Review Actiontrip reviews Mass Effect

[Trash]

Um.. I never said it was the best BIo ever made... look at my list.. it's ranked 3rd. L0L

Blame my english. I just meant that although it's fun it's not that great a game.

I like it because its a BIO game that does well what BIo does.. interesting characters even if steroetypical at times, a fun story, solid quest/storytelling, good role-playing (even if it's not at FO levels), and fun combat (imo).

Granted, these are the things I like as well. Though everything is a bit too mediocre. The main storyline could be a lot better, though there are a number of quests that really manage to shine. The c&c isn't that deep in most of the cases, but when it's good it's pretty goddamn great. None of the npc characters were that interesting. Vrex (?) was the only one that managed to shine, and your own character had some great moments as well. I only would love to see Bio abandon their standard npc's and try something a bit more memorable. Look at GTA 4, some npc's there only appeared a few times but made a great impression (like Vlad). Combat is a big step forward from the stuff in Kotor and Jade Empire. Still, it's not on par with the combat in an fps, even though it tries to mimic it.

All in all it's a fun game that has a lot of unfullfilled potential. I have great hopes for the sequel though.

Didn't they reveal at the end that the relays, the Citadel, and all that galactic infrastructure were all just part of a giant "lure" by the killbots?

Kinda, but why spoil it here? :wink:

 

[Mareus]

I tend to look the other way when it comes to piracy. I've spent money on shit that I wasn't able to return to the store on the grounds that it's shit, so yeah, I've checked out a few games before. No big deal.

However, the argument that pirating allows poor people to play games when they otherwise wouldn't be able to is completely silly. No one is *ENTITLED* to someone else's hard work on grounds of charity. Pirate it because you're tired of paying for shit. Pirate it because you honestly want to try it out before you buy it. Hell, pirate the copy you actually play while keeping the one one you really did buy in its box with all it's DRM bullshit. Whatever. Just don't go singing the "BUT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PLAY!" bullshit song, because that's exactly what it is: bullshit.

-D4

Actually what I meant is that some of those poor people will get addicted to games, and one day will turn to paying customers. A market that would otherwise remained closed. When I was a kid I couldn't afford original games, so I bought them very rarely, which means that I would probably never become a game freak if there weren't any pirates. Most of my titles were pirated when I was a kid, but now I have a job and I can afford to pay for originals. If there were no pirates, today I doubt I would buy games. Hell, I would probably stop being a gamer, due to expensive shit that has been comming out lately. Not everyone has a rich parent who buys original games you know? Just because you are born poor doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy games. That's typical capitalistic lack of sensibility. You have no idea what games mean to children. They allow them to expand and experience their imagination, and how can this be a bad thing? Just because some company earnes a few bucks less, it is morally wrong, and I just explained why there is no proof that piracy is affecting sales negativly.

Note however, that even if there is almost no difference between original and pirate version, I very often saved hard to buy a new computer so I could play pirated games and very often I saved hard to buy original of some game I really, really loved. Imagine how piracy boosted the sales of computers and informatical education. All I know about computers is thanks to games, and now I am in computer wholesales department. Many people are like that. Helping games becoming widespread and allowing poor people to try them out is something I support, because some of those people will turn to paying customers. I love games a lot, but no amount of promised quality would make me buy a game if I can't afford it. But if I try the pirated version and love the game, you can bet your ass I will buy the original sooner or later. How is that lost profit for some people, I fail to comprehend.

 

[Trash]

Frankly I don't give a shit about piracy, but it really sounds like you're reaching here. I'm a pirate because I'm a cheap bastard that wants to try everything that sounds interesting but wants to buy only those games that he loves. I think that most pirates are like that, probably minus the buying the really good games part. :D

 

[kingcomrade]

Well yeah, there's also a pretty big overlap between pirates and people who don't have incomes.

 

[Trash]

My piratedays started swapping cassettes with msx and commodore 64 games back when I was 7 or 8 and never stopped. I'd say most pirates are indeed kids without readily available cash or students and people that have little income. Then you probably have people like me that want to see what stuff is all about but don't want to spend the dough. Would be an interesting thing to study the demographics here.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

My piratedays started swapping cassettes with msx and commodore 64 games back when I was 7 or 8 and never stopped.

