Mass Effect (no spoilers)

[mpompey]

Anyone else playing this game? Man I love this release! I can't wait until my theatre is finished so I can play it in full surround and on a huge screen.

This has been an excellent RPG so far.

 

[obscbyclouds]

I'm playing Mass Effect almost obsessively. It's a very good game. Definately reminds me of the first KOTOR (Knights of the Old Republic), which was also an excellent RPG.

Bioware really knows how to make characters come alive, they write an excellent story. Better than most movies I've seen. I used to joke that if only George Lucas had let Bioware write the prequel Star Wars movies, they would have been amazing!

Either way, I'm about 3/4's done with my paragon combat specialist, and I've just started and Evil (being evil is always more fun!) Adept, so we'll see how it goes. I'm having a lot of fun with it!

 

[jliedeka]

I've been playing it but not a lot. I keep getting my butt kicked in a battle. It's really frustrating because there is a huge cut scene I have to wait through. The last time I managed to live for about a minute before getting killed. Once I figure that out, I'll probably start playing with more enthusiasm.

Jim

 

[evilkat]

I hope they port it to the PC one of these years

 

[mpompey]

Okay good its not just me. My wife who is not a gamer in the least, watched me play through a scene where I picked up a NPC. She was amazed at the facial details, expressions, graphics. Then she saw the TV spot that shows Bioware's Anderson and the crew turning off the radio when they decide not to respond to a distress call.

I'm playing through as an infiltrator right now, I'm riding the middle between evil and good, pretty much taking assignments and deciding outcomes like I would in real life. My next character will probably be an evil mix between soldier and biotic. We'll see.

 

[Alamar]

I'm re-playing through the game currently. My first play through was as tech / biotic mix paragon [blue chick]. I'll see if soldier / paragon / human chick plays differently enough to warrant more play throughs.

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I suspect that I got stuck at the same place as you guys are describing. I had to totally change how I thought I should handle the fight before I won.

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To summarize my thoughts on the game:

1. Fans of a good story should like the game.
2. RPG fans should like it. It's not what it could be but it's certainly OK.
3. I think that there is decent replay value in the game.
4. The ground & vehicular combat are "poor".
5. The graphics are nice but there are shading glitches that reduce immersion.
6. The character/equipment building through the old kill-em and take their stuff isn't terribly good [I expect better from a 2K7 game].
7. RPG nerds should buy the game. Many other nerds [esp. shooter nerds] should stick with rentals to see if they like it first .....

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EDIT: I liked the whole B5 feel to the game. Assuming that we don't get an authorized [and good] B5 RPG this might be close enough ....

 

[obscbyclouds]

4. The ground & vehicular combat are "poor".

Couldn't agree more, the Mako gets really frustrating to drive and fight in, which is something you have to do quite a bit. It's kind of like a mix of Battlefield's tanks, and Oblivion's horses. In other words, terrible.

 

[Alamar]

I'm probably being a little harsh on the game because I was expecting soooo much more from the game than I got. Don't get me wrong ... it's a good game but I was literally expecting an all-time-great game.

My problem is that I saw some previews of the game [via XBox Live] and I saw great graphics ; what looked like decent tactical combat ; what looked like a decent cover system ; an RPG with a B5 feel to it ; vehicular combat / etc... All of the above I like in one way or another ... I, of course, didn't look at many more things because I wanted to stay spoiler free.

Therefore I didn't realize a lot of the features I was dreaming about had been scaled back or were non-existant ...

 

[mpompey]

No spoilers

I first saw Mass Effect in an article in some gaming magazine and became interested. I then saw the trailers/ previews via Xbox live and E3.

I wish KOTOR I and II had graphics and a story arc like Mass Effect. I can't wait for Mass Effect II. If they make it.

I agree combat in the Mako was a let down, but in the end I think I've gotten it down. I'm only 1/3 through the game so maybe other things are in store for me that I don't know about.

 

[Alamar]

After playing the game I think that it's a given that someone is going to make a Mass Effect 2. Hopefully the ME franchise will be a pure Bioware effort instead of Bioware farming out the sequels to another company.

I also hope that, similar to B5, the basic story outlines already exist and just need to be fleshed out.

 

[Kolia]

Damn! This game is addictive!!!

I just finished it a first time a few minutes ago as a paragon female vanguard. Relatively easy with all the option at the toughest settings the first play through allow. If you let your crew run wild with their powers, things get easier in combat!

That was a great story! I'm really pressed in choosing my best game of the year. Bioshock or Mass Effect...

Can't wait to do it all over again as John! Did this one in 28h.

 

[mpompey]

Damn! This game is addictive!!!

You are telling the truth there. I'm playing as a middle of the road Infiltrator. It wasn't until halfway through my second planetary mission that I finally got a handle on the combat and letting the NPC's handle all their own offensive powers. In addition, I wasted alot of XP in skills that I really didn't need. Too bad I can't reshuffle. Right now I'm at level 35.

I'm trying to concentrate on solving the secondary missions to get me a little more XP before I head into the think of things.

 

[obscbyclouds]

I'm trying to concentrate on solving the secondary missions to get me a little more XP before I head into the think of things.

Don't forget you can search all the planets, even the ones you can't land on, for more XP, money, and progress in certain quests (finding metals, turian insigna's, etc). When you reach higher levels, you get tons of money and XP for those, although it does get a bit tedious

I'm on my second playthough right now at the hardcore difficulty, and they aren't kidding, it's pretty hard core....I don't even really want to try Insane, that's when it'll be important to spend your skill points wisely!

All in all, great game, even the second time through.

 

[Alamar]

You are telling the truth there. I'm playing as a middle of the road Infiltrator. It wasn't until halfway through my second planetary mission that I finally got a handle on the combat and letting the NPC's handle all their own offensive powers. In addition, I wasted alot of XP in skills that I really didn't need. Too bad I can't reshuffle. Right now I'm at level 35.

I'm trying to concentrate on solving the secondary missions to get me a little more XP before I head into the think of things.

Note: The bosses scale with your level so getting more XP may not help much unless your skill choices were really bad -- then the extra 10-15 level ups that you could get may make a huge difference.

 

[mpompey]

I put alot of XP in electronics, decryption and first aid. I should have put more in sniper and armor. But playing it a second time through, I won't make the same mistakes again.