Gameplay
Mass Effect 3 is a RPG first, and foremost, and a shooter / action game second. As such the game has a decent RPG leveling system which is a bit more then what was found in Mass Effect 2 for the most part, but not as deep as what was in Mass Effect. You are given the ability to create your own character from scratch, or, and this is one of the more talked about draw points to the franchise as a whole, is the ability to import a saved character from Mass Effect 2. All the choices you made in Mass Effect 2 will carry over to Mass Effect 3 essentially making each players’ game play experience unique for the most part. Please note that you must have finished the campaign in Mass Effect 2 in order to be able to import a saved character to Mass Effect 3. This carrying over of saved characters from one installment is probably one of the bigger selling points of the game. Many people, use included, saved all our saved games since Mass Effect to be able to import our characters to Mass Effect 2, and then eventually to Mass Effect 3. That is a-lot of time to invest in a character, and you can see why many hoped the final installment would not bomb. We personally have about seven different characters we have created over the course of Mass Effect, and Mass Effect 2. Yes we liked the games that much.
There were some changes made to the way a character was imported from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 2 to Mass Effect 3. In Mass Effect 2 you were not given the choice to change your character’s class. If you played as an Adept in the first game, and decided to import that character, you had to play as an Adept in Mass 2. This time around however Mass Effect 3 allows you to change the class of your character when importing. In all honesty we were a bit torn by the decision of Bioware to do this. On the one hand we felt it made sense that if you started way back when as an Adept, a Sentinel, Infiltrator, etc. in Mass Effect then in the conclusion of the trilogy you should stay as an Adept, a Sentinel, Infiltrator etc. Basically finish what you started. However we could understand the want to change classes as when we completed Mass Effect 2 the first time with our imported character from Mass Effect we wanted to play again using the same character but having him / her be a different class with all the level points we had earned in our first play through of Mass Effect. Of course this was not to be, and we ended up creating another character which kind of bummed us out. But we did get over it. We just decided to stay on the fence with this one. Anyway moving on.
The level cap of your Shepard is 60. An increase of 30 from Mass Effect 2. An added bonus is that if you do import a character from Mass Effect 2 who reached the cap of 30, you will start off at level 30 in Mass Effect 3. YEA!!!!
Weapons
The game offers a plethora of different weapons, and weapons types which include sniper rifles, sub machine guns, pistols, shot guns, and assault rifles. Each weapon can be customized via mods which enhance different aspects of the weapon from increasing its ammo capacity to improving stability to increasing damage. Each weapon in the game has what you call tiers. The higher the tier, the higher the attributes of the weapon is. This tier system was also present in the first Mass Effect game with the difference being while the tier max in Mass Effect was about ten or so, the max in Mass Effect 3 is five.
Firearms in Mass Effect 3, like in Mass Effect 2 work on the premise that every weapon has unlimited ammo, but in able to fire the weapon you will need what is called thermal clips. Thermal clips prevent the weapon from overheating, and making it unable to fire. Its kind of a strange concept as it is easy to compare thermal clips to ammo clips but it is the Mass Effect universe, and in this universe this is how firearms work. Who are we to argue? Players are able to use different ammo types as well which they can use with any firearm at any given time on the fly provided you class is able to use them. The different ammo types include:
Incendiary Rounds – Cause the target to burn, and reduce the target’s ability to heal
Cryo Rounds – inflicts freezing damage to a target. with enough rounds fired at a single target, it can cause the target to actually freeze, leaving them vulnerable to additional attack.
Armor Piercing Rounds – Pretty self explanatory. Causes rounds to pierce enemy armor making it possible to use less rounds to take down targets.
Warp Rounds – Rounds coated with Biotic energy (this will be explained later) which reduces enemy barriers.
Disruptor Rounds – can be used to reduce enemy shield effectiveness to the point where the shields can be completely destroyed. They can also be used on synthetic enemies to disrupt combat effectiveness
Not all of the classes in the game are able to use all of the ammo types available in the game. Some ammo types are acquired only after having a new character join your squad at which time the option to have this ammo type becomes available. Other types are exclusive to specific classes. The Soldier class is the only class that can have all ammo types available to them at once. Oh we’re sorry. What do we mean by classes? Glad you asked.
Class Breakdown
In Mass Effect 3, like its predecessors, you are given the ability to choose from six character classes. Each class brings its own unique skill set which can change the way you play drastically. The six listed classes in Mass Effect 3 are:
Soldier – Combat specialist who’s preferred means of dealing with an enemy is firearms. This class can take a-lot of punishment, and dish it back equally well. This is the only class that has access to all weapons, and ammo types at once in the game. A power unique to only this class is Adrenaline Rush. This power allows the player to slow down the action around him, and get in precision shots. (Think Max Payne bullet time).
