While Mass Effect 3 has had a Marmite Effect regarding the ending, it’s the added support and downloadable content that has kept the game relevant, months after release. Bioware has released plenty of extra multiplayer maps,weapons and characters, all for free, a move that has generated some positive spin so far. And apparently, there’s still plenty more free content on the way.
The fans over on the Something Awful and official Bioware forums collected and sorted out some new details, by examining game files. Apparently, the “Earth” DLC will add some new weapons, as well as an all new difficulty mode, Platinum. Jeez, as if being butchered by a half dozen invulnerable Banshees on gold wasn’t difficult enough already.
There’ll also be six new N7 class variants, each with their own special ability that includes;
- (Adept) N7 Fury: Throw, Annihilation Field, Dark Channel
- (Soldier) N7 Destroyer: Multi-Frag Grenade, Missile Launcher, Devastator Mode, T5-V battlesuit
- (Engineer) N7 Demolisher: Homing Grenade, Arc Grenade, Supply Pylon
- (Sentinel) N7 Paladin: Snap Freeze, Incinerate, Energy Drain
- (Infiltrator) N7 Shadow: Tactical Cloak, Shadow Strike, Electric Slash
- (Vanguard) N7 Slayer: Phase Disruptor, Biotic Charge, Biotic Slash, has a sword
As for what these new abilities actually do, an explanations of them was also posted:
- Fury: Fury operatives use implants to fuel biotics and their incredible movement speed. These operatives wind an unpredictable path on the battlefield, moving in and out of combat before returning to unleash a sweeping biotic attack on their unsuspecting targets.
- Destroyer: The Destroyer’s T5-V Battlesuit gives these strong-but-slow soldiers mech-like protection. Driven by eezo-assisted actuators, these frontline troopers carry heavy weapons onto the battlefield.
- Demolisher: The Demolisher uses grenades to attack at range and to terrorize the battlefield. Demolishers can also create a supply pylon that stocks allies with an unending reserve of grenades and thermal reloads.
- Paladin: The Paladin carries a powerful omni-shield onto the battlefield to block enemy fire. The Paladin also uses the shield as a heavy-melee weapon that, when modified with incendiary or cryo upgrades, creates a devastating combination attack.
- Shadow: Shadow infiltrators use implants to dramatically improve agility, making them slippery combatants on the battlefield. Their monomolecular blades are a menace from cover and close range.
- Slayer: Slayers use implants to dramatically improve mobility. Their dizzying sword attacks can hit multiple opponents, and the Slayer’s ability to slip fire makes them hard to pin down on the battlefield.
I’m still playing the Mass Effect 3 multiplayer myself, due in part to it being the one form of online play that I have some actual skill in. But with these new additions, due out on July 17, it looks like I’m going to be playing the game much, much longer still.
Last Updated: July 11, 2012
