Mass Effect fans, rejoice - more big news dropped on N7 Day. At long last, it seems that Mass Effect's TV adaptation is coming from Amazon.

Rumors have circulated as far back as 2021 that a Mass Effect TV series was in the works, and several attempts at a movie adaptation never quite came to fruition over the year?s. Now, Amazon MGM Studios finally has the project off the ground.

A Mass Effect TV series is on the way

Variety has reported that Amazon is now in the development of the Mass Effect TV series, with several individuals attached to the project. As of right now, "Exact plot details are being kept under wraps," so it remains unclear whether this will be a direct adaptation of BioWare's sci-fi RPG games. It's a franchi??se ripe for original ??storytelling, but seeing Shepard on the small screen would be undeniably awesome.

Screenwriter Daniel Casey, the wordsmith behind Fast & Furious 9, is currently set to pen the script. Meanwhile, Avi Arad is set to executive produce the project, after being part of the disastrous Borderlands movie adaptation earlier this year. Other producers attached include Bi??oWare's Michael Gamble and Karim Zreik under Cedar Tree Productions.

Amazon produced the Fallout TV adaptation earlier this year, which earne??d rave reviews from gamers and non?-gamers alike. There's hope yet, even if some of the attached names don't?? exactly i??nspire a tremendous amount of confidence.

As far as N7 Day goes, it was a pretty quiet one this year. We got a cool No Man's Sky and Mass Effect collaboration, but the recent release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has made BioWare hesitant to draw too much attention with a huge reveal. The wait goes on for more news on the next Mass Effect game, which was first confirmed back in 2020.

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No Man's Sky developer Hello Games is celebrating N7 Day by adding Mass Effect's Normandy SR-1 back into the game for a limited time. Each year, N7 Day celebrates the legendary BioWare fr??anchise, and 2024 is no different.

This isn't the first time we've seen the Normandy in No Man's Sky. It was first released back in 2021, marking the launch of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. Thi??s crossover makes tons of se??nse, so it's great to see it return.

Mass Effect's Normandy is Returning to No Man's Sky

With a trailer and a set of release notes, Hello Games confirmed that Mass Effect's Normandy SR-1 is finally back in the game to mark N7 Day. The Normandy will only be available in No Man's Sky for the next two weeks, making it yet another limited-time event for Mass Effect's iconic frigate.

Described as "a love-letter from one science fiction game to another," this No Man's Sky update comes with a revamped version of the missi??on release?d back in 2021. When completed, you'll add the Normandy to your fleet, which you can then send out on expeditions to complete. You still can't pilot it, though. Disappointing, I know.

For the rest of N7 Day, players shouldn't expect anything too exciting from BioWare. The recent release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has already seen the studio confirm it doesn't have any huge plans for a Mass Effect announcement, so as no??t to distract from it??s most recent release.

The wait goes on for any news about the upcoming Mass Effect title. In years gone by, N7 Day has seen multiple teasers for the next game in th??e series, yet it still feels as though we know very little about the game at the moment.

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N7 Day, the day BioWare celebrates all things Mass Effect is coming this week. But don't hold your breath if you're raring to hear about some big Mass Effect 5 news. The developer warns it'll be a "quieter" event this year, but there will be "a little f?un."

Sadly, even if BioWare had something worth sharing, the timing isn't ideal. All eyes are on Mass Effect's older sibling this week with the freshly released Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The company s?uggested as much with its N7 Day announcement.

"We hope everyone is enjoying their time in [Dragon Age]: The Veilguard, BioWare wrote on X. "It's only a few days until [N7 Day] and thi??s year will be quieter because of the launch. Be sure to check? back then for a little fun, though!"

BioWare moves fully into Mass Effect 5 development

It makes sense that BioWare is prepping for an easier, breezier N7 Day since it just launched a new iteration in its storied Dragon Age franchise. The Veilguard is still a dear, squishy baby not even a week old at this point. N7 Day will mark its one-week anniversary, and BioWare would likely not want to pull too much attention away this early with a disruptive Mass Effect bomb.

But that doesn't mean it's not preparing for something. Even the most timid of N7 Days offered a tease or hint that the developer was, yes, still working on the next Mass Effect. We got a slick Mass Effect poster in 2022, and last year the studio delivered a short teaser trailer showcasing the kind of gear we should be able to str??ap onto our characters. It's definitely possible that BioWare will continue the tr??end with a third teaser.

The company is fully shifting into Mass Effect 5 production now that The Veilguard is launched. In an interview with RollingStone, creative director John Epler confirmed that BioWare is forgoing DLC for The Veilguard to focus on the next Mass Effect. We may end up with another teaser this year, but N7 Day 2025 s?hould really pop off.

Until then, we'll have to wait and see w??hat the studio has up its sleeve when N7 Day arrives?? on Thursday.

The post N7 Day is coming this week, but don’t expect major Mass Effect news (yet) appeared first on Destructoid.

The Expanse is easily one of the bes??t space operas of all time, and there’s no shortage of ways to dive into the series.

The novels by James S.A. Corey kicked off The Expanse all the way back in 2011. Since then we’ve gotten six seasons of a TV adaptation, a number of comic books, a TTRPG ruleset, and a five-chapter Telltale Games series. All of that hasn’t been enough to satiate my desire for more of The Expanse, and I know I can’t be alone. Fortunately there are plenty of other video games that manage to capture the overall vibe of Corey’s series, and if you’re working your way through another re-read, there’s a game that almost perfectly pairs with each book in The Expanse. 

Just read Leviathan Wakes? Try ΔV: Rings of Saturn

Remember the Cant! ΔV: Rings of Saturn is a game that lets you relive the days when the crew of the Rocinante were simple ic??e haulers. It puts you in the cockpit of a 2D ship and gives you a top down view as you use real physics to pilot through dangerous situations. Prepare to flip and burn while mastering the many technical abilities you’ll ??need to become a successful space miner. 

Just read Caliban’s War? Try Red Faction: Guerilla 

In Caliban’s War fighting breaks out on the surface of Ganymede, but Red Faction: Guerilla takes you to Mars instead. There it puts you in the midst of an insurgent battle and lets you take advantage of fully destructib?le environments as you wage war a?gainst the Earth Defense Force. The 2018 remaster is a great way to experience one of the best shooters of the PS3/Xbox 360 era. 

Just read Abaddon’s Gate? Try Prey

Humanity faces alien horrors in Abaddon’s Gate, and Prey forces you to do something similar. Developed by Arkane Studios, Prey is the perfect combination of FPS and sci-fi horror. As a survivor on the lunar-orbiting station Talos I, you must fi?ght off violent alien creatures in fast-paced action while ??also trying to solve the mystery of what exactly happened to the rest of your shipmates. 

Just read Cibola Burn? Try Mass Effect

The human race has just begun its climb to intergalactic empire in Cibola Burn, but Mass Effect still manages to capture the *cough cough* expansive feeling of traveling across galaxies to connect with other human settlements. As an RPG it also lets you organically grow and connect with your own space crew in a way that no other game has quite managed. Expanse fans turning to Mass Effect will probably end up ??finding their second-favorite sci-fi series in the game??s. 

Just read Nemesis Games? Try Children of a Dead Earth

A new kind of space warfare has broken out by the end of Nemesis Games, and that deserves a new kind of battle simulator. Children of a Dead Earth boasts that it's “the most scientifically accurate space warfare simulator ever made,â€?and I see no reason to argue. If you want to truly dig into the ship engineering and orbital mechanics that goes into every pulse-pounding skirmish in The Expanse, then this is the one for you. 

Just read Babylon’s Ashes? Try Terra Invicta

By this point in the series there's an all-out war between the inner planets and the OPA. Terra Invicta sees humanity being attacked by aliens, but the game also has a focus on factions. The secret to victory in this strategy game is to consolidate power on Earth in order to construct a strong enough fleet to challenge the aliens that are flying toward us from the edge of the solar system. It’s a great depiction of a war that spans the entire Sol ?system. 

Just read Persepolis Rising? Try Elite Dangerous

Elite Dangerous feels quite a bit like the world of The Expanse just before Duarte launches his invasion in Persepolis Rising. Humanity has spread throughout the stars, and the game is essentially a flight simulator that gives you various jobs like mining, interstellar delivery, and pirate hunting to complete. The galaxy in Elite is actually the Milky Way, and all the small touches that make Elite’s simulation feel so real help make this ?otherwise simple game?? incredibly engaging â€?particularly in VR. 

Just read Tiamat’s Wrath? Try FTL : Faster Than Light

So many characters in Tiamat’s Wrath are forced to risk their lives sneaking through dangerous enemy space, and that’s the entire premise of FTL. In this roguelike you play as a crew, or really a ship, delivering important wartime intel across the galaxy. You’ll need to upgrade your ship and hire new crew members while navigating through space. At every turn you’ll encounter enemies that will try to shoot you down, board?? you, or otherwise put your mission to an early end. 

Just read Leviathan Falls? Try Stellaris

By the end of The Expanse, humanity isn’t just fighting themselves but the very godlike beings that once ended all advanced life in the galaxy. Stellaris is a 4x game that takes things to that scale. You construct an empire from the ground-up, spreading ?throughout the stars and encountering the mysteries of space while trying to grow your people into a prosperous civilization. This is the perfect space game for people who love the intense management of real-time strategy games with a dizzying array of routes to pursue. 

Just read Memory’s Legion? Try Starfield

Memory’s Legion is a collection of stories that encompasses the entire timeline of The Expanse. Because it focuses on a humans-only future where the species has spread out to the stars that are at least a little close to home, Starfield feels like a natural continuation of these stories. Thanks to being a Bethesda-style RPG, Starfield checks a number of boxes all while portraying a future that could have been an alternate version of The Expanse where hum??anity never dis??covered the protomolecule and the secrets it unlocked. 

