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Mass Effect |OT| Alien love in an elevator

E

ElyrionX

Member
Subarushian said:
Your played for an hour? And then traded it in?

Well there went your credibility.
Click to expand...

I've played it for twelve hours and I really don't know what to think. The game is just so unpolished and so flawed.

I've been a HUGE Bioware fan since the first Baldur's Gate and even did enjoy Jade Empire quite a bit. But everything that Bioware has never done well in its previous offerings seems to be amplified in Mass Effect.

First of all, the framerate. Every single Bioware game since the first Baldur's Gate had atrocious framerates. From 2D in BG1 and BG2 to 3D in KOTOR and Jade Empire, they have NEVER got it right. There will always be some atrocious slowdown in certain parts of a Bioware game. And it just seems to be really bad in ME. Maybe COD4 has spoiled me too much.

Next, the loading. BG1, BG2, KOTOR, Jade Empire and now, Mass Effect. Jesus christ, every single one of them has horrible load times in between levels that are so small that you can literally run across them in less than three minutes. This is simply unacceptable. The elevators are a nice way of masking the loading but goddamn, it just gets more and more annoying as the game progresses. The one on the Normandy takes the fucking cake. It crawls along an inch at a time and it's supposed to be a super-advanced spaceship? And that's not even considering the fact that it's unbelievable, from a technical standpoint, to have a load screen within a ship that isn't very big in itself. Coming in a close second in annoyance factor is the C-Sec loading bay elevator. Goddamnit, why can't we just have a fucking transit terminal at the loading bay itself?

And what about the clunky inventory user interface? Yep, BG1, BG2, KOTOR, Jade Empire and now Mass Effect. They all have the trademark retarded Bioware inventory UI. It has been almost ten years since the original BG and they still can't get it right. How hard is it anyway? And it just gets progressively worse. You can't even fucking SORT your inventory in Mass Effect, for crying out loud. And they're not grouped together as well. I don't need to see five separate boxes for my five Avenger I guns. I just need one box with the number five on it to show that I have five Avenger I guns. Just how hard can that be to implement?

While the environments in BG1 and BG2 were very much alive and felt very believable, it appears that things have taken a turn for the worse ever since Bioware went 3D. KOTOR, JE and ME all have terribly static environment that just feels like tiny stages in between load screens. The Citadel is supposed to be this great and advanced city so why the hell am I only seeing two levels of it? Even the Final Fantasy series got this right with the awesome and believable cities in FFXII. And the worst part is WHY THE HELL DOES EVERY WOMAN IN THE CITADEL HAVE THE SAME FUCKING HAIRCUT? Jesus.

Those are my main gripes with the game but I have countless others. Combat is starting to bore me and biotics are starting to feel incredibly lame. Lift, Singularity and Stasis all do almost the same goddamn thing. The only other two offensive biotics left are Warp and Throw. For an RPG, that's ALL I get in terms of "magic"? Even KOTOR had more variety to its combat. And the Mako sections are incredibly lame. It's basically jump to avoid enemy shots and then shoot when you land. Repeat that ad nauseum for every single enemy you encounter when you're in the Mako. WTF is this shit?

Overall, ME feels like a rehashed and reskinned KOTOR. But at least KOTOR had lightsabers and the Jedi. It's really sad to see that Bioware has hardly made any progress since 2001.
 
J

JMPovoa

Member
GhaleonEB said:
So, I kind of traded this in today for store credit.

That is all.
Click to expand...

If anything, i could tell you that RPGs aren't the most well regarded games amongst the core Xbox360 fans.

I hope to get this game on monday.
 
D

Digital Limit

Member
ElyrionX said:
I've played it for twelve hours and I really don't know what to think. The game is just so unpolished and so flawed.

I've been a HUGE Bioware fan since the first Baldur's Gate and even did enjoy Jade Empire quite a bit. But everything that Bioware has never done well in its previous offerings seems to be amplified in Mass Effect.

First of all, the framerate. Every single Bioware game since the first Baldur's Gate had atrocious framerates. From 2D in BG1 and BG2 to 3D in KOTOR and Jade Empire, they have NEVER got it right. There will always be some atrocious slowdown in certain parts of a Bioware game. And it just seems to be really bad in ME. Maybe COD4 has spoiled me too much.

