Support NeoGAF

[Nirolak]

Do we know if any of the ME2 companions will be available for recruitment (if they survived your game) or is that out? Kaiden and Ashley are so shitty. They could pick any random two out of ME2 to replace them and it would be a vast improvement.

Um, well, there's Garrus and Tali, but beyond that they haven't said anything yet.

They did imply we would see a lot of temporary squad members though.

 

[Kyaw]

Do we know if any of the ME2 companions will be available for recruitment (if they survived your game) or is that out? Kaiden and Ashley are so shitty. They could pick any random two out of ME2 to replace them and it would be a vast improvement.

areyoufuckingkiddingme.jpg

The whole of ME2 was recruiting squad mates. I dont want to do it again in ME3...

 

[Bowdz]

I feel so conflicted about ME3 at this point. It sounds (at least to me) that the upcoming gameplay improvements (combat rolls, cover-to-cover, better level design, weapon mods) are really a step in the right direction, but for every piece of good news, we are hit with a story element that just doesn't make sense. I'll remain optimistic until more information comes out, but based off of the largely irrelevant (IMO) story of ME2, I am losing faith in Bioware to craft a well written story.

I honestly don't know why Drew Karpyshyn wasn't kept on for ME2 and ME3 as lead writer (or more specifically, why Mac Walters was promoted to co-lead writer in ME2). At least based off of the story information we know thus far for ME3, Walters seems to be doing the exact same thing he did to ME2.

 

[Jarmel]

I honestly don't know why Drew Karpyshyn wasn't kept on for ME2 and ME3 as lead writer (or more specifically, why Mac Walters was promoted to co-lead writer in ME2). At least based off of the story information we know thus far for ME3, Walters seems to be doing the exact same thing he did to ME2.

He went where the money is.

 

[MMaRsu]

Cerberus is working WITH the reapers? FUCK THAT.

And fuck you Bioware, fuck you and fuck Mass Effect 3 ( AKA GEARS IN SPACE RPG LITE ).
The retconning and turning this series into a shooter moreso than an RPG is just straight ass.
I'm not up for this bullshit.

The 'new' enemies? Reaperized enemies seem like remodeled krogans etc, just with different stats.

I want more improvements on the RPG side, not only shooting improvements ( cover to cover, roll whatever who gives a fuck this aint gears bitch ).

 

[heliosRAzi]

Do we know if any of the ME2 companions will be available for recruitment (if they survived your game) or is that out? Kaiden and Ashley are so shitty. They could pick any random two out of ME2 to replace them and it would be a vast improvement.

I don't like that they were made into Spectres. Bunch of teleporting, crate-hiding assholes.

 

[Zeliard]

Um, well, there's Garrus and Tali, but beyond that they haven't said anything yet.

They did imply we would see a lot of temporary squad members though.

areyoufuckingkiddingme.jpg

The whole of ME2 was recruiting squad mates. I dont want to do it again in ME3...

Yeah, it's annoying. Why have a game based around recruiting companions if in the final chapter that's mostly for naught?

Garrus and Tali are "full-time party members" and that's cool. They're fun characters and they were, after all, your companions in both Mass Effect 1 and 2 (unlike Kaidan and Ashley).

I'm just wondering why they felt the need to bring Kaidan and Ashley back, when they had virtually nothing to do with Mass Effect 2, and especially when the latter game was almost entirely built around recruiting characters who are vastly more interesting. I just don't get it. Bioware creates these great, memorable characters and then throws them out in favor of old garbage no one ever cared for in the first place.

And Nirolak, I assume you're referring to this part: "I asked point blank about Wrex and got as close to a 'no' as I think Bioware will come at this early stage: exceutive producer Casey Hudson simply re-emphasised that such characters can play a role and fight alongside you without necessarily being permanent squad members."

Hopefully we do see something like you getting a choice out of every previous Mass Effect party member, but the other ones being labeled "full-time members" implies there are going to be several points when you're forced to use one or more of them in favor of the "part-time" members, or times when some or all of those part-time members are simply unavailable.

 

[Spirit of Jazz]

I guess going around with the unlikely couple of Wrex and Mordin was too fucking obvious for Bioware given the characters pasts, personality's and the fact that they were by far the most (possibly only) interesting companions in either game. I really like how they're dropping the soap on every front with the narrative.

