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What does mass effect mean? The origins of the Mass Effect universe. For a group game

In those days, hearts were brave and the stakes were high. Men were real men, women were real women, and little furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were little furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.
, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

Star battles and diplomatic stations. Unexplored planets and ruins of ancient civilizations. Beetle-eyed aliens and sparkling bars with exotic dancers. Fantastic universe Mass Effect has already become a classic. There is something elusively familiar in the interplanetary adventures of Captain Shepard - as if once upon a time, many years ago, we already roamed the decks of the Normandy, rode an all-terrain vehicle through the mountains and saved the Galaxy from an ominous threat from the outside.

In the middle of the 22nd century, humanity discovered an abandoned alien outpost on Mars. The most valuable find immediately provided people with the technology of superluminal flights - in a couple of years, spaceships crisscrossed the entire solar system. But an even more important discovery awaited people in the orbit of Pluto: its satellite Charon turned out to be a mass relay frozen in ice - part of an interstellar transport network.

Then there was a hasty expansion, a meeting with alien civilizations, a three-month conflict of “first contact” and acquaintance with the Galactic Council, a triad of representatives of the most powerful alien races. In a couple of decades, humanity has become a full-fledged star race with its own embassy in the capital of the entire Galaxy. And this capital is not a planet, but a gigantic space station forty-five kilometers long. It is not known who built it, it is not known what it served for, but here it is, the Citadel - like a flower blooming in the middle of a pink nebula, and all roads lead to it.

Space. Space never changes

The Mass Effect game trilogy was the first independent experience of the Canadian studio BioWare in the space opera genre. By the time the development of its first part began, BioWare already had ten years of experience and experience working on the now legendary role-playing game. Star game Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Creating your own universe from scratch is exciting, but not easy. The developers also took some risks: instead of a purely role-playing game, we were presented with an action-RPG with an emphasis on battles and tactics. However, the game was a huge success from the very beginning. What is her secret?

Mass relays have become gateways to distant stars for humanity

Some would say that these are battles that combine firepower, electronic weapons and biotic "magic". Someone will remember the graphics and unprecedented realism of scenes and dialogues. The jumping armored car "Mako" (abolished, alas, in the second part), exciting music, long-term consequences of every decision - all this, of course, is great. But the main thing in Mass Effect is the world created by the developers, a universe in which a science fiction lover will immediately feel at home.

The game universe, like a construction set, is assembled from classic ideas, motifs and archetypes of literature and cinema of the twentieth century. First contact, stellar diplomacy, intelligent machines, evil from the unknown depths of space, dusty paths of distant planets - it’s all there, and sometimes it’s difficult to even determine the original source of inspiration.

Silver age of science fiction

The curving edge of the horizon is a reference to Clarke's "Rama", Stanley Kubrick's "Odyssey", and Larry Niven's "Ringworld"

The diplomatic space station is obviously inspired by Babylon 5, but its rotating platform can be compared with Kubrick's Odyssey, Clarke's Frame, and the works of science fiction artists - right up to Larry Niven's Ringworld. The idea of ​​traveling to the frontiers of space is inherited not only from Star Trek, but also from all the romantic literature that preceded it, as well as cinema - starting with the American B-movies of the 1930s. The biotic drug “red sand” and giant underground worm-like creatures are a clear nod to Frank Herbert. It's not hard to guess where the exterminated race of insects, the Rachni, and their last queen came from - naturally, this is Orson Scott Card's "Ender" series. In the wandering quarian fleets, the Vagrants from Dan Simmons' Hyperion series loom vaguely.

Biotic magic, based on the action of the element zero, is similar to the Force from " Star Wars", but more developed: biotics not only throw enemies back and forth, but also set up and break through protective fields. And the super-secret organization SPECTER is a generalized special service from science fiction novels, and here it serves as an excuse for the fact that not entire fleets, but a single ship are sent on important missions.

Sometimes developers' references are completely transparent. The scenes on the intelligent ship, which revolves around the gas giant and induces hallucinations on the scientists studying it, very clearly point to the novel “False Blindness” by Canadian science fiction writer Peter Watts, a compatriot of the game developers. And sometimes ideas are reproduced at the level of deep, archetypal phobias: giant monsters inducing madness, slumbering on the outskirts of the universe - this is generally something Lovecraftian.

Mechanical Cthulhu has woken up and is preparing to devour everyone

If we start counting references, “Easter eggs” and small quotes from films and games (not only science fiction), then this task is hardly feasible at all. There are so many of them and they are so well woven into the thread of the narrative that you may not even recognize the famous phrases from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” - they are so appropriate.

The game's aesthetics also bring back nostalgic memories. It - from planets to the appearance of weapons - was created focusing on the era of the “golden age” of science fiction cinema of the late seventies and early eighties, when “Star Wars”, “Alien”, and “Terminator” came out. The cinematic feel of the game is emphasized by the depth of field effect, stylized colors and slight graininess of the picture.

These mummies, left over from representatives of a long-extinct race, are a direct quote from the movie Alien.

The most recognizable motif in Mass Effect design is geometric shapes and patterns: circles, rectangles, arcs, stripes. They appear in the appearance of buildings, ships, on the armor of heroes, weapons, and even in the war paint of turians and krogans. In the design of creatures and ships, motifs from the TV series “Star Trek”, “Battlecruiser Galactica” and even the little-known “At the Edge of the Universe” are visible. The planet Tuchanka and the low-slung armored cars with large wheels clearly refer to the film “Aliens” by Ridley Scott.

Where did Normandy come from?

The shape of the Normandy ship is vaguely reminiscent of US aviation in the sixties

When designing the look of the starship for Shepard and his team, the developers wanted it to look powerful, fast, and yet stealthy. They took as a model military equipment XX century - in “Normandy” the contours of the F-14 “Tomcat” fighter are recognizable.

The Normandy's captain's bridge was made in the style of submarine bridges and conning towers of ships during World War II. The artists achieved the desired effect by plunging the room into twilight, where instruments and displays shine. The power of the engine was emphasized by the size of the engine room, a bright mass effect field and a monotonous hum. Two decorative toilets add additional realism to the ship's setting.

Citizens of the Universe

The main game races are in many ways reminiscent of classic role-playing archetypes: there are magicians, technicians, fighters, rogues and barbarians.

Azari

The main courtesan of the galaxy is, naturally, also an asari

The most humanoid creatures in the game. Their role - “exotic alien beauties” - has existed in science fiction since the time of Burroughs. The scriptwriters went to great lengths when inventing creatures with whom one could have affairs: asari, they say, are all women and can mate with anyone - be it with humans or with krogans.

The asari in the role of inn dancers look something like the young Twi-leks from Star Wars, but they have a serious role in the game plot. Asari are powerful biotics and one of the most powerful races. They were the first to open the Citadel, and now the asari chair the Galactic Council, which is natural given their natural abilities for diplomacy.

Perhaps the asari's human appearance is just an illusion?

Are asari really like humans? The question is not easy. In the second part of Mass Effect, there is an interesting dialogue on this topic: a human and a turian, who threw a “bachelor party” for a salarian friend, discuss the appearance of an asari dancer. But here's what's strange: the salarian claims that asari are similar to salarians, and the turian says that they are similar to turians. With these conversations they actually scare their human interlocutor. Is the asari's attractive appearance really just an illusion? And what do they really look like then?

Salarians

The most prominent salarian in this part of the galaxy is the one-eared Professor Mordin Solus

Salarians are lanky amphibians and the galaxy's top smart guys. They think fast, talk fast, live fast and die at forty. They are the best scientists, spies, technicians and information gatherers. In the Galactic Council, it is the salarian who is responsible for intelligence. In appearance, salarians resemble big-eyed inhabitants of flying saucers. In fact, their appearance was copied from salamanders. True, the growths on the head also give the salarians a resemblance to Amazonian toads and horned vipers.

Turians

Turians are tough warriors, and they have the best appearance for that.

Turians are a kind of space samurai, stern warriors with their own code of honor. Which, however, does not prohibit them from unleashing biological weapons of mass destruction on their enemies. An example of this is the infamous "near-genocide" of the krogan. Turians have a corresponding appearance - a muzzle similar to a skull, and a body covered with shields of natural armor. The developers also gave them a menacing appearance because the main villain in the first part of Mass Effect was a turian.

Never tired of emphasizing the belligerence of the turians, the developers greatly flattered us humans by describing the history of the universe. According to it, it was with the turians that people had a three-month “first contact conflict” - and people resisted well.

Krogan

Krogan is a killing machine, a piranha in a spacesuit. You look, and it’s immediately clear: it’s better not to joke with such people

If turians are samurai, then krogans in the Mass Effect universe occupy a niche of frantic barbarians, berserkers who shoot first and ask questions later. A harsh home planet, serving in the Starship Troopers fighting the queen queens of the Rakni insects. Then - explosive reproduction, wars for living space and, as a result, defeat from genetic weapons invented by the salarians and used by the turians.

The appearance of the krogan is reminiscent of their power and the dangers of their home planet: thick skin, multiple duplicate internal organs and eyes that give the krogan a wide field of vision.

Quarians

Behind the glass of Tali's quarian spacesuit, only her eyes and the tip of her nose are visible.

Quarians are star wanderers, galactic gypsies. When the Quarian Wandering Fleet arrives in the system, the authorities of decent planets try in horror to pay off so as not to lose valuable asteroids, because the Quarians are carrying everything. The quarians lost their homeland. At their own expense they created a race of mechanical servants - the geth. When the geth became too intelligent, the quarians tried to turn them off, but could not - and after a small war with the rebel machines they found themselves homeless. As if these troubles weren't enough, the quarians for some reason sterilized their fleet and, as a result, lost their immunity. Now, when they go to ordinary planets or ships, they are forced to wear tightly insulating suits with opaque helmet shields.