The post 10 best games to play if you love The Expanse appeared first on Destructoid.

Bungie briefly teased some upcoming Destiny 2 armor inspired by the legendary sci-fi RPG Mass Effect. According to the tweet, players can join the Normandy Crew with armor inspired by Commander Shepard, Garrus Vakarian, Liara T'Soni, and others from the Systems Alliance. The armor is set to drop in Destiny 2 on February 13.

Definitely a Win

Let's be honest, Destiny 2 fans haven't had much to be happy about lately. Not that an armor cosmetic alone is suddenly going to flip the frustrations the dedicated fanbase currently has with the game. But regardless of the impact, a Mass Effect crossover is a win in my book. I haven't played Destiny 2 in years but you bet I wanna grab that sweet Garrus armor in preparation for my return in Destiny 2: The Final Shape.

Bungie also revealed that in celebration of the collaboration with Bioware, an Enhanced Defense Ghost Shell, Alliance Scout Frigate Ship, and Alliance Drop Ship Sparrow will all be available for free as well. It seems like these are all just cosmetic skins for the various items in Destiny 2. I hope the ship and sparrow are cool.

The Mass Effect-inspired armor pack, called the Alli?ance Requisition Bundle, is set to arrivate on all pl??atforms on February 13.

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While Starfield is nearly here, you might not be partaking (for whatever reason!). From the thoroughly entertaining The Outer Worlds to the unrestricted freedom of No Man's Sky, let's look at the six best games thematically similar to Starfield that will satisfy your sci-fi-loving brain right ?now.

[caption id="attachment_367652" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Deep Silver[/caption]

Chorus

One of the most underrated games in 2021, Chorus should be on your list if you crave sci-fi action. While you can't get out of your spaceship and wander about, there is an open area to explore as you fly at high speed through asteroids and space gates. The combat impresses with its fast-paced action and powerfu?l weapons. There's also an intriguing storyline to follow, complete with side quests to c?omplement it.

[caption id="attachment_367674" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Frontier Developments[/caption]

Elite Dangerous

Want to explore the stars but you're stuck at home with a 9-5 job? Elite Dangerous might be able to transport you beyond the skies above. You'll be upgrading your ship as you fight enemy forces, explore the beautiful cosmos, and soar amongst the stars alongside your friends. There's also a major sense of scale as the developer claims on its Steam page that "the entirety of the Milky Way [is] re-created at its full galactic proportions". It has been free on the Epic Games Store?? in the past, so check your library if you haven't already.

[caption id="attachment_367676" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

One of Bethesda's greatest aspects is its storytelling. The majority of its games have immense lore and an intriguing storyline full of interesting characters. The Mass Effect series offers a similarly strong narrative that has you invested in its roster of heroes and villains. In addition, the worldbuilding is outstanding, as you get more intrigued by the factions and environments of this sci-fi universe the deeper you delve into it. Hopefully, Starfield will offer a story that has just as much drama as the? legendary BioWare series.

[caption id="attachment_367643" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Hello Games[/caption]

No Man's Sky

With one of the rockiest launches in modern gaming history, No Man's Sky was a shell of the promises original made by the developer Hello Games. Fortunately, over the years, the game has received wide acclaim for its bevy of features, stunning landscapes, and introduction of co-op. The randomized nature of the game has given us strange new creatures and gorgeous scenery that fans often share their pictures of No Man's Sky. Starfield also features many, many worlds; No Man's Sky has likely inspired?? Bethesda with its daring concept, for better or fo??r worse. Hopefully, the former.

[caption id="attachment_367661" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Annapurna Interactive[/caption]

Outer Wilds

If No Man's Sky doesn't tickle your fancy, Outer Wilds might instead. You're exploring a solar system that is trapped in a time loop, and it is up to you to solve the mystery behind it. The planets in this game each offer their own little secrets to discover as you find out details about the Dark Bramble and the alien ruins across the system. While there are no RPG mechanics to speak of, Outer Wilds will likely give you the same exploratory rush in Starfield. Nevertheless, Josh Talentino called the game "Superb" in his review for Destructoid.

[caption id="attachment_367670" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Private Division[/caption]

The Outer Worlds

The closest game you'll get to Starfield is probably The Outer Worlds. Not to be confused with the similarly titled last entry, this Obsidian FPS/RPG has an exciting and engaging campaign. You'll find well-written characters, an entertaining loot-and-shoot game loop, and a captivating story. The Outer Worlds does not feature interspace combat or a huge universe to explore. However, the densely populated environments have engrossing side missions and inspired art design. In fact, The Outer Worlds was Destructoid's 2019 Game of the Year.

[caption id="attachment_395803" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via 505 Games[/caption]

Death Stranding

While there aren't "traditional" RPG mechanics in Death Stranding, that sense of exploration from Starfield is present in the game. You’re delivering packages throughout the world and helping connect the once-separated areas of post-apocalyptic America back together. Directed by Metal Gear Solid veteran Hideo Ko?jima, its sci-fi concepts are thought-pr?ovoking and stunning to behold.

The interactability between players is also unique as you help each other form a better world. Death Stranding’s available on Xbox Game P??ass for PC if you?? want to check it out.

[caption id="attachment_395804" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via KeokeN Interactive[/caption]

Deliver Us The Moon

If you want to explore a sci-fi world without chaotic shooting gameplay, Deliver Us The Moon might be your ticket. You’re exploring a space station that is unresponsive and within it, you’ll discover exactly what has happened. The story is told in a quiet, yet? impactful way. The puzzles are also well-implemented.

The detailed environments also present the story well, hopefully like Starfield. It’s a sci-fi game that’s a breath of fresh air (well, at leas?t as fresh as it c??an be in space).

[caption id="attachment_395805" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via EA[/caption]

Star Wars Squadrons

Lastly, there’s Star Wars Squadrons. The force is strong with this one! If you want to prepare yourself for ship battles in Starfield, you can control various Star Wars ships in Squadrons, and it's a rush to shoot an Imperial ship?? in an X-Win?g in this game. The cockpit view is also one-to-one to what Rebels like Wedge and Luke saw back in the day with all the visual do-hickeys and buttons intact.

As our review notes: “It finds a great balance between making the player feel like a responsible pilot and a complete badass.�/p>

The post The 9 best games similar to Starfield that you ca?n play now (Updated) appeared first on Destructoid.

Fans unimpressed with Mass Effect death statue

Yesterday, BioWare announced it was opening pre-orders on a limited edition sculpture of Captain Shepard in commemoration of the Mass Effect series. Fans, however, were not impressed with the sculpture in question, which depicts the corpse of the female variant of Captain Shepard (known to the fanbase as "FemShep") adrift in space as we find her during the prologue of Mass Effect 2.

[caption id="attachment_386516" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via BioWare[/caption]

Fans raised many questions, such as the choice to idolize such a tragic moment. "Celebrate life, not death", as they say. Fans appreciate that the death of Shepard is an important moment, though some would argue that it is perhaps not one that we should celebrate �especially in a way that is simultaneously expensive and cheapening.

Another point fans raised was the potential misogynistic iconography of the piece The only corpse of Shepard up for preorder was that of the captain's female version �and in a striking pose that some opined sexually objectifies the character. Very few official FemShep statues actually exist, and for o?ne of the few to be of her floating corpse seemed a little grim to some in the fan community.

//twi?tter.com/BioWareGear/status/16684?01670022377473?s=20

BioWare was quick to address the issue

A little after revealing the statue, BioWare tweeted a statement. It says that the statue is intended as part of a series that will celebrate the key moments of the Mass Effect franchise and that the studio perhaps did not convey this properly. Though it admits to perhaps not offering the best context, the statement claims that the mistake was the way in which BioWare presented the statue, rather than the choice of statue itse??lf.

BioWare has placed the sale of the statues on indefinite hold and has immediately refunded all of the initial preorders. The company states that it is rethinking its strategy regarding the marketing of the celebratory series of Mass Effect statues going forward.

The post BioWare addresses controversial ‘Dead Shepard’ Mass Effect statue appeared first on Destructoid.

The writer is heading for new ventures after almost two decades at BioWare

Mac Walter, a veteran of the Mass Effect series, is lea?ving BioWare. The longtime writer and lea??d on several major projects at BioWare is moving on after nearly two decades at the company.

As Walters announced on his LinkedIn page, Walters decided at the end of last year to leave BioWar??e. In his post, he wishes everyone at the studio well.

"These past 19 years have been a lif?e-changing experience to say the least, and it made the choice to go very difficult," wrote Walters. "I’ve worked with so many wonderful people and had the privilege to be a part of the ?most amazing teams and projects. It’s hard to fathom it all, and I know I’ll be reflecting on it for years to come."

Walters doesn't confirm what his next ?step is just yet, but did write that "with a new year comes ??new adventures."

The massive effect

Walters joined BioWare in 2003, as a writer for the martial arts RPG Jade Empire. He'd then serve as a writer on Mass Effect before moving up to lead writer for Mass Effect 2 and 3, and then head to Anthem to be its narrative director.

He'd return to Mass Effect with Andromeda as its creative director, was project director of the Legendary Edition. His last role at BioWare was as Production Director for the upcoming Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

The Dreadwolf has been fairly quiet since we got a subtitle reveal last year, with just a few teases to go on. And the next Mass Effect has had even less to go on. No release window has been set y?et for eit?her.

Meanwhile, this marks another departure for a longtime BioWare veteran, alongside others that have left over the last few years like Casey Hudson, Mark Darrah, and Matt Goldman.

The post Mass Effect veteran Mac Walters leaves BioWare appeared first on Destructoid.

