I’m Ryan Warden, the External Producer for Mass Effect Trilogy. I’ve been with BioWare for almost nine years now – lately I’ve been working to help bring you Mass Effect Trilogy for PlayStation 3, and today I’m honored to be able to write a post for PlayStation.Blog!

We began work on Mass Effect Trilogy in earnest last April, shortly after Mass Effect 3 had shipped. The trilogy was complete, but there was a slight complication — there were people who had missed out on one (or more) titles in the series. Clearly this included PS3 owners, who had never had the chance to play the original Mass Effect. Mass Effect Trilogy was a great opportunity to rectify that!

We partnered with Edge of Reality, an external team with whom we’ve worked on many previous projects. Edge of Reality has a deep understanding of how PS3 works, under the hood, so we thought the project would be a perfect fit. We had a huge head start because of the work we had done with Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 for PS3, but we still wanted to maintain the look and feel – the classic experience – of the original Mass Effect.

We tinkered with the audio engine, and with the way that memory was allocated to various chunks of the game. We brought over some lighting and visual effects improvements from Mass Effect 2 and 3, and combined them with the original Mass Effect systems. In essence, we invited the Wu Tang Clan to a rap battle… and it paid off. We got some huge gains in performance – especially with regard to texture popping, which has been dramatically improved – yet we were still able to maintain the classic look and feel of the introduction to the Mass Effect universe.

At the end of my first playthrough during development, I saw a scene that had once been so familiar – the Normandy jumps to FTL, the screen fades to black, and That Song kicks in. I had sat through this scene countless times during the development of Mass Effect. Every single time, the delay-soaked guitar of Faunts’ “M4 Part II” put a grin on my face, just like the first time I saw it. I’m lucky that I got to relive the eight years of my life that I’ve spent working on the Mass Effect series. And now PS3 owners can experience the full trilogy for the first time.

You can finally create your Shepard at the beginning of Mass Effect, and bring that same character through the rest of the series. You can stand on the moon, drive the Mako across an asteroid, chase a rogue Spectre to the edges of the galaxy, and deliver right hooks to your heart’s content. Then you can pop the Mass Effect 2 disc in the tray.

I’m really proud of the work that the team has done to bring Mass Effect Trilogy to the PS3, and I can’t wait for you to play through the whole series. I hope you enjoy it!

For multiplayer, we consider Mass Effect 3′s offerings to be more of a service than a product you purchase. We always said that we wouldn’t do multiplayer in our games unless it was done properly, and supporting it fully well after launch is something we are committed to. The ideas behind Resurgence, Rebellion and Earth were simple: we want to keep the community engaged in our game, keep the content fresh, and most importantly, we want to foster a level of progression that is synonymous with Mass Effect. Fantasy fulfillment has always been something that is extremely important to us, even in multiplayer. Allowing players to do awesome things in the Mass Effect universe that work well outside of Commander Shepard’s narrative is important. Adding amazing new weapons like the Cerberus Harrier or classes like the N7 Shadow were all about that.

Of course, story-based DLC has always been a part of the Mass Effect pedigree. At BioWare, it’s part of our culture to create emotionally charged stories for our fans. We always aim to deliver an impactful narrative while offering the player’s choice. This is challenging, but it is also extremely rewarding for us. As mentioned before, when we shipped Mass Effect 3, we knew there were many opportunities within the universe for us to tell new stories. Mass Effect 3: From Ashes, our first single player DLC, is a great example of how we were able to visit a new era in the Mass Effect universe. From Ashes also allowed our fans to gain a new squad member with Javik, something that has become signature in our previous DLC packs.

And that’s why Mass Effect 3: Leviathan is so exciting for us! It gives us the chance to jump back into Commander Shepard’s story, and to continue exploring some of the themes that are important to the trilogy, including the origin of the Reapers. We wanted to make sure that we delivered content to the fans that was unlike anything we had ever done before. Leviathan is all about exploration and mystery. Players don’t know where the story will take them next, and they’re pushed to explore these new fantastic locations that they’ve never seen. In addition to these new worlds, Leviathan is full of great new characters that help Shepard unravel the mystery of Leviathan. Players get to interact with these characters through more than 2,000 new lines of recorded dialogue and dozens of new cinematic sequences. If it’s combat and gameplay that you’re after, Leviathan delivers on that too. Players will dive into an adventure that will challenge their abilities, and they’ll be given the chance to unlock two weapons previously only available to pre-order customers earlier this year.

