showing at GDC in March, the facial features have improved by leaps and bounds. The eyes have depth and the lip syncing is about as spot on as you're likely to see in a video game. Of course, the real graphical treats are the various alien races, which benefit from not having to tread the edge of the Uncanny Valley. As such, the alien characters seem to have a bit more life and verve to them than even the excellently detailed human offerings. The environments, too, are topnotch.
X3F impressions: Mass Effect
For many people, the wait for BioWare's Mass Effect has been a terribly arduous one. We've been treated to a few snippets of gameplay action, some very pretty screens, and even a novel, but the game itself is still four months away. We got a chance to take an extended look at the game at E3 this year, and honestly, it looks like it's going to be worth the wait.First thing's first: the game is visually stunning. The level of detail in the character models is pretty much a textbook example of what the current generation of video games should look like. Even since its showing at GDC in March, the facial features have improved by leaps and bounds. The eyes have depth and the lip syncing is about as spot on as you're likely to see in a video game. Of course, the real graphical treats are the various alien races, which benefit from not having to tread the edge of the Uncanny Valley. As such, the alien characters seem to have a bit more life and verve to them than even the excellently detailed human offerings. The environments, too, are topnotch.
Mass Effect coming to 360 in November
Peter Moore announced a November release date for BioWare's Mass Effect, during Microsoft's opening keynote at E3 2007. The 360-exclusive action RPG was prominently featured in Microsoft's montage of upcoming game titles. Mass Effect was also shown at last year's E3, garnering positive reactions from a multitude of sources.
Bioware creating Sonic the Hedgehog RPG for Nintendo DS
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/BioWare_creating_Sonic_the_Hedgehog_RPG_for_Nintendo_DS'; No, seriously. You'll be covered in all sorts of painful pinch marks if you don't realize you're awake and start believing the headline by the time we get to the next sentence. Sega has announced a new partnership with BioWare that will see the Canadian role-playing gurus creating a Sonic the Hedgehog RPG for the Nintendo DS. The currently unnamed game is scheduled for release in 2008. "BioWare is one of the hottest names in RPG development in the world," notes Sega of America president and COO Simon Jeffery. "Everyone at SEGA has huge confidence that Sonic is in the safest of hands, and that BioWare can create the ultimate handheld RPG experience for gamers of all ages."Sega's unlikely to be the only one to feel confident. BioWare's track record, which includes Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights and the highly anticipated Mass Effect certainly indicates that when it comes to role-playing, the developer has become the industry's frighteningly convincing and never wavering cosplayer. The success of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic can also be seen as a testament to their ability to deal with cherished (at least when it comes to older incarnations) properties."We're thrilled to be working with SEGA on Sonic, one of the industry's most enduring and compelling icons," explains Greg Zeschuk, president of BioWare. Ray Muzyka, chief executive officer of BioWare adds that, "As huge fans of Sonic ourselves, we're committed to delivering a truly amazing story-driven experience within the Sonic universe, focusing on capturing the character's broad appeal and placing him in a completely original adventure."Alright, back to pinching your masochistic selves then.
