Mass Effect 3

[DuckfromPortal]

You know, i love mass effect, but, its not a game i ever want to play again (other than mass effect 1 and 2) I hated the third ones shift from single player glory to multiplayer essentialness. I disliked the space scanning and the planet stuff, I disliked the ending, I disliked so much without liking stuff that I could cover up with things I liked. It seemed so empty and sad, a husk of what it could have been, I've only played leviathan though, I'm probably going to do another complete run with everything even if i don't want to play it anymore

[DarthParametric]

I know I said I wouldn't go back to Mass Effect

Bioware fans have the gaming equivalent of battered wife syndrome. They always come back eventually.

[Taak Farst]

Bioware fans have the gaming equivalent of battered wife syndrome. They always come back eventually.

 

This is very true, as I have also just bought the DLC for the games and started another playthrough.

 

Still laughed in that "ooft, how offensive" kinda way at your statement though. Bravo!

[Dread Advocate]

Bioware fans have the gaming equivalent of battered wife syndrome. They always come back eventually.

 

Really, any of the most devoted fans for any franchise or company are guilty of this. Bioware, Blizzard, Star Wars, you name it.

[DarthParametric]

Still laughed in that "ooft, how offensive" kinda way at your statement though. Bravo!

It wasn't done without a hard look in the mirror. I just finished another playthrough of Dragon Age 2. I should probably consult a medical professional.

[Taak Farst]

Really, any of the most devoted fans for any franchise or company are guilty of this. Bioware, Blizzard, Star Wars, you name it.

 

Three words:

 

World of Warcraft.

 

@DP, who I have laughed at for like 10 minutes out of schoolboy immaturity just because of the initials;

Dragon Age 2, and Mass Effect 3 at that just seem like games that are cool to hate, but I like both. They are certainly flawed, especially DA2, but I still liked both games.

[DarthParametric]

Whether or not it is cool to hate, both DA2 and ME3 are undeniably flawed games. That doesn't mean you can't like them of course, but I think a good deal of the flak they cop is warranted. Playing DA2 again, you really have to wonder how some of that stuff ever got off the white board, how a room full of developers with experience spanning back a decade or more could look at certain ideas and go "yes, that is something we should include". It's even more puzzling that in the wake of DA2, and all the backlash it generated, that they then proceeded to develop ME3 and make some of the same mistakes again. Granted the two games were made by different development teams, but both teams were at the same studio, Edmonton, under the same middle management, and had a good deal of interplay with each other (and it's not like DA2 was some secret nobody knew about).

[urluckyday]

Whether or not it is cool to hate, both DA2 and ME3 are undeniably flawed games. That doesn't mean you can't like them of course, but I think a good deal of the flak they cop is warranted. Playing DA2 again, you really have to wonder how some of that stuff ever got off the white board, how a room full of developers with experience spanning back a decade or more could look at certain ideas and go "yes, that is something we should include". It's even more puzzling that in the wake of DA2, and all the backlash it generated, that they then proceeded to develop ME3 and make some of the same mistakes again. Granted the two games were made by different development teams, but both teams were at the same studio, Edmonton, under the same middle management, and had a good deal of interplay with each other (and it's not like DA2 was some secret nobody knew about).

 

It's amazing what EA can do to quality titles...

[DarthParametric]

It's easy to blame EA. I also think it's incorrect. We'll probably never know exactly how much blame to apportion to EA for certain decisions, but I'm pretty sure it's much. much less than the "all of it" that most people seem to favour.

[Lynk Former]

While many people are vocal about it, including myself, Mass Effect 3 isn't all bad. It's still an enjoyable game for the most part despite all of its shortcomings... just be glad it's not a COMPLETE train wreck like Resident Evil 6.

[supreme kotor]

Side note: This thread NEEDS spoiler tags -_-.

 

On point: I really don't see why people bitch so much about the mass effect series. If you look at the huge jumps between each game Bioware really did do a good job at improving the game, for example the combat system in the first one compared to the second one . The ending of the third game wasn't as emotionally on par as the other two games and that's why people complain, but really looking at the gaming market as a whole it was more than a decent ending IMO.

 

-SupremeKotor

[urluckyday]

Side note: This thread NEEDS spoiler tags -_-.

 

On point: I really don't see why people bitch so much about the mass effect series. If you look at the huge jumps between each game Bioware really did do a good job at improving the game, for example the combat system in the first one compared to the second one . The ending of the third game wasn't as emotionally on par as the other two games and that's why people complain, but really looking at the gaming market as a whole it was more than a decent ending IMO.

 

-SupremeKotor

 

It's one of those things where I, like a ton of people who bought the game, played Mass Effect because of the story. The combat was always a secondary thing for me...I enjoyed the dialogue and story sequences MUCH more than I cared about the combat. And they screwed that up horribly in the end. That's why I'm so bitter about it. Good combat or not, they screwed up the story and that was the best part of the game for me.

[Lynk Former]

@ supreme kotor: I agree that the combat gameplay was greatly improved in a lot of areas, but that doesn't mean that they didn't sacrifice other parts of the game that are just as important if not more to achieve it.

 

As for the ending, it's a good ending if it were a movie or if it were any other game that was linear and your actions in the game were just getting from point a to point b so you can see the cutscene... but for a game where your choices are meant to make a difference, it's a TERRIBLE ending to have.

 

So if you think of the Mass Effect trilogy as a linear straight line game like every other game, it isn't bad. The RPG stuff was there just for the illusion of choice and BioWare lied through their teeth to all of the fans who enjoyed the RPG aspect of the game over the shootbangs.

