Mass Effect 3 - Review

So the conclusion of the Mass Effect trilogy is here and many thousands of you have been plugging hours into the superb finale since its release on 9^th March.

Once again you lace the boots of the ever manipulative Commander Shepard as you attempt to unite the whole galaxy under threat from the sinister Reapers. These are a race of synthetic executioners tasked with wiping all biological life from the galaxy and have returned with vengeance. At the beginning of the game these giant insectoids have got their claws into Earth and it’s time for the backup to be called.

As the adventure unfolds you will be tasked with resolving interplanetary conflicts, character challenges, war and peace. All the while you’re risking life and limb to stop the destruction of the galaxy and out race the human-supremacy group Cerberus.

Ultimately a lot of your previous decisions have a massive impact on the ways you are treated, the people you meet and the decisions needed in this final instalment. That’s not to say that the game isn’t designed to take on the new players though either; the world is littered with codex pages used to explain the history of the worlds around you and outline all the details needed on major locations and characters.

One of the best feature of the game though is it’s ability to let you play out those decision you all made 5 years ago, back in 2007 we could never really knew how a single wrong step can really come back to haunt us – but now we do!

In itself Mass Effect 3 is quite an achievement. The industry has become obsessed with yearly updates and long-term franchises so it’s quite a rarity to see a final chapter being released. The end has come but it really is worth the wait. It’s has actually given Bioware some freedom to dig deep into their bag of tricks a craft a well handled adventure of epic proportions. The actually game is far more diverse than previous instalments and handles the many different genres with an exceptionally high standard of gameplay.

Speaking of this the gameplay is superb; the controls are easy, precise and well thought out. The screen hud is almost non existent and doesn’t affect the view of the gamer nor do the objective markers or the dictation pointers. In fact it is exceptionally easy to pick up and play with a much more fluid cover mechanic that helps make levels easier to traverse than ever before.

The overall gameplay hasn’t changed too much from Mass Effect 2 but has been tweaked to help make the whole experience more robust. You now carry weapons based on weight and each of these can be modified to improve individual characteristics or their aesthetic look. It’s a good system that helps bring some much needed depth to the combat mechanics.

The AI is one of the most upgraded aspects of the third instalment and that’s saying a lot considering the AI in Mass Effect 2 was fantastic in itself. It now acts in an almost human way deciding how it attacks, when and even goes through some well orchestrated routines to flush you from cover.

The enemies are more varied than before and move in a much more realistic manner – whether they use shields, strength or stealth each one brings a new dynamic to the table. One of the nicest additions to the gameplay is the introduction of smoke grenades that make close quarter combat more hazardous than ever. Even running a game through on normal difficult springs up its own surprises and I found myself replaying more turbulent sections on a fairly regular basis.

One of the big factors found throughout the Mass Effect universe is the constant abuse of eye-candy. Granted the glorious visuals make all the different species look fantastic but do we really need the camera to concentrate on peoples ‘best assets’ every time a cut scene kicks in. It’s great to build relationships with the NPC’s but sometimes Bioware flirt with views a little too often; especially when the facial animations have gotten so much better too. Incidentally lip syncing is still pretty bad.

The only other frustration I have is that sometimes the dialogue options can be a little ambiguous. It becomes second nature to know where on the selection is the Paragon/Renegade option instead of knowing from the text options provided. Sometimes this is only a wording issue but there have been cases when a simple ambiguous statement in the dialogue puts you in a rather tricky situation. All in all this is a fairly minor issue; especially when you feel the scope and size of the game in front of you.

Another simple but effective upgrade has been the scanning system. Instead of scanning individual planets the Normandy now scans an area and notifies you of any areas of interest as well as their specifics. With each scan comes a chance roll that works out whether or not the Reapers have detected your activity. Should such an alert occur then the player must rush from the specific system before being caught by the Reaper ships. It’s much more proactive than the system from Mass Effect 2 and is actually quite enjoyable because it has a bit more pace than before.

The game is very loyal to the player’s decisions and in some cases too loyal. A mistaken decision from 3 years ago can cause so much backlash it can sometimes seem like you might regret it forever. Well over half of the plot development comes in the form of cut scenes that relatively tie up the story plots based on your decisions in the other instalments which can feel a little disjointed.

