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[CajoleJuice]

I have to say that after only a half-dozen hours of play or so, I'm more absorbed in this game than I was in Bioshock. I'd play a shitton right now, but I need to wake up early tomorrow. The universe Bioware has created will serve as an awesome setting for a trilogy. (It is slated to be a trilogy, right?)

 

[Kittonwy]

Pretty apt. Oblivion also has a more convincing illusion of an expansive world. Mass Effect, on the other hand, has maybe 10 carefully sculpted locations, and that's about it.

They could have just concentrated on fewer planets and fleshed them out more, I would rather have fewer identical underground research base and instead have those be locations that are ACTUALLY DIFFERENT, and less mako driving. Towards the end I was getting extremely tired of the mako, it's so NOT like driving the awesome scorpion in Halo 3, the scorpion was just a fucking death machine that blows shit up and you get to SEE shit getting blown up, the mako kind of shoots from a distance and when shit blows up they're so tiny.

 

[Kittonwy]

I don't normally swear, but this fucking game is absolutely fucking AMAZING. A friend and I were sitting there wondering how in the fuck people think Bioshock is a better game. This game shits all over it, it's not even fucking funny.

How far are you into the game?

Bioshock is a better game because the underlying game mechanics is better and the gameplay execution is better, the pacing is alot tighter in Bioshock as well.

Mass Effect is a good game but it does not shit all over Bioshock. Srsly.

 

[TheDuce22]

Not sure if I was somehow playing Bioshock wrong but the gameplay always devolved into either repeatedly dying and mushing your way forward or running back and forth between vending machines/charge stations. Mass Effect is a hell of alot better. Ive invested 50 hours into the game as an adept and now an infiltrator and I still love the combat.

 

[vilmer_]

How far are you into the game?

Bioshock is a better game because the underlying game mechanics is better and the gameplay execution is better, the pacing is alot tighter in Bioshock as well.

Mass Effect is a good game but it does not shit all over Bioshock. Srsly.

I'm about 10 hours in. Honestly bro, I'm an FPS guy at heart and Bioshock didn't do much for me. I've seen the whole "scary, weird character, shock factor" all too many times over the years. Mass Effect brought me a whole new world, a whole new dimension and a whole new experience. Sure some of the dialogue sequences are long and tedious... Maybe I'm just a space geek

 

[Kill Your Masters]

Sure some of the dialogue sequences are long and tedious...

Hey, thats the bast part of the game, IMO

 

[Foil]

Well, I feel stupid. 20+ hours in and just now I figure out that the Mako has a cannon. No more using nothing but the machine guns for me...

Too bad I didn't figure that out when I got the thing. Guess I should learn to read game manuals. Also finally realised that the one guy in my squad has the same voice actor as Carth did in Kotor. I knew he sounded familar, just couldn't remember where I'd heard that voice before.

 

[Slackbladder]

Has this been mentioned before? There does'nt seem to be an LFE channel (for the sub-woofer) on the 5.1 DD in Mass Effect. Usually on my amp everytime the LFE is used a light comes on but I've never seen it once (and never heard it), not even in the cutscenes. Anybody else noticed this?
This is my favourite 360 game of the year though. Shame the sub does'nt BOOM like it should though.

 

[sangreal]

Well, I feel stupid. 20+ hours in and just now I figure out that the Mako has a cannon. No more using nothing but the machine guns for me...

Too bad I didn't figure that out when I got the thing. Guess I should learn to read game manuals. Also finally realised that the one guy in my squad has the same voice actor as Carth did in Kotor. I knew he sounded familar, just couldn't remember where I'd heard that voice before.

If it makes you feel better, you're not the first person in this thread to go through the game without noticing the cannon

 

[arhra]

Bioshock is a better game because the underlying game mechanics is better and the gameplay execution is better

Wow. I don't think i could possibly disagree more. Bioshock was great from an art design and atmosphere perspective, but the actual gameplay i found to be horribly underwhelming. Weak gunplay, awful AI (not saying that ME's is much better, but at least ME didn't have Ken Levine making bullshit claims about their AI being revolutionary), awful floaty movement. I still liked the game, thanks to the amazing atmosphere and storytelling (well, at least until it all fell apart in the last quarter), but the gameplay was mediocre at best.

 

[urk]

Mass Effect is a good game but it does not shit all over Bioshock. Srsly.

They're inverse gaming experiences. Mass Effect starts off slowly and finishes OMFG awesomesauce. Bioshock blows your mind early and then tapers off into a cookie cutter FPS with fetch quests, boss battles, and an escort mission.

