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[Saya]

The presentation of the planets and the little factoids / descriptions on the map and the codex are awesome. For some reason I must read everything. It definitely reminds me of Escape Velocity. 14 hours in and I haven't started the main missions yet. I've only done sidequests and I'm having a great time. Fantastic game and I was afraid I would finish it in 20 hours or so. I think it's gonna be double that time.

 

[mcgarrett]

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...

I dunno, I'm a bit leery of buying Mass Effect at full price. For the amount of flaws it seems to have, the scores sound rather inflated. From what I've read it's far more than just frame rates and pop-in: controls that stop working in the middle of play, an awful inventory system, cumbersome menus, cookie cutter side planets, etc. (And if you're trying to draw in shooter fans, of course they're going to moan about bad frame rates.) Maybe that's a testament to how great the game is, or maybe people are giving it a free pass because it's from Bioware, it has shiny graphics and lesbo sex scenes.

I'll be interested to hear what people have to say about the game once the hype has died down a bit.

 

[Pterion]

Screen-tearing and frame rate drops are pretty bad at times, but so far in my 4-5 hours of gameplay, I'm quite satisfied with it. Story seems cool too.

 

[joelseph]

Is there a particular place that sells really good gear? I have my master level weapons and armor and a ton of credits with nothing to spend them on, and I never hardly use any omni-gel!

 

[Draft]

From what I've read it's far more than just frame rates and pop-in: controls that stop working in the middle of play, an awful inventory system, cumbersome menus, cookie cutter side planets, etc. (And if you're trying to draw in shooter fans, of course they're going to moan about bad frame rates.)

I can confirm every one of those issues, except the controls not working, which I haven't experienced, and I actually think the menus, outside of the inventory, are pretty good.

That being said, in spite of those issues, the game is genuinely amazing. It's really, really good. That is not hype. That is someone who loved KOTOR, hated JE, and real talk, might love ME more than KOTOR.

I just finished the third "story" planet, the one where you assist the Council recon team. I think it may have been the greatest RPG dungeon I've ever played.

 

[Draft]

I hate this. HATE IT. I hate that I feel the siren call of the Mass Effect Defense Force, and God help me, I don't want to become one of those people. The spin doctors. The damage controllers.

I am fully and completely aware of every flaw this game has, and boy does it have a lot. But to give this game a pass because you have to spend twice as long in the inventory as you should, or because it has texture pop-in... I can't even fathom.

Dudes are hating on this game and they have no right. I feel like I'm going to attack them. I must stay my hand.

 

[mcgarrett]

Dudes are hating on this game and they have no right. I feel like I'm going to attack them. I must stay my hand.

I'm not hating on it, it looks nice... I'm just not sure if I'm ready to part with $60 for it.

I do wonder if all the high scores are really based on the game as delivered. If someone gives it a 10 as is, what would it be if all the problems were all fixed... an 11? Yes a "10" doesn't mean perfect, but it usually means no significant flaws... of which there appear to be several. Maybe some will get patched.

 

[Waikis]

Any of you used the explosive round?It turns my shotgun into a bloody bazooka

 

[Skilotonn]

I dunno, I'm a bit leery of buying Mass Effect at full price. For the amount of flaws it seems to have, the scores sound rather inflated. From what I've read it's far more than just frame rates and pop-in: controls that stop working in the middle of play, an awful inventory system, cumbersome menus, cookie cutter side planets, etc. (And if you're trying to draw in shooter fans, of course they're going to moan about bad frame rates.) Maybe that's a testament to how great the game is, or maybe people are giving it a free pass because it's from Bioware, it has shiny graphics and lesbo sex scenes.

I'll be interested to hear what people have to say about the game once the hype has died down a bit.

Again, every major review made mention of these flaws, and for once they were all totally right - the scores are not inflated whatsoever - they really do not hurt the game whatsoever...

In fact, the pop-in that sometimes occurs is a better alternative than having much longer load times, which aren't long at all - after all of the reviews, I expected much worse...