Combat sounds much more interesting than 2's though. I'm probably in the minority but I much preferred the janky, experimental combat in the first game over the more solid but utterly bland, inferior Gear's clone of the second.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I don't like that they were made into Spectres. Bunch of teleporting, crate-hiding assholes.

Taking their rare teleportation ability into account, it suddenly makes sense why one of them was made a Spectre.

I hope that both Ashley and Kaidan have that teleport ability in-game, but it only works behind human sized crates.

 

[GrandHarrier]

Pretty sure most of the people here puzzled by the "Cerberus works for the Reapers" revelation are fans of the series. :>

I don't understand how the whole indoctrination thing seems far fetched. In every scenario where a reaper artifact is involved there is indoctrination. Why couldn't that be the case here? Surely most people have seen one of the Invasion of the Body Snatcher variants and could reason out how an organization could spread the indoctrination amongst the whole.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I'm just wondering why they felt the need to bring Kaidan and Ashley back, when they had virtually nothing to do with Mass Effect 2

To be fair, none of the characters in ME2 really had much to do with ME2.

 

[Kyaw]

The only characters i only cared for were Garrus and Tali. I couldn't care less about what happen to other members.

 

[Beth Cyra]

The only characters i only cared for were Garrus and Tali. I couldn't care less about what happen to other members.

Garrus introduction in Mass Effect 2 was pretty awesome. Wonder if they will be able to match that part with him in 3.

 

[Zeliard]

To be fair, none of the characters in ME2 really had much to do with ME2.

I didn't mean their impact on the ongoing plot, since there was little of it in ME2, but recruiting those chars did make up nearly the entirety of the game. So I'm wondering why Bioware would want to seemingly toss that effort out.

I don't understand how the whole indoctrination thing seems far fetched. In every scenario where a reaper artifact is involved there is indoctrination. Why couldn't that be the case here? Surely most people have seen one of the Invasion of the Body Snatcher variants and could reason out how an organization could spread the indoctrination amongst the whole.

My issue with it is it makes the Illusive Man character irrelevant. Suddenly he seems to just be a puppet of the Reapers, and we already had that sort of thing with Saren. Bioware would have to subvert expectations with Illusive Man to make it work, but it will also be difficult for them to strike a balance there that somehow keeps the integrity of both the Illusive Man and Reaper characters.

E.g. if Illusive Man is actually tricking the Reapers somehow, then he would ideally have to be doing it in such an ingenious way that it doesn't make the Reapers look like idiots. If he really is just a slave to them and that's the story, then that's simply boring.

 

[Squire]

This is your daily reminder that Cerberus working with the Reapers is SPECULATION.

Spoiler

Chill out.

 

[SuperSonic1305]

I don't have time for Bioware's solid waste excretions.

 

[GrandHarrier]

I didn't mean their impact on the ongoing plot, since there was little of it in ME2, but recruiting those chars did make up nearly the entirety of the game. So I'm wondering why Bioware would want to seemingly toss that effort out.



My issue with it is it makes the Illusive Man character irrelevant. Suddenly he seems to just be a puppet of the Reapers, and we already had that sort of thing with Saren. Bioware would have to subvert expectations with Illusive Man to make it work, but it will also be difficult for them to strike a balance there that somehow keeps the integrity of both the Illusive Man and Reaper characters.

E.g. if Illusive Man is actually tricking the Reapers somehow, then he would ideally have to be doing it in such an ingenious way that it doesn't make the Reapers look like idiots. If he really is just a slave to them and that's the story, then that's simply boring.

Well, I seem to recall that in my playthrough, the Illusive Man got fucking *told* at the end of the game. I stole Miranda from him, blew the station to hell, then flew off with his starship and AI. Was all of that part of his plan and machinations? No. He made a miscalculation. So why is it so hard to believe that the same thing could happen in regards to the Reapers?

And maybe he has become just a puppet of the Reapers. The fall of someone who considers himself untouchable is a pretty common theme. Arrogance leads to mistakes. And if the backstory in the Evolution comics says he has some prior partial indoctrination, then there you go. Why are people complaining about "retcon" to an incident that had a... few paragraphs, at most, of data? It seems like the usual GAF cynacism.

