Mass Effect 3 is a story involving billions of creatures throughout the galaxy as the Reapers begin their death march through all civilization, but it centers around one special individual: Commander Shepard, a member of the human Alliance Navy and the first human to join the elite Citadel Spectres.
Spectres are the hidden blade of the Citadel Council and are given full authority to resolve situations in the way they see necessary in order to preserve the galactic status quo. They are above traditional authority and are held to different standards than any soldier from any other species. They are valued for their skills as negotiators as they are for their skills at assassination. In Mass Effect 3, the decisions Shepard will make using Spectre authority can influence the fates of the whole species.
Longtime fans will have had two previous games to make the character their own. New players will have to create a Shepard from scratch and craft him or her into their vision of a formidable galactic savior/ They will need to develop their social and martial skills, being mindful of the cnosequences of their decisions. They will need to be armed and armored with the best that credits can afford. They will need to be the best war fighters possible and use every skill at their disposal to their advantage. The enemy faced is nothing short of the vanguard of oblivion for all sapient species'.
New and returning players alike have the opportunity at the start of Mass Effect 3 to create or re-create the appearance of Commander Shepard.
Players new to the series will also be able to select from several key background elements that will help shape Shepard’s story during the course of the game.
GAME MODES
One of the new additions to Mass Effect 3 is the ability for players to choose between three different gameplay modes based on their personal preferences. You cannot change this once the game has begun, so consider carefully how you want to experience the game!
Action Mode
Action mode emphasizes the combat of Mass Effect 3 , and all major decisions and conversations have a mixture of Paragon or Renegade responses. This allows players to concentrate entirely on preparing for and engaging in combat.
Story Mode
A setting designed for players who are less comfortable or skilled with action games, Story mode makes combat much easier to complete, while allowing players to experience the traditional dialogue system the Mass Effect franchise is known for.
You can still die in battle if you’re careless, but putting some effort into it will allow you to succeed far more often than not.
Role-Playing Mode
This is the traditional form of Mass Effect that fans are familiar with. In Role-Playing mode, players will face challenging combat and experience all the dialogue options and character interactions throughout the whole game.
This mode is exactly what returning fans have come to expect, and new players looking to experience the entirety of Mass Effect 3 are encouraged to select this mode.
APPEARANCE
Your facial appearance is based entirely on your personal preferences and does not affect the story or combat.
You can select from several preset faces and can edit them with the various tools, or you can stick with an imported face from a Mass Effect 2 endgame save.
A passcode appears on the Facial Customization screen that changes with every alteration you make, allowing you to share your Shepard with others.
Facial alterations are divided into several categories, and within each there are multiple options from which to choose, from nose size, eye color, jawline, hair, makeup for the ladies, even the size of Shepard’s mouth.
PERSONAL BACKGROUND DATA
New Shepards can select from a series of backgrounds and psychological profiles that help determine their initial overall Reputation and their Paragon and Renegade scores.
This also helps determine which characters new players will meet in Mass Effect 3 . New to the series is a set of options to determine the combat losses Shepard’s allies have sustained during previous adventures.
Imported Shepards cannot change their background, psychological profile, or combat losses. These are determined by choices made in the previous games.
Backgrounds
- Spacer: Both of your parents were Alliance military officers, and as a child, you spent most of your time on ships or stations, rarely staying in one spot for long as the family was transferred from post to post. At the age of 18, you followed the family footsteps into military service.
- Colonist: You were born on the colony world Mindoir, located in the Attican Traverse. When you were 16, slavers raided the colony, slaughtering family and friends alike. A passing Alliance patrol managed to save you, and a few years later, you joined the Alliance military.
- Earthborn: Born in one of the massive cities that have spread across the Earth, you were raised on the streets. At 18, you escaped your life of petty crime and gangland violence, enlisting in the Alliance military.
Psychological Profiles
- Sole Survivor: During your Alliance service, a mission went horribly wrong. Cut off from any support, you were forced to overcome intense physical and psychological hardships as your squad was whittled down to you alone. You remained strong under pressures that would have broken lesser soldiers.
- War Hero: In your early days of military service, the colony planet Elysium, located at the Skyllian Verge, was attacked by pirates and mercenaries in what would be called the Skyllian Blitz. You single-handedly rallied resistance efforts at key positions until Alliance reinforcements arrived. Your actions on that day have made you a hero.
- Ruthless: Your military career has been defined by your willingness to get the job done at any cost. You have sent men and women to their deaths to accomplish goals and have mercilessly executed captured enemy soldiers in order to make a point. You get things done and are feared and respected for it.
Combat Losses
- Kaiden Alenko: A male human Biotic who served under Shepard during Mass Effect 1 . During a mission to the planet Virmire, a pivotal decision needed to be made between saving him or another squadmate. Kaiden was left behind in order to save the rest of the team.
- Ashley Williams: A female human soldier who served under Shepard during ME1, she was the other teammate who could be rescued from Virmire, but only at the cost of the other.
- Numerous Losses: The large numbers of friends and allies who have died around Shepard have started to take a serious psychological toll on him/her.
This also means that a large portion of the cast who would typically play a role in the events of Mass Effect 3 , are dead or you never met them in the first place. In the case of the surviving crew member from the first Mass Effect , it will always be the one of opposite sex to Shepard.
CLASSES
Once you’ve determined your appearance and psychological profile, you are now given the choice of six different classes to make Shepard. Even importing players get a choice of what class to play as. Available classes are:
Each of these classes has its own power sets and preferred battlefield roles. For more information on these classes, see “The Squad” chapter.
CHARACTER IMPORTATION
Veteran players of Mass Effect 1 and 2 can bring their Shepards into Mass Effect 3 , carrying the weight of all the decisions made in those previous games. Major plot events, that brand-new Shepards have difficulties finding solutions for, may have additional new characters or options available to imported Shepards.
Imported ME2 Shepards receive the following bonuses:
- Character’s level
- Talent points
- All of their powers (excluding any bonus powers)
- A 15 percent bonus to their Paragon or Renegade ratings
For players who finish Mass Effect 3 and wish to play through it again, the game allows you to import your endgame Shepard into a new game file, retaining the following:
- The character’s level, experience, talent points, and powers (including the bonus power)
- Credits
- Current Renegade/Paragon rating
- All weapons, mods, and armor
As an added bonus, Shepards who have completed one playthrough of Mass Effect 3 are able to upgrade their guns even further than before. The first playthrough restricts weapon upgrades at Level 5; repeat playthroughs allow for upgrades up to Level 10!