And I can assure you that this isn't the hype talking - the best way I guess for you to see for yourself is to rent it I guess, since you won't take GAF's and every major reviewer's word...

The good in this game severely crushes the bad - had this game been shipped with none of these things, I couldn't imagine how this game could ever be improved upon, or beaten by any other RPG other than by just adding more...

 

[Draft]

I'm not hating on it, it looks nice... I'm just not sure if I'm ready to part with $60 for it. I just wonder if all the high scores are really based on the game as delivered. If someone gives it a 10 as, what would it be if all the problems were all fixed... an 11?

Listen, I'm not calling you stupid, but that's a stupid thing to say.

Ignoring the fact that I don't think anyone gave ME a 10, if they did, so what? It's just a number that some fat, pale man slapped into his word processor between episodes of Azumanga Daioh.

It has numerous technical issues, 90% graphic related, that have been discussed ad nauseum in this thread. If they are a concern to you, then run away. Don't believe the spinners. They are there, they are many, and they are irritating.

The inventory interface is a mess. Period. It's amazing the game was allowed to ship with it in tact. You will stop, every couple hours, and spend a good 15 minutes processing assault rifles and suits of armor into magic goo. It's about as exciting as it sounds. God help you if you want to try to sell the stuff instead.

ME is not perfect. Say it again. Roll it around in your mouth, get a taste for it. ME is not perfect.

That being said, the game, considered in aggregate, is amazing. Every thing you look for in an RPG, the cool setting, the engaging story, the interesting characters, the thrilling combat, the emotional music (man the fucking MUSIC), the deep customization, is delivered in spades.

ME is a horny supermodel with eczema. A quarter pound Angus cooked medium rare on a stale roll. It ain't perfect. But it's still pretty fucking good.

 

[syllogism]

The good in this game severely crushes the bad - had this game been shipped with none of these things, I couldn't imagine how this game could ever be improved upon, or beaten by any other RPG other than by just adding more...

It doesn't seem like, except in presentation and perhaps story telling, it's the best Bioware RPG so that's a bit presumptuous.

Mind you, had I a 360 Mass Effect would be my first purchase. Hopefully the port will be forthcoming. I just lament Bioware's recent games have in many ways not met the standards set by their second RPG.

 

[Kabouter]

The good in this game severely crushes the bad - had this game been shipped with none of these things, I couldn't imagine how this game could ever be improved upon, or beaten by any other RPG other than by just adding more...

Everybody aboard the hyperbole train.

 

[mcgarrett]

they really do not hurt the game whatsoever...

It doesn't hurt the game if your controller stops working, forcing a reboot?

 

[Kabouter]

It doesn't hurt the game if your controller stops working, forcing a reboot?

The flaws definitely hurt the game, there is no denying the fact that the game would be better without bugs, the horrible inventory system and the performance issues. But it says a lot about the rest of it that despite those problems, the game was still a fantastic experience.

 

[Lostconfused]

I just wish people will get over BG2 already. NOTHING WILL EVER BE THAT GOOD, NOTHING EVER AGAIN. Now thats over and done with, we can move on.

 

[mcgarrett]

Ignoring the fact that I don't think anyone gave ME a 10, if they did, so what?

I don't especially care, although they do seem to be used here to justify one's position. (ie, if a game is rated a 9.5 and you're not jumping on the bandwagon, there's obviously something wrong with you)

ME is not perfect. Say it again. Roll it around in your mouth, get a taste for it. ME is not perfect.

I don't care if it's perfect. I do care if I'm forced to replay large sections of the game due to technical issues. (unresponsive controls, wacky placement of auto save points, etc.)

 

[Draft]

It doesn't seem like, except in presentation and perhaps story telling, it's the best Bioware RPG so that's a bit presumptuous.

Mind you, had I a 360 Mass Effect would be my first purchase. Hopefully the port will be forthcoming. I just lament Bioware's recent games have in many ways not met the standards set by their second RPG.

OK, PC dude, we get it. I have terrible news for you: the Bioware you love? Dead. The RPGs you enjoyed? Dead. Killed by the Xbox and voice acting and 3D graphics. 200+ hours? A thousand quests? More dice rolls than a craps table? Dead. Dead. Dead.