We’re proud to bring Mass Effect 3: Leviathan to our fans. Grab it when it goes live on PSN later today, and let us know what you think!

“Shepard’s story came to a close at the end of the game,” BioWare Producer Mike Gamble told the crowd at EA’s Summer Showcase last week. “But there are more stories we want to tell in the Mass Effect universe.” Leviathan is Mass Effect 3’s first story-focused DLC, and in addition to introducing new characters, weapons, and combat challenges it promises to expand on what we know (and what we don’t) about the most feared beings in the universe — the Reapers.

Set during ME3’s harrowing Reaper invasion, the expansion tasks Commander Shepard with tracking down an elusive entity that, according to legend, may wield the power to defeat a Reaper. Trouble is, nobody’s actually seen it. The story begins with an email directing you to the Citadel labs and one Dr. Bryson, director of the elite Task Force Aurora research group that investigates long-shot methods for halting the Reapers. The Protheans, it seems, were the first to suspect the Leviathan’s existence after they discovered a Reaper corpse centuries ago. This all bodes well for Shepard’s quest, but just as Bryson begins to pass along the key information, his lab assistant shoots him dead, mutters “the darkness cannot be breached,” and collapses. Was he indoctrinated? Is the Leviathan somehow responsible? There’s mystery afoot!

Shepard’s journey to pinpoint the Leviathan’s whereabouts will require quite a bit of detective work. As you pursue leads and uncover ancient artifacts, you’ll gradually home in on the Leviathan’s position in the distant reaches of the galaxy. Jumping forward in the story, BioWare demonstrated a rip-roaring combat sequence set after Shepard lands on a distant planet (nope, they wouldn’t share its name) suspected of housing the fearsome being. Perched on top of a derelict space vessel floating amidst an angry sea, you’ll fight off a savage Reaper landing party, even hopping into a nearby Triton mech suit to unleash heavy firepower when the going gets tough.

After clearing the deck, you’ll plunge into the frigid depths of the alien ocean in a spellbinding underwater sequence that reminded me of BioShock 2. In a Mass Effect first, you’ll explore the ocean floor from an immersive first-person perspective, firing off flares to illuminate your surroundings as unearthly jellyfish lazily drift by. Just as Shepard seemed to make an enlightening discovery, the BioWare representative abruptly quit the demo. Shazbot!

In addition to a lengthy new single-player chapter, Leviathan adds two potent new weapons: the pinpoint-precise AT-12 Raider shotgun and the devastating M-55 Argus combat rifle, plus at least one new weapon mod in the the Assault Rifle Omni-Blade. If that’s not enough, you can pick up the Firefight Pack on PSN tomorrow for $2 to score seven more guns for the single-player game.

Look for Mass Effect 3: Leviathan to to touch down on PSN later this summer for $9.99. Have questions? Leave them in the comments.

From: Admiral Steven Hackett, Citadel Allied Command
Re: Operation EXORCIST
Confidentiality Classification: XA-PRIME
Distribution: N7 Forces Only

Soldiers of the Milky Way –

By now it is no secret that the Reaper War has had its share of logistical SNAFUs. It is to the galaxy’s credit that, when we put out the call for volunteers, we were answered by individuals of every species from Citadel, Traverse, Terminus space, and most significantly for this operation, the PlayStation Network. Unfortunately, the diversity of equipment sources meant our allies ran into hardware and software incompatibilities.

These brave men and women have been fighting beside you and, in doing so, have gone above and beyond normal duty. Because their units were not properly tracked, they fought without pay and sometimes without proper training, equipment, even rations. It is a mark of their character that these warriors of the PlayStation Network took the grave task set before us and stuck it out through sheer determination.

It is time to honor the service of the soldiers of the PlayStation Network. A volunteer task force has fabricated the necessary hardware and is rolling out compatibility software. When these installations are complete, these soldiers will benefit from being properly equipped and combat-ineffective troops will get off the bench. We’ll all have more comrades watching our backs, and we’re now watching theirs. Reinforcements are coming. Soldiers of the PlayStation Network: Welcome to the fight.

