Hex19 Hangout - Mass Effect 3

Hex19 contributors Brett Commandeur, Yuri Walkiw, Glenn Meyer and Aaron Raham gathered in a Google Plus hangout to discuss Mass Effect 3. We discussed the question "Do you prefer ME3 as it is, or would you have wanted a better single player campaign at the expense of not having multiplayer?" Thanks so much to Eric for writing in this question. If you have a topic for a future Hex19 Hangout, leave it in the comments, or send it to hex19show@gmail.com. You can watch the full hangout on the Hex19 YouTube channel, or embedded after the break. If you're hungry for more Mass Effect 3 discussion, be sure to also check out our Mass Effect 3 Podcast Special.

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'Muppet Effect' Is Too Adorable To Hate

Bioware faced a lot of criticism for Mass Effect 3's poorly executed ending, and they're hoping to fix things this summer with their "Extended Cut" DLC. There's no telling what exactly this content will contain, but I would forgive Bioware 1 million times over if it was just the same ending with Muppetized versions of all the Mass Effect characters. Seeing Fozzie Alenko and Gonzo Garrus would have me wiping tears of joy away from my face. Reddit user partspace shared some wonderful examples of what they could look like, and you can check them out on imgur. Although they're only quick doodles on loose leaf, their charm knows no bounds. Partspace even added some extras by request in the comments section. My personal favorite is Beaker Mordin, but it's a very difficult decision.

Mass Effect 3: Resurgence

EA and Bioware recently announced they would be releasing a new Extended Cut DLC to adress issues with the ending of Mass Effect 3, and now they've also announced additions to the multiplayer part of the game. The Mass Effect 3 Resurgence Pack will be a free DLC released on April 10th, and will include six new characters, two new maps, new consumable equipment, and three new weapons. The maps will be available to play immediately, while characters and weapons will have to be unlocked by purchasing booster packs through the multiplayer store, wither using in game credits or Microsoft points.

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'Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut' DLC Promises Fleshed Out Ending

BioWare announced today an upcoming DLC pack for Mass Effect 3 featuring extended scenes for the game's controversial ending. Releasing sometime this summer at the humble price of nothing, the 'Extended Cut' DLC aims to provide "additional context and deeper insight to the conclusion of Commander Shepard’s journey". BioWare has further clarified that the extended cut will in no way work to rewrite the ending, which we'd have to agree is a good decision.  Either way, given BioWare's explicit "re-prioritization" of their DLC release schedule, the announcement is clearly a result of the public outcry and could very well be considered a victory for fans. However, there's still not a chance in the galaxy that the 'Extended Cut' DLC can completely reverse the dissappointment of Mass Effect 3's ending. 

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Would You Rather: Round One

The hosts of The Hex19 Geekcast battle it out it a new twist on an old classic. Play Halo for a living or host any podcast you want? Suffer through your least favourite video game or your least favourite TV show? The questions are simple, but the answers are not as we play Would You Rather.

Pre-Order Mass Effect 3, Get Battlefield 3 For Free

Everyone knows that the best way to jumpstart digital goods stores is to give away free stuff. The most popular mobile apps are almost always free versions, and Valve's Steam service wouldn't be nearly as popular as it is if it weren't for heavy discounts and game bundles. EA's Origin service is trying a new promotion that is sure to turn some heads. Gamers that pre-order a copy of Mass Effect 3 via the online gaming platform will be treated to a free copy of one of the top shooters from last year, Battlefield 3. There are a few disadvantages to the special deal. First of all, it doesn't guarantee to give you access to BF3 before the release of Mass Effect 3 in March, which doesn't make sense, as the game has been out since last October. It also isn't available for those who already have activated Battlefield 3 on Origin, so you can't gift it to a friend. Lastly, it forces you to use Origin. However, this deal may be good free enough to make up for it. Check it out here.

Mass Effect 3 Has Gone Gold

Bioware's next blockbuster and one of Hex19's most anticipated games of 2012 has gone gold. The content of Mass Effect 3 has been finalized, and the discs can now be printed. The team at Bioware will probably spend the rest of the time until release working on ironing out any remaining bugs and problems. These are the types of changes usually included in a patch at release. The full game will be released in North America on March 6th, and a free demo including a glimpse at the new multiplayer mode is out tomorrow. Be sure to get in your perfect playthroughs before the game is out so you can import a pristine save into Mass Effect 3!

(via Twitter)

Mass Effect iOS Revealed, Impacts Console Gameplay

 Bioware released some photos today of their new Mass Effect iOS game, Mass Effect Infiltrator. Infiltrator is a third person shooter game where you play the role of a soldier in a story line that occurs at the same time as the events of Mass Effect 3. As this soldier, you are to infiltrate multiple Cerberus bases in order to free prisoners, and may even end up learning a bit more about the pro-human organization. Both of these actions can increase the Galactic Readiness meter in the same way the Mass Effect multiplayer does.

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Mass Effect Not Limited to a Trilogy, According to Bioware

Bioware's Casey Hudson, executive producer of the Mass Effect franchise, recently told PS3 Magazine that "there will be more Mass Effect for Mass Effect fans, I'm Sure." Although the game universe is only confirmed to be a trilogy, we have already been treated to various books and comics, and a new anime is already in development. I think it's a safe bet that Mass Effect 3 won't be the last we see of Krogans and Asari. It's very rare that a critically acclaimed blockbuster video game franchise is discontinued these days. Ever marginally successful series aren't killed off until they have been driven into the ground by constant releases each year. While I believe that ME3 and any associated DLC will be the last of Shepherd's story, I wouldn't mind seeing games focused on different characters during a different period of time. Alternate genres are not out of the questions either, as Bioware recently revealed that they are working on a new Command & Conquer RTS. Whatever is in store for Mass Effect, I hope that Bioware keeps a close eye on it, and ensures that it retains the high level of quality that they are known for.

(via CVG)

Mass Effect 3 Demo Includes Free Xbox Live Gold Functionality

In an effort to promote the debut of multiplayer in the third installment of the epic Mass Effect series, EA and Microsoft are teaming up to do something rather untraditional. Non-paid silver members of Xbox Live will temporarily have restrictions from their account lifted to try out the co-op mode of the Mass Effect demo. You usually have to pay about $60 dollars/year to participate in online play over Xbox Live, but in this case, the fee is waived. The demo will be available for Silver and Gold members simultaneously on February 14th. There was some confusion over how this free XBL Gold would work. This promotion does not apply in any way to parts of the Xbox experience outside of the demo. Downloading the ME3 demo will not allow you to play other games online, or use Gold-only services like Netflix and ESPN. I think that this is a good move, and hopefully it will win over gamers that have been skeptical about the game's multiplayer, and also don't maintain an Xbox Live Gold subscription. If you've been strategically utilizing 48-hour free trial cards instead of paying for Xbox Live, you won't have to waste one to get your Mass Effect co-op fix.

(via Gamepur)