Mass Effect… we’re feeling it!
Xbox.com: How does the combat element enrich the overall RPG experience? Casey Hudson: [Regarding] co-operation with three different characters, you just can’t pull off that kind of co-operation without getting a really good tactical feel of the battlefield. It makes combat really fun, so even if you’re in a tough battle that otherwise would be completely confusing and overwhelming you can get your squad to act like a super elite team, and really co-ordinate well. Xbox.com: Can players approach the game differently to get the most from what Mass Effect has to offer? C.H.: There’s going to be a lot of story interaction, a lot of character interaction, and many different kinds of locations all across this galaxy. So, you’ll go to different places like icy worlds with science research stations; you’ll go to places that are wholly uncharted and really they’re there for you to explore and find out what’s there. And not all these places you’re going to find, either. You may not see all of this stuff in the game in your own play through.But that’s kind of the fun of it, it’s this galaxy which is huge and it’s there for you to explore. Even though it’s rendered right down to the last detail of your personal interactions with its characters and their world and story, making you feel like it’s a real science-fiction movie. Xbox.com: How many locations are there? C.H.: There’s going to be hundreds of actual locations, and there’s a whole range from huge hand-crafted story locations all the way to something that you can explore and find what’s there, to… maybe it’s just a moon or a freighter in space that you can stand and get some information.There are hundreds of those kinds of locations – any of them could be involved in something really big. Xbox.com: Given the complexity of the game world, and that characters and locations change visibly over time, how much of this requires the hard drive? C.H.: Right now I believe that Mass Effect doesn’t require the hard drive to be able to play it.But we do have a very extensive downloadable content plan that will make use of the hard drive, and there are probably some other special features that will make use of it. But in terms of keeping track of your own saved game and things like that you won’t need a hard drive. Xbox.com: Why is it still helpful for Mass Effect to be presented as an RPG, when it has similarities to squad-based shooters and looks to be a terrific action game? C.H.: We think it’s really important, and the reason is because this game is really built from the ground up not as a game that is a squad-based shooter that has RPG elements but rather it is a role-playing game that goes back to, you know, why do people love to be a specific kind of character and why do they like to choose who they adventure with, have a choice about how they get to wear, like the armour, and really customise everything.This game is really built with that kind of freedom and choice and it creates a very different kind of experience. Where instead of having RPG elements in what would otherwise be a shooter, you feel in this kind of game like – similar to K.O.T.O.R. – that you’re actually adventuring with these real personalities. You can go that way and keep fighting, or you can say ‘wait a second, let’s go back to the ship, let’s fly across the galaxy, and go try something else’. That’s the fun of thinking of it as a role-playing game; that’s the side we want to get across. Xbox.com: Thank you Casey, it’s really looking awesome. |
