Mass Effect

[Gamos]

Seeing as UT3 isn't getting any love on this site, I figure I'd bring some console fanboyism into here, to liven up the place a bit, you know. ;)

Anyway, I finished Mass Effect for the 2nd time last night, and it is by far my Game of the Year for 2007. It is absolutely fantastic. There are very few single player games out there that gets me to play them twice.
(Btw Shrimp, are you Shrimpy ZA on my friendslist?)

That said, it is pretty much Kotor 3 without the lightsabres, but "biotic" implants still gives you just about equivalent of force powers. The rest is almost identical to the Kotor games. From using 2 squad members, skills upgrades, visiting planets, reading through a heap of dialogue, it is all there.

The major difference is really the combat that is now realtime (pausible with a pie-chart power select grid) in a 3rd person GOW-lite kinda way. Every team member carries 4 types of guns with them (each being more or less adept with one of them) and you can pause-swop for weapons too.

What really got me is the sheer ammount of work they put into the history and backstory. It is fantastic, and just creates a world that is as believable as Starwars and Kotor. The fully voiced Codex (think e-dictionary) is just another layer of polish to solidify that foundation.

There are some iffy things in the game though. UT fans will no doubt cry about the Mako vehicle and some texture popping do occur, but the good really outshines the bad tenfold.

If you own and X360 and enjoyed Kotor, you should have this title in your collection. Nuff said.

[Lord_Xan]

I caved and bought a Xbox 360 especially for this game. I could not have asked for a better "launch" title! :D

Gamos is right on the money - the game is simply fantastic. It definately has some flaws, but the overall polish and narrative more than make up for them. I'm looking forward to playing it again at some point, which is saying a lot since I never replay RPGs (even though I'm a nut for them).

EDIT: Gamos, I saw on PH that you haven't played Bioshock yet. If you liked System Shock 2 and don't mind some streamlining, do give it a go. Its scope is more intimate than Mass Effect's, but it is no less excellent.

[Gamos]

I went full Paragon Soldier the first time, auto-levelling and not paying all that much attention to gear, but because I didn't know the game well enough, I initiated the last mission that led to the finish (Iilos) before I explored everywhere I wanted. The second time I played full time asshole Renegade Adept, and made sure to explore every little planet there is. I unlocked quite a bit of extra missions, and the 2nd time definately gave me an even deeper understanding and appreciation for the game. Oh, and it is just so much fun to be able to kill without remorse. Needless to say, I made sure to max my intimidation skill too this time, as I missed quite a bit of dialogue because I was such a sissy goody two shoes the first time. Even some alien lesbian sex. Haha. I also maxed encrypting to be able to unlock anything without needing certain party members with me.
Spending some time levelling and gearing my team also made the world of difference the second time through. I actually beat the final boss without losing any of my team this time. Before, he was a royal pain in the ass that I must have retried ten times.

Anyway, I can't wait for the next part in the trilogy. This time I'll pre-order without a doubt.

Speaking of pre-order, I wasn't quite sold on the R599 price tags every single retailer had over christmas. Top CD, Incredible, CNA, even the cheaper than most BT Games, had it locked at R599. Heck, even the e-tailers had it pinned at about R550.
One Saturday morning, doing my monthly grocery shopping at Checkers Hyper, I went to look at their CDs/DvDs in that small glass bowl of theirs. There she was, Mass Effect for R479.

Edit:
I really, really want to get Bioshock still. I understand the scope is more FPS than RPG, but there is just no beating a good, solid storyline. I'll play an arguably bad game if the story is solid (not that Bioshock is bad mind you). Mass Effect's twist was just sheer brilliance.

[Lord_Xan]

Mass Effect's twist was just sheer brilliance.

I've seen this mentioned quite a few places, but I couldn't really think of anything in the story that qualifies as a major twist. At least not on the level of KOTOR, for instance. Can you elaborate a bit?

[Gamos]

Hmmm, does this site support spoiler tags? Lemme see...

Nope, either it doesn't or I am daft, but here goes:

MASS EFFECT MAJOR PLOT SPOILER. READ THIS AND HATE YOURSELF:

Right after you land on the Citadel, you are soon introduced to the first VI (Virtual Intelligence) computer, and are bound to find more scattered throughout the Citadel. They have some very valuable information about the Spectre, the Council etc. Different VI's give different info, depending on where they are. The two most interesting morsels they have is that
a) They explain that the keepers are always just there, self-destruct when killed, and just reproduce themselves. Nobody even know their true function on the station, but they assume they keep the life support systems etc. going. They are like furniture there, nobody even see them any longer.
b) The monument of the Mass Effect relay, that cause major debate amongst phylosophers. It is generally seen as a monument as celibration of the Prothean civilization's technological marvels. It is commonly believed the Citadel and Mass Effects are 50 000 year old Prothean ruins.

