Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Seems a little disingenuous to be releasing new content for Mass Effect 1 when Mass Effect 2 is due sometime within the next six months (incidentally, we hear tell that unlike the infuriatingly tardy first game, the PC version will be released at the same time as the 360 version. Huzzahs!), but shouldn’t grumble really. Now live on the EA digistoremacguffin is Pinnacle Station, which promises 2-3 hours of bonus space bimbling for $5/£4. Not extortionate by some DLC standards, though it does sound as the contents are all a bit shooty-bang-bang…
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For the second game of Christmas my true blog gave to me… well, you’ll have to click on to find out.

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According to Variety, BioWare’s most recent RPG, Mass Effect, is to definitely be a movie. There have been rumours floating around for a while, but Variety seem assured that the rights have been optioned by producer Avi Arad (responsible for every Marvel movie you can think of).

Of course, stuff gets optioned all the time, so this isn’t exactly the beginning of production. This is Mr Arad expressing an interest in getting a film off the ground. Although he must be a bit busy, with his own recently launched company, as well as producer/exec producer credits on thirteen forthcoming Marvel movies in the next five years. So there’s likely a bit of a wait before we find out which version of Commander Shephard will make it to the big screen. But if it’s not a she, with red hair and a pointed face, who survived a terrible attack, then I shall protest outside cinemas. (Thanks to Andrew for the tip).

I’ve been playing lots of Mass Effect recently, because as a leading games critic it’s essential I stay ahead of the curve and keep my finger on the pulse. A mere nine months after buying it on 360 and then never playing it, and then blagging a PC version only three months after its second release, I’m on the case.

It would probably be controversial to say that BioWare’s three most recent RPGs, Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, and Mass Effect, are all exactly the same game in a different setting. Because Mass Effect’s setting is quite similar to KotOR’s. But what’s rather fortunate is that they change the combat style in each, so there’s always something unique to complain about on a forum. What’s also important to note is that they’re all three flipping ace, and I love them. They just… they just tend to do this one really silly thing.

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Remember when we were all fussing about the copy protection on Mass Effect, and then there was that compromise where EA said you’d need to authenticate for downloadable content? Well, it’s time to put it all to the test, as the first lump of new content is available: Bring Down The Sky.

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Embargo-a-go-go! My review of Bioware’s Mass Effect goes live over at Eurogamer. I start like this…

Given that Kristan wrote a three-page review of the Xbox 360 version back in November, and the PC version is basically identical, I’m left with a whole review to dwell on the important questions about Mass Effect. For instance, why did BioWare model its adorably rubbish Mako ground-attack truck on early-eighties toy Big Trak: the Fully Programmable Electronic Vehicle?

And then go on to actually talk about the game, like some kind of proper games writer guy. Well, a bit, anyway. By page 2 I’m well into crazed theorising about its resemblance to Total War and the fundamental flaws of free-exploration in plot-based RPGs and similar. Go readeth, Verily and stuff.

Good news, loud, complaining denizens of the internet! Bioware have backed down on their draconian copy protection for Mass Effect.

Edit: And EA say the same goes for Spore.

Community Manager, Jay Watamaniuk, has posted to the Mass Effect forums saying,

“There has been a lot of discussion in the past few days on how the security requirements for Mass Effect for PC will work. BioWare, a division of EA, wants to let fans know that Mass Effect will not require 10- day periodic re-authentication.”

The reasons jumpward.

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VG247 has a bunch of audio recordings of the presentations from EA’s London studio showcase earlier today. The sound quality is a bit iffy, but the info is good. There’s also a bunch of new screens. Mm, rich, tasty info.

The lovely Ben Cousins on Battlefield Heroes. Both interview and presentation.

The alien sex-fancier Ray “Bioware” Muzyka on Mass Effect PC. Hot.

Talkomatic Paul Barnett on Warhammer Online.

Valve’s Mr Lombardi on Left4Dead. (Prefaced by plenty of presentation blather.)

Phew. Anyone for a beer?

Mass Effect has taken a slight slip. Joystiq helpfully noticed that BioWare community man, Chris Priestly, has informed the hungry masses that things will take three weeks longer. Originally set for what seemed an extremely prompt 6th May, it’s now due to be out in the US by the not unreasaonble 28th May, and over here in Europe by 6th June. This is due to BioWare’s “dedication to excellence”, we’re told, and will allow them some last-minute polish.

But what’s this, one post higher, to raise our cheer once more? It’s the first images of the all-new PC GUI – one of the elements that proves Mass Effect PC is more than your average port. Click for the fullsize version. And there’s three more, found by Joystiq, below.

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Mass Effect is going to be out on PC on May 6th. I believe it was marketed as “action role-playing game” and that means running around murdering robots in the long pauses between dialogue. Sounds fun, eh? Well not only that, there’s a selection of blue ladies! Yeah, we gamers are all so hot for blue women. Must be something genetic.
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