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[Vire]

*Obvious Spoiler Warning*

Mass Effect 3 Review in Progress


Video 1: Combat on Mars

Video 1: Combat on Mars (YouTube)

Video 2: Exploring the Galaxy

Video 2: Exploring the Galaxy (YouTube)

New Information/FAQ:

Info on Reapers:

"If there is no Reaper on the system you want to explore, you are safe to travel and scan it as you please. However, if you begin scanning in a Reaper-infested system, the Reapers will move in and attempt to capture the Normandy. If you are caught, you will be returned to your last save outside of the Galaxy Map.

The Reaper Alertness meter in the lower left region of the screen will reveal how many more scans you can perform before alerting the Reapers. To escape the Reapers, you must simply pilot the ship out of the current system. You can do this by using a Mass Relay or by just cruising out of the solar system -- at the expense of fuel.

Reapers will vacate an occupied system after you complete a Mission, but the Reaper Alertness meter might not totally dissipate right away."

Info on Fuel:

"Fuel is expended in Mass Effect 3 every time you pilot the Normandy into the void between star systems. Mass Effect jumps do not expend fuel, nor does travel within a system.

As you move from one star system to a next, you can cruise to conserve fuel. There are several ways to attain fuel:

Scanning - You can scan for anomalies that may or may not contain fuel.
Fuel Depot - Fuel Depots exist in developed star systems. Fuel costs Credits.
Dock at the Citadel - You can get a free refill just by docking at the Citadel."

 

[Lifejumper]

Holy crap @ the music in the Mars Combat vid.

 

[King of the Potato People]

I'll be surprised if the final review was any thing less than 9.5, IGN seem to love that number. Overall I don't expect the reviews to be as good as ME2 though even if it's a better game.

 

[salromano]

Shoot. My Xbox 360 is still busted. I don't want to play this on my PS3 (my ME1+2 saves are on 360).

Gotta get a new Xbox, stat.

 

[Kyoufu]

Scanning for war assets is no better than scanning for minerals. UGH!

 

[Vire]

Scanning for war assets is no better than scanning for minerals. UGH!

I'm over a dozen hours into the game now, and have found myself inundated with both main and side quests. Likewise, I've found Mass Effect 3's changing ancillary features both welcome and disruptive. You won't be landing a craft on myriad planets ala Mass Effect, and scanning for precious ores and minerals like in Mass Effect 2 is a thing of the past. Now, your focus apart from questing is on developing and retaining precious war assets while scanning the known galaxy's solar systems for a much more limited array of planets to land on, items to find and more.

Doesn't sound so bad.

 

[rvy]

Must not click.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

 

[bryanee]

I thought they would of reviewed either the 360 or PC versions.

 

[Moaradin]

I clicked =(

 

[Thoraxes]

Hopefully it's less linear this time. It would be cool if all missions had a little more exploring to do.

 

[Sephirus]

Holy crap @ the music in the Mars Combat vid.

.

 

[shira]

SPOILED

 

[Kyoufu]

Doesn't sound so bad.

Sounds like scanning. Baffled why they couldn't come up with something else.

Vanguard looks awesome though. This is all the media I need. Body is ready for release

 

[Lingitiz]

Can't believe they kept the scanning system, hopefully its not as bad this time. Was also hoping for a new Normandy layout but I guess the old one worked fine.

 

[pmj]

I'm not sure I like the new stone cold killer Liara.

Anyway, do we know what happens if the Reapers catch up to the Normandy?

 

[Metalmurphy]

Will it be a 9 or a 10?

Spoiler

It'll be a 10

And OMG they kept the galaxy song. That's the 2nd best song in all of Mass Effects OSTs. So awesome.

 

[Jibbed]

Oh shit oh shit oh shit OH SHIT.

What happens when you don't elude the Reapers in the Galaxy Map?

 

[shingonation]

Glad to read for the PS3 users that the framerate is particulary bad only in the opening and then it clears up.

 

[dimb]

The heck is up with Liara? Her voice is totally different.

 

[DTKT]

Doesn't sound so bad.

Both welcome and disruptive? What is that suppose to mean?

 

[rvy]

Combat looks much improved over ME2. I like how the AI helps you out pick their powers too.
I must have it.

 

[20yearoldnerd]

Considering IGN doesn't give hyped games less than a 9.0, that's the lowest it will get. I'm guessing a 9.5 from them.

 

[Jibbed]

Considering IGN doesn't give hyped games less than a 9.0, that's the lowest it will get. I'm guessing a 9.5 from them.

I'd put money on a 10, IGN pretty much single-handedly championed ME2 for at least a year.

 

[Kyoufu]

Considering IGN doesn't give hyped games less than a 9.0, that's the lowest it will get. I'm guessing a 9.5 from them.

9.8 because it'll be just as good as Jade Empire.

 

[Sojgat]

The expanded amount of dialouge between Shepard and team during combat seems like a cool addition. the camera transitions from cutscene directly into combat are nice as well. Little touches like that add a lot.

 

[icecream]

You won't be landing a craft on myriad planets ala Mass Effect

And that is where they went wrong once again...

And OMG they kept the galaxy map song. That's the 2nd best song in all of Mass Effects OSTs. So awesome.