A space adventure for day traders

Mass Effect is one of those series that we've played so many times, sometimes it can be fun to load up a mod for the sake of switching things up a bit. You could always go for the expanded armory or expanded galaxy, or even try the Take Back Earth mod if you really want to make it interesting. Of course, I'm sure there are some crypto bros out there who are also Mass Effect fans, or at the very least, some peop??le who want to try to game a stock market in a low-stakes environment. Or maybe they just hate the probing mini-game. Who's to say?

Either way, this Mass Effect Legendary Edition mod might be for you. It's called Nos Astra Mineral Exchange (created by beccatoria and Team Pyjak), and adds a whole galactic stock market to Mass Effect 2, which allows players to trade money and resources. (Thanks, PC Gamer.) Basically, you can either trade minerals and mine them, or just forgo the probing altogether.

There are also new missions attached to the mod as well, which include new? voice lines for existing characters with AI dialogue tool xVASynth thanks to the work of modder Gaige Barker.

To gain access t?o the newly available stock market, players will first need to head to the Crescent Nebula, then to the Asari world of Illium, then ??to the capital city of Nos Astra, and then finally to the docks entrance where public trading terminals can be found. There's also a terminal on the Shadow Broker's ship, if that's more convenient.

The mod's site even details the Mass Effect 2 stock market's exchange rate, which is the kind of thing I don't really get, but go nuts if you're into that sort of thing. Nos Astra Mineral Exchange is available to download on NexusMods or Mod DB �just make sure you have the ME3 Tweaks Mod Manager ready to go first.

The post This Mass Effect 2 mod adds a mineral stock market in place of probing ??planets appeared first on Destructoid.

Prime members get a ticket to fight the Reapers

Amazon's Prime Day is coming up, where it offers a bunch of deals specifically for its subscribing members. On the games side of things, that includes a few freebies. And this year the lineup is pretty good, as Prime members can get a copy of Mass Effect Legendary Edition and some Star Wars games for the low, low price of free.

In an Amazon blog, the company reveals some of the games arriving as freebies for Prime Day. Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a big one, as that's all three Mass Effect games and their single-player DLC, packing the whole trilogy into one launcher. If that gets you eager for space action, there's also a few Star Wars games on offer too: Star Wars Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy, Jedi Outcast, and Republic Commando. Or, for gearheads, there's Need for Speed Heat and GRID Legends.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8i53TtQ6IQ

Indies on deck

Amazon says that during Prime Day on July 12-13, members will be able to claim over 30 free games. And in the leadup, there are some other games to add into your backlog too, from June 21 up through July 13. They range from indie hits like Rain World to classics like Metal Slug 2 and The King of Fighters 2002.

Here's the list:

• 10 Second Ninja X
• 8Doors: Arum’s Afterlife Adventure
• Addling Adventures
• Bang Bang Racing
• Clouds & Sheep 2
• Death Squared
• Fatal Fury Special
• Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
• Gone Viral
• HUE
• Manual Samuel
• Metal Slug 2
• Metal Unit
• Pumped BMX Pro
• Puzzle of the Year â€?10 Pack
• Rain World
• Road Trip â€?3 Pack
• Samurai Shodown II
• Serial Cleaner
• The Crow’s Eye
• The Darkside Detective
• The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark
• The King of Fighters 2000
• The King of Fighters 2002
• The Metronomicon: Slay the Dance Floor

You can find more on the Amazon Prime Gaming site.

The post Ama?zon Prime Day freebies includes Mass Effect Legendary Edition ?and more games appeared first on Destructoid.

Space Odyssey

Veteran video game writer Mary DeMarle has confirmed that they will be joining BioWare in order to pen the narrative for the next entry in the epic and much-beloved sci-fi franchise, Mass Effect. Game Di??rector Michael Gamble confirmed the signing on social media yeste?rday.

"Oh, hey! I’m really excited to let you know that Mary DeMarle will be joining the Mass Effect team as Senior Narrative Director," wrote Gamble on Twitter. "You’ve seen her work in Guardians of the Galaxy & Deus Ex (to name a few!). She’s amazing."

//twitt??er.com/GambleMike/status/1544057781619044353?s=20&t=??XtimLuMwQbWu1roJUmzFyQ

As noted by Gamble, DeMarle is no stranger to epic, dramatic, and operatic storytelling, having penned the excellent Deus Ex games for Crystal Dynamics, and the recent comic-book adventure Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. These are both titles that deal with group dynamics, friendship, politics, technology, moral turbulence, and character-based comedy �all traits that make up the emotive space opera universe of Mass Effect.

DeMarle's new role at BioWare follows their leaving Eidos Montreal in the wake of the Embracer Group purchase. With a resume of stone-cold narrative classics, and multiple awards to their name, DeMarle is a valuable, prestigious, and highly sought-after writer. No doubt their talent for engrossing, compelling, and, most importantly, immersive storytelling will be a major ace in "Mass Effect 4's" sleeve. Mass Effect is its story �it always has been �and it's comforting to know?? that the next chapter ?is in safe hands.

The next chapter of Mass Effect is currently in development at BioWare.

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The following contains spoilers for Episode 2 of the BioShock Infinite DLC Burial at Sea. Proceed at your own risk.

It's like I'm really there

One of the things I love about games is how much they lean into genre fiction. Games have never been afraid to lean hard into sci-fi, fantasy, westerns, apocalypse stories, and so on. This means we get a lot of stories that stand out with their unique characters, mechanics, and lore, but one of my favorite aspects of games has to be how settings take on a whole personality of their own. Rather than serving as a backdrop for the action, so many game settings take a front seat in the story, driving ho?me its themes and moving the plo?t forward.

Perhaps my favorite example of great settings in games comes from the BioShock series. Cities like Rapture and Columbia are built out with compelling, storied histories, complete with uncannily beautiful vistas that conceal proletariat factions at war with oppressive figures. They're gorgeous, but with the express purpose of highlighting the games' more sinister themes. Visually stunning locations like Fort Frolic and Monument Island show us how the respective founders of the cities chose to showca??se their love of excess, while also making us understand how each city met its downfall.

[caption id="attachment_328607" align="alignnone" width="710"] _{[Image Source: Reddit]}[/caption]

Case study: Burial at Sea's Paris opening

Look, I just really love the BioShock series (where's that fourth game, 2K?), and a recent playthrough of BioShock Infinite's Burial at Sea DLC only reminded me of that. ?I hav?e to highlight just one more moment from that series, because I think it's so masterfully done.

Episode 2 opens on a street in Paris, where Elizabeth is sitting at a cafe enjoying a view of the Eiffel Tower. In this sequence, all of the citizens greet her happily by name, birds and butterflies flit about, and artists and musicians showcase their talents on the street �there's even a little boy dancing around with a baguette, you know, like the French are prone to do.

Of course, it's all too good to be true, because Elizabeth runs into Sally soon enough, a little girl who she used to kill this universe's version of Booker. The whole thing devolves into a stunning horror set piece, where Elizabeth is confronted by a tortured Little Sister version of Sally, having to confront? her guilt before facing her difficult present in Rapture.

//youtu.be/5OF-XNDCLA0

This opening is not an accurate representation of Paris, and it was never supposed to be �it was instead an idealized, sentimental one. One of the very first things we learned about Elizabeth in Infinite is that she used this rose-colored version of France as?? a form of escapism. When she was locked away in her tower, the idea of someday getting to see Paris is what kept her going. Showing players how the weight of all that she has done has permeated to even her happiest of fantasies is a chilling image, an??d one that shows us exactly how far Elizabeth has come as a character, for better and for worse. It's one of my favorite sequences in all of gaming.

The personality of a place is important

BioShock isn't the only series that makes good use of its setting, however. The barren, hostile wasteland of The Last of Us' America basically places the characters in a pressure cooker, which forces them to make the difficult, often brutal choices that make them who they are. Mass Effect's expansive, varied settings speak to the epic, large-scale storytelling of a massive space opera, esp??ecially when contrasted to the cozy familiarity of the Normandy. Those are just a few of dozens of examples.

I think game settings stick out in our minds so much because we get to spend way more time in them than in other media. We have to choose to explore them ourselves, and can then take as much time as we want to acquaint ourselves with them as we please. We're not limited to what a director or author wants to show us �if we see something interesting, we can go check it out, organically discovering something that is of interest to us. Great game designers know how to draw the player's attention to important set pieces, sto??ry beats, or areas of importance, and a strong artistic hand will only help a game fe??el like it has some nice momentum to it, even if we can't perceive it at first.

When I boot up a game that I love but haven't played for a while, it can feel like home in a way that I don't experience with other media. Downtime in a game is really important, especially in the gameplay loop of action games, because it's a moment to breathe after a combat encounter, recoup, find items and power-ups, etc. That downtime is not only a great way to get to know the ch??aracters, but also the setting.

Learning every nook and cranny, remembering where an?? item is so you can come back and get it later, discovering a hidden room you've passed by a million times �only games can do that, and I think that's beautiful.

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

The post Video game settings are characters of their own appeared first on Destructoid.

This article contains spoilers for the Mass Effect series. Read at your own risk, or just take your chances, whatever. I'm not your mom.

The future of the series remains a mystery for now

The Mass Effect series may have continued on after the main trilogy ended, but it was hard to recapture that magic after Shepard left the picture. It looks like others might agree with that statement, because some promotional material recently hinted that Shepard may be making a triumphant return in the next title in the series, so far only known as another Mass Effect.

Originally reported by Video Games Chronicle, BioWare released a poster to tease the upcoming Mass Effect game. A YouTuber named MrHulthen noticed that the poster came with an accompanying synopsis that revealed maybe a little more information than BioWare may have wanted to let on about the new Mass Effect.

