14 DAY TRIAL // What we know
Mass Effect 3 is the conclusion of the science-fiction-based mix between role-playing and third-person action that is being developed by BioWare and is published by Electronic Arts, confirmed as arriving on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the PC in the fall.
The official reveal for Mass Effect 2 came at the VGA ceremony, with BioWare offering a series of hints earlier in the year, and the game will tackle the invasion of Earth by the dreaded Reapers, shown in the video as taking place in London and other big cities.
The trailer also shows Commander Shepard orbiting Earth, presumably in a new version of the Normandy, ready to go out into the galaxy and create an alliance or races capable enough to come to Earth and take out the Reaper threat once and for all.
BioWare has not offered many plot details at the moment, but the events of the other two titles in the series suggest that the player characters will need to call in favors and make a few threats in order to get the various races of the galaxy ready for battle.
Expect to see returning companions, multi-tiered quests and long conversations in the third act and complex epilogue structures that take into account all the choices a player has made in Mass Effect 1 and 2.
Why it matters
BioWare is one of the most capable developers when they are creating complex universes and casts of characters, and Mass Effect 3 needs to feel and be epic to satisfy those who have gone through the first two titles in the series.
The development team has also not been afraid of innovating in the Mass Effect space, streamlining some role-playing elements to make the experience more accessible and adding systems, like the Paragon and Renegade actions, that make even ponderous dialogues more engaging.
I also personally look forward to seeing how the Rahni army serves my Shepard against the Reapers.