2011: A Space Odyssey-Gaming 2011

Mass Effect, this space odyssey that many have defined as the Star Wars of the twenty-first century, will close late next trilogy and imminent year. Its hitherto greatest strength: providing new and successful proposals at both the narrative and the way to involve the player in it. "Will spread the example?

My experience with Mass Effect, Bioware's magnum opus that first conceived as a way to further exploit the success of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic without having to continue paying royalties to Uncle George, being the most particular. What at first seemed a simple carbon copy of everything seen, read and heard about the franchise located in that galaxy far, so far, the end is that it is not therefore surprising in a generation getting that much less is given to surprises. And one, after having played and completed all the main and secondary missions of the by now two installments of the franchise, having also made a bundle in the process in the content "additional" (much evil has been the advent of Internet and unloading platforms consoles!) to enjoy the full experience, can only guess that the developers of this great space odyssey are as surprised as me. As would the great Picasso, it seems that the inspiration they have been caught working.

And is that the first hours of play with the initial delivery of Mass Effect are only copy after copy of the elements that have to be the watchword of Star Wars for over thirty years. We have the Wraith, a sort of galactic government secret agents who are sent on missions rather risky and almost impossible to resolve or to take care of matters for which it is more convenient to send a small group of troops before an entire army. Does it sound familiar? Indeed, the Jedi think is inevitable. Then we have biotic powers, which allow you to move objects with his mind, throw enemies hundreds of feet away through psychic or pushed from one end to another battlefield superhuman speeds. Does it sound familiar? Indeed, think Force is also inevitable.

And then there is The Citadel, a sort of Coruscant becomes, so to speak, the official capital of the galaxy, which lies in the government that manages the economic, political and military of all civilizations attached to it. And we also have our own Millennium Falcon (Normandy), and also our Jedi seduced by the Dark Side of the Force (Saren Arterius spectrum) and also ... In short, in my first hours with Mass Effect and I thought how it would end the sense history: a lawsuit by George Lucas and a court order instructing a Bioware to recall all previously distributed copies of the game. However, to delve into it I realized that far from Star Wars was all that glittered. Under that tracing was an effort to innovate and break up the roots that shaped the Wars, keeping the right and necessary to build something much deeper and, why not realistic.

Mass Effect falls into one entity own more than grateful as the game progresses, as if it were the son of a famous personality who finally escape the influence of his father long to address their own path to success. Unfortunately, the Future trilogy still has not escaped the prevailing fashions today urging that the title should be as simple as possible to reach the broadest possible range of users (something that has happened with Mass Effect 2), while must flats have multiplayer mode but not with shoe does not fit (which seems to happen with Mass Effect 3). However, neither the absurd impositions and limitations that must now carry every title that aims to be commercial prevent the great work of Bioware finish writing with his third installment of the pages most remarkable recent history of the game.

And Mass Effect is that makes our beloved form of entertainment evolves and put on the table new and successful proposals it has been for a long time the big story remains: to engage the player in the evolution of his narrative, making you feel plunging part of the game in its development by the decisions you make as an integral part of the process rather than as a mere spectator. We have long been flying proudly as hallmark of the game compared to other forms of entertainment such as cinema and literature that here everything is interactive, when in fact much less so regarding the most important aspect of all forms of entertainment or expression that claims to be: the narrative.

Until now we had the appeal failed and incomprehensible to the player's hands in a flat character, devoid of any hint of charisma and personality, unable to utter a single word throughout the game, so that the user can "identify with him "and feel an active part of what you're telling. However, it is like trying to build a hospital where the only raw material which is measured today is a box of Band-Aids, which is that the game has yet to evolve much technology to reach a point where the actual player to interact face to face with the game in which it is immersed. And no, the type chorraditas Kinect Move or I'm not worth it, because it is a resource that only in cases where companies once they decide to apply for something other than "object of attraction to the public occasionally and grandmothers" could give interesting proposals. And that is when a minor character in Half-Life or Zelda talks with the star and get the same results as if you were talking to reap a lamppost, then clearly that is not the way forward, as it is not to slapped by the hand gesture instead of pressing a button. As they say, the order of factors does not alter the product.

To achieve true interactive and immersive storytelling in video games is not advisable to walk trails and traveled by other forms of entertainment. The "cinematic narrative" we have titles like Metal Gear or build new Heavy Rain get moving and exciting stories, but the price is little or no interaction from the player. So Mass Effect is so great. Here are Shepard, a character with a past and a voice of their own, whose actions taken throughout her ordeal are none other than our own. Any decision we make as a player, however small, can have consequences even in installments in the saga that still lie ahead.

So, I'm sure the experience and the development of the narrative of my Mass Effect 2 is very different from what you, my constant reader, you have lived with that same game. While Mass Effect 3 is getting closer, with the long and terrifying shadow of the Reapers threaten to drown the galaxy in complete darkness, I keep mulling over the implications that ultimately all decisions as a player I have taken previous installments of the saga. Who will live? Who will die? What unexpected allies on my side will be made when all seems lost, or what side to believe completely loyal to eventually betrayed? For once I will be myself, with my actions taken over more or less than the previous two games, which respond to these questions. Gentlemen, this really is interaction and immersion. Too bad the PS3 can not enjoy such an intense experience, and to replace the facts stated in the first Mass Effect for an interactive comic instead of a gentleman game is not far from the same, or make it " feel "Mass Effect 2 in the same way. Hopefully Bioware realizing this end, and if Microsoft does not prevent it, schedule a PS3 conversion of the first game of the franchise.

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