Mass Effect 2 Demo Impressions.

The Good news is Mass Effect 2 and 3 will finally find it's way onto the Sony PS3. The bad news Sony PS3 owners will never be able to play the original Mass Effect on their beloved black box.

More good news, Mass Effect 2 will be using an the same new graphic engine that will be used in Mass Effect 3. [Full Discloser] I have never been a fan of the Mass Effect universe. I play the original on Xbox 360 and never got into it. I will admit I may be only a handful of people in the world that really did not like the original Mass Effect.

Mass Effect 2 is currently available for download on the PSN, as I write this. I had a chance to play through the demo and I have to say it was pretty impressive. First off Mass Effect 2, does not look as old as the original, it looks superior. I was genuinely impress by the way the new graphic engine for ME 2 flexed it's power.

I was happy to see that the game played better then it's predecessor, Commander Shepherd did not feel clunky and slow.  And the animation seem far more fluid and easy on the eye.

Just in the beginning of the demo there is a brief moment of awe. You go from running through a heavily damaged Normandy, to a blown out portion of the shipped where it's just you, a gapping hole and a beautiful shoot of a celestial body with only the gentle whispers of space.

So far Mass Effect 2, does not look like it may suffer from the same "multi-platform curse" that many PS3 multi-platform games have succumbed to in the past.  I'm looking at you Half-Life 2, Fallout & Fallout: New Vegas and our favorite Call of Duty: Black Ops.  But again this is a demo and not the final product, so in theory Bioware still can screw the pooch. Just let's cross our fingers and hope this will not be the case.

During my play-through, I did notice that Mass Effect 2 could be a great showcase for 3D technology.  There are a few scenes that screams 3D to help greatly enhance your gaming experience.

With Mass Effect 2 & 3 going multi-platform this is a great move. Bioware will obviously get new fans and help expand their universe to a much deserving audience. I will go on the record and say " I will be getting Mass Effect 2 & 3 day one"  Bioware may have their first convert.

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Mass Effect 2 for PS3 sure looks damn good

Usually the Sony's PS3 get's the short end of the stick when it comes to ports FallOut: New Vegas and Call of Duty: Black Ops just to name a few. But from what Bioware has in store for PS3 owners, it looks like it may buck this shameful trend.

According to IGN: The engine has been reworked to utilize the PlayStation 3's technology, so if you look closely you might notice the blacker blacks and crisper textures, but you'll probably just think it looks sharp and bright. Placing both versions side by side shows off how much better the PS3 version looks during cutscenes, but during normal gameplay it isn't leaps and bounds better than the Xbox 360. 

Mass Effect 2 Video

More Mass Effect 2 Videos

[IGN]

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Medal of Honor release date set for Fall 2010

EA's clarified the release window for its new modern day Medal of Honor, via the newly-launched official website.

"Fall 2010" is when you can expect to buy the Afghanistan-set shooter, a game that EA's already promising will deliver a "world-class Medal of Honor that is poised to re-set and re-boot the franchise for a new generation."

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EA set to release a New ‘Medal of Honor’

Press Release
December 2, 2009

EA GOES TO WAR WITH ALL-New ‘Medal of Honor’

EA Reinvents Franchise with New Development Teams, New Soldier, New Setting

LOS ANGELES, California – December 2, 2009 – Medal of Honor™ returns to the front lines, this time in today’s war. For the first time in the franchise’s 10-year history, Medal of Honor is leaving the WWII theatre and putting players in war-torn Afghanistan. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed that in 2010, Medal of Honor, an all-new first-person shooter game, will introduce the Tier 1 Operator: a relatively unknown entity directly under the National Command Authority who takes on missions no one else can handle. The development team has been working closely with Tier 1 Operators from the U.S. Special Operations Community since the earliest stages of development to create the most authentic modern war experience. Medal of Honor depicts modern military operations through the lens of a small band of fictional characters. Inspired by real events, Medal of Honor reveals the mission of today’s most elite American soldier – his will, his mindset and his uncompromising professionalism.

Medal of Honor is being built with a best-in-class single-player campaign. The Medal of Honor development team at EALA has been hand-selected by the studio leadership of General Manager Sean Decker, Executive Producer Greg Goodrich and Senior Creative Director Rich Farrelly. To compliment the single-player experience, EALA has enlisted the multiplayer expertise at EA DICE. This team will develop the multiplayer experience of Medal of Honor. These two studios are coming together to deliver a world-class Medal of Honor that is poised to re-set the franchise for a new generation.

“When we first set out to reinvent Medal of Honor, we wanted to stay true to its roots of authenticity and respect for the soldier but bring it into today’s war. The Tier 1 Operator is the most disciplined, deliberate and prepared warrior on the battlefield. He is a living, breathing, precision instrument of war.” said Greg Goodrich, Executive Producer, Medal of Honor. “We are honored to have the rare opportunity to work closely with these men to create a game that shares their experience.”

“EA has always been an advocate for telling the soldiers’ story. The new Medal of Honor follows that tradition. We felt it was important to tell the story of today’s war and today’s elite soldiers via today’s most relevant medium – videogames,” said Sean Decker, VP and General Manager of EALA. “We are so proud to bring together two powerhouse development teams to make this game a reality; EA Los Angeles and EA DICE. Medal of Honor promises to be an unforgettable entry in the modern shooter genre.”

Follow us on twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/medalofhonor. Become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/medalofhonor. For additional information and news, visit www.medalofhonor.com.

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About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA Mobile TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO and Medal of Honor are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Contact:
Amanda Taggart
Senior PR Manager
650-628-2974
ataggart@ea.com

Tammy Schachter
Senior Director, PR
650-628-7223
tschachter@ea.com

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