Adept – This class focuses mainly on what the game calls Biotics. Biotics in the Mass Effect world is a term used for individuals that can manipulate Mass Effect fields giving them the ability manipulate matter with their minds. Pretty much they are the Jedi Knights of the Mass Effect universe minus the light sabers. Their unique powers include Stasis which freezes enemies in their tracks, and Singularity, the ability to create vortexes that suck enemies in and cause them considerable damage. The downside to this class is that they are not as durable as the Solider class, and have limited access to fire arms that can be carried at once.
Engineer – The tech master of the classes. Their main skill is the ability to disable enemy defenses, and deploy combat drones to aid them in fighting. This class is extremely useful in defeating bosses with high defenses, and fishing out enemies who like to hide in cover. One of this class’s unique powers is Incinerate. A highly explosive plasma charge that causes burning damage as well as decreases its target’s ability to heal. Like the Adept, the Engineer is limited to the number of fire arms they can carry at once.
Vanguard – This class is a mix of the Soldier, and Adept. Outfitted with Biotic powers, and combat training, they specialize in getting in close to their enemies, and ruining their day. You could almost call them the Kamikaze’s of the Mass Effect classes but they don’t intent to die. If used properly, they are a very effective class to use. They can carry more weapons, and can take more punishment then Engineers, and Adepts, but have less armor then Soldiers. One of their unique powers is Nova. A devastating Biotic attack that releases a large biotic explosion taking out enemies at close range. They also share some of the powers used by Adepts. One of which, called Shockwave, is a powerful biotic attack that sends a ripple of biotic explosive energy down a straight path (think of a Jedi Force blast freight train) which sends any enemy in its path flying, and inflicts damage.
Sentinels – You could consider this class the Tank of the game. Using a mix of tech, and biotic powers this class doesn’t need to hide in cover too much as their shields are able to absorb a-lot of damage. They cannot carry as many weapons at once like Soldiers, but are able to carry more then Adept, and Engineers. One unique power this class has is Tech Armor which boosts their defense allowing them to just stand up and unload on enemies as their enemies wonder why all of their own firepower is not making this class fall to its knees.
Infiltrator – The recon class of the game. They specialize in stealth using tech, and combat abilities to take enemies down. Although they are efficient in many weapons their preferred weapon is the sniper rifle. Their unique powers include Tactical Cloak which allows them to become invisible to the enemy, and Sticky Grenades which are grenades that be thrown on a surface, and sit there until an unsuspecting enemy walks by and then BOOM!
Please note that each class has more powers then the ones we have mentioned. We wanted to mention at least one power per class, and not mention all of the powers associated with each class as to allow you to get that “oh sh*t” response you’ll get once you do discover the other powers on your own.
Combat & Movement
Combat in Mass Effect 3 is a mix or guns, and powers, and melee attacks, and for the most part, Bioware pulled this off pretty damn well. Shooting, and using Shepard’s powers whether it be making enemies fly to the air with a biotic Shockwave attack using the Vanguard class, or becoming invisible to creep up behind enemies and then lay the hurt on via a hard melee attack being a Sentinel was overall enjoyable, and smooth.
New cover options like sliding over cover, moving from cover to cover have been added since the second game which will bring a smile to many experienced Mass Effect players. There is also the addition of a new heavy melee attack which is pretty damn cool. The animation for the heavy melee attacks for each class is different. Soldier whips out what looks like a holographic red blade from their arms while Adpet classes are shown what looks like a Biotically charged punch when heavy melee is called. Also new to the franchise is the ability to grab enemies, and toss them over cover and smash them to the ground while you are in cover and finish them off with a heavy melee attack. This attack is possibly one of the coolest things we have seen in the game, and one of the most satisfying moves to pull off in our opinion. Here’s a quick video of what it looks like below.
Some players new to Mass Effect will experience a bit of an adjustment period getting use to how Shepard moves as initially it would seem to feel a bit stiff. No worries though. After about a 1/2 hr of playing you will get use to it, and actually enjoy it. Veteran players of Mass Effect, and other games like Bioware’s Knights of the Old Republic should have no problem getting use to how Shepard moves around initially.
Multiplayer
Another new, and a bit controversial addition prior to the release of Mass Effect 3 is the multiplayer campaign. Traditionally the Mass Effect games have always been single player only, and many felt there was no need for a MP component. In fact many gamers, including us, were expecting the multiplayer to be a flop which has been the case with many “tacted on” multiplayer campaigns in the past with the exception of a few games like Uncharted 2. Fortunately the multiplayer campaign in the game did not suck. In fact it was a pleasant surprise to us.
