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[johncaveman12]

Guys. I just finished up with Mass Effect 3 last night. I think it is time we get a discussion brewing about this franchise since it is not mentioned very often and nobody knows what it is really about since they are so old.

Please rank the series in the poll.

Please share your favorite character and least favorite character.

Please share your favorite thing about the series mechanics wise and your least favorite thing.

Lastly, please report back to the ship. We'll bang, ok?

 

[SirKicksalot]

Please share your favorite thing about the series mechanics wise and your least favorite thing.

Ammo in the first game. Ammo in the next games.

 

[T4keD0wN]

Please share your favorite thing about the series mechanics wise

Transfer saves

least favorite thing

Pullups mini-game

favorite character

least favorite character

Jacob, duh. At least he wins at something.

Lastly, please report back to the ship. We'll bang, ok?

 

[Chairman Yang]

ME2 is by far my favourite. Then ME3, then ME1.

Best character: Mordin, utilitarian badass, although he wasn't as well-written in ME3.

Worst character: I dunno, ME3 had a bunch. Who was that random Marine-type dude in the party with no distinguishing characteristics?

Favourite mechanic: the Vanguard charge.

Least favourite mechanic: planet-scanning. A significant flaw in an otherwise supremely well-paced game.

 

[T4keD0wN]

Worst character: I dunno, ME3 had a bunch. Who was that random Marine-type dude in the party with no distinguishing characteristics?

James Vega was a pretty cool guy. Eh kills aleins and doesnt afraid of anything.

 

[Kurotri]

Voted the original. Something about that first game has a charm that is unbeatable. I played ME2 soon after, and while it was fantastic, I felt like the more action oriented approach didn't work quite as well for me.
My favourite character is probably The Illusive Man and least favourite..I'd probably give it to Jacob. Just didn't like hanging out with him.
Mechanics wise... nothing really stuck with me on that front so I'm neutral about it.

 

[Alexvot86]

I played each of the 3 on 360 when they released and loved each one. I think ME 2 is my fav overall as its the first game you can transfer a save to and also the awesome ending. I was so gutted over the ME 3 ending at the time and felt it ruined the whole series for me.

However, I played the remastered trilogy when it game to gamepass starting with 1 and took my time all the way to the end of 3 and I enjoyed that expeeiance more than any of the stand alone games. Love the new graphics and tweaked ending to 3. All 3 games are great in their own way.

Edit: fav character is Mordin for his dialogue and least is Ashley for her self centered nature.

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

Mass Effect 1 is the best, for me, the exploration was so great. Weapons didn't have ammo, I loved that, and system was pretty simple (Mark I, II, III, IV ... etc) allowing to concentrate more on discovery, dialogue and exploration.
Then, follow-up, focused too much on action and linear structure sadly... I won't be a popular opinion I guess.

About character my favorites ones were Jacob and Garrus, their motives sounded right and sinceres in ME2, I loved how it was handled.

Favorite mechanic I loved: exploration pain and simple of uncharted worlds with the MAKO, and BY FAR, I hated so much when it was replaced by the absolutely stupid "mini-games" of probes launches to gather resources, I mean it, I really HATED this.

 

[JOEVIAL]

I prefer the first Mass Effect. The tone was better... it felt more like old school Star Trek. Very much like Star Trek The Next Generation.

The first Mass Effect was 50% character development and was very laid back and chill. Comfy even. 30% was action and the other 20% was more chill laid back exploring in the Mako or roaming around the locations. Again, very laid back and chill, which I prefer in an RPG.

This didn't vibe with everyone though... so Mass Effect 2 became very action heavy and was more akin to a third person shooter. This was more than likely an EA decision to make the game more marketable to the masses. It was probably 60% action and 40% character development. Still very, very good though. Just not as chill and comfy like Mass Effect, though it did have it's moments.

The first Mass Effect also had the best soundtrack out of all 3 games. All the themes are timeless. Really one of the best game soundtracks in my opinion that matches the tone of the game perfectly. Sci-Fi wonderment.

My favorite character is probably Garrus. He's a no non-sense dude bro to Shepherd, and had some of the best writing and character development in the series. Loyal to a T.

My least favorite mechanic would be Mass Effect 2 and 3's reliance on 3rd person shooting and heavy action. I got used to it though... they're still great games.


And yeah... I'ma pass on reporting back to the ship.

 

[semiconscious]

recently, had a great time playing/completing the original. got most of the way through the sequel before quitting. never really considered replaying the third game. so, yeah, i'm going with the original (a genuinely ingenious game, imo)...