–Admiral Hackett

MAJOR MISSION UPDATE: Good news Spectres: Reinforcements are coming! Starting with Operation EXORCIST, N7 Weekend Challenges will extend to the PlayStation 3 platform. Operation EXORCIST begins today, April 27th at 6:00PM PST until April 30th at 5:00PM PST for all N7 Operators on the PlayStation Network. Please remember to set the “Upload Gameplay Feedback” setting to “On” in the online options to be able to participate in this N7 Operation.

When it comes to retrieving classified data, Cerberus has been beating the allied forces to the punch. New intelligence has tipped us off to one of their offensives, and it is time to give the N7 teams the payback they want.

Allied Goal: Kill 1,000,000 Cerberus Phantoms.
Squad Goal: Survive until extraction on any map and any enemy on Gold difficulty.

Successful completion of the Allied Goal will grant all players a Victory Pack.
 Successful completion of the squad goal awards a Commendation Pack to all squadmates.

Play Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer on GOLD difficulty with two different goals: The first goal will be the overall objective for this operation between all Mass Effect 3 multiplayer matches (under the GOLD difficulty), which is otherwise known as the “Allied Goal.” In the case of Operation EXORCIST, the “Allied Goal” is to have all players kill a combined total of 1,000,000 Cerberus Phantoms over the course of the maneuver.

For the “Squad Goal” during Operation EXORCIST (as with all operations moving forward), players must simply survive the enemy onslaught on GOLD difficulty until a safe extraction can be made. That’s 10 waves of the most tenacious of enemy forces you’ll have to stave off, so this is something all forces must prepare for.

If you’re unsure you’re ready and you’re curious if you require additional training, all N7 operators are welcomed (and encouraged) to analyze the troops at your command. To let you do that outside of the battlefield, we’ve created a brand new feature for the BioWare Social Network: the Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Manifest.

The Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Manifest will allow you to inspect your multiplayer avatars without having to boot up your copy of the game. In this new manifest, players will be able to view which characters, weapons, mods and consumables they’ve unlocked in MP, and what’s more, you’re able to compare your stats with your friends!

To use the Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Manifest, simply head to the BioWare Social Network and log in using your EA Origin Account you use to play Mass Effect 3. Once you’re logged in, you’ll be able to use the great features found in this new program to help you prepare for battle.

Good luck and see you on the battlefield.

The first expansion to Mass Effect 3’s critically acclaimed multiplayer experience is almost here! The Resurgence Pack is coming to PSN on April 10th and with it, a host of new weapons, characters, maps and more. If you haven’t had a chance yet, check out all the action in our latest trailer.

With over 75 perfect review scores, Mass Effect 3 has been heralded as “The first true blockbuster game of the year,” by USA Today. This week the Resurgence Pack will dial up the action, and the best part? You can download it for no additional cost!

This new multiplayer pack will include two new maps, available immediately for play after downloading the pack: Firebase Condor and Firebase Hydra. Condor is a Turian warzone outpost and a crucial asset in the defense of their homeworld, Palaven. The cool thing about Condor is you can actually see the galactic war happen all around you. Ships are taking off, Reapers are looming in the background, and in the distance Palaven is burning. Hydra is located on an abandoned Quarian colony that has since been converted to an enormous power station. Protecting both of these firebases is absolutely critical in the defense against the Reaper attack.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the pack is the new multiplayer characters. Each class will receive a new character that can be unlocked through the Reinforcement Pack system. With the Resurgence Pack we are also introducing two new races for players to choose: The Batarian and Geth. Have you ever wanted to swing your assault rifle like a baseball bat and club enemies? Then you will probably like the Batarians. Or maybe you want to take the subtle approach. Engage Hunter Mode, spot enemies through walls, and then cloak to flank them. Then the Geth Infiltrator is for you. In total there are 6 new characters for MP:

• Asari Justicar Adept – By the code, you will annihilate your enemy. Use the new Biotic Sphere ability to protect your allies and unleash deadly biotic powers to rip the opposition apart.
• Batarian Soldier – Get up close and personal with the Ballistic Blades and Blade Armor abilities. The Batarian Soldier is an expert at being on the front lines and pummeling the enemy into submission.
• Geth Infiltrator – Ever cursed the Geth Hunter’s name? Well now you get to be one. Cloak, sneak up on enemies and scan them through walls with Hunter Mode. Or hang back and rain sniper fire from distance.
• Batarian Sentinel – Trap enemies with the Submission Net then unleash on them when they are unprotected. As with other Sentinels the Batarian can use tech and biotic abilities, ensuring he is prepared for any situation
• Geth Engineer – Drop a Geth Turret and keep the pressure on your foe, all the while resurging your team’s shields. The Geth Engineer is a great support and utility character, key to any squad’s success.
• Krogan Battlemaster Vanguard – FOR TUCHANKA! You might find yourself yelling your best Krogan battlecry when you use the Biotic Charge ability. To help protect yourself in the heat of battle, activate the Biotic Barrier ability and become the ultimate Battlemaster.

What would a multiplayer expansion be without some awesome new guns to wield? Similar to the new characters, these weapons are unlocked via reinforcement packs. They are great compliments to the new characters.

• Striker Assault Rifle – Developed by Krogans, this rifle fires deadly explosive rounds. Its rate of fire increases the longer the trigger is held. Great for suppressing fire and crowd control.
• Kishock Harpoon Gun – Deadly one-shot Batarian weapon. Launch lethal harpoons at your enemies and cause bleed damage over time.
• Geth Plasma SMG – Fully-automatic Geth submachine gun. Similar to the Striker Assault Rifle, this Geth SMG’s rate of fire ramps up the longer it’s fired. Make sure to equip an SMG Magazine Upgrade to unleash an unstoppable barrage of plasma.

The Resurgence Pack will also introduce new consumables as well, including the Strength Enhancer, Targeting VI, Shield Power Cell, and Stabilization Module.

So there you have it, that’s the Reinforcement Pack, it comes out April 10th and is available at no additional cost. Make sure you login and download it from PSN and take the war for Earth online with your friends.

In the meantime, make sure you follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook to get all the latest updates on Mass Effect 3. If you haven’t had a chance yet, check the Resurgence Pack trailer on our website.

See you on the battlefield,
N7ckmo

Mass Effect 3 launches in North America in less than 24 hours! We hope you ready to start the war to take Earth back and have secured your copy of the game via digital pre-order on PSN (don’t forget that you’ll receive a bonus weapon and exclusive PS3 theme).

The development team spent a great deal of effort to make sure that those who are just joining us in the Mass Effect Universe are able to jump right into the game without missing a beat. To maximize your enjoyment of the game right away, you can download Mass Effect 3 beginning at 12:01am Pacific Time TONIGHT. Start your download, get some rest, and wake up refreshed — and prepared to launch all-out galactic war against the biggest threat to ever hit Earth.

If you are unfamiliar with the game, the Earth is under attack by an ancient alien race known only as the “Reapers.” They have launched an invasion, leaving nothing but a trail of destruction in their wake. Earth has been taken, the galaxy is on the verge of total annihilation, and you are the only person who can stop them. The price of failure is extinction.

Additionally, the @alliancenewsnet is covering the Reaper attack in Los Angeles live on Twitter. We will be taking refuge at our launch parties beginning at 8:00PM Pacific Time and streaming the events with special guests.

The war to take Earth back has begun! Only you can decide how it ends…

It’s been one week since our Mass Effect 3 demo became available and everyone at BioWare is incredibly pleased with the response. If you haven’t already checked out our single-player and multiplayer demos (the latter is completely spoiler free and a bit addicting!), I suggest you try them to see what all the fuss is about. Our development team worked hard to ensure that Mass Effect 3 is available at the same time for PS3 as it is for other platforms, a development milestone we’re happy to celebrate with the PlayStation community!

Today, I want to let you know about an exclusive offer for anyone who pre-orders Mass Effect 3 via the PlayStation Network. When the PlayStation Store updates later this afternoon, you’ll be able to pre-order to download a digital copy of the game (available 3/6 in the US) and receive the M55 Argus rifle to complement your in-game experience.