Of course they would, it's pretty much iconic for the series by now.

 

[Vire]

Both welcome and disruptive? What is that suppose to mean?

No idea.

Anywho, I wonder if the helmet comes up automatically ala Dead Space during outside sequences.

 

[Skilotonn]

Man oh man, so tempted to click.

So tempted.

 

[iavi]

The music during that Mars vid is absolutely nuts, and the combat looks much improved. I cannot wait for this game, at all.

 

[Foxix Von]

Huh... so they added another level of scanning on top of planet scanning and apparently penalize you for using the feature.

That's a really weird design choice.

 

[abundant]

Can't believe they kept the scanning system, hopefully its not as bad this time.

It doesn't look as tedious as it was in ME2. Instead of scanning every planet for minerals, you hit the scan button and any war assets that are near you are highlighted. If the war asset is on a planet, it will show you where it is, like finding the N7 missions in ME2. Most importantly, they tell you if you've found all the war assets in a galaxy.

 

[20yearoldnerd]

9.8 because it'll be just as good as Jade Empire.

Jade empire got a 9.9... yup. Game was great, but with a score near perfect, I would have expected the second coming of christ.

* To the poster above. A 10 could happen, but something in my belly tells me, probably not going to happen.

In other news: Gamespot will probably give it an 8.5

 

[dimb]

Don't like the look of the Galaxy Map at all now. The scan spam system is like the modern equivalent of pixel hunting, and getting chased out of galaxies just seems annoying.

 

[FrontalMonk]

Scanning for war assets is no better than scanning for minerals. UGH!

This looks orders of magnitude better than scanning for minerals. It's a distraction from the main game that doesn't look like it'll make me want to stab things.

 

[Perfect Cha0s]

And that is where they went wrong once again...

Oh come on, aside from a small handful of planets, the ME1 system was dreadfully boring and mundane.

 

[kingkaiser]

Oh shit oh shit oh shit OH SHIT.

What happens when you don't elude the Reapers in the Galaxy Map?

Game over, fission mailed

Spoiler

Achievement get: Raped by Reapers

 

[Vire]

Looks like the HUD has changed since the demo. Indicating the demo being an older build:

I for one embrace our new purple overlords.

EDIT: Thanks for the clarification, it's because he's playing Vanguard.

 

[Kyoufu]

This looks orders of magnitude better than scanning for minerals. It's a distraction from the main game that doesn't look like it'll make me want to stab things.

It's not a distraction though. Video says war assets affect the ending. Sounds like I'm probing Uranus again.

 

[Samara]

Man oh man, so tempted to click.

So tempted.

Won't watch videos as well, but click on the music one. It's good, oh my god so good. There's nothing in there but a 30s sound bite of the Mars mission.
No spoilers


Edit: Wait what happened to the OP where is the interview???

second edit: Doh, this is Gamespot, not IGN
http://www.gamespot.com/features/sound-byte-meet-the-composers-mass-effect-3-6350923/

 

[aloeh]

Aparently they playing on casual.

 

[USIGSJ]

Looks like the HUD has changed since the demo. Indicating the demo being an older build:

I for one embrace our new purple overlords.

Actually it was like that in the demo also. Because hes playing a Vanguard now, instead of shields you have barrier thus the purple color.

Also, anyone noticed how Joker got a door there, now we can't see ships cockpit.

 

[astroturfing]

Oh come on, aside from a small handful of planets, the ME1 system was dreadfully boring and mundane.

yeah, i hate to admit it but thats how it really was. as an idea it was totally awesome to land on so many planets and have that freedom to explore... but there was almost zero interesting things to find, and every single planet was a disappointment to me.

still, there better be at least a few cool side missions on various planets. less is more, if done right.

 

[Metalmurphy]

Looks like the HUD has changed since the demo. Indicating the demo being an older build:

I for one embrace our new purple overlords.

What's different?

 

[aloeh]

Looks like the HUD has changed since the demo. Indicating the demo being an older build:

I for one embrace our new purple overlords.

Adpet and Vanguard have no shields.

Biotic Barrier instead. In mas effect 2 the biotic barries are purple too.

 

[Vire]

Actually it was like that in the demo also. Because hes playing a Vanguard now, instead of shields you have barrier thus the purple color.

Also, anyone noticed how Joker got a door there?

A-ha!

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Angry Fork]

If exploring the galaxy doesn't include driving the mako on other planets I don't care. Picking a planet just to be dropped into another linear corridor SAVE THE HOSTAGE type scenario is not my cup of tea.

 

[ColonelColon]

I wonder how many times Vega will say "holy shit".

 

[sp3000]

If it doesn't get a 10 It must be terrible.

 

[Ammish]

And that is where they went wrong once again...

If you like the idea of buggy, bland and empty worlds, then yes, they got that wrong. That feature is making it unbearable for me to complete ME1 fully (fuck you, save file for glitching when transferring to my new 360)

 

[UnluckyKate]

Looks like the HUD has changed since the demo. Indicating the demo being an older build:

I for one embrace our new purple overlords.

I think purple means it's shield in Biotic, no electric. Because he was playing vanguard, not soldier or infiltrator.

Edit: beaten twice. Meh...