The multiplayer is set up as a max four player co-op. The MP allows you to create characters who are fighting the Reapers across the galaxy while Shepard is away doing his / her own thing. Players are put into maps (six in total with an additional two added via recent free Resurgence DLC) where they must survive a total of eleven waves of enemies. Each wave is harder then the next, and random objectives are thrown in in every other wave to add to the difficulty. These objectives range from securing four points of interest within a given time, to defending a point for a specific time, to taking out key enemies, again in a given time. After the tenth wave is completed, an eleventh wave is started which requires you to rendezvous at an LZ to EVAC (aka get the hell out of dodge). The trick is for you, and your squad to stay alive until the EVAC shuttle arrives while a horde of enemies tries to take you, and your squad out. Having all of your squad reach the LZ area and stay alive awards you the “Full Extract” bonus which yields more credits as a reward. It is possible to complete a round with only three, two, or just one member of the squad surviving but in doing so the extract bonus is decreased.
The multiplayer allows you to play as all classes that are available in the single player, and all classes have access to all types of fire arms, and ammo types. You are however limited to carrying 2 firearms at a time. : ( . Each class has a total of five customizable characters to create, name, and use. You can have thirty different characters at a time in the multiplayer.
The customization of your character is limited in the MP to choosing the color schemes of your armor / clothes. No face customization is available except for skin color which is available only as an unlock. Each race in a class can be leveled up, and has the powers and skills associated with that class. You earn points by leveling up which you can then use towards improving your powers, and skills just as you do with your Shepard character in the single player. The max level cap is 20 which can be achieved within a day or two. Your multiplayer character’s skill tree is not as robust as Shepard’s cause lets face it Shepard is the baddest of the bad asses, well at least in this universe, but you will have enough to give your enemies sufficient headaches.
The unlocks are purchased via credits you obtain when playing missions in the multiplayer, or by purchasing Bioware points which can be obtained with real money via Origin. When you have obtained enough credits you are able to purchase what the game calls “packs”. These packs have the chance to grant you weapon modifications, medi gel (which is used to heal yourself when you are taken down in a match), weapons, and higher tier versions of already acquired weapons, ammo types, power module enhancements, and the Cobra Missile Launcher which is can take out bosses with a single shot. Be wary though. You have limited ammo with this weapon, and it should be used as a last resort in the event you are being over run, and the boss of that wave is kicking your team’s ass. You also can get character unlocks from packs.
To clarify a bit on the character unlocks, you are only privy to a certain number of races per class at the start. As you obtain character unlocks, races for specific classes will become available to you. Some races are restricted to certain classes. I.E. Humans are available in all classes, but Asari for instance are restricted to Adept, and Vanguard classes due to their natural infinity to biotic powers. After the release of the Resurgence DLC four new races (actually race types) were made available. They are Asari Justicars, Batarians, Geth, and Krogan Battlemaster. The same class restrictions still apply with the new available race types with Asari Justicars being limited to only Adept class, Batarians being available only in Soldier, and Sentinel class, Geth being available only in Infiltrator, and Engineer class, and Korgan Battlemaster only being available under the Vanguard class. The DLC also granted players new unlockable weapons, and two additional maps.
Another thing to point out, and seriously we would be wrong not to mention it, is that the multiplayer campaign ties into the single player campaign. With each successful mission you perform in the multiplayer your “galactic readiness” (how prepared are you’re forces within the galaxy to take on the Reapers in the final battle) in the single player campaign is raised. This percentage is effected on every saved career you have in the game, and increases, and decreases depending on how much you play the multiplayer. Somewhat of a downside to this is if you do not play the multiplayer constantly then your galactic readiness will fall. Sneaky Bioware making it so we should play the multiplayer consistently to keep our readiness up. Boo! Actually its a pretty smart way to keep people playing the multiplayer.Ok we take the “boo” away…for now (evil eye).
Additionally when all of your created multiplayer characters within a class have reached level 20. you are given the option to “promote” this group to the front lines of the war. This in turn raises your N7 level. It also causes all your created characters in that class to be wiped, you will need to create new characters who’s levels now start back at one. Basically you just sent your people to the front line, and now you have a new class of grunts to train, and get ready. You do however get to keep all weapons, and mods you acquired as they are account wide, not character specific. Quick clarification on what the N7 level is. N7 level is pretty much a badge of honor (think prestige in Call of Duty: MW) within the game, and doesn’t have any real effect on either the single player, or multiplayer…so far as we have seen. This may change in future DLC, but we aren’t holding our breathes.
We spent many hours on the multiplayer which we found fun, and addictive. Definitely an addition to the game that we feel was well implemented. Below are two videos of us playing the multiplayer. The first video shows us using the Sentinel class as a Turian, one of the many races in the Mass Effect universe. The second is game play of our Asari Justicar character in the Adept Class. Yea we know. We suck.