Comic aliens

Friendly representatives of other races - mostly non-humanoid - play supporting roles, often with a comic twist.

The developers wanted to make a kind of dwarven financiers out of the volus race. But when the artists drew them - koloboks dressed in pressure suits - the volus were given the main comic roles.

Nobody knows what volus look like under a spacesuit. It's probably for the better.

Less funny are the hanars - the flying blue “jellyfish”, or, to be more precise, the land-based “Portuguese man-of-wars”. At first they wanted to make comic heroes out of them - and for this they even showed natural super-politeness. But then the squat volus took this role away from the hanars.

The hanar talk about themselves in the third person. Out of politeness

The Elcors live on a planet with enormous gravity, and their appearance is appropriate. The developers gave this race a specific feature: the absence of facial expressions and expressive speech. Therefore, in dialogues, elcors use remarks, a kind of speech “emoticons” that explain what exactly they feel - sadness, joy, doubt, and so on.

The most mysterious game race is the so-called “guardians”, silent green creatures that inhabit the Citadel. They do not communicate with anyone and are engaged in maintaining the station. All their interaction with other races comes down to helping settle new arrivals at the station. These are not so much intelligent beings as biorobots. When choosing the appearance for the guardians, the developers decided to go with a cross between a grasshopper and a praying mantis. But a problem arose: how to immediately make it clear to the player that these silent creatures are endowed with intelligence? After some thought, the artists put aprons on the guardians and hung electronic devices with antennas on their backs.

The appearance of the guardians is unusual, but no one pays attention to them, because they are everywhere in the Citadel.

My enemy

Geth, whose name is Legion. He neither forgives nor forgets

The game's enemies are also archetypal in many ways. For example, semi-intelligent vorcha are typical “dog leaders”, whose role is to help the hero get better at fighting. Four-eyed batarians are classic bandits, and electric zombies are not at all different from ordinary zombies.

The role of simpler predators is varrens - a toothy cross between a dog and a killer whale. Underground worms are a large, slow enemy, just right for the guns of the Mako armored car. In the second part of the game, flying jabberwocks appear - dragons with a sci-fi twist. Rakni are overgrown insects, made famous by Heinlein, Orson Scott Card, Paul Verhoeven and Gabe Newell.

The most interesting “bastards” are the geth, a synthetic race of droids that created their own civilization. In the first part of the game, they are the minions of the main villain, like the droids from the first episode of Star Wars. We can't expect any big surprises from them here. But in the sequel it is discovered that not all geth are equally harmful, that they have a unique culture, and one even becomes Shepard’s companion - however, he does not separate his consciousness from the consciousness of other geth and stubbornly calls himself Legion.

The Mass Effect universe is still young, so developers can painlessly make major changes to it on the fly. The reinterpretation of the idea of ​​the geth in the second part is just one example of such “hot” corrections.

In the final part of the trilogy, the Reaper armada came to Earth

The main enemy of all life is the army of Reapers, gigantic ships endowed with intelligence, which every fifty thousand years return to the galaxy and destroy all intelligence in it, only to then again go beyond the stars, leaving behind enslaved biorobots and deadly traps for new intelligent races.

The motives of the Reapers are impossible to understand, which makes these creatures even more sinister. The Lovecraftian horror caused by the Reapers, the developers decided to emphasize with their appearance - they look like hornets preparing to attack. When the Reaper attacks a planet, its miles-long body causes changes in the weather, and its propulsion engines burn the earth to lava.

The main occupation of the player in Mass Effect is shooting with the local “zoo”

* * *

The Mass Effect universe, which appeared 10 years ago, took the world of science fiction by storm and immediately won the status of a classic of the genre. She managed to combine the heritage of science fiction literature, cinema and video games. This is a vibrant space opera, the center of starry romance, the authors of which captured the very dream that Ray Bradbury spoke about in the story “R is for Rocket”:

Everything that people have dreamed about for centuries was dismantled, sifted and forged into one - the most cherished, most wonderful and most winged dream. Whatever the outline - a hardened flame, an impeccable form... Frozen fire, ice ready to melt were waiting there, in the middle of the concrete prairie; a little more, and it will wake up with a roar, and rush up, and this thoughtless, magnificent, mighty head will butt the Milky Way, so that the stars will fall down like a meteor firefall.

The most complete this moment A chronology of events in the Mass Effect universe, compiled from multiple sources. It covers events from 1,000,000,000 BC. to 2186 AD

Prehistoric Times (Unknown year BC - 1,000,000,000 BC)

Unknown year BC

    Leviathans dominate the Galaxy, enslaving all new intelligent races they encounter, and protect them by receiving tribute. The Leviathans consider themselves the first and only supreme race in the Galaxy.

    After discovering that their subject races were creating other synthetic races that consistently and violently rebelled, the Leviathans created an Artificial Intelligence whose mission was to find a way to secure organic life forever. The AI ​​creates an army of servants to collect genetic information throughout the Galaxy.

    The AI ​​betrays the Leviathans, destroys them with the help of its servants, and uses the genetic material to create the Harbinger, the first Reaper. Thus begins the cyclical harvest by the Reapers of intelligent organic life in the Galaxy, part of an experiment conducted by the AI, which carries out its task.

    The AI ​​creates a network of mass relays to increase the efficiency of the cycles, allowing galactic civilizations to develop faster and more consistently between harvests.

Times before Protheans (1,000,000,000 BC - 68,000 BC)

~ 1,000,000,000 BC

  • The Leviathan Deet, revealed to be a dead Reaper, crashes onto the planet Yartar in the Deet system, Gamma Hades, and remains undetected for approximately a billion years.

~37,000,000 BC

~ 40,000,000 - 20,000,000 BC

  • In the Schwarzschild system (Eta Khotinga) lived representatives of an unknown race that went into space. Perhaps they were the ones who destroyed the Reaper. Now traces of orbital bombardment are visible on the planets of the system. It is impossible to determine whether this race or colony had a home planet in the Schwarzschild system.

~2,700,000 BC

  • On the planet Carcosa (Nimbus cluster, Agaiu system), an unknown civilization is building huge cities.

~1,800,000 BC

  • The gravitational well of the gas giant Aegis is sucking an outer body more than 200 kilometers in diameter, the fall of which has thrown enough material into orbit to form a ring. If this had not happened, then this body might have crashed into the Trident that now belongs to the Alliance.

~1,000,000 BC

  • The asteroid collides with the planet Raisaris, which leads to the formation of the Teriinu crater on it. The asteroid's core contained element zero, which still remains close to the surface of Raisaris.

~810,000 BC

  • There is a powerful eruption of a huge volcano on Beregal. Magma erupts over thousands of kilometers, leaving craters hundreds of kilometers long. The ejected substance would be enough to form a continent. The next such eruption will occur in the next ten thousand years.

~500,000 BC

  • Several dozen satellites of the planet Farcrot, located in the Han system of the Sigma Gemini nebula, are given the appearance of representatives of an alien race of arthropods, still unknown to scientists of the Citadel Space.

~398,000 BC

  • The legendary meteor shower hits the planet Kylo, ​​resulting in the formation of many craters.

~298,000 BC

  • In the Zelena system, the ancient Arthenni race flourished, living on the planet Gelim until they were destroyed during unknown events, when all complex life on the planet died out. They also maintained a presence on other planets in the system, including Epho, ​​where traces of ancient orbital bombardment were found, and Gelon, which may have been used to mine helium-3.

~125,000 BC

~68,000 BC

    The Protheans make space flights and, having studied the ruins of the extinct Inusannon race, discover mass effect technology. They continue to develop their civilization in the vastness of the Galaxy with its capital in the Citadel, connected by a network of mass relays.

    The Protheans face a hostile race of artificial intelligences that threaten their existence. To counter this threat, the Protheans aggressively incorporate many other spacefaring organic races into their empire. The Prothean Empire is able to resist the machines in conflict.

~48,000 BC: Death of the Protheans

~13,000 BC

  • The Turian civilization was formed.

~6000 BC

  • In an effort to prevent their destruction from the inevitable explosion of the sun, an alien race builds a spaceship controlled by artificial intelligence and equipped with supercomputers containing virtual world, into which about a billion aliens transfer their consciousness. The spaceship begins a journey through the Galaxy that continues for the next 8,000 years.

1900 BC

  • The krogan home planet Tuchanka has entered the nuclear age. A global conflict in which weapons of mass destruction were used led to a nuclear winter, which resulted in a halt in development and the return of the krogan civilization to warring, divided tribes.

1800 BC

  • Due to the supernova explosion, the Mu mass relay leading to Pangea Space is displaced and lost in the newly formed gas nebula for many centuries. He is later discovered by the Rachni.

580 BC

560 BC

  • A salarian colony is founded on Halegase.

544 BC

  • An asari colony is founded on Sanves.

520 BC

    The Salarians find the Citadel and meet with the Asari, and diplomatic relations begin between the races. Research on the Citadel continues together.

505 BC

  • An asari colony is founded on Lucia.

Council Era - Early Period (500 BC - 1 AD)

500 BC / 0 GS: Founding of the Citadel Council

500 BC - 300 BC

    At the beginning of the 6th century BC. The turians are embroiled in a civil war between their own colonies. The most isolated colonies on the borders of turian space, where xenophobia flourished, begin to fight each other. After several years of fighting, the Turian hierarchy intervenes and resolves the remaining differences. Although peace was restored, hostility between the turian colonies persisted for many decades.

