As you can tell, I am all over Mass Effect 2 and I am happy to announce that if you’re an ME fan you will ABSOLUTELY love what is coming. ME2 doesn’t release in New Zealand until the 29th of January but it is easily one of the most anticipated sequels of the year. I will admit though that initially, I was not a serious ME fan when it released. Without sounding like I am dumping all over the Xbox 360 console here, I honestly believe that part of that feeling came from playing ME on the 360 rather than the PC. The experience I am having now playing Mass Effect 2 on the PC is a whole lot more fun and intense. I can’t pinpoint exactly what is different other than ME2 seems like a much more polished game – not to mention the fantastic storyline work the writers have done and some of the hippest dialogue I’ve seen/heard in a game for a while.

Mass Effect 2 also borrows a bit of star power from the incredible voice acting talent; Carrie Anne Moss, Martin Sheen, Seth Green, Tricia Helfer to name a few. But above all is the incredible world of Mass Effect 2 (I’ve only played two hours of the game and I’m already addicted!) Once you take command of your ship, spend some time exploring her – the graphics, animation and environments of Mass Effect 2 are nothing short of awe-inspiring. Every environment is the same – immersive, beautiful to look at and exciting to play in.

BioWare just can’t do a thing wrong. They are fast becoming one of my favourite game developers. I’m finding myself totally immersed in their games of late and it’s simply for no other reason other than their games kick ass. Which leads me to believe that the game I can’t stop raving about (Star Wars: The Old Republic) will probably be the end of all my freetime when it releases next year. I’d gladly give up reality for a few weeks for a light saber and the chance to run wild in a universe that BioWare and LucasArts have created, they’re just that good.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge SW fan. So when I first heard about BioWare developing an MMO in the Star Wars universe, I got really hyped for it. The following announcement was posted recently on the SWTOR forums which gave me the warm fuzzies:

While we have not announced a specific date, we can confirm that we are targeting a spring 2011 release for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™.

That aside, I’ve been doing some research on the game and the various classes thanks to their exceptionally good fan hub www.swtor.com. I’ve been mulling over which class I’m likely to play based on my gameplay style and characteristics. One thing I do know is that I’m more inclined to play for the Empire than the Republic. Whilst I love the idea of being a do-gooder in the Star Wars universe, the appeal of the dark Sith lords and all their nastiness and general bad-ass demeanor is too much to resist.

The Empire allegiance has the following classes (as taken from the SWTOR website):

1. Bounty Hunter
2. Imperial Agent
3. Sith Inquisitor
4. Sith Warrior

The Republic has the following classes:

1. Jedi Consular
2. Jedia Knight
3. Smuggler
4. Trooper

What I like about the Sith Inquisitor class is that it’s melee based with some magic (force power) thrown in. Primarily, I’ve played caster classes in other MMOs so playing a melee based class in this MMO would be something new and exciting. The Star Wars universe also appeals to me a great deal because I already know alot about the history and characters after having seen all the movies and read alot of the books. And BioWare are developing it with LucasArts which means that the storyline/plot for the game will be authentically Star Wars focused as well as interactive and immersive. So far this game is receiving alot of positive feedback from the beta testing public (according to what I’ve read so far on their forums) which is always good. But again, the proof is really in the pudding and as a game reviewer, I always leave the final word for when I’ve actually played the game.

I wouldn’t want to find myself in the same situation I am now facing after having played Aion for almost six months. I was also super hyped for Aion when it released but I am bitterly disappointed by alot of the end game content and I feel kinda sad to have to admit that I am liking the game alot less at 50 than I did at the beginning (before I knew what to expect at end game).

I guess that’s the risk you take when you sign up to play an MMO. I am just happy that there are other games on the horizon to look forward to playing otherwise, I think I might actually go a little crazy.

The Sith Inquisitor will be a popular class to play which is the only thing that’s making me have a few doubts. When a popular game releases, the last thing you want is to find a lack of groups to join because EVERYONE is playing the same character class as you. This has happened in many MMOs I’ve played when a new class was introduced and everyone was so bored with the game they couldn’t resist playing something new just to have fun again. Let’s hope that SW:TOR has the depth and staying power to keep the community interested without having to force hours and hours of meaningless grinding for very little reward.

I received some early code for Dragon Age: Origins for PC from EA a month or so ago and only got to play a little bit of it then. It’s only recently in the process of turning my back a little on the crapfest that is Aion that I’ve really managed to sit down and concentrate on Dragon Age. I can tell you now that it’s a fantastic game and I haven’t had the pleasure of playing an RPG as good as this for PC since Dungeon Siege II.

Another reason I’m so interested in Dragon Age is because it’s developed by Bioware and I am really amping myself up for the Star Wars MMORPG they’re working on. I figured if I played Dragon Age, it might give me a better idea of what’s to come with Star Wars: The Old Republic. And not since Gears of War II have I looked forward to another game (those who know me will know how absolutely crazed for that game I was).

The storyline is extremely emmersive and the characters are equally as great. If you’ve played RPGs before you’ll know the drill so I won’t go into unimportant game mechanics as this is not a review. I am just really liking this game, and can’t stop playing it. Aion almost pales in comparison to the fun I’m having playing Dragon Age.