The world has moved on. You should too.

I don't care if it's perfect. I do care if I'm forced to replay large sections of the game due to technical issues. (unresponsive controls, wacky placement of auto save points, etc.)

Save early, save often. Don't rely on autosave. These technical issues are phantoms. I did encounter one bug that involved having to restart the old three shitty. But this is a western RPG. Save early, save often.

 

[syllogism]

I just wish people will get over BG2 already. NOTHING WILL EVER BE THAT GOOD, NOTHING EVER AGAIN. Now thats over and done with, we can move on.

As long as everyone acknowledges that, fine by me.

OK, PC dude, we get it. I have terrible news for you: the Bioware you love? Dead. The RPGs you enjoyed? Dead. Killed by the Xbox and voice acting and 3D graphics. 200+ hours? A thousand quests? More dice rolls than a craps table? Dead. Dead. Dead.

The world has moved on. You should too.

Hey, it's the Mass Effect Defence Force that compels me to post. I'm willing to wait until Dragon Age to bury the Bioware of old though. I'm sure they'll still keep making great games and will be among the few games I still look forward to.

 

[Draft]

Hey, it's the Mass Effect Defence Force that compels me to post

Dead.

Dead.

DEAD.

Put on your robe and wizard hat. The black ones. Stick your cloth map in a paper boat and light that bitch on fire, give it the burial it deserves.

 

[mcgarrett]

Put on your robe and wizard hat. The black ones. Stick your cloth map in a paper boat and light that bitch on fire, give it the burial it deserves.

Cloth maps rule. I still have my ankh around here somewhere. Seriously though, there's nothing wrong with mourning the FPS/TPS-ization of the RPG.

 

[syllogism]

Dead.

Dead.

DEAD.

Put on your robe and wizard hat. The black ones. Stick your cloth map in a paper boat and light that bitch on fire, give it the burial it deserves.

Heh, I do have to give Mass Effect credit for not being a STAR WARS RPG.

 

[Lostconfused]

Dead.

Dead.

DEAD.

Put on your robe and wizard hat. The black ones. Stick your cloth map in a paper boat and light that bitch on fire, give it the burial it deserves.

Its true, and if you think things will be ok after they get away from MS, EA will just finish them off.

 

[mcgarrett]

Its true, and if you think things will be ok after they get away from MS, EA will just finish them off.

Yeah, look what they did to Origin. If you think this ME is buggy, wait for the sequel...

 

[Doytch]

The inventory interface is a mess. Period. It's amazing the game was allowed to ship with it in tact. You will stop, every couple hours, and spend a good 15 minutes processing assault rifles and suits of armor into magic goo. It's about as exciting as it sounds. God help you if you want to try to sell the stuff instead.

I'm confused wrt this point. I heard people complain about it on the 1up show last week, but put it off to them being sissy console gamers.

I guess I prefer the old Bioware style of inventory management, with every item in your inventory and you can move it around. But I realise that this method is a lot quicker to deal with. When I'm checking out whether I have a better pistol or shotgun, I don't have to scroll through a bunch of quest items or scrolls or whatever, I just go to my equipped pistol.

Or is it that you can only have some number of items you can carry? I've only heard about that point, I've been on media blackout regarding this game. I haven't run into it yet, after beating 2 plot planets and a few side missions. I guess I've been conditioned to sell all my crap whenever I see a vendor in fear of getting encumbered. :lol

Anyway, not trying to defend it, just wondering which part of the inventory is bad because I haven't really noticed that yet. The fps murders me though. It's a real shock switching between silky-smooth PC TF2 and this jank fest. My 360 has also started getting read disc errors. After I beat ME once, I'm sending it in for the 3rd time.

 

[Skilotonn]

It doesn't seem like, except in presentation and perhaps story telling, it's the best Bioware RPG so that's a bit presumptuous.

