ME3 - The beginning of the end

[Choot 'em]

Mass Effect 3

The Beginning of the End

by: Phil Kollar

(courtesy of GameInformer)

 

"It's all been building up to this. From hunting down the rogue Spectre Saren in the first Mass Effect to teaming up with the sketchy paramilitary organization Cerberus in Mass Effect 2, Commander Shepard's various adventures have had one clear focus: saving the galaxy from a powerful machine race known as the Reapers.

 

Now the Reapers have arrived on Earth, and Shepard must embark on one last-ditch effort to unite the various sentient races and discover a seemingly impossible solution to the war. As I sit down for my first hands-on time with three complete missions from Mass Effect 3, I'm about to witness how high the stakes are and how greatly my choices will impact the fate of the galaxy this time around."

 

*Spoiler Warning*

Given the nature of my play session and the things that are most important to the Mass Effect franchise, this article contains spoilers for a few of Mass Effect 3's story missions. However, keep in mind that what I describe here is only one possible outcome; the whole structure of a mission can change depending on what you choose to do.

 

The war comes home.

 

As I begin the first mission of Mass Effect 3, an Earth escape sequence, I realize that Bioware has already shown off this level at E3 and various other events last year. In it, my female engineer version of Shepard is called to meet with the Earth's defense council. She has been relieved from military duty after the events of ME 2's Arrival DLC, but the council requires her expertise. Colonies in the solar system have stopped responding at the appearance of some "incomprehensibly powerful" force.

 

The defense council building is attacked, and Shepard escapes with long-time ally Captain Anderson. I notice a persistent theme of loss and sadness reverberating throughout the level. This emotion is particularly felt in the poignant appearance of a child three times throughout the course of the mission.

 

Shepard first sees the child standing outside the defense council building before the Reaper invasion, playing with a toy spaceship. Then she encounters him hiding in a ventilation shaft, but the child chooses to run away, screaming, "You can't help me!" Finally, Shepard witnesses the child climbing aboard an escape shuttle that is immediately shot out of the sky by a Reaper laser. A look of shock comes across Shepard's face as she watches this, a silent realization that she's in another conflict where she can't save everybody.

 

According to exectutive producer Casy Hudson, these scenes exist for more than getting across the stakes and the scale of devastation the Reapers are about to unleash across the galaxy. "We're exploring the idea of getting the player to understand and feel what Commander Shepard is experiencing versus just reacting to other characters," he explains. "We're trying to tell a little bit of the story Shepard would feel and seeing if the player feels that as well....I think that's going to be one of the things people remember."

 

As Earth erupts in chaos and millions of civilian casualties happen around her, the only choice available is to barrel forward to the Normandy and escape in order to regroup and come back with an army prepared to battle the Reapers. To do so, Shepard is forced to leave Anderson behind. Anderson restores Shepard's rank and provides what's likely to be his final order: "We need every species and all their ships."

 

It seems like an impossible, hopeless mission - even more so than the suicide run of Mass Effect 2 - but before we can get started, we need to take a detour.

 

All good things.

 

If it delivers on it's promise, Mass Effect 3 is poised to be a revolutionary first for the game industry. We've seen plenty of plot-heavy video game trilogies, but never has a franchise tied together so many complex and variable stories across three games, weaving a web of player choices that pulls you ever tighter to the narrative and your effects on its conclusion.

 

As I talk to Casey Hudson about this impending finale, I can't help but notice how tired he looks. His voice is hoarse, and he's clearly been spending many late nights with the rest of his team finishing the game. It's been a long dramatic eight-year journey for Commander Shepard, the developers at Bioware, and Mass Effect fans, but the conclusion it has all beeen building to is finally almost here.

 

"I think it will all be worth it in the end," Hudson reassures me with a knowing smile.

[AgentLoFi]

I got my gameinformer yesterday and knew you would be all over this Choot 'em

[Carter]

i have not played any ME but i might get this

[Choot 'em]

i have not played any ME but i might get this

If you've never played the ME series, be prepared for a LONG game! It is by far, in my opinion, one of the most emotionally engaging RPGs on the market. There are so many "WOW" moments! If you enjoy science fiction and RPG elements mixed with tactical shooter elements, this is the game for you. One of the best features is being able to jump right in either game and enjoy the experience. I definately recommend at least trying it out.

 

Mass Effect 3 will have the co-op over Live feature.