The Argus is a high-powered rifle and an excellent close-range weapon. Its bursts of fire ensure ammunition conservation during lengthy conflicts. Law-enforcement agencies across the Mass Effect galaxy are adopting the Argus as their standard rifle, as much for its intimidation factor as its suppression power.

Along with that in-game bonus weapon, Sony Computer Entertainment America and BioWare would like to offer you a special Mass Effect 3 PS3 theme—only available for digital pre-orders. Once the game has launched, these offers will no longer be available, so if you haven’t done so already, secure your copy of Mass Effect 3 later today when the PlayStation Store updates and prepare for the Reaper invasion!

Let us know what you think of our pre-order offer and the Mass Effect 3 demo on Twitter!

Hello everyone! Mass Effect 3’s new demo is launching later today on the PlayStation Network. Voted “Most Anticipated Game of 2012” at the Spike Video Game Awards, Mass Effect 3 plunges you into the boots of Commander Shepard, a decorated marine and war hero, as players lead the charge in an all-out galactic war against a nearly unstoppable foe.

Today marks the arrival of our single-player demo for the PS3, giving you a taste of what to expect when Commander Shepard takes Earth back on March 6th. When you download and play the demo, you’ll see that how you fight the war is entirely up to you. Choose your appearance and pick from a variety of specialized combat classes, each with unique and devastating abilities. As you progress in this war, you’ll choose which abilities to specialize in, which weapons to bring into battle, and which characters will join you in combat.

There’s more to this demo, though – starting on February 17th, PS3 owners will be able to play multiplayer for the first time in the Mass Effect universe! As a special bonus, Battlefield 3 owners who have redeemed an online pass on the PlayStation Network will get early access to the multiplayer demo starting today, February 14.

I’d say more, but I’ve got Valentine’s Day plans with Commander Shepard! Check out the demo when the PlayStation Store updates this afternoon.

To keep up with the latest updates on Mass Effect 3, “Like” us on Facebook. After you’ve finished the demo, let us know what you think by tweeting us @masseffect.

Yes, Virginia, there is a multiplayer mode in Mass Effect 3. And it’s in the form of a galaxy-spanning PSN cooperative campaign that pits two to four players against wave after wave of relentless Reaper forces. In this way, the basic premise of Mass Effect 3’s Galaxy at War co-op mode is not unlike Call of Duty’s Nazi Zombies or Modern Warfare 2’s Spec Ops, only with the series’ robust RPG progression system making the jump in full force.

In my demonstration of Galaxy at War, Bioware’s team first teased what looked to be a large, interactive map that will enable teams to hop into different theaters of war spread around the galaxy. You won’t be able to port your Commander Shepard into the co-op Galaxy at War mode; instead, you’ll create a new character from scratch, earning XP by slaying enemies and completing objectives. The co-op scenarios are heavily combat focused, though simple objectives — such uploading computer files or disarming bombs — creep in from time to time. The pace is fast-paced and grueling, and your goal is simple: outlast your Reaper attackers.

Galaxy at War’s progression is wave-based and hierarchical, beginning with squads of grim-faced Assault Troopers before escalating into laser-rifle-toting Nemesis assassins and hulking Atlas mechs (and worse, presumably). As you mow down the Reaper forces, you’ll accumulate weapons and assign new gun mods and skills before topping off at a level cap of 20 — just like in the single-player game.

In the heat of the Reaper onslaught, melee attacks, tech powers, and biotics are critical to your survival, so choosing co-op partners with complementary skills and equipment will be a key consideration. As an example, a well-timed Tech skill such as Incinerate or Overload can zap a shielded enemy, giving your teammate a moment to slink to safety and finish the job; a Biotic expert can Pull enemies out of cover to expose them to gunfire. As in any co-op game, communication will be key. One immediately helpful UI touch: you can easily spot your teammates through walls via ghostly outlines.

Single-player purists can stop worrying: Mass Effect 3’s story-focused campaign will still be a strictly solo affair. Galaxy at War, however, provides a rare opportunity to experiment with a plethora of character builds away from the stiff consequences of the single-player battlefield, and bust some Reaper heads with your friends. Playing the multiplayer mode will also unlock certain content in the single-player campaign, though exactly what that content is remains a mystery for now.

