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[B-Genius]

I never got into this series back when it first emerged for reasons I can't quite remember.
It could have been other games getting in the way; or reluctancy to play on 360, or this weird prejudice that it was going to be some "baby's first sci-fi" kind of deal.

Well, I was absolutely wrong on that last point. The world and the part you play in it are easily the main things keeping me interested as I play through ME1.

I made a badass, no-nonsense Shepherd with the intent of going full Renegade and ploughing through the game, not giving a hoot about anything or anyone.
My plans for full Renegade are still firmly in-tact (even though the game does a good job of giving you some difficult decisions), but I've found myself drawn in by the world and its characters much more than I thought I would.

And what I've found is that, "caring for" characters was a silly way to look at it.
What I care about is how my choices impact them, and how it makes me feel when (for better or worse) things go as expected.

For example, completing a side-quest for one of your regular squad members actually feels like a little chapter in and of itself. Rather than a typical fetch quest or similar RPG style mission, the outcome never feels 100% clear.
When hunting down a black market organ dealer, I'd made my choice about what was to be done before even setting off. Like many things in the game, I didn't know if it was the "right" choice, but the game made me feel as if it was "my" choice.

It lets you own these (often dramatic) decisions, and on numerous occassions as well, which is something you don't often see in games of this ilk. I'm excited to see how I may benefit from or regret some of these choices in future.
NB: I bought the trilogy on PS3, so save files carrying over is one way that being late to this party paid off.

I love the design of the alien races, (Turian and Quarian in particular), and the way their histories and cultures intertwine is fascinating. As for squad members, I'm rolling exclusively with Garrus and Tali.
Garrus seems like a "get things done" kinda guy, so he fits with my Shepherd's mindset, while Tali is pure cool cat. Love that accent.
Neither of the human members interest me (in fact, I try to give Ashley as much shit as possible).
I don't fully trust Asari, since one of them managed to bed Shepherd early on, quite without my consent.
Wrex is cool, but I've got no time for big, grumpy characters, especially considering how they can get in the way during combat.

Ahh, the combat... probably one of the only gripes I have with this game.
The effectiveness of some of the Biotics has gradually become clear as I've progressed,
but it's the clunkiness of the whole affair that's a massive turn-off.
I find missions with a lot of combat to be a bit of a chore. The lack of weapon sound effect variation and the way enemies just kind of rush at you with no real tactics make it feel more last gen than anything else.

Of course, the graphics are nothing to write home about, but they aren't unbearable, and I'm looking forward to minor visual upgrades in the sequels.
Sometimes cutscenes are pretty terrible, with really wonky camera work that makes them much cheesier than they should be.

Also, I'm not sure if I like being stuck with the initial class selection, as it seems like I can't train in assault rifles and sniper rifles. (I assume ally kills with those weapons don't count towards the trophies?)

But these are small niggles in an otherwise great game. I can understand all the fuss around this series now, as well as Bioware's storytelling in general. The writing is very high quality, and I enjoy browsing over the Codex, learning more about the world. Although I wish you could listen to it while doing other stuff, especially driving around
in the Mako... I don't mind padding, especially when it's optional stuff, but that has to be one of my most painful experiences in recent gaming.

Oh, and great voice acting for the most part. A lot of it sounds very natural, and I don't find any major characters grating on me (except for Joker, who is perfectly ignorable). Some of the quips during combat get a bit repetetive ("I will DESTROY you!", and the sound levels are a bit all over the place, but otherwise a fine audio track. Good score as well.

Tl;dr:
Enjoying Mass Effect more than I thought I would.
Garrus and Tali all day er' day.
2mil in the bank and counting.
Renegade fo' life.
Can't wait to get started with 2 and 3!


*** 2015/10/02 UPDATE post #102 ***

Just finished ME1 last night. Great stuff!
I'd put around 40 hours into it, which felt like a very reasonable length.
Especially considering that I made an effort to do plenty of Assignments and explore as much as possible.
I've never played any Bioware games, and I don't usually make time for this sort of "epic" RPG, but I'm glad I finally did.

The "point of no return" was quite far back, which surprised me.
I was half-hoping to finish collecting some rare metals and stuff, but I think it's for the best that I didn't get too bogged down.
I already got a "Completionist" trophy a while back, so I'm content in thinking that any other side missions would have just been fluff.
(I actually refused to help one shady guy outside Flux when going to meet Anderson.
He annoyed me, plus ain't nobody got time for that. It felt really good just saying "No".)