Mind you, had I a 360 Mass Effect would be my first purchase. Hopefully the port will be forthcoming. I just lament Bioware's recent games have in many ways not met the standards set by their second RPG.

I can't tell you how Mass Effect compares to their last efforts because like I've said before, I'm not really an RPG person, so it takes alot for me to pay it any attention to check it out by friends that bought one, let alone buy it like I did with Mass Effect - no other BioWare game has interested me as much as this one...

But what I can tell you is that the reviews were right, and I'm still so early in the game, main-story-wise - that I can assure you...

Everybody aboard the hyperbole train.

Well I didn't think I'd have to say that this is solely what *I* think - but this is really what I feel...

This isn't like, for example, a game that is incredibly fun with basic looking graphics like Earth Defense Force 2017, or a gorgeous looking game with horrendous controls - this really is the perfect package for me, and I really couldn't see this game improving other than fixing its minor problems...

It doesn't hurt the game if your controller stops working, forcing a reboot?

What?

I'm 22 and a half hours into the game right now, and not only have I not ever experienced anything as bad as that, but I've never even read about anyone experiencing this either - care to elaborate?

And yeah, I think I'm done with the "defense" of this game - looking back, I've done waaaaaay too much of it, and it's taking away from proper discussion... anyone else need convincing, just re-read our posts... :lol

 

[mcgarrett]

What?

I'm 22 and a half hours into the game right now, and not only have I not ever experienced anything as bad as that, but I've never even read about anyone experiencing this either - care to elaborate?

It was in a video review I watched, IGN 360 or Team 360 or something like that? They mentioned controls that die, and Draft confirmed it.

Edit: here it is, around the six minute mark. "Sometimes the buttons fail to recognize that you're pushing them." Maybe an isolated problem, but with all the other bugs I'm inclined to believe it. They also mention getting stuck in geometry, and that sometimes enemies will just stand there an let you shoot them... anyone run into these?

 

[Littleberu]

Where is Major Kyle? They told me to go in the room in the compound, and wait for him, but he's not there. Is it somewhere else?

 

[Draft]

It was in a video review I watched, IGN 360 or Team 360 or something like that? They mentioned controls that die, and Draft confirmed it.

Edit: here it is, around the six minute mark. "Sometimes the buttons fail to recognize that you're pushing them"

I did not confirm it. I have seen one bug. Specifically, I was in a boss fight, some enemy used the ME move that makes your character look like he/she is asleep, and then I never got up. Couldn't access the menu or anything, had to reset the system. That is the only bug I have encountered, and it only happened one time, in a boss fight I repeated at least 10 times.

 

[mcgarrett]

I did not confirm it. I have seen one bug. Specifically, I was in a boss fight, some enemy used the ME move that makes your character look like he/she is asleep, and then I never got up. Couldn't access the menu or anything, had to reset the system. That is the only bug I have encountered, and it only happened one time, in a boss fight I repeated at least 10 times.

I listed that as one of the bugs I'd heard about, and you said you could confirm all of them.

 

[Lostconfused]

Where is Major Kyle? They told me to go in the room in the compound, and wait for him, but he's not there. Is it somewhere else?

Did you go the other building?

Edit: After 30 hours, i didn't notice the controller ever dying on me.

 

[Skilotonn]

It was in a video review I watched, IGN 360 or Team 360 or something like that? They mentioned controls that die, and Draft confirmed it.

Edit: here it is, around the six minute mark. "Sometimes the buttons fail to recognize that you're pushing them." Maybe an isolated problem, but with all the other bugs I'm inclined to believe it. They also mention getting stuck in geometry, and that sometimes enemies will just stand there an let you shoot them... anyone run into these?

Okay, if people have experienced those, then that is something worth bringing up, but I haven't gotten any of those at all - neither have I read anyone here getting those as well - and I'd surely notice if buttons weren't responding...

I definitely would have been failing the decryption minigames if this was an issue for me, and due to my side-quest exploring infatuations, I've decrypted at least 50 safes, lockers, etc - all successfully in one go...

