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The Mass Effect Community Thread |OT2|

Dany

Banned
This game left such a poor taste in my mouth. It's so not worth it if you're a fan of the original trilgoy. you're better served replaying those games than this.
 

strafer

member
Some of them do show up later in significant ways, but most of them have limited roles due to Bioware realizing they fucked up by having the Suicide Mission at the end of ME2.

Well if they really wanted to have that mission matter they could have those who survived be with you at the start, let's say you save all of them, grats, they are all with you at the start of ME3.

All but one got killed, grats, that one person is now with you at the start of ME3.

Don't have me recruit some new people I dont care about. :(
 

prag16

Banned
What I liked better about the suicide missions than the "everybody can die" aspect was the idea of getting the whole squad involved, giving people different jobs, etc. It was disappointing that ME3 did NOTHING of this sort. Andromeda does this to an extent with the final sequence but you don't have direct control over most of what goes on. The "everybody can die" aspect really just painted them into a corner, which was unfortunate. Almost like they didn't quite think that one through.

This game left such a poor taste in my mouth. It's so not worth it for me as a fan of the original trilgoy. I would have been better served replaying those games than this.

Fixed. Please don't speak for all fans of the original trilogy.

There's a great game in here that's unfortunately buried under fluff and some poor design decisions. It really does do a lot of things better than anything in the trilogy (and some of the shortcomings compared to the trilogy are way overblown imo). That said, I don't blame some people that couldn't be bothered to find it; that's on the devs.
 

strafer

member
What I liked better about the suicide missions than the "everybody can die" aspect was the idea of getting the whole squad involved, giving people different jobs, etc. It was disappointing that ME3 did NOTHING of this sort. Andromeda does this to an extent with the final sequence but you don't have direct control over most of what goes on. The "everybody can die" aspect really just painted them into a corner, which was unfortunate. Almost like they didn't quite think that one through.

Man I'll tell ya, those last sequences were intense, whenever a cutscene was playing I was afraid someone would get popped, was holding my breath the entire time, luckily no one died. <3

Also, had no idea a Terminator was in ME2 . :p
 

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
Well if they really wanted to have that mission matter they could have those who survived be with you at the start, let's say you save all of them, grats, they are all with you at the start of ME3.

All but one got killed, grats, that one person is now with you at the start of ME3.

Don't have me recruit some new people I dont care about. :(

They had but 2 years to make ME3. Having to take all of the deaths of ME2 to potentially change in major ways how the story goes on in ME3 because each of them could be squadmates would have been a miracle in such a short time. Although Garrus & Tali are squadmates in ME3, I'm not sure how their absence work in ME3 lol.

I mean, the moments you see Mordin, Samara, Jack, etc. in ME3 are still cool at least. But if they happened to die in ME2, their absence have no real repercussions(except maybe Mordin), and they are usually replaced by nobodies.
 

Patryn

Member
Well if they really wanted to have that mission matter they could have those who survived be with you at the start, let's say you save all of them, grats, they are all with you at the start of ME3.

All but one got killed, grats, that one person is now with you at the start of ME3.

Don't have me recruit some new people I dont care about. :(

Your ME3 squad is more or less the ME1 squad. There's only a couple of new people.
 

strafer

member
They had but 2 years to make ME3. Having to take all of the deaths of ME2 to potentially change in major ways how the story goes on in ME3 because each of them could be squadmates would have been a miracle in such a short time. Although Garrus & Tali are squadmates in ME3, I'm not sure how their absence work in ME3 lol.

I mean, the moments you see Mordin, Samara, Jack, etc. in ME3 are still cool at least. But if they happened to die in ME2, their absence have no real repercussions(except maybe Mordin), and they are usually replaced by nobodies.

So wierd.

At the end of ME2 we see Shepard walk through the ship and we see all the squad members fixing the ship and looking at me, nodding.

Thinking they were going to be with me in ME3 too, guess not.
 
So wierd.

At the end of ME2 we see Shepard walk through the ship and we see all the squad members fixing the ship and looking at me, nodding.

Thinking they were going to be with me in ME3 too, guess not.

There is a really artless time jump between 2 and 3 with a grounded Shepard and scattered crew. The narration never really sets the stage for this development and its consequences... it just trips over itself to have Earth invaded and Shepard back on a ship with a new crew. You can almost see the ragged edges where they cut some significant content from the opening moments (a Shepard court martial?)
 

strafer

member
There is a really artless time jump between 2 and 3 with a grounded Shepard and scattered crew. The narration never really sets the stage for this development and its consequences... it just trips over itself to have Earth invaded and Shepard back on a ship with a new crew. You can almost see the ragged edges where they cut some significant content from the opening moments (a Shepard court martial?)

