LurkerPrime
Member
Stardew Valley is the most innovative shooter in years. (I am preparing to launch it so I can independantly confirm this.)
Not that you mention it, I don't remember any of the specific missions from any of the MEs. It really is about the moments, as you say, which is why a ME2-styled vignette would work so well for the series.
Mass Effect 1 aimed far too high, is basically the problem. Bioware just can't deliver on a grand, overarching narrative that reacts to Shepard's decisions, so it's better to abandon it entirely (as in ME2) and embrace the craziness they can unleash. At least that way, the rush of excitement can block out my brain's cries that it didn't make sense.
It's strange, because I found ME3 to be the most interesting story-wise, at least in a "car crash you can't look away from" way. It's kind of like Alien 3, in that the plot is an absolute clusterfuck, the characters are (mostly) less deep than the previous games and the overarching goal is absolutely dumb, but the moment-to-moment setpieces are great in a "dumb action film" kind of way. And this is coming from someone who actively blasted Bioware on their forums just after the game's release.
I still have half a mind to write up a series of articles on how ME3 didn't work. Despite that, I loved it in a dumb sort of way. I never had as much fun in the series as I did when I was on the Rannoch missions, popping out Tali's Combat Drone to distract enemies while I combat-rolled out of cover and sprinted over to Garrus to revive him. Even the final battle is so stupid, with so much stuff happening on-screen at once, that it becomes amazing in a "so bad it's good" sort of way. It's like all the excesses of late 2000's game development in a nutshell - shaky screen, bullet-sponge enemies, a dark and murky combat environment, no clear understanding of what you're doing or how it works, etc.
I remember virtually nothing from the ME2 base game besides the Suicide Mission, despite having played all of them just two months ago. The levels were painfully linear and unremarkable, and I found myself bored whenever I went to a quest hub for the umpteenth time. It's the prime example of a game designed by committee. The side missions are more memorable than the majority of the game, for God's sake.
Not that you mention it, I don't remember any of the specific missions from any of the MEs. It really is about the moments, as you say, which is why a ME2-styled vignette would work so well for the series.
Mass Effect 1 aimed far too high, is basically the problem. Bioware just can't deliver on a grand, overarching narrative that reacts to Shepard's decisions, so it's better to abandon it entirely (as in ME2) and embrace the craziness they can unleash. At least that way, the rush of excitement can block out my brain's cries that it didn't make sense.