Next, the loading. BG1, BG2, KOTOR, Jade Empire and now, Mass Effect. Jesus christ, every single one of them has horrible load times in between levels that are so small that you can literally run across them in less than three minutes. This is simply unacceptable. The elevators are a nice way of masking the loading but goddamn, it just gets more and more annoying as the game progresses. The one on the Normandy takes the fucking cake. It crawls along an inch at a time and it's supposed to be a super-advanced spaceship? And that's not even considering the fact that it's unbelievable, from a technical standpoint, to have a load screen within a ship that isn't very big in itself. Coming in a close second in annoyance factor is the C-Sec loading bay elevator. Goddamnit, why can't we just have a fucking transit terminal at the loading bay itself?

And what about the clunky inventory user interface? Yep, BG1, BG2, KOTOR, Jade Empire and now Mass Effect. They all have the trademark retarded Bioware inventory UI. It has been almost ten years since the original BG and they still can't get it right. How hard is it anyway? And it just gets progressively worse. You can't even fucking SORT your inventory in Mass Effect, for crying out loud. And they're not grouped together as well. I don't need to see five separate boxes for my five Avenger I guns. I just need one box with the number five on it to show that I have five Avenger I guns. Just how hard can that be to implement?

While the environments in BG1 and BG2 were very much alive and felt very believable, it appears that things have taken a turn for the worse ever since Bioware went 3D. KOTOR, JE and ME all have terribly static environment that just feels like tiny stages in between load screens. The Citadel is supposed to be this great and advanced city so why the hell am I only seeing two levels of it? Even the Final Fantasy series got this right with the awesome and believable cities in FFXII. And the worst part is WHY THE HELL DOES EVERY WOMAN IN THE CITADEL HAVE THE SAME FUCKING HAIRCUT? Jesus.

Those are my main gripes with the game but I have countless others. Combat is starting to bore me and biotics are starting to feel incredibly lame. Lift, Singularity and Stasis all do almost the same goddamn thing. The only other two offensive biotics left are Warp and Throw. For an RPG, that's ALL I get in terms of "magic"? Even KOTOR had more variety to its combat. And the Mako sections are incredibly lame. It's basically jump to avoid enemy shots and then shoot when you land. Repeat that ad nauseum for every single enemy you encounter when you're in the Mako. WTF is this shit?

Overall, ME feels like a rehashed and reskinned KOTOR. But at least KOTOR had lightsabers and the Jedi. It's really sad to see that Bioware has hardly made any progress since 2001.
Click to expand...

And yet you completely ignore the story, i.e. the reason we're all playing the game?

Well done.
 
J

JMPovoa

Member
ElyrionX said:
Those are my main gripes with the game but I have countless others. Combat is starting to bore me and biotics are starting to feel incredibly lame. Lift, Singularity and Stasis all do almost the same goddamn thing. The only other two offensive biotics left are Warp and Throw. For an RPG, that's ALL I get in terms of "magic"? Even KOTOR had more variety to its combat. And the Mako sections are incredibly lame. It's basically jump to avoid enemy shots and then shoot when you land. Repeat that ad nauseum for every single enemy you encounter when you're in the Mako. WTF is this shit?

Overall, ME feels like a rehashed and reskinned KOTOR. But at least KOTOR had lightsabers and the Jedi. It's really sad to see that Bioware has hardly made any progress since 2001.
Click to expand...

That may be main gripes for you, but i'm sure as hell they won't be for me. I know people wanted ME to be technically perfect but no, it isn't. Now enjoy the game for all that is good about it (and i'm sure there's a lot to enjoy about it, as most people clearly have stated here and in every review i've read.) and stop being such bitches when it comes to its flaws.
 
D

demifiend

Member
I'm digging it, for what little time I've had to play it since it released.
One thing that does bother me, though, at least from a visuals standpoint, is the repetition of weapon models. Now, I'm probably just early, but damn- I figure that just by chance, one of that pile of assault rifles I've scrounged up would look different. But meh, small issues.
Also, I wish they would plant the odd tree on these backwater research planets.
Still, just started moving on the main story and I love it. It feels like they replaced the mysticism of Star Wars with a kind of Rainbow Six in space. Not that I didn't love KOTOR, but it's nice to see a change.
 
E

ElyrionX

Member
Digital Limit said:
And yet you completely ignore the story, i.e. the reason we're all playing the game?

Well done.
Click to expand...

I can't comment on the story because I'm only twelve hours in and have only just got Liara.

Don't get me wrong. The game definitely has its moments. The intro was awesome and so was the part when you became a
Spectre
. And the music is pretty great at times too.

The only thing is that I'm just sorely disappointed because I had expected so much more from Bioware. This game is a 7.5 to 8 for me when I had expected/wanted it to be a 9.5/10. I'm kind of shocked at all the high scores that this game has obtained too.