 

[Kabouter]

It was in a video review I watched, IGN 360 or Team 360 or something like that? They mentioned controls that die, and Draft confirmed it.

Edit: here it is, around the six minute mark. "Sometimes the buttons fail to recognize that you're pushing them." Maybe an isolated problem, but with all the other bugs I'm inclined to believe it. They also mention getting stuck in geometry, and that sometimes enemies will just stand there an let you shoot them... anyone run into these?

Only one of the bugs you just mentioned. Bugs/issues I had:
-Getting stuck in geometry (once on the Normandy, saving at that point and just reloading the game was enough to fix it)
-Not being able to complete sidequests (body I was supposed to find not appearing, item supposed to unlock another item not working when it was supposed to)
-Slow loading textures
-Framerate problems during combat
-Autosaves being placed annoyingly

And that's about it I think. And despite all that, it's a serious contender for GOTY for me. Not quite sure it's GOTY because I started playing Hearts of Iron 2: Doomsday - Armageddon again yesterday and it's soooooooooooooooo good. Hard to choose between the two for GOTY.

 

[Littleberu]

Did you go the other building?

Edit: After 30 hours, i didn't notice the controller ever dying on me.

What other building?

Edit : Ive found an abandoned miner camp, but he's not in there.

 

[mcgarrett]

Save early, save often.

Can you literally save anywhere, anytime? I was reading that some folks were having to sit through dialogs multiple times because they died in a battle immediately afterward. Are there times you can't save, or were they just being lazy and relying on autosave?

Sorry if I seem to be overly critical, but I don't buy too many $60 games these days period... not to mention during the holiday season, with the added expense of presents to buy. I personally prefer more traditional RPGs, but I'll definitely be giving it a whirl at some point.

 

[Buggy Loop]

Cant save when engaged in battle, otherwise, its anywhere anytime.

 

[Draft]

I listed that as one of the bugs I'd heard about, and you said you could confirm all of them.

I confirmed the technical issues, like the texture loading and the frame rate. I encountered the one bug. The one time. The game seems remarkably bug free, honestly.

What other building?

There are two buildings. The big one, and then off to the side a bunker looking thing. You have to clear the big building to unlock the bunker.

Can you literally save anywhere, anytime? I was reading that some folks were having to sit through dialogs multiple times because they died in a battle immediately afterward. Are there times you can't save, or were they just being lazy and relying on autosave?

You can save anytime outside of combat. You do have to go through some cutscenes/dialog before some boss fights, so if you die to the boss, you have to watch the cutscene/read the dialog every time you try.

 

[Lostconfused]

The big one, and then off to the side a bunker looking thing. You have to clear the big building to unlock the bunker.

Depending on how you do it. They just might tell you to go to the other building because Kyle is waiting there for you.

 

[Y2Kev]

As far as the bugs are concerned, I would say that if you enjoyed KOTOR than you'd have no problem with Mass Effect. As "buggy" as it is, it's in a way better state than KOTOR was.

I've now done enough sidequests to unlock the paragon achievement! WOOT

 

[Big-E]

I found one bug while on the planet V whatever. Sometimes when you talk to one of the

Spoiler

prisoners

you get a closeup of Shepard and the dialog wheel but there are no options to choose and you just sit there indefinite.

 

[Buggy Loop]

I confirmed the technical issues, like the texture loading and the frame rate. I encountered the one bug. The one time. The game seems remarkably bug free, honestly.There are two buildings. The big one, and then off to the side a bunker looking thing. You have to clear the big building to unlock the bunker.You can save anytime outside of combat. You do have to go through some cutscenes/dialog before some boss fights, so if you die to the boss, you have to watch the cutscene/read the dialog every time you try.

Unless you press X, skips whatever dialogue is currently spoken.

 

[Draft]

Unless you press X, skips whatever dialogue is currently spoken.

You still have to skip through the dialog tree, which can be just as aggravating when you're doing it for the tenth time.

 

[Kittonwy]

Heh, I do have to give Mass Effect credit for not being a STAR WARS RPG.

Is that sarcasm towards Mass Effect or a knock against KOTOR?