    The beginning of joint galactic expansion by the races of the Citadel and the formation of the diplomatic policy of the Citadel Council.

    The Salarian Union declassifies information about their top-secret unit - the League of Unity, after which its fighters disappear, and later take revenge by killing all members of the Union government cabinet. In response to this action, the best agents of the Salarian Special Response Group are sent to destroy the League members. They manage to kill 12 of the 13 League representatives.

    473 BC: Asari colony founded on Lesussa.

    430 BC: Asari colony founded on Limetis.

    381 BC: Turian colony founded on Digeris.

    300 BC: After conquering FTL, the Great Volus Expansion begins. They find several planets suitable for creating colonies and many planets with minerals.

300 BC - 1 year BC

Era of the Council - War and Rebellion (1 AD - 987 AD)

1 AD: Rachni Wars

  • An expedition from the Citadel, using a recently discovered relay, encounters the Rachni, a hostile, highly advanced race of space-traveling insects bound by a hive mind. Attempts are made to negotiate with the Rachni, but they fail as the Council is unable to contact the Rachni Queens, who live underground on their toxic planets. The war begins.

80 - 300

    The Rachni discover Mu's relay.

    The Krogans win victory after victory and expel the Rachni from Citadel space to their home planet.

    177: Asari colony founded on Niakal.

    300: The Rachni, remaining only on their home planet, refuse to end the war, after which the krogan invade their home world and commit genocide of the race.

300 - 700

    The Rachni have been declared extinct. In gratitude for their assistance in the war against the rachni, the Council rewards the krogan with the planet, their new home. After being freed from the hostile bonds of Tuchanka, the number of krogans began to grow rapidly, and a population explosion occurred in their society.

    322: Asari colony founded on Zion.

    354: The planet Garvug is given to the krogans.

    385: Volus colony founded on Talis Fia.

    ~ 400 : The krogan have fully adapted to the conditions on Garvug.

    430: An asari colony is founded on Nevos.

    400 - 500: Garvug's coral reefs are destroyed by pollution, and the krogan set out to find a new planet.

    658: The planet Gellix is ​​given to the krogans and they establish a colony.

    The Council is concerned that the krogan population is increasing exponentially, and they are colonizing many new worlds at an incredible rate.

    To covertly monitor and control the krogans, as well as reconnaissance and perform other secret missions, the Council creates a Special Tactical Intelligence Corps (SPECTRE).

    Salarian Bilo Gurji becomes the first Specter.

700: Krogan Rebellions

700 - 800

800 - 987

    Losing their numerical superiority and facing extinction, the krogan surrender to the turians and the Krogan Rebellion ends, although unrest continues for several decades.

    801: The turians take the planet Gellix from the krogan.

    The commander of the turian naval forces, a distinguished warrior named Mercury, immediately announced his resignation. He disappeared into a then unexplored region of the Galaxy.

    Turians fill the vacancies left by the Krogan Rebellion in the military and peacekeeping forces.

    First published general information about Spectra.

    Adoption of the Citadel Convention on Weapons of Mass Destruction.

987 (according to other sources approximately 900)

987 - 2157

  • The galactic community continues to expand, and new races are discovered. A long period of peace and prosperity follows, apart from the Geth Rebellion.
  • A turian colony is founded on the planet Oma Ker.

    Matriarch Aethyta is born.

    It is believed that Aria T'Loak was born no later than this time.

    On the planet "433 Spidau" occurs nuclear war. At the end of the 22nd century, the ruins of 90 cities that have not yet gotten rid of radiation will be discovered on the surface of the planet. By that time, the inhabitants of 433 Speedau will become the seventh on the list of known intelligent species destroyed by nuclear war.

1185-1285

  • Around this time, the Justicar of Samara was born (according to other unconfirmed sources, around 1585).
  • Overly rapid and unbridled industrial growth on Rahan, the drell homeworld, is causing significant damage to the planet's environment.
  • Urdnot Rex and Urdnot Reeve were born around this time.
  • A colony is founded on Illium.
  • The gas giant Dranen will form a giant hurricane that will exist for more than 545 years, which is much longer than the existence of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.

    To study the local ecology, the Asari reconnaissance ship Verallas landed on Nepiman. A colony of chloride-eating microorganisms accidentally got on board. When the Verallas returned to the port of Nos Parnallo on Illium, the Nepiman microbes found themselves in an environment with large amounts of chlorine. Microorganisms began to release toxic polychlorinated biphenyls. By the time the infestation was stopped, the area around Nos Parnalo had become a poisoned wasteland. The port had to be abandoned, accelerating the construction of Nos Astra.

    Around this time, asari researchers were exploring the planet Charblue.

    Designer Zelaya Kelpion begins to improve the luxury sports ship Tennekont and does so over the next 500 years. Each model is a unique masterpiece.

  • Samara gave birth to her daughters.
  • It has been established that the three daughters of Samara are Ardat-Yakshi. Rila and Falere accept the isolation, but Morinth, whose real name is Mirala, escapes.
  • Samara takes her oaths as justicar and pursues her daughter for the next 430 years.
  • An asari colony is founded on the planet Esan.

    A colony is founded on the planet Corlus in the Termina systems.

  • A batarian fleet bombs the salarian colony of Mannovai.

    The quarians create geth - machines that serve as a source of cheap labor.

  • The geth record the first audio-visual image.
  • An automatic probe is used to explore the ice dwarf Maisut.

1895: Geth Revolt

    The Gethami are captured by Hestrom.

    The geth displace the quarians from their home worlds, they leave their planets and begin to lead nomadic image life. Only a few million quarians survive, less than one percent of the population.

    Contrary to expectations, the geth do not leave the confines of the quarian star systems, but, on the contrary, isolate themselves from the galactic community behind the Veil of Perseus.

    As punishment for the creation of the geth, the Council closes the quarian embassy on the Citadel.

    Restrictions are being introduced on the creation artificial intelligence in the galactic community.

  • The last of the AIs are destroyed on the Citadel.

    The asari colony of Esan is absorbed by the Batarian Hegemony, causing a galactic scandal. Now this planet is known as Lorek.

    Pirates attacked a turian gas tanker. Having received damage, the ship made an emergency landing on Webinok, where a large number of copper deposits are located. As a result of the heating caused by the landing, a significant amount of ice on the surface melted and the liquid oxygen tanks the ship was carrying ruptured. Before oxygen escaped from the planet's surface, it caused extensive corrosion.

  • The geth begin construction of a megastructure designed to become the home and at the same time the control center of all their programs. Completing a megastructure that would allow the geth to maximize their collective productivity is the long-term goal of their civilization.
  • A colony is founded on the turian planet Invictus.
  • Shat Norda, the only krogan who managed to return alive from the surface of the planet Kurban, which for two millennia was considered an ideal place to test the endurance of warriors, has died.
  • The population of the colony on Invictus was halved due to high mortality and the outflow of colonists. The Primarchs announce their decision to leave the planet, but the turian politician Shastina Imperus makes an ambitious statement about creating her own colony, the population of which should double in just five years.
  • April 12: Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person to fly into space. A new era is opening before humanity - the era of space exploration.
  • The population of the new colony on Invictus, located far from disease vectors, has doubled since its inception. Shastina Imperus becomes a popular politician among the turians.
  • July 21: people visited another space object for the first time - the Moon, Neil Armstrong's landing.
  • A colony was founded on Caleston.
  • Aria T'Loak takes control of Omega after defeating the previous head of the space station in a duel. She mockingly calls the defeated krogan "Patriarch" and uses him as a reminder to her enemies of her power.

    An independent Volus researcher discovered the wreckage of an ancient Prothean starship at the Lagrange point of the planet Hesano. Several artifacts were discovered at the crash site. Volus hid the find and then wanted to sell its coordinates to a turian paleotech firm for a million credits.

    On the surface of Preskha's largest moon, the ship of the turian admiral Mercury was found, which disappeared immediately after the end of the Krogan Rebellion. The ship made a soft landing, all systems were deliberately turned off. However, no traces of Admiral Mercury were found.

  • Representatives of the batarian agricultural industry decide to turn Pragya into the breadbasket of their empire. The colony authorities bring new plants to Pragya, but under these conditions they turned out to be a real nightmare for the colonists.
  • A turian colony is founded on Altakiril.
  • On Rahan's severely depleted home planet, the drell, unable to make interstellar flights, faced the threat of extinction. Agreeing to help, the hanar mount a large-scale rescue operation and evacuate approximately 375,000 drell to their homeworld of Kahye over the next decade. The 11 billion drell remaining on Rahan are gradually dying, fighting for dwindling supplies of water and food.
  • An elcor colony is founded on Tunavanuro.

    A colony is founded on Sinmar, a satellite of Surtur. It is used to observe the star of the system.

    A colony is founded on Asteria. In the future, agricultural colonies of asari and people will appear on it.