Both are great games though.

 

[Stocka]

About 7 hours in and loving the experience. It's so immersive and epic, remind me of Shenmue in that aspect, which is my favourite game of all time. Anyone else feel the Shenmue vibes?

Mass Effect has made me realise how much I appreciate story centered games. It has also revolutionised the connection between video games and movies. People may argue that movies and video games should be kept widely seperate but I believe that bridging the two has demonstrated greatness (Mass Effect, Shenmue, MGS), so I hope for more of it.

Man, Mass Effect is going to be one hell of a trilogy. So much more epic than Star Wars.

 

[TheDuce22]

I take back everything I said about snipers. I maxed commando, specter and sniper, the thing is unstoppable now. So much damage with assassinate.

 

[KarishBHR]

I really like this game. the story and graphics are incredible.

BUT I CANNOT STAND HOW OFTEN I DIE

Seriously, am I playing this game wrong? Every major fight I die atleast once, and because the game has the shittiest auto-save feature ever, I have to replay way more than I want.

Can I get some tips? Is there some sort of training I missed in the game?

 

[Relix]

Bioshock sucked, thanks, there I said it.

Reading this thread I made up my mind, I am gonna be buying ME today or tomorrow. I was undecided between AssCreed (I am considering it) and ME.... But I;ll go with ME for the sheer awesomeness.

 

[arhra]

Seriously, am I playing this game wrong?

Sounds like it.

What's killing you? There are a few things (snipers, rockets, getting lifted/thrown in full view of a ton of enemies) that will kill you instantly or near-instantly (at least at lower levels), but they're all avoidable if you're careful and think about positioning and cover.

Also, you have various defensive powers, depending on your class, so make sure you're spending points on them and using them when necessary (barrier, immunity, shield boost, etc).

 

[Coin Return]

I really like this game. the story and graphics are incredible.

BUT I CANNOT STAND HOW OFTEN I DIE

Seriously, am I playing this game wrong? Every major fight I die atleast once, and because the game has the shittiest auto-save feature ever, I have to replay way more than I want.

Can I get some tips? Is there some sort of training I missed in the game?

Use the manual save option, and try switching up different ammo types. You can also hold down RB or LB, and manually target different enemies while at the same time catching a breath in the middle of a battle.

 

[Azih]

Stay in cover, keep an eye on your health and shields, and use barrier or shield boost as required. Using the RB powers is really useful as well, start learning them and since there's no limit to how many times you can use them, use them often.

Edit: And yah ammo types helps a lot. The only ones I used were the anti synthetic and anti organic ammos as required by the enemy.

 

[Coverly]

I take back everything I said about snipers. I maxed commando, specter and sniper, the thing is unstoppable now. So much damage with assassinate.

Second this. When you first start out as a sniper, everything is so wobbly and unstable. But with maxing out sniper related talents and putting stability mods on your higher level weapon and it's bliss. Setting up shots so far away that it doesn't even register as a red cross hair and seeing them go down is priceless.

The game only gets hard when fighting biotics in closed quarters, since they run so fast and knock you to the ground in seconds. Oh and those little bugs that run to you and explode, they are too fast and too many in most situations. Max your shields too so that you can get that tactician achievement(shield damage>health damage over a playthrough).

 

[Tobor]

I really like this game. the story and graphics are incredible.

BUT I CANNOT STAND HOW OFTEN I DIE

Seriously, am I playing this game wrong? Every major fight I die atleast once, and because the game has the shittiest auto-save feature ever, I have to replay way more than I want.

Can I get some tips? Is there some sort of training I missed in the game?

What's your class and how have you been leveling?

 

[StriKeVillain]

Ok, so we can't travel to every planet in every system? Only predetermined ones?

 

[Tobor]

Ok, so we can't travel to every planet in every system? Only predetermined ones?

Correct, although it should be pretty self explanatory why landing on a gas planet is a bad idea.

 

[StriKeVillain]

Correct, although it should be pretty self explanatory why landing on a gas planet is a bad idea.

Yeah, I feel you. What's the count on the total number of planets or stations to visit?

 

[Tobor]

Yeah, I feel you. What's the count on the total number of planets or stations to visit?

I don't know the exact number, but my first playthrough was 40 hours , and I scoured every planet. There are plenty of planets IMO.

