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[Baron]

Dammit, Amazon has sold out of the 360 collector's edition. I held off on buying one because I wasn't sure which platform I wanted it on - that's what the demo was for deciding. There's no way I'm buying the PS3 version after trying it out last night.

Any possibility Amazon will get more copies in soon? Otherwise I'm just looking elsewhere.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I have to agree that seeing the Reapers land down on Earth and fuck shit up was incredible.

That felt like something you would have got in ME1 to me.

 

[mescalineeyes]

I have to agree that seeing the Reapers land down on Earth and fuck shit up was incredible.

That felt like something you would have got in ME1 to me.

but it looked god-damn awful... I mean graphically (on PC). It took away a lot of the impact by being graphically underwhelming.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

Yeah it's a pretty ugly game for sure.

The textures on PC are laughable.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

I'm playing on Xbox 360 and thought it looked graphically better than ME1/ME2 *shrugs*

 

[Bisnic]

Textures were laughable in ME1 & ME2 PC too, so i guess i should be used to that already. Well, it was ok on the alien race skins i guess...

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

It was still a pretty awesome visual, even with the questionable graphics, though. It's a shame you were walking along such a boring path... it felt too disconnected from the carnage.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

I just didn't feel like the invasion was believable. Maybe if you were street level looking up at these things, but instead you're given a second or two's glimpse at shiny sterile buildings before suddenly the space ticks are here and shooting dubstep at things and now it's a bunch of smoking sterile buildings in the distance below you. Where you were for most of the intro felt totally disconnected from the invasion.

 

[Sotha Sil]

Call it blissful ignorance or graphic-quality-blindness, but I always thought ME2 was a good looking game. Replayed it on the PC the other day, and was actually pleased. I'd be fine with a similar-looking ME3.

 

[EatChildren]

I'm playing on Xbox 360 and thought it looked graphically better than ME1/ME2 *shrugs*

Majority of the graphical complaints have come from PC users because Mass Effect 3, unfortunately, is very much 'below par'. Asset quality is piece-for-piece identical to the console builds, which indicates higher quality originals (which in most cases exist) are not included in the game, there are no additional graphical effects and filters to improve the image, and the included graphical tweaks are seriously below par. FXAA being the only anti-aliasing option is very, very unusual for a PC game.

And that is really the core of the problem. ME2 too looked quite average compared to what you'll find in other PC titles, outside of the art direction (of which I also enjoy in ME3), but on a technical level ME3 is up there with other poor, feature stripped PC ports, so much so that what we're getting is an irregular PC port. Many cases of 'bad' PC ports still quite often offer higher quality assets, filters and shaders to take advantage of the extra PC power. ME3 offers basically nothing, and for PC gamers that is very, very disappointing.

Quite unusual too given it is based on UE3. As someone said earlier, it's a wonder ambient occlusions aren't included given it should be an engine default.

I just didn't feel like the invasion was believable. Maybe if you were street level looking up at these things, but instead you're given a second or two's glimpse at shiny sterile buildings before suddenly the space ticks are here and shooting dubstep at things and now it's a bunch of smoking sterile buildings in the distance below you. Where you were for most of the intro felt totally disconnected from the invasion.

This was my problem. For a global invasion of invincible ancient god machines the whole attack seemed quiet, uneventful and...organised, I guess. The scale was excellent, the Reapers look wonderful, but I was expecting more chaos (in visuals and audio), more civilians, and a greater sense of urgency and fear. It seemed a bit rush.

Personally, if I had to start the game on Earth, I probably would have extended the 'tutorial' to something like a mini-hub, kind of like wandering the Normandy at the start of ME1 or even the Citadel (on a smaller scale). Checking out a small chunk of Earth at your own pace, while dealing with a couple of quests (maybe trial related), speaking to some familiar faces and having a general sense of control over what is going on, would have made for a lovely contrast to a chaotic and destructive escape sequence as the Reapers invaded, seeing familiar sites and set pieces now being torn to shreds.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I just didn't feel like the invasion was believable. Maybe if you were street level looking up at these things, but instead you're given a second or two's glimpse at shiny sterile buildings before suddenly the space ticks are here and shooting dubstep at things and now it's a bunch of smoking sterile buildings in the distance. Where you were for most of the intro felt totally disconnected from the invasion.

