Mass Effect Trilogy

[DalekFlay]

ME2 executed on what it was trying to be better than ME3 did. ME2 was massively popular because it combined a sci-fi story people liked a lot with relatively well executed Gears of War popamole, which was very popular at that time. It's like a storybook cover shooter, which is all it was trying to be. ME3 was much less well liked because its story faltered, which even the most cursory glance at contemporary reactions will bear out. Gears of War popamole was also a little less popular by then, which didn't help.

 

[Jaedar]

Interesting worldbuilding? I must have missed that part.

It's probably in the codex somewhere, i.e. Not actually in the game.

Fine, I take some of it back. The primary focus of the video, ie the krogan rachni war is presented in game via dialogues and stuff. It's a good bit of worldbuilding.

ME3 has massive problems throughout the game, starting with the premise already.

ME3 basically has two good parts, the resolution of the genophage and Geth/quarian conflict (even if the writers wimp out and let you get *everyone lived happily ever after* as a resolution). The entire rest of the game is shit and doesn't fit into the story of the previous games at all. It's continuously amusing to me how badly bioware handled the overarching plot.

 

[DeepOcean]

ME 3 plot is full retard from start to finish, this narrative that only the end sucked is fake news.There are a few points where the narrative is good, the Tuchanka part is well written (Patrick Weekes is the only writer at Bioware that isn't a hack) but the rest of the game is a dumpster fire of bad writing, plot holes, tropes (that samurai guy villain is comething coming straight from animu), lack of logic (There are supposedly to be a war against things you cant destroy, that makes complete sense), inconsistent rules for the setting (the reapers cant be destroyed or can be destroyed depending of the whims of the writers with zero justification), lack of continuity from scene to scene (characters many times are on places that would be impossible for them to be), fan service (What is so special about Earth to concentrate all your forces on a single place for the reapers to blow it up?) .

I couldnt believe that Bioware could go worse than this but Andromeda shown me how wrong I was. I agree that the shooting gameplay is improved from the previous 3 but it is a pitty that from the 3 games, only the first one even try to be a RPG (even if the shooting gameplay is terrible almost unplayable crap).

 

[ColonelTeacup]

ME2 executed on what it was trying to be better than ME3 did. ME2 was massively popular because it combined a sci-fi story people liked a lot with relatively well executed Gears of War popamole, which was very popular at that time. It's like a storybook cover shooter, which is all it was trying to be. ME3 was much less well liked because its story faltered, which even the most cursory glance at contemporary reactions will bear out. Gears of War popamole was also a little less popular by then, which didn't help.

ME2 still had some of the rpg aspects in it making it somewhat closer to ME1 in gameplay, but with tighter gunplay. It also had the added benefit of being an undercover space agent working for a shadowy renegade organization, namely Cerberus, which was just fucking cool. ME3 by comparison went all in on the FPS action, to the detriment of the rpg aspects, tried to wrap up the story horribly, and overall felt like it didn't belong in the same trilogy as the other 2.

 

[Nutria]

an undercover space agent working for a shadowy renegade organization, namely Cerberus, which was just fucking cool

It was like being a retard and having your insane special ed teacher send you out on missions that didn't make any sense.

 

[Nano]

ME2 still had some of the rpg aspects in it making it somewhat closer to ME1 in gameplay, but with tighter gunplay. It also had the added benefit of being an undercover space agent working for a shadowy renegade organization, namely Cerberus, which was just fucking cool. ME3 by comparison went all in on the FPS action, to the detriment of the rpg aspects, tried to wrap up the story horribly, and overall felt like it didn't belong in the same trilogy as the other 2.

Yep. In ME2 Shepard was still your character (putting aside being forced to work for Cerberus). In ME3 Bioware just went ahead and made Shepard *their* character - autodialogue galore, forced to be an Alliance fanboy, forced to be clinically depressed about Earth, forced to be traumatized because of that fucking kid dying.

God, just thinking about ME3 makes me angry.

Edit: there's no fake news in my post, rusty_shackleford, please be more creative with your button selection.

 

[Ahnx]

In ME3 EA just went ahead and made Shepard *their* character - autodialogue galore, forced to be an Alliance fanboy, forced to be clinically depressed about Earth, forced to be traumatized because of that fucking kid dying.

Fixed this for you. Bioware, as we knew them, effectively ceased to exist at this moment.

 

[J1M]

It was also already in ME1 wasn't it? Minor NPCs spouting stuff related to your gameplay.