 

[Last Hearth]

Mass Effect 1 and it's not close. I agree 2 was probably a better shooter. But 1 had the atmosphere, the plot, the RPG elements, it felt like a sci-fi movie where you can role play. Saren was a great villain as well. 1 also had such great worldbuilding as well, and 2 instead of building upon it, just tore it apart.
3 I don't even want to talk about, the ending left such a bad taste and I never even replayed it.
And the reason why Mass Effect is not talked about any more is because of the 3 ending. It's the same reason nobody talks about Lost any more, or Battlestar Galactica, or even Game of Thrones. When the ending is bad it retroactively ruins the entire series and the desire to engage with that world.

 

[simpatico]

Had such great promise after the first entry, but second and third got streamlined into a combination of Gears of War and sci fi Life is Strange conversation teen-lit simulator.

 

[SegaShack]

I think it is time we get a discussion brewing about this franchise since it is not mentioned very often and nobody knows what it is really about since they are so old.

Huh? This isn't some underrated long lost game. It's a major multimillion selling franchise.

 

[Madflavor]

Mass Effect 3 was such an unbelievable let down. It's one of the worst nosedives in writing quality I've ever seen, that didn't get surpassed until Game of Thrones Season 8. When you look at the writing quality, tone, and atmosphere between ME1 and ME3, they're like two games from different universes.

 

[gothmog]

Trilogy came out two years ago and people were all over that?

 

[March Climber]

Worst character: I dunno, ME3 had a bunch. Who was that random Marine-type dude in the party with no distinguishing characteristics?

They should have leaned into the fact that James Vega looks like a missing Gears of War character, and they could have made some good in-jokes about it.

 

[YuLY]

Mass Effect 1 is the best, closely followed by Mass Effect 2. ME3 is last and a good game to end the francise on, but it was clearly rushed, although playing it now with patches and DLCs that make it longer a better ending explanation saves the game more.

Best char: Garrus. The camaraderie that male Shepard and him have during the trilogy is unmatched in gaming in my opinion. He really feels like a brother you can count on, going through hell together, the last conversation they have in London right before Shep goes against the Reaper is phenomenal. I truly feel pity for the people that play female Shepard, I feel like alot of this brothers in arms thing is lost when you play that redhead thing, not only with Garrus but also with story chars like Anderson, its just so different and cringe. Male Shepard is the only way to play this francise and theres no way you can make me think otherwise.

Best romance: Hard choice between Miranda and Liara. The thing that elevates Liara is that you can romance with her in all 3 games (due to Shadow Broker DLC in 2) so theres an unmatched continuity there. But then...Miranda is just stunning and the voice actress is so sexy irl and voice-wise. Hard...choice.
Theres also something super cute on how Liara just goes at you in the first game on Normandy lol.

Worst character: Jacobs. I dont even talk to him these days when I replay the trilogy, only do the bare minimum to get to his Loyalty mission, which in fairness is pretty good.

Favorite mechanic: Stealth cloak. Infiltrator is my fav class.

 

[MagnesD3]

Mass Effect 3 is objectively the best but Mass Effect 1 is my favorite.

Mass Effect 3 had the best gameplay bar none, incredible partners and moments, was the ending what they promised, no, but it was fine and the green ending is actually genius.

Mass Effect 1 had the best story and the best cast members in the entire series minus the humans. The mako was jank but I had alot of fun exploring the small planet areas for anomalies. And the Citidel was so great.

Mass Effect 2 was great as well but it tool away a ton of Rpg stuff, the mining sucked, the main story beats were meh and even though the loyalty missions were great and the cast huge I still prefered the original gang minus the humans.

 

[ahtlas7]

Forgotten? By who?

 

[Noxxera]

Cant really pinpoint one specific good thing. ME2 as male default shepard is da real lit shit. My favourite character that comes top of my mind is Grunt and the krogans easy (and Garrus close second). Last mission really got me emotional goddamn, especially jarring since it's just a game but my choices legit felt like they mattered. Imagine my feels when Grunt bite the dust when I did a bad choice lol.

Least favourite mechanic? Yeah thats prolly the ammo change from ME1 to ME2. The bad thing with ME2 is it felt more casual/action oriented wheras 1st truly felt Sci-Fi. 3rd game I see as a subpar 2. I've finished it once and wasn't really sold on it.

 

[AJUMP23]

ME 1 the story is king. Best in the franchise.

 

[Antwix]

Shoutout to the codex narration of these games. Loved going through each entry and listening to the lore. Voted ME2 though cuz I like the gameplay a bit better plus Miranda.

 

[winjer]

I have to vote for the first game. Combat was clunky and unpolished, but the characters and lore were amazingly good.
The second was also very good with story and characters, and combat was much improved. But the first edges out.
I played these games 3 times. But I only managed to finish the 3rd one time. Every time I tried to replay the trilogy, I would always quit on the 3rd one, half way through.

 

[RavageX]

Forgotten? It's been remastered recently.....