Oh it definitely wasn't that believable. They rushed in to it just about as much as they could.

I still feel that when I glanced over and saw a Reaper attached to a building it was a damn cool sight, though.

Like I said in my last post, I absolutely agree your perspective of the invasion was wrong, though. Too many convenient paths over high buildings that are completely disconnected from the invasion.

 

[Wallach]

I just didn't feel like the invasion was believable. Maybe if you were street level looking up at these things, but instead you're given a second or two's glimpse at shiny sterile buildings before suddenly the space ticks are here and shooting dubstep at things and now it's a bunch of smoking sterile buildings in the distance.

It's not, though I wonder if that scene is going to play out exactly that way for retail. It seems so rushed; when I posted my first impressions one of the biggest things that stuck out to me was how absurd the introduction is. It's kind of dumb regardless, but that is amplified a thousand times over by the time frame it takes place in. Hopefully the pacing of that segment is much more developed in the final build (which I think there's a decent chance, as the start point of the in-engine cutscene doesn't seem like the actual introduction to the game at all).

 

[Minion101]

Anyone else use the trick from ME2 to limit the framerate to 30fps on the PC version of the demo? Call me crazy but at 60 fps the conversations and cutscenes don't look right to me.

 

[Ventilaator]

I have a problem with the entire premise of Mass Effect 3. The Reapers have been established as pretty much unstoppable. Whenever they've decided to invade, they have fucked up everything to the point where almost nothing exists anymore and the universe has to start from scratch because everything got screwed up completely.

The fact that Shepard can have a whole adventure during a Reaper invasion is already weird to me. In ME1 it took everyone's everything to beat a single Reaper. All of the Reapers should destroy everything in minutes, much less a single small planet like Earth.

I have no idea what the correct answer would be where I would be happy with how the Reaper invasion story is presented, so it's not the most valid of complaints, but this is something I can't not think about whenever I see ME3.

 

[derFeef]

This was my problem. For a global invasion of invincible ancient god machines the whole attack seemed quiet, uneventful and...organised, I guess. The scale was excellent, the Reapers look wonderful, but I was expecting more chaos (in visuals and audio), more civilians, and a greater sense of urgency and fear. It seemed a bit rush.

Personally, if I had to start the game on Earth, I probably would have extended the 'tutorial' to something like a mini-hub, kind of like wandering the Normandy at the start of ME1 or even the Citadel (on a smaller scale). Checking out a small chunk of Earth at your own pace, while dealing with a couple of quests (maybe trial related), speaking to some familiar faces and having a general sense of control over what is going on, would have made for a lovely contrast to a chaotic and destructive escape sequence as the Reapers invaded, seeing familiar sites and set pieces now being torn to shreds.

I agree that the lack of chaos was something that made less of an impact. I think it has to do with the locale, which is unfortunate. It would have been great if you had to get to the council first, while the attack in the distance is happening and everything get's more chaotic during that. I remember the scene from ME1 where you first encounter the Sovereign - that was a looker.

Are we sure that the scenes will play out like that in the final game? It really feels like something is missing, especially at the beginning.

 

[Dr Stabbingworth]

I really don't know what would please you, or how seeing the full scale destruction of Earth doesn't make you feel part of something "bigger". Your standards. Dey are ridiculous.

Full scale? Stop and look around for a while. There's about 1 or 2 buildings that get wrecked. The skyline is filled with untouched buildings. The Reapers have been built up through the whole series as unstoppable and the best they can do is shoot down two buildings and a couple transports?

I'm playing on Xbox 360 and thought it looked graphically better than ME1/ME2 *shrugs*

I resumed my ME2 replay immediately after the demo it looks visually superior to the demo. They took a step back in every direction.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

I have a problem with the entire premise of Mass Effect 3. The Reapers have been established as pretty much unstoppable. Whenever they've decided to invade, they have fucked up everything to the point where almost nothing exists anymore and the universe has to start from scratch because everything got screwed up completely.