If a bad ending is enough to ruin a game then

I agree that those who say that the only problem with ME3 is the ending, are clueless morons.

ME3 has massive problems throughout the game, starting with the premise already. The ending is just another layer of shit on top of an entire cake of shit.

Yeah, like a lack of boss battles.

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

First post in nearly 2 years. I guess that shows how important this series is around here.

Well the first game is a rough gem while the sequels are polished turds so...

It's more like an interesting idea, and most of the interesting stuff didn't even make it into the first game. Most of what's in the game is nice conceptually, but not in the game itself. Like I'd say a rough gem actually pulls some stuff off, but Mass Effect doesn't really do that.

I replayed the first few hours of ME1 after finishing Andromeda, and I don't think it aged well.

The entire series is mainstream decline. I somehow managed to finish them, but I have zero desire to revisit.

It was shit at the time too. I remember playing Mass Effect when it came out and being extremely disappointed with it. The opening section of the game which is basically just a narrow corridor was kind of shocking, especially given how they were talking about the game during development; and the third person shooting was so horrible I was left wondering why that's the direction they went. Most of my time playing Mass Effect was spent thinking about how bad everything was and how it could be changed to make a good game.

The only thing Mass Effect had going for it was some background lore stuff and its aesthetic. But mostly the aesthetic. It's Syd Mead looking designs are cool looking, and pairing it's kind of Star Wars story with a '80s-ish grimy looking film look and synth music more along the lines of something like Terminator was a nice touch. But everything else was pretty terrible.

 

[Nutria]

The opening section of the game which is basically just a narrow corridor was kind of shocking

Really interesting how all your criticisms are something that a whiny edgelord could come up with in the first hour of the game, but you don't actually address any of the weaknesses that become apparent after playing it for a while.

 

[Wunderbar]

The opening section of the game which is basically just a narrow corridor was kind of shocking

Really interesting how all your criticisms are something that a whiny edgelord could come up with in the first hour of the game, but you don't actually address any of the weaknesses that become apparent after playing it for a while.

it's not hard to come up with valid criticisms when it comes to ME1, its every single RPG element sucked. Really fucking bad inventory and itemization, bad sidequests, bad talents, dialogue skills can be upgraded only after accumulating a certain amount of paragon/renegade points which forces player to be 100% saint or 100% asshole, the list goes on. Bad level design is just the first thing that catches the eye.

 

[Lord_Potato]

Approaching the infamous ending of Mass Effect 3 now, 39 hours behind me. Did all the dlc and all the side missions I could find, eavesdropping on everyone in the halls of the Citadel. Now I am about to hit the HQ of the minor baddies.

The most fun part was the Citadel DLC ofcourse, it was a much needed time off from the constant shooting and blowing stuff up. And hanging out with the crew was sincerely entertaining.

There are some choices, with meaningful consequences, sometimes more obvioys, sometimes more subtle (fake rachni queen anyone?). You can change the fate of entire races and planets with your decisions. Sure, the character development is not very satisfying, but C&C is strong with this one.

I certainly do not regret the time investment put into ME3, though the ending may yet change things... After 1 and 2 I just wanted to know how it all resolves. Guess I will find out in the next few days.

 

[Ninjerk]

The opening section of the game which is basically just a narrow corridor was kind of shocking

Really interesting how all your criticisms are something that a whiny edgelord could come up with in the first hour of the game, but you don't actually address any of the weaknesses that become apparent after playing it for a while.

Let alone playing it seven times to really understand it.

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

The opening section of the game which is basically just a narrow corridor was kind of shocking

Really interesting how all your criticisms are something that a whiny edgelord could come up with in the first hour of the game, but you don't actually address any of the weaknesses that become apparent after playing it for a while.

It's not that interesting. Not as interesting as that gif would lead one to believe.

 

[Lord_Potato]

And done...

The infamous ending wasn't so bad, perhaps because I played ME3 with the extended ending DLC, so I do not know how was it without the added content. Besides, the buildup to the ending was very satisfying. I enjoyed Shepard's final conversations with all the companions before and during the suicide mission. It was very well written and made the journey through ME1-3 feel worthwhile.

Spoiler

After some consideration I chose the "red" ending, destruction of the Reapers (and admiral Hackets' final narration). After all the atrocities they committed against countless intelligent races during countless cycles, I decided that they should finally cease to exist, together with the asshole AI from the Citadel.