JMPovoa said:
That may be main gripes for you, but i'm sure as hell they won't be for me. I know people wanted ME to be technically perfect but no, it isn't. Now enjoy the game for all that is good about it (and i'm sure there's a lot to enjoy about it, as most people clearly have stated here and in every review i've read.) and stop being such bitches when it comes to its flaws.
Click to expand...

The only reason why I said all that is to point out the fact that Bioware just commits the same mistakes every single game and no one has ever called them out on it.
 
A

AndersTheSwede

Member
ElyrionX said:
snip
Click to expand...

So your main gripes are a spotty frame rate, long load times, weird interface, and not epic enough environments, and uh no lightsabers?

Thats it? Thats enough to cancel out all the "good stuff" in the game? Everyones entitled to their opinion, and I'm glad you at least spelled yours out so comprehensively, but it seems more of a case of not seeing the forest for the trees than substantial flaws in the game.

The only reason why I said all that is to point out the fact that Bioware just commits the same mistakes every single game and no one has ever called them out on it.
Click to expand...

The reason no one calls them on it is because they deliver where it counts: story and character and world design. Technical issues are annoying but don't overshadow the rest of the game. And are, frankly, almost expected given the size and scope of the games they try to make, somewhere something is going to come up short, and I'd prefer it to be the frame rate, not the writing.
 
E

ElyrionX

Member
Subarushian said:
So your main gripes are a spotty frame rate, long load times, weird interface, and not epic enough environments, and uh no lightsabers?

Thats it? Thats enough to cancel out all the "good stuff" in the game? Everyones entitled to their opinion, and I'm glad you at least spelled yours out so comprehensively, but it seems more of a case of not seeing the forest for the trees than substantial flaws in the game.
Click to expand...

Like I said above, I think the game is good but hardly great. Perhaps, as I play more (and I intend to finish it), I will begin to understand what all the hype is about but I'm just not feeling it now.

Also, as a huge Bioware fan, I'm just sick and tired of seeing the same damn flaws in every single game they release.
 
K

Kabouter

Member
ElyrionX said:
The only thing is that I'm just sorely disappointed because I had expected so much more from Bioware. This game is a 7.5 to 8 for me when I had expected/wanted it to be a 9.5/10. I'm kind of shocked at all the high scores that this game has obtained too.
Click to expand...
Heh funny that is. I was expecting a 7-8, but after having played it it's a solid 9 for me.
 
D

Digital Limit

Member
ElyrionX said:
Like I said above, I think the game is good but hardly great. Perhaps, as I play more (and I intend to finish it), I will begin to understand what all the hype is about but I'm just not feeling it now.

Also, as a huge Bioware fan, I'm just sick and tired of seeing the same damn flaws in every single game they release.
Click to expand...

Loading times, clunky menus, and weak environments; staples of BioWare, sure.

But that never stopped them from making great games before - and it doesn't stop them now.

Story / characters / dialog / combat.

These are the saving graces that make their games great, flaws and all.
 
S

segarr

Member
I just left the council for the second time.......I'm like 30 something hours in.....level 40....and I'm debating whether or not I should just drop the side quest and get on with the story or not. Not that I don't like playing the side quest, but it's just a complete immersion killer when I go from
Talking to a reaper for the first time and stealing the fastest/stealthiest ship in the galaxy
to freaking surveying planets that all seem to be "typical helium gas giants" anyways...:lol

I understand how people can beat this in like 10 hours....but it's hard for me to turn away from a journal full of assignments. Note to mention I already have most of these freaking samples/insignias/Asari notebooks/Medallions....
 
Proelite

Proelite

Member
Finished my first rpg in a long time. Wow at the 30 minutes till the end.

However, why do humans have to own in all most every game?
 
S

SIP YEK NOD

Banned
Proelite said:
Finished my first rpg in a long time. Wow at the 30 minutes till the end.

However, why do humans have to own in all most every game?
Click to expand...

why do the good guys always win?


its what the people want to see
 
B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned
ElyrionX said:
Like I said above, I think the game is good but hardly great. Perhaps, as I play more (and I intend to finish it), I will begin to understand what all the hype is about but I'm just not feeling it now.

Also, as a huge Bioware fan, I'm just sick and tired of seeing the same damn flaws in every single game they release.
Click to expand...

