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Filed under: Gaming, Apple, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

TUAW at E3: Mass Effect Galaxy on the iPhone

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jun 4th, 2009



EA brought a few iPhone games to the show in Los Angeles this week -- first up, we got a look at the Mass Effect entry for the iPhone, recently titled Mass Effect Galaxy. The game takes place in the same universe as the popular console game (and its sequel), but it focuses around a separate, non-customizable hero named Jacob Taylor. And while the game was designed by Bioware, it plays very differently from the regular console versions. It's much more action-based, and while it does tell a pretty enticing story, it's much less of an RPG.

While Mass Effect played as a third-person shooter, Mass Effect Galaxy actually goes with a top-down view, and takes basic aiming controls out of your hands completely. Instead, you send the main character running around the map with the accelerometer, and he aims and fires at enemies for you. Along the side edge of the touchscreen are your bionic abilities, and you can throw them in as you fight, but mostly, the game is just about navigating Jacob behind cover by tilting the accelerometer.

Continue reading “TUAW at E3: Mass Effect Galaxy on the iPhone”

Tags: app-store, bioware, e3, e3-2009, iphone, jacob-taylor, mass-effect, mass-effect-galaxy, tuaw

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Developer, iPhone, SDK

Bioware, EA's Neil Young eyeing the iPhone game market

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jul 1st, 2008

As we get closer and closer to the App Store launch (I'm still holding out for seeing an updated iTunes on July 8th, one week from today), a few big name game developers have announced that they're checking out the market for gaming on the iPhone.

First up is Bioware, one of my favorite developers and makers of the classics Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and the recent Mass Effect. In an interview with Patrick Klepek over at MTV Multiplayer, Bioware's CEOs Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk said that yes, they are watching the iPhone as a game development platform, but they're mostly keep an eye on "what type of consumer buys games on it and what type of experience they're looking for." I worry a bit that they mean that if only casual games sell big they'll stay away from it, because gentlemen, I'm playing games on the iPhone, and I would love a solid, in-depth RPG to play. Who wouldn't, really?

And former EA exec Neil Young has split from the company to form his own development house, called "ng:moco" ( we have no idea what that means, either). They'll focus exclusively on making games for the iPhone -- Young says that they want to step up to be the "spiritual first-party" for the platform. He points out that the iPhone has the power of a PSP, except that it's also got a camera, an accelerometer, a multitouch screen, is location-aware, has all your media on it, and is always on and always connected. Just like we've always said, that's a great gaming device, and it's exciting news that a former EA exec like Young is going to work on getting some great games developed for it.

Tags: bioware, development, electronic-arts, first-party, gaming, iphone, ipod-touch, mass-effect, neil-young, neverwinter-nights, ngmoco

Filed under: Gaming, Multimedia, Software

Aspyr porting Neverwinter Nights 2

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Aug 23rd, 2007

Aspyr, maker of many Mac game ports, has confirmed they're working on a port of Neverwinter Nights 2 for the Mac. The game features straight-up D&D action in the Forgotten Realms setting, and while not quite as critically acclaimed as Neverwinter Nights (that one was made by Bioware, after all), it did grab a pretty respectable rating of 82 over on Metacritic.

There is one problem-- the toolset that players can use to create their own content which came with the PC version won't actually be ported to Mac (more evidence that we're getting leftovers). Those of us who buy NWN2 on the Mac will still be able to play that created content, and join up to all the persistent world servers players have put together (and some of that stuff is pretty cool). No release date yet, but we'll keep you posted.

[via MacBytes]

Tags: aspyr, bioware, games, gameworld, neverwinternight2, ports, toolset

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