Mass Effect 3

[alostpacket]

Totally -- I'm loving this game so far, almost to the end. 'Tis not perfect but very fun.

Couple of strange mechanics, but the gameplay is so fun that they are forgivable. Voice acting is top notch as always with bioware games. Music is very good. Story is excellent.

The only thing I am really disappointed with day 1 DLC. Seems a bit rude.

9/10 overall, but I have like 1-2 more levels left.

 

[El Presidente]

Not had much time to play, but the prologue is epic. Hopefully that sets the tone for the rest of the game.

I agree, the day 1 DLC was a poor show.

 

[NightAngel79]

cause DLC was bad or too small or just that they released it in general?? Didn't ME2 also have that cerebus DLC (but was free with new game purchase) that came out at launch also?

 

[El Presidente]

cause DLC was bad or too small or just that they released it in general?? Didn't ME2 also have that cerebus DLC (but was free with new game purchase) that came out at launch also?

I remember something similar, but not exactly sure what the deal was. The ME3 DLC was circa

 

[alostpacket]

Because it's $10. Just seems like it should be part of the game if it's ready on launch day. Apparently some of the voice acting was even on the disc itself. Which is understandable, but it still leaves a bad taste.

Apparently it was pretty integrated to the story -- not crucial, but integrated nonetheless. It's also not nearly 1/6th of the game. ($10/$60). From what I hear the extra mission is about 1hr 30m, while the game is roughly 50-60hrs if you do most side quest stuff.

*shrug* I just feel like it's a bit of a money grab. Though I'm not a big fan of DLCs in general. A few I liked a lot (ME2:Lair of the Shadow Broker, DA: Leliana's Song) but mostly it's just meh.

I miss the days of expansion packs. Half a game for half price, 6months-1yr after release.

But we live in the era of Free-to-Play MMORPGS and in-game shops, so it's probably better to accept and move on.

I've enjoyed the game thoroughly without this DLC anyways, so no major foul. Just bad form as EL P said.

 

[alostpacket]

For comparison, DA:O was 100+ hours and had no day 1 DLC (this was pre-EA takeover)

 

[NYCHitman1]

For comparison, DA:O was 100+ hours and had no day 1 DLC (this was pre-EA takeover)

Ahh, DA:O - I miss that game dearly. I still remember how awesome and overkill it was to be a mage.

 

[El Presidente]

Ahh, DA:O - I miss that game dearly. I still remember how awesome and overkill it was to be a mage.

For whatever reason, I didn't get round to playing that. However, I do have that and LA Noire to get stuck in to after I'm done with ME3.

 

[El Presidente]

Anyone else think the journalist girl, Donna Anders, sounds a lot like Naomi Kyle? I can't find any info on whether or not it is though.

 

[alostpacket]

The journalist is a real journalist who works for IGN (and I think G4). I dunno why but I find her irritating.

Edit: wiki link: Diana Allers - Mass Effect Wiki - Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, walkthroughs and more

My favorite is the new "Yoeman" though. Both the voice actress and the character heh.

Samantha Traynor - Mass Effect Wiki - Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, walkthroughs and more





Anyways minor spoilers but

Spoiler

have you guys seen the threads/news about the ending? That hate is overflowing on BioWare's forums.

The voice actress for traynor:

 

[El Presidente]

^^I knew she was one of the girls from IGN.

 

[Slug]

Wow!

ME3 hasn't disappointed. Visuals are lush, voice acting is as good as expected, and the story-telling complex and immersive. I love the increased interactivity of the NPCs.... I keep hearing conversations and meeting characters that reference prior events that my actions influenced, making the game world seem like a 'living' environment.

I also love the improved cover mechanics; being able to dive/roll from cover to cover and round corners stealthily really opens combat up, and is needed with the new AI being so much more intelligent. I'm finding 'Normal' difficulty enough of a challenge to leave me both drained and pumped after a firefight.

Not a huge fan of "timer triggers" closing off half my minor quests/assignments within 5hrs of starting though.... I reloaded and avoided the 'Priority' mission that appeared to cause it, but it struck a bum note. I don't like how there's no indication of how time-sensitive tasks are.

I've only had one "exorcist moment" as far as graphics glitches go, and one lock-up which I suspect was due to multiplayer. That aspect is, as expected, cack. Fine if your idea of 'co-op' is surviving ten waves of enemies in a TDM-type arena with the odd objective thrown in every third wave, but I was hoping for some of the actual story missions/locations demanding tactical play. The fact that multiplayer performance can influence the single-player outcome seems quite bizarre too.

All-in-all though, I'm stoked. I'll have to restock with food/coffee/beer, then it'll be time to load up with warp ammo again and go give Cerberus some more biotic-combo headaches.

 

[alostpacket]

Must resist spoiler urge....



Incidentally I am now about halfway through Me2, I decided to play all 3 in a row after I finished 3. I've always played an Adept but an trying an Infiltrator now. Would like to try Infiltrator and Vanguard in 3.