The promotional material originally read, "The show goes on. Shepard's final quest may have ended the thre?at of the Reapers but at great cost including Earth itself. While Shepard and the survivors are left to pick up the pieces, fans are left wondering what's next.?"

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5QrxHeDAFk&t=57s

Soon after, BioWare went back and changed the synopsis to somet??hing a bit more generic: "The threat of the Reapers might have been ended, bu??t at great cost including Earth itself. While the survivors are left to pick up the pieces, fans are left wondering what's next."

While the initial summary on the website for the poster understandably sparked a great deal of interest among Mass Effect fans, BioWare's own Project Director Michael Gamble took to Twitter to set the story straight. "The original thing was written by the people who run the sto?re and aren't familiar with the game :)," he wrote in a tweet this?? afternoon.

So, it turns out that it was just a mistak?e on the website's part in the search for some enthralling? flavor text.

After the disaster that was Mass Effect: Andromeda, it makes sense that fans would be excited to see a return to the game's roots. Bringing fan-favorite Shepard back from the dead in the next Mass Effect wouldn't wipe the sla?te clean, though �it would definitely generate hype but it ??would also come with a whole host of new problems. Sometimes it's just best to let sleeping dogs lie.

//www.tiktok.com/@destructoid/video/7098818384736914694?is_from_webapp=1&sender??_device=pc&web_id=7052788164067706373

The post New Mass Effect poster causes speculation over Shepard’s return appeared first on Destructoid.

Be the hero of your own story

Sappy. Sentimental. Downright cheesy. If there's a video game story (or really any other media, for that matter) that is going to make me cry fro??m pure emotion, you can bet your bottom dollar?? that I'm going to love it. With the world becoming an increasingly horrific dumpster fire that somehow burns hotter every day, media can be a welcome respite from the chaos.

Don't get me wrong here, I love dark, provocative stories in certain contexts, but sometimes, what you really need is something that ?knows what it is, and leans as hard as it can into that fantasy. I'm not talking about dragons and wizards, but a different ki??nd of fantasy �the fantasy of play (although there is quite a bit of overlap between those two). Allow me to explain.

Stating the obvious here, but when we play a video game, we're engaged in very active play: pressing buttons to manipulate what we see on the screen, and engaging with gameplay systems that designers have put in place to provide us with a fulfilling experience. We love exploring the constraints of those systems, and using their rules to create scen??arios where we come out on top.

Another kind of play

But when we add in the storytelling elements of a game �the setting, characters, plot, and so on ??�we're engaging with another type of play: make-believe. Similar to how a child might play princess or knight, there's something in us that loves the fantasy of being someone else. It's the same thing in us that loves immersive experiences, which can include anything from an engrossing movie to an all-enveloping real-life experience like going to Disneyland or a Renaissance Faire. In those scenarios, we allow ourselves to shed our identities and put on new ones ??�something that can be incredibly freeing �and we do the exact same thing when we allow ourselves to give in to the fantasy of a video game.

A lot of games tend to be pieces of genre fiction like sci-fi, fantasy (now we're talking about the dragons-and-wizards variety), and even westerns, and that's because genre fiction is especially good at helping us get out of our own heads and into something that feels like more of an adventure. The best genre fiction knows what it is and leans into it hard, and by that, I mean that its creators understand the conventions and tropes of a piece's respective genre, and instead of shying away from them, they embrace those conventions whole-heartedly and without irony. What's even better is when a game's mechanics allow for emergent storytelling, because when we create our own story beats without any scripted help from the game, we feel even more ownership of our own na??rrative that we're playing?? out.

Think of the rousing speeches spoken triumphantly over the intercom on the Normandy in Mass Effect, or the swell of the music when you first lay eyes on the beautiful pirate ships that you know contain treasure in Uncharted 4. These moments could definitely be considered cheesy or over-the-top to some, but giving in to those indulgent moments is what helps us really feel like we're living our dreams as a space commander, or a treasure hunter. People joke about games like God of War being n?othing but ?a power fantasy, but honestly, that's what it's supposed to be, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYjCGSLX8VE

The Blank Slate

In other media, having a Blank Slate protagonist can be more of a problem, because they can come off as bland and uninteresting most of the time. But in games, having your main character be ?a hollow shell can actually be a big advantage, because, given the nature of play, players already have a tendency to project their own chosen persona onto that character.

There are some instances where having a more specific character can be just as affecting, too �my go-to example is always The Last of Us, because that? game does a great job of using play, specifically how intense and harrowing it can feel at times, to make you feel for the characters and the journey they're going through. If you let yourself give in to the fear and desperation that some of the more intense moments of that game present you with, suddenly the emotional highs and lows hit a lot harder.

Giving in to the fantasy

When we talk abou?t games being so emotionally impactful, I think this is why. Giving ourselves over to s??tory, especially in such a strong and sometimes personal way that games ask of us, can mean really moving and enriching gaming and storytelling experiences.

Not all, but a vast majority of beloved, classic games give into one form of fantasy or another. Pokémon: going on an adventure with companions who fight loyally at your side. The Legend of Zelda: becoming the stoic, loyal, heroic warrior who saves the princess and the rest of Hyrule. Stardew Valley: moving to a quaint seaside town and living the peaceful life of a farmer while also making friends and finding love. The list goes on and on �there are an endless number of little fantasies like this, and an endless number of games that help us fulfill t?hem.

We don't have a lot of occasions in life as adults to get to engage in make-believe, but we do have video games. Having a consistent place ??where we can go and be a hero or fall in love with an imaginary friend for a while may sound silly to some, but if we're willing to let go of the part of us that cringes a little bit and embrace the cheese, engaging in play can be an incredibly gratifying experience.

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

The post Video game stories give us more? than one way to play appeared first on Destructoid.

There is another top-level departure at the developer, though

BioWare has another update on the current status of both Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Both are progressing, but a?longside their updates, there's also another high-level departure at BioWare.

Today's blog confirms that Dragon Age executive producer Christian Dailey is leaving the studio. Dailey joined the team in 2018 and worked on the Anthem overhaul project. When Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah retired from the company, Dailey took lead on the upcoming Dragon Age game.

"The games industry is ever-changing though and sometimes folks want to go and try new things–we understand, but we will miss him as a friend and as ?a colleague," wrote BioWare GM Gary McKay.

The update reaffirms the team that's still in place for the next Dragon Age as well. Mac Walters, who led development on the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, is production director. Corrine Busche is game director, and Benoit Houle is director of product development. McKay says he will also be "working more closely" with the Dragon Age team.

//twitter.com/ChristianDailey/status/149655426??6315665408

As for the project itself, the update reaffirms that Dragon Age is "right in the middle of Production." The bl??ueprint was completed last y??ear, according to McKay.

He also notes the ongoing word on Star Wars: The Old Republic, which just launched an expansion, and the next Mass Effect. Announced at The Game Awards, the new Mass Effect is being led by Mike Gam??ble, and the team is cur??rently prototyping new ideas and experiences.

It sounds like these projects are still a ways off. A recent report from Jeff Grubb on his show GrubbSnax indicates it's still about 18 mont??hs away, though it's in ??good shape.

The post BioWare confirms next Dragon Age is ‘right in the middle’ of production appeared first on Destructoid.

Any excuse to simp, am I right?

It's another Valentine's Day in quarantine, which means it's another Valentine's Day alone for a lot of us. What we do have, though, is access to plenty of video games, and that got me thinking about my sexiest video game characters, or more specifically, what I think are the sexiest video game voices. Anyone can create a hunky beefcake or a busty blonde of a character model, but for me, so much of what makes certa??in video game characters sexy is their voices.

I can't let the sultry tones of these standout performances go unnoticed, so h??ere's my list of t??he sexiest video game voices out there.

[caption id="attachment_308533" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{[Image Source: Twinfinite]}[/caption]

1. Meg from Hades

Hades is chalked full of sexy character designs and voices, but the standout for me was Megara. I have a thing for low, gravelly voices, what can I say? Plus there was the whole negging thing that I usually h?ate, but really got me in a tizzy when it comes to her. There were lots of fun romance opti??ons in this game, but there was no contest when it came to my playthrough: it had to be Meg.

[caption id="attachment_308534" align="alignnone" width="1240"] _{[Image Source: Medium]}[/caption]

2. Booker from BioShock Infinite

Booker was one of my first video game crushes. Everything about his character design is appealing to me, with the obvious exception of him being a mass murderer. Gaming is packed to the brim with DILFs, but Booker is really top tier in my opinion. Infinite is a first-person game, so don't get to see much of him at all during its run time �that means his voice has to do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to making him sexy, and as questionably as Troy Baker has been behaving rec??ently, I can't discount the performance he gave when making this gam?e.

3. Garrus from Mass Effect

I'm gonna level with you guys �the prospect of being able to smash some aliens in Mass Effect is like 70% of why I decided to play those games, and I do mean in a sexy way. As?? soon as I got to meet the cast, Garrus was at the top of my list. He's already got a leg up as being the least annoying squad member in my opinion, and there's something about the voice effects they put on him that really does something for me. I was a bit disappointed to learn that I don't get to smash him until the second game, but it gives me something to look forward to.

[caption id="attachment_308535" align="alignnone" width="640"] _{[Image Source: Thunder Wave]}[/caption]

4. Chloe from Uncharted

The low, gravelly voice is back, and I can't get enough of it. Chloe was introduced to the Uncharted series as another potential love interest for Nate, and as much as I love Elena, I would have gone for Chloe every time. She's flirty, adventurous, and has one of the best voices in a series full of incredible voice talent. Like Booker, Chloe ??was one of my first video game crushes, so I'll al??ways hold a special place in my heart for her.

