![]() ![]() This mechanic, so common to role-playing games since Fallout and early BioWare and Obsidian games, was suddenly injected into a much different style of game, a cover-based science fiction shooter. The biggest thing most people seem to have noticed when playing Mass Effect 1 or 2 is the moral decision-making process. Mass Effect was the first challenge my RPG definition (see below) has had to face. I can, using it, effectively separate controversial games from one another. ![]() One of the last things I noticed when played the Mass Effect games was that it broke my definition of “role-playing game.” This is a definition that has worked for me for well over a decade. There is a checkbox called “Film Grain,” and it begins the game turned on. A quick trip to the options menu reveals something interesting: it's intentional. It's not the graphics, though, at least not in the traditional sense. The first thing I noticed when I started playing Mass Effect was its aesthetic. But why are these discussions so important? More importantly, no game inspires such discussions better than Mass Effect, which has genre tension built into the game at every level. No company is better-positioned to create these debates than one which has a reputation as the savior of the "Western" RPG. ![]() Discussions with fans of Mass Effect and Bioware games almost inevitably turn into discussions of its genre, and Bioware's description of its three play modes implies that those debates are happening inside the company as well. While the positive phrasing is certainly effective at making this sound like an exciting new development, it reveals major tensions in how the game is perceived. "Whether it be someone who finds the combat difficult but wants to experience the amazing story, someone who wants to focus on the action and combat game play, or fans who want the rich, story-driven RPG Mass Effect experience they've come to love - Mass Effect 3 will support all of these options." An official statement explained the reasoning: For Mass Effect 3, BioWare has built a game allowing for multiple different play-style choices: action, story, and RPG. ![]()
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