Mass Effect 3

[jammi]

I got the Xbox mag that had the exclusive preview of this lot, and I'll just add a few points to r2vange's post:

SR-2 is back in Alliance hands. The Alliance are in the process of tearing it to bits and rebuilding it, to try and work out what Cerberus did to the design. Due to this, there aren't really any new areas to the ship. You've got the same deal as ME2.

Cerberus actually betray Sheppard for real this time. They're one of the many enemies you'll face. Means you'll probably feeling a bit silly if you chose the renegade Cerb ending to ME2, while Garrus and Tali smirk "I told you so's" at you.

Confirmed companions are currently Liara (the Asari), Garrus, Ashley/Kaidan (depends who survived) and James Sanders. The other folks you spotted may be companions, or they may simply be cameos as Liara was in ME3.

The Batarians aren't the only race to get done over by the Reapers. You'll be fighting Husk versions of all the races. The article in particular mentioned seeing "a bloasted perversion of an Asari with a human head embedded into her neck."

Weapon customisation is also back (there is a mixture of elements from ME1 and 2. The dev interview said they'd retained ME2's combat system because they liked it, but they've gone back to some of ME1s RPG elements regarding inventories), with the ability to outfit your weapon with three upgrades.

Classes get some new bonuses. For example, engineers will get a turret (not sure how that'll work).

Close combat got an overhaul. From what the article describes, renegades will be able to have a lot of fun with the new melee system. Not sure why the same wouldn't apply to Paragons, but eh.

The "Gore" system: "The best description that's given, however, is completely bloodless: take the Cerberus Atlus, a heavy, manned mech. You can focus your fire on a limb, shattering the casing - or you can go for the glass of cockpit and take out the mech pilot. Some situations - not all - will let you use it." Strikes me as a simple enhancement of the headshot system. We'll see how it works later, I guess.

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