[caption id="attachment_308536" align="alignnone" width="799"] _{[Image Source: Literary Hub]}[/caption]

5. Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2

You know what else I have a thing for? Cowboys. And Arthur Morgan is just about as sexy as they come, vocally speaking. I mean I guess that is how you talk, isn't it? Anyway, Arthur's got it all �the southern accent, the twang, the grit. He may not be reinventing the idea of how cowboy?s sound, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. He's giving us quintessential southern American country boy, and as someone who thinks this accent is criminally underrated in talks of supposed sexiness, I'm kind of obsessed with it.

6. Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil Village

Another entry on this list that's kind of a given. I think I'm in the minority of people who feel the height thing just doesn't do it for them, but I have to admit that her voice is among the sexier I've heard from a video game character. Lady D has a certain poshness to her voice, which is a nice contrast to some of the other more rugged characters I have on this list. Don't get me wrong, I'm still terrified of her and this game, but I have to? admit that there's something about her voice that I'm really d?rawn to.

[caption id="attachment_308537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{[Image Source: Art Abyss]}[/caption]

7. Boxer from Transistor

Boxer technically doesn't have a name within the world of Transistor, but it's what fans affectionately call him, so it's what I'm gonna go with, too. I made a point to talk about the amazing voicework Logan Cunningham did in this role in my column about Transistor, because it's ??one of my favorite vocal performances in a game eve??r (and I also happen to think it's the sexiest).

It's ironic that Boxer is on this list, because in the game he's basically only a voice. There's also just something so romantic about his relationship with Red in the game, although whatever it is we don't really know. Either way, it's making me want to replay Transistor today, in the spirit of the holiday.

Well, that's my list for Valentine's Day. Do you agree with my picks??? What do you think are some of the sexiest voices in video games? Let's discuss in the comments!

The post Here are 7 sexy video game voices that mak??e me swoon appeared first on Destructoid.

Bring it in

I admit it; I’m a hugger. Don’t make th??is weird. Keep it office appropriate, but bring it in. Maybe after the pandemic has ended.

Just like any hugger, I spend a lot of time thinking about hugging other people, dogs,  crustaceans, and fictional characters. More than once have I been playing a game and thought, “I bet that character gives great hugs.â€?By “more than once,â€?I mean, like, constantly. When a new monster reveals itself from the depths, my mind immediately puts it on a scale for huggability. ??Great Grey Wolf Sif: V??ery huggable. Gaping Dragon: No.

So allow me to share my expertise with all the other huggers out there and bring your attention to some of my picks for ten of the best video game huggers out there. I know some of you are already searching your folders of Shin Megami Tensei games to find the most phallic creation that you want to pull into your embrace, but this is serious business. You can’t just go through life making light of the important subject of ??hugs. Focus!

Mike Haggar

Can you truly look me in the eye and tell me you never wanted to hug Mike Haggar from Final Fight? Look at him, he walks like he’s inviting everyone on the street into his arms. It helps that the beat-’em-up genre is the huggingest variety of games on the market. Most of the time, when a brawler gets close to another character, they immediately take them into their?? arms before driving their faces into the concrete.

There are quite a few characters that would fit in place of Haggar, including newcomer hugger, Estel from Streets of Rage 4, but Haggar has?? been hugging longer than most. Plus, he’s willing to hug a city full of thugs to save his city and get his daughter back. T?hat’s a man dedicated to hugging.

Yellow Devil

Jump, wait, hop, wait, wait, jump, wait, wait, jump (clear two), wait, wait, wait, jump, wait, wait, wait, hop, wait, and hug. Look at Mega Man's Yellow Devil, he’s huge. Maybe squishy. His stance implies that he wants a hug, but is too shy to commit to it. Those are hugging hands, ready for a soft embrace. Just don’t g??et too attached. Yellow Devil is a heartbreaker. If you take your time and pause for effect, you might just crack that squishy exterior.

Hestu

Damn! Talk about tree-hugging! While his bark-covered exterior may not make for the most comfortable embrace, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Hestu's round shape is pleasing to the arms. He also really knows how to shake it, so ??if you’re the type to go out dancing, Hestu will shake it with you. I’m not the dancing type, but I respect his hobbies.

Sheeva

The first thought a lot of people probably had when they saw the four-armed Goro in the first Mortal Kombat was, “Damn, I want a hug from that guy.�The problem is, like so many fi??ghting game bosses, the dude’s a cheater. He’s fast and does stupid amounts of damage. Sheeva is a much better option.

First appearing in Mortal Kombat 3 as the first playable Shokan on the regular roster, Sheeva’s skimpy outfit and impressive musculature confused me as a pre-pubescent child. She has?? beckoning arms, unlike Goro’s “I’m going to crush you�physique.

DoomGuy

I can’t really imagine a scenario where Doom's DoomGuy would be looking for a hug. He’s pretty fixated on demon killing, but he did take time out for his pet rabbit, Daisy, so maybe there is a comforting embrace in him somewhere. All I know is he’s a passionate individual, and if he could somehow s?wap his demon-killing hands for hugging hands, it would be a hug for the ages. Just lo??ok at those arms! They’re as big as my waist.

Alucard

Dracula’s half-human spawn is something of the dramatic type. Alucard from the Castlevania series presents himself as equal parts sullen and stoic, he’s like the ideal persona of a shoegazing band frontman. More than anyone on this list, however, the guy needs a hug. He misses his mom and has sever??e daddy issues. It might be difficult to get him to throw open his cloak, but if you can somehow convince him to take you into his dhampir arms, he’d probably have trouble letting go.

Andre (Blacksmith from Dark Souls)

There were few truly friendly faces in Dark Souls. One wrong move and someone you thought was your friend would be at your throat. Not Andre, though. Guy just sits in the basement of a church, blacksmithing all day. He wishes you well with a cheerful demeanor, a welcome change from the morose or plainly insane. Plus, those calloused hammering hands are primed for hugging, and an embrace from Andre would definitely make the world of Dark Souls a lot less bleak.

Shoutout to Stockpile Thomas from Demons Souls. He’s got a heart of gold? that could probably benefit from a hug, but he loses points because he’d probably start crying down your ?back.

Kazuma Kiryu

The Yakuza series�mainstay protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, reminds me a lot of my dad. Hyper-competent, good-hearted, and endearingly out of touch. Do you know who gives great hugs? My dad. And while my dad has arms honed from working in a lumberyard for most of his life, he doesn’t quite have Kiryu’s chiseled physique.

Plus, despite his expressionless exterior, he is a bit of a soft touch. He takes care of orphans (while absolutely sloshed if you play Yakuza like I do) and even loves animals. He’s not so manly he can’t take time to play with ??toy cars, so you can bet a hug from him will be slightly awkward but palpably comf?orting.

Garrus Vakarian

Uuunng, Garrus~

Toriel

If given the choice, I probably wouldn’t have even started Undertale. I would have just accepted Toriel’s offer of motherly love and butterscotch pie. I hate butterscotch. It was pretty mean of Undertale to start the game by forcing y??ou to break the heart of a kindly woman. I fought it, but? it leaves you no choice. Thankfully, if you play your cards right, you might get another chance at that matriarchal embrace.

However, if you chose to kill Toriel, we can’t be friends anymore.

The post Ten of the Best Video Game Huggers appeared first on Destructoid.

Soul Bossa Nova makes everything better

As wary as I am of leaning too hard into memes, sometimes, I can't resist �I've gotta share the latest dumb funny thing with this audience. If I'm laughing, I hope that means you'll laugh, too. And this video from "meme maker" eli_handle_b․wav, in which Austin Powers is thawed out and let loose in the Mass Effect universe, is hilarious to me.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_rY6gn7GNM

"Is that the kind of person we want protecting the ga??laxy?"

"That's the only kind of person who can protect the galaxy."

I couldn't make it past that fir?st exchange. The dramatic music and VO de?livery got me.

I'm pretty out of the loop on these mashups �where someone goes to decent lengths to combine a popular live-action movie or show with an also-popular video game �but I can tell that my feed is about to be a flood of them now that I've cracked the door. Just the other day, Dan was showing us a Fallout: New Vegas scene with Tony Soprano.

This crossover makes me want to pick my Mass Effect Legendary Edition replay of ME1 back up *and* rewatch Austin Powers even though it'll never be as? funny now as it was when I was a kid. Job well done, video. You made me cherish thes?e things a smidge more.

(The bit with the little vehicle getting stuck in a narrow tunn??el will be Objectively ??Funny until the end of time. That imagery swirls around my brain like once a week.)

This gag actually deserves a part two

[Update: YouTube creator eli_handle_b․wav has come bearing another painstakingly edited "Austin Powers in Mass Effect" video to brighten up our day.]

//youtu.be/ZLcl8jkbLXM

I still haven't gone back to rewatch any of these movies, but today, I got a second opinion from CJ �who say the first Austin Powers holds up, but the sequel is "way too reliant on references" �and Patrick, who thinks the original is "not as laugh out loud as I remember but still very good." Something tells me this isn't the last we've heard. For now, I'll leave you with this ??very good tweet that I think about at least once a month, without fail.

//twitter.co??m/matts??besttweets/status/1422641543911985159

The post Austin Pow??ers in Mass Effect works a little? too well appeared first on Destructoid.

All three games

It's Mass Effect Game Pass time. We knew it was coming, but at this point if you haven't played the classic trilogy, you have an easy excuse to do it.

While Xbox Game Pass is the more-liked option, it's also hitting EA Play today. You know, that thing you probably don't think about very often? I can remember Origin and EA Play's launch like it was yesterday, and it's still around. Multi-million-dollar companies are indomitable like that. You can find the full EA Play lineup here. A few big additions include It Takes Two, as well as Star Wars Squadrons.