Later I watched the other 3 endings on youtube (blue: taking control over the Reapers by Shepard, who becomes Reaper God/AI, green: synthesis between organics and machines, and colorless: the failure to defeat the Reapers, the continuation of the cycle) and I am more confident that I made the right choice. Obviously the guys at Bioware considered synthesis as the "good" ending - promising peace and prosperity for the entire galaxy. But I prefered to keep the sentient races independent of cyber implants and able to keep their free will (which will always breed some conflicts). Sure, the Citadel and the relays are damaged and without Reaper aid, it will be difficult to rebuild them. But maybe it's a good thing: the Krogans will not be able to invade other races anytime soon (they are less technologically advanced then the other races, so their relay may never be actually rebuit), and the scattered colonies of Asaari, Humans, Salarians and Turians will have to learn to coexist in their separate sectors of the galaxy, without the corrupted umbrella of the Council. New alliances will have to be formed and if conflicts arise, they will be limited to one sector, without influence on the other regions. The only sad thing about the red ending is the death of EDI. On the other hand, it is the only ending that suggests that perhaps Shepard may have survived.

All in all, it was a great adventure and a decent alternative to Star Wars universe (especially after it was buthchered by Disney). Too bad Andromeda propably killed any potential sequels. I felt there are still interesting stories to be told in ME version of the Milky Way. As for the game itself? Good shooter, very light on classical RPG elements, with decent C&C and not bad writing (especially interactions with companions). I am happy that I played it to completion. Bioware in 2012 was still quite a decent company (despite the atrocity that was Dragon Age 2). I am curious which year broke them. This year I will propably try DA: Inquisition, so propably I will find the answer to this question.

But first I will go back in time and play Jade Empire, which I have never tried before.

 

[Nutria]

Rape victims process their trauma in different ways. I guess imagining that the ending of ME3 was in any way connected to the last 150 hours that you'd played is your way of coping with it.

 

[Tytus]

So buds. If EA decided to release remastered editions of the Trilogy would anyone here buy it?

 

[SausageInYourFace]

This year I will propably try DA: Inquisition

In the running for worst game I ever finished and I used to like NuBioware. Listen!

If you liked ME (and the other DAs for that matter) there is some good in there for you in this as well but here is the best advise I can give you if you want to enjoy this: You do not have to do everything, you do not have to clear every map, you do not have to finish every sidequest. The game has a lot of NuBioware content but its drowned in a sea of the most mindless pointless shittiest filler content imaginable. At least 70% of this game is a gigantic waste of time.

Stay focused on the main quest and the companion quests and don't feel compelled to clear every little thing.

Also, combat is boring so I'd suggest you don't draw it out uncessarily by chosing the higher difficulty in a feeble attempt to make it a little more interesting.

 

[Wunderbar]

So buds. If EA decided to release remastered editions of the Trilogy would anyone here buy it?

if they are going to remake ME1 with ME3 combat and improved level/encounter design, maybe i will consider pirating it

 

[Lord_Potato]

In the meantime I finished Jade Empire. Now that was a heavily consolized game. And very short. With very limited party compositions. An minimal rpg elements.

I was surprised Bioware went so far on path of decline in 2006 already. Mass Effect 1 and DAO were huge incline in comparison.

 

[NJClaw]

So buds. If EA decided to release remastered editions of the Trilogy would anyone here buy it?

I loved Mass Effect and I had a lot of fun with Mass Effect 2 (probably because I was a stoopid kid and my tastes were very different from now), but I would never play them again and buying a remastered is not even a remote possibility.

I hated Dragon Age: Inquisition, but I would still throw my money at Dragon Age 4. However, I despised Mass Effect 3 so much that I wasn't interested when Adromeda came out and I wouldn't be interested in a new sequel.

 

[Nano]

I was surprised Bioware went so far on path of decline in 2006 already. Mass Effect 1 and DAO were huge incline in comparison.

They were incline compared to KOTOR1 as well.

 

[The Bishop]

ME 3 plot is full retard from start to finish, this narrative that only the end sucked is fake news.

My theory is that people hated the ending only because it was the point when they realized all the build up to this point was for naught. I don't think there was any good way to get out of the corner that Bioware have written themselves into by the end of ME 3. It's only natural that a mess of a story gets an unsatisfactory ending, but players could still maintain hope that there will be some sort of incredibly clever twist that will fix everything in the end.

 

[Cyaniv]

So buds. If EA decided to release remastered editions of the Trilogy would anyone here buy it?

Coop campaign and I'm in. The series essentially became Gears of Star Wars anyway, let me play it in duo already.

 

[Space Satan]

MS Excel