Bioware co-founder Greg Zeschuk has recently revealed several new details within upcoming RPG Mass Effect 2 to IGN regarding gameplay and the sequel’s place within the franchise as a whole.
Zeschuk commented that, as the middle release in what will become the Mass Effect trilogy, that Mass Effect 2 will essentially be equated to Star Wars ‘The Empire Strikes back’.
“If you recall, Empire Strikes Back was the darker chapter and that is how we designed the ME2 story and experience: to try and make the player reflect on the challenges of the character. If you put ME2 next to the original it is definitely a darker, harder game.” Zeschuk explained.
The game will begin “soon after” the events in the original Mass Effect and will find Commander Shepherd scouring the galaxy to recruit twelve of the most dangerous operatives he can find as a new threat emerges to wipe out human colonies.
One of these operatives is known as Grunt, a surly Krogan, who Zeschuk reveals is “good to fight alongside”, citing that he will spontaneously perform the Krogan rush that Wrex must be instructed to carry out in Mass Effect.
After some hands on time in one of the Mass Effect 2 levels IGN reported that combat has been dramatically improved and is now more fluid.
“Well combat was one of our big focuses. The original was the first time we had ever really tried a shooter, and just getting the game done was a lot of work. So as time has rolled on we’ve just got a lot better at doing the combat. The tradition of the RPG is a lot more like Dragon Age, whereas Mass Effect is more like a game with RPG features. I would consider it more of a Shooter RPG. Especially after the changes we have made in this one: it is even more like a shooter. It’s very doable to make such a mix work; you just need to get practice with it.” added Zeschuk.
The AI has also been improved in Mass Effect 2. Some players critisiced the lack of spontaneity that enemies showed in the original. This, says Zeschuk, has been rectified.
“We took three main steps to improving the engine. We put a lot of effort into both your team and the enemy’s A.I. You’ll see enemies do really smart things like running from cover to cover and mounting or even jumping over obstacles properly”
Mass Effect 2 currently has no confirmed released date although it is expected to become available on Xbox 360 and PC in early 2010.
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/103/1033498p2.html
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