 

[cool_dude_2049]

Well I just beat Virmire and I got the completionist achievement before that. I was surprised that I even found all of those damn metals, gasses and shit; talk about a pain in the ass. I would get so damn frustrated scaling those mountains to get those elements only to get stuck half way and plummet over and over. What really upset me was

Spoiler

The paramour achievement. I barely even spoke to Liara and focused on ashley, but when I would go and talk to her "one on one" as Shepard put it, she would always say that "rifles don't do some shit to themselves, not yet anyway." Well whatever, I guess that bitch wasn't enough for the Shepard. I knew I should have just let that bitch die on Virmire and save Kaiden instead.

 

[ElectricBlue187]

Well I just beat Virmire and I got the completionist achievement before that. I was surprised that I even found all of those damn metals, gasses and shit; talk about a pain in the ass. I would get so damn frustrated scaling those mountains to get those elements only to get stuck half way and plummet over and over. What really upset me was

Spoiler

The paramour achievement. I barely even spoke to Liara and focused on ashley, but when I would go and talk to her "one on one" as Shepard put it, she would always say that "rifles don't do some shit to themselves, not yet anyway." Well whatever, I guess that bitch wasn't enough for the Shepard. I knew I should have just let that bitch die on Virmire and save Kaiden instead.

I don't understand people who can't get Paramour. It's by far the easiest thing in the game. Just be nice to one girl/girl or the alien, or both and then choose at some point.

 

[Tobor]

I don't understand people who can't get Paramour. It's by far the easiest thing in the game. Just be nice to one girl/girl or the alien, or both and then choose at some point.

Yeah, I'm not sure I could fail the love quest if I tried.

 

[hclflow]

Wow, what a game. A bit LTTP because I wasn't incredibly excited for it, considering how overhyped Jade Empire was.

I went into Mass Effect with little to no expectations, and after this game utterly dominated my Christmas weekend, I must say I was just short of blown away.

It does many things wrong, but it does so much more right. The big problems like Mako combat and inventory management can be fixed in sequels. But the core combat? Fucking AWESOME when the AI does what it's supposed to.

Reapers may be the most badass villains ever. It's just a shame they saved the best part of the story for the last hour of the game and then dump all of it in your face all at once in a five minute span. I hate cop-outs like that.

I could rave endlessly about the great things this game does, just as I could bitch all day about its flaws, but in the end, it was an awesome experience. Is Bioware getting their mojo back?

8/10 from me because of all the horrendous flaws, but I still think every 360 owner who has even a passing interest in RPGs should most definitely play this game.

I'm really looking forward to the sequel.

 

[arhra]

Well I just beat Virmire and I got the completionist achievement before that. I was surprised that I even found all of those damn metals, gasses and shit; talk about a pain in the ass. I would get so damn frustrated scaling those mountains to get those elements only to get stuck half way and plummet over and over. What really upset me was

Spoiler

The paramour achievement. I barely even spoke to Liara and focused on ashley, but when I would go and talk to her "one on one" as Shepard put it, she would always say that "rifles don't do some shit to themselves, not yet anyway." Well whatever, I guess that bitch wasn't enough for the Shepard. I knew I should have just let that bitch die on Virmire and save Kaiden instead.

You can't get Paramour until

Spoiler

just before landing on Ilos

anyway. The romance progression is tied to the story planets, you can't make it happen any faster.

 

[cool_dude_2049]

I'm not saying I didn't get it, I'm saying that why didn't I get it with Ash instead of Liara. Sorry that I wasn't clear.

 

[Tobor]

I'm not saying I didn't get it, I'm saying that why didn't I get it with Ash instead of Liara. Sorry that I wasn't clear.

Ahh. My first playthrough I got Ash. Be mean to Liara, and try not to puke when Ash goes off about religion, and you're in.

 

[cool_dude_2049]

Ahh. My first playthrough I got Ash. Be mean to Liara, and try not to puke when Ash goes off about religion, and you're in.

Thanks, I'll remember that for my third playthrough, if I ever decide to do it. I'm going to start my second one after I beat the game today, more than likely, but I plan on picking a female this time. I doubt that ash goes both ways.......right?

 

[Tobor]

Thanks, I'll remember that for my third playthrough, if I ever decide to do it. I'm going to start my second one after I beat the game today, more than likely, but I plan on picking a female this time. I doubt that ash goes both ways.......right?

God won't let her.

 

[sixteen-bit]

God won't let her.

But premarital sex is a-ok.

 

[Kweh]

when you map a talent in ME what button is it to use it in open play?

 

[sixteen-bit]

when you map a talent in ME what button is it to use it in open play?

tap RB

 

[ElectricBlue187]

But premarital sex is a-ok.