The fact that Shepard can have a whole adventure during a Reaper invasion is already weird to me. In ME1 it took everyone's everything to beat a single Reaper. All of the Reapers should destroy everything in minutes, much less a single small planet like Earth.

I have no idea what the correct answer would be where I would be happy with how the Reaper invasion story is presented, so it's not the most valid of complaints, but this is something I can't not think about whenever I see ME3.

I agree. I feel like this a common problem in a lot of fiction - you have an enemy built up as so unstoppable that the first encounter with them is the hardest thing in the world, but when the scope of their attack increases it becomes much more of a "normal" war than it should be. Those Reapers in the city didn't seem to the be the terrifying enemy that Sovereign was, it was just like any other invasion sequence and they might have well been normal ships.

The design of the Reapers are so awesome it still looked cool, but yeah, I agree with you 100%.

I also feel that by having them invade at the very start of the game it might have the problem of other missions feeling like filler. I sincerely hope that by the end of the game Earth isn't anything but rubble - if you go back there for the last fight I will fucking hate Bioware forever.

 

[EatChildren]

Are we sure that the scenes will play out like that in the final game? It really feels like something is missing, especially at the beginning.

Chris Priestly posted the following (separate quotes) on the BioWare forums in regards to people questioning the lack of Shepard's trial;

Mass Effect 3 starts (roughly) 6 months after the end of Mass Effect 2. It starts with the end of the trial of Commander Shepard during which the Reapers first arrive on earth. This is the bit that starts the game and the demo.

...

What dodge? This is the start of the game, people who have played the demo will back me up on this. How's this dodging?

...

Ok, I know I'm a tool of the Man and all, but how so?

If you are a new player (haven't played ME1 or ME2) you learn who Shepard is, why he's on earth, what the Reaper threat is, and then the story begins.

If you are a continuing player (have played either or both of the previous games) you already know the plot and character development because you helped form it with your previous play throughs and the story picks up after ME2.

I'm sorry you're disappointed, but I'm not completely sure why?

 

[derFeef]

Hm :-/
Thanks again.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

Familiarity. That's the problem. For as much shit as I give the contrivance of ME2's opening plot, the use of the Normandy being destroyed (and then resurrected) was a very effective tactic.

In ME3, it feels exactly like what a lot of people feared from the first trailer: no attachment to Earth as it exists in the ME universe at all.

The fact that it just drops you in with an awkward six month gap that has to be filled in with unwieldy exposition for anyone who didn't play Arrival doesn't help either.

 

[shamo42]

The fact that Shepard can have a whole adventure during a Reaper invasion is already weird to me. In ME1 it took everyone's everything to beat a single Reaper. All of the Reapers should destroy everything in minutes, much less a single small planet like Earth.

This.

And why is nobody using H-bombs? Because lasers are cooler?

 

[Wiggum2007]

I have a problem with the entire premise of Mass Effect 3. The Reapers have been established as pretty much unstoppable. Whenever they've decided to invade, they have fucked up everything to the point where almost nothing exists anymore and the universe has to start from scratch because everything got screwed up completely.

The fact that Shepard can have a whole adventure during a Reaper invasion is already weird to me. In ME1 it took everyone's everything to beat a single Reaper. All of the Reapers should destroy everything in minutes, much less a single small planet like Earth.

I have no idea what the correct answer would be where I would be happy with how the Reaper invasion story is presented, so it's not the most valid of complaints, but this is something I can't not think about whenever I see ME3.

Well, it was established in the first game that the reaper invasion of the protheans took a few centuries. Granted, I think that was more the reapers being completely methodical and wiping out every remaining trace of the protheans system by system since they shut down the mass relays, and not the protheans actually managing to put up a fight for that long. Still though, it does establish a longer timeframe for an invasion. And the events of ME2 establish why the reapers might want to leave some people alive rather than destroying the planet or whatever.

My worry is that the whole idea of "convincing" the other races to face the galaxy-ending reaper threat rather than their other petty-in-comparison problems, sounds completely silly.