Are you interested in learning more about Mass Effect 3’s new co-op mode, or are you sticking to the single-player campaign? Leave your answers in the comments!

After reading Tweeted adulation and hearing the raves of seemingly everyone else who loved Origins (Qore’s Veronica Belmont chided me for quitting recently), and after hearting Bioware’s Mass Effect 2 on PS3, I found myself all too ready to give the upcoming Dragon Age II another chance.

That chance came last week, as EA held a preview event featuring the upcoming Dragon Age II demo (which you’ll be able to download from PSN and play on February 22nd). To me, improvements were apparent and multiple. Visual upgrades (the game has a definitive style), technical polish (inconsistent frame rate begone!), and refined, impactful gameplay were all on display. This is a game I can get behind for 40+ hours.

Afterwards, I spoke with Bioware Lead Designer/Creative Director Mike Laidlaw about the direction of Dragon Age.

Jeff Rubenstein, PlayStation Blog: Dragon Age: Origins was the first PlayStation 3 game for Bioware, and it scored well. Mass Effect 2 just came out for PS3, scoring spectacularly. What have you learned about the system and how are you taking advantage of the power of PS3 for Dragon Age II?

Mike Laidlaw, Creative Director, Bioware: I think just comfort with the hardware is the biggie. Mass Effect is running on the Unreal Engine, so there’s a bigger pool to draw from there. Bringing [Dragon Age game engine] Eclipse over to PS3 the first time was what I would call a painful process. It was successful, but painful nonetheless.

So, what we did with Dragon Age II was design the art assets — which are always where you spend your money — from the ground up so they would work better on consoles. So the PS3 as a result, looks a lot better. The visual fidelity is higher, and yet, it’s just playing nicer with the way the engine is trying to render it. So the end result is higher quality textures, crisper resolutions, and more guys on screen, without having to sacrifice anything simply because we built it smarter.

JR: Just watching the demo, you can clearly see a graphical fidelity difference between Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age II. It’s also different stylistically. How are you aiming to make Dragon Age II stand out in the high fantasy realm?

ML: We’re picking the overall aesthetic so it looks like part of a singular unit. The art director’s takeaway to people’s reaction to Origins is that while it had moments of clear design, it didn’t have that throughout the whole game. Our goal was to even it out and make it so that every moment in the game looks like every other moment in the game, stylistically speaking.

They said, “what if we could look at Pieter Bruegel … and mix that with Akira Kurasawa, who specifically designed things to be austere?” You have an army, but they’re obscured by mist with the one lone soldier against it. So memorable, and it immediately puts the focus where your eye should be. So we alchemically made that into our recipe.

JR: I hate to say this, but as big as I was on the concept and universe of Dragon Age: Origins, I had issues with the battle system. I’ve been playing console RPGs my entire life, and it just didn’t click for me. How did you refine the battle system… and why?

ML: What Origins delivered at its peak was a sense of team working together, controlling four characters at once, progressing these characters, and building strategies. Where I think it fell down – moreso for consoles than for PC – was the sense of immediacy. On a console, when you have a controller in your hand, your brain enters a space where “I have a sword, I pressed X, aaaaaaaaand… I swung it. OK, there, finally!” I think the lack of immediacy and the lack of responsiveness was kind of the disassociation that console players had. So we sat down and looked at the reviews from the consoles and wondered why they were lower than on PC. That was one of the key things we saw.

So what our goal then became was to make sure that the responsiveness that a console player would expect could be integrated into a game that still had the tactics and depth that a PC player would expect, because the last thing you wanna do is alienate a third of your market. So, we did extensive prototyping – huge work – and so the main changes are:

• Push to attack: press X and BAM, I’m right in there and start attacking.
• Closing moves: So if I’m 10 feet from a guy, I don’t kind of awkwardly run up to him and then attack. I leap into him and attack as I do it.
• Every animation is being produced in a more stylish, more reactive, and I think a more satisfying way that telegraphs what I’m doing back to me very clearly. “I just swung that sword, and I hit three guys because it’s a two-hander and I swung it in an arc.”

JR: So, and this is kind of unfair of me to ask given the last question, what about those who loved Dragon Age: Origins? How will they be affected by the changes in Dragon Age II?

