SCI FI PI

Mass Effect 3 is hurtling towards us faster than the Reapers toward Earth.

The anticipation is reaching fever pitch. This is the crowning glory of the greatest gaming trilogy EVER. And as trilogy-cappers go, it looks like its relationship to its predecessors is going to be more akin to Return of the King than Return of the Jedi (no, I don’t care what you say, ROTJ is the weakest of the three).

So what is game developer BioWare doing to help us as we tense up in ever-more quivering, salivating, impatient expectancy?

Feeding that hungry, slavering beast with ever more delicious morsels, that’s what.

They’ve released five, count them FIVE, new trailers for the game ahead of the February 14 (yes, Valentine’s Day – sorry, honey, but Earth needs me) release of the demo and then the super-mega March 8 unveiling of the game proper.





Already reports are leaking out onto the net from lucky insiders who have been given a pre-release taste of the game – and the flavour of the reviews? Tasty. Very VERY tasty. Click here to read Ripten impressions of a play-through of Commander Shepard’s Mission to Mars.







For those of you who don’t know, the Mass Effect games chronicle the war between humans and a race of ancient mechanized killers called Reapers, who who are out to purge the galaxy of sentient beings.






For this third instalment, Earth itself is under siege from the Reapers, and Commander Shepard and his forces will make a final stand to see them off.





As you’ll see from the trailers below, the gameplay and action is spectacular, but the true genius of these games is the storytelling. The character development and emotional depth the creators imbue their games with is unsurpassed. It really is a game that can bring you to tears.



Also, if you want, you can play as a girl. Check out the “FemShep” trailer below.


REINSTATE: FEMALE SHEPARD






INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING






ADRENALINE PUMPING GAME PLAY






BUILD A CUSTOMIZABLE ARSENAL





RUTHLESS AND INTELLIGENT ENEMIES





INTEGRATED CO-OP MULTIPLAYER





If you’re wondering about the demo, here’s what BioWare says you can expect from it:

“Fire the opening shots in the war to take Earth back - the Mass Effect 3 demo arrives on February 14, 2012! Voted the Most Anticipated Game of 2012 at the Spike Videogame Awards, Mass Effect 3 puts you at the center of an all-out galactic war - and how you wage that war is up to you.

“The demo begins in dramatic fashion with the spectacular opening attack on Earth, after which you're thrust headlong into a mid-game section showcasing the groundbreaking interactive storytelling, adrenaline-pumping action, ruthless and intelligent enemies, and deep customization that make Mass Effect 3 the must-have title of 2012.

“Once you've finished the single-player section, jump into four player co-op missions with your friends - battle the enemies of Earth in two maps from the full game and earn a wide variety of perks and upgrades for your characters.”

So here’s your fix until you can get your hands on the game.

And remember, if you pre-order ME3 you receive the M55 Assault Rifle as a bonus gift – w00t!