Mass Effect

[moycon]

I see. You just like to argue with me and flip-flop just for the sake of doing so.

 

Not exactly. If you re-read the statements you quoted from me, and and pay close attention to these words...

 

"you can land on"

 

You'll see I'm not arguing with you, or flip flopping.

 

Fact : Not every planet has something you can obtain from it.

Fact : None of the planets you can land on (There's those words again) are barren.

 

You have very vocal opinions about this game, but you make errors when discussing it.

All I'm pointing out is that not all the statements you are making are correct. That's all.

Edited May 5, 2009 by moycon

[Atarifever]

Anyway, to reign it all back in:

 

Anyone else hate the vehicle missions first when you started the game, but then begin to prefer those? It's not that I don't like putting my shield up, running headlong into an enemy before using throw on him, then making him into swiss cheese with the shotgun, but flying over a barrier to run a guy over before hitting him from three feet away with a cannon is just too cool. I've never liked vehicle sections of pretty much any game, but this game got it perfect. You don't really tip over, you can run up anything that has a grade at all pretty much, you can stop and turn on a dime, and your vehicle doesn't explode with every second hit. It's incredible. This is how it is supposed to be done.

[moycon]

but flying over a barrier to run a guy over before hitting him from three feet away with a cannon is just too cool.

 

Try doing it with the audio being pumped through your receiver and the bass turned up. The roar of the cannons you can feel, as you blow the living sh*t out of some space pirates, will send shivers down your spine. Classic stuff.

[Atarifever]

Okay, so is it possible to make sure you avoid the sex scenes in this game? Polygon on polygon action is as appealing to me as geometry class, and I often play this game in front of my wife. If I end up in some lame cartoon porn, that's going to set her estimation of gaming back about 20 years (or at least her opinion of the Xbox).

 

When we're looking for that kind of thing, we download it (only not in cartoon form), as we're not 14 and don't need to sneak it into the house. Cartoon sex is pretty immature and silly to begin with, but having it pop up in front of a pregnant woman who's body image has already been beat up by eight months of weight gain and maternity pants, who is nice enough to watch you play a text heavy RPG, is going to make the 360 look pretty unappealing to her.

[legeek]

The "sex scene" is: tasteful and uses camera work to not show anything too racy, depicts a monogamous relationship between two adults, and not any worse that what you might see in prime time.

[moycon]

For real, if your wife has ever watch an adult drama TV show, she's seen worse.

Still...I'm pretty sure you can skip the sex, just don't come on to anyone when making choices what to say to them.

[+remowilliams]

For real, if your wife has ever watch an adult drama TV show, she's seen worse.

Still...I'm pretty sure you can skip the sex, just don't come on to anyone when making choices what to say to them.

Exactly, just about anything you've seen on television is more hardcore. And if you don't want virtual sex, don't go chasing it.

[Atarifever]

Good to know I can skip it. Raciness isn't a big issue on its own. Her four favorite shows are Sex and the City, The Sopranos, The Tudors, and Dr. Who. Three of four of those is fairly big on nudity, and at least one is much less believable science fiction. The thing that was bugging me was the idea that it'd be like the sex minigames I keep reading about from God of War or whatever it was. I didn't want to mash B to make girl X climax or anything. Also, I was worried it'd be the kind of immature view of sex held by the typical group of people interested in games having sex in them (i.e. 14 year old boys). That'd be like having your wife expect The Watchmen the whole time you were playing the game, and then transition into hentai out of nowhere. I think it'd make her rethink her "games aren't just for little boys" mentality, at least as regards the 360.

 

If it's tastefully done though, like you guys say, it may not be an issue. If it fits the story and doesn't seem to go out of it's way to happen, then it likely wouldn't seem any more out of place than it would in, say, The Sopranos.

 

The thing that worried me that it'd be immature was that I read it could happen between heterosexuals or lesbians. Excluding homosexual men alone there looks like fratboy game design to me. Polygons are unsexual to me to begin with, but I can't get the idea of bioware guys high fiving all around once they got permission to include lesbians, and then agreeing quickly when someone said "we're not doing two dudes too, right? That'd be gay."

[moycon]

The thing that was bugging me was the idea that it'd be like the sex minigames I keep reading about from God of War or whatever it was. I didn't want to mash B to make girl X climax or anything.

 

Nah, I don't even know what the big deal was about the scene.

From what I remember, there isn't even any nudity involved. (Maybe is silhouette?)

I guess some people have an issue with seeing a bare woman's back?

It's tamer than any of those programs your wife watches.

[cimerians]

Just started this game (about 3-4 years late).

 

LOL

 

Fanastic. I feel so horrible having missed this game. After the Dragon Age 2 demo disappointment I picked up a copy of this and I'm beyond impressed. Man, did I miss out.

[Christophero Sly]

As a story-driven action-adventure it's decent, but as an RPG, I thought it was rubish. ME2 is a vastly superior game.

[moycon]

As a story-driven action-adventure it's decent, but as an RPG, I thought it was rubish. ME2 is a vastly superior game.

