Mass Effect 3: Retaliation Arrives Next Week

[crazyrabbits]

Collectors and Harbinger? Did they realise they forgot about them in ME3? I wonder if this means they'll be in single player DLC next...

Well, they were in the From Ashes DLC...which was a flashback...50,000 years in the past. They were completely wasted in 2...any attempts now to shove them into the narrative (whether it's via BW staff tweets saying they're fighting against the Alliance 'elsewhere' in the galaxy) or into multiplayer is just a narrative-retconning waste of time.

I don't know how BioWare convinced EA to make these packs free every time, but good on them!

Microtransactions. The multiplayer uses a "pay-to-win" format - it pays for itself many times over because it's comparatively cheap to produce, as opposed to single-player DLC.

As of right now, it's pretty much the only thing the game still has going for it.

 

[Studsmack]

I don't know how BioWare convinced EA to make these packs free every time, but good on them!

Microtransactions. The multiplayer uses a "pay-to-win" format - it pays for itself many times over because it's comparatively cheap to produce, as opposed to single-player DLC.

As of right now, it's pretty much the only thing the game still has going for it.

You're referring to the load-out packs that you can either unlock or purchase using actual money, right? Do people actually foot the bill for the (what is it?) $2 weapon unlocks?

I suppose if one was strapped for time...

 

[teh_Canape]

Collectors and Harbinger? Did they realise they forgot about them in ME3? I wonder if this means they'll be in single player DLC next...

They already said about a week ago that single player DLC focusing on Omega was coming, so maybe they show up in that, hopefully also along with more multi-player weapons transitioning to the campaign.

I look forward to fighting Collectors again (although I don't quite see how they'll be able to write them back into existence after ME2). However, all positives and negatives of this news in the article were instantly rendered irrelevant when the trailer showed the Turian Havok Soldier using a jet pack. Do Want!

Well you did only destroy a single base in ME2 - the location of which you only determined from navigational data from a single cruiser. It may have been their main base but that doesn't mean the Collectors are completely wiped out. Their base was hidden in the freakin' galactic core after all, it's not like it's completely implausible for them to remain hidden whilst regaining their strength until now.

this
also it's not so hard to piece together that, since Collectors "reproduce" by direct cloning, there would be DNA storage "backups" saved
on the other hand
>Praetorians
>they can now insta-kill
fuck me

 

[DustyDrB]

I'd rather a DLC set in the campaign so we could find out just what the hell our choice about the Collector base would have apart from a piss poor writeoff.

Yeah. Remember how many threads we had on here just centered around that one decision? Everyone that it was going to be a huge thing. But it really just amounted to interior design. They really fucked that one up.

Anyway, haven't played the multiplayer in many months now. And I doubt I will again. I'll replay the main game a bunch, though. I still love it, despite its many dipshitty flaws.

 

[teh_Canape]

I don't know how BioWare convinced EA to make these packs free every time, but good on them!

Microtransactions. The multiplayer uses a "pay-to-win" format - it pays for itself many times over because it's comparatively cheap to produce, as opposed to single-player DLC.

As of right now, it's pretty much the only thing the game still has going for it.

You're referring to the load-out packs that you can either unlock or purchase using actual money, right? Do people actually foot the bill for the (what is it?) $2 weapon unlocks?

I suppose if one was strapped for time...

it's also pretty hard to "pay-to-win" when your equipment chances are the exact same as the others', everything is randomized

 

[crazyrabbits]

I don't know how BioWare convinced EA to make these packs free every time, but good on them!

Microtransactions. The multiplayer uses a "pay-to-win" format - it pays for itself many times over because it's comparatively cheap to produce, as opposed to single-player DLC.

As of right now, it's pretty much the only thing the game still has going for it.

You're referring to the load-out packs that you can either unlock or purchase using actual money, right? Do people actually foot the bill for the (what is it?) $2 weapon unlocks?

I suppose if one was strapped for time...

Mm-hmm. They make out like thieves on those packs - John Riccitello has even gone on record saying he would make people pay for ammo clips in Battlefield if he could. ME3 is just their test case, and it seems to be working very well, to the point that most of EA's output for the next year is all P2W games using dormant franchises.

 

[Nihlus2]

Clearly the whole Mass Effect 3 thing was so downgrading for him, that Harbinger has now brought it upon himself to forcefully "Assume Direct Control" of things.

...I'll show myself out now. Preferably not the airlock.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Collectors and Harbinger? Did they realise they forgot about them in ME3? I wonder if this means they'll be in single player DLC next...

They already said about a week ago that single player DLC focusing on Omega was coming, so maybe they show up in that, hopefully also along with more multi-player weapons transitioning to the campaign.

I look forward to fighting Collectors again (although I don't quite see how they'll be able to write them back into existence after ME2). However, all positives and negatives of this news in the article were instantly rendered irrelevant when the trailer showed the Turian Havok Soldier using a jet pack. Do Want!

Well you did only destroy a single base in ME2 - the location of which you only determined from navigational data from a single cruiser. It may have been their main base but that doesn't mean the Collectors are completely wiped out. Their base was hidden in the freakin' galactic core after all, it's not like it's completely implausible for them to remain hidden whilst regaining their strength until now.