In any case, Mass Effect is easily worth playing if you already have a subscription for either of these things. As an added bonus, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is out on console and PC: it's not a "half-measure" Game Pass dump like so??me titles that are "just the cloud" version.

Poor Andromeda! It never stood a chance and for some people, may as well not exist. If only EA had led with the Legendary Edition way back when, the series probably would have been in better shape. As is we're in this weird holding period where a lot of folks carry so much water for this extremely fandom-conducive series, but the fatigue set in because of Andromeda's rushed development.

Now it has to claw its way out of the dungeon to an extent: but with that fandom secure, I don't think it'll take too much effort. There's always going to be a seat at the table for Mass Effect, even if it's the smaller one on the side of the main banquet. For the next effort, they probably need to go completely shameless fanservice to get people to buy in day one. I'm fully expecting a "Shepard clone" s??ituation at minimum!

The post Mass Ef?fect Legendary Edition is out on Xbox Game Pass, EA Play appeared first on Destructoid.

Any Mass Effect Game Pass month is a good one

Mass Effect Gam?e Pass you say? Well no??w you're cooking with gas.

Microsoft has revealed its January Xbox Game Pass additions, and things are looking real good. There's a few real gems hidden away this month, and a few obvious ones. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition for one, arrives on January 6 on both PC and consoles. But there's also the darling Outer Wilds, which comes on the same date to all three Game Pass?? platforms? (cloud, consoles, PC).

Then we have the often forgotten but great Gorogoa on January 4, alongside of Embr on January 6. On January 13, Spelunky 2 hits the service, cementing the power of January. If you play Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis, there's a perk pack going live on January 5 ("N-Half Scape Dolls (x5) to help revive you during intense?? battles, and Photon ?Chunks (x50) to strengthen weapons and units").

With the potential show on the horizon, Mass Effect seems poised for a comeback.

Xbox Game Pass January 2022 additions:

Week of January 3: 

•  Gorogoa, January 4 (Cloud, Console and PC)
• Olija, January 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Pedestrian, January 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Embr, January 6 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition, January 6 (Console and PC)
• Outer Wilds, January 6 (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Week of January 10:

• Spelunky 2, January 13 (Console and PC)
• The Anacrusis (Game Preview), January 13 (Console and PC)

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass on January 15, 2022:

• Desperados III (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Ghost of a Tale (PC)
• Kingdom Hearts III (Console)
• Mount & Blade: Warband (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Pandemic (Console and PC)
• Yiik: A Postmodern RPG (PC)

The post Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a big Xbox Game? Pass surprise appeared first on Destructoid.

I can't go back, can I?

Everyone loves a good choice-based game. They're simpl?e, but often very effective in allowing us to interact with the game's world in a more substantial way. Of course, they also present a pretty difficult design challenge, because writers have to make sure the players know what they're getting themselves into with just a few words, often known as the preview text.

Preview text is obviously a necessity, because there's no way you can fit all of the text you need i?nto a little tiny button for the player to press, but it can sometimes cause the player some problems. Short lines with easy-to-convey messages are a piece of cake, but what do yo??u do when things get a little more complicated? This is the exact problem I ran into when I was writing a choice-based game for the first time.

It's not something you really tend to notice that much when you're playing them, but there are tons of different ways that games try to convey their message using preview text for a choice. There are a few different ways that games will telegraph to you with previews of what exactly it is you're going to be saying or doing, to mixed results. Some games will do their best to make the sample text verbatim what the player character is going to say, but this can be difficult w??ith longer or more emotionally complex lines.

Oxenfree is a good example of this -- for the most part you say exactly what's written in the speech bubbles you can choose from, give or take a word, and then if there's more to elaborate on, Alex will continue saying the line. Personally, I think Nightschool did an awesome job of telegraphing exactly what you meant to say when you said it in Oxenfree, so I had very few moments of frustration when it came to the dialogue choic??es.

Then there's the method of using a different wording in the preview, but in a way that accurately sums up what the character will be saying. It's more of a sentiment, if you will. Mass Effect uses this technique most often, and while it usually works fine, I do recall quite a? few occasions when I chose a certain line, only to get a slightly different meaning in the real dialogue. One particularly cringy moment happened when I thought I was just being polite to Kaidan, only for it to come off?? as flirting. I like you, Kaidan �just not like that.

The last method is the most simple, but can work just as well �basically, you just describe the function of what the player is going to say, rather than the actual words they'll be saying, like "agree with him," "spare his feelings," or "tell her the truth." This technique was generally used in older, text-based adventure games, but we can somet?imes see it mixed in with newer games, depending on the situation. If I had to guess, I would think it's fallen out of fashion because it feels less immersive to play.

The reality is that any of these methods could work, it just comes down to making sure the? way you phrase what those choices are is as unambiguous as possible, especially in high tension situations or when there are a lot of complicated emotions involved.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8os2LBgSCAs

Considering this is an easy problem to encounter when devs are writing hundreds of pages of dialogue, inevitably there are moments where the preview text doesn't convey what you're actually going to do or say with any level of accuracy. These moments can range from frustrating to downright hilarious �one of the most classic examples comes from a Wolf Among Us choice that reads "[Glass him]." I personally chose? this one on my first playthrough without having seen any of the memes because I thought it meant Bigby would cheers the Woodsman or something, but I instead got the shock of a lifetime when Bigby smashed his glass over this poor man's head.

Another well-known (and well-loved) example comes from Mass Effect, during a tense but otherwise civil conversation with the salarian scientist Chorban. One of the choices the player is presented with during the conversation is simply "[sigh]," and if chosen, Shepard actually says "I should kill both of you idiots." Wait, what? While the Wolf Among Us scenario is an example of text that imperfectly portrayed its meaning, part of me wonders if this was jus??t a mistake that somehow made it through into the game, because that reaction is so different from what it feels like it should be.

These are really funny scenes in retrospect, but in the moment it can be annoying to have an outcome feel so different than the choice you picked. I mean hell, there are plenty of lists out there ch??ronicling how ridiculous these scenarios can be.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoTzM8xFCMQ

One of the reasons I love choice-based games so much is because they pose such an interesting question when it comes to writing �how do you stay true to this character while also allowing the player to have as much autonomy as possible? The closest thing I can think to this idea is improvisational theater, where actors are making it up as th??ey go, but also have to stay in character as best they can. Ah, I love when games and theater overlap!

If you enjoy writing and have never tried writing a branching storyline before, I definitely recommend trying it with programs like Twine or Ink because it's a great way to stretch those creati??ve muscles.

What's your favorite choice-ba??sed game? Are there any scenarios that you felt played out differently than you wanted because of some sketchy preview text? What's your most memor?able moment from a choice-based game?

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

The post Mishaps in the preview text of c??hoice-based adventure games appeared first on Destructoid.

No middle sliders

When a game gives you a character creator, that mechanic can be more fu??n than actually playing the rest of the game. How you choose to make your character can say a lot about you �maybe you want an in-universe version of yourself to roleplay with, or an original character, or maybe you're just trying to make the most hilarious monstrosity you can think of.

Sometimes playing around in the character creator becomes the point of the game entirely �this can happen often with The Sims, especially those who enjoy making Sims that look as close to their favorite celebrities as possible. Some even go out of their way to create meme icons like Shrek or Handsome Squidward. And I can't be the only one who has made multiple joke Bloodborne characters wi?thout playing with them at all, right?

[caption id="attachment_295385" align="alignnone" width="1280"] [Image Source: YouTube user Dalaric Wolfborne][/caption]No matter what you make your character look like, something that always interests me is the metanarrative that can emerge from custom character designs. Players o?ften prescribe their own narratives outside of the game's story to their characters, with players eventually overwriting the built-in narrative with their own, like how people will watch a movie with the sound turned off and make up the dialogue to their liking.

An awesome example of this is the series Monster Factory created and hosted by Justin and Griffin McElroy of My Brother, My Brother, and Me, and The Adventure Zone fame. If you haven't seen this series on Polygon's YouTube channel, it's absolutely worth a watch. It started back in 2015, and regardless of how you feel about the McElroy's, yo??u can't deny that the series has produced some true comedy gold during its run.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1jGnFt78H8

Each character they make in a new game, which usually constitutes at least a few episodes of the series, has its own personality and story that the hosts impose on it, which can lead to some downright hysterical roleplaying moments. My personal favorite is The Final Pam from their Fallout 4 series, which is so ridiculous and goofy and something that still makes me laugh to this ?day when I think about it.

While games obviously let us live out our stories while playing, I think character creators go even further, because they allow us to attach our story that extends beyond the game's own. This kind of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking is often more aligned with ??tabletop games, but I honestly think that's because most of us don't realize we're even doing it.

I personally don't plan for my own original characters to be any certain way when I play them, but lo and behold, it ends up happening anyway. Take my Mass Effect playthrough, for example. I started playing through the series with my friends, and after learning that I could in fact get with some aliens through the course of the series, I decided to camp up my character creation a bit. I decided my version of female Shepard was there to save the universe, of course, but also had a highly prioritized side goal to hook up with Garrus, and in turn created her to look as close to the Instagram beauty standards as possible, with blonde hair, a tiny nose, and huge lips. After much de??bate, I ended up naming her Boney Shepard for obvious reasons.

While I definitely found this a great deal funnier than my friends did, it was a really fun way to blow off some steam, and create my own version of a classic character, even if it is a purposefully silly one. More serious roleplaying in a game can ??be equally as fun, but I can't think of any other media that would let you experience its otherwise very serious story with the same level of whimsy, and I find that delightful. The whole thing ends up feeling much more personal, as you create your own memories of the experience that otherwi?se wouldn't be there.

So what's your favorite way to roleplay i?n a game with character creators? Do you have any fun stories of your characters' adventures? Which game has your favorite character creator of all time?

