Mass Effect: Genesis is the "Interactive Backstory Comic" created for the PlayStation 3 release of Mass Effect 2, and later made available for Xbox 360 and PC. It was produced by Dark Horse Comics, who also published Mass Effect: Redemption and Mass Effect: Evolution. On Playstation 3 the comic is available as downloadable content free through the PlayStation Store, for the Xbox 360 it is available for 320 Microsoft Points through the Xbox Live Marketplace, and for the PC it is avaliable for 320 BioWare points from the BioWare Social Network. On May 17 2011, it was made available for the Xbox 360 and PC versions of Mass Effect 2.
As Mass Effect was never released on the PlayStation 3, and, due to its being published by Microsoft Game Studios, likely never will be, the interactive comic introduces new players to the story of the original game while allowing them to make six of the major plot decisions that Xbox 360 and PC players could make in the original game (see Save File Transfer). If downloaded, the comic appears between the opening scene and character customization.
There are two versions of the comic, one each for a male and female Commander Shepard.
Choices
The six choices that players can make in Mass Effect: Genesis are as follows:
- Who became Shepard's love interest?
- Should the Rachni Queen on Noveria be freed or destroyed?
- What is the fate of Urdnot Wrex on Virmire?
- Who is sacrificed on Virmire, Ashley Williams or Kaidan Alenko?
- What happens to the Citadel Council during the Battle of the Citadel?
- Who does Shepard endorse to represent humanity on the Council, David Anderson or Donnel Udina?
Notably, the mission on Feros is omitted entirely from the comic. The comic also does not mention the geth, despite them playing a significant role in the story of Mass Effect.