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Mass Effect |OT| Alien love in an elevator

D

DogWelder

Member
Lime said:
WHERE'S MY ME2 ANNOUNCEMENT?

Seriously, if they want to do all three games on the 360, they better be hurrying with the sequels. At best, we'll see ME2 in the end of 2009, but that's still a long shot for a game that hasn't even been announced yet.

The team is probably (helping) working on that cartoony Star Wars MMO. Meh.
Click to expand...

Doubt it, they work in different countries. The MMO team are BioWare in name only.
 
W

Witchfinder General

punched Wheelchair Mike
Just finished my second playthrough, this time as a Renegade. Funny, despite me trying to be a heartless son of a bitch there were times I couldn't help being a goody two-shoes.

The ending, much like the overall story, is fucking epic.

This game has a myriad of flaws (it really, really needs the V.A.T.S. system from Fallout 3) but I'll be damned if the overall product isn't a masterpiece.

Bring on the sequel.
 
E

Ethereal

Member
One of these days I will get around to playing this game again, but I want a sequel REAL bad... they left it off perfectly for another game, as to which ending the decide to use as canon will be interesting however
 
P

Prine

Banned
I keep getting "Welcome to 2007" from all my friends on my friend list. Im on my second playthrough a year later and im loving every second of it.

The universe is so rich i cant help but get absorbed into ME story, religions, wars and species.

The Baterians plight reminds me of the whole Palestinians/Isreal thing going on, BioWare put you in situtuations where even the bad guys have a point. And lots of fights can be settled with communication

This game is so deep, which reinforces my award of Game of the Generation
 
L

larvi

Member
Just finished multiple play throughs so I could get all of the acheivements and I have to say that while the renegade/paragon seems pretty cool it ultimately makes very little difference in the long run which is dissapointing. I got the same results no matter which way I went for the most part, all it really changes is which smart-assed line Shephard says. For some of the side quests it did affect whether or not you go into a fight but either way you completed the quest.
 
K

Kill Your Masters

Member
I love it when this thread suddenly pops up now and then. Brings back great memories from my first playthrough, and I have to agree with everything you say Prine. I played many many many games (like mgs4, uncharted, fable, gears 2 etc.) after ME but none of them did come close to my ME experience, Fallout 3 could be a runner up though.

<3 wRPGs.

If they release ME2 in 09, man...Dragon Age + Witcher + Me2, I will be in heaven, or hell, depending on how time consuming they will be.

Edit: about Renegade/Paragon. Well, there are some bigger decisions to be made, which should affect outcomes in ME2. Especially at the end of the main quest, and at the end of Noveria. Personally, I like it this way more than, let's say Fable 2. Fable 2 is extremely black and white, if I wan't to be bad, I have to kill and sacrifice innocent people. And while I love Fable, ME's decisions are far more grayish, I also could easily see most of the outcomes that happen in real life too. Because ME is in a very gray area.
 
C

cresto

Member
I really, really hope they release some details about ME2 sometime for '09. I seriously have never enjoyed RPG's up until I played this game. Totally worth it, but the technical problems sort of ruined it for me (that and my stupid replacement unit had a bum disc drive).

You actually feel like the decisions you make really have an impact on the game and thats why I can't wait to continue the story with my character!
 
T

tehrik-e-insaaf

Member
I actually ended up reading both books - the first book is decent (although it reads more like a prologue to the game than an actual prequel), but the second book is actually a full story on its own merits. Interestingly, there
are some new races/players introduced into the universe like "The Collectors" (which I think may be the Reapers, and I have a feeling the second game is going to revolve alot around trying to figure out who the Collectors are, and traversing deep space, including boarding the Quarian Migrant Fleet).

The author seems to have a weird obsession with India,
as it's apparently going to be the most powerful country in the world in the next 100 years and how Indians are running everything apparently, have breeded with everyone to make the majority of the world brown-skinned (Handel is Nordic-Indian from New Calcutta, which is the richest region on Earth), and have named ships after their cities (including the pioneering ships like The New Delhi). I wonder how many Indian ultra-nationalist H-1Bs are working at Bioware, heh.

China
doesn't seem to exist (although Jiro is described as being "Asian" in features) and neither do any of the states of the Middle East (although Goyle is supposed to have "Middle Eastern features"), and Texas is one giant slum in the future (which is where Kahlee and Grissom are from), one of the poorest in the world. Africa isn't really discussed (although Anderson is clearly of African descent). Seems like Japan is now a proper military power within the Alliance (one of the ships is named the Iwo Jima). Israel is completely absent, and none of the names in the book suggest any Jewish ancestry. Perhaps the author believes in a US-India-Japan alliance and feels it will dominate the rest of the world, so he is reflecting on that?