 

[Sotha Sil]

I have a problem with the entire premise of Mass Effect 3. The Reapers have been established as pretty much unstoppable. Whenever they've decided to invade, they have fucked up everything to the point where almost nothing exists anymore and the universe has to start from scratch because everything got screwed up completely.

The fact that Shepard can have a whole adventure during a Reaper invasion is already weird to me. In ME1 it took everyone's everything to beat a single Reaper. All of the Reapers should destroy everything in minutes, much less a single small planet like Earth.

I have no idea what the correct answer would be where I would be happy with how the Reaper invasion story is presented, so it's not the most valid of complaints, but this is something I can't not think about whenever I see ME3.

They wanted their gut-punch, now-this-is-personal moment no matter what. I doesn't make sense, and worst of all, it fails. We feel nothing for future Earth. We don't care. Why should we?

 

[Bisnic]

Chris Priestly posted the following (separate quotes) on the BioWare forums in regards to people questioning the lack of Shepard's trial;

But the Reapers started to move together right at the last scene of ME2. You're telling me it took them 6 months to reach the Earth? You'd think they would be faster than that.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

My worry is that the whole idea of "convincing" the other races to face the galaxy-ending reaper threat rather than their other petty-in-comparison problems, sounds completely silly.

Exactly.

The Reapers are there, fucking up colonies this very second. There is no doubt left. The entire universe should be getting together and fighting them, no matter what.

If we get sent on "Well, for me to fight you need to do X" missions then... I don't even know. That's just terrible and completely unbelievable. The thing is, I don't see how else they're going to do it.

It sucks I have zero faith in Bioware to do this right.

 

[Sotha Sil]

Incredibly disappointed by the Priestly quote.

 

[Samus4145]

I have to agree that seeing the Reapers land down on Earth and fuck shit up was incredible.

That felt like something you would have got in ME1 to me.

That was Earth? Thought it was the Citadel you were on.

 

[dankir]

Very impressed by the demo, first part definitely more focus on scope emotion and Inception drums? I though the kid would survive the Reaper laser but then his ship kerploded was a good "story" based portion of the demo.

Visuals seem much crisper this time around too. Facial ones in particular.

but yeah..... GET FUCKING HYPE!

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

I'm playing on Xbox 360 and thought it looked graphically better than ME1/ME2 *shrugs*

Totally. The opening invasion was really visually impressive, aside from Anderson being played by Skips from (HAHAHAHAHA, oh man, seriously) Skips from Regular Show (hahahahah man he really is omg).

 

[Arjen]

Chris Priestly posted the following (separate quotes) on the BioWare forums in regards to people questioning the lack of Shepard's trial;

It's such a missed oppertunity, they could use the trial to recap all the events and choices you made.
And how the hell are new players supposed to know why Shepard was on trial? Hell if you didn't play arrival even ME1 and ME2 players could have no clue.
Really weird decission

 

[EatChildren]

Familiarity. That's the problem. For as much shit as I give the contrivance of ME2's opening plot, the use of the Normandy being destroyed (and then resurrected) was a very effective tactic.

In ME3, it feels exactly like what a lot of people feared from the first trailer: no attachment to Earth as it exists in the ME universe at all.

The fact that it just drops you in with an awkward six month gap that has to be filled in with unwieldy exposition for anyone who didn't play Arrival doesn't help either.

Exactly. The player is completely detached from what is going on. There's no familiarity, no connection, and no association. Even characters like Vega are guilty of this, as the game assumes an established relationship with him.

The game should have started with Shepard preparing for his/her trial. Anderson would suggest Shepard unwind a bit before the hearing, blow off some steam, and get some fresh air so he/she is ready for what is bound to be gruelling legal mud slinging.

At this point you're given a bit of freedom to wander around an Earth based mini-hub. You can speak to a few people, maybe meet some familiar faces from the past games, and get some solid footing as to what Earth looks like. Give the player the ability to control the pacing, a sense of empowerment. Hell, even play with them a bit. Allow them to check out where the Normandy is, grounded by the Alliance. Let them see it in front of them, but have a guard prevent Shepard from boarding. Show players something they own, and prevent them from accessing it.