Man, I am so thankful I don't notice this sort of stuff and I'm able to just be engrossed in the game. When I see comments like this last one, I can't help but wonder how pre-disposed someone is to noticing this stuff. After all, if they were so glaring and game breakng, then no one would play the game, everyone would return it to get there money back and/or I would never see someone on my FL with a 55 lvl Vanguard (!!!).

So, yeah, I guess I'm just glad I won Taste Lottery that lets me navigate through those sorts of things and make it through to the other side. It is understandable, of course, that some people's subjective opinions do not allow them to do the same.
 
D

Darkman M

Member
Over 20 hours in now just decided to get back to the main quest chp.3 I haven't been this engrossed in a game in a long time(except for Persona 3).

I love this game:D
 
F

Frenck

Banned
Sounds massively overrated as I expected. I wish reviewers would've been more honest with this one, there are so many disappointed people who expected a 9.5 game and bought the worst Bioware RPG of all times instead.

You have my sympathy.
 
X

Xapati

Member
Frenck said:
Sounds massively overrated as I expected. I wish reviewers would've been more honest with this one, there are so many disappointed people who expected a 9.5 game and bought the worst Bioware RPG of all times instead.

You have my sympathy.
Click to expand...

It can't be worse then NWN. Besides, you haven't played it.
 
B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned
Frenck said:
Sounds massively overrated as I expected. I wish reviewers would've been more honest with this one, there are so many disappointed people who expected a 9.5 game and bought the worst Bioware RPG of all times instead.

You have my sympathy.
Click to expand...

So you haven't played it and have leapt over the countless positive impressions as a Las Vegas stuntperson might do the same over a garishly dressed line of chorus girls.
 
J

JMPovoa

Member
Frenck said:
Sounds massively overrated as I expected. I wish reviewers would've been more honest with this one, there are so many disappointed people who expected a 9.5 game and bought the worst Bioware RPG of all times instead.

You have my sympathy.
Click to expand...

It's just like when Halo sucked for many. Glad i wasn't part of the group.

You just have to accept it. There are people who love certain games, there are those who like them and the ones that just don't. But i'm sure most people love this one.
 
F

Frenck

Banned
Xapati said:
It can't be worse then NWN. Besides, you haven't played it.
Click to expand...

Demo or bust. I won't simply buy the game because I trust the reviewers. The faults that some people mentioned in this thread sound like they would piss me off and I don't give a shit about the generic sci-fi setting to be honest.

Jade Empire had such a great, fresh setting. ME is more like Star Wars without the charm.

Their next game will have to be amazing to make me forget this.
 
S

Solo

Member
Jade Empire was a steaming turd of a game though. I cant speak to ME yet, as I havent played it, but Empire was me paying $70 for Bioware to take a dump on me.
 
B

Belgorim

Member
Frenck said:
Sounds massively overrated as I expected. I wish reviewers would've been more honest with this one, there are so many disappointed people who expected a 9.5 game and bought the worst Bioware RPG of all times instead.

You have my sympathy.
Click to expand...
uhm... how do you know it is the worst bioware rpg?

stop trolling.

Frenck said:
Their next game will have to be amazing to make me forget this.
Click to expand...
To forget what?

That you havent played it?
 
F

Frenck

Banned
Solo said:
Jade Empire was a steaming turd of a game though. I cant speak to ME yet, as I havent played it, but Empire was me paying $70 for Bioware to take a dump on me.
Click to expand...

Yeah, a generic KotOR rip-off is so much better. Stop being innovative Bioware, we don't want that stuff.

You don't deserve better.
 
S

Solo

Member
There wasnt a god damned thing innovative in JE. It was even more streamlined, more action-y, and the moral "choices" even more clear-cut that in KOTOR. All that was different was a vaguely interesting setting.
 
S

Skilotonn

xbot xbot xbot xbot xbot
Frenck said:
Sounds massively overrated as I expected. I wish reviewers would've been more honest with this one, there are so many disappointed people who expected a 9.5 game and bought the worst Bioware RPG of all times instead.

You have my sympathy.
Click to expand...

I'm not even going to ask which parts of the thread you skipped to come to that conclusion - I'm going to ask, did you even read the thread? Because people here are saying that the game is amazing, and the little flaws do nothing to hurt the game...

The reviewers were dead-on with the 9.5+ scores, and every single one of them made sure to mention the minor frame-rate and pop-in...

Again, you couldn't have read the thread to come to that conclusion - not this thread...

GhaleonEB said:
So, I kind of traded this in today for store credit.

That is all.
Click to expand...

Ghaleon, Ghaleon...

