Mass Effect 3: "Take Earth Back!"

The battle to end all battles has begun!

"Go weapons-hot in a fully immersive sci-fi epic that reacts to every decision you make.

Not everyone will survive. An ancient alien race, known only as “Reapers”, has launched an all-out invasion leaving nothing but a trail of destruction in their wake. Earth has been taken, the galaxy is on the verge of total annihilation, and you are the only one who can stop them. The price of failure is extinction. You are Commander Shepard, a character that you can forge in your own image. You determine how events will play out, which planets to explore, and whom to form alliances with as you rally a force to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all. How you wage this war is completely up to you: go into combat with guns blazing or use cover to plan a more tactical assault. Utilize your squad to full effect or take a lone wolf approach. Rain death from a distance or go toe–to-toe with enemies using devastating melee attacks. Mass Effect 3 will react to each decision you make as you play through a truly unique experience of your own creation.

A rich, branching storyline: Experience a sci-fi epic with multiple endings determined by your choices and actions throughout the game. Massive in scope: Battle on many worlds across the galaxy as you unite the ultimate force to take back the Earth before it’s too late. Large-scale and intelligent enemies: Battle enormous enemies and take on a smarter type of foe that will consistently challenge your best combat tactics and put you on the edge of your seat. Unlock a customizable arsenal: Tailor each weapon with devastating upgrades including scopes, grips, barrels and dozens of other unique attachments. Each weapon boasts its own powerful impact and visual flair. Unleash death from afar or go toe-to-toe: Customize your soldier and squad to engage the enemy on your terms. A huge variety of weapons, abilities and equipment allow you to combat the enemy in your preferred style of play."

I would probably tell you how I felt about this game on a more personal level, but I'm the victim of truly Amazonian indifference. I pre-ordered my Mass Effect 3 [N7] Collectors Edition for Xbox 360 from Amazon back in August of 2011, but despite the credit card charge from this past Sunday evening,  my copy has not even shipped yet. Supposedly, supply and demand issues are at fault. Irritation does not even begin to describe my thoughts on this gaffe. Usually game companies cut-off sales for special editions at least a month or more before the scheduled release date, but Bioware/EA Games continued to solicit sales for all formats across a variety of venues right up until the very end; SO, I get to wait until hell freezes over to actually get into the battle against the dreaded Reapers. This is the third and final act in the best-selling ME franchise, and if you haven't played any Mass Effect game before, there are built-in ways for the new game to get you up to speed for what is bound to be an intense RPG experience. Hey, if you have grown somewhat tired of the endless spin going on in the world of comic books, this is a nice way to enjoy epic storytelling with heroic characters on a galactic scale, plus based on your in-game decisions, you will even decide how the action plays out. Irritation notwithstanding, recommended!