Mass Effect Launch Trailer: Nothing short of EPIC

Mass Effect 3 looms on the horizon, like the Reaper silhouettes over the ruins of Earth. We're just a few days away from the game's launch and Bioware/EA have released yet another trailer to feed the game's already considerable hype.

Nom, nom?

This trailer covers a whole wide range of what will hit the fan in Mass Effect 3. Over the course of  two minutes and forty-four seconds, there's plenty of hope and hopelessness, danger and combat, drama and intrigue. Trailer highlights include the Illusive Man (with Martin Sheen returning as Cerberus' cunning leader) warning Shepard not to cross him, high octane space battles over Earth, and one particularly irritated Thresher Maw taking a bite out of a Reaper. Does it taste like chicken (or a cold, robotic, chicken sociopath)?

For me, the greatest moment of the trailer was hearing Garrus say, "Go out there and give them hell. You were born to do this." Combined with an excellent choice of visual backdrops and an epic musical score, this one line fully nailed the space opera tone that this series has been building since the original came out in 2007.

Get ready for war when Mass Effect 3 is released this upcoming Tuesday, March 6 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Mass Effect 3 Demo Impressions

Valentine's Day 2012, a day of love, romance... and intense, biotic combat? That's right, V-Day 2012 meant one thing to Mass Effect fans: the demo for the series finale is live.

I had a chance to tinker with the demo and was pretty satisfied overall. A majority of my playtime went toward the single player demo, but I've been able to get my feet wet with the multiplayer mode.

Single Player Demo

The single player demo takes you through two missions: the introductory mission on Earth and a retrieval mission on the Salarian homeworld.Across these two levels, you get to experience the game's revised mobility mechanics. You can slide over crates, climb up ladders and drop off of ledges, just to name a few things. There are also a few new practical additions, such as dodge rolls and melee grabs around cover. I will admit, there were a couple of times where I felt like I was playing Gears of War with all the dodge rolling about.

Combat feels quite a bit heavier this time around, as weapons have a heavier feel and the auto-aim functions aren't doing as much of the heavy lifting as in Mass Effect 2. At least for single shot weapons like heavy pistols and the Mattock assault rifle, you need to place your shots pretty carefully. The new heavy melee attacks are pretty seamlessly implemented and are quite useful for eliminating (or at least staggering) the unfortunate sod in your path. The new gameplay elements (and the increased difficulty) lend to the "This is War" atmosphere that the Bioware team set out to create.

In order to avoid dropping any major demo/main game spoilers, I won't go into too much detail about the plot elements found in the demo. There are plenty of great Mass Effect moments, some humorous and some dramatic. You'll see some familiar faces that will bring a smile to yours. However, there's also one particular part that hit me in the chest like a ton of bricks. This type of story-telling finesse is what makes the game a true Mass Effect title, even with the vast array of changes the series has seen over the years.

Multiplayer Demo

Single player is all well and good, but the part that longtime fans are skeptically looking at is the new co-op multiplayer. It's a polarizing topic - people either love or hate the idea of adding multiplayer to their beloved series.

Based on my experience with the multiplayer, I love it. You are able to choose one of the main Mass Effect classes (and in the full-version, you can choose your race). Each class/race combination has a different combination of abilities and powers that you can level up. In addition, you can customize your loadout, attach weapon mods, and buy unique items to help you in-mission, including health packs, ammo boxes, and rocket launchers.

When you get into the fray, you quickly learn that Bioware definitely means for you to cooperate. Your primary goal is to survive for all ten waves, occasionally chasing down and completing objectives within a time limit. Enemies are merciless even on the lowest difficulties, and their AI works together surprisingly well to draw you out of cover and into their sights. For example, riot shield and melee enemies may try to herd you out of your cover and into an open area. In order to get through the final waves, you'll need to draw on your team's diverse range of abilities, such as having Infiltrators conduct hit-and-run attacks with their tactical cloak and Vanguards force baddies out of cover. As I've explained, Special Forces is hard work - but pulling together and beating "impossible odds" ends up being extremely fun!

Are you ready for war?

I walk away from the Mass Effect 3 demo very satisfied, despite some of the changes made to the Mass Effect formula. Combat mechanics feel closer to Gears of War than they do to Mass Effect 1, but it all plays very well. Bioware has done a phenomenal job updating and maintaining the series so they're not just releasing a re-shelled clone of the previous title (Call of Duty anyone?).

On top of that, the new multiplayer elements are surprisingly fun and addictive, albeit challenging. However, despite the quality of the game mode, its on-going success depends very heavily on the number of people that continue to play it after they complete the story. It's not something you can successfully do alone.

Nonetheless, even if this does come to pass, Mass Effect 3 looks like it will be able to deliver the same quality level of single player content that the series, and Bioware, is renowned for.



Mass Effect 3 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, March 6 on Xbox360, Playstation 3, and PC.

Mass Effect 3 Looks to Be Action Packed!

