Mass Effect

[Inquisitor]

The weapons actually change appearance as you get higher levels.

[Fenavian]

actually thats half true. There are certain manufacturers that change the colour and such and there is that Geth rifle that you pick up thats completely different but for the most part they are of the same basic design.

[Anubis]

Spent an hour playing last night and didn't really progress at all. I actually spent it just wandering round the Normandy chatting to crewmembers and gathering Codex entries. I like that that's possible, really adds to immersion. I was the case in KOTOR too, but I generally didn't dedicate whole hours at a time to it there. Nice touch.

[Scorpius]

heh those same rumours still doing the rounds. You WHERE never going to be able to take direct control of any other team member. That video where you pause all the action is over two years old now from a very early stage of the game. As for the galaxy map well still looks nice to me and does the job. Btw this is a military ship your on so things would'nt be that pretty, they would instead be functional.
Anyways BD you got a 360 yet ?

[Fenavian]

Well Scorp to be fair this IS a brand new ship in fact it was going on it's first shakedown run. So yeah it probably would look that pretty hehehe.

[Scorpius]

It just occured to me theres a major design flaw with the Normandy.
No toilets or washrooms whatsoever !

[Anubis]

It just occured to me theres a major design flaw with the Normandy.
No toilets or washrooms whatsoever !

They go in the engine room. That's why the engine was so big.

But seriously, they never put them in in KOTOR either. Think its one of those things you have to overlook, lest it make the ship's map needlessly large.

[Ambush]

So I beat it last night, not that bad, and yes, weapons do change, my apology. But I really enjoyed this, and this game is for sure going to have some replay value. Too bad I lost 2 crew members before I finished the game.....

[Inquisitor]

I am on my third play through, though I got distracted by AC...

[Fenavian]

I was in the middle of making the Max Gaming Car when I got this. So that got put on a long hold. Sorry Ed.

I ended up getting the Assault Rifle Achievement, so I am off to make a character that is more befitting to what I want to do in the game.

[Anubis]

So I finally, FINALLY, finished my first playthrough. My overall impressions....

Well, to be honestly truthful before I hit Virmire I was kind of "meh" about the whole experience. A great RPG, but not what I would have expected from Bioware. Noveria was probably the best early on and even that was criminally short compared to a KOTOR planet. Other galactic planets seemed underdeveloped, basically only having one quest per planet. I would have much preferred less planets in more depth.

After Virmire...wow, the game changed. Initially I thought Virmire was going to be another boring "run'n'gun" one, but once I reached the Salarian camp I loved it. The attack was done perfectly, and your choices regarding Wrex, Ashley and Kaiden were very well done. The twist to the story that Virmire introduced was completely unexpected for me, and again it was very well done.

Ilos and the end....well, what can I say? Beyond fantastic. The truth imparted to you by the AI was a very smart way of wrapping things together (and again, the twist with the Citadel was great). And the battle....oh boy, the battle. Lets just say it smashed KOTOR to pieces and leave it at that.

Overall, one great RPG. The second half much greater than the first. Whether it beat KOTOR overall....I am not so sure. But one thing is for sure, its GOTY for me by a long way.

[Inquisitor]

About time you finished it

Total hours and final level?

[Anubis]

31 hours and level 48. Oddly though it did not unlock Completionist for me or an Ally achievement. From the looks of it it can bug sometimes, which is annoying, so I am playing through again on Hardcore this time.

[Fenavian]

Well completionist takes into the account of the side quests too. And believe me when I say there are quite a few.

As for the Ally one... I went through most of the game with the Turian and the Quarian only to be denied the achievement. So I am not sure whats up with that.

[Anubis]

Well completionist takes into the account of the side quests too. And believe me when I say there are quite a few.

As for the Ally one... I went through most of the game with the Turian and the Quarian only to be denied the achievement. So I am not sure whats up with that.

Yeah, you apparently need 15 missions and 45 assignments in order to get completionist/an ally achievement (Ally must have been with you for all for the ally one). I did 49 sidequests (only one I didn't finish was the minerals one) and all missions, so I should have got it. A lot of people on the ME forum have had the same problem, it bugs every so often.

[Anubis]

[02:51] <SSX-Anubis> well, the ME finale in HD is beyond words. Absolutely amazing. Missed so much on the glass screen, darkened the whole thing without me knowing
[02:51] <SSX-Anubis> and Ed, I beat your achievements again
[02:52] <SSX-Anubis> guess I will move onto AC tomorrow. I dont really want to tbh....now Ive seen the finale again I want to replay again...
[02:53] <SSX-Anubis> I should have played AC first lol
[02:55] <SSX-Anubis> god I love this game. Im so going to four playthroughs as soon as AC is done

Enough said really. Every time I see that ending I end up wanting to see it again, damn this addiction that takes me.