The characters are
pretty solid though. I'm not a huge fan of Kahlee Sanders (she is a dumbass), Jiro, or Handel Mitra (closeted child molester), but I would love to see Lem (bad ass), Greyson (complicated personality), Gillian (future of human biotics), The Illusive Man (the name alone makes him cool, not to mention all of Cerberus' activities), Anderson, Grissom, and ex-Ambassador Goyle (for the simple fact that she argued with the Council and prevented Earth from getting sanctioned to hell) in the next game in various sidequests or plot points.

Anyways, if you are a fan of the game and the universe, then you should read both books, infact if you have yet to start the game or know someone who hasn't, have them read the first book before they play the game, it will make those initial interactions with Saren and Anderson all that much more meaningful. Too bad Saren isn't the bad mofo in the game that he was in the book.
 
F

funkmasterb

Member
I just played again (7th time through! :) )

I suggest a couple things:


Be a vanguard or Adept

Max out singularity with a henchmen. This is the 'Win' button.

Max out decryption/elec with garrus for boxes and control panels

Go to Noveria Last, Ferros first and when fighting a minboss with biotics, put that 'biotic physics threshold' thing in your armor.
 
W

Witchfinder General

punched Wheelchair Mike
tehrik-e-insaaf said:
I actually ended up reading both books - the first book is decent (although it reads more like a prologue to the game than an actual prequel), but the second book is actually a full story on its own merits. Interestingly, there
are some new races/players introduced into the universe like "The Collectors" (which I think may be the Reapers, and I have a feeling the second game is going to revolve alot around trying to figure out who the Collectors are, and traversing deep space, including boarding the Quarian Migrant Fleet).

The author seems to have a weird obsession with India,
as it's apparently going to be the most powerful country in the world in the next 100 years and how Indians are running everything apparently, have breeded with everyone to make the majority of the world brown-skinned (Handel is Nordic-Indian from New Calcutta, which is the richest region on Earth), and have named ships after their cities (including the pioneering ships like The New Delhi). I wonder how many Indian ultra-nationalist H-1Bs are working at Bioware, heh.

China
doesn't seem to exist (although Jiro is described as being "Asian" in features) and neither do any of the states of the Middle East (although Goyle is supposed to have "Middle Eastern features"), and Texas is one giant slum in the future (which is where Kahlee and Grissom are from), one of the poorest in the world. Africa isn't really discussed (although Anderson is clearly of African descent). Seems like Japan is now a proper military power within the Alliance (one of the ships is named the Iwo Jima). Israel is completely absent, and none of the names in the book suggest any Jewish ancestry. Perhaps the author believes in a US-India-Japan alliance and feels it will dominate the rest of the world, so he is reflecting on that?

The characters are
pretty solid though. I'm not a huge fan of Kahlee Sanders (she is a dumbass), Jiro, or Handel Mitra (closeted child molester), but I would love to see Lem (bad ass), Greyson (complicated personality), Gillian (future of human biotics), The Illusive Man (the name alone makes him cool, not to mention all of Cerberus' activities), Anderson, Grissom, and ex-Ambassador Goyle (for the simple fact that she argued with the Council and prevented Earth from getting sanctioned to hell) in the next game in various sidequests or plot points.

Anyways, if you are a fan of the game and the universe, then you should read both books, infact if you have yet to start the game or know someone who hasn't, have them read the first book before they play the game, it will make those initial interactions with Saren and Anderson all that much more meaningful. Too bad Saren isn't the bad mofo in the game that he was in the book.
Click to expand...


I was wondering if the books were worth buying as I really would like to know more about the rich universe that Bioware created. Thanks.
 
J

Jamesfrom818

Banned
Soldier for the first character isn't so bad. Get the bonus for AR and then make an Adept + AR as a second character. Thats usually a really good combo. I favor Adept + sniper rifle though.
 
P

Prine

Banned
I went soldier on both playthroughs but chose different sidekicks. Whats so bad about soldier? I like to shoot not cast spells (i always avoid being a mage in all games).

Is the experience very different? Im about to start Virmire.

ONE COMPLAINT.

I hope to god they flesh out the side quests in ME2. The quality of the main quest is so high (even the side quests that relate to the main story) you expect the same from side quests, but its like they had decent scenarios down but didnt have time to be creative with the quests.

Which is a shame because it does so manythings right.

Lose the MAKO or at least make it more interesting, upgradable, more useful.
 