I have to say, the game was juuuust beginning to grate by the end, but the ending itself made up for it.
It felt conclusive and satisfying, while still leaving room for things to pick up in the sequel.
The following is my account of the ending, so I don't recommend clicking unless you've finished ME1.

Spoiler

The chat with Vigil felt like a bit of an info dump.
It was a cool twist about the Citadel and the Keepers, but it could have been subtly hinted at throughout.
Maybe it was and I just didn't pay attention... Help me out if so?

I was expecting a big final showdown with Saren, so it was quite a shock when I found I could tell him to top himself!
And then, just as I was beginning to feel disappointed that we couldn't fight, he gets reanimated as some crazy Reaper disco star and we go to it.
Usually that kind of "Oh no he isn't!" schtick is dumb, but here it kinda worked.
(It was also during this last battle that I got a trophy for using Warp 75 times. Lucky!)

The sense of scale with Sovereign in the environment leading up to the last stand was great.
After that chunk had smashed into the tower, I seriously thought Shepard was dead.
That would have been a pretty bold ending, and I think I would have preferred to die an anti-hero, but hey.
At least we got to see her smile for once.

I was honestly pretty stumped by the last decision. I'd been a royal penis throughout almost the entire game, but there I was dilly-dallying about whether to save the council or not.
In the end, I couldn't "let them die", but decided that Sovereign had to be stopped at all costs.
The immediate fallout from that choice has made me even more determined to set things right in the sequel.
Suddenly, I'm not the bad guy anymore. This sniveling clown Udina shows his true colours, and I'm mad that he's muscling out the other races.
I think as a result, my choices will be more levelled in ME2. It'll be fun experimenting with a kind of humbled, considerate Shepard.

It's a great success that the game has given me a concience as well as a clear goal for the next game.
Not only to put a stop to the Reapers once and for all, but to put things right with humanity and earn the trust of other races again.
And if all else fails, at least I'll still have Tali and Garrus by my side. (Right, guys? RIGHT!?)

Suffice to say, I'm very much looking forward to diving straight into ME2. Got it ready to install tonight.
Before I do (and I'm sorry if this has been asked gajillions of times before), which DLC are must-haves?

On the store (not counting weapon/aesthetic packs), all I see are Arrival and Cerberus.
The trilogy came with the Cerberus pack, which seems to contain a bunch of superflous stuff, but I'll check it out because why not, eh?
Also, if I need to get DLC, can I get started and grab it later on? (Really hoping the answer is yes...)

Thanks again for reading!


P.S. Whatever happened to that autograph guy? I refused to sign and now 30 hours later, I feel a bit dickish about it.
Was sort of expecting (hoping) that decision would come back to haunt me, haha. Perhaps in part 2 or 3...?

 

[bananafactory]

I loved 1, but 2 is on a whole other level.

Enjoy it, my friend.

 

[Sanctuary]

It only gets better with the next game. Your issue with the combat is also addressed in a major way (at the cost of biotics not being remotely overpowered this time).

 

[mtodavk]

I just recently played 1 and 2 for the first time probably a couple months ago. The series is definitely in my top ten now...glad you're in the club too!

 

[Coin Return]

ME1 laid a great foundation for ME2, which is one of my favorite games ever.

Nothing compares to the

Spoiler

last half hour

of ME1, though. Just pure sci-fi bliss.

 

[Humdinger]

The first was my favorite. Enjoy. I agree that it's more about caring about the impact your choices have, vs. caring for the characters themselves. However, I did develop a fondness for Liara by the end.

 

[Grisby]

No joke, the conversations with Wrex blew me the f away when I played it back at launch.

An all around great game that was hampered by technical snafus on the 360. Still, despite the mako and the barren planets, it was a damn fun ride.

Buckle up, it only gets better.

As for squad members, I'm rolling exclusively with Garrus and Tali.

My favs too.

 

[RedSwirl]

2 and 3 feel distinctly different from 1, in multiple areas. Some people like that, some people don't.

 

[GearDraxon]

You've taken your first step into a larger world.

