Mass Effect 3, ME: Deception and ME Anime news

Mass Effect 3's First Details

The latest issue of Game Informer contains a ton of details about Mass Effect 3. The first round of information is beginning to trickle in, which you can read about below. We’ve also included a blurry scan/magazine image (via GameFAQs) from the issue.

- Game begins with Shepard on Earth
- Shepard is on trial in regard to the events of Arrival
- Reapers invade while the trial is happening
- Prologue: Shepard’s escape to the Normandy, off to start finding allies, fighting Reaper troops
- Squadmates include Liara, Ashley/Kaiden, Garrus, James Sanders
- Screenshot shown of Ashley with her hair down
- Confirmed appearances (may not be squadmates): Wrex, Mordin, Legion, and Anderson
- Game will show a “previously on Mass Effect” comic to make decisions if you’re starting from scartch
- The Illusive Man plays a big role
- Cerberus is out to kill Shepard
- Enhanced RPG elements
- More freedom with character skills
- Larger skill trees
- Powers will evolve several times, not just once
- Weapons are like the ones in Mass Effect 2, have a set list
- Mods returning, swap out different parts such as barrels, scopes (effect both the weapon’s combat performance and its appearance)
- All classes can wield all weapons unhindered now,
- There will be limited slots to carry these weapons
- Soldier can carry all weapons at once
- Adept, Engineer, and Sentinal will likely be limited to two weapons, three for Vanguard and Infiltrator
- Numerous endings
- Who you have in your squad and which allies you recruit greatly impact the endings that are available
- No multiplayer
- Dead Space's envo irnment HUD

Mass Effect: Deception Book

When you need a game-related sci-fi novel -- like, stat! -- you call William C. Dietz. The man's something of a legend, churning out at least a book a year since the mid-80s, and in recent years adapting the likes of Halo, Hitman, Resistance and StarCraft into those neat little paper-filled rectangles you see piled into shelves at your folks' place or stacked by the toilet.

This is why William C. Dietz was hired to get a fourth Mass Effect novel in to publisher Del Rey early this year, so it could be released ahead of Mass Effect 3. (That, and Drew Karpyshyn, lead writer of the first game and author of the existing three companion novels, has made a galactic shift to The Old Republic.)

Right on schedule, Del Rey today announced the title of this latest work of fiction, Mass Effect: Deception. Due out this fall, Deception will continue the story of Gillian Grayson, who was introduced in the second book, Ascension -- in case you've been reading along. We're not sure if William C. Dietz has or not, but then he's pretty adept at making stuff up.

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The novel is scheduled for release on September 27, 2011.

Mass Effect Anime Coming Next Summer

Mass Effect 3 won’t be the last time you’ll be able to sink your teeth into BioWare's revered sci-fi universe. Well after the release of the third game in the series later this holiday 2011, expect to have your first experience with a direct-to-DVD Mass Effect anime created by the same dudes behind the forthcoming Dragon Age anime, T.O. and Funimation Entertainment.

The press release announcing this venture was light on details--the project doesn’t even have a public-facing name at this point, which is, you know, important. But EA did make it known that Mass Effect executive producer Casey Hudson will serve the same roll on the film, which is slated for a release in summer 2012. Also, there’s this brilliant synopsis embedded in the press materials: “[the anime] will tell the tale of an epic science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets.” Nothing screams generic sci-fi adventure quite like that!

"Partnering with Funimation ensures that we will bring this rich universe to life with the utmost quality and the same attention to detail that the Mass Effect games are known for,” Hudson said in a statement about the anime.

An actual Mass Effect live-action movie is reportedly in development, too, but reports on that Legendary Pictures adventure haven't snuck out since the initial reveal by The Hollywood Reporter back in May.

That Dragon Age anime, by the way, is still slated for a release in 2011. Like this Mass Effect joint, a guy who has an intimate connection the game series it’s based on, BioWare creative director Mike Laidlaw, will be overseeing it.