Earlier this month, we brought you the first real glimpse at Bioware's eagerly anticipated Mass Effect 2. Today, we've got some more information for your eager ears.

While a bunch of information regarding the title is expected to seep out from E3, some details regarding the game have made their way onto the Internet by way of some lucky magazine subscribers who have received July issues of the Official Xbox Magazine early.

On the Bioware forums, two users, Anexanhume and Hunter 192 detailed some Mass Effect 2 features, that were revealed by the July issue of the Official Xbox Magazine.

Overall, the game will take a darker path than the first, with lots of returning characters from the first game, along with new party members, including Thane, who is an assassin.

As can be expected, new locations will also feature, with an Asari planet called Illium among the new attractions, which has sky scrapers and will no doubt have more depictions of Asari culture. A mothership of sorts will also be present, along with a giant citadel that the evil characters of the universe choose to call home.

As promised in the earlier teaser, the game will feature more powerful heavy weapons, to accompany the game's darker tone.

Other enhancements will include engine optimisation, with the promise that texture and object pop-in will almost entirely be eliminated. The elevator scenes will be addressed (which were used as an excuse for loading in the first gaming), and a new transit system will be introduced.

The game will have multiple endings, with Paragon and Renegade types each to be treated to extra special endings. Players are urged to hold onto their save game files from the first game, as they will determine who is alive in Mass Effect 2, along with how the universe has changed due to the player's actions in the first game.

E3 will see a number of refined features demonstrated by Bioware, which includes a look at the updated Mako, along with how players will explore uncharted worlds. Its also likely that Shepard will survive, contrary to the very first teaser trailer for the game.

More details regarding Mass Effect 2 are due next week at E3. The game is not scheduled to release until early 2010, and will be available on the PC and the Xbox 360. For more information about Mass Effect 2, check out the previously released trailers.

All screenshots from the original Mass Effect