BioWare is known for their alluring western RPG games. Without a doubt, they’ve established themselves as respectable folk in this industry by bringing us renown games since the 90’s. It’s why it’s really not a surprise to see Sims developer Maxis Studio receive a helping hand with their upcoming action adventure title, Darkspore, from the Canadian development studio – a game that positively resembles past BioWare games, respectively.

How much help Maxis is receiving from BioWare is unknown. However, if we track BioWare’s success in the genre, we can pretty much determine that they’re lending enough resources to make Darkspore anti-sucky. If you’re familiar with games like Neverwinter Nights, or Baldur’s Gate (two games which somewhat resemble Darkspore visually), then you’ll know why BioWare’s generous “help” can be positively received. Once we get word as to just how much help Maxis is getting from BioWare, we’ll make sure to update this post. Darkspore is already sounding more and more intriguing as nears.

[Gamespot]

As I was playing through Persona 3 Portable recently, something quite interesting dawned on me. I alluded to this in my review, but I’d like to discuss it in more detail and perhaps get a good discussion going around the subject. What I realized was that, in everything that really matters, Persona 3 isn’t so different from Mass Effect. Mass Effect, especially the original, belongs to a sub-genre of RPGs that gamers typically consider to be about as different from Japanese RPGs as you can get, so why am I going and comparing two completely different games within two completely different sub-genres? Think about it a moment, though. Are they really that different in the areas that really matter?

Why do I even bring this up? It is mostly just my convoluted mind playing tricks on me, to be honest. I came up with a crazy thought and, the more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn’t too far from the truth. I think the disparity between fans of JRPGs and fans of WRPGs calls for a wake-up call. Every time I see a thread on some random Internet forum about one or the other, there are always haters that place their preferred RPG style up on a pedestal like no one can touch it. But, the truth of the matter is, these sub-genres may not be as different from each other as you think, and comparing these two very different yet oh-so-similar games seemed like the right idea to help make people aware of this.

So, open your mind a bit (I know, it’s difficult) and follow me on a journey as I take a look at various aspects of these games. You may be surprised just how similar they are.

The Similarities – Things That Really Matter

Pre-Defined Characters: One of the things that made Mass Effect stand apart from most other Western RPGs as of late was the fact that the game had a strong, pre-defined main character in Commander Shepherd. Sure, you had some options to decide on when “creating” your Shepherd, like whether they were male or female, the color of their hair, their background and even, as you progressed through the game, whether they leaned toward the “rainbow and ponies” mentality or would go around grabbing trouble-makers by the balls just because they could. I admit I mentioned this one first because, truth be told, it is more of a JRPG trait than anything.

Typically JRPGs have strong characters, very defined, with no player interaction to design their personality or role in the story at all. For the most part, this is the way it is in both Persona 3 and Mass Effect. While you can alter dialog, decide your character’s gender and choose which relationships to build upon in both – the main character is very well defined and follows a particular story from beginning to end. A few differences may be made along the way based on choices the player makes, but ultimately you end up at the same place.

Branching Dialog: Another thing that Western RPG fans are quick to mention is that JRPGs typically do not have branching dialog and your choices in any questions you do get asked really don’t matter. While that may be true for the most part, since we’re talking about Persona 3, those who think that way might as well throw their preconceived notions out the window. The Social Links allow the player to pursue which relationships with other characters they want and do so in the way they want. Do you want to be a complete ass? Go ahead. The dialog will reflect it and, if you’re not careful, you may get your relationship stuck in a rut or severed completely with that person. This is much the same as Mass Effect’s branching dialog and relationship-building with members of your crew. Say the wrong things and the entire rapport you have with someone might go down the toilet.

What about main story dialog? You have different choices in both games that affect the dialog, including choices you made while designing your pre-defined character. Are you playing a female? Some NPCs may treat you differently. Persona 3 has pop-quizzes while you’re in school – answer correctly and you get a stat boost, answer incorrectly and you get none. Stat boosts help you establish Social Links which, in turn, make you stronger in battle. You know what? That actually sounds like a deeper system than the branching dialog featured in Mass Effect.

Really, this is something WRPG fans hold so dear to their hearts, yet it is typically done in a very lackluster way that hardly integrates the two parts of a game like Mass Effect into one cohesive package? So, I say one thing to get one reaction and one little event, or say another thing to get another reaction and possibly a different event. How does that help me during the battle segments? Oh, right, it doesn’t.

But, just for the sake of argument, before I go on too much of a rant, we’ll just meet on level ground and say both games have similar branching dialog options that affect the game ultimately in ways that really make a difference. Shall we go on?

Free Roaming: While both Mass Effect and Persona 3 aren’t sandbox games, they do offer a very similar style of open-world-ness. You can’t go anywhere you want any time you want from the start in either game. However, eventually you will be able to have that freedom. In Persona 3, you can pretty much do anything you want throughout the majority of the game. Do I want to build up Junpei’s Social Link or Yukari’s? Do I want to eat at Wild Duck Burger (for a Courage stat boost) or have a drink at Chogall Café (for a Charm stat boost)? Do I want to study at my desk in the evening (for an Academics stat boost) or go into Tartarus and explore, leveling my characters up in preparation for the next big boss fight?

Let’s compare to Mass Effect 2, shall we? Do I want to go mining or do that side quest I picked up back on The Citadel? Do I want to do Miranda’s loyalty mission or not? Do I want to explore a system to see what I can find or go back to Omega and finish a side quest? The world in each game has a finite amount of space to explore and specific areas – whether they be planets, malls, space stations or restaurants – to check out. Choosing when and where to go is much the same in each game, it is just defined differently by the amount of locations and the way the game progresses.

Can I also just point out that both these games are very linear, they just give the air of non-linearity? Having free will during the majority of the game does not a linear experience make, my friends. Make no mistake, you are still going from story trigger A to story trigger B to story trigger C, and so on and so forth, in both these titles.

