Mass Effect: Meet Nihlus

By Steve West: 2007-10-02 19:15:52

Mass Effect is going to end 2007 on a high note. This year will be remembered not for the greatness of Halo 3, but for the triumphant return of a BioWare title to an Xbox console. That’s right, even after having played Bioshock and Halo 3 to completion I’m stating that Mass Effect continues to be my front runner for potential game of the year. Not that such a title ultimately means anything. To reinforce my sentiments Microsoft has shared some information on a central character, Spectre agent Nihlus Kryik.

BioWare’s RPG gameplay style has always been accessible to western audiences. Without hands on play we can’t confirm how well the wheel of awesome abilities works, but it looks fairly intuitive. Plus, you should expect some level of cognitive playtime when using an RPG interface. Not that Nihlus would care; he’d find a way to take care of the situation no matter what.

He’s not a rule breaker though, just a guy who knows how to get things done. Nihlus was born on a small mercenary outpost outside Hierarchy space, and when his father died when Nihlus was 16, his mother forced him to join the turian military. It’s here where the Citadel Council’s most decorated Spectre agent made his talents known. He was top of his class and possesses unparalleled skills. Of course, being an outsider made ostracisation a daily occurrence.

Nihlus was strong willed, but more than capable. His attitude towards superiors got him in trouble on numerous occasions. Nihlus would disobey a direct order if he thought doing something else would be for the best. He single handedly took out an enemy patrol, saving his squad, and was summarily berated by his commanding officers for his recklessness. Due to this conflict of personality and strict military code, Nihlus was not destined to ascend the ranks.

It was after a third reassignment that Nihlus met Saren Arterius, a fellow turian and a Spectre. Impressed with the young soldier, Saren took the turian under his wing. Free from military procedure, Nihlus took to his new life with fervor. Nihlus was asked to join the Spectre’s within a year, and he soon stepped out from his mentor’s shadow to become one of the Citadel Council’s top agents. While not as ruthless as Saren, Nihlus has the ability to find an enemy’s weakness and exploit it. Sure, you may think he’s nice in comparison to Saren, but Nihlus will destroy you if you stand in his way. So…how about staying on his good side whenever you can?

It sounds like Nihlus is going to be that character you just can’t quite trust, but will come through if you need him to. Oh, and it suits his own ends. That is the type of soldier you want on your side in a galactic war. Now that you’ve gotten a chance to sit down and get to know Nihlus, aren’t you looking forward to fighting with him come this November? Yeah, us too. Mass Effect is set to release on November 20th for the Xbox 360.

New hi-res screens of Nihlus are below.

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