Did ME3 have a different Game Director?
 

Patryn

Member
So wierd.

At the end of ME2 we see Shepard walk through the ship and we see all the squad members fixing the ship and looking at me, nodding.

Thinking they were going to be with me in ME3 too, guess not.

Nope. Many people had already figured out that it was unlikely in the wait between ME2 and ME3.

The Suicide Mission just made it too expensive to create content that only a percentage of people would see and deal with all the combinations of dead/alive squadmates.

If it makes you feel any better, in exchange there is more inter-squad interaction in ME3 than in either of the previous games.

Did ME3 have a different Game Director?

Nope, still Casey Hudson.

Mac Walters did take over as the sole head writer, though. He was previous co-head writer with Drew Karpyshyn on ME2.
 

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
There is a really artless time jump between 2 and 3 with a grounded Shepard and scattered crew. The narration never really sets the stage for this development and its consequences... it just trips over itself to have Earth invaded and Shepard back on a ship with a new crew. You can almost see the ragged edges where they cut some significant content from the opening moments (a Shepard court martial?)

This is due to what happen in the Arrival DLC from ME2, which, timewise, happen after the Suicide mission(even though you can play it at anytime, it was the last DLC of ME2). I can understand how the beginning of ME3 make little sense if you haven't played it though.
 
This is due to what happen in the Arrival DLC from ME2, which, timewise, happen after the Suicide mission(even though you can play it at anytime, it was the last DLC of ME2). I can understand how the beginning of ME3 make little sense if you haven't played it though.

That seems to have been the plan but even though the whole scene in the Alliance HQ is staged as if it is a court martial, they obviously changed it to having the commanders asking Shepard for advice as they're being overrun. The mis-en-scene doesn't really make sense in that context (you'd expect everybody standing around a system map in a briefing room, not having a single adviser standing isolated in the middle of the room as everybody looks down from their seats.)

I'm pretty sure the original vision was to have the player actually go through the accusations but then they either ran into production problems or the mandate that ME3 be an entry for new players got in the way of looking back.
 

Patryn

Member
That seems to have been the plan but even though the whole scene in the Alliance HQ is staged as if it is a court martial, they obviously changed it to having the commanders asking Shepard for advice as they're being overrun. The mis-en-scene doesn't really make sense in that context (you'd expect everybody standing around a system map in a briefing room, not having a single adviser standing isolated in the middle of the room as everybody looks down from their seats.)

I'm pretty sure the original vision was to have the player actually go through the accusations but then they either ran into production problems or the mandate that ME3 be an entry for new players got in the way of looking back.
You forgot the giant label on a wall that says COURT ROOM. You can see it in the scene with the Virmire Survivor.
 
What I liked better about the suicide missions than the "everybody can die" aspect was the idea of getting the whole squad involved, giving people different jobs, etc. It was disappointing that ME3 did NOTHING of this sort. Andromeda does this to an extent with the final sequence but you don't have direct control over most of what goes on. The "everybody can die" aspect really just painted them into a corner, which was unfortunate. Almost like they didn't quite think that one through.
That's literally what they did with a lot of the major story/creative decisions. It's just bizarre how many massive negative consequences they overlooked when committing to certain things in the story and design processes.
 

Patryn

Member
That's literally what they did with a lot of the major story/creative decisions. It's just bizarre how many massive negative consequences they overlooked when committing to certain things in the story and design processes.

Yep. They've fully admitted that they made no consideration for what ME3 would be when they wrote ME2.
 

strafer

member
Well helllooo EDI.

That's some mighty trolling, that end Grunt cutscene, I was ready to say farewell, and that damn piano music.

But nope, the sob came walking up. :D
 

Maledict

Member
Well helllooo EDI.

That's some mighty trolling, that end Grunt cutscene, I was ready to say farewell, and that damn piano music.

But nope, the sob came walking up. :D

I think if he wasn’t loyal in ME2, or he died, he will actually die at that point.
 

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
Well helllooo EDI.

That's some mighty trolling, that end Grunt cutscene, I was ready to say farewell, and that damn piano music.

But nope, the sob came walking up. :D

I suggest you get the Citadel DLC after you're done with the game. It's fan service all over the place. It's great, funny, and you get to spend more time with your ME2 squadmates and even party with the whole ME1/ME2/ME3 teams. There's also an arena zone where you can fight with your old ME2 squadmates like "old" times.

Leviathan ain't so bad either if you want some backgroud on the Reapers origin.

Did you get the From the Ashes DLC that comes with Javik? He shouldnt be missed either.
 

strafer

member
I'm getting an overwhelming amount of side missions, and I who like to have a rather clean mission list.

I guess I don't have to do them all but I guess it helps the War Assets.

