The Official Mass Effect thread

[Jerry!]

"I refuse to replay it, because then you realize that whatever you say has no real impact on the conversation 95 percent of the time."

 

[Zenien]

I clarified later, basically that's one of the reasons. I'm really tired cut me some slack, and yes I was using hyperbole.

This is why I won't replay it.

"Yeah agree, the first time through it's like 'omg!' when you're doing dialog, but if you replay it you can see the cracks. That's a part of why I refuse to play this game (or it subsequent sequels) more than once. The first time through I made this character, I imbued her with a certain personality. To me, Alexandra Shepard is my ME character, and whatever happened, happened. If I go out and make some new character, it's suddenly just a game and not my characters story."

*Sticks tongue out at you*

Oh well I'm on a role, sorry about the rambling, it happens when I'm exhausted and stuck at work. Mass Effect rules, I love it. I'd personally be fine if they left things the way they were, bug wise and all, for the sequel.

 

[El Bastardo]

It's not that I have absurd defenses for it, it's that I'm not making huge whining things out of miniscule, at best, problems. It's that a number of other people seem to have absurd offenses with the game. And just because a bunch of screaming whiners on the gamefaqs.com message board, or elsewhere, are whining the same things doesn't make a right, either. It just means that there's more than one or two people who enjoy dashing baby's heads against walls or rocks for mere inconveniences and the most stupid, smallest things. Just to do so. And yes, that gets its own standalone sentence to place emphasis on it. I thought of giving it its own paragraph, but then I'd have had to give this explanation its own paragraph, and no.

What you've been saying, and especially what you addressed to me (read: a lot of text) was ignorance at best, and stupidity at worst. No offense.

Playing Renegade does not mean being a "xenophobic <enter x number of * here>," as you so eloquently put it. Yes, the "renegade" choices can lead you down that road, but then, that's a conscious decision on the player's part to become that way. Just as easily can a Paragon character become a, ahem, "xenophobic <enter x number of * here>," again, as you so eloquently put it.

And no, Renegade and Paragon are very much "moralities," just not so in the regular sense of the word, nor the Light/Dark Side motif that BioWare employed in KotOR. They are more shades of Good, but still morality. The good guy, the Paragon, does not kill people who get in the way of the mission. The Renegade, the anti-hero, does. The Paragon remembers people and weeps tears for them. The Renegade accepts that death is a part of the job and doesn't dwell on it. These are extremes.

Something a lot of people seem to miss is that, again, this is not playing Light or Dark Side. The two are not on a connected meter; they are not exclusive choices. Yes, my Paragon playthrough ended with full Paragon and very little Renegade. That's easy to do, the same way it's easy to play a full Light Side game. My Renegade ended with full Renegade and close to halfway through Paragon. I didn't get shafted into being "neutral," as I would have in KotOR or its sequel.

Actual spoilers:

Spoiler

I slaughtered the Feros colonists. They were in the way. I killed the Rachni Queen - promises from an untrusted lifeform whose brood I just had to fight my way through and who tried to exterminate life however many years ago are pretty empty. I saved Wrex (though mostly because I was using him; I think Wrex sucks). I saved the Salarians during the Ilos assault because it made no sense to waste resources and jeopardize the mission by letting them get slaughtered. But then, I murdered the Asari on Feros execution-stylie because she was Saren's little harem girl.

Bah, whatever. It's been a few days since I beat the second playthrough and don't remember all the little things, of which there are many.

The point is, playing Renegade doesn't mean, nor does it necessarily involve, being a prick to every single person encountered. That's a ridiculous way to play the game. Unfortunately, it nonetheless receives an easy write-off and easy synopsis as "Well, Paragon was this, so that's obviously what Renegade is, blar blah blah" from a number of people, and more unfortunately, that myth and synopsis and unfair exaggeration will be continually perpetrated by people who play the game like that, not giving a crap about story or character because "OMG I SHOT THE DUDE!!!!!"

And really, again, if the money thing is so awful, then get your head checked. Or buy some stuff. Do you go to shops? Have you realized that the chance of finding the best armor off enemies is almost impossible? Have you realized that you can actually buy some of the best upgrades from shopkeepers before you can loot them from enemies? Licenses get some of the best armors and stuff in the inventory of the Normandy Requisitions Officer. Right, there's only five medi-gel and grenade upgrades. That's why there's other good stuff to buy. Not much different from other RPGs at all, except that it's not a matter of "Go to new town, visit shop, buy new items so you don't get your stupid buns kicked, repeat ad nauseum ninety more times before end of game." A nice change.

