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Developer(s) BioWare
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Director(s) Casey Hudson
Composer(s) Clint Mansell
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Release date(s) “Holiday 2011″ (Q4)
Genre(s) Action RPG
Mode(s) Single-player

Mass Effect 3 is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.It is scheduled for a Q4 2011 release and will mark the third and final chapter in the Mass Effect trilogy of video games.

When Mass Effect 2 finally surfaced last month, fans around the world where treated to a phenomenal experience crafted exclusively by the infamous RPG studio, BioWare. Now that you have had a chance to playthrough the story in its entirety, I decided to point out some key story plots that may be explored in the final chapter of the trilogy. Feel free to express your thoughts on the matter and let us know if your team survived the suicide mission.

Gameplay

Decisions will be imported from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 as to keep continuity within the series. It will pull over 1,000 variables from those previous titles to shape how players experience the final chapter.

One of the most questionable characters in the game comes in the form of the controversial Illusive Man. While actor Martin Sheen provided an excellent soundtrack as the advisor, his motives are unconventional and sinister at best. If you recall the mission where you investigate an abandoned Collector Ship base, the whole scenario plays out to be nothing more then a cleverly planned ambush attack. This could have been used as a measuring stick to determine if Shepard and his team are truly up to par for the battle that’s ahead of them. Once you beat the game though, further suspicions are cast upon this significant character. If you chose to save the Collector technology to aid you in defeating the Reapers, then the last shot you’ll see is of the Illusive Man sporting a sadistic grin on his face shortly after dismissing you from the mission debriefing. At the same time you also have an option to detach yourself from working with him by simply telling him to screw off. Regardless of which decision you choose, it’s clear that this will greatly affect you in Mass Effect 3. BioWare succeeds in keeping the suspense going within their stories which is why I wouldn’t be surprised if Illusive Man ends up becoming a villain down the road.

Story
Earth is burning. Striking from beyond known space, a race of terrifying machines have begun their destruction of the human race. As Commander Shepard, an Alliance Marine, your only hope for saving mankind is to rally the civilizations of the galaxy and launch one final mission to take back the Earth.

The dramatic scale of Mass Effect 2’s story is a classic that will be remembered for several years to come. The idea of the bar being raised in the next chapter is one I’m highly confident BioWare can surpass. The final encounter with the Reapers needs to be heavily defined and far more superior then the Collectors. If you recall, the end of the game delivers a message that Harbinger is coming and there is a focus on a partnership between the Collectors and The Reapers. The final encounter with The Human Reaper (A Terminator Clone) isn’t challenging enough and I fully anticipate new adversaries the next time around. When you decide to destroy the Collector Base there are hints that you may not be prepared for what’s ahead as a result. The effects of your choices were beautifully illustrated in how you choose to give orders during the final mission. Mass Effect 3 should exceed this and make you feel like the experience really is a life or death type of situation.