Then, I don't know, have someone suggest Shepard go to the gun range as somebody wants to meet them. There you meet Ashley/Kaiden, and he/she introduces you to Vega. Use this as a means to tutorial some basic shooting/cover mechanics against targets, or even a friendly (and cheesy) non-lethal shoot out against one of the above two.

After doing all of this, and having the freedom to go about at your own pace, you make the choice to attend your trial. Just a couple of opening questions as well as the ability to respond however you'd like, and boom, Reapers emerges from the clouds above. Bam, explosion, rarr rarr, and the rest of the tutorial follows much like the demo did, travelling across/through many of the locations you saw/explored just previously in the hub, watching the familiar sights torn to shreds by towering Reapers, as the people you were just speaking to are running in fear and being BZZ LASER BEAMED to death, as you make your way to the Normandy you can now board (or are picked up by Ash/Kaiden, whatever).

BioWare, hire me to make your introductions because I'm awesome and better.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

That was Earth? Thought it was the Citadel you were on.

The establishing shot was clearly Earth and they mentioned the UK. I agree with everyone else that Earth means fuck all to the player in the franchise, but still, it was established as Earth fairly well.

It's such a missed oppertunity, they could use the trial to recap all the events and choices you made.
And how the hell are new players supposed to know why Shepard was on trial? Hell if you didn't play arrival even ME1 and ME2 players could have no clue.
Really weird decission

I played The Arrival and I could barely remember how it ended.

 

[danwarb]

I also feel that by having them invade at the very start of the game it might have the problem of other missions feeling like filler. I sincerely hope that by the end of the game Earth isn't anything but rubble - if you go back there for the last fight I will fucking hate Bioware forever.

Yeah, it'd be weird if they had us strolling around alien space ports and cities solving problems for the locals, while Earth gets wrecked.

 

[Owzers]

Can you import a character from ME 2 but switch genders?

 

[Kem0sabe]

Well, it was established in the first game that the reaper invasion of the protheans took a few centuries. Granted, I think that was more the reapers being completely methodical and wiping out every remaining trace of the protheans system by system since they shut down the mass relays, and not the protheans actually managing to put up a fight for that long. Still though, it does establish a longer timeframe for an invasion. And the events of ME2 establish why the reapers might want to leave some people alive rather than destroying the planet or whatever.

My worry is that the whole idea of "convincing" the other races to face the galaxy-ending reaper threat rather than their other petty-in-comparison problems, sounds completely silly.

Yeah, if you read the script that leaked with the beta (if it´s any indication of the final product) there's one ridiculous event after another. I couldn't help myself at the time and spoilered myself silly.

Apparently they decided that every single thread in the entire series must be solved by throwing "reapers" at it.

Bioware said that they were gona tweak the script, but it doesnt seem likely, the event´s of the demo play out word for word.

 

[Lakitu]

Exactly. The player is completely detached from what is going on. There's no familiarity, no connection, and no association. Even characters like Vega are guilty of this, as the game assumes an established relationship with him.

The game should have started with Shepard preparing for his/her trial. Anderson would suggest Shepard unwind a bit before the hearing, blow off some steam, and get some fresh air so he/she is ready for what is bound to be gruelling legal mud slinging.

At this point you're given a bit of freedom to wander around an Earth based mini-hub. You can speak to a few people, maybe meet some familiar faces from the past games, and get some solid footing as to what Earth looks like. Give the player the ability to control the pacing, a sense of empowerment. Hell, even play with them a bit. Allow them to check out where the Normandy is, grounded by the Alliance. Let them see it in front of them, but have a guard prevent Shepard from boarding. Show players something they own, and prevent them from accessing it.

Then, I don't know, have someone suggest Shepard go to the gun range as somebody wants to meet them. There you meet Ashley/Kaiden, and he/she introduces you to Vega. Use this as a means to tutorial some basic shooting/cover mechanics against targets, or even a friendly (and cheesy) non-lethal shoot out against one of the above two.