 

[RAIDEN1]

Shoutout to the codex narration of these games. Loved going through each entry and listening to the lore. Voted ME2 though cuz I like the gameplay a bit better plus Miranda.

Miranda yes easy on the eye, but Ashley came on leaps and bounds in Mass Effect 3, I think that is more apparent in the legacy collection...I was like dam she's changed! (For the better...) Definitely agree with you about the Codex narrations, a HUGE miss in the shit-show that was Andromeda.....On a separate note for those who remember the greatest Sci-fi show there was back from the 1990s - Babylon 5 I see as the forefather of all things Mass Effect, that franchise was to have in theory some great games that were proposed to be released, and very well could have had a HUGE movie release in the theatres back in 1998-2000 .....but with most of the key actors of the show passing away it's been stuck in development hell for the best part of 20 years, (in terms of getting any sort of a reboot) and now when we finally get something new Babylon 5 related it is relegated to a animated movie.....

Flip the coin and it is a surprise that there hasn't been a Mass Effect TV-Show, or a feature-length movie released in recent years...majority of its limelight has been in the video-games world...

 

[Hudo]

Forgotten? By who?

Bioware

 

[oji-san]

I've enjoyed ME2 the most.
Second best was ME3 and then ME1. Also in some ways Andromeda was more fun than ME1 and 3. Hard to rate but if only main series:
1. ME2
2. ME3
3. ME1

 

[Krathoon]

The side quests pretty much sucked ass in Mass Effect 1. They kept recycling assets.

 

[brian0057]

Please rank the series in the poll.

Mass Effect (2007)

Please share your favorite character and least favorite character.

Garrus is my boy.
Also, Ashley did nothing wrong.

Please share your favorite thing about the series mechanics wise and your least favorite thing.

The planet exploration from the original games was one of my favorite activities. You felt like you're actually exploring the galaxy a la Star Trek.
It was replaced in the second game by the worst thing in the entire series: Planet scanning. Whomever at Bioware thought that was a good idea, deserves a high five... to the face... with a brick.

 

[WoJ]

Mass Effect 1 is my favorite. I've played it probably 15 times and over the last few years it has become the game I play every year. I am such a psycho over the game I'll speedrun it twice so I can max out paragon and renegade points without actually spending a point in either and use the glitches to max them fully so I can use any dialogue options I want. I also do every side quest every time I play because I am a psycho and love the Mako and the isolation of driving around those planets in space. It's just cool.

Mass Effect 3 is probably my second favorite in the trilogy, the ending isn't great, but the Extended Cut made it tolerable. And I really like the Citadel in that game. And there is something about being on the Normandy in that game. It's the safest place in the Galaxy during the Reaper invasion and it's just cool to know I am there.

I really like Ashley, James, Tali, and Thane as characters. Jack is pretty awesome too. Wrex is great but they turn him into a parody of himself in the Citadel DLC, which is fun if not a bit over the top. Liara sucks, and I like Garrus, but I think the Fandom overrates him.

Mass Effect 1 got me back into gaming. My first play through Virmire blew my mind. I didn't have enough paragon points and didn't get Wrex's armor and was in shock when Ashley shot him. I was also in shock when I couldn't save Kaidan. The next night I fired the game up and ended up playing from return to the Citadel through Ilos to end of the game and was simply blown away by that end run on the Citadel. Truly a defining gaming moment for me.

I waited a while to play Mass Effect 2 and was sucked in again. I remember sitting down on Saturday morning in my apartment and intending to play the opening Mission or two. Six hours later I'm wrapping up another Dossier and getting ready to board the derelect Collector ship.

Side note and unpopular opinion on this series: Andromeda is underrated and deserves a direct sequel. Vetra and Drack are the best turian and krogan in the franchise, and the banter/relationships that develop in Andromeda are superior to the banter/relationships in ME1. And ME1 is my favorite.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Forgotten? I question that comment sir.

 

[kiphalfton]

Nobody forgot it.

Now Jade Empire, that's another story.

 

[Fuz]

ME2 has the best cast (love Jack), but ME1 was better in term of story and how menacing the real antagonists are. Then they ruined them because they had to make them beatable. Honestly, they should have stopped at ME1.
IIRC, my only issue with ME1 was the FUCKING STUPID dialogue wheel for retarded kids. But at the time I thought, hopeful, they would have fixed it in the sequel. How silly of me.

 

[Noxxera]

ME2 has the best cast (love Jack), but ME1 was better in term of story and how menacing the real antagonists are. Then they ruined them because they had to make them beatable. Honestly, they should have stopped at ME1.
IIRC, my only issue with ME1 was the FUCKING STUPID dialogue wheel for retarded kids. But at the time I thought, hopeful, they would have fixed it in the sequel. How silly of me.