I can’t tell you anything about the single player end game as I have not experienced this yet in my playthroughonline and again this is something I’ve avoided for spoiler reasons. I really wouldn’t listen to these people until you’ve judged the ending for yourself; I like to make my own decisions about a game and so should you. What I can say though is that I’ve loved every minute of my playtime so far and would recommend this to anyone with a passion for RPG’s and action games as well as fans of the previous outings.

One of the bonus additions to this instalment is the inclusion of cooperative online multiplayer. This comes in a very similar incarnation to Horde mode from the Gears of War series and pits a 4 player team against waves of enemies and objectives in order to gain experience and upgrade themselves. This is fast paced, fluid and feels like a great addition to the single player campaign with the same array of enemies and tactics. Each character chooses a race and a class before setting out and gains experience as they progress, which they can put towards customisations and upgrades. There are several levels to choose from and each have their own specific tactics from wide open spaces to tight close quarter corridors. While many believed that this was going to feel like a tacked on extra it actually holds its own very well and can provide many hours of enjoyment – especially if you wish to master all the different classes.

Overall the whole experience is exhilarating for both fans of the series and newcomers. There is plenty to keep you occupied here and has enough depth for a second or third playthrough. It really is a damn shame to see the end of the Shepard sage after all these years but it is one that satisfies on so many levels. Mass Effect 3 is definitely the best game in the series and could already be a contender for game of the year this early on. If you’re new to the series now is as good a time as any to jump in and if you loved the last two games then what are you reading this for…. Go out to buy it and play it!

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GAME Franchise Sale Update

As many of you now know GAME have put themselves up for sale follow their banks decision to cut up from funding on new releases. It has now been on a few days and the rumour mill has already kicked off with who is interested in taking over. 

Among these are OpCapita whom have reportly made a firm offer for the retailer. Mentioned in The Times, it has been proposed to have offered to buy out GAME’s lenders and pay-off debts with all their suppliers. There’s no word yet on whether the offer was accepted but I’m sure we will hear something soon.

OpCapita own the retail restructuring company Hilco and Comet and the rumour mill suggests that they may be interest in GAME’s international operations and not their UK stores.

Another report published yesterday by MCV confirmed that investment fund Blueshore Global Equity has already purchased an 8.35% stake in the retailer. The chances are that they have hoped to make some money on their purchase through a future buy-out and share price bump.

The more interest being shown the better GAMES share prices become; in particularly the recent offer from OpCapita has seen a 72% increase to 1.95 pence much to the delight of Blueshore’s recent acquisition.

Other rumours doing the circuits include a report that US mega franchise Walmart are also interested in the games vendor. In fact these reports have suggested that contact has already been made about a possible future offer.

Walmart currently own UK supermarket ASDA so this might just be an attempt to hoover up consumers or take over certain outlets. So far Walmart have declined to comment on this speculation.

The US game retailer GameStop is still widely publicized as the front-runner to swoop in but reports suggest that they are waiting for GAME to enter administration first.

Interestingly The GAME Group is a PLC so any serious buy-out discussions will need to be disclosed.

All this will likely come to the boil next week when GAME’s quarterly rental payments are due. If they are unable to pay these then they will fall into administration. From their perspective a sale would be better before the rental date of 25^th March comes around.

If any further news occurs I will certainly keep you posted.

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Phil Harrison Joins Microsoft

As I’ve previously explained the loss of Peter Molyneux from Lionhead and Microsoft is one of the most surprising developments of recent weeks and came with it a bunch of new rumours about who would replace him and what his plans for the future are.

It has now been globally confirmed that the former Sony and Atari executive Phil Harrison has been hired by Microsoft to help boost the Xbox 360’s standing in the traditionally Playstation friendly European market.

The internet has been swarming on this news recently as it seems that Harrison would have a wealth of local contacts to help bolster the 360’s potential market. It is well known that Microsoft has a smaller install base in Western Europe than both North America and the Asia so this appointment might help them bridge the gap.

There is a huge opportunity for Microsoft to expand its core experience and grow within the UK market and this is definitely where Phil’s role will have the most impact.

One of the other major developments is that Phil has a massive contact base in place from his time with Sony working on the Playstation and this could mean more developers utilising the Xbox when they had previously been put off.

Microsoft have always been known as a tough partner to work with and the appointment of Harrison may mean that they will take a slightly softer approach in the future.

