Players will also be able to play with Kasumi throughout the campaign, the character will react with other characters the same way Zaeed did in the day one DLC and will even unlock a new part of the Normandy where she will hang out in between missions.

That’s great and all Bioware but I kind of feel you should have created a much bigger world if you wanted to keep players playing for longer then 25 hrs it took to play though once.

Think Oblivion, why couldn’t there be more skill based side quests where Shepard could earn ranks in certain organisations and guilds. These could be added as cross trilogy DLC later this year that meant players would go back and play the last two games again, gaining resources that would help in the final fight with the reapers. Thats the kind of stuff I want from the Cerebus network, not another 90 mins (more like 40 if the last character DLC is anything to go by, unless Bioware skimped on the free DLC?) of a loyalty mission thats not going to have any real impact on me if I already played the finale.

Kotaku have a Bioware interview on the add on from GDC – here

Mass Effect 2 stays on top for the 2nd week running keeping Dante’s Inferno from getting there, of course EA probably wont be sad. Elsewhere on both lists MAG keeps a similarly consistent hold on its 7th place status in the top 10.

People still seem to be going out and playing Avatar….what the hell? Although the inclusion of Fracture in the Irish top 20 is far more worrying. As usual thanks to Chart-Track.co.uk

Ireland

1 MASS EFFECT 2 BIOWARE EA GAMES
2 DANTE’S INFERNO VISCERAL GAMES EA GAMES
3 FIFA 10 EA CANADA EA SPORTS ELECTRONIC ARTS
4 CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2 INFINITY WARD
5 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. WII NINTENDO NINTENDO NINTENDO
6 JUST DANCE UBISOFT (FRANCE) UBISOFT UBISOFT
7 MAG ZIPPER INTERACTIVE SONY COMPUTER ENT. SONY COMPUTER ENT.
8 WII SPORTS RESORT NINTENDO NINTENDO NINTENDO
9 ARMY OF TWO: THE 40TH DAY EA MONTREAL EA GAMES
10 MARIO & SONIC AT OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES SEGA SEGA SEGA
11 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. NINTENDO NINTENDO
12 ASSASSIN’S CREED II UBISOFT (MONTREAL) UBISOFT
13 JAMES CAMERON’S AVATAR: THE GAME UBISOFT (MONTREAL)
14 WII FIT PLUS NINTENDO NINTENDO NINTENDO
15 LEGO BATMAN: THE VIDEOGAME TRAVELLER’S TALES WARNER BROS.
16 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2010 KONAMI DIGITAL
17 MARIO KART WII NINTENDO NINTENDO NINTENDO
18 FOOTBALL MANAGER 2010 SPORTS INTERACTIVE SEGA SEGA
19 FRACTURE DAY 1 STUDIOS LUCASARTS LUCASARTS
20 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV ROCKSTAR NORTH PLATINUM TAKE 2

UK

1 MASS EFFECT 2 BIOWARE EA GAMES ELECTRONIC ARTS
2 JUST DANCE UBISOFT (FRANCE) UBISOFT UBISOFT
3 CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2 INFINITY WARD ACTIVISION ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
4 DANTE’S INFERNO VISCERAL GAMES EA GAMES ELECTRONIC ARTS
5 FIFA 10 EA CANADA EA SPORTS ELECTRONIC ARTS
6 WII SPORTS RESORT NINTENDO NINTENDO NINTENDO
7 MAG ZIPPER INTERACTIVE SONY COMPUTER ENT. SONY COMPUTER ENT.
8 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. WII NINTENDO NINTENDO NINTENDO
9 WII FIT PLUS NINTENDO NINTENDO NINTENDO
10 JAMES CAMERON’S AVATAR: THE GAME UBISOFT (MONTREAL) UBISOFT UBISOFT

One key point with this Armour is that Shepards face is visible through the visor, making the conversations and cut scenes all the less annoying during the use of DLC armour.

Slick

You can check out the Armours stats as well as some of the other DLC armours that were available during release-Here.

Gotta love the Dr. Pepper Jordie visor!

A very solid 9.6 on Metacritic confirms that Bioware have very likely blown it out of the park with ME2.

So all that’s left to do is ponder how your going to play the game. Mass Effect 1 was my first dip into Bioware RPG’s and I bitterly regret not getting a 2nd play through in before Fridays release. After playing through first time as a standard soldier class; I now realise what I missed out on- Biotics, close quarters combat etc etc.

This time I’m determined to have it all mapped out before I fire up the intergalactic soap opera and have been studying the below videos for hours and this what I derive. ……… I can’t decide.

I’m leaning on the Engineer class or the infiltrator but its changing every couple of minutes!

Let us know what your plan of attack is  below!

* Edit* I will also be adding any new tv spots and official breakdowns of each edition to the below, so keep checking here for all your Mass Effect needs!

* Update – Price watch. Some retailers have this on offer today and tomorrow for €39.99 while others have it out for €49.99 so shop around folks!

Vanguard

Sentinel

Soldier

Engineer

Adept

Infiltrator

DLC trailer: Zaeed

Official Launch Trailer

———————————————————————————————-

EA are setting a new standard for special edition content, last years Dragon Age was just the start.

What edition are you going to purchase?