I suggest you get the Citadel DLC after you're done with the game. It's fan service all over the place. It's great, funny, and you get to spend more time with your ME2 squadmates and even party with the whole ME1/ME2/ME3 teams. There's also an arena zone where you can fight with your old ME2 squadmates like "old" times.

Leviathan ain't so bad either if you want some backgroud on the Reapers origin.

Did you get the From the Ashes DLC that comes with Javik? He shouldnt be missed either.

Don't think I have any DLC.

I bought the Trilogy on PSN.
 

Garlador

Member
I'm getting an overwhelming amount of side missions, and I who like to have a rather clean mission list.

I guess I don't have to do them all but I guess it helps the War Assets.



Don't think I have any DLC.

I bought the Trilogy on PSN.
I will vouch for Citadel as essential. It is the thematic closure most of your party deserves.
 

NKnight7

Neo Member
I'm getting an overwhelming amount of side missions, and I who like to have a rather clean mission list.

I guess I don't have to do them all but I guess it helps the War Assets.



Don't think I have any DLC.

I bought the Trilogy on PSN.

I'd really recommend at least Leviathan and Citadel, especially Citadel. From Ashes is good if you want another party member and to learn more about the protheans, the new party member in particular is great because they add a lot to the overall story of the game. Omega I like too, but I'd only recommend it if you really want to have more Aria and to see Omega again. Honestly I enjoyed all the DLC's for ME3, but if you had to pick and choose I'd do Leviathan and Citadel.
 
Leviathan is a must if you want to know more about the story. Citadel is a must if you want to enjoy seeing all the old faces in one place.
 

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
I'd really recommend at least Leviathan and Citadel, especially Citadel. From Ashes is good if you want another party member and to learn more about the protheans, the new party member in particular is great because they add a lot to the overall story of the game. Omega I like too, but I'd only recommend it if you really want to have more Aria and to see Omega again. Honestly I enjoyed all the DLC's for ME3, but if you had to pick and choose I'd do Leviathan and Citadel.

The problem with that DLC is, since he has already played a good part of ME3, he would have to replay the whole game, since otherwise he is going to miss a lot of Javik interactions.
 

Madness

Member
While I agree From Ashes is essential, I feel it did a disservice to the Protheans. I wish learning some of the stuff from Javik would have been better served than everything we found out. One of my best memories is reaching Ilos and imagining the Protheans and what it was like 50K years ago and ME3 just trashes all that for me. Sort of likr what 343 has done for the Forerunners in their Halo games vs how Bungie talked about them.
 

Patryn

Member
While I agree From Ashes is essential, I feel it did a disservice to the Protheans. I wish learning some of the stuff from Javik would have been better served than everything we found out. One of my best memories is reaching Ilos and imagining the Protheans and what it was like 50K years ago and ME3 just trashes all that for me. Sort of likr what 343 has done for the Forerunners in their Halo games vs how Bungie talked about them.

Actually, that's what I loved about it. Bringing the Protheans down to reality and showing how they're no better than we are.
 

strafer

member
So I did the Control ending, I plan on doing two more runs so don't spoil the others.

I've read that a lot of people didn't quiet like how the game ended, some were disappointed that you had to choose an ending.

I don't know, I kinda like having to choose how the world will remember you, saving the world or destroying it (which I take is one of the other endings).

The ending I took fits the character I was playing, he set out to save Earth and the Galaxy and he did, and I liked the cutscenes that played, also that damn piano music piece kills me everytime.

I am kinda of a sucker for games and movies were the protagonist sacrifices himself, it's sounds cliché but it adds more emotional oompfh.

I'm really glad I got to experience the Mass Effect Trilogy, don't think I've ever played a game with such awesome characters and choices that impact the world in a really big way.

Think I'll do a replay with FemShep next time, love me some Jennifer Hale.

Strafer out!
 

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
So I did the Control ending, I plan on doing two more runs so don't spoil the others.

I've read that a lot of people didn't quiet like how the game ended, some were disappointed that you had to choose an ending.

I don't know, I kinda like having to choose how the world will remember you, saving the world or destroying it (which I take is one of the other endings).

The ending I took fits the character I was playing, he set out to save Earth and the Galaxy and he did, and I liked the cutscenes that played, also that damn piano music piece kills me everytime.

I am kinda of a sucker for games and movies were the protagonist sacrifices himself, it's sounds cliché but it adds more emotional oompfh.

I suggest you take the Destroy ending next. Symbiosis is just stupid imo.

I'm really glad I got to experience the Mass Effect Trilogy, don't think I've ever played a game with such awesome characters and choices that impact the world in a really big way.

Think I'll do a replay with FemShep next time, love me some Jennifer Hale.

Strafer out!