Fast forward to Iilos, and the actual Prothean VI that still functions after all these millenia. Right there you get info on just about every untied plothole in the game.

Not only does he reveal the true nature of the reapers, but reveals a whole heap of info on the Protheans and that there are "multiple" extinctions throughout the times. The Protheans was just one of the races that walked through under the Reapers. They reveal that those Beacons that beams images into Shepard's head was actually their last hope of communicating with the outside world to warn them, and that the Citadel is actually one massive Mass Effect itself.

The keepers are possibly an enslaved race by the Reapers themselves, and actually function as operators for the entire station should they receive the Reaper signal. The Protheans, through their ingenuity, managed to block the signal to the Keepers for all these years.

Turns out the Citadel is Reaper made, as are the Mass Effects, and that nice Mass Relay monument - well that is a direct "conduit" mini-relay straight into the Citadel.


I found the 2nd time through the game, I picked up on a whole heap of minor details in the story I didn't realise the 1st time, but I still think it was a incredible twist in the story.

[Shrimp]

Teehee, I'm busy with my 3rd Mass Effect play-through at the moment :D. Really is quite an amazing game.

And yes, I'm ShrimpyZA. I saw we were both playing ME through new year's eve ;) :P.

[Gamos]

LOL. I considered a 3rd playthrough - I actually created a character already, but I really need to get to Episode 2 (Orange Box) and Crysis before I do that.

New Years? Haha. If Mass Effect had co-op, I'd be your sidekick Wrex into the new year. ;)

[War]-[eaD]

I want a Xbox360!! :(

But I wanna mod it as well...

*sigh*

This game looks truly awesome! :D

[=_sNaKe_=]

I really, really want to get Bioshock still. I understand the scope is more FPS than RPG, but there is just no beating a good, solid storyline. I'll play an arguably bad game if the story is solid (not that Bioshock is bad mind you). Mass Effect's twist was just sheer brilliance.

I'm not a fan of RPGs (I just didn't "get" the FF series) but from all quarters I'm hearing this game is fantastic, so I'm wondering if I'm missing out. Would you recommend it to someone who hasn't played an RPG in their life? Mind you, I love good storyline games, more so than multiplayer games even, but I'm just worried that it's not my "style".

On that note, get BioShock. I'm not quite done with it yet, but my word is it awesome. Not just the story, but the fact that the only limitation to how you can kill enemies is your imagination puts games like Crysis (IMHO) and most other FPSes to horrid, horrid shame.

[Gamos]

For a guy who never touched an RPG, I am not sure. I'd happily recommend the game to anyone, but FPS gamers will definately be frustrated by the simplicity of combat, and overwhelmed by the sheer ammount of info to absorb and read.

Best is to pick something like KOTOR or Jade Empire up in some bargain bin, and give it an hour or two. They are both on PC, so no need to grab a console just to "try" it. If you like those games, you'll enjoy Mass Effect alot. It if not an action-RPG like diablo, but not quite a snorefest like Neverwinter Nights 2.

Final Fantasy is totally different to what Mass Effect is, most Japaneses RPG are. Apples and Oranges.

Doesn't KOTOR or Jade Empire have demos out?

[Lord_Xan]

Doesn't KOTOR or Jade Empire have demos out?

No demos, as far as I know.

Snake, one other thing to keep in mind is that you usually lose the feeling of immediacy in RPGs compared to, eg FPSs. That is true for most genres, but especially so for RPGs. Some people get very annoyed by this more "distant" approach, even if the story is great. You still need to play the game to advance the story, afterall. So borrow the game from a friend, if possible, otherwise tread carefully!

[=_sNaKe_=]

Sucks that there isn't a ME demo on the Marketplace :( What sucks even more is that there isn't an Assassin's Creed demo either and these are the two games I really want to try before buying.

Has Live released demos after the full versions have come out in the past, or do they pretty much release them before full releases and if a demo isn't out, hard luck?

[Gamos]

It is really up to the developer, but yes, there have been demos out after release. But with Kotor and Jade Empire lacking demos, I am pretty sure Mass Effect won't get one either.

[Plato]

Snake: Assassin's Creed could have been an absolutely brilliant game. Unfortunately (my friend and I have some reason to believe) they nerfed a few of the concepts in the game so that little kids could pick it up and enjoy the gratuitous violence. :/

The reason I say this is because the game has a built in GPS thingie which essentially tells you where to go and what to do at every single moment. Which utterly destroys all the hard work the level designers did in putting 'hints' in the game area and sign posting roads etc.
For us anyway, it felt like they had a certain design approach and then changed their mind half way because it was too gutsy.