[mimartin]

So if you think of the Mass Effect trilogy as a linear straight line game like every other game, it isn't bad. The RPG stuff was there just for the illusion of choice and BioWare lied through their teeth to all of the fans who enjoyed the RPG aspect of the game over the shootbangs.

Speak for yourself, I enjoyed the game and while the ending was not great, I still felt my choices in the game mattered, at least the choices in the game that were important to me mattered. Of course the entire thing is really an illusion, it is a game afterall. I got to pick the pretty colors.

[Lynk Former]

Some choices mattered, others made absolutely no difference... it just depended on who was writing the particular scenario. The stuff with the quarians and geth? That mattered... the stuff involving the rachni? None of that mattered.

 

I enjoyed playing Mass Effect 3 as well despite whatever story asshattery there is and design it having janky gameplay that was stripped back far too much and oversimplified to the point where you only have to spam one attack to clear an entire room in seconds. The Quarian-Get war and the Citadel DLC are my two favourite parts of the entire game despite it having the worst ending possible for a game where your choices are meant to matter, as told to you by the developers countless times.

[Lynk Former]

Here's the first of four articles I'm posting about the Mass Effect trilogy: http://www.lynkformer.com/2014/01/30/game-spotlight-mass-effect/

 

Mostly it's about my first experience with the game and my initial impressions of it along with some reflections of the first game. If you're waiting for the juicier talk of ME3 issues and such, that comes later

[Miltiades]

Burn it to the ground, Lynk, BURN IT TO THE GROUND! Feel free to be as open as you want about your depression and loss of lust for life (or games, as it's basically the same thing) when talking about ME3's ending.

 

Anyway, commented on your article (yes, I read the thing): in short, I remember ME1 fondly.

[Quanon]

Fun article Lynk!

It's a real treat to see how strongly everyone feels about the look of his Shepard.

I called mine Boris and I sort made him for the 'funnies' at first. But I stuck with him through out the whole 3 games. I started a second playthrough once, but stopped. I just didn't like this new Shepard I made.

 

Seems like I'm the only one who enjoyed the Mako exploring thing o_O

[Lynk Former]

I have a love/hate relationship with the Mako... I love exploring in it, I hate the terrain I have to explore in it.

 

 

Funny enough, I started a second playthrough with a renegade femShep a long time back, before Mass Effect 3 was released but stopped because it just didn't feel right to play as a different Shepard... it just... wasn't right.

[HED]

I loved the Mako, for all the flaws of it. The exploration sequences had such great atmosphere that I can't help it.

[Lynk Former]

Here's the one for ME2: http://www.lynkformer.com/2014/02/03/game-spotlight-mass-effect-2/

 

It's twice as long as the first one.

[Lynk Former]

Here's the ME3 entry: http://www.lynkformer.com/2014/02/08/game-spotlight-mass-effect-3/

 

Hopefully someone reads it... this all had to be for something.

[supreme kotor]

Lynk, you described the Normandy stupendously. By far the best description I have heard of the ship.

 

The rest of the article was pretty good too and certainly was a fun read remembering old times. I almost wanted to take my copy of me2 out again

[Quanon]

 

Hopefully someone reads it... this all had to be for something.

 

Enjoyed it very much. We're on the same page, Bioware did a good job on all the characters envolved in the 3 games. Though I have the same 'feelings' towards Kaiden and Ashely. Most of the times I just got bored talking to them. I never cared much who ended up dead. I loved Wrex more

 

Allthough, I found out with ME3, I had met so many characters I started to care less about the new ones in my crew. After the dirty dozen routine of ME2 I wasn't up to go through the whole 'hello, I'm Shepard' let's be friends conversation thing.

 

And the ending of ME3 is just weird... I do need replay ME3 again, haven't tested the Citadel DLC. So I skipped that bit of your 'review', as not to get spoiled to much, just took notion it's the best thing out there ^_^

 

I would have enjoyed an ending where the super weapon just started to shoot the Reapers out of the sky. Rallying the Alliance fleet... the turning point in the war.

Or follow the Illusive Men, taking his place and go with the Reapers or some such crap. Though it doesn't really fit. Anyway Bioware has always done this sort of thing.

But it fitted better for say Kotor to have this black and white choice, it fits better within the games universe.

[Lynk Former]

BioWare did a very smart thing with the squad line-up. I'm glad they brought back the original line-up from ME1, having familiar faces on your crew really helped the game and Shepard face the final chapter of his journey when he knew he had people he could count on.

 

I also like that you're given the choice to have Ashley/Kaiden on your crew or tell them they'd do more good working alone as a Spectre.

 

EDI's body was an interesting move because although it gave a new form to EDI, it didn't introduce a new character, it simply gave a body to a character Shepard already knows.

 

The only new person on your squad is James Vega, who is needed to give an outsiders perspective. But the fact that he's Alliance military makes it a perfect fit because Shepard doesn't need to get to know him, he's had a field transfer to the Normandy and he now works for Shepard, end of story. His purpose was more to be an outsider looking in and making comments about the people you did know from the previous games. He's also a representation of the guilt heavy decisions may end up making on a person since he too has had to make some hard decisions that have cost him and others.

 

Aside from Vega, there wasn't anyone new (not counting Cortez and Traynor) for Shepard to meet and becomes friends with, for the most part, ME3 was about the connections Shepard had made in previous games and how the connections he made would help him in his journey to unite the galaxy.

 

 

 

 

 

Also... prefer Kaiden over Ashley any day... he's a reasonable man while she's... much less reasonable. Down right pushy, in fact.