Mass Effect 3 Reckoning DLC Released (Items Listed)

Yesterday night the last piece of Mass Effect 3 multiplayer DLC: Reckoning, was finally available to all platforms (European PC and PS3 gamers had to wait longest). If you haven't got around to downloading it yet, what are you waiting for? As with all previous multiplayer DLC it's FREE! Now if that wasn't already enough good news, Bioware have also issued every player with a Gift pack in the multiplayer store but these won't last forever, so don't leave it too long before you log on. Just in case you're wondering what comes in this last DLC pack, I'll break it down for you, there are 6 new character kits, 7 new weapons, 2 new pieces of equipment and 5 new weapon mods.

For fans of my Character Reviews (on the ME3 page), you might be happy to hear that I intend to revive the series for these new kits and will hopefully start my first write up this weekend/early next week (assuming that I unlock any of the new characters and have enough time to test them out).

I'm about to list the names of the new items and their rarity status, so if you want them to remain a surprise and/or aren't ready for a slight shock, don't carry on reading...

Uncharted 3 Multiplayer Becomes Free To Play!

The big Uncharted 3 update came into effect today (after patch 1.17 was implemented) and in a surprise move (to me anyway) Uncharted 3 multiplayer has been made free to play, that means if you don't own a physical copy of the game, you can download the digital version and play online without having to pay for anything. There are of course limitations to what rank/level you can reach, so therefore the weapons and boosters you can equip/use will be few in number but you can jump online and play with those who have purchased the full game. There is no time limit on how long you can play but once you reach a certain point, you simply won't progress any further rank wise. However, should you end up playing for quite a while after hitting the cap, you'll be glad to know that if you ever decide to purchase the full game, your XP/cash will be back dated. 

Uncharted 3 Multiplayer Patch 1.17 [Initial Details]

It's a big week for all you Uncharted 3 multiplayer fans, this latest patch has been teased for a very long time and was even delayed because it took longer to complete then anticipated. Before you start complaining, yes I'm aware that these patch notes are not the complete list, it appears that Naughty Dog have released this basic list along with the preliminary patch. I'll update this article, as and when/if new details are released but for now some of the things already listed in the patch notes are worth discussing, you can find my thoughts and analyses after the notes.

We're starting off the week with a taste of what's in store. This patch will set up everything so we can deploy our biggest update to Uncharted 3 Multiplayer yet tomorrow.

Patch 1.17 Notes Available: Globally - February 25, 2013 before 6:30pm PST.

GAMEPLAY

Sony Meet 2013 Reveals Initial PlayStation 4 (PS4) Details

In an exclusive invite only event, hosted in New York City last week, Sony finally revealed some details about the eagerly awaited PS4. I wasn't one of the lucky few to be at the two hour meet but like many millions around the world I watched most of it via the live stream. Just in case you missed it and want to watch the full show, it was uploaded to YouTube by Sony and you can catch it here. The first 45 minutes or so, outlines details about the console and it's potential, with the rest of the show displaying various gameplay from titles that will go on sale at the time of the PS4's launch. Unfortunately we weren't shown the console itself or any pictures of it but they did divulge some system specifications and the new 'DualShock 4' controller, which was already leaked earlier in the week. So apart from some (very basic) information regarding the internal features, there wasn't actually much news about the new console itself. What we did get however, was quite a few speakers discussing the direction and inspiration behind the units potential capabilities and future goals, though they neglected to actually provide any demonstrations about these, so for the most part we're all still in the dark. 

Mass Effect 3 Weekend Operation: Tribute (22nd-24th Feb 2013)

This weeks weekend operation details has been released:

Event Description: A surprise Reaper assault inflicted deeply-felt casualties on our N7 teams and interrupted supply lines to several worlds. Many units will have to rely on standard-issue sidearms and munitions. We must honor and avenge our comrades who fell – and let the Reapers know this was a mistake, not a victory.

