Bioware completely sells out

Post by **King of Creation** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 8:16 pm

Bioware just announced a brand new IP, which sounds and looks decent. Except for one thing: It's XBox 360 EXCLUSIVE

Title: "Mass Effect"
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: BioWare Corp.
Format: DVD for the Xbox 360 video game system
ESRB Rating: Pending
Availability: TBD
Pricing: TBD

Product Overview:
"Mass Effect" is a science fiction action-RPG created by BioWare Corp., the commercially and critically acclaimed RPG developer of "Jade Empire," "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," "Neverwinter Nights," and the "Baldur's Gate" series. "Mass Effect" will deliver an immersive story driven gameplay experience with stunning visual fidelity. Published by Microsoft Game Studios, "Mass Effect" will be exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game system.

As the first human Specter - sworn defenders of galactic peace - your mission is to halt the advancing armies of a legendary agent gone rogue. But as you lead your elite team across hostile alien worlds, you will discover the true threat is far greater than anyone imagined.

Key Features:

* Immersive RPG: Determine the fate of mankind as you lead an elite tactical strike force as an epic galaxy-wide conflict unfolds. "Mass Effect" will take the player into new depths of an action-roleplaying game, with choice-based gameplay.
* Rich and engaging storyline. While defending galactic peace and earning a position of respect for humanity in the community, gamers will discover that a greater conflict between organic life and artificial intelligence exists. Players' decisions and actions will serve to shape the destiny of all life in the galaxy as you become absorbed in the story that is "Mass Effect," the first game in an epic trilogy from BioWare. They will become the center of an engrossing story as they battle against alien life forms to save the galaxy from threatening armies.
* Player controls the ultimate fate of the galaxy: The player's decisions and actions will serve to shape the destiny of all life in the galaxy, while raising humanity to the pinnacle of galactic civilization via noble means or via tyranny.
* Real-time squad based combat: "Mass Effect" employs a real-time, squad based, tactical combat system. Players will be immersed in intense, challenging and exciting combat.
* Explore uncharted worlds: In addition to the main story arc of the game, players will be able to visit a large number of uncharted, unexplored planets which are not directly tied to the main story. At any time during the campaign, a player can choose to explore one of these planets in an all-terrain rover in order to discover new alien life, resources, ruined civilizations and powerful technologies.
* Digital actors: "Mass Effect" features a huge cast of in-engine digital actors that you will encounter as NPCs, enemies or as party members. Each will have life-like facial and body movements, and an advanced dialogue system will give them engaging personalities.
* Character customization. Players will be able to choose from a variety of stunning, photo-realistic character appearances at the start of the game, and throughout the game can increase various statistics which will have an impact on their performance during gameplay. Equipment, weapons and armor that are acquired during the course of the story will change the appearance of the characters.
* Next-generation gaming defined. "Mass Effect" takes advantage of Xbox 360's hardware providing gamers with exciting new experiences, including photo-realistic, high definition graphics on an epic scale. As the future of gaming goes online, Xbox360 live features, including premium downloadable content and recognition of achievement will be available via the Xbox Live service.

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/655/655684p1.html

Franz Schubert · Post by **Franz Schubert** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:21 pm

It's going to cost $80 US, and idiots are still going to buy it.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:47 pm

Another tired concept for a weary batch of mindless, indiscriminate consumers.

I'd claim to be impressed, and it would be a lie. A horrible, horrible lie.

Nicolai · Post by **Nicolai** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:48 pm

I didn't even read the press release, but I bet that it'll suck.

MadBill · Post by **MadBill** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:20 pm

ctrl+f pirates [enter]

No results.

Uninterested.

Spazmo · Post by **Spazmo** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:30 pm

I'm just looking at the plot here... So the PC is pursuing a "legendary agent" who has "gone rogue" and later finds out the threat is "greater than anyone ever imagined" (and I am "making up quotes that may not be exact but are still accurate so eat me").

Now, obviously, it's a bit early for this, but consider:

PC pursues legendary rogue agent = PC pursues legendary rogue jedi (Darth Malak)

PC discovers problem is bigger than anticipated = PC discovers Malak has the Star Forge

Mass Effect = KOTOR!

Shit = fucked

Still, I bet you anything at all that whatever the HUGE AWFUL DANGEROUS THREAT! is, it's something terribly ancient. It's always something ancient that's threatening the whole world/galaxy/your back yard. It's about the only plot BioWare has.

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:36 pm

Who the hell would bother saving the galaxy from a laughable, non-credible threat?

MadBill · Post by **MadBill** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:03 am

Maybe the ultimate secret is that someone is spreading galaxy-wide propaganda that mentions not pirates! Best keep shit like that underwraps.

POOPERSCOOPER · Post by **POOPERSCOOPER** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:07 am

It sounds alright only because it describes you as "elite striker force" instead of "adventurers."

What games aren't on consoles anymore?

Redeye · Post by **Redeye** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 2:07 am

More cliched crap.
So what. It's like saying OMG, I'm so dissapointed that they make a
turd only for xbox360 and not for PC. I was really looking forward to
not buying it.

The only way to save that piece of crap is to invert the plot.
YOU play the rogue/etc.

You destroy the galaxy.
After killing about ten thousand cops that have the most theatrical
ragdolls ever implemented.

MrSmileyFaceDude · Post by **MrSmileyFaceDude** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 2:50 am

Well, it's published by Microsoft Game Studios, so no big surprise it's an Xbox exclusive.

Redeye · Post by **Redeye** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:29 am

MrSmileyFaceDude wrote:Well, it's published by Microsoft Game Studios, so no big surprise it's an Xbox exclusive.

Didn't they also make Freelancer?

It's like they've got Chinese programmer sweatshops making
perfunctory titles.

How awful.

Koki · Post by **Koki** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 7:33 am

How is this a sellout?

If it was for console AND PC it would be a sellout.
If it would be actual SW not some dance by the bushes it would be a sellout.

Currently, it's just a game.

Of course it will suck, no mistake about that

Smiley · Post by **Smiley** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:09 pm

*big sigh*

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 2:39 pm

They should make a game about a guy trying to save his backyard from his neighbor's dog or something.

Now that'd be captivating and involving.

Post by **King of Creation** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 3:59 pm

I'd probably play it. And it would be a console hit.

Old_Ralph · Post by **Old_Ralph** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:19 pm

What pisses me off is that Bioware is apparently unable to take even slight risks with the game's plot when making X-BOX titles.

You're "The chosen one" and you go out and save humanity from Sith/Undead Emporer guys/ or any other form of "ancient evil" because it's your destiny. You also have the option to choose your "alignment" based on some childish black-and-white version of "good and evil" with so little moral depth that you've got a fucking slider telling you where you fall on the "scale".

Bioware's next PC RPG: Dragon Age is supposed to change this, though. Funny thing that it was annouced BEFORE Jade Empire even came out and BW hasn't realeased even a few fucking screen-shots of it and then Mass-Effect gets annouced. (<To summarize, DA isn't going to be released, ever.)

The concept worked in KOTOR, it ceased being tolarable with JE, and now it's just disgusting.

Microsoft owns Bioware, you heard it here first.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:24 pm

Old_Ralph wrote:you heard it here first.

No.

Old_Ralph · Post by **Old_Ralph** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:01 pm

Blargh wrote:
Old_Ralph wrote:you heard it here first.
No.

Yes.