A Deep, Involving Narrative: You can’t argue that both Mass Effect games, as well as Persona 3, have deep narratives. The games flesh out the characters well, explore their backgrounds in relationship to the main story and keep us on pins and needles the entire way. Again, a misconception is that JRPGs always have to have cliché characters and plots that bring nothing different to the table. They do tend to be this way sometimes, but not always – making a blanket statement will get you into trouble. Also, light and bubbly Persona 3 is not. It follows its Western cousins in having typically a darker, more mature story.

There are bright and cheery parts of Mass Effect, and the game is littered with light-hearted moments. However, overall the story is one of doom and gloom. In the second game you’re recruiting people for a suicide mission to save the galaxy as we know it. That sounds a lot like Persona 3. A group of people band together, you could even say they’re recruited, to go on what is, for all the characters know, a suicide mission to save life as they know it. Putting a group of characters in those circumstances works much like real life – the characters bond, they get closer to each other, work together and ultimately accomplish their goal, regardless the cost. That theme is heavily present in both games and works out admirably for the player, who gets to experience this all from the perspective of the main character.

The Differences – Things That Don’t Matter

Visual Style and Appeal: Mass Effect is a realistic RPG shooter, Persona 3 is a stylistic anime turn-based RPG. The two have vastly different visual styles. Does that really matter? No. I realize some people aren’t a fan of anime-style visuals. I won’t point my finger at any one group, but it is a pretty good bet you can guess who they are. However, I’m of the opinion that if you let visual style influence the way you perceive a game, you’re rather superficial.

It may sound cheese-tastic, but it’s what is inside that counts, not what is on the surface. I don’t go around dissing Mass Effect, Dragon Age: Origins or Oblivion because they have a realistic, dark visual style that is distinctly Western, so to speak. I love all three of those titles because of either the story, game mechanics or a bit of both. Also, we all know the Xbox 360 is more powerful than both the PSP and PS2 combined – that doesn’t matter in the least. We aren’t doing a graphical comparison (which would be completely unfair anyway). Don’t judge a book by its cover, because ultimately that is not important at all.

The Battle System: Can an RPG be defined by its battle system? Yes, it can. But should it? I don’t think so. Every game that involves fighting an opponent has some sort of “battle system”, yet people seem to think that fact is only relevant when it comes to RPGs. Why? Oh, that’s right, every single FPS game out there is basically the same. You point and shoot, so it is a given what type of “battle system” the game has. Mass Effect has more of a third-person-shooter battle system, if you will. More action based, sure, but does that ultimately define the game more than the open world, branching dialog, deep narrative and immersive character development? No, it doesn’t. Or, at least, it shouldn’t.

Persona 3 has a turn-based battle system. There is less in-your-face action involved. Does it really matter? No, because that isn’t what the game is about. Ultimately, these games are about the characters and the story that plays out with these characters, all for the benefit of the player. I believe that is what draws people to both these titles more than any form of battle system they contain.

The Hardware: Let’s get this straight here and now – the only time you should let hardware dictate a game experience is if you don’t own a console that a game is exclusive to. I don’t want to hear Sony fanboys crying about how their RPGs are so much better than Mass Effect and I don’t want to hear Xbox fanboys calling JRPG fans a bunch of spikey-haired emo kids. Grow up, people.

Mass Effect is almost synonymous with Microsoft, since that is the system that holds the game’s console exclusivity. The Persona franchise is, similarly, pretty much synonymous with Sony. (Note that, technically speaking, the Persona games are an offshoot of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise, but who’s paying attention anyway?) If you call yourselves gamers, you owe it to yourself to try to find some way to play both these titles and expand your horizons a bit. Stop whining about which hardware is better and start talking about the games, because that is all that matters.

The Verdict

As you can see, both these titles are similar in many more ways than most people would give them credit for. Both Mass Effect games and Persona 3 have, in my opinion as a game reviewer, that spark that makes them special and I would probably rate all three games at a 9/10 or higher. So what if one is on the PS2 or PSP and the other is an the big, bad Xbox 360? That makes no difference at all. In the areas that really matter, the games are very similar. Sure, some mechanics are different here and there, but in the grand scheme of things they accomplish the same thing, just with very distinct flair from their opposite corners of the ring.

Here’s a challenge to you all: If you’re a very JRPG-oriented person like I am and have the mentality that Western RPGs wouldn’t have lasting appeal for you, play Mass Effect 2 and let me know what you think. Conversely, if you’re more of an action/shooter type of person and enjoy Western RPGs for their aggressive nature and gritty, realistic visual style, give Persona 3 Portable (or Persona 4) a try. It will require some patience on both ends if you’re playing something you aren’t used to, but I speak from experience when I say that it is going to be very much worth it.

Anybody who missed either Mass Effect or its sequel Mass Effect 2 should take this opportunity to catch up on what they missed. I say this because the EA Store has just released details on a summer sale that makes the idea of owning these games much more enticing. The only downside to this deal is that the discounts are only available for the PC edition of the games. These new discounts are almost unbelievable, with the original Mass Effect being discounted a whopping seventy five percent. Mass Effect 2 received similar treatment with the regular version being discounted by about fifty percent and the deluxe edition being discounted by about forty percent. Now don’t stay awestruck for too long because this deal is only good for the next three days or so, with the promotion expiring on the twenty fifth of July. So if you are looking for more information about pricing and the current deal click here or if you want to learn more about the games click here.

How can we not refuse? Way to go, Bioware. Making DLC that brings back Liara T’Soni. You could have just left us hanging after our brief encounter with her again in Mass Effect 2, but no…you went and came up with DLC that revolves around her. What were you thinking?! On second thought, I know exactly what they were thinking. Never mind.

