Mass Effect 3, PC, PS3 & Xbox 360
Relieved of command of the Normandy and with Earth in imminent danger from an ancient species of warrior robots intent on eliminating all life from the galaxy, Commander Shepard starts with his (or her, depending on your choice) work cut out.
Sent to find help for the faltering defenders of humanity, Shepard's mission is one of shotgun diplomacy, luring, badgering and bribing other species into helping mankind before it's too late. You're offered the option to play as an action game, reducing conversations to non-interactive movies; a story, where conversations become the focus, or as a role-playing game, which is similar to past Mass Effect episodes. The plot is leaner and conversations less sprawling, giving an effective impression of being in your own extended space opera. Like Assassin's Creed: Revelations this outing is the apotheosis of the series' fighting, collecting and conversation mechanics even if its slightly peculiar looking characters and Kate Beckinsale-grade acting wring out much of its emotional impact.
Electronic Arts, £49.99
See last week's ME3 feature here
Unit 13, PS Vita
From Zipper Interactive, the folks behind the unloved and largely ropey SOCOM third person shooter franchise comes Unit 13, another game about military personnel shootin' for'ners. The difference here is that levels have been designed to provide tidy little bite-sized engagements which are ideal for small-screen use. Stealth sections aren't intrusive and even elite missions, where there are no checkpoints and typically only one or two places to recharge your health, initially feel like a pretty well-balanced challenge, testing your ability to exploit its cover-based return fire mechanics. Movement and aiming work well using the Vita's analogue joysticks and the level of aim assistance is better judged than the distinctly wobbly-feeling Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Eventually though, the fun starts to be sapped by brutally spaced checkpoints that regularly force you to repeat lengthy sections in order to progress, a process that after your 10th attempt starts to feel like a repetitious chore. It's a real shame because Unit 13's firefights are undoubtedly the finest currently available on a portable device.
SCEE, £34.99
Games news
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Jane's Advanced Strike Fighters (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) supplies slightly limp flight simulation for aficionados of the ejector seat, while Stone Quarry Simulator (PC) delivers all the thrills and spills of opencast mining …
Finally, the Mass Effect 3 Vault is a themed plastic case for Xbox 360 and PS3, devices that readers might notice already come in perfectly serviceable plastic cases, albeit ones without backlit insignia and a superfluous joypad holder.
