The soundtrack sets the captivating tone for hero Commander Shepard’s struggle to take Earth back from an alien race known as the Reapers.

Like previous Mass Effect games, a number of talented composers will play critical roles in the game’s musical development, with direction led by BioWare’s acclaimed audio team. The roster of composers for Mass Effect 3 includes:

• Clint Mansell, Golden Globe nominatedHollywood composer recognized for scoring celebrated films including Black Swan, The Wrestler and Requiem for a Dream.
• Christopher Lennertz, Emmy nominated Hollywood composer known for his work on the recent movie Horrible Bosses, also composed Mass Effect 2: Overlord, Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker, and won the Interactive Academy Award forMedal of Honor.
• Cris Velasco, known for composing the God of War series’ score, has also worked on downloadable content Mass Effect 2: Kasumi and Mass Effect 2: Arrival.
• Sam Hulick, veteran to the Mass Effect series having composed the score for Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Bring Down the Sky and Mass Effect 2.
• Sascha Dikiciyan, video game industry veteran, known for composing the score for TRON: Evolution and the scores ofMass Effect 2: Kasumi and Mass Effect 2: Arrival.

“The magic of BioWare games has always been the emotional power of the story, so music is extremely important to the experience,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series. “With Mass Effect 3, we’re taking players on a more personal journey, even though the scope is bigger than ever – an all-out galactic war!  Each composer has played an intricate role in delivering the combination of epic scope and delicate emotion that will make Mass Effect 3 the best game in the series.”

The Mass Effect franchise is set in a science fiction universe blending world-class shooter combat with interactive and cinematic storytelling and space exploration. It is one of the most highly decorated series in the history of games, having earned over 200 international awards including the 2011 AIAS Interactive Achievement Award for Game of the Year for Mass Effect 2. Mass Effect 3 enhances all elements of gameplay from its critically acclaimed predecessors and tells the epic story of Commander Shepard and his journey to unite the galaxy against an unstoppable force destroying life as we know it.

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Last night, fans lined up around the block on the eve of launch at retail outlets in New York, Paris, London, Austin and other cities across the world, celebrating the debut of the game with gatherings complete with costumed characters and memorabilia giveaways. This morning, EA, BioWare and LucasArts continue the launch celebration by hosting the opening ceremony and ringing the bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange.  As the servers go live and fans flood into the game, BioWare customer support teams are managing the network infrastructure to ensure every player has a smooth, easy and fun experience getting into the game.

“Today represents an amazing milestone for BioWare, EA and Star Wars fans everywhere and we are confident it has been worth the wait,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder, BioWare and General Manager, EA’s BioWare Label. “The support and resources going intoStar Wars: The Old Republic are not ending today. The innovations we’re bringing to the category are just the start of a journey and ongoing investment in our players that will grow, evolve and transform based on player feedback over the weeks, months and years ahead.”

Dr. Greg Zeschuk, Co-Founder, BioWare and General Manager of the BioWare Label’s MMO Business Unit, added: “The addition of story and personal choice to the MMO genre is going to fundamentally change the way people perceive MMOs moving forward, especially when it is experienced at its fullest potential with high-quality writing and voice acting. We are extremely happy with where The Old Republic stands at launch and we can’t wait to grow the game with our community to make it even better in the future.”

Star Wars: The Old Republic is a story-driven, massively multiplayer online (MMO) game from BioWare and LucasArts, breaking new ground in online gaming by delivering high quality, fully voiced storylines with personal choice and consequences. Set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, players will be immersed as they team up with friends online to fight in heroic battles reminiscent of the films, exploring a galaxy of vibrant planets and experiencing visceral Star Wars combat. Players will be asked to join forces with either the Galactic Republic or Sith Empire and choose one of eight iconic Star Wars characters, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent. Set against a sweeping musical score, Star Wars: The Old Republic will be the most emotionally engaging online gaming experience ever.

Included with the purchase of every copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic is 30 days of access to the game, after which players can continue to play through subscribing at either £8.99 per month, £25.17 for 3 months (£8.39 per month), or £46.14 for six months (£7.69 per month).