  • During the notorious pirate attack on Korar, all the children on the planet were taken into slavery. Since that moment, not a single child has been born on Korar. A couple who wants to have offspring leaves the planet in advance.
  • The former quarian station "Kharatar", which at this point was a bare metal skeleton, was removed from the star maps.
  • The Dracon shopping center opens on Illium. It becomes home to Illium's corporate elite.
  • July 20: Armstrong Base in Shackleton Crater becomes the first human settlement on the Moon. The official opening ceremony took place exactly 100 years after the first moon landing.
  • Billionaire Victor Manswell, frustrated by the pace of official space exploration programs, begins sponsoring his own private space expedition.
  • Manswell's expedition, with three hundred colonists on board placed in cryosleep, successfully launches from Earth towards the Alpha Centauri system. Soon after this, contact with the ship is lost.
  • Liara T'Soni was born to asari matriarch Benezia.
  • The first inhabited research bases are being developed on Mars.
  • It is a well-known truth that behind any high-ranking hanar there is a fanatically loyal drell.
  • The asari aerostatic platform Alviusik crashed on the planet Ponolus. After being hit by a meteor, the platform fell to the surface of the planet.

    Around this time, the United North American States was formed.

    November 1: Protesting the annexation of Canada and Mexico to the United States, a gang called Liberty First blows up the Statue of Liberty in New York City, causing it to shatter into pieces.

    The flames of the Second American Civil War are ignited.

    On Earth in the USSR, the Battle of Washington is taking place.

  • A new Statue of Liberty has been created.

    The city of Lowell in Eos Canyon, created by the European Space Agency, becomes the first permanent human settlement on Mars.

    Around this time, Anita Goyle was born and became the first human ambassador to the Citadel.

    The quarians, looking for a new homeland, discover Ekuna (the Phoenix Cluster, Salahil) and ask the Citadel Council for rights to the planet, but before submitting the petition they manage to resettle several hundred thousand of their brothers on the surface, which the Council considers a violation of the law. As a result, the request is rejected, and the planet is given to the Elcors. The quarians are given one standard galactic month to leave the planet, after which their colonies would be bombarded.

  • A colony was founded on Ayta.
  • John Grissom is born.
  • On the planet Enael, a skirmish occurred between batarian troops and the forces of the Citadel.
  • A turian colony is founded on the planet Triginta Petra.
  • Multimillionaire Rakesh Dutta is born.

    Noah Vardos, the future general of the combined forces of corporations, is born.

    Construction of an orbital port on Deimos, a moon of Mars, has been completed. It serves as both a transhipment base for cargo moving to the surface, as well as a customs point and medical quarantine for visitors. In the future, a squadron of cruisers and a flotilla of frigates of the 1st Fleet of the Systems Alliance will be based here.

  • Around this time, Liara T'Soni graduates from university with a doctorate in archeology. She begins to study Prothean technology and the secrets of their disappearance.
  • Stephen Hackett was born in Buenos Aires.
  • The M-100 grenade launcher was created. By the 2180s it will be considered obsolete, but the grenade launcher is incredibly reliable and can fire even defective and refurbished ammunition.
  • Jill Dach is born.

    The Eldfel-Ashland Energy Corporation demonstrates a method for extracting helium-3 from Saturn's atmosphere.

    John Grissom undergoes basic training in the US Marine Corps where he meets Eisenhorn.

    Lyra Speight, who later became a senior officer at Sonax Corporation, was born.

    Saren Arterius is born.

    Cali Sanders is born.

The end of the 2130s (according to other sources - 2145).#

    Presumably Zaid Massani was born at this time.

    Thane Krios is born.

    Stephen Hackett's mother dies during the pandemic.

    Stephen Hackett is recruited into the Special Cadet Corps, where his aptitude for science and leadership quickly become apparent.

    Around this time, Liara T'Soni makes her last visit to the place where she grew up: Armali on Thessia, near the park.

    Neno Raxirian, the Legend of Turian Clawball, is born.

    Completion of construction of the Gagarin station.

    Traces of element zero have been discovered on Mars.

2148: Humanity discovers the physics of the mass effect

    Deep below the surface of Mars in the region of Prometheus Earth, located on south pole planet, people discover a small outpost where samples of advanced Prothean technology are stored.

    Deciphering the Prothean language and beginning to study information databases from the Martian outpost. Based on the knowledge of a long-extinct race, humans quickly learn the science of mass effect fields, allowing them to travel into space at superluminal speeds and begin thorough research solar system.

    On Earth, the process of creating a supranational military-political structure begins, which will replace the archaic UN.

    Miranda Lawson is born.

    Around this time, Mordin Solus was born.

    The Bonestell Martian observation platform has been built, located on the opposite side of Mars from the natural satellite Deimos. It serves as a communications center and space port.

    For the first time, the Systems Alliance begins to carry out reconnaissance activities with the goal of future colonization outside the solar system. One of the expeditions discovers the planet Terra Nova.

    The Hegemony research team visits Kholis.

    A colony is founded on the planet Moros. Mining rights are disputed between each other by the city-states of Aite, who have established three bases on Moros, as far apart as possible.

* From Avina's words it is known that by 2183 the Volus embassy had existed for 2384 standard galactic years. A standard year is 1.09 times longer than the Earth's, i.e. 2384 SGL = (2384*1.09) = 2598 Earth years. 2183-2598 (subtract year zero) = 416 BC

But these calculations are wrong. First, the expansion of the volus began in 300 BC. Secondly, Avina gives 2 more dates: 1304 SGL (1421 years) ago the turians took a seat on the Council, and 19 SGL (20.7 years) ago people opened an Embassy on the Citadel. 762 and 2162 years respectively. However, we know from several sources that people opened the Embassy in 2165, and according to the Code, turians entered the Council approximately 1200 years ago, i.e. in 983.

Perhaps Avina had a glitch and the counting was incorrect, but as a result her dates should be accurate. Therefore, instead of multiplying, let's divide galactic standard years by 1.09 and compare with other known sources.

Turians on the Council: 1304 / 1.09 = 1196, i.e. approximately 1200 years ago according to the Codex.

Human Embassy: 19 / 1.09 = 17.4. We get exactly 2165 according to the Codex and books.

Volus embassy according to the same principle: 2384 / 1.09 = 2187. We subtract this figure and the non-existent zero year from 2183, we get 5 BC.

# On the website, Zaid’s profile indicates his age is 40 years old (in 2185). It turns out that Zaid was betrayed when he was 20, and he founded the Blue Lights at the age of 15. It's quite possible, even though there are errors in the birth dates of other characters in their profiles. But the same site also says that before becoming a mercenary, Massani served in the Alliance forces. Therefore, most likely, the age indicated for him is also incorrect. To determine the minimum age of Zayed, to 15 years (the estimated age of the founding of the Blue Luminaries), we will add another 3 (up to 18) + time for military service. It turns out that Zaid founded the organization after serving, 5 years after that he was betrayed and waited another 20 in the wings. By 2185, Zayed should be approximately 45 years old or older.

By the end of the 22nd century.

Spin-off

Mass Effect Galaxy

Mass Effect: Datapad

Mass Effect: deck (2012): free application for iOS devices. Dec allows players to check the status of the galaxy map in Mass Effect 3 and receive messages from characters. Dec contains information about characters, races, cars, weapons, and story line V Mass Effect universe, as well as mini-games that interact with Mass Effect 3“Galaxy at war” with the system. It has since been removed from iOS App Store And Google Play Store.

Mass Effect: Andromeda APEX HQ

APEX HQ is the official companion app for Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer. Supported by iOS and Android devices, APEX HQ was released on March 15 in Canada, Ireland, Romania and Singapore, and worldwide on March 20, 2017. via APEX HQ Players can view their multiplayer progress, equip a character, assign skill points, manage a Strike team, and access their friends list. The application cannot be used while logged into the game.

Other media

Attractions

  • Mass Effect: New Earth (2016): A 4D holographic experience presented at California's Great America amusement park in 2016.

novels

  • Mass Effect: Revelation (2007), by Karpyshyn: First novel based on Mass Effect, the plot centers around then-Lieutenant David Anderson and tells the story of how he came to know Sarny, as well as the beginning of his relationship with Kali Sanders. It expands the story Mass Effect universe and shows in detail how Anderson failed to become the first human Specter.
  • Mass Effect: Ascension (2008), by Karpyshyn: The Second Novel Based on Mass Effect, the plot centers around the hero Paul Grayson, a member of Cerberus who is responsible for raising a biotic girl named Gillian. It is set approximately two months after the end of the events of the first game.
  • Mass Effect: Retribution (2010), by Karpyshyn: On July 27, 2010, BioWare released the third Mass Effect novel, sequel Mass Effect 2 And Mass Effect: Ascension .
  • Mass Effect: Deception (2012), from William C. Dietz: Fourth Mass Effect new, it centers on Gillian Grayson. The response to the novel was largely negative due to the inconsistency of lore and characterization, prompting fans to lobby BioWare to ignore the novel as canon. In response, BioWare and Del Rey announced that a number of changes would be made in subsequent editions.
  • Mass Effect: Nexus Uprising (2017), Jason M. Howe and KC Alexander: The Novel is the first of three designed to weave directly into Mass Effect: Andromeda, takes place "simultaneously with the adventure of the game itself." The novel was published by Titan Books.
  • Mass Effect: Origins (2017) by NK Jemisin and Mac Walters: This is the second novel in Mass Effect: Andromeda book of the trilogy, and was published by Titan Books.
  • Mass Effect: Annihilation (2018) by Catherine M. Valente: This is the third and final novel in Mass Effect: Andromeda book of the trilogy, and was published by Titan Books.