Remember when you gave up on Gears after like an hour as well, and then came back to it a good while after the glowing reviews from people here, and then learned the game properly and then loved it?

Don't let it happen again bro, don't! Atleast rent the game!

You are seriously missing out on easily one of the best games this gen if you let it end like this! Better yet, one of the best RPG's period...
 
Stahsky

Stahsky

A passionate embrace, a beautiful memory lingers.
Eric WK said:
You guys haven't realized that Frenck is a complete moron yet? Stop responding to the guy.
Click to expand...


Also do not forget that he was the one who hyped Assassin's Creed the hell up.


AC was great, but for him to go nuts over that game and say this one is crap is just fucking amazing. Like, I cannot even begin to understand the logic behind that one.


bigswords said:
Fixed.
Click to expand...


I make sure I jerk off to the graphical detail with each elevator moment, just to relieve the stress of having to wait.
 
B

bigswords

Member
EvaPlusMinus said:
I make sure I jerk off to the graphical detail with each elevator moment, just to relieve the stress of having to wait.
Click to expand...

Even the Normandy? Damn it takes forever to fucking go from the first floor to the next, plus the later levels is so fucking insane if you need to go between areas.
 
Stahsky

Stahsky

A passionate embrace, a beautiful memory lingers.
bigswords said:
Even the Normandy? Damn it takes forever to fucking go from the first floor to the next, plus the later levels is so fucking insane if you need to go between areas.
Click to expand...


Elevator length makes or breaks a game for me.
 
Stahsky

Stahsky

A passionate embrace, a beautiful memory lingers.
BenjaminBirdie said:
Seriously. People are bitching about the mechanic that gave us the fucking ELCOR HAMLET? Good lord people, what more do you want?
Click to expand...


We share similar interests, it always seems. I always find you in threads about games we both seem to thoroughly enjoy.

For this, I give you a gift of words:

An affirmation of who you are, and who you will become. I see that your skin is as brittle as Joker's legs, but your spirit i- ah, screw it. I can't continue with this without hating myself when I wake up, due to the fact that you'll just hit the bottom dialogue option and try to have sex with me.

Nice avatar, btw.
 
K

Kabouter

Member
Frenck said:
Sounds massively overrated as I expected. I wish reviewers would've been more honest with this one, there are so many disappointed people who expected a 9.5 game and bought the worst Bioware RPG of all times instead.

You have my sympathy.
Click to expand...
...
Have you even read ALL of the thread?

Frenck said:
Yeah, a generic KotOR rip-off is so much better. Stop being innovative Bioware, we don't want that stuff.

You don't deserve better.
Click to expand...
Share with us some other insights you have gained while NOT playing the game.
 
The Elite

The Elite

BOSS
Spire said:
Much to my surprise, I beat the game tonight. Holy damn, was that a short game. I know, I know, you can get a good 25 hours out of it if you do all the sidequests (and I did a good number of them) but it still only took me 11 hours to beat the game. For an RPG, that's somewhat alarming.

The story wasn't nearly as impressive as the reviews made it out to be.
The reavers are essentially Lavos/Deus from Chrono Trigger/Xenogears, although those entities were far more interesting than what we've seen of the reavers so far.
Everything else was adequate but nothing overly compelling. Their plan for the trilogy is pretty obvious and while I look forward to the next game, it won't be for the story.

The technical problems do get annoying but they don't keep the game from looking stellar at times. The texture loading is the main offender, it's downright atrocious at points. The frame rate does dip in places but it didn't bother me that much. Beyond that the game looks pretty ace.

Anyway it's a good game, maybe an 8. I'm pretty starved for good RPGs so I'll probably go back through and finish off all of the sidequests. Here's hoping this is the first of many good RPGs to come this gen.
Click to expand...

What is a good number?

I've only done 3-4 and I'm at 11 hours.
 
X

X26

Banned
This thread was bound to cycle. 20 pages of love, 5 pages of irrational hate, rinse and repeat. Game has flaws, many really, but the positive aspects avalanche them.

Anyways I'm done noveria and feros, feels like I missed out on the romance subplots (still have the planet that begins with a V to do, and after that I assume it's the last planet?)
 
L

Lostconfused

Member
BenjaminBirdie said:
Seriously. People are bitching about the mechanic that gave us the fucking ELCOR HAMLET? Good lord people, what more do you want?
Click to expand...

Ah but it is a double edged sword. Liara is completely inept at holding a conversation, every time Garrus opens his mouth she shoots him down in a blaze of oblivious glory.
 
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