Today Bioware have released a bunch of details on the previously-hinted-at Mass Effect 3 multiplayer mode. I’ll admit I’m always sceptical about multiplayer modes in what are essentially single player games, as they so often feel bolted on, but we are assured it will be a ‘cohesive experience’ between single and multiplayer aspects, as it’s been an ‘integrated design effort’. I really hope this is the case, as like so many others I’m kind of precious about the Mass Effect series and I really don’t want to see Bioware cock this up.
So anyway, 4 player co-op missions are on the cards and these see you fighting to secure control of a variety of cross galaxy locations. Rather than playing as Shepard, you can choose from members of various races including Human, Salarian, Turian or Asari and utilise different character classes. Bioware didn’t mention being able to play as your favourite core team members, but from what they have said I assume that you can’t. *sigh* No Garrus for me then.
What is quite interesting though is that your multiplayer efforts will apparently have an impact on your single player campaign. The better you do in team battles, the more positive the ending of your own story. This did concern me a little as I’m normally pretty pants at multiplayer stuff (I just move at a different pace alright!), but it would seem that ultimate success in single player mode can still be achieved on your own – though it will be quite a lot harder. Brilliant…
Read the full set of FAQs that Bioware have handily compiled over at the ME3 site.
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I hope it’s outsourced. No one want’s multiplayer except the publisher who mistakenly believe that adding crappy tacked on multiplayer to predominantly single player games adds longevity and reduces early trade ins. At least if it’s outsourced it won’t be pulling competent developers off of the important part of the game.
If they don’t outsource it though, it -might- not be shit.
Even if it’s good, who’s going to play it? There are a billion proper multiplay games out there. Two weeks after its out it’ll be nearly impossible to find a game – just like Bioshock 2.
I don’t think it’s the kind of thing anyone will be playing after they’ve completed the single player mission. It seems that they’ve built it to add another dimension to the main story, so maybe it won’t be a traditional multiplayer mode in that sense. Also it’s co-op, there’s no adversarial mode and I get the impression that you’ll play with buddies, so there might not even be a matchmaking option.