G

gregor7777

Banned
Prine said:
I went soldier on both playthroughs but chose different sidekicks. Whats so bad about solder? I like to shoot not cast spells (i always avoid being a mage in all games).

Is the experience very different?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say so. I started with Soldier too and had great fun.
 
K

Kyoufu

Member
Prine said:
I went soldier on both playthroughs but chose different sidekicks. Whats so bad about solder? I like to shoot not cast spells (i always avoid being a mage in all games).

Is the experience very different?
Click to expand...

It is different. Soldier is basically turning the game into a shooter whereas the biotic users turn the game into a mix of shooter and RPG.

I'm not going to knock your choice of class (even if I find it really boring to play as) but going the same class twice is doing things wrong. You should look into making your character as overpowered as possible with the use of Achievements. For Soldier, I recommend the Barrier Achievement. You'll be almost invincible.

I can't remember which class I had buffed up but I had so much crowd control, offensive and defensive utilities at my disposal that it made the game way more than on my new game+ than it was doing it the first time.

Lifting enemies then throwing them into the sky is really awesome, although I'm praying they expand on Biotics in the sequel.
 
J

Jamesfrom818

Banned
Kyoufu said:
It is different. Soldier is basically turning the game into a shooter whereas the biotic users turn the game into a mix of shooter and RPG.

I'm not going to knock your choice of class (even if I find it really boring to play as) but going the same class twice is doing things wrong. You should look into making your character as overpowered as possible with the use of Achievements. For Soldier, I recommend the Barrier Achievement. You'll be almost invincible.

I can't remember which class I had buffed up but I had so much crowd control, offensive and defensive utilities at my disposal that it made the game way more than on my new game+ than it was doing it the first time.

Lifting enemies then throwing them into the sky is really awesome, although I'm praying they expand on Biotics in the sequel.
Click to expand...

Lift + Throw on a low gravity planet is sooooooooooooo awesome. Hitting them with a HE round from a Sniper Rifle while they're soaring through the sky is just so satisfying.
 
K

Kyoufu

Member
BruceLeeRoy said:
Hey guys I was thinking about picking this up soon. Does it still hold up quite well?
Click to expand...

Art direction is great (if your character isn't a bald space marine, mine was a hot redhead). Game has its technical downers here and there but on the whole its a great experience.

Great production values. Still haven't played a better RPG this gen yet.
 
B

BruceLeeRoy

Banned
Kyoufu said:
Art direction is great (if your character isn't a bald space marine, mine was a hot redhead). Game has its technical downers here and there but on the whole its a great experience.

Great production values. Still haven't played a better RPG this gen yet.
Click to expand...

I wasn't a huge KOTR fan will that really affect how much I like this one?
 
P

Peronthious

Member
BruceLeeRoy said:
I wasn't a huge KOTR fan will that really affect how much I like this one?
Click to expand...

I don't think so, I didn't see too many similarities between the too games other than possibly the stat ruleset. Bioware is Bioware, but they're two different games for the most part.
 
J

Johnkers

Member
BruceLeeRoy said:
I wasn't a huge KOTR fan will that really affect how much I like this one?
Click to expand...

I couldn't get past even a few hours of KotoR 1, but Mass Effect totally blew me away. Even tried going back to KotoR after Mass Effect but only got a little bit further.
 
B

burgerdog

Member
BruceLeeRoy said:
I have wanted to play a good RPG this gen and this game sound so intriguing.
Thanks for the help guys Ill pick this up tomorrow.
Click to expand...

By far one of the best games I've played this gen. Best technically flawed game ever!
 
Jedeye Sniv

Jedeye Sniv

Banned
I'm currently on my third playthrough, making a committed attempt to wrangle those last few achievements (powers, allies, difficulties and level 60). This time I'm playing as an infiltrator with the tech and sniper combo, but with an assault rifle for backup. I'm on the difficulty one-up from normal (advanced?), trying to unlock hardcore, and I must say it's pretty hard this time around. I'm missing my biotic powers, and I'm regretting choosing Wrex and Tali as my backup (I think I should have used Liara for the biotic backup, but I wanted to play with Tali having just read the 2nd book and becoming interested in the quarians. They're just so neat). I found the thorian boss fight really hard, I'm having to work through it like a tactical shooter with my pistol rather than wading through it with guns and biotics blazing like last time. Still fun though!

My character this time looks a lot like a female George Takai, which is strangely awesome and attractive. I'm gonna get me some Kaidan this time around (my cute and perky first character had a romp with Liara, my xenophobic ablino got Ashley, I'll let Olenko have Georgina ;P). I always try to give them really specific racial mixes too, my current character is an African/Korean mix and my last character was an awesome albino African/Arabian dude with the most menacing stare. It pisses over the customisation in most other games. Usually I never bother in other games, but in ME it can have a profound effect on how you interpret what kind of character you're playing as, and what kind of story you'll be making as you play. I love it, I must spend at least an hour on each one I make.