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

The post Exploring the hilarious metanarrative of character crea??tors appeared first on Destructoid.

You Geth What You Deserve

Yesterday saw the arrival of November 7, better known to Mass Effect fans as N7 Day. Typically, this day would see some form of announcement or celebration or exciting new projects related to BioWare's ?excellent Sci-Fi franchise, but this year's annual event was an extremely quiet one �I mean, it was a Sunday after all...

However, N7 Day did not pass entirely without event, as publisher Electronic Arts released this very cool teaser image in order to get fans' tongues a-waggin'. Mission Accomplished. The classy and dramatic poster sees a devastating hole burrowed deep into the surface of a planet, with a scant crew of familiar shapes striding toward it. The poster features that original Mass Effect logo with the promise that the franchise will return �like the ending of a 007 mov??ie.

Already the Mass Effect faithful has begun dissecting the poster image, noting the crater's appearance is similar to that of the mighty Geth, that the figures appear to be Krogan, Asarian, and Turian in nature, and even tying implications to the conclusion of 2012 release Mass Effect 3 and its "Destroy" choice conclusion. If you look halfway up the path, there also appears to be some form of possible human remains... In any case, the gaming world is long overdue a brand new Mass Effect adventure, and the thought of BioWare developing another chapter of its space opera on next-gen hardware is almost too exciting to comprehend. At least we have the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition to tide us over.

For now, Keep Watching the Skies.

//t??witter.com/masseffect/status/1457467946461188100?s=20

The post N7 Day was quiet this year,? but we did get this rad Mass Effect poster appeared first on Destructoid.

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you

When you think about it, the way we "get to know" characters in video games is kind of biza?rre �sometimes it's about doing special missions for our potential new friend, or being nice to them in the dialogue options, but most of the time it comes down to giving them enough presents until they decide they like us.

I'm not trying to be pedantic here, I just really think it's fascinating that, in trying to create an immersive experience for the player, we've gamified one of the most complicated parts of being alive: human intimacy. We've come up with our own solutions as to how best to do this, but it begs the question, how do you turn the infinitely complex, mysterious process ?of growing close to someone else into concrete game mechanics that mesh with other gameplay systems? Well, plenty of games have certainly tried.

Take games like Stardew Valley or Hades, which simplify this problem by going the just-shower-them-with-presents route. At first glance, this seems a bit strange, as if we're saying that people can be won over just by giving them gifts. While this is a case f?or a portion of the population, most people are more complicated than t?hat. If someone just kept pushing fruit baskets at you while never actually saying a word, you'd think they were a psychopath.

But certainly, when gift-giving is the name of the game, the gifts have to stand for something more than that. I imagine that yes, you're giving another character a present, but it really stands for the way you've been bonded to that character, and how you feel about them. Games have a shorthand for many other aspects of life, like eating instantaneously, or having time pass more quickly, or allowing you to carry way more items than you would ever be able to?? reasonably hold, so it makes sense that we've found a way to sort of symbolically show the player getting to know characters in the game. At least that's the way I read it.

Stardew even takes it a step further by having the townspeople react differently based on what you gave them, because they have f?avorites, likes, and dislikes, so there's another step of work in getting to know what they might want to receive as a gift. Even so, there's obviously something missing, because we're not literally spending that time with the characters, and being endeared to them in the same way that our player character supposedly is.

[caption id="attachment_292964" align="alignnone" width="951"] [Image Source: Reddit user u/hdpinto][/caption]Then there are games like Mass Effect, The Witcher, or any large, open-world game, where much of the process of getting to know another character comes in the form of speaking to them, as well as doing the side mis??sions that specifically cater to something t??hey want or need. This approach feels like we're getting closer to a more realistic way of getting to know someone, because you're, you know, actually taking time to show them you're interested in their life and their own interests.

There is still something missing however. I know that when I personally play these? games, I want to be able to have a more intimate conversation with them, even about something small, rather than whatever the universe-threatening stakes may be, or s?etting up some grand gesture to try and win them over.

A more linear approach also has its own pros and cons. Take The Last of Us for example �that game's whole point is to get you to care about this relationship between its two main characters. Instead of the player acting as one of those characters, however, Joel is a sort of avatar through which we get to know Ellie. Then there's the fact that none of The Last of Us' gameplay is dedicated to getting to know their relationship better?, unless you count t??hose sections where you're just walking and talking.

So the trade-off here is that the player doesn't have any input in the whole relationship aspect of that journey, but instead we get to see every tiny, nuanced detail of how they grow so close in a way that is hyper-specific to both of their characters. Our agency is taken away in th?at we don't get to choose what they say or do, but in return, we ?get a heightened, highly-curated presentation of a relationship forming before our eyes. This really works for some people (like me), but I know that for some it has been a criticism of the game.

Another one of my favorite games that centers on a relationship is the 2018 indie game Florence. Its runtime is short at only about a half an hour, but it takes that time to make you care for the titular character, and her budding romance with musician Krish, in an unconventional way. Florence is one of the few games I've played that I would consider interactive poetry �rather than foc?using on giving the player in-depth mechanics or dialogue, it tells us its story through a series of symbolic vignettes.

My personal favorite sequence ?shows the pair's first few dates. We see a panel of them talking, and below a series of puzzle pieces. The player must complete the puzzle to progress, and is then presented with the visual of the next date, which is accompanied by another puzzle, only this time, there are fewer pieces. This continues for a few cycles until the player is presented with a puzzle that consists of only two pieces, and a visual showing how the couple has grown closer over the course of their dates.

It's a really simple mechanic, but it has to be one of the most effective depictions of getting to know someone I've ever seen in a game. As we've seen so far, it's been difficult to pin down the feeling of forming a close bond in an exact one-to-one recreation, which is why Florence's approach feels so elegant. It's stylized, it's metaphorical, and on top of that it's emotionally moving, which does more work to make me care about them than some stale?? dialogue and a fetch quest.

There's no right or wrong way to make the player care about fictional characters in a game, but as the interactive medium continues to progress, I'll be delighted to see the diff?erent solutions designers come up with. Hell, ?we might even get to a point in the next few years where we can effectively implement AI that reacts to us with more realism, rather than giving predetermined responses to predetermined answers. One thing is for sure, though �I will never stop being delighted by giving an NPC a gift and watching a little heart pop up over their head.

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

The post How we get to know characters in g?ames is weird, but I love it appeared first on Destructoid.

What I would give to binge through these shows...

After the success of the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher, and the upcoming productions of Last of Us and Cuphead shows, it seems that TV studios are looking more and more to the interactive medium for inspiration. Any attempts to make games work as?? movies seem to have failed, so it's only natural that they're pivoting to a different medium. When a game's runtime usually clocks in at a few dozen hours, a season of TV makes way more sense when it comes to d??eveloping a story.

Al?l this talk about the adaptations on the horizon got me thinking about what other games I would want to see new interpretations of, because for some reason this is something I think about a lot. So here's my list of my five dream game-to-?TV adaptations, and if any studios are reading this, give me a call, I have plenty of ideas.

5. The Legend of Zelda

_{[Image Source: VG247]}

Alright, before I get a bunch of annoyed comments, I know that TLOZ was already adapted into a cheesy cartoon in the '80s. It has indeed graced us with some legendary memes, but for the sake of arg??ument, I'm going to pretend for a second that it doesn't exist.

One of the things I love most about the Zelda series is its core mythology. The idea of Link, Zelda, and Ganon being tied by destiny a?nd constantly reincarnated in an eternal battle of good and evil is really compelling, and almost romantic in a classical storytelling kind of way.

Obviously with the games, it's much more about the gameplay than the in-depth character work you'd see on a TV show, but that's exactly why this franchise is a perfect candidate. The story bits were sparse in Breath of the Wild, but I thought Zelda's storyline was heartbreaking, and had a surprising amount of depth, so we know the potential is ?th??ere to do some intensive character work.

Plus, I think it would be really cool to have it be an anthology series, with each season bringing a new version of the story, world, and characters to mirror each game's new take on the mythology. They could even go between live-action and different styles of animation, if they really wanted to go crazy? with it.

4. Mass Effect

_{[Image Source: Windows Central]}

To my knowledge, there haven't been any games with branching storylines that have been directly adapted to television, and that's for good reason. When players can choose whatever path they want, it might be disappointing to realize the writers went the exact opposite direction. That's why when I pitch a hypothetical Mass Effect show, I imagine it as being more along the lines of the Clone Wars animated series.

Mass Effect is certainly loved for its characters, but its world feels like a personality all its own. Rather than trying to fit Shepard into one storyline that would please everyone, I think it would make sense to create a whole new cast of characters, throw them in, and see what happens. Of course, little nods to the franchise's main cast and events would be a no-brainer. In terms of tone, I would also love to see something like Firefly, but set in the world of Asari, Turians, and Krogans,? just to name a few.

Give me a claustrophobic spaceship psychological thriller bottle episode on the new characters' equivalent of the No?rmandy! Give me scenes of tense intergalactic politics! Give me giant space battles that would make George Luc?as shed a single tear! This stuff practically writes itself.

3. Animal Crossing

_{[Image Source: VentureBeat]}

Okay, I know this one is a bit of a departure from the rest of the games on this list, but just hear me out. How cute would it be to have an animated Animal Crossing kids' show? For me this works great because it's already in a fun, colorful setting, which is always a good place to start with children's programming. Then we have these characters that are well-loved and have distinct ??personalities, but we don't have any existing storylines with them, at least in a traditional sense.

That would re?ally open the door for the hypothetical writers of this show to build out the villagers and their relationships with each other, and I can already imagine what kinds of fun antics they would get up to. I know for a fact that any and all fans of the series would watch this, not just kids, and the world could always use more wholesome content. Make it happen, executives.