Interactive novels

Mass Effect: Choose Your Path (2012) is an unofficial, popular interactive fantasy novel written by Mike Kayatta that runs parallel to the events of Mass Effect 2. From here follows the exploits of a nameless Citadel merchant who drives Commander Shepard around the galaxy to gain approval for his store. Encouraged by the Phantom for reasons unknown, the merchant becomes helplessly entangled with the dangerous following various adventures Shepard. The story, considered similar to the Choose Your Own Adventure book series, features the same choice of guided game format, allowing the reader to choose between "Paragon" or "renegade" actions, significantly influence the ending, and even romance and the choice of unique party members. Full story The Fugitive was published in March 2012.

comics

  • Mass Effect: Redemption comic mini-series that was released between January and April 2010, the story, which revolves around Liar T'Sonya, is set in the interim period between the prologue and the main storyline Mass Effect 2 and is linked to the Lair of the Shadow Broker downloadable content that was released for the game.
  • Mass Effect: Invasion is an online comic (8 pages) that follows Aria T'Loak's meeting with the collectors one week before the events begin Mass Effect 2. Events Incursion reference the events of the comic miniseries Mass Effect: Redemption. It was released on June 21, 2010 via IGN.
  • Mass Effect: Inquisition This is an online comic (8 pages) written by Mac Walters. Passes after how Mass Effect 2, the story follows Captain Armando-Owen Bailey during his investigation of the executioner Venari Palin and corruption in C-Sec. It was released on October 26, 2010 via USA Today .
  • Mass Effect: Evolution is a four-part comic book mini-series. The first issue was released in January 2011. The story centers on the origins of the Illusive Man and is set during the First Contact War, shortly after the discovery of the Mass Relay.
  • Mass Effect: Conviction free short (10 page) one issue mini-comic written by Mac Walters. Taking place up Mass Effect 3, the story follows Lieutenant James Vega during his time on Omega before returning to maintaining Alliance systems. Released in September 2011, it is available through digital distribution exclusively at participating retail stores.
  • Mass Effect: Invasion is a comic book series (4 issues) released between October 2011 and January 2012 following Aria T'Loak, pirate queen of the Omega space station, as her station comes under attack from a new threat unleashed by Cerberus, a human prepper organization.
  • Mass Effect: Homeworlds are a comic book series (4 issues) written by game lead writer Mac Walters released on April 25, 2012. Each issue is dedicated to the main character from Mass Effect series.
  • is a 14-page single issue written by Mac Walters released November 7, 2012, via digital distribution. The main character of Blasto, main character several film universes are depicted as the galaxies of the first Hanar Specter.
  • Mass Effect: He Who Laughs is a short (10 page) one-issue mini-comic written by Mac Walters released on May 4, 2013 on Free Comic Book Day 2013. It explains how Jeff "Joker" Moreau became the pilot of the SSV Normandy prior to the events Mass Effect .
  • Mass Effect: Foundation is a 13-issue comic book series written by Mac Walters. The first issue was released on July 24, 2013. It has a story that runs parallel to the game trilogy and is intended to expand the universe as a whole.
  • Mass Effect: Discovery is a comic book series (4 issues) written by Jeremy Barlow released in 2017. Each issue is dedicated to the Andromeda Initiative from Mass Effect series.

Movies

  • Mass Effect : On May 24, 2010, EA announced that Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. acquired the rights to Mass Effect film with the game executive produced by Casey Hudson, as well as BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuck serving as executive producers, Legendary initially planned to release the film starring Thomas Tull, John Jashni and Avi Arad, with a film script by Protosevich. Protosevich and the producers stated that the film would follow the plot of the original game. October 24, 2012 Variety reported that Morgan Davis Faul will be writing the script.
  • Mass Effect: Paragon Lost (2012): On April 7, 2011, EA announced that anime distributor Funimation Entertainment and Japanese studio TO Entertainment would produce an anime film adaptation based on the series. The film was released on December 28, 2012 and serves as a prequel to Mass Effect 3 and begins the career of Marine Alliance James Vega as he leads an elite special forces squad into battle against the collectors. Stationed on a colony in a distant star system, Vega and his soldiers must protect civilians from a ruthless invasion of collectors determined to capture the population for unknown purposes.

Movies Fan

Mass Effect: Purpose (2012) is a cinephile set on the same scale as and Mass Effect games in the series, but following a group of original characters. The film follows the story of two N7 soldiers, Meer and Hale, who hunt down Defoe, a smuggler's cargo of great interest to many parties. The film was produced by film duo Sneaky Zebra and marks the first fan film set in Mass Effect universe. The film's unique element is interactive, as in the game series, allowing the viewer to choose the story path of four possible endings. Three character-based teaser trailers were released in December through Machinma, with a full short release in February 2012.

Red sand (2012) is a cinephile that serves as a prequel to Mass Effect series. It is set 35 years before the game's story and tells the story of the discovery of ancient Prothean ruins on Mars. Movie stars Mark Meer, the voice of the male version of Commander Shepard in the games, as Colonel John Grissom. It was produced by students and faculty from the Digital Video program at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona.

figurines

Two series of action figures were released by DC Direct and Big Fish Toys for Mass Effect 2 And Mass Effect 3. Series one included figures of Commander Shepard, Grunt, Tali, and Tanya. Series two included Garrus, Legion, Miranda and Mordin. Each figure features the game down to the accessories and they can be found in game and hobby stores and various online stores. Numbers associated with Mass Effect 3 include bonus downloadable content that is exclusive and different for each character.

Board games

Risk: Mass Effect Galaxy at War Edition (2013) was announced by USAopoly and was released in the fall of 2013.

Art books

Two Mass Effect fiction books were released: 2007 art Mass Effect, published by Prima Games and 2012 in the art of the Mass Effect Universe, published by Dark Horse Comics. The first books show sketches and concept art that was created for the original Mass Effect games, while the latter includes art, sketches and paintings for the entire trilogy, including several parts originally published in the first book.

Characters

The main characters of the game series

Note: Some characters may or may not appear in Mass Effect 2 or Mass Effect 3, depending on their fate in previous games. Some of the characters only appear when the player has the corresponding downloadable content (DLC) installed.

spin-off game characters

characters New series

comic series characters

The series, in particular the second game, received universal acclaim. Colin Moriarty noted that " Mass Effect series is one of the defining video game franchises of the [seventh] generation." GamesRadar called Mass Effect best new franchise in (then seventh) generations, saying "Galaxy was so well constructed that it felt like a decades-long franchise and represents a high water mark for video games as storytelling mediums." IGN rated Mass Effect trilogy best games The Xbox 360(s) are from the list of 25, despite being multi-platform.

Mass Effect 2 widely considered one of the greatest games of all time. It has received numerous game of the year awards and is the most critically acclaimed successful game in the series. It received over 70 perfect review results.

While Mass Effect 3 Also received critical acclaim, controversy surrounded its release due to public backlash and refusal to accept the game's (and trilogy's) ending. This ultimately led to BioWare releasing an "extended" cut patch towards the end Mass Effect 3, which will expand on but not replace it.

Fourth installment Mass Effect: Andromeda received mixed critical reception and was considered not up to par with the original trilogy.

Sales

Two weeks after the game was released, Mass Effect 2 shipped two million copies to retail. The game sold over 500,000 copies in its release month, despite being released at the end of the month. Before the release of the third game in the series, a total of 7 million copies were sold worldwide.

Mass Effect 3 sold over 800,000 copies in the first 24 hours, and its opening month sales were double those of its predecessor, selling over 900,000 copies on Xbox versions 360, ahead of the PlayStation 3 version 4 to 1, and bringing in more than $200 million in revenue.

(Mass Effect Trilogy)
  • Official site (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

    • Peculiarities

    The Mass Effect universe has a number of characteristic features that distinguish this fictional world from the real one.

    Zero element

    Element zero is a substance designated “Ez”. Element Zero) and serial number 0 (Periodical table). All that is known about the nature of this element is that it is formed by the impact of the energy of a supernova explosion on matter and is found throughout the galaxy in small quantities.

    Mass effect

    Biotics

    Biotics is the ability to create and manipulate mass effect fields. Biotic abilities have similarities to telekinesis. The most powerful biotics are due to their characteristics nervous system. The development of biotic abilities in humans can be caused by the influence of the zero element on a child whose body has just begun to form (for example, in the womb). Biotic abilities, after the necessary training, are often used for combat purposes. Unfortunately, there is a widespread belief among people that biotics are also capable of reading the thoughts of others and influencing them, and therefore no one - except the armed forces - wants to hire them. . Also, the development of biotic abilities (at least in humans) is impossible without amplifier implants, early models of which are imperfect, cause migraines and more serious side effects. This became the reason for demands for compensation, which the Systems Alliance (represented by the Parliamentary Subcommittee on Research in the Field of Transhumanism) is in no hurry to pay.

    Repeaters

    Repeater in action

    There is a system of devices in the galaxy called relays. mass relay), the main function of which is to quickly move from one point in the galaxy to another. Repeaters have been created, so the principle of operation has not yet been revealed to any of the races living in the galaxy, and only the Protheans were able to create an imperfect, smaller version. Repeaters are divided into 2 groups: primary and secondary. The primary ones have a strictly defined pair (another primary relay), which may be located at the other end of the galaxy. Secondaries move to any repeater within range. There are many disabled primary relays, since a primary relay is usually turned on when its pair is identified - due to the non-zero probability of encountering something dangerous. People's ignorance of this rule led to the War of First Contact.

    The first relay discovered by earthlings turned out to be Charon (frozen with ice), which used Pluto as a “gravitational anchor.” This was the primary relay leading to Arcturus.

    To destroy a relay, a colossal amount of energy is required, and the amount released significantly exceeds the amount expended and is comparable to the formation of a supernova. The relay can survive the formation of a supernova without damage, only after being knocked out of its orbit. Taking a sample of the repeater material proved impossible.

