Game Informer lets loose Mass Effect 3 details

Less than 24 hours after we reported that Mass Effect 3 would be Game Informer's next cover story, information from the issue has found its way onto the internet via subscribers who have had the issue delivered a little early.

We've pulled as much of it together as we can - so here it is for you lot. Warning - potential spoilers for the opening set-up, cast and gameplay systems of Mass Effect 3 follow. Don't look past the image of the Game Informer if you don't want to see 'em.

The game will open with Shepard on Earth, on trial for events that occur in the 'Arrival' downloadable content for Mass Effect 2. Shepard will be partway through his trial when the Reapers invade. The Prologue and tutorial section of the game will show Shepard's escape to the Normandy.

We know from voice actors that the Normandy will likely still be the second one introduced in the second game - Tricia Helfer has confirmed that she is to reprise the role of EDI, the ship's AI, on Twitter, while Seth Green has also confirmed he'll be in to record his role as Joker.

Once aboard your ship, the game will focus on heading out into space, finding allies, fighting those taken over by the Reapers including husks of different species like the Batarians in order to bring them back to help stop the invasion.

The magazine confirms that Liara, Ashley or Kaiden and Garrus (if he survived ME2) will all return in a playable capacity "to some extent" - who knows if this means they'll be full-time party members or just part-time playable characters.

Also mentioned is a character named James Sanders. Bioware has confirmed that this isn't the sniper from the launch trailer, but Sanders is a familiar name in the Mass Effect universe - the star of the novels is Kahlee Sanders, the daughter of Jon Grissom, the captain of the first human ship to travel through a Mass Relay and a war hero. If James is related to Kahlee is unclear, but allusions to things in the books in which Kahlee stars have been in Mass Effect 1 and 2. There's a new book launching in September, before ME3.

Ashley is shown in the scan, and has an entirely new look - most notably with her hair down. Rather than the hard soldier from Mass Effect 1 and 2, she seems to have a far more femme fatale Miranda-styled look to her.

Also confirmed to appear in the game, but not guaranteed as playable squad members are Wrex, Mordin, Legion and Captain Anderson. Ambassador Udina and the Illusive Man are also appearing - and the latter and the organization Cerberus is out to kill Shepard for reasons unknown.

Bioware say that the game will have multiple endings this time around in a real sense - rather than variations on the same ending like the first two games the entire ending can change drastically depending on your choices and who you recruit to your squad and cause.

All versions of the game will include a 'previously on Mass Effect' interactive comic which will tell the story so far either as a reminder or for those jumping in with ME3. A similar comic telling the story for ME1 was included with the PS3 version of Mass Effect 2.

In gameplay terms the RPG elements of the game are being improved and increased. Don't expect a return to Mass Effect 1, but the skill trees will be larger and the powers available will evolve several times as points are poured into them instead of just once, allowing for a more detailed branching skill-tree and more freedom to make your Shepard and squad as you want.

The weapons in the game are handled similarly to Mass Effect 2 with a preset, modest amount of weapons that can be upgraded, but weapon mods from ME1 are back. It's simplified from the first game, but allows you to swap out things like barrels and scopes that will have an effect on the weapon's performance in combat and in-game appearance.

Another switch back to ME1 style is that all classes can carry all types of weapons without issue now, but some classes will have a limit on how many weapons they can carry. The Solider is the only class that can carry everything, while classes like the Adept and Engineer will likely only be able to carry two weapons at once.

More as it appears online, as always. Stick with us.