So I am really looking forward to the game expansion coming out very soon. I couldn’t imagine how anyone could play this on the 360 and get the same level of enjoyment out of it that I do on the PC. The last time I even attempted something that resembled an RPG on the 360 was Fable II and I stopped playing that shortly after I discovered that coop wasn’t really true coop in the way I had come to know it. In fact, it was bitterly disappointing. When you’ve played some of the best RPGs on the PC, there’s nothing that can really rival that experience on the Xbox 360. That’s my opinion and it won’t be changing any time soon.

Of course, one game that I was thoroughly impressed with on the 360 that could be loosely classified as an RPG was Star Wars The Force Unleashed. I absolutely loved that game and I am REALLY looking foward to the sequel also coming out this year. It’s going to be a great gaming year for sequels, especially for me. I seem to be really moving away from shooters though and settling more for RPGs this season.

But back to Dragon Age – I think the code I’m playing is a little buggy because in a lot of the fight sequences, the characters I control in my party never do what I need them to. In alot of cases, I had to reload the game just to get the characters to play together and fight together. This is after I had programmed all the presets for each character class as well. As I don’t own the retail version of the game, I can’t really comment if this is just a programming bug or not. But it can be a tad irritating having to restart the game just to get characters to fight in unison, especially when you’re up against difficult mobs like an Ogre (and they are very formidable in Dragon Age).

Which brings me to the difficulty level. I doubt my skills with RPGs have dropped that much but I honestly couldn’t defeat the Ogre on hard. I had to change down the difficulty level just to pass that section of the game. I’m not proud of it but at least I passed it I’ve also had a really frustrating time of breaking into chests that are locked. None of my characters had the correct skill and when I finally acquired a character that could do it, what do you know? Not a single damn chest in sight! I cringe to think of all the phat lewts I’ve missed out on (sorely evident by the lack of funds on my part to buy upgraded equipment at the vendor).

All in all though, this game is kick ass. I am really loving the character integration when discussing the plot and continuing the story. Although the dialogue may be a little off in some places, the different opportunities you’re given to alter your character’s path and destiny are fantastic. If SW:TOR is anything like this game, it will definitely be the game I’ve been waiting to play (I am hoping for a way better experience than the one I’m having playing Aion).

Video game developer BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts Inc announced that the first chapter of Dragon Age Journeys, a free* to play browser based game set in the Dragon Age world, is now available.  Dragon Age Journeys puts players in the role of a hero exploring the underground dwarven kingdom of Orzammar.  Players will uncover a dastardly plot that threatens to unleash a great evil that won’t stop until it destroys all living things.

Based on BioWare’s upcoming dark fantasy epic Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age Journeys sets a new standard of quality for browser-based games with addictive combat mechanics and fluid gameplay.  Players of Dragon Age Journeys will have the chance to earn exclusive in game content for Dragon Age: Origins on the day of its release.

The game is produced by a new browser-based production team at EA and an all-star team of independent development talent, with the goal of creating premium quality browser games. Dragon Age Journeys represents EA’s commitment to supporting talented independent developers.

Dragon Age Journeys is now available free to players at www.dragonagejourneys.com and more information is available at www.dragonage.com.

The New Zealand launch date for the sequel to Mass Effect has been announced. Mass Effect 2 will launch on the 29th of January.

Details of the game are as follows and anyone who pre-orders the game will receive special in-game bonuses!

Pre-order bonuses* include special-ops armor and weaponry that are designed to boost Commander Shepard’s skills and abilities, such as Terminus Gear which includes the powerful Terminus Assault Armor and the M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon:

• The Terminus Armor is designed for use in extreme planetary conditions, increasing run speed and personal shields, and augmenting weapons with an additional magazine of reserve ammo.
• The M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon generates a high-powered localized gravity well, accelerating particles to near-infinite mass, and ultimately expanding the selection of heavy weapons available to players when they gear up for combat missions in Mass Effect 2.

Players that pre-order Mass Effect 2 at select retail outlets will receive the potent Inferno Armor, which is used by officers to monitor battlefield conditions by recognizing elevated heart rates, and regulates sub-systems with extreme efficiency to allow for greater response times – together these abilities translate in-game into a negotiation bonus for Commander Shepard and an increase in run speed and augmented damage from combat powers.

The Mass Effect trilogy is an emotionally charged science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will once again step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.

Follow the Mass Effect team here on twitter: http://twitter.com/masseffect2 and for more info you can visit the official website for Mass Effect here: http://masseffect.bioware.com/.

The Sith Warrior reveal for Star Wars: The Old Republic was one of the biggest highlights of Pax 2009 this year. There’s no doubt that this MMORPG is gathering serious amounts of momentum during its development and being huge SW fans, we’re looking forward to seeing what LucasArts and Bioware have in store.

In the meantime, here’s the latest game trailer showing the Sith Warrior on the Ice planet of Hoth in action! Thanks to GT for the clip.

Check it…

Star Wars the Old Republic finally gets the new Sith Warrior class. You can view details about the Bioware and LucasArts game from the official website.

Wallpapers for the two confirmed classes are also available and the Sith Warrior looks bad ass! You can get some of the wallpapers here thanks to Holy Fragger.

Source: SWtOR