The "Adrenaline-Pumping Gameplay" trailer offers Mass Effect fans a look at some of the intense moments to look forward to in the upcoming finale. Most notable, at least for me, is that you're going to be fighting the Reapers on foot! To put it in perspective, that's roughly equivalent to an ant fighting a monster-truck.

Impossible odds? Sounds fun to me!



As if that wasn't epic enough, our friends over at Bioware have also released a "Reinstated" trailer that stars the female version of our favorite N7 Marine. The trailer looks awesome and I can't help but think that "Fem Shep" is the way Mass Effect 3 should be. Jennifer Hale's voice acting in Mass Effect 1 and 2 has been superb, and I  am excited to see (or hear) how she takes command of the character in Mass Effect 3. The trailer also features the new default face for Fem Shep, a major overhaul and upgrade from the series' past versions.

Mass Effect 3 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, March 6 on Xbox360, Playstation 3, and PC.

Mass Effect 3 Achievements

Additional Mass Effect 3 info has trickled out and, as with the Special Forces trailer, EA/Bioware continue to string along their eager fan-base.

This time around, we have a list of achievements for the series' finale.Hot entries include winning political stand-offs, learning the origins of a monstrous enemy, and defeating a new type of enemy: the Harvester. There's most likely a few spoilers hiding in the list, so be careful how closely you read if you're safeguarding your Mass Effect 3 experience. Otherwise, check out the complete list here.





Mass Effect 3 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, March 6 on Xbox360, Playstation 3, and PC.

Mass Effect 3 Teasers

After a longer hiatus than I would've liked, the blog is back up and running. Also, I couldn't think of a better topic to be the harbinger of our return - Mass Effect 3.

With nearly a month to go before the release of the grand finale of the Mass Effect trilogy, Bioware and EA have taunted fans with the perfect balance of information and mystery. While they release details about gameplay, they withhold the golden nuggets of the story and squad mates. I, for one, am practically drooling!

One of the biggest mysteries, the new cooperative multiplayer mode, has a new trailer that teases at the variety of classes and playstyles available. The multiplayer mode, called Special Forces, allows players to step into the shoes of the elite commandos supporting Commander Shepard's fight against the infamous Reapers. Based on the trailer, this new game mode promises to be an action packed, brutal, and exhilarating adventure.

Mass Effect 3 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, March 6 on Xbox360, Playstation 3, and PC.

Battlefield 3 Beta Impressions

After waiting for several hours to be able to connect to EA's servers, I had the opportunity to pick up the Battlefield 3 Beta  and play late into the night with a group of my friends. All in all, I was rather impressed and found it to be one of the most entertaining and enjoyable multiplayer FPS experiences that I've had to date. For more information about the beta, check out the dedicated Battlefield 3 Beta page.

I've sorted my impressions into several categories below. I should note that my opinions are based on my experience on the Xbox 360 and from this year's earlier PC Alpha.

The Controls & Handling

Overall, Battlefield 3 handle like the perfect blend of Bad Company 2 and old school Battlefield 2. The controls feel much more responsive, while at the same time retaining some of the weight of the weapons from BF:BC2. The control layout is the same as Bad Company 2 and you have several options to switch to, including Alternate, Lefty, and Lefty Alternate. The new "hit the floor" feature is extremely fluid and intuitive, but it's also buggy at times and forces you to stand straight up after the drop is completed.

The Map

Operation Metro is a great map to do the beta on, as you have the full gambit of combat experiences all bundled in one. You start in an open battlefield where snipers, and long range combat is king. The second and third sequences take you into the metro where you can either fight close-quarters in the hallways, or exchange fire along the train line and main lobby. Finally, the fight spills into the streets where you can experience urban combat as you weave through buildings, duck through alleys, or snipe from an overlooking sidewalk. Based on my experience with this map, every kit has a place where it can thrive and be a fun and viable option.

The Weapons & Kits

Whereas carbines were the top dog of the Alpha, all of the weapons in the Beta are fairly well balanced, with assault rifles edging out a little ahead in my opinion. There are, however, significant differences between the two sides' loadouts. Overall, Russian weapons seem to pack a much harder punch than the US variants. However, US weapons also seem to be far more accurate.

Infantry is an all-round good class. Assault rifles are the bread and butter and have a little more oomph behind them. The M16A3 is very easy to use and has great sights, even without sight attachments. Meanwhile, the AK-74M is powerful but has very high recoil and difficult iron sights to balance it out. These are the only ones that I used, but I noticed that the M416 was very powerful. With a sight, foregrip, and silencer, most assault rifles are unstoppable once you get into the metro tunnels.Under-barrel grenades turned out to be a little hit-or-miss for me. If you want to be a good team mate, you can either drop medkits and revive allies, or you can ditch that function and equip an underbarrel grenade launcher... the choice is yours!

