The parade of Mass Effect 3 screenshots continues, but you won't hear us complaining. It seems like just today that BioWare unveiled the various pre-order weapons and armor that they've got in store, but we've already got a few new looks at the arsenal in action. More player choices are a good thing, and the weapons certainly look to add to the combat of Mass Effect 3 in interesting ways.

While several fans of the Mass Effect franchise may have been concerned that some of their favorite characters would be left out of the party, but previous screens show plenty of familiar faces, and this new batch is no different. Commander Shepard's talents in battle have never been questioned, even if the new pre-order goodies may only appeal to the more aggressive players.

The N7 Defender Armor, Valkyrie Assault Rifle and AT-12 Raider Shotgun may seem to be as arbitrarily different as the weapon choices in Mass Effect 2, it's good to see a bit more visual design going into their appearances.

Check out the new gear in action, and a surprise appearance by a new enemy:

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The most promising claim from BioWare so far is that ME3's Shepard will be more dynamic in combat, and hopefully these weapons can play a role in doing just that. Weapons that fire two rounds at a time could make a difference, but for now we'll put most of our optimism into the various class-specific attacks previously detailed.

What die-hard fans will likely notice from the screenshots is the brand new half-organic, half-machine beast with Shepard in its sights. We have no details on what the creature is, but considering that its appearance fits with the overall design of the Reapers and Collectors, it's safe to assume that's its origin. It may not be as big as the creatures seen in the Mass Effect 3 VGA trailer, but the more the merrier.

Have these screenshots convinced you to place a pre-order at a specific retailer for the armor or weapons? Any theories on the new enemy type? Leave us your thoughts in the comments.

Mass Effect 3 will be released for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on March 6, 2012.

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Source: CVG