Anyway, onto the point! Bioware announced today that another DLC mission will be available for Mass Effect 2 in the coming weeks, titled “Lair of the Shadow Broker”.

HERE THERE BE SPOILERS!

If you haven’t played ME2 yet, stop reading now if you have any inclination of playing it in the future. As we all know, the mysterious Shadow Broker is the means by which Liara managed to obtain Commander Shepherd’s broken body, which subsequently was turned over to Cerberus and reconstructed brick by boring brick (Paramore reference, sorry that song is stuck in my head). When we meet Liara during the course of the events in ME2, she’s still dealing with the fallout of those actions. This new DLC has something to do with helping Liara settle things with this Shadow Broker once and for all.

The spoilers are over, you can open your eyes again.

There is no release date and no detailed information about this mission, but I’m sure that will be forthcoming from Bioware in their own due time. For now, have some screenshots and be happy!

Barring any unforeseen issues that crop up, today Bioware will be releasing a massive patch for the PC version of Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age: Awakening. While today’s patch is for the PC only, there are PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the same patch in various stages of approval with Sony and Microsoft, so those players will be seeing similar fixes come down the line in the coming days.

I didn’t even know most of these issues existed, however I find it odd that Bioware would wait so long to fix some of them, such as the dexterity-based damage bonus of daggers. That is a huge issue if you’re playing certain classes with certain specializations. Why it hasn’t been fixed before now is beyond me.

Needless to say, it is good to know it is being fixed now. This patch won’t solve every issue that the game tends to have from time to time, but it is a step in the right direction, making a great game even better. Check out the entire set of patch notes after the break.

General Fixes

• Daggers will now properly assign the dexterity-based damage bonus.
• Achievement images and messages will now display properly.
• Resolved some authorization issues with downloadable content.
• Blood talents from the Grey Warden Base premium downloadable content will now work properly in Awakening.
• Fixed an issue where installing new downloadable content would occasionally leave the “Other Campaigns” selection greyed-out without a restart of the game.
• Multiple transitions in and out of Fade areas will no longer multiply the number of visual effects running and slow down gameplay.
• Floating numbers no longer appears over players’ heads.
• Damage statistics will now be updated properly on the Inventory screen when weapons were unequipped.
• Importing a character to a new module from a savegame that did not have the hero in the party caused the game to crash.
• If a character is imported into Dragon Age: Awakening and is stripped of their incompatible gear from DLC, they will be equipped with default equipment.
• Names with accents and special characters will now show up correctly in the Story So Far load hints.
• Switching between Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age: Awakening will no longer reset options to default settings.
• Fixed a number of memory leaks that were increasing the number of crashes
• Audio drivers were causing a number of audio-related crashes. As such, audio drivers have been updated.
• Fixed issues that were preventing portraits from being uploaded to the BioWare social site.
• Game saves on Xbox 360 were being corrupted if you sold too many items to the same merchant. Saves will no longer be corrupted if you do this.
• Screenshots are no longer automatically uploaded on the PC by default on new installations.
• Fixed pick-pocketing. Characters were successfully stealing, but not receiving any items.

Dragon Age: Origins Fixes

• Fixed an issue that would cause incorrect characters to occasionally appear in Morrigan’s ritual.
• Players who rescued their party members in the Fade of the Broken Circle plot were still forced to fight the sloth demon alone. This has been resolved.
• It is no longer possible for the player to get blocked during gameplay by pursuing both candidates’ quests in the Orzammar plot line.

Dragon Age: Awakening Fixes

• A variety of bugs were preventing personal quests from triggering and causing issues with party member approval have been fixed.
• Lillith will no longer repeatedly thank the player at Vigil’s Keep after being rescued.
• During the Assault on Amaranthine, a bug would occasionally make some enemies invincible, which impeded game progress. This no longer happens.
• Imported rogue characters will now properly detect traps.
• The message, “Legacy tattoo asset do not use!” will no longer appear on the faces of imported characters.
• Masterpiece and paragon silverite runes are now weapon runes instead of armor runes.
• The masterpiece slow rune is now available for purchase from merchant stores.
• Players may now receive notes of appreciation from their Origins love interests.

[Bioware]

Right now if you were to ask me which game I thought would win game of the year 2010 my response would probably be a sequel of some kind. Things have become quite banal in games as of late. Personally, it seems like we just see one big shooter after another, with various tidbits of unique titles here and there. It’s the middle of July, meaning there are less days left in 2010 than there are days that have gone by. What fresh noteworthy game has come this year? As difficult as it might be, try to limit your response to non-sequel games also. You may find that the pickings are quite slim. For perspective, let’s reflect on what made 2009 a great year in gaming and explore whether or not there is still hope for the rest of this year.

Thrilling RTS Plants Vs Zombies was praised for its’ rock solid RTS mechanics. Vast RPG-FPS hybrid Borderlands debuted to commercial and critical success. Action/Adventure effort inFAMOUS established itself firmly as a strong new IP. Bioware’s newest RPG Dragon Age: Origins pleased fans of the genre immensely and the greatest platformer ever reinvented itself with New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The list goes on…

The Batman game Arkham Asylum that shocked everyone by delivering quality game play, the downloadable title Braid that won over critics everywhere, the PSN title flower that reached a new precedent in interactive entertainment are all examples of how original things were last year. Of course there was the surplus of high quality sequels: Assassins Creed 2, Street Fighter IV, Uncharted 2, but they did little to outshine the newcomers. All things considered 2009 was, in a way, the year of the new, the sleeper hit, the uncharted (no pun intended).

Fast forward to now, when two of the most hyped games of the year are the sixth Halo title and the seventh Call of Duty game. The fact that both of these are first person shooters helps further my point. There is also the anticipated FPS Killzone 3. Taking the same reflective look back at the past six and a half months is actually a little depressing. Not to imply, however, that there haven’t been a few noteworthy efforts.