Individual Goal - Two objectives are required:

When To Move Up The Difficulty Ladder On ME3 Multiplayer And What To Expect When You Do

In this final follow up article to my A Beginners Guide To ME3 MP, I'll be talking about the transition to a higher difficulty and in particular what you should expect to face when you do so. (If you missed last weeks articles on my personal tips for buying packs from the multiplayer store you can find it here.) First off everyone is different and will have their own pace of learning, so there is no definitive answer to the question "when?" but if you start to find the difficulty you're currently playing on is an absolute cake walk, that might be an indication that you're ready to move it up a notch. Of course there is no obligation for you to change the difficulty but if you're claiming top score every single match by a huge margin and can quite easily carry a sub-par team, then your time will probably be better rewarded playing the next difficulty up. I can't speak for anyone else but I personally like to be challenged, yes the rewards are greater if you play on a higher difficulty but for me Co-Op matches (in any game) that are too easy, generally become repetitive and then that's just boring. That's not to say that I enjoy taking a beating from the AI with no chance of walking away with a win but having a tough fight on your hands and eventually prevailing after getting battered, often makes matches more entertaining and you get that feeling of satisfaction from doing so (especially if you were lucky enough to be in the game with good team players). So if you think you're ready for a new challenge, there's little harm in testing the water and who knows, you might just end up enjoying the game that bit more. It goes without saying that if you move up the ladder and then realise that it's too difficult or you're just not having as much fun because of the changes that occur with a higher difficulty, then by all means you can just move back down again. I understand that some people play just for fun and so if smashing AI enemies into the next galaxy floats your boat, regardless of XP, Credits and unlocks, then go for it.

Mass Effect 3 Citadel Single Player DLC - Coming 5th/6th March 2013

Yesterday Bioware announced some very eagerly awaited Mass Effect 3 news, there is new single player DLC coming in the form of 'Citadel'. But that wasn't the only thing, during the same post it was also revealed that there is also Reckoning DLC on it's way for multiplayer. Both of these pieces of DLC will be the last of their kind for ME3 and while it's sad that there won't be anything else to look forward to in the near future, let's hope this means that the studio is gearing up production for their next title [*fingers crossed* ME4?]

When a sinister conspiracy targets Commander Shepard, you and your team must uncover the truth, through battles and intrigue that range from the glamour of the Citadel’s Wards to the top-secret Council Archives.  Uncover the truth and fight alongside your squad – as well as the cast from the original Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, including Urdnot Wrex!

Mass Effect 3 Reckoning Multiplayer DLC - Coming 26th/27th February 2013

For several weeks now there has been wide spread rumours and a general anticipation for another piece of ME3 MP DLC, well today or rather last night, Bioware finally confirmed that there is indeed new content on it's way. The Reckoning DLC for multiplayer will be the last of it's kind, along with the single player Citadel DLC, which will also be the final offering for the Mass Effect 3 title.

Apparently the DLC will be bringing new characters, weapons and gear to the fight. The post states the following kits: Geth Juggernaut, Female Turian Raptor, Talon Mercenary, Alliance Infiltration Unit and the Krogan Warlord. I don't think this is the full list, given that it ends with the words "and more" but how many more is the main question on my mind. I believe the 'Alliance Infiltration Unit' to be EDI from the single player campaign.

Plants vs. Zombies Game Review

The Nuts: Interesting plants and zombie characters, lovely graphics and audio, great character designs and animations, good attempt at offering variety with the limited story maps, fun for all ages and fantastic re-play value through additional game modes.

The Nutty: Small map sizes can feel restricting, campaign starts off very slowly and is fairly easy for too long, touch devices can suffer from from performance issues and some missed opportunities for other plant species [also has kept me waiting too long for a sequel :P ]

A few years ago I used to go to Starbucks once a week with a couple friends where we'd chill while shooting the breeze and as is pretty common place these days, we would often end up playing games on an "i" device. It was on one of these days when I was first introduced to Popcaps Plants vs. Zombies and almost immediately I fell in love with the title. It's a basic Real Time Strategy and Tower Defence game, you harvest a certain resource (in this case sunlight) and you use it to build/upgrade your Plants (these act as defences in your garden) to fight off the enemy, hoards of brain hungry Zombies. The overall concept itself is pretty simple, you just need to survive a certain number of waves to end the level but everything from the way the game is designed to the sounds, graphics and character animation are beautifully put together. You play as a house owner who is under siege by Zombies that wish to feast on your grey matter, your goal is to protect the property from the incoming attackers, which you'll do with the advice and guidance from one Crazy Dave. This funny and aptly named, eccentric mentor/supplier/fellow survivor, will teach you everything you need to know, to stop the Zombies from getting their feed. If the Zombies breach your defences and reach the front door, it's chow time for them and game over for you. So how do you stop this from happening I hear you ask? By selecting seeds before a level starts and then sowing/growing them during the game, obviously. I know it's probably not your first choice of weapon against the un-dead but you certainly can't deny the results.