2. BioShock

_{[Image Source: Digital Trends]}

BioShock's story is one of the?? most iconic when it comes to narrative games, so I think doing a 1:1 adaptation of that would be an injustice. However, I think there's a lot of potential in the idea of getting a deeper look at Rapture before that fateful New Year's night. So much work went into the backstory of the underwater city, especially considering its ties to the philosophical system of objectivism, so there would be a ton of material to work with.

I can imagine a season about the founding and building of the city, following Andrew Ryan as he works to get his way by any means necessary, and the workers who are being exploited for his gain. Then the rise of the city, but also the rise of the use of ADAM, and then the slow spiral that leads to the inevitable fall of Rapture. If it's a real hit, they could even spin off into the world of BioShock Infinite, because Columbia is just as compelling. Honestly, just ??writing about this hurts because I want to see it so bad.

1. Disco Elysium

_{[Image Source: PC Mag]}

This is one of my favorite games of all time, and considering how rich and complex Disco Elysium is, it would be a tall order to do it well. It's another one of those games on this list that has such a disti??nct experience, especially because of its unique RPG system. While it would be a shame to lose t?he interactivity that makes this game what it is, the world, characters, and tone are so strong, I would be intrigued to see someone take on the task of adapting it.

With shows like True Detective being so incredibly popular, I could totally see a Disco Elysium ??s?how putting a new spin on the broken-down-alcoholic cop trope. They could get really creative with the different voices in Harry's head too, using different voice-over and visual effects. Plus I just really love Kim, so seeing him acted out in live-action would be awesome.

There are a ton of different ways the hypothetical showrunner could tak?e it, but to me, just taking the dark yet humorous tone and style of the game and really cranking it up to 11 is what would really make it a success. It couldn't look or feel like anything else on TV, because it certainly stands out on its own w?hen it comes to the game.

Alright, that's my list! What are your favorite games tha??t you'd want to see as a television series? What's your dream cast for that se?ries? Are you looking forward to the upcoming game adaptations? Let us know.

The post My five dream game-to-TV adaptations appeared first on Destructoid.

Still fairly Paragon, with one exception

The Mass Effect Legendary Edition brought the trilogy onto modern consoles this last May. Today, BioWare announced what choices players of the Legendary Edition have been making, who's been surviving, and what y'all have been doing abou??t the Rachni.

Posted on social media, the infographic shows that Sheps are still skewing male, with 32% of players opting to play as FemShep. Earthborn and Survivor are still popular for the origin choices (though the latter only beats War Hero by a slim 1%), and weirdly enough, Soldier is the most popular specialization. I wonder if that's just from Mass Effect 1 character creation,?? because I usually play Solider in the first and Vanguard in the next two.

//twitter.com/massef?fect/status/1420036454042857472

Ashley is leaving Virmire more often than Kaidan, and thankfully, only 6% of players left Urdnot Wrex on the planet too. 93% of players saved the Rachni Queen in the first Mass Effect, though for the 7% who didn't, 67% of them went on to kill the Reaper Rachni Queen in Mass Effect 3.

Squadmates surviving Mass Effect 2's Suicide Mission isn't too surprising, as it mostly follows the formulas and flowcharts that are floating around the internet. (I can't imagine playing Mass Effect 3 without Mordin, though.) 96% of players got Tali pardoned, and somehow, there are still 4% of Mass Effect Legendary Edition players sabotaging the genophage. Who hurt you?

The most popular squadmates in Mass Effect 1 are the non-human ones: Garrus, Tali, Liara, and Wrex lead the?? ??rankings, with Ashley and Kaidan coming in at fifth and sixth. A lot of these choices line up with my own playthrough, with one exception: 68% of players punched the reporter in the face. I prefer the diplomatic approach, but respect the direct one.

These sorts of infographics and stat breakdowns are always ?r?ad, though honestly, it makes me want to know more. Who's the most popular romantic interest? How many people survived the Suicide Mission with the bare minimum? Who else tried the Ryncol in the Dark Star Lounge? If there's more info out there, I'd love to see it.

The post BioWare shares som?e stats on what choices Mass Effect Legendary Edition players made this time around appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 7/3 to 7/9/2021

-Captiosus is worried about how the Mass Effect series will cont?i??nue and is not confident on the current Bioware to pull it off.

-GoofierBrute takes a look at Yoshi's Safari in this ?blogging series about games that time?? forgot.

-Kerrik52 reviews Prey (2017) as part of his Traveler in Playtime review blogs.

-Gamingnerd s?heds the light on some must-have Steam games that are currently under discount.

-Black Red Gaming outlines entries 25 to 28 in their collection?? of must-pl??ay games.

-Necrowondo writes about the value of video games res?isting homog?enization.

-Black Red Gaming shares their thoughts on Black Skylands on the PC.

-NinjaSpeed wonders about the future of Superhero games.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Wonder Boy 3 and Japanese Dance Pop music.

-SigfriedLion gushes about the soundtrack of Guilty Gear: Strive.

-ChronoLynxx open?s this week's TGIF community discussion forum.

-Riley1sSpook starts this blogging series about watching the Mobile Suit Gundam anime.

Thanks, as always, to Lord Spencer for this week’s recap and to all of you, our beloved community for another batch of interest??ing thought-works. Work continues on fine-tu??ning many elements of Destructoid after the switchover, but we hope to return to Blog Promotions, Bloggers Wanted, and other community-themed projects soon! Thanks for your patience!

The post Are you hopeful for the future of the Ma?ss Effect fran??chise? appeared first on Destructoid.

Work continues on BioWare's epic sequels

This month will see Electronic Arts deliver its vaunted EA Play Live presentation, offering news, updates, and reveals on some of the biggest and most ambitious titles the publisher has queued up for gaming's newest generation. Not putting in an appearance during any of July's streams, however, will be the incoming Mass Effect and Dragon Age sequels.

Perhaps fearing severe backlash from disappointed pundits, (in gaming? Hardly), Canadian developer BioWare took to Twitter to confirm that the two epic titles will not feature in EA Play Live, though development continues. BioWare is really under the hammer at the moment. Not only is the studio beavering away at sequels for Mass Effect and Dragon Age �hugely intense projects in and of themselves �it is also hard at work on updates for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

I don't think anyone can blame the studio for its "yeah, don't bother us" approach to having gameplay, trailers, or anything to spotlight at EA Play Live. Hopefully, BioWare and its employees are not burning the midnight oil in order to get its list of AAA projects completed, but it's difficult to imagine that it isn't. While it has been some time since Mass Effect and Dragon Age fans set foot in a brand new adventure, there's little wrong with waiting longer. Hopefully, Electronic Arts an??d its shareholders feel the same way... They will, right?

Regardless, EA Play Live promises plenty of footage from Battlefield 2042, a selection of indie releases, and EA's typical sporting wares. For many, the big draw lies in the ever-increasing rumors that sci-fi horror franchise Dead Space is set to make a comeback, with either a remake or? a "reimagining"? allegedly in the works at EA's Motive Studios. We'll find out the truth come July 22, when EA Play Live reaches its exciting crescendo.

The post Mass Effect and?? Dragon Age 4 will not be appearing at EA Play Live appeared first on Destructoid.

Assuming direct Star Control

The Mass Effect series has had a ??handful of spin-offs and expanded media additions over the years. One left on the cutting room floor was apparently a first-person space a??dventure for the Nintendo DS.

Former BioWare producer Mark Darrah discussed the DS space game in an interview with MinnMax, describing the project as one where you would fly a ship around in first-person. Called Mass Effect: Corsair, it would have taken place in a part of?? the Milky Way galaxy that was "more sort of pirate-y and not really fully explored."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIwnw9sHHew

He compared it to Privateer and Star Control, where the player would be a Han Solo-type rather than a Spectre, looting cargo and selling information to t??he Alliance.

The team apparently had the "beginnings" of flight controls, though it was still figuring out how it would work within the ??IP when it hit a block with Nintendo DS cartridges and cost. Ultimately, the production cost-versus-profit was a problem.

"And that was the problem, ultimately," said Darrah. "Is that we know how to? make big games, not games that had control of their cogs. It didn’t make sense. EA was predicting it was only gonna sell like, 50,000 copies."

The team ultimately transitioned to mobile development. It's a bummer we don't get to see the results of that team's efforts, as I'm definitely into the concept of a Privateer-style game in the Mass Effect universe.

BioWare, meanwhile, is currently working on the next installments in both Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Former GM Casey Hudson also recently announced ??his new studio, Humanoid Studios, which is working on a new IP.

The post BioWar??e once considered a spacefaring Mass Effect for Nintendo DS appeared first on Destructoid.

A new independent studio, and a new IP

Casey Hudson?, previously general manager at BioWare, has announced a new ??studio today. Humanoid Studios is a new independent company, and it will be working on an all-new IP.

Hudson shared the announcement on Twitter, saying he's been "working with some colleagues on something awesome." The company has a number of job openings on its site, including Sr. Creative Director, Gameplay Designer, and Level ??Designer positions.

//twitter.com/CaseyDHudson/status/140??99240203345674??26

It'll be interesting to see what this team ends up creating, as it isn't the only ex-BioWare staff working on new ventures. Archetype Entertainment was also formed around former Bio??Ware devs, and is currently work?ing on its own project.

Hudson left BioWare last year alongside long-time Dragon Age lead Mark Darrah, with his departure leaving the door open for the "next generation of studio leaders." With both a new Dragon Age and Mass Effect in the pipeline, BioWare certainly still has some big p?rojects ahead of it as well.

The post Former BioWare ?GM Casey Hudson announces new studio, Humanoid Studios appeared first on Destructoid.