What is it with people who share their leeching history, nobody gives a fuck, and nobody gives a fuck if you preffered the "scene" in the olden times.

 

[Mareus]

My piratedays started swapping cassettes with msx and commodore 64 games back when I was 7 or 8 and never stopped.

What is it with people who share their leeching history, nobody gives a fuck, and nobody gives a fuck if you preffered the "scene" in the olden times.

Volly does

He never pirated the game. He only borrowed them from his friends.

 

[Trash]

What is it with people who share their leeching history, nobody gives a fuck, and nobody gives a fuck if you preffered the "scene" in the olden times.

Aren't you a twat? It was just a funny anecdote that fitted in the "why do people pirate stuff" post I was writing. Anyway, calling a bunch of small kids in a schoolyard swapping cassettes a scene is pushing it a bit eh?

 

[Volourn]

"Volly, does ME > Sonic?"

Chances are I'll never play Sonic cause I don't do handhelds. Sorry.

 

[Claw]

I tend to look the other way when it comes to piracy. I've spent money on shit that I wasn't able to return to the store on the grounds that it's shit, so yeah, I've checked out a few games before. No big deal.

I find your wording weird, but I agree with the general sentiment. I don't usually care to defend piracy, but the shoplifting analogy popular with people who keep hapring on about it is grossly misleading.
Piracy offers more than just getting things for free. It offers a (nearly?) unparalleled convenience. I have spent significant amounts of time and money on getting the OV of games rather than localized versions which I've grown to abhor. German Morrowind was an aggravating experience for a number of reasons, and German Fallouts weren't much better.
I can't tell you how happy I was when I realized I could use the key my Orange Box bought in Germany to download the original. I passed on a greatly discounted The Witcher because it would've been in German.

I tend to agree that piracy isn't such a big deal. When I was eight or ten virtually all my games were pirated. As I got older, I bought more and pirated less. These days, I don't really care to download games anymore. I can buy them if I really want them. However, should I have trouble getting an OV, I'll be downloading it in a heartbeat.
Which reminds me. I bought PST, but I also have a pirated copy which I downloaded while trying to find the game (OV) on sale. The copy I bought is a 2-CD budget version, while I downloaded a 4-CD version. Can someone explain the difference to me?

What is it with people who share their leeching history, nobody gives a fuck, and nobody gives a fuck if you preffered the "scene" in the olden times.

Well, "nobody gives a fuck" hasn't stopped you either.

 

[Kingston]

I still have to emphasise how fun the last hour of ME was compared to the bore of the rest of the game.

Spoiler

At the end, if you have enough in charm or intimidate you can convince Saren to go against the Reapers. The writing was so fucking horrible I couldn't stop laughing.

First he is all like "BWAHAHAHAHH, YOU CANNOT STOP THE REAPERS! THEY WILL KILL EVERYTHING, THEY CANNOT BE STOPPED, YOU MUST JOIN THEM FOR THEY CANNOT BE STOPPED!!!" He goes on about that for a while.

Then you say: "Maybe we can stop them!"

And suddendly Saren changes his mind: "Maybe you are right" and blows his own head off. I was LOL'ing so much at that point. Then comes the "omg shepard is ded o wait no he isnt" part and the ending sequence where Shephard stares into the galaxy. Very deep.

So much B-movie goodness.

 

[MaskedMan]

I passed on a greatly discounted The Witcher because it would've been in German.

My copy of The Witcher was multi-language, including German, it's all the rage these days, so maybe you should check it out. :!: If it was a German-only copy then good for you; the German VO on Geralt is horrible.

I bought PST, but I also have a pirated copy which I downloaded while trying to find the game (OV) on sale. The copy I bought is a 2-CD budget version, while I downloaded a 4-CD version. Can someone explain the difference to me?

I think it's just better compression and usage of the CD's space.