After doing all of this, and having the freedom to go about at your own pace, you make the choice to attend your trial. Just a couple of opening questions as well as the ability to respond however you'd like, and boom, Reapers emerges from the clouds above. Bam, explosion, rarr rarr, and the rest of the tutorial follows much like the demo did, travelling across/through many of the locations you saw/explored just previously in the hub, watching the familiar sights torn to shreds by towering Reapers, as the people you were just speaking to are running in fear and being BZZ LASER BEAMED to death, as you make your way to the Normandy you can now board (or are picked up by Ash/Kaiden, whatever).

BioWare, hire me to make your introductions because I'm awesome and better.

Too slow for action gamers, apparently. That's my ideal introduction as well.

 

[MNC]

The amount of suck in singleplayer equals the amount of fun in coop. Just played 2 hours nonstop and it was great. It allows you to see into the new powerup system and the packs you can buy with ingame credits (which is basically opening a surprise present,theres a chance it unlocks a character) motivates to keep playing for new weaps, powers and characters

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

Yeah, it'd be weird if they had us strolling around alien space ports and cities solving problems for the locals, while Earth gets wrecked.

But you just KNOW that's going to happen. Of course there's always going to be a bit of a disconnect between main narrative and side missions, but it was something you could overlook in the first game. It was more annoying in the second game when they completely ditched the main narrative, but still. Right here they're opening the game with the biggest threat they've ever seen... how can they possibly expect us to happily do anything OTHER than fight the Reapers?

I have such a horrible feeling the last fight will be on Earth with Anderson there, having somehow survived.

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

Man, the reports on how the PS3 version is crappy suck as that is where my main Shepard from ME2 is. Hopefully, it's just old code and i dont have to figure out how to get my Shep onto the 360 version :/

 

[JB1981]

Shepard really is a terrible character. The voice acting is so bad. People really like this guy ?

 

[Moaradin]

Shepard really is a terrible character. The voice acting is so bad. People really like this guy ?

Yes, because she's not a terrible character.

 

[prophecy0]

I finally got a chance to play through the first half of the demo last night and I agree with many of the comments here. The reaper invasion of Earth felt completely sterile and was not immersive to me at all. The graphics were shit (PC) and the animations were laughable.

However, the actual gameplay felt better than ever. I was a Soldier in both ME1 and 2, so the even faster paced combat of 3 felt great. It's a shame about the rest though...

Well, it was established in the first game that the reaper invasion of the protheans took a few centuries. Granted, I think that was more the reapers being completely methodical and wiping out every remaining trace of the protheans system by system since they shut down the mass relays, and not the protheans actually managing to put up a fight for that long. Still though, it does establish a longer timeframe for an invasion. And the events of ME2 establish why the reapers might want to leave some people alive rather than destroying the planet or whatever.

My worry is that the whole idea of "convincing" the other races to face the galaxy-ending reaper threat rather than their other petty-in-comparison problems, sounds completely silly.

This may be covered in the full game, but as the reapers started their invasion Earth why didn't they just shut down the Charon relay? Then Shepard would be stuck in Sol and the reapers win. I also agree that it should be trivial to convince all of the other races to work together or face EXTINCTION, but I guess that would make for a pretty short game.

 

[shinobi602]

I resumed my ME2 replay immediately after the demo it looks visually superior to the demo. They took a step back in every direction.

Wow have no idea how you can come to this conclusion. Was playing Overlord and Arrival last night on my 360 and there is no way in hell the demo looks worse. Just...no way >__<

 

[EatChildren]

Yeah, if you read the script that leaked with the beta (if it´s any indication of the final product) there's one ridiculous event after another. I couldn't help myself at the time and spoilered myself silly.

Apparently they decided that every single thread in the entire series must be solved by throwing "reapers" at it.

Bioware said that they were gona tweak the script, but it doesnt seem likely, the event´s of the demo play out word for word.

Script discussion is a fine line, as vague as you might be. A lot of people are sensitive to unintentional hinting at events that transpire. Sometimes people don't really realise they're doing it.

