BioWare Takes Unique Approach To PS3 Mass Effect 2 Character History

Although PlayStation 3 owners will get their own Mass Effect 2 release in January 2011, it comes a whole year later than the title's 2010 launch to Xbox 360 and PC gamers -- and 2007's original Mass Effect won't hit the PS3 at all. With that in mind, BioWare is taking an interesting approach to catching up players who might be new to the series. The key events of Mass Effect are more than simple background info: They comprise the history of the character, Commander Shepherd, with whom players begin Mass Effect 2. According to Kotaku's report, PS3 players starting Mass Effect 2 will get a quick reprise of the events of the first game in the form of a comic book-- one that also allows players to make the six major decisions that have the most impact on the Mass Effect 2 gameworld. Mass Effect 2 allowed players to effectively continue the character they began in the first game, with the impact of that character's romantic and political decisions carrying over (provided players had beaten the first game fully and retained their save files). Those who started Mass Effect 2 without having played the first game could just begin a character from scratch and receive info on previous events. But since PS3 players don't have the option of creating a character in the first Mass Effect, the comic book provides an intriguing and speedy way to begin the game with some history in decision making if players so choose. Further, the comic could be viewed something of an advantage, in that it's a much faster and easier process for PS3 users to build a history for one's character when starting a game of Mass Effect 2 (versus beating Mass Effect one all over again) in case players want to try multiple different playthough methods and different incarnations of Commander Shepherd.