Mass Effect 3

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2012 Spike Video Game Awards Nominations And Predictions

Tomorrow night is Spike TV’s annual Video Game Awards show. This year’s edition of the VGAs is billed as the 10th anniversary of the show even though it’s only the 10th edition of the show since its debut in 2003. As was the case last year, the awards are not voted on by the public but by a panel of video game writers and publication editors.

While the VGAs are often the target of criticism for being a glorified popularity contest, it is the starting point of the video game awards season. So let’s take a look at 2012 crop of VGA nominees and give you what our vote would be if we were on the expert panel and our predictions for who will be the night’s winners. Continue reading →

4 Comments Posted on by Steve Murray Video Games

BioWare is Going “All Hands on Deck” for Next ME3 DLC

mass-effect-3-citadel-dlc-unofficial-bannerI may have been underwhelmed by Mass Effect 3’s Leviathan DLC but I was more underwhelmed by the follow-up Omega DLC. What was expected to be ME3’s equivalent to Lair of the Shadow Broker turned out more like its Overlord. For the third post-launch DLC, BioWare has gone all hands on deck. Most of the production team’s major players from the full game are back to work on this DLC. That includes the writers, composer Sam Hulick and even voice actors from the main cast. Continue reading →

4 Comments Posted on by Steve Murray Video Games

Mass Effect 3: Omega DLC Review (or Mama, I’m Coming Home)

mass-effect-3-omega-bannerThe Mass Effect 3 Omega DLC has been an interesting topic of discussion. While most Mass Effect fans loved Aria T’Loak, the overlord of the Omega space station, would doing a mission with her be worth the extra $5 that BioWare was charging? When it was released Lair of the Shadow Broker was the most expensive piece of Mass Effect 2 DLC. Could Omega live up to the legacy of LotSB? Continue reading →

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Mass Effect 3 Omega DLC Preview

For the low price of only $15 (or 1200 Microsoft points or about 50% more than you paid for the last two ME3 DLCs), you can purchase the latest Mass Effect 3 DLC called Omega. In this DLC, Commander Shepard joins forces with Aria to take back the Omega space station. When BioWare first announced this DLC, they only talked about how the DLC would be twice as long as any other ME3 DLC. In the run up to release, more details were announced. We analyse those details and preview the DLC after the jump. Continue reading →

8 Comments Posted on by Steve Murray Columns, Video Games

Mass Effect 3 Omega: How Much Is Too Much For DLC?

Last week, the latest leak/rumour about the upcoming Mass Effect 3 DLC, currently called Omega, came to light. A fan interviewed ME3 producer Mike Gamble who said that the upcoming Mass Effect 3 Omega DLC would be twice as long as any other Mass Effect 3 DLC. The big news, however, was that the price of the DLC would be $15, which is $5 more than the next most expensive Mass Effect DLC. Continue reading →

3 Comments Posted on by Steve Murray Video Games

Mass Effect 3 Retaliation DLC: The Complete Breakdown

Last Thursday, BioWare announced the release of the new Retaliation multiplayer DLC for Mass Effect 3. While it had a nice sizzle reel and listed new enemies, characters, equipment, updated maps and more, it was definitely lacking in detail of what was in the pack. We’ve been perusing the internet and have compiled a detailed breakdown of everything that is confirmed as part of the DLC and all the leaked info about the DLC that BioWare isn’t telling you.

Note: This post has been updated with confirmed info about the DLC. As of the last update, we have new info on the characters released, character classes, map hazards, ammo upgrades and more. Continue reading →

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BioWare Announces Mass Effect 3 Retaliation Multiplayer DLC

Fresh off the release of today’s Mass Effect 3 v1.04 patch, BioWare announced the long-rumoured Retaliation DLC for ME3’s multiplayer. While BioWare is a little short on specifics of what is being added, we know that the Collectors (the antagonists from Mass Effect 2) are being added as an enemy faction. Several maps will see environmental hazards for the players to deal with. The DLC will also add achievement-like “challenges” which allow the player to unlock special rewards. As per usual with MP DLCs, new characters, weapons and gear are being added. A more detailed run down is available at the BioWare Blog.

Between the patch and the DLC, BioWare is making one last big play to revive a slowly dying multiplayer community. The buzz online makes it sound like the community is almost as excited as they were at launch.

The DLC is free and drops on Tuesday, October 9th.

4 Comments Posted on by Steve Murray Video Games

Mass Effect 3: Leviathan DLC Review (or The Case Book of Detective Shepard)

Last week, BioWare released their second single-player DLC mission for Mass Effect 3. The Leviathan DLC was accidentally leaked in the code for June’s Extended Cut DLC. Two months later, we finally got our hands on Leviathan. The new mission takes the game for a dark and eerie turn over its three-hour play time for the price of $10. Those statistics put it right in line with Mass Effect 2’s Lair of the Shadow Broker but can ME3’s first post-launch single-player DLC stand up to the epic Shadow Broker DLC? Continue reading →

2 Comments Posted on by Steve Murray Video Games

Before The Mass Effect 3 Leviathan DLC: The Indoctrination Theory – A Documentary Extended Cut

In our examination of the controversy surrounding the release and ending of Mass Effect 3, we included a brief examination of the Indoctrination Theory and included the Indoctrination Theory documentary. We looked at it again after the release of the Extended Cut DLC but we may have been wrong to declare The Indoctrination Theory dead. Ahead of tomorrow’s release of the Mass Effect 3 Leviathan DLC (the first paid ME3 DLC since the From Ashes DLC), Julian Kluk of CleverNoob.com is back with the third part of his epic documentary series examining Mass Effect 3’s ending with The Indoctrination Theory – A Documentary Extended Cut. Continue reading →

9 Comments Posted on by Steve Murray Columns, Video Games

Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut: An End, Once And For All?

We’re one week removed from the release of the Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut DLC. People have had their opportunity to rant or rave about the new endings and put things into perspective. Even I needed to take a couple of days to unwind after powering through the final three hours of the game as I tried to reconcile what I saw and what I expected with what needed to be done and what BioWare could do.

Today, I examine the new scenes that BioWare has added to Mass Effect 3 in the Extended Cut to determine if they have solved the problems most had with the original ending. Continue reading →