Also, wrt the last Mass Effect novel, I read it a few weeks ago and found it a pretty great read. (Minor spoilers)
I thought the Grayson plot was excellently handled, and the tension between his paranoia at being found out as both a cerberus operative and a drug user mixed in with his guilt and love for his daughter made for some excellent moments. When he found out what had happened to Gillian you could feel these really intense and contradictory emotions, each of which were valid and totally gripping. It's one of the best things about SF, making you feel real emotions about crazy imaginary concepts.

Loved the quarians too, they seem like a really cool race and I really hope we get to see the flotilla as it's described here, although I can imagine it being a bit hard to render in detail. I think that Gillian being on the flotilla could be a major plot point in the next game too, and it makes me really hopeful for what we could get. Between this and the end of ME1... good times ahead, if they ever get it out!
 
Shrennin

Shrennin

Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
I'm playing through Mass Effect right now. Can't wait for an announcement to ME2.

My favorite BioWare game is still Knights though. I just love that game, probably one of my all time favorite games (right up there with MGS).

I'm excited about Dragon Age, and even the TOR MMO, but ME2 is what I absolutely can't wait for.
 
Shrennin

Shrennin

Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
JdFoX187 said:
Every time I see this thread bumped, I think it's news of the sequel :(
Click to expand...

That's actually why I clicked on this thread.

Then my dreams were crushed. Crushed.

FTWer said:
I think it's news for more DLC :(
Click to expand...

I didn't expect that because BioWare has really let me down in that regard. We were promised lots of downloadable content and so far we've only got one mission pack. I thought the DLC was supposed to bridge the gap between ME1 and ME2?
 
K

Kyoufu

Member
gregor7777 said:
That's fucking horseshit if true.

Seriously. How many garbage games does EA kick out a year? I just want my fucking ME DLC.
Click to expand...

It can't be true. EA have let Criterion support BP for an entire year. I think BioWare are just working on other things. Like ME2.
 
G

gregor7777

Banned
Kyoufu said:
It can't be true. EA have let Criterion support BP for an entire year. I think BioWare are just working on other things. Like ME2.
Click to expand...

Well, my overreaction aside, it absolutely could be because of the EA deal. Perhaps that deal set the timeline for ME2. Perhaps that deal influenced the ME budget.

A million things could have happened.

All we know is that ME DLC was not just planned, but emphasized, and now it seems to be long forgotten. Naturally we can be suspect of the EA deal.
 
K

Kill Your Masters

Member
itxaka said:
meh. That also means not a third book :(
Click to expand...
Well the third book will probably be out after ME2.

But yeah, fuck this. Anyone else suspects this to be the "aftermath" from the EA takeover? I do more and more.

They promised more DLC, periodically, so we would never have to stop to play, and then this...such a shame, since I really liked bdts.
 
K

Kyoufu

Member
I'm not bothered personally. If it means more time and attention spent on ME2 then so be it.

Saying that, I'm still playing this game religiously so new content would've been nice, I suppose...
 
I

itxaka

Defeatist
Hellraizer said:
Well the third book will probably be out after ME2.

But yeah, fuck this. Anyone else suspects this to be the "aftermath" from the EA takeover? I do more and more.

They promised more DLC, periodically, so we would never have to stop to play, and then this...such a shame, since I really liked bdts.
Click to expand...


Yeah but with no DLC plans, no word on ME 2 I expected at least a third book to pass the time and show us more races or incidents on the galaxy. The rachni wars for example, or the first incident between the humans and Turians will make a great history without revealing/introducing anything to the series while giving us some more background in detail.

I WANT ME2, DLC OR A FUCKING BOOK BIOWARE! RAWR!
 
T

Thunder Monkey

Banned
Kyoufu said:
I think the only similarity between the two are the dialog trees and the good/evil aspect.
Click to expand...
That's true.

And it's the only thing I really liked about the game. Maybe if they had a serious melee combat system in the game I'd love it, and a credible option to exploit it (shields am lacking in effectiveness) I may even like the game.

As it stands it's an awesome evolution of their good and evil setup, with an inventive dialog tree, bogged down in a simplistic tactical third person shooter shell.

They took what I found to be the most boring part of KotOR (gun options) and based an entire game around an evolution of that mindset.

Serious melee combat in the second or I doubt I buy it Bioware. Sorry. I love KotOR at least...
 
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