She's not catholic

 

[Mejilan]

Wow, what a shitty endgame. Lame as fuck last boss (total cop-out, actually) and an easy and predictable ending. Even the credits were lame.

Still pissed that I never got the character specific achievements.

Learn from my mistake folks. DO NOT do the bulk of the sidequests until you've decided on your final party. (And I decided upon my final party just as I got Liara, well before I did any of the story planets).

I must have done something like 40-50% of the sidequests before getting Liara, however, and that fucked me over for the character achievements, I think.

Edit - I suppose final impressions are in order.

Pretty much loved the story and universe they built, but felt that they were under-utilized to a certain degree. So much amazing backstory, all of it optional, little of it actually relevant to the story or character development. Main quest was, on the whole, pretty great. Sidequests were, on the whole, absolutely horrible. And the ratio of main quest missions to sidequest missions was pretty fucking disappointing too. First Bioware game I've truly finished in like half a decade, and it could be a decent, if flawed set up to an amazing franchise. Game needed another 8 months of cooking, IMHO. To properly furnish the sidequest story arcs (some of which were pretty cool) with excellent content, optimize the engine, and iron out the gameplay weaknesses.

Basically, I walked out of the game quite a bit happier than I was walking in!

 

[Psychotext]

Wow, what a shitty endgame. Lame as fuck last boss (total cop-out, actually) and an easy and predictable ending. Even the credits were lame.

Really couldn't disagree more, but everyone is entitled to an opinion.

 

[Mejilan]

Last boss was basically a tricked out Geth Sapper. How is that NOT a cop-out?

I was hoping for an extended boss sequence ala the Thorian back on Feros. That was a cool idea that... was never expanded upon.

And as to the endgame and actual ending, well, I felt that it was too short, too simple, and too safe. I didn't want a flat-out cliffhanger that wouldn't be resolved for another 3+ years, but this kind of felt like stopgap that could stand alone in case the franchise failed. So it was a bit unsatisfying too.

Edited my last post to include my final impressions. Basically, I walked out of the game quite a bit happier than I was walking in!

 

[JeStaH]

Last boss was basically a tricked out Geth Sapper. How is that NOT a cop-out?

To quote the immortal words of Inigo Montoya. "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. "

Spoiler

Saren was implanted by Sovereign, after he was dead he turned into something similar to those husks. How is that a cop-out? The ending is not about Saren. The ending is about stopping Sovereign and the reapers, which you helped do along with the normandy. Saren was just a tool, he was indoctrinated.

 

[Ventrue]

And as to the endgame and actual ending, well, I felt that it was too short, too simple, and too safe.

The cutscene that triggers when you take the last elevator is one of the coolest cutscenes I've ever watched.

 

[Mejilan]

To quote the immortal words of Inigo Montoya. "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. "

Spoiler

Saren was implanted by Sovereign, after he was dead he turned into something similar to those husks. How is that a cop-out? The ending is not about Saren. The ending is about stopping Sovereign and the reapers, which you helped do along with the normandy. Saren was just a tool, he was indoctrinated.

Inconceivable! I know exactly what cop-out means. What I'm saying is that the last boss is basically a recycled regular bad guy, with one or two new attacks and tons more health. From a design standpoint, it was uninspired, and from a gameplay standpoint, old and boring. All story implications aside, it made for a shit-tastic battle. The game lacked truly great boss encounters, but I thought the Thorian was pretty awesome from a design standpoint, and I expected something a little more involved than a Geth Super Sapper. Oh man. That sounds like a toy water gun. :lol

I realize that Saren was not the point of the story. He was clearly a pawn, and he even suspected at times, but the more he fell under Sovereign's sway, the less he cared, since by the end, there wasn't really much of him left to do any caring. Though, just enough apparently, to convince him to suicide himself. Haha. This isn't my first RPG, and isn't the first time I've encountered the "primary nemesis turns out to be slave of big-bad" cliche. I saw it coming a mile away.

 

[SleazyC]

From what little I've played of the game I love it. But I get a ton of DRE's while playing the game and I am pretty sure that my neighbors xbox scratched my disc up (mine is RROD and out to repair). Guess I'll have to buy a new copy to continue.