Collectors edition

Ultimate Mass Effect 2 Experience. The vast universe of Mass Effect 2 gets even bigger with this limited-run Collectors’ Edition packed with unique collectibles and bonus in-game content. This is the must-have edition of every fan of this groundbreaking franchise.

The full version of Mass Effect 2
Bonus in–game Collectors’ Edition weapon and armor
48–page hardcover art book
Limited Edition Cerberus Network card granting access to bonus content
Issue #1 of the Mass Effect comic book by Dark Horse comics.
All housed in a premium tin package with exclusive artwork.

Take the fight to the enemy with their own technology! The chitinous Collector armor uses advanced regeneration amplifiers allow you to move faster, take more damage and recover health quickly. The Collector assault rifle is built to strip shields off enemies with little effort, allowing you to turn a well fortified mercenary or mech into a shredded mess in no time.

Go on you cheap skates splash out

Regenerate 10% faster
Increase storm speed by 10%
Increase health by 20%
Collector Assault Rifle: Rip through enemy shields and shred the opposition to pieces with this deadly Collector weapon.

Normal Edition

Two years after Commander Shepard repelled invading Reapers bent on the destruction of organic life, a mysterious new enemy has emerged. On the fringes of known space, something is silently abducting entire human colonies. Now Shepard must work with Cerberus, a ruthless organization devoted to human survival at any cost, to stop the most terrifying threat mankind has ever faced.

To even attempt this perilous mission, Shepard must assemble the galaxy’s most elite team and command the most powerful ship ever built. Even then, they say it would be suicide. Commander Shepard intends to prove them wrong.

Prepare for a suicide mission to save humanity
Choose between 19 different weapons
Devastating heavy weapons (that) can end a battle in seconds
Recruit a team of the galaxy’s most dangerous operatives
Explore the galaxy — scan planets to uncover unique secret missions
Train and equip your team to survive insurmountable odds
Control your conversation with physical moments of intense action

————————————————

Character vids including the hilarious Subject Zero one

Whats your poison going to be? Bioware’s rich expansive space opera or Zipper Interactives almost too good to be true stats driven dynamic online war? Or will you be picking both up first thing Friday morning?

Anybody out there want to admit they have taken some annual leave to see February in with a gaming  joygasm? Let us know.

Here’s some hype to get the juices flowing.

VS

I was pleasantly surprised to hear the guys in the 1up podcast speaking about the game now that the embargo is lifted. Apparently this is very much a shooter with RPG elements as opposed to the last games slightly tacked on Gears of War lite shooting.

Its also good news to hear that cover actually works this time! Can Bioware deliver a sequel that’s going to blow the original out of the water? Hopefully so.

Gametrailers have a great interview with a number of the guys working on the title and I have embedded below for you’re viewing pleasure.

Enjoy

Video – watch. Mass Effect 2, good.

Engineer Class.

Enjoy

Sure you do, everyone likes inter species mating.

Its amazing how no matter what the Sci Fi species that gets flung into these fantasy world, they all seem to appreciate boobage. Flame on!

Mass Effect 2 was originally set for release this month but is now being released at the end of January, cosy in the fact that it’s close to pay day after xmas. Was it a case of release against Modern Warfare or try and flog two big RPG’s in one month!? Could they not have just released Dragon Age in February or something? Surely the slew of developers clearing out of Activision’s way was enough to tell them that it was suicide? Every site you go to has trailers for Biowares latest splashed all over them so what was the plan? Was it to swoop in and give gamers an offer they couldn’t refuse just before Infinity Ward dropped the smack down on the whole planet? I don’t know but if it was then Borderlands may well have went and dropped a big green turd in Bioware’s drink.

Hey, I’m sure they know what there doing but I know for me personally after Borderlands got the review hype it did I splashed out on that title last week, as lots of people did. So, this is the thing – borderlands has enough content to do me on till Modern Warfare comes out, ergo I will trade it in for Modern Warfare. Not a bother but if I fork out for Dragon Age this week and love it, I have to throw down full price for another game a couple of days later.

Am I the only one in this predicament? Doubt it.

So is the extra success of Borderlands going to funk up Biowares plans to hopefully exploit the lull in the pre Modern Warfare 2 market? If they weren’t trying to exploit the lull then it was just straight up madness to release such a big expensive and ambitious title less then a week before a game that has 240 Ka-Gillianananan pre orders.

Maybe I’m just raving on but I still don’t have the cash to buy three €50 games in three weeks. If only Dragon Age had come out 2 weeks earlier, it would have been a no brainer for me even up against Uncharted 2.

Anyone want to weigh in on this? I’m sure there is a point somewhere in there?

During this years Polish Games Expo Bioware spokesman Watamaniuk mentioned this when asked what platforms the game will feature on - ” the 3 platform targets for Mass Effect2 were the Xbox 360, PC, and “probably the PS3” .

Probably Ps3 eh?? When questioned about this he said ” we do not comment on rumours and speculation”

Eh you just did you swine.

Anyway I’m up to my tits at the minute because we just went sale agreed on a property W00t W00t. That ain’t going to stop me from giving Uncharted 2 the once over tonight though!!! 

Enjoy some Mass Effect videos below.

[Source]