And really, by the time anyone does have 999 omni-gel and 999999999999 credits, they've done a plethora of side quests, if not all then most. Don't want that much money? Don't do that many side quests. That's not different from other more traditional RPGs either. Not doing that many side quests will keep you at a lower level overall, which isn't a problem since enemies are more or less scaled to your level, as is money. Less money, hoorah, problem solved.

But yes, yes, I can concede the inventory thing. It's not a big problem for me, but I tend to remember what I have and not have a problem selling off or omni-gelling the weaker items I no longer need or want.

 

[SouLeSS]

I killed Wrex because he is absolutely useless.

Seriously, the only team you need is ashley and kaiden, and when you can't pick both of them, throw the chick with no face in the party and you're fine.

Unless you're the tech guy that can open everything (decryption) you need those people on your team, which really shoehorns the gameplay.

I used Garrius, Wrex and the bluehaired chick maybe 5 minutes total because they were pretty much useless.

 

[El Bastardo]

Garrus rocks, man.

Best character in the game, next to Kaidan and Ashley.

 

[Zenien]

Saying that people are whining about it is just absurd. These are small issues that would otherwise be glaring flaws if the fundamental gameplay wasn't so much funa nd the world wasn't so awesome. transplant this to any other RPG and there would be serious issues raised about it, but because it's Bioware people should give this stuff a free pass just because the core game is great? I say people should bring this stuff up because it will make Mass Effect 2 that much better, if they hear their fanbase saying these things. But hey whatever works.

What you've been saying, and especially what you addressed to me (read: a lot of text) was ignorance at best, and stupidity at worst. No offense.

Playing Renegade does not mean being a "xenophobic <enter x number of * here>," as you so eloquently put it. Yes, the "renegade" choices can lead you down that road, but then, that's a conscious decision on the player's part to become that way. Just as easily can a Paragon character become a, ahem, "xenophobic <enter x number of * here>," again, as you so eloquently put it.

I was talking about when people say they are playing as either straight Renegade or straight Paragon, genius.

And no, Renegade and Paragon are very much "moralities," just not so in the regular sense of the word, nor the Light/Dark Side motif that BioWare employed in KotOR. They are more shades of Good, but still morality. The good guy, the Paragon, does not kill people who get in the way of the mission. The Renegade, the anti-hero, does. The Paragon remembers people and weeps tears for them. The Renegade accepts that death is a part of the job and doesn't dwell on it. These are extremes.

I never said otherwise.

Actual spoilers:

Spoiler

I slaughtered the Feros colonists. They were in the way. I killed the Rachni Queen - promises from an untrusted lifeform whose brood I just had to fight my way through and who tried to exterminate life however many years ago are pretty empty. I saved Wrex (though mostly because I was using him; I think Wrex sucks). I saved the Salarians during the Ilos assault because it made no sense to waste resources and jeopardize the mission by letting them get slaughtered. But then, I murdered the Asari on Feros execution-stylie because she was Saren's little harem girl.

You're assuming that I did none of those? Because you said something like "Obviously you haven't played Renegade enough enough to know that playing as one is totally different." The experience of what you decide to do is different, but the framework is nearly identical.

The point is, playing Renegade doesn't mean, nor does it necessarily involve, being a prick to every single person encountered. That's a ridiculous way to play the game. Unfortunately, it nonetheless receives an easy write-off and easy synopsis as "Well, Paragon was this, so that's obviously what Renegade is, blar blah blah" from a number of people, and more unfortunately, that myth and synopsis and unfair exaggeration will be continually perpetrated by people who play the game like that, not giving a crap about story or character because "OMG I SHOT THE DUDE!!!!!"

I agree with you, people who play straight one way are robbing themselves.