I got the Completionist and Ally achievements this time, so I am pleased. Probably AC next, then a playthrough or two for the Biotic achievements and Paragon...

[Anubis]

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Also, having thought a bit on the ending (I'm basing this on the Renegade ending where you let the Council die, haven't yet seen the Paragon ending so I don't know if it'd be the same) I think I have an idea of the path ME2 and 3 will take...

With humanity now set to step up to the plate and wrench control of the galaxy from the now defunct Council I think Shepherd has a point when he tells us that the other races aren't going to take that lying down. Whilst war with the Reapers is on the cards it seems to me important to remember that after the Citadel battle it will be necessary for balance to be restored and fleets to be rebuilt before any serious attack can be launched to Dark Space - after all, it took an entire Alliance platoon to take down Sovereign with heavy casualties, and the Geth destroyed most of the Citadel fleet.

To me then, it would make sense that Mass Effect 2 will focus on civil war between the other species and Humanity as they try to stabilise their grip on power post-battle. Just because the Citadel fleet was decimated doesn't mean they'd have nothing to fight with, and Im sure the Turians in particular wouldn't let power go so easily.
We also have to remember that it is likely the Alliance will not attack through the Citadel Relay when the time comes, rather find another route to Dark Space, after all if they were defeated it would leave the path to the Citadel wide open and from what we have been told activating the Relay initially is what wakes the Reapers.
With the civil war as the back drop it would make sense to me that Shepherd is, between conflicts, following leads with the Normandy regarding said secondary route to dark space. I can see ME2 ending with humanity's grip being solidified once and for all and the route found, the Human Council prepping everything they've got to launch the attack.


I then see Mass Effect 3 focusing on the actual confrontation itself. Exploring dark space, preparing everything for the final assualt to determine the fate of all species. Not really going to elaborate on this, since the second game would have to set up the intricate details before I can do so, right now I could only wildly guess regarding what preparations would be made and how the final battle would work.
Naturally some form of method to dampen the Reapers would be necessary, as the Citadel battle showed clearly that any more than one Reaper would rip through any fleet in short time - an entire fleet of them would just steamroller the attack force in an instant.
As for endings....I have a few potentialities in mind, but I'd rather not share them in detail now until I have at least some basis to confirm them from Mass Effect 2. Suffice to say that I see both a good and bad ending, though whether that bad ending will be bad bad or simply morally bad I am not too sure yet. It will depend, but I can see both working.


Of course, my vision of how the series will progress is based upon the assumption that BioWare will be picking up where they left off at the start of ME2 (or wherever they left off the DLC from anyway. I think I read somewhere that the DLC will bridge the gaps between the two, so assuming that is still true my vision holds), so that we see the universe evolve from before the crisis until after all is said and done. Personally, I would like to see it that way - I think it would suit the feel of the game, but of course with it being my vision I would say that wouldn't I?

Anyway, thoughts? Do you agree/disagree, or even have your own vision of how it will go?

[Inquisitor]

I doubt it will be that honestly, but I think you'll see that from the paragon ending.

[Anubis]

I'm assuming from that that humanity does not make the play to seize power when you take the Paragon path...shame. Still, Bioware have said that ME2 will follow on and the game will remember (provided you still have your save) who died and who didn't etc, I am assuming that that relates to the ending too. No point it being a perfect follow on save for the fact that the Council did or didn't die after all.

After all, KOTOR 2 let you do that, indicate what really happened at the end of 1 and proceeded with that in mind.

[Anubis]

For anyone who is interested, the first piece of DLC for this just got released. Another UNC mission/mission chain (not sure which) with a new system to go with it. About an hour's worth of content by Bioware's reckoning, and an extra 50 achievement points.
Apparently it focuses on the Batarians, which is nice since they were pretty much neglected in the core game.

Going to pick this up soon, will let you all know my verdict when I get to playing it.

[Scorpius]

The DLC is not bad actually. Its what I would have liked to see all the UCW missions to have been like. Oh and you get to kill Batarians which is always a + in my books.

[Fenavian]

I finished the DLC two hours after I downloaded it. It was good times. For those paragon types, I can see this becoming an issue later.

I am going through it now on Hardcore. Its become challenging again

[Kon]

Looks like I'm gonna have to grab the DLC, and start playing again.

[Anubis]

The DLC is not bad actually. Its what I would have liked to see all the UCW missions to have been like.

My thoughts exactly really, played it last night. Large planet, several locations, cutscenes, good mini-plot. I approve.

[M.Steiner]

Most of you probably have ME already but just thought i'd mention, Argos are selling it for only 14.99 atm. I've not got a console for myself just yet but grabbed a copy of it whilst it was so cheap, pretty good bargain.