ME dialogue options are nothing compared to Fallout 3 and Fallout 4. I literally cant play fallout 4 because of it.

 

[Fuz]

ME dialogue options are nothing compared to Fallout 3 and Fallout 4. I literally cant play fallout 4 because of it.

Other than the dumbed down to retarded simplicity, what made me full-on rage was that what Shepherd said was NOT what I selected. Drove me mad.
I don't remember if Fallout 4 had the same issue.

 

[Humdinger]

I like the first one the best. It had the most "sense of wonder," that indefinable quality that makes a science fiction game (or novel or film) great. I've played it through at least twice. I'm done, though. I tried to play it a fourth time, with the Legendary edition, but couldn't. Too old -- either me or the game.

 

[Noxxera]

Other than the dumbed down to retarded simplicity, what made me full-on rage was that what Shepherd said was NOT what I selected. Drove me mad.
I don't remember if Fallout 4 had the same issue.

Well lets just put it this way; in fallout 3 you got entire dialogue choices to choose from and could be unlimited. In fallout 4 it was max 4 choices with 1-2 words to summarise the whole dialogue (which I think a lot ppl could find confusing) lol

And that sounds precisely what would make you pissed

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Gotham Knights is down to $18. I've read that it's fairly stable now.

Is it worth a purchase at $18 if I am a fan of the Arkham games?

 

[adamsapple]

Forgotten ?

 

[Hero_Select]

Forgotten? I question that comment sir.

o7

 

[gow3isben]

ME3 objectively the best gameplay by far and imo the best character moments and story.

ME2 after that.


ME1 wasn’t that great exploration snd gunplay sucked.

Overall because of 2 and 3 this is the best video game series of all time.

 

[Alex11]

Mass Effect 2, although ME1 holds that special place of the first one and that feeling it had couldn't be equaled. ME2 not only is the best ME game is one of the best games ever.

But, yeah, ME2, what a game, everything you did actually felt like it had a meaning and a consequence, even that tedious mining game, you didn't invest too much, heavy consequences, amazing sidequests like loyalty missions.
And the final mission, Jesus, every decision you did up until that point would come crashing here, didn't believe some of the outcomes that I experienced then and honestly can't remember a game that did that.

 

[CatLady]

Please rank the series in the poll.
1. ME1
2. ME2 & 3

Please share your favorite character
Legion
Garius
Mordin

Least favorite character.
Kaiden
Jax

Please share your favorite thing about the series mechanics wise.
The Mako ................................................................ Kidding

least favorite thing
The Mako - not kidding

Lastly, please report back to the ship. We'll bang, ok?
Sorry Kaiden I already told you it ain't happening.

 

[adamsapple]

Please rank the series in the poll.

1. ME2
2. ME1 = ME3 (with DLC)


Please share your favorite character and least favorite character.

Favorite: Tie between Garrus and Wrex
Least: Ashley the space racist (this is obviously only counting the main ones, if you want to throw ALL characters, throwaways like Diana Allers would be above).


Please share your favorite thing about the series mechanics wise and your least favorite thing.

Mechanics wise? The ability to import choices made across the games. It adds a great sense of cohesiveness and continuity to each game.
Least favorite, umm .. the OG ME1's terrible running and sprint (before they mostly fixed it for Legendary Edition)


Lastly, please report back to the ship. We'll bang, ok?

 

[Quasicat]

Forgotten by BioWare and EA.

I remember right after the trilogy remaster came out, there was an interview about a Switch version being looked at after the next gen updates were added…we got nothing.

 

[AeonGaidenRaiden]

Its hardly forgotten dude.

 

[Hayabusa83]

I loved the second game and about 75 percent of the third game. Didn't even bother with Andromeda. Shame what happened to this franchise. The second game in particular had an engaging story and the way you have to earn the trust of your squad mates was a nice touch.

 

[Hayabusa83]

Mass Effect 2, although ME1 holds that special place of the first one and that feeling it had couldn't be equaled. ME2 not only is the best ME game is one of the best games ever.

But, yeah, ME2, what a game, everything you did actually felt like it had a meaning and a consequence, even that tedious mining game, you didn't invest too much, heavy consequences, amazing sidequests like loyalty missions.
And the final mission, Jesus, every decision you did up until that point would come crashing here, didn't believe some of the outcomes that I experienced then and honestly can't remember a game that did that.

Incredible game. Sadly I don't think another experience like that can be replicated. Mass Effect 2, in my opinion, is one of the greatest video games ever made.

 

[flying_sq]

 

[Darkmakaimura]

Mass Effect 2 is not only my favorite game in the series but perhaps one of the best games ever made followed by Mass Effect 1.

I don't think I've ever had that much fun playing a single player game than I did with the first two Mass Effect games.