    Weapon

    Most types of weapons are based on the technology of accelerating a metal projectile located in a mass effect field using electromagnetic forces (the mass of the projectile varies from several grams for hand-held weapons to several kilograms for ship guns). For example, the main (and only) gun of the Everest dreadnought accelerates a “blank” weighing 20 kilograms to 1.3% of the speed of light, which is equivalent to a nuclear bomb with a yield of 38 kilotons - every five seconds. They even use a version of an electromagnetic weapon that shoots a stream of molten metal.

    Energy weapons are less popular. Computer-guided lasers are used in anti-missile and anti-fighter roles, but for ship-to-ship combat they lack the range and often the power against multi-layer armor, but kinetic barriers are powerless against them. Beam weapons are the rarest type. IN Mass Effect any hand-held electromagnetic weapon could be converted into a beam weapon, significantly reducing the lethal force, but allowing some of the damage to penetrate the enemy's kinetic barriers. The Protheans, like their “descendants” the Collectors, however, brought it to an effective and powerful means of destruction: the ship's emitter destroyed the Normandy in one salvo, and the hand-held version is extremely effective against any shields and, in the Prothean version, has almost endless ammunition. The geth managed to create a plasma shotgun and a four-barreled machine gun, but the core of the plasma charges is still solid; their "pulse rifle" is actually an advanced version of the regular one, with varying rates of fire and increased shield penetration.

    Races

    The fantastic world of the Mass Effect series is populated by many fictional races, and with the release of new works their number increases.

    Azari

    During the Reapers' invasion of the galaxy, the batarian homeworld of Khar'shan comes under massive attack, overwhelming any resistance. The batarian race is on the verge of extinction. This happened, in part, due to the fact that many government officials were indoctrinated by the dead Reaper in the system and shut down the planetary defense systems. The remnants of the batarian fleet may take part in the final battle against the Reapers.

    Volus

    Work

    Geths

    Three geth and a walking tank

    Geth Features

    Drells

    In Mass Effect 3, the Quarians discover vulnerable spot in defense of the geth and send their entire fleet to capture their home world of Rannoch. In desperation, the geth voluntarily surrendered to the Reapers in order to “upgrade” their systems. Shepard can side with the quarians or geth, and with a high positive or negative reputation, save both races from destruction and lead them into battle with the Reapers.

    Krogan

    Krogans lead a traditional way of life: they honor the clan, ritual services are provided by a shaman, the clan is headed by the strongest and wisest head, military traditions are widespread, manifested in dialogues, which the krogans also consider as a “battle in words.” Most likely, the traditional way of life was established after the nuclear disaster and the rollback of social development from the more complex forms that made the Krogan industrial society possible.

    In Mass Effect 3, the krogan agree to help defend the turian homeworld of Palaven from the Reapers only if their race is cured of the genophage. After this, the head of the Urdnot clan will demand from the Citadel Council the right to populate several planets.

    People

    One of the youngest races in galactic society, the first contact with another race (the Turians) took place in 2157 and, due to the rash actions of both sides, resulted in a military conflict called the War of First Contact (or the “Incident at Relay 314”). Human technology has greatly advanced thanks to the discovery of Prothean ruins on Mars in 2148 - it was thanks to the data found that people were able to use the mass effect and a galaxy-wide network of relays. By this time, many sciences had risen to new level For example, in medicine, genetic engineering has become commonplace. Thanks to space resources, industry has developed and the environmental situation on Earth has improved - partly due to the cessation of population growth at around 11 billion.

    Despite its “youth,” humanity has become a significant political force - depending on the player’s actions in Mass Effect, it will either receive a seat on the Citadel Council or lead the galactic government. The sudden appearance on the galactic arena “out of nowhere”, without any external help and under the roar of guns, the ability to defeat the best armed forces of the Council in the second battle, the desire for expansion, ambition, resourcefulness and flexibility almost frighten many other races, causing tension in relationships.

    Reapers

    The Proto-Reaper is a huge humanoid skeleton

    Turians

    Hanars

    The Protheans had a decisive influence on the accelerated social and technological development of the Hanar. The Prothean cult is widespread among the hanar even 50,000 years after the beginning of the Cycle, and some hanar preachers bravely carry the cult of the Masterminds beyond the borders of Kahye, however, without much success.

    Guardians

    Guardian in charge of maintaining the Citadel

    Elcors

    In battle, Elcors carry huge weapons on their backs, which are controlled by their built-in VI. In fact, in battle, elcors are walking, but inactive, tanks.

    Arthenni

    The Praetorian is a strong fighting unit: all vulnerable parts are covered with armor, there is a beam weapon in the upper part of the body, and upon death the corpse decomposes, releasing toxic gas.

    Most likely, it makes sense to classify Praetorians as Husks, but the Codex classifies them as a separate race. Perhaps this is one of the first attempts of the Catalyst to carry out the synthesis of organics and synthetics, which failed.

    Toy'han

    An ancient and high-tech race.

    Yagi

    Leviathans

    The presidium houses a system of spaceports providing cargo and passenger traffic. Races that have embassies have their own landing docks. In addition, the Presidium Tower has an emergency evacuation system for the Council.

    In the Presidium ring there are expensive private residences, as well as a large number of equally expensive restaurants, bars and clubs. In the Presidium Park there is, which is considered a monument, connecting the Citadel with Ilos, a planet visited during the passage of Mass Effect.

    Residential sectors

    Home to millions of people of different races. This is where most of the station's population is concentrated - not everyone can afford to live on the presidium. There is a huge diversity of cultures and beliefs in this part of the station. The residential sectors are one of the shopping centers of the Citadel space - they contain many shops where you can buy almost everything: from video games to used ships.

    Near the residential sectors there is an atmosphere held by inertia (erroneously called centrifugal force), which is not suitable for breathing, so all buildings are airtight.

    Base

    The technical compartment of the station, located between the residential sectors and the Presidium ring, is officially intended for the guardians. Unofficially, it is a kind of “slum” of the Citadel.

    Functions of the Citadel

    The current inhabitants of the Citadel believe that this station was created by the Protheans, who for unknown reasons disappeared 50,000 years ago. It is known that for them (as well as for modern residents) it was a political and economic center. In fact, the Citadel is leading to intergalactic space - the abode of the Reapers. Activating this function of the Citadel will allow the Reapers to enter the Milky Way and destroy the leadership with a surprise blow, as well as capture all the information, possessing which, they will be able to systematically and systematically destroy all intelligent life.

    Omega

    This section is missing references to information sources. an asteroid with rich deposits, the extraction of which was complicated by the thickness of the crust. Some time ago, a collision occurred that split the asteroid into several parts, which made it possible to begin mining element zero. This attracted many corporations, as well as criminals from all over the Galaxy. Now it has become home to mercenaries, slave traders, murderers and criminals of all stripes. There is also a non-criminal population at the station. Omega is first mentioned in Ascension (novel). to his appearance the station resembles a jellyfish. The outer shell of the asteroid remains only in the upper part, with many superstructures going down. The internal layout is quite complex, since the station was built without a generally accepted plan. There is no unified control system on Omega - the territories are controlled by various criminal groups, the most influential of which is the organization controlled by Aria T'Loak.

    Nuclear winter. The planet's population is relatively small, since it cannot grow quickly, the main reason for this is the genophage.

    Illium

    A planet located in the asari sector of space, but outside the jurisdiction of the Council. Located on the border of asari space and the Terminus systems, Illium has very loyal legislation, in which there are practically no restrictions: freedom of trade in weapons, drugs and even slaves (although all this is under total control). This is done to be able to compete with the illegal market that thrives in Terminus systems.

    Political and military organizations

    The Citadel Council was created long before humans entered space by the asari and salarians, who were later joined by the turians.

    Notably, races that have an embassy on the Citadel are considered "associate members of the Citadel Council".

    Alliance Systems

    RANGE

    SPECTER or Special Tactical Intelligence Corps (eng. Specter or SPECial Tactics and REconnaissance ) is a secret organization controlled directly by the Citadel Council. Agents of the organization have special powers and have the right to circumvent the law to complete a task. Agents are usually referred to simply as "specters".

    Known spectra

    Saren Arterius- The youngest turian spectrum appointed by the Council. Spectrum status revoked in 2183 after Saren's conspiracy with the geth was confirmed. Was killed by Shepard during the attack on the Citadel (or kills himself).

    Nihlus Craik- one of the brightest turian spectra. Killed by Saren Arterius during the Eden Prime Incident in 2183.

    Yodnum Bau- A Salarian Specter investigating the activities of a drugged hanar who intends to destroy the automatic defenses of his homeland. He requires Shepard's help with this in Mass Effect 3. He may die or survive depending on whether the player completed the Kasumi: The Stolen Memory DLC in Mass Effect 2.

    Tela Wazir- spectrum-asari. She became known after her discovery of the theft of economic reports from the Ministry of Finance of the Citadel Council, and after the destruction of the slave trade ring of the salarian city of Aegor on the planet Nasurn. Killed in 2185 by Captain Shepard after it was revealed that she was an agent of the Shadow Broker.

    Lonar Maran (Maeran)- She became known as a result of her participation in an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Lyra Spight, the Supreme Director of Sonax Industries on Gavruga (appeared in Cerberus news on December 23, 2010 in the English version, the Russian version was not found).

