Archive for February, 2012

Reflecting on the end of Mass Effect

- February 22nd, 2012

Mass Effect Executive Producer Casey Hudson and Lead Writer Mac Walters chat about crafting the finale to gaming’s most ambitious science fiction role-playing game series

Gamers are counting down to March 6. It’s not that Mass Effect 3 is one of the most anticipated games this year, I mean it is, but the anticipation of Mass Effect 3 stems from a promise BioWare made back in 2005.

With Mass Effect, BioWare was anxious to break the RPG mold by designing a non-linear narrative for players that would allow them to craft their own Commander Shepard and shape his or her own identity within a galactic conflict brewing in deep space. As Shepard, gamers realized the threat of the Reapers and, over the course of Mass Effect 2, began to unravel their mysteries.

In Mass Effect 3, the Reapers have arrived on Earth with destructive force and it’s survival at any cost. Catching up with Executive Producer Casey Hudson and lead writer Mac Walters on Valentine’s Day, I was anxious to learn if the team at BioWare Edmonton achieved the vision they set out for almost seven years ago.

Read more…

Video games in the news

- February 17th, 2012

Every now and again, video game news makes the news news, and this last week or so has seen plenty of game-related headlines, and most of it positive.

Round-up after the jump. (Full disclosure: I wrote the stories linked below.)

Read more…

PlayStation Vita: the good, the bad, the iffy

- February 13th, 2012
PlayStation Vita

PlayStation Vita makes this man almost as happy as his purple hoodie does. Will it do the same for you?

Sony’s big gaming gamble is just a few days away.

PlayStation Vita, the electronics giant’s follow-up to the reasonably successful but never quite beloved PlayStation Portable, hits stores Feb 22. At $249.99 – only $50 less than a brand new PlayStation 3, and $80 more than the rival Nintendo 3DS – Vita is Sony’s powerful, pricey new platform aimed at gamers who occasionally wander away from their homes. The sun! It burns my pasty skin!

But in an age where our smartphones are capable gaming machines that also do e-mail, apps and those weird “telephone call” things, an expensive dedicated games device is a risky proposition. Sony is out to prove that a big screen, familiar controls and deep games can woo people away from smartphones, tablets and a miniature Mario.

Read more…

FemShep Friday has arrived!

- February 10th, 2012

Bioware has finally launched a Mass Effect 3 trailer starring the female version of protagonist Commander Shepard, or FemShep, as she’s known to her fans.

And she definitely has fans.

FemShep doesn’t get as much attention as her oh-so-manly counterpart (Mass Effect 3 marks the first time Bioware has used her in their marketing), and she doesn’t have yield the same numbers (only 18% of players choose her), but  much like a cult-classic TV show, she commands a small but dedicated fanbase.

Just ask Jaime Roberston, the founder of FemShep.com, a community where Female Shepard’s loyal followers can write fanfic, share fanart and swap stories about their space-faring, galaxy-saving exploits.

What began as a FemShep thread on Bioware Social Network turned into a Deviant art site (Warning: Some NSFW content) and eventually became a central hub for the greater FemShepper community.

So what is it about this character that inspires this kind of fandom?
Read more…

- February 10th, 2012

Skyrim wish list comes to life

- February 9th, 2012
mountedcombat

Riding into battle against a giant in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim? Um, yes please!

I love The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. For all its little flaws and bugs and nuisances, it’s a meal I intend to keep nibbling on over time, stretching my Skyrim experience out as long as possible. Maybe 100 hours, maybe more. We’ll see.

But after seeing this video, my love for Skyrim feels slightly tainted.

Read more…

NFL Blitz – still ridiculous, still awesome

- February 8th, 2012

Tom Brady might be feeling a little blue following the Patriots’ Superbowl loss, but between his three Superbowl rings, millions of dollars, and fiercely supportive supermodel girlfriend, I’m guessing he’ll be ok. But where does that leave you?

What are you doing to fill that void, now that football is done for the year? One possible fix is NFL Blitz, which has recently been given an overhaul and ported to home consoles.

nflblitz7 Read more…

Who’s your Shepard?

- February 3rd, 2012

The Mass Effect series does something truly incredible for representation in video games. Its galaxy-saving, star ship commanding  protagonist, Shepard, is so customizable so that players have control over her gender, race, personality and even sexual orientation.

This is more than a way to make a game politically correct; it’s an effective strategy increase players’ engagement with the plot. The stakes feel higher. Decisions and interactions with other characters feel more authentic, to the point that I’m avoiding any romantic entanglement in Mass Effect 2 because I actually feel guilty about the prospect of cheating on Liara. Especially after I told her I wanted us to make little blue babies.

I love my Shepard. After all these hours, how can I not? She’s literally an extension of me.

This got me wondering what other people are doing with their Shepards. Here’s a round-up of some I found on my web travails. Tell me about your Shep in the comments, or better yet, post a screen shot.

(Oh, and Mass Effect 3 hist shelves on March 6, but you already knew that).

Read more…