bluedotlounge
12-17-2009, 01:00 PM
Text from my article (link to photos at the bottom):
One of the many things this decade has taught us is that premeditated trilogies can be very cruel mistresses. They tend to promise (and occasionally deliver) stories so deep and rich that it cannot possibly be contained in a single game. Yet some of these never make it to full completion (eg. Shenmue, Advent Rising), usually due to poor budgeting, lackluster sales with the first installment, or just an inexplicable shift in priorities by the publisher or developer. With Mass Effect, Bioware appears to be one of those rare companies that has the focus and financial resources to pull off not only one of the best gaming trilogies in recent memory, but also one of the most memorable sci-fi epics in any entertainment medium.
Last Tuesday, Examiner joined a few dozen other media outlets at 1015 Folsom for a private hands-on preview of Mass Effect 2 which included appearances by justifiably confident and enthusiastic Bioware developers. The evening's presentation began with a strong emphasis on the game's use of the previous game's save file. While sequel-save transfers are not anything new, one would be hard-pressed to think of a series that takes advantage of a previous game's save data as deeply and as effectively as Mass Effect.
A few clips where shown to illustrate how actions in the first game would determine the path of the story in Mass Effect 2, with different well-developed cutscenes exclusive to specific consequences. As an example, Bioware showed two outcomes depending if Urdnot Wrex lived or died in the first game. One scene showed a Commander Shepard meeting a very hostile krogan tribe while the other scene showed a friendly reunion between Shepard and Wrex. If one can imagine the exponential possibilities of further storylines in Mass Effect 3, obsessive compulsive gamers will have their work cut out for them if they wish to see every single narrative in the trilogy.
For those who have not played Mass Effect, this next installment allows new users to create new profiles, treating the game as a somewhat standalone title. That was what we did after the presentation (which also included the world premiere of a new trailer) as we set off to the venue's various Xbox 360's and PCs. Using nearly complete builds, we were provided enough time to experience the first few areas of the game. This included watching a fittingly riveting prologue cinematic as well as the first two combat intensive areas. These first scenes also dealt with Project Lazarus, WHITE TEXT SPOILER [a venture that manages to reconstruct and bring Commander Shepard back to life after he dies as a result of an attack and subsequent destruction of the SSV Normandy.]
In keeping things familiar, both the pause menu and item management UI retain the same circular interface and design as the previous game. Of course we also had tons of opportunities to make dialogue choices from compliant yes-man replies to more rebellious responses. In the 60+ minutes we spent on the game, it was easy to get an idea how these choices will determine Shepard's loyalty to specific supporting characters. Moreover, it was promised that these decisions will also determine how your party survives the final mission (or will they?).
Coined that night by Bioware as the "dark second act" and possibly "a one way descent into hell", this preview made enough of an impression that I was one of a number attendees who actually ended up starting their replay session with the first game after the event. It is the perfect way to get ready for January 26, 2010, when Mass Effect 2 is released on Xbox 360 and PC.
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-13269-SF-Gaming-Lifestyle-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Mass-Effect-2-handson-preview
One of the many things this decade has taught us is that premeditated trilogies can be very cruel mistresses. They tend to promise (and occasionally deliver) stories so deep and rich that it cannot possibly be contained in a single game. Yet some of these never make it to full completion (eg. Shenmue, Advent Rising), usually due to poor budgeting, lackluster sales with the first installment, or just an inexplicable shift in priorities by the publisher or developer. With Mass Effect, Bioware appears to be one of those rare companies that has the focus and financial resources to pull off not only one of the best gaming trilogies in recent memory, but also one of the most memorable sci-fi epics in any entertainment medium.
Last Tuesday, Examiner joined a few dozen other media outlets at 1015 Folsom for a private hands-on preview of Mass Effect 2 which included appearances by justifiably confident and enthusiastic Bioware developers. The evening's presentation began with a strong emphasis on the game's use of the previous game's save file. While sequel-save transfers are not anything new, one would be hard-pressed to think of a series that takes advantage of a previous game's save data as deeply and as effectively as Mass Effect.
A few clips where shown to illustrate how actions in the first game would determine the path of the story in Mass Effect 2, with different well-developed cutscenes exclusive to specific consequences. As an example, Bioware showed two outcomes depending if Urdnot Wrex lived or died in the first game. One scene showed a Commander Shepard meeting a very hostile krogan tribe while the other scene showed a friendly reunion between Shepard and Wrex. If one can imagine the exponential possibilities of further storylines in Mass Effect 3, obsessive compulsive gamers will have their work cut out for them if they wish to see every single narrative in the trilogy.
For those who have not played Mass Effect, this next installment allows new users to create new profiles, treating the game as a somewhat standalone title. That was what we did after the presentation (which also included the world premiere of a new trailer) as we set off to the venue's various Xbox 360's and PCs. Using nearly complete builds, we were provided enough time to experience the first few areas of the game. This included watching a fittingly riveting prologue cinematic as well as the first two combat intensive areas. These first scenes also dealt with Project Lazarus, WHITE TEXT SPOILER [a venture that manages to reconstruct and bring Commander Shepard back to life after he dies as a result of an attack and subsequent destruction of the SSV Normandy.]
In keeping things familiar, both the pause menu and item management UI retain the same circular interface and design as the previous game. Of course we also had tons of opportunities to make dialogue choices from compliant yes-man replies to more rebellious responses. In the 60+ minutes we spent on the game, it was easy to get an idea how these choices will determine Shepard's loyalty to specific supporting characters. Moreover, it was promised that these decisions will also determine how your party survives the final mission (or will they?).
Coined that night by Bioware as the "dark second act" and possibly "a one way descent into hell", this preview made enough of an impression that I was one of a number attendees who actually ended up starting their replay session with the first game after the event. It is the perfect way to get ready for January 26, 2010, when Mass Effect 2 is released on Xbox 360 and PC.
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-13269-SF-Gaming-Lifestyle-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Mass-Effect-2-handson-preview