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Set thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader, Star Wars: The Old Republic is a massively multiplayer online game challenging players with epic quests, featuring dynamic combat across iconic worlds in the Star Wars galaxy such as Tatooine, Alderaan, Hoth and more. Each of the game’s eight primary classes will enjoy their own unique trilogy of storylines, all of which are fully voiced with a sweeping musical score. Anticipation for the award-winning MMO is at an all-time high as Star Wars: The Old Republic has broken EA pre-order records and won over 95 industry awards and accolades from game critics worldwide.

“In 1977, Lucasfilm created magic with the release of Star Wars. Our goal is to capture some of that magic when we go live with Star Wars: The Old Republic on December 20,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder, BioWare and General Manager, BioWare Label. “This is an incredible moment for everyone at BioWare and our partners at Lucas Arts who have dedicated so much of their lives to building this extraordinary game.”

Added Dr. Greg Zeschuk, Co-Founder, BioWare and General Manager of the MMO Business Unit of BioWare, “We appreciate the patience of the millions of fans who have been waiting for the game’s release. When we launch this groundbreaking MMO with world class storytelling this holiday season, we hope you will agree that it was worth the wait.”

Star Wars: The Old Republic is available for pre-order now at participating retailers while supplies last. All players who pre-order will receive a redemption code that will unlock Early Game Access, granting them access to the game before December 20, 2011 in North America and before December 22, 2011 in Europe. Pre-order quantities are limited and Early Game Access will only be available to those who pre-order the game and redeem their code before the game’s official release. Included with the purchase of every copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic is 30 days of access to the game, after which players can continue to play through subscribing at either $14.99 per month, $41.97 for 3 months ($13.99 per month), or $77.94 for six months ($12.99 per month).

Star Wars: The Old Republic has been lauded for breaking new ground in the genre by building on traditional MMO gameplay pillars of combat, exploration, character customization and progression, and adding a powerful fourth dimension to the experience – story with personal choice and consequence. The Old Republic is set thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader, when the Star Wars galaxy is in the midst of a cold war. Players will be asked to join forces with either the Galactic Republic or Sith Empire and choose one of eight iconic Star Wars characters: Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Bounty Hunter, Imperial Agent, Sith Inquisitor and Sith Warrior. Every player’s story will unfold based on meaningful choices made throughout the game, enabling them to become the hero of their own personal Star Wars saga. Along their journey, players will encounter companion characters with whom they can build and break meaningful relationships as they fight by their side.  Players will explore a vibrant galaxy, engage in heroic battles, and experience visceral Star Warscombat.

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Watch Commander Shephard lead his squad against a cerebus assault in this new Squad Leader Trailer.

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In Mass Effect 3, an ancient alien race known only as “Reapers”, has launched an all-out invasion of the galaxy, leaving nothing but a trail of destruction in their wake. Earth has been taken, the galaxy is on the verge of total annihilation, and you are the only one who can stop them. The price of failure is extinction. You, as Commander Shepard, must lead the counter assault to take it back. Only you can determine how events will play out, which planets you will save from annihilation and which alliances you will form or abandon as you rally the forces of the galaxy to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all.

“With Mass Effect 3, we are delivering blockbuster action and heart-wrenching emotion on a scale that far exceeds anything we’ve ever done before,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series. “This is an all-out galactic war and how you choose to lead and play will ultimately determine how – and if – you can save the galaxy.”

BioWare also unveiled today the Mass Effect 3 N7 Collector’s Edition, a special edition of the game featuring exclusive bonus content and unlockable items* including in-game appearance packs, a Dark Horse Comic Book, a hardcover art book, an exclusive extended soundtrack, exclusive lithograph and an exclusive N7 patch. Designed to delight both new and seasoned fans, the Mass Effect 3 N7 Collector’s Edition also gives instant access to the N7 Arsenal Pack which features four tactical guns exclusive to this special edition. The Mass Effect 3 N7 Collector’s Edition is available for pre-order now exclusively at Game in limited quantities.

Blending world-class shooter combat with interactive, cinematic storytelling and space exploration, the Mass Effect series is one of the most highly decorated in the history of games, having earned over 200 international awards.

Mass Effect 3 and the Mass Effect 3 N7 Collector’s Edition arrive on the Xbox 360, PS and PC March 9, 2012.

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Mass Effect 3 will ship with voice recognition within the game allowing you to play Shepherd in the deepest way possible yet.  Voicing the script your self as well as controlling squads via gesturing are just a couple of ways that Kinect is being utilised in game.