One of Microsoft’s big initiatives at the moment is the increased use of cloud gaming which Harrison has also got a lot of experience in; he previously worked at Gaikai the streaming servicer.

The new Xbox is rumoured to have a strong cloud focus and so his arrival at the company may also be laying the groundwork for perspective next generation utilities.

Either way his partnership with Microsoft is rather exciting.

Publis

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XBLA Achievement Increase

Good news Achievement fans, Microsoft have confirmed that as of next month all their Xbox Live Arcade titles can opt to increase their collectable Gamerscore for 200 to 400 points. With this comes an upgrade to 30 potential Achievements from the current 20 limit that will allow developers more options when issuing their additional game objectives.

The new 400 point limit will be mandatory for all new XBLA releases from June this year with developers being able to opt into the scheme from April.

The new Achievement Policy was first noted by Xbox360Achievements and shows that Microsoft are really looking into keeping gamers playing their new releases, especially those of the downloadable variety.

On top of this is another increase in the XBLA DLC Policy. The current standard practise is 50 extra Gamerscore with a possible 5 more Achievements per quarter; totalling a maximum of 350 Gamerscore and 35 extra Achievements in total. These ceilings have also been increased with 100 Gamerscore and 8 Achievements being available per quarter with a maximum of 800 Gamerscore and 62 Achievements in total.

Developers will be able to release more achievement driven content now and potentially continue to release these for a full 2 years following the initial release of a product.

After my article on the state of Xbox Live a few weeks ago I am more than a little happy to see that Microsoft have increased their content thresholds on Achievements. Content driven by these has always more successful in sales and gives people an added incentive to part with their hard earned cash. It’ll be great to see developers offering more for the consumer’s money and potentially investing more time into their additional content streams because they have the chance now to get more consumers involved.

I suppose time will tell what approach the developers have with their games now and at the moment my only gripe is that Mass Effect 3 is still covered by the old policy limits.

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Peter Molyneux departs Microsoft and Lionhead

One of the biggest stories to hit the industry this week has been the news that Peter Molyneux; the much-loved creative head of Lionhead Studios, will be parting ways with the studio and Microsoft.

The news came just one day after the announcement of the new game in the Fable series, Fable Hero's for XBLA and was released by Molyneux himself via his official twitter feed which was also in fact his first public message since November last year. "I have left the lovely amazing Microsoft and Lionhead," read the tweet. "Now for something really amazing, scary and brave a new company called 22 Cans."

Unfortunately for now not a lot is known about 22 Cans and in what capacity Peter will figure – although expect the unexpected.

It has been confirmed that Peter will stay at Lionhead until the completion of their current project, Fable: The Journey. The veteran game designer will also give up his position as creative director with Microsoft Games Studios Europe.

Peter is best known for his creativity, original ideas and for co-founding Lionhead Studios back in 1997. He has always been a massive asset to the companies he’s worked with and is held in high regard across the Video Game industry.

His contagious passion for the industry has helped to establish him as one of the most recognisable people around. After all he has been at the helm of some of the most original titles released over the last few years from the god-simulator Black and White through to the action RPG’s in the Fable series. He was also highly influential on the abandoned Milo and Kate project that looked to utilise the Kinect platform for a fully functioning virtual playground that also supported artificial intelligence.

Awarded an OBE for services to the games industry in 2005, Peter Molyneux has been a key figure in British development for over twenty years. Populous his first major title is credited in most part for popularising the ‘god sim’ genre. Peter fully expanded this area with the introduction of the Black and White series which was his first creation under Lionhead Studios.

Peter has previously been criticised for talking too specifically about game designed when they are still in the development period. This was most notable post release of the first Fable game where several of the elements he had previously discussed did not make the final cut. It was interesting to see the outrage of fans following this slips of the tongue but these also showed the creative ideas Peter had floating in his head.

Now his previous position at Microsoft seems to have been filled by the old Playstation guru - known worldwide as Phil Harrison. There was a time when people thought that he was in fact created by Sony and was certainly their most recognisable non-Japanese Executive. I suppose time will tell whether he fills the void left behind by the enigmatic Molyneux.

Whatever the future hold for Peter I’m sure it will continue to be a bright one. Always full of ideas he isn’t afraid of new challenges in fact he relishes them…

I for one cannot wait to see what’s coming next!

