PAX Prime ’11: Bioware Wrap Up

Bioware was showing off Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic at PAX this year. Here’s what I was able to hear over that damn Ubisoft booth.

Mass Effect 3

This is exactly what you think it is: A continuation of the story, new areas to explore via the game’s FPS/RPG gameplay, and a new, dumb internet argument over which of the myriad create a character versions of the female version of the lead character is the “correct” one.

I still haven’t finished the second game in the series, but my fears of spoilers in the “story so far” trailer they showed us before the demo were soon swept away by the afore mentioned ass-hats in Ubisoft’s booth blasting Black Eyed Peas songs so loud that no one at our booth could hear anything until we put on the headphones at the demo stations.

Anyway, the game. There’s lots of shooting. Sometimes, while I was shooting, the blue chick would pick a guy up into the air for me to shoot easier. That was pretty cool. Then some story stuff I didn’t understand happened. JOURNALISM.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

I’m a bit torn here. I was excited for this game going into PAX, but after seeing Guild Wars 2 (which I’ll do a write up on tomorrow), I’m not as gung ho about it.

The demo I got was a PVP match of “Hutt ball.” Two teams, ball in the middle, get it to the opponents’ side without dying. I don’t doubt it could be cool in the final game, but in the demo everyone was just running around trying to figure out the controls and what their attacks did for the first 2/3 of the round.

I’m really interested in seeing the story of the game, as they promised this will take the place of any KotOR sequels we would have gotten, but the gameplay is meh. It feels like every other MMORPG that has come out since 2004. Just with a Star Wars skin on it.

I see it selling well, but when Guild Wars 2 comes out, I’m wouldn’t be surprised if a good chunk of the game’s population jumps ship.