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised if there were others out there, but I was referring more specifically to when Harbinger 'released control' just before the base got fucked. Wasn't the whole purpose of the Collectors to be sleeper agents for the Reapers, observing the development of species in this cycle and gathering data while the Reapers were in dark space. Now the Reapers have arrived, that purpose is now void; and in the other task they were given (namely pave the way for the arrival by removing humanity, whom Harbinger perceived as the biggest threat after Sovereign was destroyed) they failed, meaning Harbinger no longer views then as effective thralls, so why would he use them?

 

[WanderingFool]

Sorry, I cant be arsed to give a fuck about ME3 MP anymore. Cant stand the system they chose to allow you to unlock things.

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

This sounds like the kind of thing that would be really awesome if I had actually stuck with the ME3 multiplayer.

Seriously though, I don't think the multiplayer was actually bad per se, it just seems like Bioware are putting a huge amount of effort into trying to sustain this thing and that would be really awesome if it was a more compelling experience in general.

 

[Xathos]

This sounds pretty cool. Its been a while since I've played ME3's multiplayer. Course we always knew (or rather assumed) that the Collectors would be another enemy to fight against. And hey, its all for free, and Harbinger actually spoke!

And Praetorians...*shudder* Those must be fun to fight against. Reminds me of that funny pic of one from ME2 with a caption that says "What do you mean we are out of Rockets?!" Good times. Gooood times.

A shame my Xbox has no space on it though. Didn't even have enough for their last free DLC either. Probably going to have to get rid of most of the Multiplayer DLC just to download the Omega DLC that is coming soon. Looks pretty fun though!

 

[skywolfblue]

WOOOOOOOT!

The collectors and environmental hazards will do wonders to add some much-needed variety! I am super happy about this.

 

[Falterfire]

They need to stop advertising these as 'free'. (NOTE: after reading this, I figured I may as well add the counterpoint to the obvious argument: Yes, you can technically unlock the entire thing for free) I would happily pay real money to unlock these things if I could, but I can't. I can pay $2 for the chance to possibly unlock part of the DLC. It's freemium at it's worst, where even paying money doesn't let you get to the point faster.

I stopped playing after a couple weeks of completely failing to unlock the specific classes I was looking for while pulling 10+ Turian Soldiers. I would have paid $5 or maybe even $10 to unlock all the DLC classes and weapons on release, but it's really not worth it to pay $20+ to possibly maybe have almost all of the DLC.

 

[RedBerserkerD]

GREAT another DLC with more stuff to unlock.I still haven't unlock any male quarians or N7 class. Thanks EA but I think I'll pass. When you have a DLC that allows me to buy or trade pack to unlock stuff. I don't have the time or money for this crap.

 

[lord's voken]

why it there only still horde mode?
really, the mp exp would be so much better if it played out similarly to how the story was and felt like a battle ish. star wars battlefront 2 never gets old but horde mode does no matter the maps or even one new fraction to fight. at least give the team up to ten members, just anything so it feels less like horde mode and more like mass effect

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Damn! That's Harbinger and his voice actor. It gives me hope that Bioware will eventually make a DLC where we get to actually fight the bastard.

 

[lowkey_jotunn]

Free DLC ... yay

ME3 Mulitplayer DLC ... oh. nevermind.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

**sigh**

So even more things that aren't Asari for me to get in my Premium Spectre packs.

My N7 score is over 300. I've been playing this game for fricken ever. I have unlocked every type of Drell there is, repeatedly, enough to get patterns and skintone.

I hate Drell.

I have unlocked no Asari. At all. Not even Asari Vanguard, which is supposed to be uncommon rather than Rare.

Arg.

....

Well, fighting Collectors will be kinda neat. Although... didn't Shepard kill them all in ME2?

 

[taciturnCandid]

Oh look, more multiplayer DLC garbage tacked onto our perfectly good 1 player rpgs; leeching lifeblood funding out of it so some soulless hollow suit corporate who can't tell the difference between SEGA and Sony except for their share prices can steeple his fingers and hiss "Eeeexcellent..."

Have you even played it? It is pretty fun and the whole reason why it is free is because the people buying packs is what funds the multiplayer dlc.

I really doubt it takes much if any money from the single player. It is developed by Bioware Montreal. Not by the main Bioware people and by the people who made the singleplayer.

Not to mention that as long as the multiplayer is around, Bioware has reason to invest in Mass Effect 3. It means people are playing who would probably buy single player dlc.

 

[IronMit]

They need to stop advertising these as 'free'. (NOTE: after reading this, I figured I may as well add the counterpoint to the obvious argument: Yes, you can technically unlock the entire thing for free) I would happily pay real money to unlock these things if I could, but I can't. I can pay $2 for the chance to possibly unlock part of the DLC. It's freemium at it's worst, where even paying money doesn't let you get to the point faster.

I stopped playing after a couple weeks of completely failing to unlock the specific classes I was looking for while pulling 10+ Turian Soldiers. I would have paid $5 or maybe even $10 to unlock all the DLC classes and weapons on release, but it's really not worth it to pay $20+ to possibly maybe have almost all of the DLC.

''freemium'' lol. +1

It's part of EA's new 'micro-transaction lottery' to maximise revenue from the player's that have even more disposable money. Quite ingenious really. Shame they used ME3 as a prototype.

EA needs to die. If that means killing Bioware with it then so be it..before the virus spreads.