BioWare's Mass Effect 3 news as of late hasn't been the most positive for some eager fans of the series, with the developer announcing last week that Mass Effect 3 won't be releasing this year and that they are doing the best they can to make it appeal to a wider audience. More development time is something we at Game Rant always approve of, but the latter, the streamlining of console games for accessibility, often translates to games being "dumbed down," an unfortunate trend Mass Effect 2 took part of in some aspects of its gameplay.

As we await BioWare's presence and Mass Effect surprises at E3 next month, we do have a few new Mass Effect 3 details that may brighten your day in the meantime.

A poster on the NeoGAF forums posted brief bullet points of Mass Effect 3 information and a potential heavy spoiler from what they claim is the upcoming issue of OXM. Some of the details we already knew about, like the added action mobility of rolling, the Husk/Cerberus enemies and the weapon upgrade slots. We did not however, know that blindfire is being inroduced, yet another solid element of gameplay taken from Gears of War.

Here's what was listed:

  • You can jump and roll, and blindfire has been introduced.
  • As well as gaining civilization's alliegance, you can lose them to the Reapers if you don't play right, similarly to losing squad mates in the suicide mission.
  • Your weapons have three upgrade slots -scope barrel and grip, and you can change the colour and camoflage of weapons.
  • Cerberus and husks will be main enemies, and cerberus is divided into three main types of troops - heavy bruisers, medium and light.
  • You may be able to get an eyepiece, like Garrus', that will allow non-sniper weapons to scope in further, which also hints at armor having more of an effect on gameplay.
  • Bioware are going to announce something big at E3 - a lot of the gameplay features and more squadmates.

The biggest callout here is easily the exponentially magnified consequences of your actions. If what's listed here is true, that means if you don't accomplish the "side quests" or depending on your choices as Commander Shepard, you can lose an entire civilization as your ally or potentially worse - as I'm hoping is the case - perhaps lose a planet to a Reaper attack. Now, that's how you end the Mass Effect trilogy with a bang!

All of the action elements sound amazing, and if they bring back RPG elements that add a layer of depth and strategy to action, then Mass Effect 3 will easily be the most rewarding gameplay experience of the franchise.

The post continues to reveal a potentially massive spoiler, so do not read ahead if you wish to hold back and enjoy the game's story and characters when it releases early next year.

***

**

*

SPOILERS!

*

**

***

The final comment from the user post claims that the OXM story on Mass Effect 3 suggests that fan-favorite regular of the franchise, Garrus, is being prepared for a dramatic death in the game.

I only hope that this is something that can be affected by how Shepard (the player) chooses to play the game. I'd make damn sure, not to lose him in my playthrough.

Be sure to check out as our latest ME3 art gallery.

Mass Effect 3 releases early 2012 on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

-

Follow me on Twitter @rob_keyes.

Source: NeoGAF