The Engineer kit is my favorite so far, as it is the most versatile for my play style.The Russian loadout's AKs74u is not very accurate at a range, but in tight spaces it is so powerful it practically spits fire! Put a grip on it, a sight and a laser and it is a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, the M4A1 is significantly more accurate at the expense of damage. It also has the added benefit of more user friendly sights. Rockets are disappointing, as they seem to do minimal damage and are very unpredictable to use on players. I've gotten two hit markers with rockets on enemy players, only to have them slink away unharmed.

As Support, I've had the most fun setting down at a choke point, deploying my bipod, and sweeping the floor with incoming hostiles. The Russian RPK is like the rest of the team's weapons - high on damage and low on accuracy. I had to shoot several shots at an enemy before I hit (fortunately, they drop quickly once you do!). The US variant is similar, but the second tier LMG (the M249) has both good accuracy and considerable stopping power. The kit also has the bonus of being able to drop ammo for themselves and teammates.

The Recon kit is my second favorite, but also my highest ranked thus far. The Russian SVD and the US Mk.11 both start with an 8x scope and take about two body shots to drop an enemy. Also, you are now able to steady your shot by holding the left stick to hold your breath. I've noticed that the Mk.11 feels a lot more stable than the SVD and the scope sights are a bit more user-friendly. I have not used the bolt-action, second tier unlocks because I prefer to have the higher rate-of-fire on the close quarters of Operation Metro. You also get several toys that long-time Battlefield fans might enjoy.

Pistols are very viable weapons in the beta, taking anywhere from 4 to 6 shots to stop an opponent at close range. Additionally, shotguns are great weapons for their sheer stopping power and kill usually with one hit. However, they do not have much spread and require you to be accurate and close to the opposition.

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates on the Battlefield 3 Beta! I will update this post as I experience more of what it has to offer.

Battlefield 3 beta on all platforms Sept. 29

A quick look at the Battlefield 3 website brings some new information that Battlefield fans have been eagerly awaiting since last year's Medal of Honor release - the beta is here...well, almost here.

The Battlefield 3 open beta will allow PC and console players to try out the rush game mode on the Operation Metro map from Thursday, September 29 to Monday, October 10. Even more good news for players who pre-ordered the game on Origin or purchased last year's lackluster Medal of Honor - they can access the beta starting September 27th.

Some gamers have expressed frustrations over the map selection, as many of the trailers have focused squarely on the Operation Metro map. Moreover, the exact same map and game mode was used during the PC alpha testing earlier this year.

I had the chance to play Battlefield 3 during the alpha and I, for one, am excited to get back into the fray - even if it is the same map! Operation Metro is a dynamic and exhilarating map that, in classic Battlefield style, caters to so many diverse styles of gameplay.

Below are some of my tactical recommendations based on my previous experience with each of the kits on this map:

• Assault
• When outside, either hop into a vehicle or hug cover around the outside of the map to ambush enemy snipers
• When inside the metro, drop your medkit for your teammates near the major chokepoints - they will need it!
• Engineer
• When outside, stick to a vehicle and keep it functional - if you go on foot you will become quick sniper fodder.
• When inside, you are the class at the greatest advantage as carbines have a higher rate of fire and you have RPGs/AT4s to clear the choke points!
• Support
• When outside, follow a similar strategy as the Assault class
• When inside, find a good spot to go prone and cover the choke points
• Recon
• When outside, pick off enemy snipers or engineers as they're repairing vehicles.
• When inside, look out for enemy snipers and the occasional enemy who runs around behind you.

Netflix spawns "Qwikster" and adds Video Game service

Current Netflix subscribers have recently received a message from Reed Hastings (Co-Founder and CEO, Netflix) that begins with the somber words "I messed up. I owe you an explanation." 

In the message, Hastings goes on to explain the rationale behind the now infamous Netflix price hike and drops yet another bomb on subscribers - "we will rename our DVD by mail service to 'Qwikster.'"

His message ends with a final statement, "Both the Qwikster and Netflix teams will work hard to regain your trust. We know it will not be overnight. Actions speak louder than words. But words help people to understand actions."

The Neflix giant was built on being the most convenient way to access movies and content - either by streaming or by delivery. By splitting into two services, with two separate accounts and two separate billing statements, that convenience has the potential to be compromised. As disgruntled user Jeremiah Cohick explains, "By separating and charging more for access, you're wildly less valuable to me [and] I'll likely cancel."

While this provokes some frustration from subscribers who use both streaming and delivery, Qwikster will receive additional value through a new "video games upgrade option, similar to our upgrade option for Blu-ray." This upgrade will allow for Wii, Xbox360 and PS3 games to be delivered in a similar fashion to the traditional disc service, a change that Qwikster's dedicated "DVD by mail" team will be able to facilitate, according to Hastings.

The video game rental upgrade seems like a good way to steal some business from game rental company GameFly, but it remains to be seen how Netflix will implement this service and how prices compare to GameFly's $15.95 per month for 1 game out at a time.