Watch this space for more information soon.

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Available for download on March 29, 2011, Mass Effect: Arrival will also include three new achievements for the Xbox 360 and PC and three new trophies on PlayStation3 computer entertainment system.  The PDLC pack will be available for 560 MS Points on Xbox 360, £5.49 on PlayStation Network and also available for PC for 560 BioWare Points at http://social.bioware.com/page/me2-dlc.

In Mass Effect: Arrival, Commander Shepard is sent to the edge of the galaxy to rescue an undercover operative who may have evidence of an imminent Reaper invasion that has been looming since the very beginning of the series. Returning and playing a prominent role in Mass Effect: Arrival is fan favorite Admiral Hackett, who is voiced by legendary science-fiction actor Lance Henriksen (Alien, Terminator).

“All year, we have been extremely honored and humbled by the reception we have received for Mass Effect 2 from players around the world, including our post release DLC”, said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer, Mass Effectseries. “Mass Effect: Arrival is an exciting extension to Mass Effect 2 and will show players just how close the Reapers are to returning and completing their deadly harvest.”

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Dragon Age Legends, a collaboration between BioWare and EA’s Play4Free studio EA2D, expands on the award-winning action RPG franchise and introduces deep, high-quality gaming to Facebook. Dragon Age Legends also ties directly into Dragon Age II,currently available in stores. Players who complete specific quests in Dragon Age Legends can earn up to five exclusive items for use in Dragon Age II.

“We built Dragon Age Legends with one goal in mind: to bring the AAA quality gameplay BioWare is famous for to the social space,” said Mark Spenner, General Manager of EA2D. “Dragon Age Legends brings true RPG combat and style to this massive social platform and delivers it at BioWare blockbuster quality, raising the bar for social games.”

Set in the Free Marches, the primary setting of Dragon Age II, Dragon Age Legends combines accessible and engaging turn-based tactical combat with gripping co-operative gameplay. By simply logging in Facebook, players can jump in to the online RPG to recruit their friends and embark on a battle-rich journey filled with challenging quests. Like all classic RPGs, players will earn loot and share rewards with their friends to grow their hero’s might and their kingdom’s power. The game includes a gratifying character-customization and upgrade system that allows players to tackle demons and darkspawn to become a legendary hero within the Dragon Age universe.

For more information on Dragon Age Legends , play the game at http://apps.facebook.com/dragonagelegends

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When Dragons Age Origins first hit the shelves that same wow factor was there and although it felt like a PC port that just failed to stand on its own two feet, lovers of the RPG genre were amazed at what Dragon Age Origins brought to the table.  The muted hero still had character and the game was epic in scale as well as brave at the same time taking game mechanic cues from Mass Effect and implementing them into a package that offered an experience that kept gamers happy for hundreds of hours.

So, Dragon Age 2 is almost upon you and I can safely say that the improvements and advancements that have been made will not only satisfy the hardcore RPG fans out there but will also cater for the hack and slash crew with a beautifully balanced gameplay mechanic, intense visuals and the tried and trusted Bioware narrative love.  The game no longer feels like a port but a beautifully crafted piece of gaming art that console owners can now call their own.

Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a refugee who survives the destruction of his homeland and becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. The lore around Hawke’s rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor and is the driving force behind this all-new story spanning 10 years in the Dragon Age universe timeline as narrated by a silky smooth talking Dwarf named Varric.

Dragon Age 2 obviously starts with the obligatory customisation of your character. A customisation that will let you choose your class, gendre and add your basic skills and traits with base points to make Hawke completely your own. Once this is done then it is off into the wilderness to follow your destiny in which ever way it takes you.

Meeting various characters along the way will lead you into sumptuous cut scenes laden thick with back story and some kind of developmental narrative and the outcome of what hapens to your character is again dictated by how you speak to them, sometimes with grave consequences.  The communication wheel now feel a little like Mass Effect 2′s one with positive, neutral and negative responses to choose from that determine how the conversation plays out.