Someday, I'll figure out a way for my wife to experience ME in an accelerated fashion, given how much she enjoys sci-fi.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

Garrus is my bro.

 

[Shogun1337]

The first is the best. But whatever

 

[GSG Flash]

My favourite game of last gen, this is the only game I would buy an HD remaster of.

I loved 1, but 2 is on a whole other level.

Enjoy it, my friend.

2 is definitely on another level... In the opposite direction.

OP if you like the story and lore of ME1, be prepared to be extremely underwhelmed by ME2.

 

[Mass Effect]

Neither of the human members interest me (in fact, I try to give Ashley as much shit as possible).

Spoiler alert: ALL your human squadmates are the most boring squadmates throughout the entire trilogy except for Kasumi and maybe Zaheed.

Wrex is cool, but I've got no time for big, grumpy characters, especially considering how they can get in the way during combat.

Nooo, Wrex actually gets a whole lot cooler once you talk to him. He's the best squadmate in ME1. Have you gotten to Virmire yet?

Ahh, the combat... probably one of the only gripes I have with this game.
The effectiveness of some of the Biotics has gradually become clear as I've progressed,
but it's the clunkiness of the whole affair that's a massive turn-off.
I find missions with a lot of combat to be a bit of a chore. The lack of weapon sound effect variation and the way enemies just kind of rush at you with no real tactics make it feel more last gen than anything else.

This is something that's greatly improved upon in the sequels.

Also, I'm not sure if I like being stuck with the initial class selection, as it seems like I can't train in assault rifles and sniper rifles. (I assume ally kills with those weapons don't count towards the trophies?)

You can actually pick an extra weapon or power if you unlock achievement for said weapon/power. For example, if you unlock the "Assault rifle mastery" trophy, then you can pick it as a bonus weapon in new game plus, regardless of what class you are. So if you pick adept, normally adepts can only use pistols, but if you have the aforementionedd achievement, you can also use assault rifles as well. And, no ally weapon kills don't count.

OP if you like the story and lore of ME1, be prepared to be extremely underwhelmed by ME2.

This is also true, but in ME2's defense, the characters and their loyalty are so much better than 1's. While the overall story is weak, the loyalty missions are amazing. ME3 is the worst though in this regard.

 

[Savinowned]

Aw man! Definitely on my top 5 list for Xbox 360. It was my system seller game back in 2007

2 improves huge on the combat, while taking a hit on RPG mechanics. It is generally consider a more action heavy game, but I love both games.

3 is a great balance of both in my opinion, and I love the story here too despite all the hullabaloo

Overall, Mass Effect is epic.

 

[Grisby]

Takes me back y'all.

 

[Sanctuary]

What are these rose-tinted, magical "RPG mechanics" that existed in the first game, but none of the sequels?

Every single time I've replayed the first game, I am on the lookout for what people could possibly be talking about whenever this is mentioned.

1. Clunky ass UI, straight out of the 90s?
2. Clunky and archaic point allocation system? You essentially do the very same thing in the next game, but with a different UI and with larger chunks at a time instead of so incremental.
3. Exploring mostly barren worlds with one of the least fun vehicles in recent history?
4. Weapon and Armor mods? Is this really considered an "RPG mechanic" when so many other games do this as well? In the first game it's not like you would wear anything other than the current best armor you can find, or not use at least one of the best Medical Interfaces, best Omnitool and alternate between Tungsten and Shredder rounds. The inventory was a shitfest list of junk waiting to be sold or converted into Omnigel 90% of the time too.

 

[vocab]

What are these rose-tinted, magical "RPG mechanics" that existed in the first game, but none of the sequels?

Every single time I've replayed the first game, I am on the lookout for what people could possibly be talking about whenever this is mentioned.

1. Clunky ass UI, straight out of the 90s?
2. Clunky and archaic point allocation system? You essentially do the very same thing in the next game, but with a different UI and with larger chunks at a time instead of so incremental.
3. Exploring mostly barren worlds with one of the least fun vehicles in recent history?
4. Weapon and Armor mods? Is this really considered an "RPG mechanic" when so many other games do this as well? In the first game it's not like you would wear anything other than the current best armor you can find, or not use at least one of the best Medical Interfaces, best Omnitool and alternate between Tungsten and Shredder rounds. The inventory was a shitfest list of junk waiting to be sold or converted into Omnigel 90% of the time too.