 

[Rowsdower]

I'm nearly ten hours in, and did nothing but the citadel and a few sidequest-planets. It's safe to say it's gonna be my GOTY at this point. Unbelievable game, it was worth the wait.

Oh and the LE is awesome.

 

[avatar299]

I dunno, I'm a bit leery of buying Mass Effect at full price. For the amount of flaws it seems to have, the scores sound rather inflated. From what I've read it's far more than just frame rates and pop-in: controls that stop working in the middle of play, an awful inventory system, cumbersome menus, cookie cutter side planets, etc. (And if you're trying to draw in shooter fans, of course they're going to moan about bad frame rates.) Maybe that's a testament to how great the game is, or maybe people are giving it a free pass because it's from Bioware, it has shiny graphics and lesbo sex scenes.

I'll be interested to hear what people have to say about the game once the hype has died down a bit.

Rent it. The tech issues are pretty fucking bad( It's not just tearing and shit. Many times my game crashed and I had to restart, or a certain door or event wouldn't start and I had to restart.) but the game is worth at least playing.

It's a rental at the very least,

 

[soco]

ho boy, the PC defense force has arrived and people are arguing about what bugs do and do not exist. :lol always signs of a good game.

i don't think i've run into any actual bugs yet that i'm aware of. most of what i've run into are just rough edges. things like you're teammates not listening to orders whatsoever, or suddenly deciding it's time to ignore them and regroup, or the inventory mess, or the overall lack of balance.

i've done a lot of side quests and am like 17 hours into the game and have only done one of the main quests after getting the Normandy. more side quests keep appearing and there's a pretty big diversity. some are things you solve on the spot, some are recurring things, some are typical fedex quests. at first i was a bit disappointed with the lack of diversity, but that's since went away.

the exploration part still feels kind of shallow. all the planets, especially non main-quest ones, look fairly similar and so far i've yet to see a single piece of vegetation other than grass and i guess moss, and they all have the same gravity. there have at least been some interesting animals hidden away. i've also noticed that there are a few things that aren't elemental deposits that aren't mapped too, which helps a bit.

 

[Skilotonn]

Can you literally save anywhere, anytime? I was reading that some folks were having to sit through dialogs multiple times because they died in a battle immediately afterward. Are there times you can't save, or were they just being lazy and relying on autosave?

Sorry if I seem to be overly critical, but I don't buy too many $60 games these days period... not to mention during the holiday season, with the added expense of presents to buy. I personally prefer more traditional RPGs, but I'll definitely be giving it a whirl at some point.

Yes you can, only exceptions are in the middle of a battle and in an elevator, which makes sense of course - and this is a golden rule I practice with any game that allows you to save any and everywhere...

I too read about people complaining about dying and redoing cutscenes, losing an hour of progress etc, and was preparing to experience this as well - and I was surprised to see that these people just relied on auto save only - I don't even use auto save, I turned that off...

I can't believe that people relied on it, as I save before and after every encounter, after every important thing I pickup, etc.

Sometimes I even shoot people that I can talk out of fights just to see what happens, then reload the encounter and do it the peaceful way... it's not an issue...

And I see where you're coming from money-wise - imagine how it is up here in Europe where it's 60 euros at standard price, even though you can look around and get games for 5 euros cheaper...

 

[soco]

Rent it. The tech issues are pretty fucking bad( It's not just tearing and shit. Many times my game crashed and I had to restart, or a certain door or event wouldn't start and I had to restart.) but the game is worth at least playing.

that sounds more like a 360 that's about to die.

 

[Kabouter]

And I see where you're coming from money-wise - imagine how it is up here in Europe where it's 60 euros at standard price, even though you can look around and get games for 5 euros cheaper...

Actually I believe the MSRP is either 65 or 70 euros, not 60.

 

[Buggy Loop]

16 hours in and i havent encountered a single bug. /hugs his 360

 

[avatar299]

that sounds more like a 360 that's about to die.

ME is the only game this has ever happen with.

But if ME gives me a red ring, then fuck it even more.