The Official Mass Effect thread

[WhatsHisFace]

While that's true, I'm sure a two-page spread wouldn't make you decide the game really deserves a 7 or something much lower.

 

[Jerry!]

I'm not saying it deserved a lower or higher score, it has nothing to do with the score, but I'd like to see a more in depth review on one of the biggest releases of the year. Just to know a little more in detail of how the game plays, some of the more smaller details on the game that haven't been explored in any of the previews. I just want more information on it. I can't decide how really good it is until I play it for myself.

 

[GL1]

Well, to be fair... Halo 3 also has a one page spread right next to it...

 

[Wolfwood]

There reviews are kind of lackluster in general. Though I guess if you're being positive, you could say they just hit the main points and move on. I like something meatier though, like OXM every now and then does 10+ page reviews.

 

[Jerry!]

Well 10+ pages is maybe a little overkill, but something more than less than a page. Halo 3 deserved more than that too. 2 of the best games coming out this year (according to their reviews) get less than 2 pages combined of a review? Come on.

 

[GFreeman]

Sometimes it's better to be concise and too the point as opposed to drawn out and wordy. You can say all you really need to say about either game in the space alloted.

 

[Jerry!]

But heres the thing, I know almost nothing new about the game from reading that review. I'm not talking about spoilers, but there was nearly nothing in that review that really gave me a better idea of how the games plays. Thats the point of a review isn't it? Halo you know what you're getting in terms of game play and how thats like, but this is uncharted territory with Mass Effect.

 

[GFreeman]

It conveys all it needs to convey. They don't need a two paragraph diatribe on the intricacies of Mass Effect's inventory screen. They need to say "Halo is a first person shooter. These are it's good qualities. These are it's bad qualities. Here is our final good/bad verdict. Mass Effect is an RPG. These are it's good qualities. These are it's bad qualities. Here is our final good/bad verdict". It provides all the information anyone should need. Anyone reading a game magazine knows what a first person shooter and what an RPG are anyways.

 

[Jerry!]

Yeah but as you should know, Mass Effect isn't just a RPG, it blends shooter and RPG elements, that hasn't really been done before. I'd like to know exactly how well that works after all its a HUGE part of the game. So maybe they could get a little more in depth other than the bare bones "It works" or "It doesn't work". Hell, I could write a review like the one on Mass Effect.

 

[GFreeman]

Are you new to gaming? Blending RPG and shooter has been done since 1998. *****ing and moaning that they didn't bother to drone on about a pre-existing, popular genre is pretty damn stupid.

 

[Jerry!]

I don't know of any other squad based 3rd person shooter RPG games out, I'm not into PC gaming, so it may have occurred there, but I haven't played one yet. My point was that if it was a review that I could write, then the guy didn't do his job.

 

[GFreeman]

I really, really doubt you could write the review. Or a review. You apparently can't grasp what a review is in the first place. It's a judgment of quality, not an advertisement, and isn't supposed to offer anything more than a cursory explanation of the underlying mechanics of that game. You're basically asking for the equivalent of a Halo 3 review in which the review spends time explaining that the player will probably end up shooting things. Go read a movie review sometime. Do you see "Movie X is a mystery film that da da da", or do you see "Movie X is a mystery film. You see, mystery films are a specific genre of film that follow many genre conventions, which I'll spend the next few pages outlining for you. Later, we'll take a look at the historical significance of the mystery film on the world of international cinema and american pop culture, and..."? At this point, you're just whining for the sake of it.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

The way I look at it is a gameplay cross of KotOR and Rainbow Six Vegas.

 

[Jerry!]

I really, really doubt you could write the review. Or a review. You apparently can't grasp what a review is in the first place. It's a judgment of quality, not an advertisement, and isn't supposed to offer anything more than a cursory explanation of the underlying mechanics of that game. You're basically asking for the equivalent of a Halo 3 review in which the review spends time explaining that the player will probably end up shooting things. Go read a movie review sometime. Do you see "Movie X is a mystery film that da da da", or do you see "Movie X is a mystery film. You see, mystery films are a specific genre of film that follow many genre conventions, which I'll spend the next few pages outlining for you. Later, we'll take a look at the historical significance of the mystery film on the world of international cinema and american pop culture, and..."? At this point, you're just whining for the sake of it.

? Dude, all I was asking for was a slightly longer review on a game that they have heralded as one of the best of the year. Is that asking for a lot?

 

[GFreeman]

No, but it is pointless and reeks of someone complaining just for the hell of it.

 

[Soapy]

I agree with GFreeman that reviews should be more to the point in general. However I also think that game reviews need to be more in depth than a movie review for the benefit of the consumer. Games are a much bigger investment than renting or even buying a DVD. At 60+ dollars, I like to know exactly what I'm getting when I buy a game. Simply saying "Game X" is a FPS just doesn't cut it. There are several sub-genres within each main genre. Example: Unreal Tournament and Rainbow Six are both popular FPS games, but are vastly dissimilar. The same goes with RPGs, racing games, and every other game genre out there.

Basically, I just like to know all about the particulars of gameplay without the review turning into a glorified advertisement.

 

[GL1]

The combat has been explained at length and shown off on several occasions... it's run and gun that you can pause whenever you like to strategize. There's no word for that, it's not a shooter and it's not turn-based, even though you can (inneffectively) play either way.

I don't think a one-page review needs to go over AGAIN exactly what the combat is like rather than simply relay how it feels to the writer.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

It's true. There were lengthy and numerous previews that went over the combat and every other non-spoilers feature in this game.

 

[AshtonFoster]

But then the review is assuming you already know things about the game, or already read previews....or watched videos...or seen pictures etc.
Theres still alot of gamers who havent seen or heard anything/much about Mass Effect, and for those people, the review should've been longer.
Its easier for us to say the review did its job, because we're filling in the gaps with other knowledge we have from pics and videos etc.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

If any of those BILLIONS of Game Informer readers wants to know more about Mass Effect... they can look on the mother ****ing internet like every other ****er who needs to know something.

 

[GFreeman]

I can't believe this. People really will ***** about anything.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

I can't believe this. People really will ***** about anything.

Seriously. I can't believe he actually said that. When the topic was first brought and was obviously just an initial question, it was fine. But to come to this? It's as if they expect people to feel a need to know EXACTLY what they're getting hours before they sit down and play it.

I don't need to know specifics of mechanics, controller layout or even what the menu screens look like as long as I know that the game is GREAT. They gave it a 9.75. You REALLY don't need to say much more than that.

 

[kainedamo]

To keep this brief and simple, a good game review should include something about the controls and mechanics.

Something along the lines of "the controls are simple to use, real easy to grasp" or "the controls are ****ty, they make playing the game a real chore".

 

[WhatsHisFace]

To keep this brief and simple, a good game review should include something about the controls and mechanics.

Something along the lines of "the controls are simple to use, real easy to grasp" or "the controls are ****ty, they make playing the game a real chore".

I'm sure the review made it very clear that everything in the game works well with the 9.75 score.

 

[kainedamo]

I'm sure the review made it very clear that everything in the game works well with the 9.75 score.

Well for arguments sake, if I were to look at a review and all it said was "9.75" and nothing else, I would say that is a crap review.