I don't think anyone praises the rpg mechanics in Mass Effect. People have more of a problem with the complete removal of some of those aspects instead of refining them to be better.

 

[Strangelove77]

I wish I had played this when it came out so I could like it as much as everyone else, but I played ME2 first. ME1 gameplay was such a chore. Really brought the game down a lot.

There should be a "Telltale" mod where it skips all the combat, vehicle use and item management and all you do is walk around talking to people and making decisions and watching cutscenes.

 

[Sanctuary]

I don't think anyone praises the rpg mechanics in Mass Effect. People have more of a problem with the complete removal of some of those aspects instead of refining them to be better.

If that is what was actually being argued most of the time, but most of the posts just end up saying "less of an RPG; because reasons" without actually specifying why. Sometimes I wonder if certain posters actually have any legitmate reasons, or if they are just saying it because other people are giving the same complaint. It seems like the word "streamlined" simply means "dumbed down" no matter what the reasons are too, but there wasn't really anything "intelligent" that was removed from the first game that also somehow enhanced the overall experience. So maybe Bioware took a lazy approach to fixing the problem areas, but if they couldn't really make them better than the previous game, I'd rather not have to deal with them. Which is what ended up happening.

It's pretty apparent that the second game emphasized the combat more, but did anyone really have fun with the shooting mechanics of the first game? The only thing I ever found interesting in the first game combat wise would be Immunity and biotic ragdolling.

 

[jakomocha]

Wrex is cool, but I've got no time for big, grumpy characters, especially considering how they can get in the way during combat.

Wrex is awesome! If I had to rank the squad members based off ME1 alone (I'm mostly speaking from a story perspective and how much I liked them), I'd say:

1.) Garrus
2.) Tali
3.) Wrex = Liara
4.) Kaidan
5.) Ashley

Honestly, I didn't like the combat much in ME1 but everything else more than made up for it for me. And my god the soundtrack...

I miss Mass Effect . I have so many memories of the series.

 

[GSG Flash]

It's pretty apparent that the second game emphasized the combat more, but did anyone really have fun with the shooting mechanics of the first game? The only thing I ever found interesting in the first game combat wise would be Immunity and biotic ragdolling.

*raises hand*

I much preferred the shooting mechanics of the first game over the second.

My biggest gripe with the first game was inventory management and the fact that the Make controlled like an RC car. That said, I wanted Bioware to fix those things, not remove them completely.

 

[- J - D -]

Ah, to be a freshmen to the ME universe. What a feeling. Have fun!

 

[Josh5890]

I've played through the first Mass Effect game on PC about 7 or 8 times. That game is an incredible experience. I have made so many different choices throughout the years with this game.

One of my top 10 favs of all time

 

[Interceptor]

1 is the best Scifi game of the series,
2 is the better game overall
3 is... ok.

 

[Galactic Fork]

I've only played 2 and 3. Considered getting the trilogy for 1, but... I'm not sure. I've learned the plot from playing through 2, so don't know if it will be a new enough experience to be worth it.

Though ME is the only series I pick the more renegade type character. Usually I make goody two shoes choices in other Bioware series, but with Shepard, I can't help but make her all tough as nails.

 

[toddhunter]

1 laid a great platform that was completely ignored for the bland shooter sequels.

Those elevator rides though...

 

[CMojicaAce]

Tali for life.

 

[bananafactory]

My favourite game of last gen, this is the only game I would buy an HD remaster of.



2 is definitely on another level... In the opposite direction.

OP if you like the story and lore of ME1, be prepared to be extremely underwhelmed by ME2.

I guess I should have clarified gameplay-wise. 1 is by far my favourite story.

 

[Zambayoshi]

I view Mass Effect 1 as a kind of flawed masterpiece. I enjoy playing through it despite its clunky gameplay mechanics, because the story is pretty epic. It's a great set-up for ME2 and ME3, definitely.

 

[bluesun.exe]

I've only played 2 and 3. Considered getting the trilogy for 1, but... I'm not sure. I've learned the plot from playing through 2, so don't know if it will be a new enough experience to be worth it.

Well mass effect 1 on psn if your playing on ps3. I think it's worth it if you like the first two games but if you play me1 be ready for the shooting and enemy type's to be a bit more frustrating.