    David Anderson- During the events of Mass Effect: Discovery, at the initiative of the Systems Alliance command and Ambassador Goyle, Anderson was proposed to the Citadel Council as a possible first human Specter. To demonstrate his skills and test, David, along with the turian spectrum Saren Arterius, was sent on a mission to capture the organizers of the massacre - Dr. Shu Chian and the batarian Edan Had'dah. Saren, driven by his hatred of people and selfish interest in the doctor’s research and the artifact found by Had’dah, framed David, causing a massacre and killing the main defendants in the case. In his mission report to the Council, Saren placed the blame for the large number of civilian casualties and the deaths of key targets on David Anderson, his "partner". Since then, Anderson's past as a Spectrum has been an unpopular topic on the Citadel Council.

    Shepard- the first person officially promoted to specter (2183). Spectrum status revoked following Shepard's death in battle that same year (may be reinstated in 2185 following Shepard's revival as a result of Project Lazarus).

    Kayden Alenko/Ashley Williams- the survivor on Vermire continues to serve the Alliance, and ultimately becomes a spectrum in the time period from 2184 to 2185 at the personal invitation of Advisor Udina.

    Besides Garrus Vakarian in the first part of the game, he informs Shepard that he is going to submit his candidacy for the spectrum, in which Shepard may or may not support him, which, however, is not particularly important, since after the death of the captain, Garrus in any case becomes an Archangel.

    Also popular on the Citadel is an action movie with elements of humor about Blasto- fictional hanar spectrum.

    Justicars

    Long-ago events

    • Around 1,000,000,000 BC. e. - Leviathans rule over all intelligent races. The creation of the Catalyst and the appearance of the first reaper.
    • Around 48,000 BC e. - destruction of the Prothean civilization by the reapers.
    • Around 580 BC e. - The asari discover the Citadel.
    • Around 500 BC e. - creation of the Citadel Council by asari and salarians.
    • I-II century - Rachni wars.
    • II-X century - Krogan uprisings, use of the genophage.
    • The end of the 19th century - the geth uprising, the forced flight of the quarians from their native systems.

    November 30th Version 1.5 (Windows) Genres Action RPG, third person shooter Age
    ratings CERO: Z- Ages 18 and up only
    ESRB: M - Mature
    PEGI: 18
    RARS: 18+
    USK: USK 16[d]
    Creators Supervisor Casey Hudson Screenwriters Mac Walters (host) Composers Clint Mansell
    Christopher Lennertz
    Chris Velasco
    Sam Hulick
    Sasha Dikidzhiyan     Technical data Platforms Windows
    Xbox 360
    PlayStation 3
    Wii U
    Xbox One     Game engine Unreal Engine 3.5 Game modes single-player, multi-player Carriers 2 DVD-DL, Blu-ray System
    requirements

    OS – Windows XP SP3 / Vista SP1 / Windows 7 Processor – 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD equivalent RAM – 1 GB for Windows XP / 2 GB for Vista or Windows 7 Hard drive – at least 15 GB of free space For the game Internet connection required Video card – 256 MB, support Pixel Shader 3.0 Supported chipsets: NVidia 7900 or better; ATI X1800 or better. Please note that NVIDIA GeForce 9300, 8500 and 8300 chipsets, as well as AMD/ATI Radeon HD3200, HD3300 and HD4350, do not satisfy minimum requirements to the system. Sound card - DirectX 9.0c

    Processor – 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent AMD RAM – 2 GB for Windows XP / 4 GB for Vista or Windows 7 Hard drive – at least 15 GB of free space Internet connection required to play Video card – AMD/ATI Radeon HD4850 ​​512 MB or better / NVidia GeForce 9800GT 512 MB or better

    Sound card – DirectX 9.0c

    Control keyboard and mouse, gamepad, Kinect Official site

    On February 14, 2012, a demo version of the game was released. The full version of Mass Effect 3 was released on March 6, 2012 on personal computers, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. On November 18, 2012, a version of the game was released for the Wii U platform called " Mass Effect 3: Special Edition » .

    In "Mass Effect 3", unlike previous parts of the series, there is a multiplayer game mode.

    Game process

    Combat system

    Mass Effect 3's combat system differs slightly from Mass Effect 2. Shepard became more mobile, it became easier to move in shelters and quickly run from one to another. Rolls, grenade indicators and other minor things typical of the Shooter genre were added. Shepard can now use a heavy melee attack (this is unique for each class). The health scale was divided into 5 cells: partially damaged cells are regenerated over time, completely lost cells can only be restored with the help of panacelin. Now all enemies are divided into 3 main groups: Cerberus, Reapers, Getae. Many skills can now be combined, thereby causing much more damage to enemies. As in the previous parts of the trilogy, the game has a tactical pause, which is identical to the pause from the previous parts. Pause allows you to pause the game and use tactical skills, select weapons for the player and team. Also in tactical pause mode, a radar is displayed showing the location of nearby enemies and the direction to the current mission objective.

    Character development system

    As in the previous parts of the trilogy, the player is given six classes to choose from: Soldier, Adept, Stormtrooper, Engineer, Guardian and Scout. The level cap has increased to 60, as it was in the first part of the trilogy (in Mass Effect 2 the max level was 30). When importing saves from Mass Effect 2, the player will start the game at the level they reached in the previous game. The number of skills has increased. Each skill can be developed up to level 6 (and not up to 4, as it was in Mass Effect 2). Starting from skill level 4, the player can choose how a certain skill will be further developed. Similar to Mass Effect 2, the player can use "intensive training" on board the ship to also gain the ability of one of their companions, which, however, only become available after certain story events. Because even after reaching maximum level It is impossible to score a sufficient number of points to fully develop all skills; the player will have to choose which skills to develop to the limit and which not. Unlike Mass Effect 2, each class can now carry absolutely any weapon and its quantity. Downside is an increase in the recovery time of the player’s skills (the more weapons, the slower the skills are restored). The number of available weapons has increased several times. Has been deleted heavy weapons from the main arsenal (it is only available in certain missions). A system for improving weapons was added by adding various modifications to them.

    Communication with other characters

    The dialogue system in Mass Effect 3 differs little from its predecessors - during the dialogue a “circle of answers” ​​appears, in which, in addition to the usual answers, additional ones (charm/intimidation) periodically appear, which are available for selection only if the character is sufficiently “pumped up” - performed by choosing between the replicas of the Hero (Paragon) and the Renegade (Renegade). Unlike the previous parts, the Hero and the Renegade are not divided into two different bands, but fill out one reputation scale, which, when developed, gives access to both answer options at once. The game still features the Dialogue Interrupt system introduced in Mass Effect 2. Sometimes during a conversation an icon may appear on the screen. If you press the appropriate button in time, Captain Shepard will be able to somehow influence the outcome of events. The neutral (central) answer option was removed from the “answer circle”.

    Galaxy Ready

    The game introduced the "Galactic Readiness" system. After completing tasks, the player receives military resources that he needs in the war with the Reapers. The player can also obtain military resources simply by talking to certain characters. The amount of resources received depends on the player's choice. All military resources are summed up, displaying the “Galactic Readiness” indicator. “Galactic Readiness” determines how many troops will support the player in the epilogue of the game, thereby significantly influencing the ending of the game. By playing Mass Effect 3 multiplayer, the player can also increase their "Galactic Readiness". In addition, you can increase the combat readiness of the galaxy using mobile application Mass Effect 3 Datapad and Mass Effect Infiltrator games.

    Multiplayer mode

    Multiplayer mode is a four-player co-op mode. In co-op, players will have to fight off waves of opponents, there are 10 waves in total, 11 is the last, you need to hold out for 2 minutes until the evacuation transport arrives. The mode is reminiscent of the multiplayer cooperative Horde Mode from the game Gears of War 2, with the difference that the opponents are bots and controlled by the computer. There are the same number of these opponents as in the single-player campaign: Reapers, Cerberus agents and geth (the main antagonists of the second part of the series, the Collectors, were added in the Strike Back add-on). Initially, players were given 6 maps to choose from, corresponding to 6 and N7 missions available as they progress through the single-player campaign, which Admiral Hackett assigns Shepard to complete. At the end of each such mission, a short dialogue takes place between them, the essence of which boils down to the fact that Shepard has cleared a bridgehead, and now Hackett can maintain order there by sending N7 units to defend these points. Apparently it is assumed that the player is thereby given the opportunity to play as members of such squads using the multiplayer mode. As multiplayer expansions were released, the total number of maps reached 13, and the original 6 also became available in more complicated versions with various dangerous conditions (sandstorm, acid rain, blizzard, etc.). In addition, two maps were slightly modified, as their topology, originally taken from the single-player game, made them too unbalanced, which was often used by unscrupulous players to gain certain advantages.

    There is also a choice of mission difficulty: Bronze - easy level difficulties; Silver - medium; Gold - Heavy; Platinum - Super Hard (each wave with all opponents at once (Cerberus, geth, reapers, collectors), where the 1st wave in difficulty resembles the 9th wave of the gold level).

    The co-op has all the classes from the single player campaign and representatives of almost all races. The game also has a store in which there are six options for purchasing sets of items, differing in cost, quantity and power of items, and one set consisting only of equipment. Items from the set are issued randomly. In addition, in the co-op there are various tests, by completing which the player receives points. For points you can buy unique titles that all other players will see.

    Extended Cut Firefight

    This DLC adds 7 types of weapons: sniper rifles“Indra” and “Krize”, the “Rygar” carbine, the “Devastator” assault rifle, the geth plasma submachine gun, as well as the newest submachine gun of the Blood Pack fighters “Punisher” and the Anti-synthetic rifle “Adas”. The add-on was released on August 7, 2012 with a cost of $1.99.