 

[Claw]

Well, damn. I already have the English version now. The box didn't say anything about being multi-language, and I didn't want to take any chances.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

What is it with people who share their leeching history, nobody gives a fuck, and nobody gives a fuck if you preffered the "scene" in the olden times.

Aren't you a twat?

 

[Trash]

Fun and fitting picture though.

That's a cheap copy that only has a passing resemblance to that which it so blatantly rips off.

 

[Data4]

I tend to look the other way when it comes to piracy. I've spent money on shit that I wasn't able to return to the store on the grounds that it's shit, so yeah, I've checked out a few games before. No big deal.

I find your wording weird, but I agree with the general sentiment.

Yeah, that was a bit clunky the way I worded it. Basically, store policies are aligned with software publishers' anti-piracy policies, so you can't walk in to most stores with opened software and say "This game is crap. I want my money back", because you obviously burned a copy of it and just want to get away with playing without paying.

-D4

 

[DefJam101]

So much B-movie goodness.

I fucking love this game.

 

[MetalCraze]

I'll probably write my thoughts on it in the nearest days.

 

[Trash]

You actually bought it? :shock:

 

[MetalCraze]

well... a little less than $20 isn't a big price to see what the fuss is all about. I will comment on it fully upon the full completion though.

 

[Trash]

Well, have fun. If you don't go in determined to find each and every little fault you might be surprised how entertaining it can be.

 

[Jedi_Learner]

well... a little less than $20 isn't a big price to see what the fuss is all about. I will comment on it fully upon the full completion though.

Wow, for someone that was crying about the copyright protection you certainly are weak minded.

 

[Trash]

Goddamn, it's that maniac Jedi_Learner. You done with the sm picture spams and filling my inbox with insane rants?

 

[Jedi_Learner]

I miss our conversations about sausages. Perhaps some time Trash, just the two of us?

 

[WalterKinde]

Thats probably because the game has been cracked completely.

 

[DefJam101]

And now for some epic dialog.





“Did you see his face?” “Sure did. I thought he was gonna faint!” They lay next to each other on the bed, looking at each other for several long minutes.

Without thinking, or really knowing she was doing it, Gabrielle leaned over and kissed Garrus quickly on the nose. He looked stunned for a moment, then smiled shyly and mirrored the action. I hope I remember this in the morning, was the last thought before they fell into each others’ arms and pulled the blankets over their heads.

In the back of her mind a tiny voice decided that it had had enough of being ignored. It became less tiny for a full sentence, then went back into it’s little corner of Shepard’s brain. You’re in bed with GARRUS!! After having wet and wild drunken tequila sex with him!! Shepard opened her eyes and lifted her head off of the pillow to confirm this little voice’s concern, ascertained that she was indeed in bed, cuddling comfortably with the aforementioned person, then laid her head back on the pillow.

“Mmmm… You awake?” Garrus nodded. “Yes. Shepard?”

“Hmm?”

“What now?”

She smiled. “Now, I kiss you again,” -she did this promptly- “and ask you where you want to go for breakfast.” She winked at him as he opened his eyes. “I figure everything else will fall into place as we go along.”

Stealing her line from the night before, Garrus grinned. “Sounds like a plan.”

They dressed casually, occasionally trying to foul the others attempt to get dressed. The walked into the office arm in arm, paying off the same salarian before they made their way to the residential district.

They stopped at a small restaurant and ordered food; ignoring the looks the pair received standing so close together and laughing at nothing in particular. They walked while they ate, touring the Citadel and heading in the general direction of the Normandy’s berth. “So tell me, Garrus, how would you feel about teaming up? A spectre duo hunting for a way to stop the impending doom of all .”

Garrus smiled for perhaps the fiftieth time that day. “I think it would be the same as everything up to know, just more official. I like it. But first we have to find something to point us in the right direction.”

Shepard wagged her finger. “The universe provides, remember? I’ve had an epiphany.”

 

[Trash]

And chloroform and hacksaws. But that's just me.

Oh, you saucy bastard, I long to share my tale with you about the exciting prospects of the Italian chorizo trade. It's gut wrenching, I tell you.