Mass Effect 3!!!

[PhilTheBeard]

Who is stoked for this!!! comes out tomorrow! going to be the most epic game ever! (hopefully of course)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG2mdZ23eP8&list=PLD080B8B1611D5573&index=1&feature=plcp[/ame]

 

[Terminus]

Gotta wait until Thurs to buy it due to it being payday but indeed, if it's anything near what the first two have been I'm sure I'll enjoy the fuck out of it.

 

[HCL]

 

[Soundlurker]

Still can't get hooked on Mass Effect and watching this trailer does nothing for me. Meh, at least Diablo 3 might actually come out this year. Not really relevant to this thread I know...carry on.

 

[HCL]

This sums up my opinion on Mass Effect better than anything else could.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Not a fan of 2, HCL?

I've actually ignored all the build up to this semi-intentionally, and am definitely gonna buy it, but I can't decide which platform to get it for. On the one hand I played 1 and 2 on my xbox and I love the conrtol system, but I know that it would look and perform significantly better on my PC.
Ahhhh, major, major western problems.....

 

[azistenostora]

This sums up my opinion on Mass Effect better than anything else could.

No idea what you're trying to suggest with this. Mind sharing your opinion in words? I didn't think Mass Effect was anything like matrix and I have very much enjoyed the first 2. Definitely going to by this.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I think the general consensus is that Matrix: Revolutions was a bit shit and pandered to the series' large mainstream audience, I'm assuming that HCL thinks the same of ME:3.

 

[HCL]

The first Matrix felt different in theme, tone, writing etc to the sequels, as does Mass Effect. Aesthetically they are the same, although the sequels to both progressively intentionally play up the more recognisable aesthetics at the expense of variation and originality. The quality of writing fell. The plots, dialogue and basic tenets of the setting get progressively worse. Mostly, the Matrix sequels are shallower than the first, they deal less with interesting abstract questions and concepts (which is what made the first movie so great and relevant) and focused on rule of cool aesthetic-driven narrative. Mass Effect 2 has plenty redeeming features, I thought everything about Legion was fantastic but the good elements weren't enough to mitigate the bad, IMO.

ME 2 and 3, like the Matrix sequels are not bad, they just miss a great deal of what made the originals great. I didn't even make the image, it just coincidentally matches my take on things.

Also DLC is cancer.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

I thought ME2 was a huge step up from ME1 in writing, character strength (and development), gameplay (this I know is debatable; I love a good in-depth RPG, but ME2 just streamlined it so well, and removed all of the awful tedium of ME1, especially with inventory), and art design especially; in short, superior to its predecessor (which I played the spots off of) in every way IMO, I just hope the 3rd is on par!

And the Overlord and Shadow Broker DLC's were incredible as well

 

[ratsapprentice]

Needs moar inventory.

 

[HCL]

But the inventory was so simple and plain in ME2 and what was up with thermal clips? Ridiculous! They were going to be sensible initially and allow ME1 style firing after the thermal clips run out but cut it for some stupid reason. Appeal to the COD kids at all costs..

 

[ratsapprentice]

Yeah but it's an rpg, there was barely any customization in it, the interface was better, but they pretty much removed all of the choice (no-matter how inconsequential) from me1.

 

[HCL]

Yeah but it's an rpg, there was barely any customization in it, the interface was better, but they pretty much removed all of the choice (no-matter how inconsequential) from me1.

I was agreeing with you (was responding to Marcus), ME2 was hit and miss, and it missed the inventory system. And the planet scanning.. terrible.

I've been watching ME3 streams and I'm undecided about it. It could improve on 2 yet, I'll give it a fair chance.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

But the inventory was so simple and plain in ME2 and what was up with thermal clips? Ridiculous! They were going to be sensible initially and allow ME1 style firing after the thermal clips run out but cut it for some stupid reason. Appeal to the COD kids at all costs..

Yeah but it's an rpg, there was barely any customization in it, the interface was better, but they pretty much removed all of the choice (no-matter how inconsequential) from me1.

Not as far as the story goes, which is by far the most important element for me in this type of game; thus, if my choices are a convoluted, tedious, and infuriating inventory system (ME1) or baby's first RPG that plays and controls like a killer third person shooter (ME2), but preserves (and IMO increases) the depth and complexity (and choice) in the story elements, I'll take the latter!

And I fucking love CoD

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

Also, I can't emphasize enough how much I commend Bioware stepping up the art design from the first to the second (so much of ME1 looked really freakin' bland to me, really almost everything minus the Normandy exterior/interior, and Sovereign), and generally, I guess I especially appreciate all of ME2's changes from ME1 because they clearly were all attempts to improve on the much-maligned aspects of the first (in other words, really listening and responding to feedback); even if some went too far in the opposite direction (inventory, planet scanning instead of exploration), they were still huge improvements IMO!

 

[PhilTheBeard]

Also, I can't emphasize enough how much I commend Bioware stepping up the art design from the first to the second (so much of ME1 looked really freakin' bland to me, really almost everything minus the Normandy exterior/interior, and Sovereign), and generally, I guess I especially appreciate all of ME2's changes from ME1 because they clearly were all attempts to improve on the much-maligned aspects of the first (in other words, really listening and responding to feedback); even if some went too far in the opposite direction (inventory, planet scanning instead of exploration), they were still huge improvements IMO!

Planet scanning is very tedious but it was better then exploration IMO. And plus they got rid of that for the third game. Don't think your going to want to much resource scanning when your trying to defeat a whole army of Reapers. And i thought ME2 was a huge improvement over ME1. and plus the story line between both 1 and 2 mesh very well together. So i am very much looking forward to ME3 to see how the story and all the stuff you did in ME1 and ME2 play affect in the overall end of the 3rd game

 

[Ermz]

I'm a big old-school RPG guy, but the clunky stats and inventory of ME1 did nothing for me. The streamlining of ME2 just about bettered the game in every way (aside from making weapon choices somewhat redundant, and weird). It's a very story-driven, cinematic game. Too much number-crunching just gets in the way of the experience. It should be kept behind the scenes as much as possible. It's no Fallout 2, eh.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

I'm a big old-school RPG guy, but the clunky stats and inventory of ME1 did nothing for me. The streamlining of ME2 just about bettered the game in every way (aside from making weapon choices somewhat redundant, and weird). It's a very story-driven, cinematic game. Too much number-crunching just gets in the way of the experience. It should be kept behind the scenes as much as possible. It's no Fallout 2, eh.

This guy gets it (never thought we'd agree on anything about these games Ermz )

Also, the Gamespot review is up, sounds like I must haz immediately!

 

[HCL]

I'm a big old-school RPG guy, but the clunky stats and inventory of ME1 did nothing for me. The streamlining of ME2 just about bettered the game in every way (aside from making weapon choices somewhat redundant, and weird). It's a very story-driven, cinematic game. Too much number-crunching just gets in the way of the experience. It should be kept behind the scenes as much as possible. It's no Fallout 2, eh.

But to me much of the actual content wasn't as good. The plot had so many holes, Harbinger was mediocre and the giant terminator at the end was totally pointless and felt like a huge anticlimax after the encounter with Sovereign and the way the reapers were built up in 1.

Also what's with retconning the Protheans from squid faced guys to insects?

Mass Effect 2 is a mediocre album with amazing production to me. Some songs are great but the band traded originality to cash in on the latest trend. I still enjoyed both a lot though.