Useful Tips and Advice On Buying Packs From The ME3 MP Store (To Get The Most Out Of Your Credits)

Welcome to the second of my follow up articles to A Beginners Guide To ME3 MP, (BTW you can catch last weeks article on tips for completing objectives quickly here) today I'll be discussing the packs that you can buy from the multiplayer store and more specifically what packs are a better purchase option depending on the situation you're in. OK, so you've played a handful of games and now you're ready to start spending your hard earned credits but what packs to buy? Well if you're a beginner or still fairly new to game, the one you should be really concentrating on is the Recruit pack, these are the cheapest and as the in game description says, is a great way to start adding basic things to your inventory. You'll only get a bunch of Common items but with each pack priced at 5,000 Credits, you'll be able to purchase three of these after just a single Bronze game, which can result in a lot of new stuff being unlocked. It might be really tempting to save up the Credits from multiple games and then take a chance on one of the more expensive packs, in the hopes of getting a decent Rare/Ultra-Rare weapon or character kit but I really don't think that's a good idea at all. Everyone thinks about it as a beginner and I'll be honest I actually did it once or twice myself but I'm telling you now, I never got anything worth while and I always ended up regretting my decision to not buy a load of cheaper packs instead. There was already a large pool of items when I was a beginner but the amount of stuff there is to unlock these days is even greater, not to mention the fact that items will repeat until they're maxed, means the chances of you getting something that you really want is absolutely tiny. Take my advice and start out by purchasing Recruit packs until you max out all of your Common items but if you insist on purchasing otherwise, a Veteran pack every now and then is as far as I would go, remember to visit your N7 HQ to easily check out all your unlocks and their levelling progress.

Essential Tips On How To Quickly Complete Objectives In Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer

In this first follow up article to my Beginners Guide to ME3 Multiplayer, I will be talking about the topic of completing objective waves and in particular, tips 'n' tricks that might help you speed up the process. As I mentioned in the guide, any enemies killed before you and/or the team have completed the set task/s will always re-spawn, so my first piece of advice is to concentrate on getting the objective nailed ASAP. Obviously you may need to deal with the odd troop that is blocking your path or a boss that is uncomfortably close to the objective location but where possible, the best thing to do is avoid getting into unnecessary skirmishes. Don't forget that you're going against the clock, so every second spent engaging enemy units is one less spent that you could be working on getting the objectives completed, not to mention you can earn more bonus Credits for faster completion times. In practically all cases it's better if the team stick fairly close to each other and traverse the map as a unit, so any players that get downed can be rescued quickly (thus saving precious time) but more importantly because you will then have all the available fire power of the squad, concentrated on any enemies that might be a posing a threat. There are currently five different tasks that you can be assigned during the objective waves and they are as follows:

1) Hacking - This objective requires the activation of a laptop and then for you and the team to remain within the upload circle, until the data bar reaches 100%.

A Beginners Guide To Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer [Part 2/2]

This is part two of my 'Beginners Guide To Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer', if you aren't coming here from part one, you can read that article by clicking on this link. Now as a quick reminder for readers of the first part, I'll list the contents of what I've already covered and what I will be talking about in today's article: 

---------------------------------- [ In Part 1 ] ----------------------------------

+ Learn To Walk Before Attempting To Run
+ What Is Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer?
+ Credits, Multiplayer Store, XP and N7 Rank
+ Challenges
+ Character Kits
+ Investing Skill Points Into Powers
+ Weapons and Mods
+ Equipment and Consumables

---------------------------------- [ In Part 2 ] ----------------------------------
 
+ Don't Treat MP Like SP, They Are Different Beasts
+ Wave Budgets (Enemy Re-Spawn Logic)
+ Time To Complete Matches and Potential Credits Earned
+ Multiplayer Etiquette
+ Bugs, Glitches and EA Servers
+ Weekly Balance Changes [Read: Weekly Nerfs]
+ Useful Online Resources For Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer
+ Links To Follow Up Articles