    Leviathan

    The DLC adds several new quests to find the mysterious Leviathan, who single-handedly defeated the Reaper, as well as other minor content, including weapons that were previously only available for pre-ordering the game, as well as several new weapon modifications. The add-on was released on August 28, 2012, costing $9.99.

    Ground Resistance

    This is the second DLC for single player, which only adds weapons. It, like the previous one, contains 7 types of new weapons: the Venom shotgun, the Executor pistol, the Key-Shock harpoon gun, the Hammerman assault rifle, the N7 Piranha shotgun, the N7 Typhoon assault rifle and the pistol " Acolyte." The add-on was released on October 16, 2012 with a cost of $1.99.

    Set of appearance options

    This set includes new costumes for Garrus, Liara and EDI, as well as armor for Shepard called "Ajax". The add-on was released on November 20, 2012 with a cost of $1.99.

    Omega

    In this expansion, Captain Shepard will travel to the inhabited asteroid Omega, where he will help the Pirate Queen Aria T'Loak clear the station of Cerberus troops. As the expansion progresses, new types of enemies are encountered. You can find weapons that were previously available only through a promotion: Chakram Launcher and N7 Valkyrie, as well as many new modifications for weapons. The addition also adds two temporary party members: Aria herself and a completely new character, the turian Nyreen. The player does not have the opportunity to take permanent partners with him. The add-on was released on November 27, 2012 with a cost of $14.99.

    Citadel

    The latest story addition for Mass Effect 3. Captain Shepard and his team will have to uncover a sinister conspiracy and learn a lot about the secrets of the Citadel. In this expansion, players will be able to meet many characters from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. Once completed, players will have the opportunity to try their luck at the Silver Coast Casino on the Citadel, blow off some steam in the Armax Battle Arena, or settle into Shepard's own apartment on the Citadel. The add-on was released on March 5, 2013 with a cost of $14.99.

    Genesis 2

    An interactive comic that allows you to make key decisions in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. Previously only available to Wii U users. For PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 users, the add-on was released on April 2, 2013 at a price of $3.99.

    For a group game

    All DLC for collective game are free.

    Renaissance

    Two maps have been added: Condor Group and Hydra Group, new character classes, weapons and equipment. DLC was released on April 10, 2012.

    Insurrection

    Two maps have been added: Goddess Base and Jade Base, new character classes, weapons and equipment, as well as a new mission to deliver a secret cargo. Added a slot for permanent equipment that will not be used up after the match. The DLC was released on May 29, 2012.

    Earth

    Added 3 maps: Support Base "Vancouver", Support Base "London" and Support Base "Rio", a new difficulty level - Platinum, a new task - escorting a holographic drone, as well as new classes and weapons. DLC was released on June 17, 2012.

    Counter attack

    A new type of enemy has been added - Collectors, the Cerberus Punisher and a new explosive drone for the geth, as well as new classes and weapons. Added changes to old maps, as well as added their more complex counterparts with various dangers (sandstorm, blizzard, radiation contamination, etc.). In addition, the game has new challenges, completing which the player receives points that can be spent on various titles. The DLC was released on October 9, 2012.

    Pay

    The fifth addition to the multiplayer game Mass Effect 3. It added 7 new weapons, 6 characters, 2 pieces of equipment and 5 weapon modifications to the game. The DLC was released on February 26, 2013 on Xbox 360 and PC, and on February 27 on PlayStation 3. According to the developers, this is the last addition for cooperative game.

    Other content

    This content was available through various promotions or pre-orders:

    Development history

    On March 23, 2010, the head of BioWare, Ray Muzyka, publicly stated that the third part of the trilogy will surpass its predecessor, Mass Effect 2, in all respects and will raise the quality of such projects to a new level. “With Mass Effect 2, we raised the bar very high. high level, but you know what, we're going to beat this game to Mass Effect 3," Muzyka said.

    On March 28, 2010, BioWare employee Christina Norman confirmed the fact of work on Mass Effect 3. She hinted that at the time of this announcement BioWare was developing new system gameplay codenamed "Project Wombat".

    On March 30, 2010, the head of the American company Epic Games, Mark Rein, in an interview with the British magazine Develop, said that Mass game Effect 3, like the previous two games in the series, will use the Unreal Engine 3 game engine.

    On May 21, 2010, Casey Hudson, in an interview with VideoGamer.com, reported information about a mini-game that involves scanning planets in search of various minerals and other resources. In an interview, he said that Mass Effect 2 players liked this mini-game, so it will go to Mass Effect 3. In the same interview, Hudson spoke about the plot connection between Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3. He said that several story additions for “Mass Effect 2” are planned for release, which will connect the stories of these two games.

    On August 4, 2010, in an interview with PC Zone, Casey Hudson stated that the actions of players in the first two parts of the Mass Effect series will have an impact on the development and plot features of the third part. “We plan to make events in the new game even more dependent on the actions that you did in the first and second parts,” Hudson said. - To be more specific, we are talking about more than 1000 variables, on the basis of which a unique gaming experience for every player in Mass Effect 3." However, Hudson said that the developers do not plan to make any radical innovations in Mass Effect 3, since the main changes have already been made in Mass Effect 2.

    On September 8, 2010, the Examiner website, citing its reliable informants, reported that at PAX 2010, the developers of Mass Effect 3 announced behind closed doors the date of the official announcement of the game. According to this information, official announcement"Mass Effect 3" is scheduled to release in October 2010, and target platforms include , Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

    On December 9, 2010, a screenshot was published on the website of the Computer and Video Games magazine, which was allegedly taken from the upcoming trailer new game from BioWare. The source who provided this screenshot to the publication did not openly state which game this screenshot belongs to. However, the Joystiq website, citing its internal sources, stated that this screenshot belongs specifically to “Mass Effect 3”.

    Presentation at E3

    Reviews, ratings and awards

    Reviews
    Foreign language publications
    EditionGrade
    1UP.comA
    Edge8/10
    Eurogamer10/10
    5/5
    Game Informer10/10
    GameSpot9.0/10
    GameTrailers9.5/10
    IGN9.5/10
    PC Gamer (US)93/100
    Russian-language publications
    EditionGrade
    Absolute Games85 %
    Kanobu.ru8/10
    PlayGround.ru8,1/10
    gambling addiction9/10
    [email protected]9/10

    The game was received quite controversially in the gaming community. Despite the high ratings from most gaming publications, many fans of the series were dissatisfied with the game, including due to the fact that, in their opinion, the endings practically do not reflect the player’s choices throughout the game and leave behind some plot inconsistencies.

    Website Gmbox.ru gave the game a score of 10 out of 10, and his reviewer Georgy Kurgan called the game the best interactive space opera in the world, despite the fact that the characters' speech is replete with dramatic clichés and cliches.

    At the Video Games Awards 2012, the game won the RPG of the Year category; it was also nominated in four other categories, but did not win: Game of the Year, Best Actress, Best DLC, Character of the Year.

    Daily News, Game Informer, PC Gamer, ABC Television's Good Game Awards, GamesRadar, Kanobu.ru and many others recognized Mass Effect 3 as game of the year.

    According to Wired.com The ending of Mass Effect 3 was ranked 7th on the list of the top 10 gaming disappointments of 2012.

    Scandal surrounding the game's ending

    Despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, many fans were unhappy with the ending of the game. In particular, critics noted the unconvincing motivation of the main antagonist, the presence of a large number of logical inconsistencies in the narrative, and the almost complete lack of influence of the player’s choice on the ending. Discontent resulted in a number of scandals and protests. One of them was organized by BioWare Social Network user LoganKey. The promotion consisted of sending cupcakes of three different colors, but with the same taste, to the Bioware studio office in Edmonton. The promotion was held under the appropriate motto: “It doesn’t matter what color you choose, everyone has the same taste.”

    Meanwhile, on March 15, in his blog, science fiction writer and author of the plot of the first two parts, Drew Karpyshyn, in connection with numerous email messages from Mass Effect fans, commented on the situation surrounding the ending of Mass Effect 3: “First, let me say that Mass Effect is a universally acclaimed fantasy game with a MetaCritic rating of over 90%. And that didn't stop the flow of complaints about the ending, although... it probably shouldn't have. If you played the game, then you have the right to express your opinion in free form. I also heard from people who liked the ending, but their messages were lost in the general flow of discontent.” The writer added that he himself has not played the game, and he is unlikely to have such an opportunity in the coming months.

    On March 21, in a blog post, Ray Muzica, co-founder and general manager of BioWare, commented on the situation surrounding the ending of Mass Effect 3. He stated that he was surprised by the reaction of fans, since the game received high marks from critics and some publications, but not from fans. Ray Muzika also added that the team working on the ending should accept their feedback and criticism.

    Based on the information received, executive producer Casey Hudson and the development team explored options for game content that could answer the questions that had arisen and provide a clearer picture of what happened. On June 26, 2012, Bioware released free add-on Extended Cut, which was supposed to develop the ending and describe in more detail the different options for ending the game. The ending was indeed significantly expanded in terms of scope, and some logical inconsistencies were corrected. But despite all the efforts of the developers, the ending still did not satisfy a large group of fans, since in general its essence did not change, with the exception of adding an additional choice for the player (“refusal”).

    Indoctrination theory

    In the days following the release of Mass Effect 3, criticism of the game's epilogue at times reached such an extent that some fans even refused to believe that the ending shown in it was real. It was then that the “Intoxication Theory” was born. Proponents of the theory are confident that all the final scenes that happen to the main character after he is overtaken by the Harbinger’s attack are nothing more than an attempt by the Reapers to seize control of his consciousness (stupefy), and Shepard himself is unconscious on Earth at that time



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