Mass Effect 3 is better with Kinect, and not just because the boxart says so. Details of the game's promising voice command features are beginning to surface following a round of - wait for it - "hands-offs".
In addition to annoying you with misplaced humour, we've roped together a few of the more attractive Mass Effect 3 Kinect possibilities ahead of a massive info-dump in our next issue. We've also thought of a few Kinect features that should be in the game but currently aren't, for what we hope are extraordinarily sound reasons. You may wish to refer to this provisional list of command strings before reading on.
1. Fewer breaks in the action
Mass Effect's always handled its robust range of secondary abilities and squad options nicely, its pause-time hot-wheel enabling team tactics with a minimum of interfacial wrangling. But things get silkier still in Mass Effect 3.
No more will you accidentally give orders to one squad-mate instead of the other. No more will you bungle the timing when combining powers. Thanks to Kinect, the game's entire suite of biotic, tech and combat powers can be activated in real-time. Don't worry - the wheel's still there if you want it.
2. The easiest quicksave ever
Simply get into the habit of saying "quicksave" instead of humming, whistling or clearing your throat, and you need never worry about losing progress again.
3. Kinect isn't stupid
Mass Effect 3's Kinect implementation is pretty smart about context. If you've only got one biotic crewmate with you, and you yell "Warp", the game will deduce that the order was intended for your telekinetic accomplice, rather than the meathead you brought along to soak up projectiles.
4. Friends can help
Let's say you're pinned down with nought but a Shuriken SMG, blasting away at an armoured Krogan. One of your chums has an armour-nullifying power, but in the heat of the moment you've gone and forgotten. A flatmate/loved one/knowledgeable passerby might take this opportunity to save your bacon, leaning over your shoulder to murmur "Incinerate". It makes us wonder about the broader co-op possibilities.
5. Friends can get you killed
Let's say you've done Sun Tzu proud, confidently and meticulously tailoring a battle-plan to your squad's traits and abilities. You've hit each and every enemy weak point, anticipated every manoeuvre, without exposing weaknesses of your own. Now all that remains is to splatter the massive Marauder advancing from the rear. Ammo is scarce, so it's all down to your biotic and tech powers.
And now, onto the Kinect features they chose not to include. Explanations on a postcard please, BioWare.
7 comments so far...
glavias on 19 Jan '12 said:
I bet voice control is only on the battlefield... cough!.. Miranda 'On Top' 'Move Forward' Thane 'Cover me'
Yeah sorry about that!
I will probably give it a try since I have kinect, see how long it takes me to get my team killed, then go back to using the Joystick.
I have not read much about Mass Effect 3 yet to be honest. But I wonder whether a lot of the characters in 2 will have only small parts in 3, since a lot of them could get killed in 2, and thinking to many permutations in 3.. After all Ashley/Kaiden/Wrex had only minor cameos in 2. I really liked Mordin and Miranda.. Pretty sure Samara won't be in.
Did I read somewhere that if you buy the collectors edition you get a exclusive character or did I hallucinate it!
godoflemmings on 19 Jan '12 said:
From what I've read, every former squadmate and major character will appear in ME3, although obviously Miranda and Liara will have larger roles than the likes of, say, Zaeed. I think the biggest roles outside of the squad will go to Wrex, Miranda and Legion.
And you're half right, the Collectors Edition does include an extra character, but I'm 98% certain it'll also be available as launch day DLC for those who get the regular edition.
Baron Chronus on 19 Jan '12 said:
miranda on top of me i think you meant to say
sonicmark on 20 Jan '12 said:
I'd read that a while back that Wrex is to die and that you have to kill him since he's been possessed by the Reapers, though I don't know how true that is.
I think the kinect in ME3 should serve only as an alternative play method and not have achievements tied to it like Forza 4 did.
I also think that shouting your commands will be voice sensitve, so if you have a cold or a nasty cough or even just have a downright weird accent, it would render the voice commands null.
omallystwin on 20 Jan '12 said:
ivr booked 2 weeks off work for this!...should i tell my wife?
Clanger67 on 20 Jan '12 said:
Maybe not or it might be another two weeks on your own on the sofa,lol.
sonicmark on 21 Jan '12 said:
Or worse, it'll be 2 weeks of "we need to talk"
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