The missions themselves are structured in a way that is easy on the eye and aren’t too hard to figure what to do and where to go.  This has a positive and negative feel in terms of gameplay and is my only gripe with the game so far.  The exploration areas themselves are all based in the city of Kirkwall and the surrounding areas which limits the opportunity to explore as some other RPG’s out there.  This has unfortunately given Dragon Age 2 a repetitive feel in terms of exploration areas that lessens the grandeur of the game in scale where other areas are epic.  That’s not to say that the areas you do explore will annoy you too much but is something you will notice very quickly.

The map itself is accessed via the start button with a radial control to get there.  In the map you will see your mini map which will show you various exits, important people and and quest waypoints that are easy to follow.  Also, when leaving an area it will show you the world map to discover in each section where quests you have taken on are which you can make active via the journal via the start button and complete at will.

Also in the start menu is your gateway to your inventory which is an RPG players dream offering you deep statistical analysis from which you can decide how to play things out.  From your skills tree to putting on and taking off armour, equipping different weapons and using various items to either craft or to use, a couple of button presses will get you there in an instant.

Levelling up your character also comes with its own rewards and after applying your points to the usual attributes like strength, dexterity, constitution etc you enter a skills tree for each class which will allow you to advance your special skills through a tree system.  Each class will have its own skills to apply dependent on where you want to take him or her, utilising and unlocking special attacks that you can apply to your combat radial.

Talking of combat, this has also been refined to provide more action then its predecessor.  The dice may still be rolling underneath in the engine but it is not apparent on the surface as you hack, slash, cast spells and kill all at a touch of a button or two.  Your special attacks being assigned to the X, Y and B buttons with your base attack coming from the X button it is very easy to see how this caters for the action market as well as keeping the hardcore RPG player happy too.  Being able to switch to any character in your party to is very slick and provides some very strategic combat elements that will test you on occasion.

Overall, Dragon Age 2 goes above and beyond its predecessor to deliver a game that will appeal to a wide ranging audience whilst not compromising on its hardcore RPG roots.  Graphically beautiful in looks with a deep and immersive narrative that only Bioware seem to be able to pull off cements Dragon Age 2, yet again, at the top of the RPG tree for console gaming.  If you loved the first it’s a must buy, if you have been slightly intruigued about what Bioware delivers but have been a little afraid of its hardcore roots then this caters for you too.   With over 50 hours of gameplay the value for money here is impressive and cements Kirkwall and all that it has to offer into gaming folklore.

Sponsored by:- Music Matters – The audio and visual specialists

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Visceral Games and BioWare are working together to bring two of the year’s most highly anticipated action/adventure games together. Gamers who purchase the year’s first blockbuster entertainment release, Dead Space 2, can bring the terror to the sequel to 2009’s RPG of the Year, Dragon Age II with the exclusive “Ser Isaac of Clarke” armor set.

Modelled after Isaac Clarke’s signature rig, the “Ser Isaac of Clarke” armor set can be activated with a one-time use, non-transferable code found in Xbox 360 and PC versions of Dead Space 2, including body armor, boots, gauntlets and a helm, all of which carry extra benefits for you to take on your rise from warrior to legend in Dragon Age II. PS3 owners can visit  www.DragonAge.com or look at the insert insideDragon Age II for detailed instructions on unlocking the Ser Isaac Armor in the PlayStation 3 version of Dragon Age II.

In Dragon Age II, the chilling tales of Ser Isaac of Clarke are a favorite of bards performing in the wee hours of the night. In dank taverns throughout the land, these horror-filled stories captivate listeners and bring nightmares to those faint of heart.

Ser Isaac of Clarke’s Armor includes:

• Isaac’s Armor
  • Heavy Armor
  • Contains a rune slot
  • Increases armor
  • Requires high dexterity and cunning
• Isaac’s Boots
  • Increases armor
  • Requires high dexterity and cunning
• Isaac’s Gauntlets
  • Increases armor
  • Requires high dexterity and cunning
• Isaac’s Helm
  • Contains a rune slot
  • Increases armor
  • Critical damage factor
  • Requires high dexterity and cunning

Dead Space 2 will be available on Jan. 28, 2011 for the PS3, Xbox 360 and the PC. Dragon Age II will be available across the same platforms on March 11, 2011. Visit www.DragonAge.com for more details and info on this special cross promotion.

Mature-gaming has been enveloped into Dead Space 2′s sphincter twitching storyline for the last couple of days.  Look out for our review coming soon.

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