I suggest you take the Destroy ending next. Symbiosis is just too...out of the ordinary for Mass Effect imo.

Also, what people mostly didn't like about the ending is how none of your major past choices actually affected it. That and the space kid coming out of nowhere.

Glad you liked the trilogy! Next time, play it with all DLC(well, you could skip Omega in ME3 I guess). ;) I saw that you at least played the Overlord DLC in ME2, but don't miss Shadow Broker. It's the best one.
 

Patryn

Member
So I did the Control ending, I plan on doing two more runs so don't spoil the others.

I've read that a lot of people didn't quiet like how the game ended, some were disappointed that you had to choose an ending.

I don't know, I kinda like having to choose how the world will remember you, saving the world or destroying it (which I take is one of the other endings).

The ending I took fits the character I was playing, he set out to save Earth and the Galaxy and he did, and I liked the cutscenes that played, also that damn piano music piece kills me everytime.

I am kinda of a sucker for games and movies were the protagonist sacrifices himself, it's sounds cliché but it adds more emotional oompfh.

I'm really glad I got to experience the Mass Effect Trilogy, don't think I've ever played a game with such awesome characters and choices that impact the world in a really big way.

Think I'll do a replay with FemShep next time, love me some Jennifer Hale.

Strafer out!

Did you play with the Extended Cut?

If you played off the trilogy you should have it, it's free DLC.
 

Adryuu

Member
Seeing as you said two more runs, here's a couple pieces of advice:
- of course you don't actually have to replay the game (or even the ending mission if you're on pc) to see the other options. Just reload furthest save (on pc you can locate it and copy anywhere before the actual end because then it's overwritten to a much earlier state, which saves time).
- you can
talk the catalyst away into an alternative ending (kind of a fourth one) that was also added on the extended cut (and is imho the best option), or actually, shoot him into it (via conversation made more sense to me)
.

Plus, when you're done and settled with the different ideas, I invite you to Google
"mass effect indoctrination theory"
and just see what it's about (you don't need to agree it anything but it can be interesting).

Oh and I hope you had galactic readiness at max.

Edit: spoilered that in case you wanna find it yourself, just look at this post when you're done with the three endings.
 

strafer

member
Seeing as you said two more runs, here's a couple pieces of advice:
- of course you don't actually have to replay the game (or even the ending mission if you're on pc) to see the other options. Just reload furthest save (on pc you can locate it and copy anywhere before the actual end because then it's overwritten to a much earlier state, which saves time).
- you can
talk the catalyst away into an alternative ending (kind of a fourth one) that was also added on the extended cut (and is imho the best option), or actually, shoot him into it (via conversation made more sense to me)
.

Plus, when you're done and settled with the different ideas, I invite you to Google
"mass effect indoctrination theory"
and just see what it's about (you don't need to agree it anything but it can be interesting).

Oh and I hope you had galactic readiness at max.

Edit: spoilered that in case you wanna find it yourself, just look at this post when you're done with the three endings.

No, I had 50%, it never increased.

Don't you need to play multiplayer to have that stuff increase?
 
I've been thinking about replaying Mass Effect a lot recently. After playing it probably a dozen times over the two years after it was released, it's been a long time coming. It's still one of my favourite games.

The sequels have just soured me replaying it because I know what's coming afterwards (2 is awful, 3 is average to bad).

ME1 is a contained experience which is nice, but I'll always know that the series took a leap off a cliff once those credits finished.

Still going to replay it though.
 

Patryn

Member
No, I had 50%, it never increased.

Don't you need to play multiplayer to have that stuff increase?

Yes. Galactic Readiness Percent is solely governed by multiplayer.

However, you can get enough War Assets that even with a baseline readiness level you can achieve all endings.
 

Kabouter

Member
Yes. Galactic Readiness Percent is solely governed by multiplayer.

However, you can get enough War Assets that even with a baseline readiness level you can achieve all endings.

You can only get the very best ending without higher readiness if you have a bunch of DLC though.
 

Patryn

Member
You can only get the very best ending without higher readiness if you have a bunch of DLC though.

While that was true at one point, I'm fairly certain they actually patched the game such that you can achieve it in the base game if you do everything.
 
While that was true at one point, I'm fairly certain they actually patched the game such that you can achieve it in the base game if you do everything.
The Extended Cut DLC is what drastically lowered the requirements. It's easily achievable with just the base game + Extended Cut.
 

strafer

member
Heh, running cr them IS the minigame.

Yeah, I guess. :D

Anyway, I did the Lair of The Shadow Broker mission which was pretty freakin good, everything with Liara is awesome, I think I'll romance her on my second playthrough.

Also, I wish you could recruit Legion earlier in the game, he's such an awesome character but there's not much him.

Legion / Tali = Best Squad.
 
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