 

[televator]

You're doing it right with Ashley. Give that space racist what for! I'm sure you'll make the right choice.

 

[Staf]

Liked the first one despite the awful conversation system, very trekkie. The second was meh, but i finished it. The third one was super meh, never finished it. Which, if the reactions to the endings is anything to go by, was probably a good idea.

 

[B-Genius]

Garrus is my bro.

Tali for life.

*High fives*
My people.

Spoiler alert: ALL your human squadmates are the most boring squadmates throughout the entire trilogy except for Kasumi and maybe Zaheed.

You're doing it right with Ashley. Give that space racist what for! I'm sure you'll make the right choice.

Aliens are just so much more fascinating!
For the record, my Shepherd is female, and I'm pretty sure I'm making the "right choice"...

Nooo, Wrex actually gets a whole lot cooler once you talk to him. He's the best squadmate in ME1. Have you gotten to Virmire yet?

Yeah, he's fun to chat to, and the whole Genophage idea is really interesting.
I think I finished Virmire. I've done a couple of missions for him, but generally keep him at a distance.
It's great how the game lets you do that, instead of forcing you to let him tag along.

This is something that's greatly improved upon in the sequels.

This seems to be the consensus. Good to know.

You can actually pick an extra weapon or power if you unlock achievement for said weapon/power. For example, if you unlock the "Assault rifle mastery" trophy, then you can pick it as a bonus weapon in new game plus, regardless of what class you are. So if you pick adept, normally adepts can only use pistols, but if you have the aforementionedd achievement, you can also use assault rifles as well. And, no ally weapon kills don't count.

Thanks for the info. The thing is, I don't intend to NG+ (at least not right away), as I want to move on with the series asap.
I'm also sceptical whether I'm getting any kills with untrained weapons at all! I have the pistol and shotgun trophies, but ARs and snipers are so innacurate.
Squad mates seem to get kills before I do. I wonder if "assists" count... Maybe I should just stick with my Vanguard weapons for now.

This is also true, but in ME2's defense, the characters and their loyalty are so much better than 1's. While the overall story is weak, the loyalty missions are amazing. ME3 is the worst though in this regard.

Interesting. I think I'm enjoying individual character arcs rather than the story as a whole. (Although like I said, the world itself is a joy to experience.)
Really can't wait to see how it concludes and carry on where I left off in 2!

Aw man! Definitely on my top 5 list for Xbox 360. It was my system seller game back in 2007

2 improves huge on the combat, while taking a hit on RPG mechanics. It is generally consider a more action heavy game, but I love both games.

3 is a great balance of both in my opinion, and I love the story here too despite all the hullabaloo

Overall, Mass Effect is epic.

Great. I don't mind losing some "RPG mechanics" in favour of better combat.
Heard about the ending uproar for 3, although nothing specific.
I like to think I'll be able to distance myself from that and just appreciate it when the time comes.

On that note, should I get any DLC for 2 or 3 ahead of time? Are there any "must haves" that complete the experience?

What are these rose-tinted, magical "RPG mechanics" that existed in the first game, but none of the sequels?

Every single time I've replayed the first game, I am on the lookout for what people could possibly be talking about whenever this is mentioned.

1. Clunky ass UI, straight out of the 90s?
2. Clunky and archaic point allocation system? You essentially do the very same thing in the next game, but with a different UI and with larger chunks at a time instead of so incremental.
3. Exploring mostly barren worlds with one of the least fun vehicles in recent history?
4. Weapon and Armor mods? Is this really considered an "RPG mechanic" when so many other games do this as well? In the first game it's not like you would wear anything other than the current best armor you can find, or not use at least one of the best Medical Interfaces, best Omnitool and alternate between Tungsten and Shredder rounds. The inventory was a shitfest list of junk waiting to be sold or converted into Omnigel 90% of the time too.

I'm curious to know which of these are removed completely from the sequels.
I wouldn't miss driving the Mako, although knowing it'll be gone may make it more stomachable, haha.
Selling/recycling stuff is definitely a huge part of inventory management, but I'm not too fussed about that.
I tend to scour every corner, scavenge and hoard in this sort of game, so it's refreshing to be able to "purge" useless junk regularly.