The widely praised Bayonetta and Zelda inspired adventure title Darksiders make up two highlights. Interactive drama Heavy Rain attracted plenty of attention with its dedication to storytelling. The much hyped and overall disappointing Alan Wake made gamers wait five years for a rather flawed venture. The lauded Red Dead Redemption and much less than perfect Blur seem to make up the rest of this year’s unique games. Subpar shooters MAG and Section 8 cram even more monotony into the shooting genre while falling short to add all they were expected to contribute to the diluted design style.

So now we come to the sequels and our options multiply. God of War 3 is a contender for game of the year. Battlefield Bad Company 2 delivered FPS mechanics with a focus on team play. Skate 3 is considered a rather poor example of the skateboarding genre. Bioshock 2 failed before it could succeed, touting the name of its universally acclaimed prequel. Lost Planet 2 has been the target of many acidic opinions, most criticism aimed at its distinct focus on multi-player.

Mass Effect 2 makes up another GOTY contender. Sequels Crackdown 2, Puzzle Quest 2 and Ninety Nine Nights 2 appeal exclusively to fans of their original installations.  Just Cause 2 offers fresh sandbox game play and Iron Man 2 is quickly becoming one of the worst reviewed games of the year.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, NCAA Football 11 and UFC Undisputed 2010 give players more of what they’ve become accustomed to with only slight improvements. Red Steel 2 and Sin and Punishment 2 help fill out the Wii’s sequels. Let’s not forget Super Mario Galaxy 2, yet another GOTY contender. Fans have been very excited about Fable 3 and Dead Space 2, which are planned for this year as well. Recent footage reveals Mortal Kombat 9. Will it be slated for this year also?

This month we will see the release of the long awaited StarCraft II and BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, sequel to last year’s fighting masterpiece. So what gives with all these part twos, threes, fours, fives, nines, thirteens, etcetera? At this point in the year, it wouldn’t be unfair to dub 2010 the “Year of the Sequels”.

Coming back to the first point, originality in games today, I would have to say things are not looking up. There is however, certainly hope for a 180. An epic turn of events that would permit us to say one year from now that the first half of 2010 was just sequels but that things really heated up after the second quarter. Here are a few of the reasons I haven’t lost faith in this year:

1.) The Tokyo Game Show: even though games that debut at TGS normally drop later in the States than in Japan, the event is exciting nonetheless. Huge publishers/developers like Square Enix, Namco Bandai, Capcom and even Nintendo keep aces up their sleeves for this industry event. Last year, we saw the reveal of Bayonetta, game-play from the still unreleased Gran Turismo 5, details on the coveted Dead Rising 2 and sought after footage from Final Fantasy XIII. While E3 may have been disappointing to some in its own right, TGS gives developers a redemption shot.

2.) Motion Gaming 2.0: You knew I was going to say something about them; the new casual gaming peripherals that are all the rage, Move and Kinect. While I know little has been revealed for these new platforms, they bring with them the promise of a myriad of new gaming opportunities. Child of Eden for Kinect looks more original than any game I’ve seen recently, and Sorcery for the Move looks to tread new ground as well. Things will only improve; I am really excited to see what we’ll get for these in the second half of the year as well as 2011. I stand with the majority who believe there will be almost exclusively shovel-ware available at launch. However, with the arrival of the holiday season (see below) there is even more hope for the new add-ons.

3.) The Holiday Season: While most games that drop in the final quarter of the year have been announced before that time, there have been exceptions to this in the past. While its coming had been foretold, not much was said of 2009’s biggest game until the holiday season. I am referring of course, to Modern Warfare 2, which came from out of nowhere to compete with Uncharted 2 as the very best title of last year. It is arguable that the highest quality titles are put on standby until we enter quarter 4, and if the last few years are any indication, we have more ahead of us than behind us.

4.) Codename: KINGDOMS: Yes, I’m referring to the game revealed during the Xbox 360 conference at E3. It is exciting because of both how much and how little we know about it. We know that it will utilize the Crytek graphics engine and is supposedly a 360 exclusive. We don’t know…anything else about it, but there’s a solid chance that it will come out this year, which is even more exciting. The short teaser trailer revealed very little about it, but the unknown is always promising.

5.)    Vanquish: I have been calling Vanquish the TPS to end all TPSs. The ambience, the ambition, the prospect of a single player shooting game, the legendary lineage, the iron core development (past works include Bayonetta, which I’ll speak on in a moment) everything about the game is exciting. It looks to separate itself from the droves of shooting games available, and that’s a task I have to see to believe. In the sheer attempt they deserve an A for effort. This game exemplifies creativity in every frame I have seen of it. Without a doubt, Vanquish is one of the reasons there is still innovation to be found in gaming and I am thoroughly excited about it.

Hence, this year may not have brought many spectacular games yet (some, but not many) but it is certainly not too late to see this change. I hope to be pleasantly surprised by game releases for the rest of this year. Creativity is a waning element in video games today and the culprit is profit. Well known franchises and the concept of an endless series are best bets in the business of gaming. In this aspect, things are only going to get worse. With men like Bobby Kotick standing at the forefront of the industry, one really has to wonder, who will become the general demographic? Will the core, tried and true gamers be an afterthought in the tidal wave of franchise and sequel releases? Will we trade places with the casual gamer as the overt focus of the industry? It doesn’t seem too farfetched at this point. Why else would we see over a dozen major sequel and remake releases in only six months with tons to come? The art side of this industry is clearly in danger.

In spite of this, I don’t think that creativity in games will recede any further. There are still passionate developers like the famed Hideo Kojima working to create excellent games. We see so many shooters because they sell, and the reverse can be said about any kind of unique or innovative game. We don’t see them very much because they may not sell well. For a quick example, look no further than 2008’s gloriously slept on Mirrors Edge, one of my personal favorite games of all time. The gems we have received this year, while few, are still nothing to scoff at.