 

[Kyaw]

Also realised that ME3 is going to be scored by Clint Mansell.
That's gonna be fricking sweet. Clint Mansell <3

 

[Ickman3400]

This is your daily reminder that Cerberus working with the Reapers is SPECULATION.

Spoiler

Chill out.

I'll say it again

"If your wondering why we were fighting Cerberus, having worked closely with this shadowy organisation in Mass Effect 2, the answer just raises further questions. They are wokring with the Reapers"

This is not speculation. It's either true or PC Gamer fucked up because it's a definitive statement that cannot be interpreted any other way than what it says. It's not "they may be working with the reapers".

 

[Noricart]

Bioware just needs to tell the whole plot through a single commercial now, just like with ME2.

 

[Zeliard]

Well, I seem to recall that in my playthrough, the Illusive Man got fucking *told* at the end of the game. I stole Miranda from him, blew the station to hell, then flew off with his starship and AI. Was all of that part of his plan and machinations? No. He made a miscalculation. So why is it so hard to believe that the same thing could happen in regards to the Reapers?

I'm not saying the guy is some omniscient deity. I'm not saying he's infallible. I'm specifically talking about him in relation to Reaper indoctrination. If it's the case where he's simply indoctrinated into the Reapers, where is the intrigue? Where is the contrast to Illusive Man the Reaper Puppet and Illusive Man the.. whatever he was before that? It doesn't exist.

What is it that ultimately sets Illusive Man apart from Saren in this scenario? Saren wasn't a dumbass either but as a puppet to the real villain, he could only ever be so interesting. They'd just be doing the same thing all over again with Illusive Man unless, like I said, they subvert expectations somehow.

 

[Kyaw]

I didnt blow up the reaper base. Wanted to see what tech they could salvage from there.

 

[Dice]

I didnt blow up the reaper base. Wanted to see what tech they could salvage from there.

Looks they'll salvage the technology of galactic demise. Good job.

 

[Amir0x]

-Multi Layered combat areas
"The games combat spaces have graduated from the often-familiar open areas dotted with low walls. They're now multi layed encouraging you to seek high ground for a better vantage point...[the rest is about Cerberus rocket boot dudes using this to their advantage]

Good. One of my problems with the flow of ME2/ME1. Nice to see they're finally modifying this

 

[Kyaw]

Looks they'll salvage the technology of galactic demise. Good job.

Sounds good to me if they can put it onto the Normandy SR-2.. oh wait we aren't even going to able to use the SR-2 because we are fighting against Cerberus... >.>

 

[Nirolak]

And Nirolak, I assume you're referring to this part: "I asked point blank about Wrex and got as close to a 'no' as I think Bioware will come at this early stage: exceutive producer Casey Hudson simply re-emphasised that such characters can play a role and fight alongside you without necessarily being permanent squad members."

Yeah, they've also made some other comments to this effect in earlier threads I'm blanking out on right now.

If the person is dead though, they also implied you get a different person instead, like say, getting Wreav instead of Wrex.

 

[Squire]

I'll say it again

"If your wondering why we were fighting Cerberus, having worked closely with this shadowy organisation in Mass Effect 2, the answer just raises further questions. They are wokring with the Reapers"

This is not speculation. It's either true or PC Gamer fucked up because it's a definitive statement that cannot be interpreted any other way than what it says. It's not "they may be working with the reapers".

And I'll quote it again as you apparently didn't get the memo:

While there is indeed an article in PC Gamer, keep in mind unless the article says "Casey Hudson said..." or similar, what they are writing is their take on the information they have seen (this applies to ALL media/magazines/websites, etc). Don't get too worked up on any one item until you hear it confirmed by BioWare someplace.

Man. Juniors these days!

Spoiler

LOL, irony!

 

[Vamphuntr]

And I'll quote it again as you apparently didn't get the memo:



Man. Juniors these days!

Spoiler

LOL, irony!

Hey you're that guy that was trying to defend DAII that kept saying there was auto attack in the game at launch.

 

[Zeliard]

Yeah, they've also made some other comments to this effect in earlier threads I'm blanking out on right now.

If the person is dead though, they also implied you get a different person instead, like say, getting Wreav instead of Wrex.