Although the lack of any sorting system, and the inability to "cancel" when browsing weapon/ammo mods is a pretty big oversight.
I've been doing most (if not all) of the assignments, and at what I expect is half-way to 2/3s through the game, I have over 300 Omnigel and 2 million credits.

1 is the best Scifi game of the series,
2 is the better game overall
3 is... ok.

Right. I will lap up the sci-fi while I can. Glad I've been doing side quests and reading the Codex.

Those elevator rides though...

Wow, yeah. That one inside the Normandy that takes you down about 6 feet in 20 seconds... xD

Liked the first one despite the awful conversation system, very trekkie. The second was meh, but i finished it. The third one was super meh, never finished it. Which, if the reactions to the endings is anything to go by, was probably a good idea.

I like the conversation system, but granted I don't usually play this sort of game.
Often I fear the choices are a bit too "abrupt", and settle with picking something due to process of elimination.
But again they did a great job fleshing out these choices into fully realised lines, which more often than not reflect what I was actually thinking.

What I don't like is how the "skip dialogue" button is also the "pick dialogue" button. Hoping this is addressed in the next two.

 

[norm9]

Bought the trilogy during a psn sale months ago. Been playing a little here and there. Got my squad of Tali and Wrex and will probably stick with them the entire time, same way I did with my crew in Dragon Age Inquisition. Hated Solas but I needed a wizard type character so I liked none of the other mates liked him either.

I'm not a big fan of mixing and matching new members. Less attachment and too much choice for me. Maybe they're not the ideal combo (no idea), but I'll ride with them till the end.

 

[Sanctuary]

I'm curious to know which of these are removed completely from the sequels.

Everything on the list, although the second mechanic listed isn't as much removed as it is fixed. The side quest missions of the first game may have initially given a false sense of exploration, but it quickly wears off once you realize that aside from topography, almost all of the planets are the same. There's 1-2 points of interest at most, with tons of nothing in between and it usually requires horrible Mako physics to get you from one point to the next.

The second game eschews the "travel across the galaxy and explore an almost copy/paste world" for much smaller, but more diverse and personal maps. Overall, the side quests for the most part are vastly improved. That's also where you get most of the narrative heft from too. One of the DLC missions is still one of the most memorable of the series, while a second and third are both not as "essential", but still very much worth it.

If it sounds like I don't like the first Mass Effect, it's not that at all. It's more that I think almost everything is better in the next game. Also, unlike the first game, each "class" in the next two sequels actually feels unique. Unlike the hybrids of the first.

 

[Vertti]

Just started this yesterday myself for the first time ever. Kudos to that controller mod!

Nice to play with 4K and AO. Only annoying thing is how something flashes every time when cutscene changes camera angle. It's annoying but couldn't find a solution for that.

Yeah and I own 2 and 3 too so I will play through the whole trilogy.

 

[Bl@de]

Combat clunky? I think it's nice and casual^^ One of the best things about Mass Effect. Does it get better in the next parts?

Liara/Tali'Zorah as Biotics/Tech and me as a Soldier. Don't need to mix. I wreck everything.

PS. Playing ME for the first time right now. So I should abandon the thread now before I read spoilers^^

 

[Acidote]

Shepard

 

[vocab]

Combat clunky? I think it's nice and casual^^ One of the best things about Mass Effect. Does it get better in the next parts?

PS. Playing ME for the first time right now. So I should abandon the thread now before I read spoilers^^

Me2 and 3 play more like a standard 3rd person shooter, more gears of war. Its not bad in two, but 3 incorporates the "another wave" approach to combat, and it becomes very tiresome, and ultimately predictable. I quit mid way through 3. It just wasnt for me anymore.

 

[Sanctuary]

Combat clunky? I think it's nice and casual^^ One of the best things about Mass Effect. Does it get better in the next parts?

The shots are mostly handled by RNG in the background, kind of like a leftover from KOTOR. In the next two games, it's more determined by player skill (it also has target assist though if you want to use it, so you don't need to be some kind of "twitch" gamer or FPS/TPS junkie to actually do fine with it). In the sequel, each class gets their own defining ability that really does change the way each of them plays. Everyone still shoots a gun (some more often than others), but the class ability really does give them each a very different feel. That, IMO is what makes the second game much more replayable. The first game may have a bigger initial impact, but it doesn't have the staying power for repeated visits.