Bayonetta, perhaps one of the most creative and breakthrough games ever released, features a long haired witch with guns on her feet who slays angels. It’s arguable that this breakout, over-the-top attitude is to blame for the game’s less than amazing sales. Yet it is widely known by the true gaming community that sales say little about quality, and thus is this title’s case.  Red Dead Redemption mixes an old western ambience with fine tuned sandbox game-play to make for a gaming experience unlike anything else. Heavy Rain throws game-play depth to the wind for the reward of a narrative so strong, it separates it from all other games and carves its own genre. Alan Wake utilizes simple light and dark mechanics to place greater burden on the game’s horror aspects, and the result is a unique, if flawed, adventure title.

All of these games teem with innovation and creativity, effectively defining them in gaming history. From the moment you perform that first satisfying torture attack in Bayonetta, you will know that games are evolving and ascending to a euphoric level of entertainment. The corporate machine will only produce more and more uninspired shooters and sequels. Deep down inside, you know this and you also know that people will buy them. However, as long as there is still passion in the industry, there will still be marvelous games. So long as there are visionaries like David Cage and Hideki Kamiya in this industry, creativity in games is going nowhere fast so hold on to that last shred of hope and appreciate those original titles because they need your support more than you might know.

Even though Bioware is hard at work on Mass Effect 3, they once again confirmed that they have no plans to stop dishing out the Mass Effect 2 DLC anytime soon. In fact, in an interview with Videogaming 24/7, Bioware big-shot Greg Zeschuk reiterated that they plan to tell the story between the two games through DLC.

“The last ones were really well received. People were really, really impressed with the Overlord Pack, and the Kasumi one did really well too. It’s something we’re going to continue to do.”

You can say that again. While I haven’t played the Overlord content yet, I was rather impressed with the Kasumi DLC. While the Bioware boss did mention that the frequency of DLC will be cut back, he also said that when we do get it, it will be worth the wait.

In the words of our Senior Editor Al Zamora, “Anything else would be uncivilized.” Yes, yes it would be. It had to be done – another Dragon Age had to be made to continuously satisfy the appetite of its fans. But most of us already knew that Dragon Age 2 would be surfacing soon. What we didn’t know was that it would just carry the name Dragon Age 2, as its predecessor held the title “Origins.” The picture above, which depicts the cover of Gamer Informer, features a new champion, a different part of the world, and it sure as hell might look orgasmic to some, even though we’re assuming it’s not gameplay stills.

Greg Zeschuk once stated that they were working to make the Dragon Age engine look “visually super hot.” We all pray for such a technical leap, as – if anyone else recalls – the graphics weren’t really awing on the console versions, and the convolution of ridiculous blood spread was a tad over-the-top, which made the game somewhat seem cheesy. With a ten-page cover story, it seems as though both EA and BioWare are more than ready to spread some details for their upcoming sequel to one of this year’s most prized RPGs. Exactly what the details entail, we can’t say yet.

If your run over to their BioWare’s site, you’ll get somewhat of a glimpse of what’s to come, though, including a debut trailer which will be releasing on August 17. Minor details are laid out on the page which gives description of the hero having to gather “the deadliest of allies,” amassing fame and fortune, and sealing his place in history. Some key features have also been added to the game. Features that you can check out after the jump.

Key Features:

• Embark upon an all-new adventure that takes place across an entire decade and shapes itself around every decision you make.
• Determine your rise to power from a destitute refugee to the revered champion of the land.
• Think like a general and fight like a Spartan with dynamic new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rougue, or warrior.
• Go deeper into the world of Dragon Age with an entirely new cinematic experience that grabs hold of you from the beginning and never lets go.
• Discover a whole realm rendered in stunning detail with updated graphics and a new visual style.

For those of you who are fiends and don’t care to know what the game looks like, the pre-orders start today. Gamestop has already put up a familiar date which BioWare teased with before: February 1, 2011. Surprise, surprise.

Today Bioware announced a new piece of DLC for their RPG hit Dragon Age: Origins. The story involves none other than everyone’s favorite rogue, Leliana. She was one of my favorite characters, simply because she was interesting (and hot). In the DLC, Leliana will find herself involved in a criminal ring that deals in political secrets. She’ll accompany her mentor, Marjolaine, on a mission that has a great deal of risk involved and ends up getting wrapped up in something deeper than she thought. It’ll take more than her brains and beauty to remove the threat.

Some of the features of “Leliana’s Song”, straight from Bioware’s site, are:

Explore Leliana’s dangerous past and why she joined the Chantry

Fully voiced cinematic experience brings the characters to life

Unlock a unique reward that transfers into your Awakening and Origins campaigns

Nothing is known about the pricing or specific release date yet, but Bioware is usually reasonably swift when it comes to releasing content they announce.

The Oprheum Theater was packed to the brim and EA’s press event opened up to a roaring applause from the crowd, following an intense trailer for EA’s upcoming reboot of the Need for Speed series with… you guessed it Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. What really set the crowd off was when the trailer showed who would be helming the series: Criterion Games.

We were then shown a short but very sweet multiplayer preview. It made me wonder why this wasn’t done with Criterion before. The game is set to launch on Novermber 16, 2010.

Next up was Dead Space 2. And according to the president of Visceral games it “will push the limits of horror an terror” DS 2 will take place in an entire city this time and Isaac will be taking the fight to the bad guys. From what we got a chance to see the game will be even more gruesome than the first. And of course, in true visceral games form there will be creepy monster-babies. The preview was ended with this quote “find out how it ends tomorrow at the Sony show.” Now I’ll just that with a grain of salt, however maybe they’re hinting at something bigger perhaps some kind of exclusivity? Either way we’ll find out tomorrow.