 

[arhra]

Inconceivable! I know exactly what cop-out means. What I'm saying is that the last boss is basically a recycled regular bad guy, with one or two new attacks and tons more health. From a design standpoint, it was uninspired, and from a gameplay standpoint, old and boring. All story implications aside, it made for a shit-tastic battle. The game lacked truly great boss encounters, but I thought the Thorian was pretty awesome from a design standpoint, and I expected something a little more involved than a Geth Super Sapper. Oh man. That sounds like a toy water gun. :lol

I realize that Saren was not the point of the story. He was clearly a pawn, and he even suspected at times, but the more he fell under Sovereign's sway, the less he cared, since by the end, there wasn't really much of him left to do any caring. Though, just enough apparently, to convince him to suicide himself. Haha. This isn't my first RPG, and isn't the first time I've encountered the "primary nemesis turns out to be slave of big-bad" cliche. I saw it coming a mile away.

Bioware have never been amazingly creative with their bosses. Personally, i found the entire ending sequence (

Spoiler

climbing up the outside of the citadel tower

) to be awesome enough that i just didn't give a fuck that the boss was a bit weak (well, that and the boss spent almost the entire fight suspended in midair thanks to liara the first time i fought him, so all i really noticed about him at first was that he looked kinda cool).

 

[JeStaH]

Inconceivable! I know exactly what cop-out means. What I'm saying is that the last boss is basically a recycled regular bad guy, with one or two new attacks and tons more health. From a design standpoint, it was uninspired, and from a gameplay standpoint, old and boring. All story implications aside, it made for a shit-tastic battle. The game lacked truly great boss encounters, but I thought the Thorian was pretty awesome from a design standpoint, and I expected something a little more involved than a Geth Super Sapper. Oh man. That sounds like a toy water gun. :lol

Spoiler

I realize that Saren was not the point of the story. He was clearly a pawn, and he even suspected at times, but the more he fell under Sovereign's sway, the less he cared, since by the end, there wasn't really much of him left to do any caring. Though, just enough apparently, to convince him to suicide himself. Haha. This isn't my first RPG, and isn't the first time I've encountered the "primary nemesis turns out to be slave of big-bad" cliche.

I saw it coming a mile away.

I just didn't feel like it was a cop-out at all. The whole sequence starting from the elevator ride I thought was amazing.

I guess what I got from the ending was this is only the beginning.

Spoiler

Saren like you said is just a pawn. Hell even Sovereign is just one ship, there are sure to be a ton more to come and that is a scary thought.

I can't wait to see how it plays out in 2 and 3.

Edit: shit just realized I'm spoilering my stuff but quoting your spoilers! :lol

 

[Mairu]

I realize that Saren was not the point of the story. He was clearly a pawn, and he even suspected at times, but the more he fell under Sovereign's sway, the less he cared, since by the end, there wasn't really much of him left to do any caring. Though, just enough apparently, to convince him to suicide himself. Haha. This isn't my first RPG, and isn't the first time I've encountered the "primary nemesis turns out to be slave of big-bad" cliche. I saw it coming a mile away.

Spoiler

The last fight looks a lot cooler at least when you don't convince him to kill himself. It doesn't really get that much more interesting gameplay-wise but the cinema is much nicer when you push him down that glass rather than him falling down himself

 

[Mashing]

Oh man, I don't see how anyone could be disappointed with the ending. The last boss fight is rather easy, but I really don't play RPGs for the combat so I could give two shits about that. The story was excellent with a great cast of characters (I'd would have liked to have seen Wrex's and Garrus' storylines expanded on). The endgame cutscenes were incredible. Bioware certainly knows how to move a camera for dramatic effect, I'll say that much.

I finished my game at level 50 and 61 hours on my game clock. I've started another game with the same character, but this time I will focus on the renegade path.

 

[Jirotrom]

Oh man, I don't see how anyone could be disappointed with the ending. The last boss fight is rather easy, but I really don't play RPGs for the combat so I could give two shits about that. The story was excellent with a great cast of characters (I'd would have liked to have seen Wrex's and Garrus' storylines expanded on). The endgame cutscenes were incredible. Bioware certainly knows how to move a camera for dramatic effect, I'll say that much.

I finished my game at level 50 and 61 hours on my game clock. I've started another game with the same character, but this time I will focus on the renegade path.

i just beat it and the story was cool but it all felt anticlimactic for some reason.

 

[Truelize]

I just got a really weird glitch.

I haven't used Ashley in awhile. I put her in my squad and went to change her equipment. When I switch to her armour it shows nothing on the left side of the screen, like she isn't wearing any at all (not visually of course). So when I highlight some armour on the right and go to equip it the game just locks up. Audio stays going fine but the game is locked.

I've tried multiple reboots and nothing has changed.


Do I need to have Ashley in my squad to access any missions at all? Or am I safe just leaving her alone?