After finishing Mass Effect 2 for a second time, with the stated aim of actually getting as many members of my party killed as possible, and after getting a bit more time to reflect on the game, one element of the experience appears as a clear setback when compared with the first game in the trilogy: the actual final battle.Sure, it's got a big guy who takes a severe punishment before actually going down and there's a sense of pressure and urgency creeping in the voices of your companions as you engage in the fight with the proto Human Reaper. But there's no actual sense that the threat you are ending was significant in the l... [read more >>] Electronic Arts was pretty busy yesterday as it announced that it would be publishing a wide array of high profile videogames in the coming 12 months while also showing signs that it was returning to a profit, albeit pretty slowly.The company is saying that in the final quarter of 2010, something it is talking about as “The Sims 3 on Console Title” will arrive, probably on the PlayStation 3 from Sony, the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and the Nintendo Wii, while Dragon Age 2, which is set for the PC, gaming consoles and handhelds, should come during the first quarter of 2011.The Sims 3 was the best selling videogame on the PC in 2009 ... [read more >>] Another argument in support of the thesis that Mass Effect 2 is a role playing game is that of feature grinding. Sure, it's not grinding for levels, as the game offers those on set when each mission is completed and reviewed by the Illusive Man. But the planetary exploration game in Mass Effect 2 certainly has some grinding elements: it requires time, brings in character-related resources and can be extremely annoying after a certain point.But the scanning is not, as some have said, the worst mini game in the history of gaming. First of all, you only really have to strip mine on a few of the Rich planets in order to do all the relevant... [read more >>] Ubisoft has offered up yet another release date for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction, which has seen quite its share of delays during its long development history. The game is now set to be released on April 13, after previously being set to appear in late 2009, from where it was bumped by the launch of Modern Warfare 2, and then getting a February 23 date that has recently been rescinded by the publisher.Splinter Cell: Conviction should be launched on the Xbox 360 home gaming console from Microsoft and on the PC. The studio has also previously talked about a Nintendo DS version of the Sam Fischer experience but has not mentioned... [read more >>] All through the week, we've detailed our experiences with Mass Effect 2 here at Softpedia in a series of game diaries set to continue in the next few days. But we have also had the time to write an EndWeekGame piece and to deliver another Weekend Reading piece. And, on top of all that, we have assembled a list of the most interesting news of the last seven days.On Monday, we found out that Electronic Arts was set to release a free-to-play and browser game football simulation under the FIFA Online title, with a beta coming at some point during the year. Meanwhile, as Final Fantasy XIII was getting ready for a Western release, the develo... [read more >>] There's no denying that Mass Effect 2 is a success. It has sold more than 2 million copies and reviewers loved it. And with a lot of people talking about it being a good candidate for the Game of the Year award when 2010 is done in terms of videogaming, some have wondered how it would be classified.The initial answer is that it's a role playing game with shooter aspects but there are also voices who are saying Mass Effect 2 is a third person cover-based squad shooter with dialog and character development.It's true that a whole raft or RPG elements are missing from Mass Effect 2. Players cannot customize the armor of their par... [read more >>] BioShock 2 has the potential to be something like System Shock 2, a game that builds on the potential of its predecessor while making some concessions to gameplay in order to create a smoother and more attractive experience.But the same BioShock 2 has the potential of being something like Deus Ex: Invisible War, a sequel fans will banish from the continuity for the way it took out the exact elements that made the initial game great. We'll see how BioShock 2 shapes up after February 9, when the 2K Marin made game is set to be released for the PlayStation 3 from Sony, the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and the PC through Games for Windows Live.... [read more >>] Electronic Arts has established a yearly tradition of using its latest entry in the Madden NFL series to predict the way the Super Bowl game will turn out. And this year, the results, obtained using Madden NFL 10, the latest stats and a secret procedure EA is not revealing, are favoring the New Orleans Saints, the champions of the NFC, which are set to take down the Indiana Colts, the representatives of the AFC, by 35 to 31.It's one of the closest games that the publisher has simulated and most of the specialized betting services are saying that the game will be going to the Colts when Sunday comes.Electronic Arts predicted Super Bowl ... [read more >>] Electronic Arts has announced that it has partnered up with Doritos, the well known fast food brand handled by Pepsi, in order to allow fans of the Madden NFL franchise to choose which players will be gracing the cover of the next videogame in the series.Players will need to get a username and password and log onto the official site used for voting to pick between three front runners: Drew Brees, who plays for the New Orleans Saints, Reggie Wayne from the Colts, and Jared Allen, who is a defensive players for the Vikings. All those who cast a vote in the run off will have a chance to win a trip to New York City at some point in April to see... [read more >>] If you are in the least interested in Mass Effect 2, then you must already know that it's based around the idea of picking a number of elite companions in order to take on a powerful enemy that has been kidnapping entire human colonies in the Terminus area of the galaxy.This means making some unsavory choices and becoming battle buddy with dark characters but after all, the fate of humanity is more important than the ethical codes that the resurrected Shepard is breaking into pieces left and right.A lot of people have talked about how the game is missing something because of the way developers BioWare have simplified the management of ... [read more >>] | 
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