Medal of Honor took the spotlight next.  We’ve already seen some of the single player stuff but EA decided to show off it’s multiplayer guns today with a 24 player live demo (yes 24 people on stage at once). The Frostbite engine looks as slick as ever. They even showed a Call of Duty Esque killstreak reward system, where the player on screen called in a Predator missle, the difference though is that in this game (thanks too the engine) it actually levels a building.

EA Gun Club is introduced as a brand new rewards system/program. The more EA games you purchase the more perks you get. Such perks include demos, deals, and closed betas. You can enlist right now at gunclub.ea.com, and if you’re one of the lucky ones to have purchased BF:BC2 and register it, you can get early access to the Medal of Honor Beta on June 21^st.

Peter Moore, head of EA Sports took the stage to talk some MMA. He then shifted towards EA sports Live Broadcast. In Live Broadcast you create a fighter, make a hype video and “fight for real world prizes and online fame.” There will even be real life commentators talking about your fight and people from around the world tuning in to watch you duke it out.. EA Sports MMA will be on store shelves on October 19^th of this year.

Next up was EA Sports Active 2. We were treated to an onscreen clip of all of the different exercises available. Not all we’re shown, as there are over 70 in the fitness title. The game is shown on all 3 consoles  (PS Eye and Micosoft Kinect). Quick side note, surprisingly the Kinect looked more accurate here than it did at Microsoft Conference.

Moore returns to show us this years upcoming Madden 11. The newest trailer is all about making Madden “Simpler, Quicker, Deeper.” Joe Montana comes on stage, and the crowd goes nuts. Montana starts  talking about coaching and strategizing and most importantly Gameflow, the latest feature that will make the game a more true to life experience where your job is to play and perform instead about worrying about planning and picking plays. And as usual Madden 11 is touted as the best one yet, moving on.

The creator of the Sims series hit the stage and with him brought a speech about life and the decisions you make. Long story short: humans don’t have free will but Sims do. The Sims 3 will land on consoles this fall.

Crytek founder and President, Cevat Yerli hits the stage to discuss the Sandbox FPS gameplay found in Crysis 2. The scene we’re shown takes place in New York City’s Grand Central Station and it includes a pretty bad ass boss fight. Yerli goes on to say that the enemy AI found in the game is the smartest ever created and follows it up by saying “these guys are real killers.” After seeing what we were shown, I’d say hes about right. After the real time demo, we were then told to slap on our 3D glasses and were treated to a ridiculous in-engine 3D cut scene. Crysis 2 will be available in 3D this holiday on PS3, Xbox 360 and the PC.

Torrence Davis (TheBitBag) and myself etting ready for Crysis in 3D

Bulletstorm takes the stage next and everyone’s favorite Cliff “Dude Huge” Blezinski is there to tell everyone about it. It’s an over the top first person shooter with incredibly clean visuals. Pretty impressive and definitely for adults, what did you expect with CliffyB involved?

Lucas arts and Bioware hit the stage next and with them bring out Star Wars: The Old Republic. Where “everyone get’s their own starship”. People applaud and I wasn’t sure why. Then we we’re shown a trailer, and now I know why everyone was clapping. I want this game right NOW.

That was the end of the show. We took plenty of cam footage of the games shown and that will be up as soon as we’re not running from one theater to another. All in all, I have to say that EA looks to be bringing the heat this year. They put together a solid conference and now I’m looking forward to check out you know who’s conferecne (Hint: it rhymes with Boobie Loft) and then Activation at the Staples Center.

As much as I hate trailers of games that are all CG, this one is pretty cool, and I’m a huge Bioware and MMO fan. Combine that developer and genre with the Star Wars universe and you will likely have something pretty special. The focus of this trailer, and the EA press event showing, was strongly on Player Versus Player activities. In addition to that, we learned today that every player will have their own ship that can in some ways reflect your own personal style (perhaps like player housing in other titles?).

The PVP combat previously mentioned will take place in special war zones, that will naturally pit the Empire against the Republic in all-out battle. Check out the trailer below to see what all the hubbub is about. Keep a bib around, as the trailer will cause you to spontaneously expel saliva.

Unfortunately, I can’t find out a whole lot about it, because all the links I have that supposedly contain this phantom information are broken. I will say this, though, the patch contains one much-needed (and requested?) improvement. Planet scanning is now a whole lot less tedious, with a larger scanning range and faster overall scanning. Now you can typically scan a planet in less than a minute and be on your way to the next one. This was one of my biggest issues with the game, if you can even call it a bit issue at all. I’m glad they fixed it! Go Bioware!

If you’re counting, this is the second paid DLC provided by Bioware for their epic space odyssey Mass Effect 2. The first one, Kasumi’s Stolen Memory, was worth the price. Will it be the same with this one? Given Bioware’s track record, it is a good possibility, but I will hold out judgement until I get my hands on it. Needless to say, the DLC is called “Overlord“. In it, your team is sent to investigate a Cerberus base that has gone silent all of the sudden. What shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone is that you find it being overrun by Geth.

This may seem pretty standard on the surface, but it seems like there was some gruesome experiments going on at this research base. Scientists were working to fuse a human volunteer with a virtual intelligence. They did succeed, to a point. They created a rampaging VI “overlord”, that is going around attacking Cerberus bases, taking any technology it finds under its control (including the Geth, I assume). So, naturally, your job is to infiltrate the VI’s defenses and nix its terror spree before it can get any worse.

According to Bioware, there are five new level areas and new achievements to go along with the DLC, which doesn’t have a solid date yet (we’re thinking June sometime?). However, the price seems to be solidified at 560 Microsoft spacebucks (560 Bioware points).

This DLC seems to be more action-oriented and larger in scope than the Kasumi DLC, but it doesn’t seem like this one comes with a new party member. A decent trade off to spice things up a bit, no doubt.