And really, again, if the money thing is so awful, then get your head checked. Or buy some stuff. Do you go to shops? Have you realized that the chance of finding the best armor off enemies is almost impossible? Have you realized that you can actually buy some of the best upgrades from shopkeepers before you can loot them from enemies? Licenses get some of the best armors and stuff in the inventory of the Normandy Requisitions Officer. Right, there's only five medi-gel and grenade upgrades. That's why there's other good stuff to buy. Not much different from other RPGs at all, except that it's not a matter of "Go to new town, visit shop, buy new items so you don't get your stupid buns kicked, repeat ad nauseum ninety more times before end of game." A nice change.

My upgrades I got in the field were always better than the ones in shops and when they weren't, the money involved and the actual benefits made little economic sense. The game is so easy that I didn't use any upgrades until the Tower sequence, ever constantly had the best armor equipped, and I was an Infiltrator. If they wanted to make the equipment system work, and have upgrades actually be important than they should have made more fights like "Alien Queen" (best fight in the game along with the tower sequence).

It's nice to not have to worry about those sorts of things so much, and Mass Effect is never going to be a super technical RPG, they want to maintain that shooter like pace, but seriously, give me something that's worth spending money on. Give me a reason to want good equipment, or to put in upgrades.

And really, by the time anyone does have 999 omni-gel and 999999999999 credits, they've done a plethora of side quests, if not all then most. Don't want that much money? Don't do that many side quests. That's not different from other more traditional RPGs either. Not doing that many side quests will keep you at a lower level overall, which isn't a problem since enemies are more or less scaled to your level, as is money. Less money, hoorah, problem solved.

Except items and equipment remain almost impossibly over priced for most of the game. You get better equipment in the field, and then suddenly the pricing situation lop sides the other way, and the real benefit doesn't even really justify bothering to go to shops and getting the best equipment, by that point.

But yes, yes, I can concede the inventory thing. It's not a big problem for me, but I tend to remember what I have and not have a problem selling off or omni-gelling the weaker items I no longer need or want.

Really they should have made Omni gel cost money, and medpacks, etc.

 

[JackBauer]

I killed Wrex because he is absolutely useless.

Seriously, the only team you need is ashley and kaiden, and when you can't pick both of them, throw the chick with no face in the party and you're fine.

Unless you're the tech guy that can open everything (decryption) you need those people on your team, which really shoehorns the gameplay.

I used Garrius, Wrex and the bluehaired chick maybe 5 minutes total because they were pretty much useless.

Wrex rules, Kaiden sucks.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Zenien is Hitler anyway.

 

[Zenien]

Wrex rules, Kaiden sucks.

They were all largely interchangeable for me. Heck I beat

Spoiler

The Asari Queen, with Noveria being my first planet, with Garrius and Tali.

I ended up mostly using Garius and Blue Girl.

 

[GFreeman]

Is blue girl one of the alien lesbians? The ones that have the scene? With the boobs?

 

[Zenien]

They're monogender.

"Two become one. Thoughts and senses merge, identities intertwine. Memories and emotions weave themselves together, becoming entangled in a single, rapturous whole. The union is more than just sex. It is the life blood of my species, the way we asari evolve and grow as a society"

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

THERE ARE SPOILERS



I just finished Mass Effect and it´s an amazing game.

Like the many here know, i worship Bioware since Baldur´s Gate, they are, IMO, the best developer house out there.
I loved Mass Effect, but i´m not blind in saying that it is perfect, because it isn´t.
It could have been even better....
I give it a 9, but i can undertand why Gamespot gave it a 8.5.
The flaws are in the details, because the bulk is amazing.

Pros:
Of all of Bioware´s strenghts, the story is the main one, no one does stories like they do, and this one is not different.
The storyline is powerful, dramatic, way better than must movies.
The universe and races are amazing.
It is the best story made by Bioware so far, but there are some flaws to it.
Two things i loved about this game was the dialogues and the action.
One, the dialogue is amazing, and we will see more games using it.
Not only you can answer before the NPC finishes talking, which gives it a life like movie feeling to it, you are not going to choose the exact sentence you are going to say, which makes the dialogue fresh and exciting.
The action is great, not only is it a new thing to see on a Bioware game (i haven´t played Jade Empire yet, so, i might be wrong), they show they can make action just as good as anyone.
The sound is amazing and the acting is top-notch (Seth Green makes a hell of a Joker, and the voice of Henriksen is always a plus).
I particularly liked the fact that we can choose a background and psychology (believe it or not, i first had this idea when i played Icewind Dale II, what if we could choose our own background? And i have other kick ass ideas that i just know someday will happen).