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The Fall Of GAME...?

So this week marks the first 7 days of trading for the purchase of the GAME franchise. Finally this has started to affect the UK public and with it raised the profile of the failing business model. It’s been easy to ignore the financial reports and credit warning that have hit the Internet over the last few months with many people thinking that the management of the company would counter their decrease in profits.

Unfortunately this has not been the case as the UK’s largest specialist Video Game chain  has slowly lose their release schedule and with them possibly their brand. Recently they were unable to stock Ubisoft's PlayStation Vita games, Wii role-playing game The Last Story, Tekken 3DS and even Mass Effect 3 when it was released last Friday.

In September 2011 GAME consisted of 1287 shops with just under half of them in the UK alone. They were taking £1.625 billion in revenue during their last full trading year. The bank has previously issued them with a bill to pay for games up front and their credit built house suddenly started to topple over.

So as it is now even more apparent GAME are not out of the water and have put themselves up for sale. The bank could come to the rescue but this now seems doubtful and if companies like GAME can’t make ends meet then their bailiffs will.

What the biggest issue here is what effect this will have and how other companies like HMV will also suffer?

The first point to consider is where the 2.5 million people that walk into GAME and Gamestation are now going to need to find new outlet store. The likely answer is supermarkets, who even before this issue, had become much more competitive in the entertainment industry.  They are probably sharks smelling the blood in the water and have no doubt spotted the troubles GAME and HMV find themselves in. If they decide to be ruthless then they may share the UK market between themselves and their online competitors like Play.com and Amazon.

There are several issues with the supermarkets taking the market though as they are known for reducing their stock once their competitors have been left in their dust. One example being thrown around is that they did the same thing with books a few years ago. Supermarkets basically grabbed the biggest sellers and sold them so cheaply that their competition could not compete. It was a common place to see bookstores all over city high streets but now only Waterstones really remains. Once the supermarkets had wiped out their competition by selling the latest Harry Potter for next to nothing they decided to reduce their stock levels. If you walk into your local supermarket now you probably get the weekly top 50 at best nothing more. Imagine if all you could pick off the shelf was the top 50 all format games - would you be happy?

Not only would they destroy the industry slowly but they also only really sell entertainment products in their larger outlets. These obliging stores wouldn’t offer the library that GAME do now; and would likely only be interested in selling the biggest titles like Call of Duty and FIFA.

Alternatively this might mean that independent companies and the like of CEX being able to pick up their old customers. It’s not so likely as the example above with the supermarkets being able to advertise more and lower their prices to intentionally ‘price out’ the alternatives. Look at the initial selling prices of Modern Warfare 3 when it went on sale last year – some supermarkets offered the game new for between £25-30.

Market researches have explained that they would expect the customers to get spread around the industry and probably revert to online offers too. Where GAME rely on Video Games to do business the supermarkets don’t. They can simply strike at the inventory and then replace them with something else. The supermarkets try to sell as much of a range as possible to make sure they have everything a customer would need.

One of the other issues facing us would be the prospect where we would be unable to talk about the game themselves in stores. I like picking up recommendations myself, it's a great way to hear an honest opinion. People walk past windows and see advertisements, browse a wide selection on offer and can also usually find pre-owned discounted items too. It'll be more than a shame to see these area of the industry suffer.


People that work in specialised video game outlets tend to be gamers themselves and are very useful for casual players. It helps to keep the masses buying every week and it's encouragement that they need to pick up the next big title. 

Not to mention the fact that if GAME did got down then a lot of people will lose jobs and income. They really are a massive brand that will impact a bigger stage should they close completely. Granted a lot of this is speculations are real possibilities. 


Specialised stores like GAME also offer the greatest amount of midnight launches in the UK and drive people into purchases with goodies on offer and this would certainly hurt developers too. There is a real hype to these events in large stores like Oxford Street that turn in staggering numbers on AAA release nights. 

One of the simple fortunes has been that GAME have a booming pre-owned/trade in scheme that creates a lot of revenue from double sales tactics. Unfortunately or not this option has antagonised publishers around the globe as they do not profit from the sales. 

This really could become a threat to the industry, if one big player falls and the rest don't pick up the consumer base then we could be in for more unfortunate circumstances.

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