 

Disagree, I thought ME2 was shallow compared to the first, but yes I think it was mostly because of the story line. I'd think it would have to be since I don't recall the game play itself being much different at all.

In your opinion, and to refresh my memory since it's been awhile, what exactly made ME2 more of a role playing game than the first?

[Christophero Sly]

As a story-driven action-adventure it's decent, but as an RPG, I thought it was rubish. ME2 is a vastly superior game.

 

Disagree, I thought ME2 was shallow compared to the first, but yes I think it was mostly because of the story line. I'd think it would have to be since I don't recall the game play itself being much different at all.

In your opinion, and to refresh my memory since it's been awhile, what exactly made ME2 more of a role playing game than the first?

My meaning was unclear. I don't consider ME2 to be more of an RPG than ME1. On the contrary, I think ME2 is a vastly better game because it streamlines or eliminates all the traditional RPG elements that didn't work well at all in the first game, and instead, focuses the role-playing experience on the story, dialogue, and character interaction and the difficult choices the player is required to make over the course of the game, choices that fundamentally alter the game's outcome. Combat, design, and graphics are all greatly improved as well.

 

ME1 was a worthy first act. It had a decent plot, some interesting gameplay ideas, a couple of really fun missions, and great characters, but Bioware's attempt to graft those elements to a traditional RPG framework was, IMO, entirely unsuccessful. ME1 has by far the worst inventory system I've ever dealt with in an RPG, and the treasure/loot/equipment-upgrade system (whatever you want to call it) is entirely devoid of reward. It's just bland itemization that requires the player to constantly engage in the tedious chore of inventory management. The skills system is similarly pointless. A flawed combat system and modular, repetitive design in the side missions also pull the game down a great deal. I do prefer the music in ME1 though, especially M4 part 2--greatest credit-roll music ever!

[moycon]

My meaning was unclear. I don't consider ME2 to be more of an RPG than ME1. On the contrary, I think ME2 is a vastly better game because it streamlines or eliminates all the traditional RPG elements that didn't work well at all in the first game, the game down a great deal. I do prefer the music in ME1 though, especially M4 part 2--greatest credit-roll music ever!

 

Oh I understand now. Yeah that's probably why I didn't care for the 2nd one. I felt they streamlined it too much and it seemed like little thought was put into the plot. Gather a team and go after the bad guy.... the end.

I know my tastes are in the minority though. For instance I've seen multiple complaints about exploring planets with the Mako in the first game, but I personally loved it!! I loved the exploring aspect it presented I guess. Sure it had nothing to do with the actual game, but I explored every inch of every planet! I also don't recall much about the inventory system as compared to the second one, I thought they were the same to be honest, but as I said, it's been awhile since I've played either. I do know I had no issues I can remember with game play or item management in the first one or the second one so for me it was all about the story I guess.

[Christophero Sly]

Oh I understand now. Yeah that's probably why I didn't care for the 2nd one. I felt they streamlined it too much and it seemed like little thought was put into the plot. Gather a team and go after the bad guy.... the end.

I know my tastes are in the minority though. For instance I've seen multiple complaints about exploring planets with the Mako in the first game, but I personally loved it!! I loved the exploring aspect it presented I guess. Sure it had nothing to do with the actual game, but I explored every inch of every planet! I also don't recall much about the inventory system as compared to the second one, I thought they were the same to be honest, but as I said, it's been awhile since I've played either. I do know I had no issues I can remember with game play or item management in the first one or the second one so for me it was all about the story I guess.

Actually, I loved the Mako too. I'm not sure what everyone's complaint was with that specifically. As videogame vehicles go, I thought it was about the easiest one I've ever driven. I enjoyed the Firewalker in ME2 as well. However, Bioware really copped-out by making all the sidequest planets in ME1 nearly identical. They were really nothing more than glorified palette swaps of one another. It was always the same template: 1 wreckage, 1 anomaly, a pirate base or clandestine cerberus facility (again, all nearly identical in design) or a Geth/Thresher Maw ambush , and an occasional mineral lode. You saw one or two planets, maybe three, and you'd seen them all. Among all those many planets, only one had something unique to be found. The potential was there for the sense of exploration you describe, but ultimately it went missing as a result of lazy design.

 

I have to disagree with you on story and plot. IMO, ME2 was the much richer, much deeper, and much better written game in that regard.

[FastRobPlus]

I liked ME2 a bit better than 1, but both were very good.

The Mako in 1 reminds me of my wife's Toyota Venza (it bounces over everything on comically oversized tires)

The chase scene in it towards the end was really memorable. In some ways it reminded me of James Bond: Blood Diamond in the way that driving was used, but not overused.

I hated whatever replaced the Mako in ME2. I also hated scanning panets.

 

I don't miss omi-gel or glacial elevators. If you listen to the dialogue in ME2 I think they actually make snide references to both of those things.

[Metal Ghost]

I really need to pop in my ME2 disc. I loved Mass Effect, and I'm sure I would have eventually picked up ME2 as well (I need to bring my character after all, right?!?! ), but over the holiday's KMart offered it for $10! Couldn't pass that up, but have a few games in queue first, so the disc is still patiently waiting its turn.