Cons:
As much as the story is amazing, there are some flaws to it, mainly the fact that Saren is absent from most of the game, which makes it less urgent then it should be.
And Benezia appears twice in the game, the second one is when she dies.
The dialogue is amazing, but simplistic, and by that i mean, that all dialogue go the way you expect them to, if you use charm, everything goes fine; if you use intimidate, things go into battle mode or the NPC gets scared.
The romantic plot was not all that, we don´t have much control into it, it just happens.
But the sex scene (in my case, Liara) is amazing, well made, very mature and erotic, with good taste, very much like a movie.
Short, but very good.
There are no surprisses in that department, at least, not in my game.
Many times, the action and the rpg elements collide.
I never used much of the biotics, only in extreme situations, because i could easily go guns blazing.
The enemy AI is not the best out there (not the worst, but still), they always run in our direction, making some of them really easy kills.
I blame that for the game is, above all is an rpg and not a shooter, but shooting is a big part of it, that´s why i say that the action and rpg elements not always get along in this game.
The money is totally irrelevant, you pick everything you need, and there are too many things in the game to pick up.
The game is very big, but not very hard, either because you pick too many things or because of the enemy AI.

All in all, Bioware doesn´t make games, they made interactive experiences, and this one is not different.
Do yourself a favor and play it, it´s worth the time and money.

PS - The menu might have some shortcomings, but it´s totally usable.
The Mako is like a tank, and you can´t shoot a cannon in close range, so, anyone reviewer that said that it is the worst part of the game, has to be on drugs.

 

[Zenien]

You might want to spoiler tag some of that stuff!

Awesome summation yo. This is easily my game of the year.

 

[XtromaniaK]

No one spoiler tags anything. Ever.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

You might want to spoiler tag some of that stuff!

You´re right i forgot that..........

Done

 

[Phaser]

It's rather funny how everyone was ranting on and on about how this game has one of the best stories ever told in a videogame but for me it turned out rather disappointing. Sure, the way they unveil the twist about the Reapers and the Protheans was quite novel but at the same time, it just doesn't come anywhere close to the level of Xenogears' plot. Heck, no other game has to date really.

 

[AshtonFoster]

No way! THE STORY ROCKS!!

I have named the following piece of txt..."I love"

I just love the whole "human" thing....its like we're, as Shepherd, representing humanity as a spector. He we are, a race in a big universe, trying to get a place on the council, trying to get respect, and here's our chance. I love the indoctrination of certain characters (like Saren), and how he really is just a pawn.
I love the reason for why the Geth follow the reapers (the fact that they're not living-human-feeling-type them, and so indoctrination and keeping them under it, is simple)...I love the whole the whole fact that its a cycle of destruction from the Reapers, and began before the Protheans.
I love the way that we play the "crazy" guy/girl that no one believes, until its too late. Even I was trying to unlock the unfinished visions...
I love the whole Krogan back story, and how in syncs in with the main story, when Saren has an antidote to their problems which he uses to help him get them fight for him.
I love the back story of the keepers, and what their use has been for all these years.....
I love the way there are no loop-wholes in the story, and if you dig deep enough, and have enough conversations, the game answers any questions you may have.

 

[Cito]

Tali is the best. I'll fight anyone who disagrees.

I wanted to romance her.

 

[MrSinisterX3]

Im still trying to sleep with Ashley, whats the soonest i can??

 

[Cito]

Just keep talking to her and play the game like usual. It'll happen at the end if you're on her good side.

 

[Zenien]

Tali is the best. I'll fight anyone who disagrees.

I wanted to romance her.

Those webbed feet and that Russian accent just do it for you eh? :P

 

[AshtonFoster]

Im still trying to sleep with Ashley, whats the soonest i can??

It happens on the way to Ilos...If you've romanced her enough during the game.

I romanced her as much as I could...But I never got "invited" for some reason.

But Im playing it again, and NOW Im getting somewhere. I dont understand why it never worked first time round....

 

[Phaser]

No way! THE STORY ROCKS!!

It is good. Just not "best story in a videogame ever" good.

 

[El Bastardo]

Uch, Xenogears. So overrated.

But yes, it is probably Square's best RPG - for whatever THAT says.

 

[Zenien]

Xenogears is easilly not their best RPG.