That being said (Thank blind random chance) you can opt out of using the GPS.
Then you have a game on your hands!

Think what the hitman series could have been like with a free roaming countryside and some parkour skills to boot. The combat system is a joy to use and the agility of Altair as he seamlessly traverses across roof tops, jumps deadly gaps to land on tiny ledges all whilst being chased by the city guard is truly a marvel to play. :)

So if you do purchase the game, the way I recommend playing it is by switching off the GPS. Then you can really immerse yourself into the game and play it with the feel that Im sure the developers intended.

Look, there are some issues. There is a certain kind of monotony: travel to a new city whilst collecting stuff in the countryside; exploring the city and gaining information about your hit; sneaking into the place where the hit will be; killing the dood quickly; running your ass off; making it safely to the beaureu without getting spotted. Mission finished, on to the next one with more story evolving and a different hit in another city.

Although there is a certain kind of monotony to any game really so I suppose its not that much of an issue.

I hope that helps.

[|sAvAgE|]

without going into a long winded "review" i, as well as a few others on other forums, seem to agree that Assassins Creed is a game that truly takes off when you actual take your time with it and make it what you want it to be. Theres no point (even though the option is available to you) to rush trhough the game because then you'll get the feeling of everything repeating itself (especially after your 3rd/4th target goes down). Its a game that requries you to take your time, take in the scenery, the cities, scale a tower & just site & watch as life goes by without you then jump right back in & BAM watch everything go to hell after one body falls.

in short, its only as fun as you make it. BE the assassin and it's one of the most enjoyable games ever. My GOTY 2007 btw (Considering Super Mario Galaxy will only be playedi n2008 :( )

WRT Mass Effect...currently first play through and on lvl 11 Vanguard (yes, yes, i know, shut up) and even though i consider myself an avid RPG'er im afraid ME has taken a back seat to...Metal Slug 3 for now (Damn you Xbox Live Arcade). either way, its a beefed up KOTOR (no, im not complaiing) and enjoying it tremendously, with awesome dialougue, grapics, gameplay with the only constant, though not frequent, annoyance i have is a DRE at the most inopportune moment of gameplay.

Roll on Star Wars: Force Unleashed!

[Gamos]

I can't find Assasin's Creed anywhere. I don't know if they just ordered a few copies for Xmas and now it is all out of stock, or if it is just mega-popular. Anyway, the feeling I get from watching some gameplay movies is Prince of Persia meets Thief. How accurate is that?

[Plato]

Lol relatively accurate. It does have an interesting story line but I suppose you can see it as a mesh of those two games. Its more action orientated so its not quite the skulk in the shadows and kill doods whilst everyone remains oblivious, when someone dies the crowd notices.

But as Savage said: its one of those games that you have take a few liberties to play it your way (and Im sure the way the developers intended) instead of how its boxed. So if you have nothing extra going on right now or have the money to spare and are in the mood for a fun game I can recommend it. Wait to see what Savage says though as I might not be covering all the pros and cons here.

[Lord_Xan]

What sucks even more is that there isn't an Assassin's Creed demo either...

Unfortunately the developers have stated that they will not release a demo for the game. Mass Effect I can still understand due to its huge scope, but AC really should've had one.

I was lucky enough to borrow a copy of AC from a friend. The atmosphere completely blew me away! I knew then and there that it would be the next 360 game I pick up. Also, throwing Templars down hills and watching them roll head over feet whilst cursing you is extremely funny!

(Gamos, I also couldn't find a copy in any store. Ended up grabbing it from Take2 as they indicated they had stock and would ship within a day. :))

[=_sNaKe_=]

I finished BioShock yesterday and W-A-W. Awesome awesome awesome, it just does everything right. It might not be to everyone's taste, but if you like your games of a slightly higher brow, you won't be disappointed with this title.

And I've pretty much made my mind up that Assassin's Creed is next. I've heard it's got a bit of a complex, confusing storyline / climax. If it's anything along the lines of MGS2 (in terms of "huh?" value), I'm probably going to <3 it. Also, from what I hear you can either play the game such that it becomes monotonous, or if you choose to play it as it's meant to be played, it becomes so much more involving. I guess BioShock can be put on the same scale, since you could just blast the shit out of everything, but it's not nearly as much fun as hacking a turret, luring an enemy within range of said-turret and kicking back to watch the show :P