 

[El Presidente]

Spoiler

Did you tell Mordin that his plan for the Shroud wasn't going to work? I keep reloading my save because I can't decide how I want to play that bit.

Without spoiling it, what impact does it have?

 

[alostpacket]

Spoiler

Did you tell Mordin that his plan for the Shroud wasn't going to work? I keep reloading my save because I can't decide how I want to play that bit.

Without spoiling it, what impact does it have?

Spoiler

I couldn't help but be honest with Mordin, he was always one of my favorite characters. As for the effect, There really is no way to answer that without spoiling a lot of stuff heh.

 

[El Presidente]

Spoiler

Mordin's cool, but I was actually being honest for the sake of Eve. I think I'm gonna go down the honesty path. I'm at the bit where you've to activate the Maw now. All those Brutes, it's pretty tough

On cool characters (and it's not really a spoiler cos it has no impact on the story so far), I'm glad I met Thane again, he was probably my favourite NPC along with Garrus.

 

[alostpacket]

That's one of those things I love about the gameplay. You have to keep moving and stay on your toes. And the roll dodge things is actually pretty fun. I usually dont like heavily scripted moves but they made it work nicely for the most part.

 

[El Presidente]

Yeah, I'm loving it.

To expand on what Slug said about the difficulty, I'm in agreement. It's done a pretty good job of proving challenging on Normal whilst not being too difficult. I find a lot of games nowadays are too easy on Normal, but too hard on hard.

There's only been one level so far where I've felt like smashing my controller.

Also, can you upgrade the Normandy at all as you did in ME2? I've scanned stuff, but not to any great depth.

 

[alostpacket]

No need to scan unless you have a mission in the system you have to find.

 

[Slug]

You have to keep moving and stay on your toes. And the roll dodge things is actually pretty fun.

With Deus Ex:HR still fairly fresh in my memory, the combat mechanics feel very natural. The upgraded AI works both ways too; I've only had two occasions when one or both of my squaddies 'forgot' to stay in cover and got themselves pwned out in the open.

It's done a pretty good job of proving challenging on Normal whilst not being too difficult.

I've had my butt kicked a few times due to sitting in a seemingly-safe spot calmly picking off tangos, only to have one flank round and put a clip in my back. I find myself using the Power Bar as much to gain situational awareness as direct my squadmates. I'm sticking to my "pure soldier" rule and foregoing any biotic or tech powers; it's much fun trying to anticipate what the opposition will be and choosing appropriate squaddies. I like using them to strip defences and then I put the serious damage down-range to take them out.

I managed a piece of sheer poetry-in-motion this afternoon.... in cover, Adreneline Rush on, pop-up with two bursts to two heads... two down, roll back and then right to avoid a 'nade, reload, AR on again, pop-up, another two bursts to the head.... then spotted a Big Bad Guy heading my way! Rolled back and charged away to cover, told both squaddies to target it.... and found that they'd worked their way forward on the flanks without my say-so, catching Big Bad Guy in a superb crossfire.

 

[NYCHitman1]

Spoiler

The ME3 ending has left a HUGE void in my heart. I don't know what I am going to do now that there is no more ME to play. </3

 

[El Presidente]

I hope I've not read too much into that and it's not spoiled the ending for me

Added hide tags just in case, apologies if I've misinterpreted.

The fact that multiplayer performance can influence the single-player outcome seems quite bizarre too.

I'm really, really disappointed by that. I played my first MP match when I got home from work this morning and it was poop.

 

[Slug]

I played my first MP match when I got home from work this morning and it was poop.

I've played a few with a mate and various randoms, with mixed results/feelings. It's quite entertaining if everyone's a team-player, but a couple have been complete kill-whores just running around with Black Widows poaching XP and ignoring team mates needing revived.

Let me know your schedule this week and we can perhaps hook up? If you're around evening/night I can probably rope Iain in as well and maybe avoid the need for any random gimps at all.

 

[El Presidente]

If Origin is cross platform, then I'm game. I wanted this on the PC, but I had saves from the first 2 games on Xbox 360 so I ended up getting it for that. I know Windows and 360 users can play each other if the games are Live for Windows (or whatever it's called) and I'm PS3 and PC users could link up and play Portal 2 so it's not outwith the realms of possibility.

Aside from tomorrow night, I'm off all this week so I'll def take you up on that offer if PC & 360 is doable.

I'd 3 other guys on the team, obviously partied up, all pretty highly ranked and I troddle along as a measly Rank 1. The first time I needed revived, they quit to the tune of "%^&*ing n00b".

 

[Slug]

If Origin is cross platform, then I'm game.

Geez, I'm assuming that it is when the darn game was released on all platforms simultaneously.... I'll try to find out.

The first time I needed revived, they quit to the tune of "%^&*ing n00b".

Yeah, that's why I prefer only playing co-op games with folk I know will actually co-operate. Rambo-wannabes need not apply.