Dear Bioware,

Honestly, you’re one of my favorite developers. Why must you go around spouting nonsense like you’re some elitest RPG god, assuming that only your brand of RPG is the only way RPGs can be done? I loved both Mass Effect titles, I loved Dragon Age: Origins, I’m looking forward to your upcoming Star Wars MMO. These are all awesome games in their own right, why must you go around shooting your mouth off willy-nilly? It makes you look like a bunch of jerks.

Seriously, give me a break. I realize this was just one person, blah, blah, blah. When someone speaks in an official capacity for the entire company, it reflects on you all. Do I discriminate between this RPG and that RPG? No, because if I did, I would have never even tried and fell in love with Mass Effect. Final Fantasy XIII, Mass Effect 2, JRPG, WRPG, whatever – they ARE ALL RPGS, whether you think they are or not. Live and let live, people. Stop trying to degrade other franchises to make yours look better, because nine times out of ten it has the exact opposite effect.

With all that being said, no one can really define what a video game RPG is. The line, “because it is not linear it isn’t an RPG” doesn’t work. Mass Effect is linear. You still must progress the story from point A to point B to point C, start to finish. Branching dialog does not a non-linear RPG make, my friends, especially when people tend to choose the dialog based on what it will get them instead of on any semblance of directing the story. It is fake, it all is. You give everyone a fake sense of being able to mold and direct the story, but really the linearity of Mass Effect isn’t unlike the linearity of JRPGs in general.

Mr. Erickson said this, quoted from StrategyInformer: “You don’t make any choices, you don’t create a character, you don’t live your character.” Let me dissect this for a moment and explain to you why he is wrong.

“You don’t make any choices.”

Say what? JRPGs are full of choices, even Final Fantasy XIII, the game he was specifically addressing, just not the same kind of choices you seem to think are the right ones. You do realize that “choice” is a very broad word and it can mean a plethora of different things. Choice in exploration, choice in dialog, choice in equipment (whether it is what you equip, how you upgrade it, who you put it on, etc.), choice in side-questing, choice in what attacks to use when – the possibilities of “choice” are endless. You can not in any way, shape or form claim that you don’t make any choices in JRPGs. That is just silly.

“You don’t create a character, you don’t live your character.”

Since when does creating a generic character define what is an RPG? I will give Mass Effect a prop here, because it is slightly different than many WRPG models in that the character itself is very well defined. It is Commander Shepherd, regardless of how the player designs their Shepherd. In that regard, it is like many JRPGs – you are playing with a pre-set character to tell a specific story. In Mass Effect, you have the character and you are telling a specific story. You’re going from point A to point B with Shepherd, regardless of what she/he looks like.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – I feel that generic characters, although highly customizable, ruin the depth of the RPG experience, because they aren’t connected to the story or the player in a way that a pre-defined character is, already being integrated into a story and its lore. I can’t care about my player-created character in Dragon Age: Origins as much as I would a very well defined JRPG hero or heroine because my character in DA:O is just that – generic. If you would have done DA:O like you did Mass Effect, and give us a pre-defined character, although letting us change their gender and/or appearance, I would have connected with the story a lot more. Oh, wait, I’m sorry, is that too much like a JRPG for you? It couldn’t be, you did it in Mass Effect. ‘Nuff said.

In conclusion, I wish more companies would stop trying to discredit others – whether their competitors or not – and start concentrating on just making great games. The statement by Mr. Erickson is ridiculous and ignorant, at best, and reflects badly on your entire company. Like I said at the outset, I love Bioware and I love your games. Live and let live. Realize there are many different avenues and design philosophies to the same genre. This goes for more than just the RPG genre, as well. I could turn right around and say that Mass Effect 2 isn’t an RPG because it doesn’t have inventory management and you don’t get experience and/or ability points and/or [insert point type here] from killing enemies – both traditional RPG markers. See what I did there? Any schmo can come in and make a statement like that. It is ridiculous when it comes from me, and it is ridiculous when it comes from you.

I still love you, though.

Your bestest pal,

~Chad

Yesterday Bioware let loose in a tweet that they will have a new equipment pack, dubbed the “Equalizer Pack”, available to purchase today for Mass Effect 2. What will you get in this equipment pack? It comes with a Capacitor Helmet, Inferno Armor and the above-pictured Archon Visor. This DLC pack will be available for 160 Microsoft/Bioware points. Worth it? You tell me, but the visor sure looks cool!

I enjoyed Mass Effect 2 quite a lot playing through it for my review. I would probably go so far as to say it is probably one of my favorite games this generation. Yes, I know it isn’t a JRPG, what’s your point? I’ve been quite impressed with the rollout of little bits and pieces of free content for the game from Bioware, even so much as free missions. But, when it comes to paid DLC, this new character and mission is where it is at, since it is a first for Mass Effect 2. Is it worth the $7 price tag? How does it integrate into the game overall?

What I find most interesting about this content is two-fold, really. First off, you put Shepherd in an awkward situation during the mission, one that she isn’t used to being in. Secondly, the mission itself is a departure from the typical combat-heavy missions of the core game. Not that those missions are bad or aren’t varied, but this mission you go on after recruiting Kasumi Goto feels fresh and interesting.

You fly to your old stomping grounds, The Citadel, to meet up with Kasumi for the first time and, after a brief conversation as soon as you step off the shuttle, she joins your band of crazy people. However, she does have one request. Her former partner and lover lost what she is calling a “grey box”, which contains some very important information, encrypted through using one’s memories. Kasumi wants you to help her get it back. The lead-up to the mission happens just like any other loyalty mission you’ve taken part in during the course of the main game and it is integrated smoothly, so much so that, if you didn’t download the content yourself, you wouldn’t automatically guess it wasn’t on the disc itself.