 

[Owzers]

Man, the reports on how the PS3 version is crappy as that is where my main Shepard from ME2 is. Hopefully, it's just old code and i dont have to figure out how to get my Shep onto the 360 version :/

I was banking on ME 3 on ps3 being good, was all ready to play through the ME 2 GOTY edition i bought and be able to play the multiplayer ( I'm not buying XBL Gold). This screws everything up Xo.

 

[Wiggum2007]

That was Earth? Thought it was the Citadel you were on.

Hahaha that does bring up a good point though. The opening shot clearly shows Earth, but does the demo ever mention what city that is? I know it's Vancouver from the media previews, but I'd have no idea just from playing the game.

 

[Arjen]

Shepard really is a terrible character. The voice acting is so bad. People really like this woman ?

Yes

 

[Deleted member 30609]

I have a problem with the entire premise of Mass Effect 3. The Reapers have been established as pretty much unstoppable. Whenever they've decided to invade, they have fucked up everything to the point where almost nothing exists anymore and the universe has to start from scratch because everything got screwed up completely.

The fact that Shepard can have a whole adventure during a Reaper invasion is already weird to me. In ME1 it took everyone's everything to beat a single Reaper. All of the Reapers should destroy everything in minutes, much less a single small planet like Earth.

I have no idea what the correct answer would be where I would be happy with how the Reaper invasion story is presented, so it's not the most valid of complaints, but this is something I can't not think about whenever I see ME3.

I'd like to underline this post two or three times with a red marker and keep a copy to show the class next semester.

 

[shinobi602]

Exactly. The player is completely detached from what is going on. There's no familiarity, no connection, and no association. Even characters like Vega are guilty of this, as the game assumes an established relationship with him.

The game should have started with Shepard preparing for his/her trial. Anderson would suggest Shepard unwind a bit before the hearing, blow off some steam, and get some fresh air so he/she is ready for what is bound to be gruelling legal mud slinging.

At this point you're given a bit of freedom to wander around an Earth based mini-hub. You can speak to a few people, maybe meet some familiar faces from the past games, and get some solid footing as to what Earth looks like. Give the player the ability to control the pacing, a sense of empowerment. Hell, even play with them a bit. Allow them to check out where the Normandy is, grounded by the Alliance. Let them see it in front of them, but have a guard prevent Shepard from boarding. Show players something they own, and prevent them from accessing it.

Then, I don't know, have someone suggest Shepard go to the gun range as somebody wants to meet them. There you meet Ashley/Kaiden, and he/she introduces you to Vega. Use this as a means to tutorial some basic shooting/cover mechanics against targets, or even a friendly (and cheesy) non-lethal shoot out against one of the above two.

After doing all of this, and having the freedom to go about at your own pace, you make the choice to attend your trial. Just a couple of opening questions as well as the ability to respond however you'd like, and boom, Reapers emerges from the clouds above. Bam, explosion, rarr rarr, and the rest of the tutorial follows much like the demo did, travelling across/through many of the locations you saw/explored just previously in the hub, watching the familiar sights torn to shreds by towering Reapers, as the people you were just speaking to are running in fear and being BZZ LASER BEAMED to death, as you make your way to the Normandy you can now board (or are picked up by Ash/Kaiden, whatever).

BioWare, hire me to make your introductions because I'm awesome and better.

Perfect intro in my opinion. That's actually pretty much what I envisioned would happen... :-/

 

[bryan12112]

I have a problem with the entire premise of Mass Effect 3. The Reapers have been established as pretty much unstoppable. Whenever they've decided to invade, they have fucked up everything to the point where almost nothing exists anymore and the universe has to start from scratch because everything got screwed up completely.

The fact that Shepard can have a whole adventure during a Reaper invasion is already weird to me. In ME1 it took everyone's everything to beat a single Reaper. All of the Reapers should destroy everything in minutes, much less a single small planet like Earth.

I'm not sure I like this premise much either, but keep in mind that during past invasions the Reapers came in through the Citadel and had everything at their disposal. This time they have been forced to attack blindly and head-on. It's not going to be done as quickly and efficiently. Also, Sovereign was likely one of their strongest.