ML: The controls on the PS3 are identical to Origins controls, so if you’re an Origins player, you know exactly how it is. You pull L2 and there’s the radial wheel, you can see everyone’s health, so you have the same level of interaction. Where I think there may a slight adjustment is the overall speed. If you’re playing a rogue and you point at a guy and you press X, they leap in, it’s like. “Oh, jeez!” But that’s something that does not take long to overcome.

We’ve seen this with returning players who come in and maybe their first reaction is, “Oh, I heard you made this an action game.” They play it for about two minutes and they say “Oh, it’s exactly like Origins.” You still have pause, you still have order issuing, you can now move between characters while you’re paused cleaner than you could in Origins. You can issue all four orders, let the pause go, and away you go. You even have added tactical options like move-to-point, which you couldn’t do in Origins.

So there’s a period of adjustment, but I believe it’s very short.

JR: Let’s talk about the demo. When it comes out (available on PSN February 22), what do you want people to notice first?

ML: The changes to combat, simply because it’s front loaded in the demo. The way it’s structured is at the beginning, you really aren’t learning about your character, you’re learning about what people *think* of your character. And your character is an Unstoppable Death Machine! Because, hey, it’s kinda cool being an Unstoppable Death Machine – for a while. But at the beginning, it lets you go, “Wow, I’m a Rogue – whoah, I just exploded that guy’s head!” Which is… good, because it lets you feel your character. You don’t have to spend points on decks before you begin playing, it allows you to dive right in.

What the story does is, it introduces the concept of the framed narrative. Shows you that we have an unreliable narrator who’s almost lying on your behalf. He’s like a friend and an ally in the course of this interrogation. Then you experience the real story, and that’s where it begins to feel again right back like Dragon Age. It’s a heroic tale of survival. I think what the demo does is deliver a feel of a beginning, and a middle, so you kind of get a feel of how your character grows and progresses and interacts with the world, rather than a little fleeting glimpse. We really want players to understand the context of the whole demo.

JR: This is a question that anyone who makes a sequel gets asked, and I’m just falling into this cliche by asking it, but if you didn’t finish the first Dragon Age, will you be all right?

ML: You’ll be all right. It takes place in the same world, which is really key. Mass Effect right now is about Shepard. Dragon Age in my mind – and I think Dragon Age II makes this very clear – it’s about a time. It’s about a place, but it’s not about a person.

If didn’t play DA: Origins or maybe you couldn’t play Origins, you can dive in, we catch you up on the story. You can still import a partial save – let’s say you got halfway through – it’ll still remember as the Warden you were a Dalish Elf, for instance. And it lets you dive in and understand the world from a new perspective. Even for those who never played Origins, we’ve included some pre-built Origins that effectively bring in a saved game. So you still get that sense of bringing the world forward even if you didn’t play Origins.

JR: But if you did, there’d be lots of nods to your playthrough?

ML: Oh yes, plenty. We have returning characters, we have political situations and other things that do matter, so if you’re bringing your save in, that’s all captured.

JR: What addition or change to Dragon Age are you most excited by?

ML: This is kind of a personal thing. I come from a writing background. The way we tackled relationships with your followers is we got rid of the idea of approval and disapproval. Approval in Dragon Age: Origins was a “win” and disapproval was a “loss.” We’ve moved away from that and thought, “what if you could just be rivals?” So the characters won’t tell you to go to hell and walk off; instead, you agree to disagree. They still respect you; you’re obviously doing something right because you’re rising to power over this decade. But the two of you don’t see eye to eye on something. And that opens up incredibly storytelling opportunities. You can have a romance that’s like this steamy, tumultuous affair that culminates in a kiss when the walls come down. It’s something we simply couldn’t do in the old system. So adding in that little thing and being a rival? That’s OK. The story will adjust accordingly, and your party and inter-companion relationships will be that much deeper. Coming from my writing background, that just makes my jello jiggle.

So there you have it – if you loved Dragon Age: Origins, Bioware says you’ll appreciate the changes in Dragon Age II. If you didn’t love Origins, the changes could be enough to give the world of Ferelden another go. Either way, you’ll want to give the free demo a go when it hits PSN on February 22nd. Dragon Age II will be released March 8th.