I don't know why they're so militant on making it so Wrex isn't a permanent party member for ME3 if he survived in your playthrough. I mean fine, in ME2 he was back on his home world reuniting his clan and such, but presumably he's ready to adventure with Shepard again especially if he'll be one of those part-time companions in ME3.

Either way, if there isn't some substantial interaction between Wrex and Mordin in ME3, that will be a disastrously huge missed opportunity.

 

[Kitschkraft]

Sounds good but I'm still nervous. Ea saying one thing, devs saying another.

Or maybe I've just misinterpreted EA.

 

[Rahxephon91]

I don't know why they're so militant on making it so Wrex isn't a permanent party member for ME3 if he survived in your playthrough. I mean fine, in ME2 he was back on his home world reuniting his clan and such, but presumably he's ready to adventure with Shepard again especially if he'll be one of those part-time companions in ME3.

Either way, if there isn't some substantial interaction between Wrex and Mordin in ME3, that will be a disastrously huge missed opportunity.

Probably because he has no one to balance him out if you had him die in 1.

 

[Squire]

Hey you're that guy that was trying to defend DAII that kept saying there was auto attack in the game at launch.

I was just telling you what they told me! But that was during my very first days on GAF. I'll forget about that if you will

 

[MechaX]

Meh. The entire "Cerberus is working with the Reapers!" is actually something I expected them to pull if this turns out to be true. I just hope they do something a little bit different then the Illusive Man losing a brain cell, going to the Collector Base personally, and getting indoctrinated like a moron.

And please, please don't go the JRPG villain route of having him be like

Spoiler

HUMAN REAPERS ARE THE TRUE EVOLUTION OF MAN!

 

[Blue Ninja]

I was just telling you what they told me! But that was during my very first days on GAF. I'll forget about that if you will

GAF does not forget. GAF does not forgive.

Okay, maybe it does, I forgot already.

I can't wait 'till BioWare tells us a bit about the story themselves. I don't want them to prematurely give us all the important plot points in one video, months before the game comes out, but I wouldn't mind them just clearing the air on a few points. Setting the stage, if you will.

 

[Zeliard]

Probably because he has no one to balance him out if you had him die in 1.

Doesn't that go for the other characters too? If Garrus and Tali died in your ME2 playthrough you're stuck with Kaidan or Ashley (one of whom dies in ME1) and Liara as your only, thus far announced, "full-time" party members.

 

[Nirolak]

Sounds good but I'm still nervous. Ea saying one thing, devs saying another.

Or maybe I've just misinterpreted EA.

I think they're talking about the same thing.

The combat improvements detailed in the OP is what JR is referring to when he says it is a far more competitive shooter.

 

[Nirolak]

Doesn't that go for the other characters too? If Garrus and Tali died in your ME2 playthrough you're stuck with Kaidan or Ashley (one of whom dies in ME1) and Liara as your only, thus far announced, "full-time" party members.

I'm guessing that their stat tracking metrics found out that a whole lot of Wrexes died, and that since Wrex was dead in the default ME2 game, a whole lot more Wrexes are dead as well.

Mordin was also a surprisingly fragile character in ME2's ending, and he notably hasn't been confirmed for ME3 as a full time squad member.

 

[WanderingWind]

The "why" would have to be something pretty effective, though. They could screw that up easily too. If it's something like TIM merely pretending to work for the Reapers, while he's in fact infiltrated them to secretly gather info on how to ultimately defeat them or whatever, that might make more sense for his character, but then it would make the Reapers look like utter naive buffoons. Given the way they're depicted - as utterly terrifying and nearly god-like in the eyes of other species - it would be character assassination.

They have to strike a nice balance there, either way. They have to make it so that neither TIM nor the Reapers are made to look idiotic or are doing things out of character.

Makes them pretty arrogant, don't you think. They've annihilated all species in the galaxy several times and indoctrination has always worked for them. But see, humans are genetic and stuff so the indoc doesn't work on them the same way!

Then, there is like, a big battle on a planet between the King Reaper and just when all hope is lost, TIM rides in from the flank with Krogans riding Rachni mounts down a steep slope behind him, saving the day!

Perfect.