PS. Playing ME for the first time right now. So I should abandon the thread now before I read spoilers^^

Probably not. Usually LTTP threads are not bad with spoilers, unless someone is just being a Renegade.

Me2 and 3 play more like a standard 3rd person shooter, more gears of war. Its not bad in two, but 3 incorporates the "another wave" approach to combat, and it becomes very tiresome, and ultimately predictable. I quit mid way through 3. It just wasnt for me anymore.

Yep. ME3 became too much of a boring shooting gallery for me to play it more than one and a half times. The second game was the most balanced of the trilogy. It might not have been as much of an "RPG" (debateable) as the first, but it didn't try so hard to be a straight up TPS as the third game did either.

 

[Bl@de]

I don't have a problem with a more action oriented gameplay. I like the shooter gameplay of Mass Effect. Thanks for explaining the mechanics.

I'm 20h into Mass Effect and Level 29 (

Spoiler

Going to Virmire now after finishing Feros, Noveria and getting Liara

). So I think I'm quite far into the game. Many people say 2 is the best and most balanced so I'm looking forward to it. I'm still surprised I ignored the franchise for so long ...

 

[Nere]

My favourite of the trilogy and an awesome rpg, the other 2 felt more like shooters with rpg story than a true rpg game.

 

[B-Genius]

Everything on the list, although the second mechanic listed isn't as much removed as it is fixed. The side quest missions of the first game may have initially given a false sense of exploration, but it quickly wears off once you realize that aside from topography, almost all of the planets are the same. There's 1-2 points of interest at most, with tons of nothing in between and it usually requires horrible Mako physics to get you from one point to the next.

The second game eschews the "travel across the galaxy and explore an almost copy/paste world" for much smaller, but more diverse and personal maps. Overall, the side quests for the most part are vastly improved. That's also where you get most of the narrative heft from too. One of the DLC missions is still one of the most memorable of the series, while a second and third are both not as "essential", but still very much worth it.

If it sounds like I don't like the first Mass Effect, it's not that at all. It's more that I think almost everything is better in the next game. Also, unlike the first game, each "class" in the next two sequels actually feels unique. Unlike the hybrids of the first.

It sounds like the sequel will be a more comfortable affair.
I'm already invested in the world and characters, so as a game I'm sure I'll enjoy 2 (and possibly 3) even more. Can't wait!

The shots are mostly handled by RNG in the background, kind of like a leftover from KOTOR. In the next two games, it's more determined by player skill (it also has target assist though if you want to use it, so you don't need to be some kind of "twitch" gamer or FPS/TPS junkie to actually do fine with it). In the sequel, each class gets their own defining ability that really does change the way each of them plays.

Interesting! I wonder if that RNG aspect is the "clunkiness" that most refer to.
Makes sense now that you mention it, thanks for the insight.

Combat clunky? I think it's nice and casual^^ One of the best things about Mass Effect.

See, at first it felt "casual" to me as well, but then its foibles really started to grate on me.
Now I just want to get combat sections done so I can finish exploring and talking to people ^^;

Some of us are spoiled by modern cover systems and high responsiveness these days, so I suppose it's only natural.

Anyhoo, glad you're also enjoying it for the first time!

Shepard

Gah! Thanks for the correction!

 

[Planet]

Good to see a LTTP for a game that is older than 2 months.

Have fun with the rest of the trilogy, I especially enjoyed the increasing scope of events in each part. Some gameplay changes are for the better in the later games, some aren't. The story stays a central piece which I liked.

 

[televator]

Aliens are just so much more fascinating!
For the record, my Shepherd is female, and I'm pretty sure I'm making the "right choice"...

You'll really get my meaning latter on... Let me just say don't pity a space racist. They're sub-human.

 

[Dennis]

Shepard

Rekt

 

[hoserx]

Garrus is my bro.

for fucking life man. He is a real friend of mine.

 

[Bisnic]

If you've done Virmire (the planet with Saren's base and the nice planet view with beaches and stuff), I hope you did not kill you know who(and I'm talking about the alien here).

 

[Ratrat]

Get ready for really dumbed down gameplay in the sequel! The third is pretty fun though. I have high hopes for Andromeda.

 

[Pankratous]

Dunno how people can ruin the game for themselves by playing renegade.

Glad you're enjoying it otherwise though. 2 and 3 are significantly better.