There is a bit of disappointment for me because, much like the launch-day DLC of Zaeed, another “extra” party member, Kasumi has no conversation trees while sitting in her standard area on board the Normandy. There are a few objects scattered throughout her room that you can interact with and she will inform you as to their purpose or their connection to her, but that is about it. I really wish these additional characters were fleshed out more in how they integrate into and interact with the crew. All that being said, her mission is actually one of the most interesting loyalty missions in the entire game, to me at least.

You must infiltrate a collector’s gallery room, which is locked behind some imposing security measures. Kasumi believes this “grey box” is in the gallery room, along with many other things this collector has acquired (the head of the Statue of Liberty, for example). He is holding a gathering at his mansion where Shepherd and Kasumi are going to pose as guests. The first half of the mission is “stealth-based”, for lack of a better term. You can wander around freely, talk with people, including the host of the party, and just generally try to figure out where the safe is, and then how to get through security. Once Kasumi informs you how to get through each security measure, you go about doing that and, slowly but surely, the mission shifts to more combat-oriented fanfare, especially after you re-acquire your soldier’s uniform and heavy weaponry, which you sneak inside the building in a statue that you’ve gifted to the host.

During this first half of the mission, Shepherd feels so out of place, and I believe that was done intentionally. She’s in an exquisite gown, mingling with party-goers, it is very un-Shepherd-like. Unfortunately, for some reason here it seemed like in that dress, the flaws in her character model managed to shine through, and you can see how stiff the model’s arms are compared to when she is wearing her on- or off-duty military outfits. This actually bothered me a bit, and I don’t know why. Needless to say, you get to see another side of Shepherd that you possibly never got to see during the course of the core game. [Note: It may be different using a male Shepherd, this is just my experience with my Shepherd.]

There is some serious combat in the latter half, which will make you – and her – feel right at home. It culminates with a showdown against a gunship, which includes a unique twist, putting Kasumi’s unusual skill-set to good use.

Afterward you’re treated to some rather emotional cut scenes. I wasn’t quite expecting this, but it was definitely welcome. This is why I enjoyed all the loyalty missions. Not only do they have gameplay significance, but they also take you deeper into your companions’ lives where you get to know them better and are able to connect with them better. That ultimately creates the awesome dynamic which you experience throughout the majority of the game. It connects you to every person you work with and the reasons behind why they are the way they are. Kasumi’s mission in this DLC is no different.

Ultimately, it is a great addition to the universe that Bioware has built and nurtured here, integrating itself into the story flawlessly, and sharing aspects of even our heroic Commander Shepherd that we may not have seen at any other point in time. There was only about an hour’s worth of play in this content, however that will carry through to the rest of the game, because you get Kasumi, which can be used as a party member as much as you wish. It isn’t just a mission, it is another character to learn about, become attached to and use to your benefit. Plus, at the end of it all, you get that snazzy formal attire to wear around the ship if you so choose. Is it worth the 560 Microsoft spacebuck cost ($7)? Probably, if you’re as interested in the character development in Mass Effect 2 as I am. There is enough bang for your buck here that I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

• Game: Kasumi’s Stolen Memory [DLC for Mass Effect 2]
• Developer: Bioware
• Publisher: Electronic Arts
• Release Date: 4/6/2010
• MSRP: 560 Microsoft Points ($7)
• Review Copy Info: A copy of this DLC was purchased by DualShockers Inc. for purposes of this review.

What’s that you say? You’ve never played Mass Effect? Tut, tut. Shame on you, I say. If you haven’t had the opportunity to shoot alien creatures in the face while trying to uncover a mysterious narrative in this dramatic science-fiction world, now would be a good time to do so. One of this generations most prized series – Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 – has joined the ranks of Amazon’s “Best Value” list for your monetary convenience.

Amazon is currently bundling both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 for a measly and affordable $50. A very appealing price for those who want to get it in with the series. How long will the deal last? God knows – but it’s better to be safe than sorry and get this awesome deal while you can. If you’re ready for some purchasing, just click here to be directed to the page. Just scroll down a bit, and you’ll see the compelling combo.

In the recent past we reported that the first paid additional content for Mass Effect 2 would be hitting in April, but we didn’t know the pricing Bioware and EA were going to go with. Now we know. You’ll be able to download the new content “Kasumi – Stolen Memory” for 560 Microsoft spacebucks, or $7 if you have the PC version.

Bioware seems pretty intent on supporting this title with some quality downloadable content, both free (through the Cerberus Network) and paid, like this one here. Now it is just a matter of us gamers pulling the game off the shelf and popping it in to get caught up on all this new goodness. Hit the jump to check out the official description of this DLC pack from Bioware themselves.

“Cerberus has procured the service of Kasumi Goto, the galaxy’s most enigmatic master thief. In return for her help, Kasumi has asked for Commander Shepard’s help on a dangerous heist to infiltrate the vault of a deadly master criminal named Donovan Hock. Players must gain Kasumi’s loyalty on the planet Bekenstein, where Hock is throwing a party for some of the galaxy’s richest and most deranged criminal minds. The mission: recover data of great importance to Kasumi, and to the galaxy at large. In addition to this new mission, players will also receive a new research upgrade, one new weapon, and a new achievement in this PDLC pack.”

Bioware is really hitting the ground running with Mass Effect 2 DLC – both free and paid. While there is no word on which variety this will be, the developer just tweeted that a new appearance pack is coming down the pipes, available next week. This pack adds new outfits for three of the game’s principle characters – Jack, Thane and Garrus. Is the crazy Japanese idea of allowing to dress up your characters in-game rubbing off? Regardless, I think it is pretty cool…and Garrus is still awesome.

The other day we talked about the first paid DLC coming to Mass Effect 2, titled “Kasumi’s Stolen Memory”. It introduces a new character, a new quest and some other odds and ends. Today we have the first three screen shots from that batch of DLC. No price has been set for it yet, but it is looking to drop in early April. Keep your eyes here for any more information regarding this new content. Hit the break for the screens!