 

[Kitschkraft]

I don't know why they're so militant on making it so Wrex isn't a permanent party member for ME3 if he survived in your playthrough. I mean fine, in ME2 he was back on his home world reuniting his clan and such, but presumably he's ready to adventure with Shepard again especially if he'll be one of those part-time companions in ME3.

Either way, if there isn't some substantial interaction between Wrex and Mordin in ME3, that will be a disastrously huge missed opportunity.

I wouldn't be surprised if their is some interaction, but substantial is the key here.

As people were talking about on the last page....Bioware has a LOOOOOOOOOONG way to go before they their characters can be called anything but "alright for games".

They might have an argument like Jack and Miranda, but I doubt this will result in anything.

I think they're talking about the same thing.

The combat improvements detailed in the OP is what JR is referring to when he says it is a far more competitive shooter.

As long as they bring back some of the micromanaging (Which they have been promising), I'm not going to care too much either way about the combat. The first game was clunky but had potential. The second game felt tighter but really didn't have much depth. A mixture of the two is fine by me.

Of course, I will never forgive them for thermal clips, but that's a completely different subject....

 

[Zeliard]

I'm guessing that their stat tracking metrics found out that a whole lot of Wrexes died, and that since Wrex was dead in the default ME2 game, a whole lot more Wrexes are dead as well.

Mordin was also a surprisingly fragile character in ME2's ending, and he notably hasn't been confirmed for ME3 as a full time squad member.

Sigh, all of you people who couldn't keep good characters alive. Look at what you've wrought.

Makes them pretty arrogant, don't you think. They've annihilated all species in the galaxy several times and indoctrination has always worked for them. But see, humans are genetic and stuff so the indoc doesn't work on them the same way!

Then, there is like, a big battle on a planet between the King Reaper and just when all hope is lost, TIM rides in from the flank with Krogans riding Rachni mounts down a steep slope behind him, saving the day!

Perfect.

The Gandalf Maneuver. It must happen. I'll forgive it all.

 

[Kyaw]

I keep imagining reapers as the

Spoiler

king turretsfrom Portal 2. :L

 

[Squire]

I keep imagining reapers as

Spoiler

the king turrets from Portal 2.

:L

Haven't played Portal 2 yet, but thanks for the spoiler! Also: Fixed.

 

[Kyaw]

It's not even spoilers, they had nothing to do with the story.

 

[Squire]

It's not even spoilers, they had nothing to do with the story.

S'alright, man.

 

[Rahxephon91]

Doesn't that go for the other characters too? If Garrus and Tali died in your ME2 playthrough you're stuck with Kaidan or Ashley (one of whom dies in ME1) and Liara as your only, thus far announced, "full-time" party members.

I guess that's true. I really wonder how Bioware is going to handle all this given that for the most part they have made a lot of the choices feel unimportant.

 

[Future PhaZe]

All I need is Ash by my side.

Garrus can come too.

 

[TacticalFox88]

All I know is, Thane better be a squadmate or I'll be pissed as a mothefucker.

 

[MechaX]

All I know is, Thane better be a squadmate or I'll be pissed as a mothefucker.

Too many people got Thane killed by sending him in the vents, so BioWare decided that he wasn't worth the effort.

 

[WanderingWind]

Too many people got Thane killed by sending him in the vents, so BioWare decided that he wasn't worth the effort.

Miranda - "We need a hacker."
Shep - "Send Jack!"
Miranda - "But she'll die!"
Shep - "Send. Jack."

...so, no Jack, either?

 

[Thagomizer]

If you only played Mass Effect 1 and 2 and didn't touch any of the outside stuff, then Illusive Man is a completely meaningless blank of a character.

.

See, he was supposed to be this mysterious, menacing character, constantly pulling the strings and manipulating Shepard along the way.

The problem is that that characterization didn't last past the opening cutscene.


From the instant Shepard met with TIM, I always had the impression that Shepard had TIM by the balls, not the other way around. Every attempt by TIM to either intimidate Shepard, reel him in, or trick him into doing what he wanted seemed amateurish, petty, or just didn't work. The game wanted to think that he was this ultra-brilliant chessmaster, but the game failed spectacularly in making the player agree with the game's backstory, just because TIM unintentionally comes across as incompetent.