Being that I’ve been a professional developer for many moons now, it’s still perplexing to me that some folks still don’t accept the fact that mobile gaming is here to stay. It’s not a fad people! The fact of the matter is that we shouldn’t be surprised that more and more games are becoming available for mobile devices. We tend to spend more time on them, so it’s only natural that publishers like EA start giving us some gaming goodies on the go. A high quality goodie in fact. And with that it’s time to discuss an upcoming Mass Effect title that will be found solely for the iOS: Mass Effect Infiltrator.
Mass Effect Infiltrator is a companion game for the upcoming Mass Effect 3 title, due out a little later this year, allowing fans to unlock not only exclusive weaponry but uncover intel to further enhance the Mass Effect story. All the things you would typically associate with Mass Effect can be found within Infiltrator. The only difference between the console and iOS version isn’t just the story but, ultimately, the controls. Swiping your way through the game appeared almost effortless. Headshots were completed with ease. Simply positioning your thumbs on either side allowed you to zoom in, aim and shoot as well as run and duck for cover. I didn’t see much shaking of the iPad to be honest. A good thing for me, honestly, it only seems to attract onlookers on the subway anyways. While I have only played one other FPS on the iPad, Time Crisis, Mass Effect Infiltrator appeared easier to maneuver. There was no apparent lag even when there were multiple enemies running and gunning towards you.
It is important to note that you don’t necessarily have to play Mass Effect Infiltrator to enjoy Mass Effect 3 but if you do it will only enhance your experience. How? Well, every completed rescue mission will increase your Galactic Readiness rating through the Galaxy at War system in Mass Effect 3 that can in turn influence your final battle with Commander Shepard against the Reapers. I honestly can’t tell you any more than that…
Even though the demo was brief and I didn’t particularly get my hands on it, had to put that in there, the graphics were amazing, the gameplay appeared solid, and just watching the player flick their way through the mission which such ease is what has me slightly curious about how the game will actually play once I buy it from the app store later on this year. Yes folks, the date is still TBD. One can only hope that Infiltrator might come out in conjunction with Mass Effect 3. But the point is clear: if you haven’t done so already, like me, you have a few weeks left to get started on Mass Effect 2 so you can truly appreciate all the unlockables and intel that you’ll discover while playing through Mass Effect Infiltrator. Goes without saying that if you’re a Mass Effect fan with an iOS device, I definitely feel that you will be in for a treat!
Many thanks to the kind folks at EA for the screenshots!