Poll: Bioware's best franchise

[Dwarfare]

To those not voting for Baldur's Gate, I feel only the need to say this.

"You dare to attack me here? Do you even know whom face?! You will suffer! You will all suffer!"

I would've voted Neverwinter, but Bioware had little to do with NWN2 (which itself while good didn't live up to it's potential, to this day unfinished and unpatched in a number of areas), and though NWN1 was absolutely fantastic, I don't feel it stacks up to some of the others' combined clout (though the Persistant Worlds and Toolset are something unmatched and something I fear we won't see again for a very long time). Dragon Age 2 kind of drags Origins down, Star Wars is kinda all over the place, etc...

 

[Ziame]

Well, I love Mass Effect, and the other franchises are an exercise in frustration to me, so I guess ME is my vote ^_^

Also,

Where the fuck is Jade Empire

.

I mean, aside from ME that's the only game that's not D&D (KotOR being D&D-ish, or at the very least, dice-ish).

Also, Jade Empire was fucking awesome. And it comes from a guy who loathes oriental settings with a passion.

 

[mad825]

I still can't understand why there aren't any games trying to copy ME.

Maybe because it's basically a Gears of war rip-off or at least it turned into one. The dialogue system isn't exactly revolutionary either, it's been done better.

OT:mixed bag. Mostly the older games. I could say one thing is good but then there's something bad to counteract.

 

[DazBurger]

Mass Effect (Simply adore the first one) and Jade Empire comming right after that.

 

[Cooperblack]

I would vote Jade Empire because it's the only one of Bioware later games that haven't been blemished by awful sequels.

 

[BrotherRool]

...Mass Effect is pretty much the most ambitious and fleshed out sci-fi thing for a very long time.

Mass Effect stopped being Sci-Fi once ME2 came out. And even it were, it's certainly not the most "fleshed out" one.

Lots of amazing books out there that aren't D&D in space.

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest. I'll show my elitist ass to the door

It was still sci-fi. Just because the sf wasn't particularly hard doesn't mean it was 'bad'. Some people like their sci-fi full of realistic science but that's a trajectory that ends with a book about the modern day. It can be cool and fun but hardness isn't a measure of good.

It was imaginative, it was huge, there were all sorts of little nooks and crannies and possibilities to explore and they created a grand universe full of different cultures, species and technologies that set people's mind on fire and gave them the experience of discovering something new. [REDACTED]

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I wouldn't really count Star Wars or Neverwinter Nights, since their sequels were Obsidian games, and arguably better games. (In NWN2's case, the expansion pack)

 

[Doom972]

I don't count Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars because those properties were good to begin with, regardless of Bioware's skill.

I think Bioware's best franchise is Mass Effect, because I think it has the best writing, which is what Bioware is best at, and because it's also great in areas in which Bioware is known to lack at.

 

[plugav]

I still can't understand why there aren't any games trying to copy ME.

Maybe because it's basically a Gears of war rip-off or at least it turned into one. The dialogue system isn't exactly revolutionary either, it's been done better.

What I meant is, I don't see many space opera RPGs with shooter-based mechanics. It's all swords and axes, and rolling dice (not that I don't like all those).

 

[BrotherRool]

The number of people who do not know the horrible truth of Mass Effect (They're all pretty crap in terms of story on a mechanical level) hurts my head...Dragon Age!

Well I'm an ME voter and I'm well aware of how bad the story/gameplay/level design is across all the games, so it doesn't necessarily follow. Even with all that Mass Effect is pretty much the most ambitious and fleshed out sci-fi thing for a very long time.

Hey, it did world building reasonably well, the universe is still very well put together despite the various other shortcomings, but if a well built universe is all it takes to receive accolades until the end of time, then we really aren't setting our ambitions for a story well told very high, are we?

It's so weird being on the Mass Effect is good side of this discussion =D I think some things can be good enough that it matters left that there are lots of really bad stuff about it. Like I adore To The Moon and I'll give it all the praises, but it's horribly flawed in design and execution. I sort of prefer that to something normal but very well polished.

So Mass Effect 1 had incredible level design and all this backstory and that to me makes up for everything else being crud. And Mass Effect 2 had a closer look at some of the alien races and genuinely great characters... and Mass Effect 3... well the gameplay was great and the roleplaying system was broken enough that I stopped trying to use it which turned out to be a lot more enjoyable and I went back and had a more positive experience with 2 because of it.

I think maybe the series is getting some advantages for being pretty much the only original mainstream space-opera RPG. Games are a very good way to experience the wonder of a unique sci-fi universe because so much of the game feels like exploration and looking at all these small details that would destroy the pacing of a book. Have you seen the TUN (The Understated Nerdrage guy) video on Shandification? Thats having all these small irrelevant details that add to the setting and games do it better than any other medium and it's particularly appropriate for this kind of sci-fi.


I could probably run into a bookshop and shut my eyes and still find a sci-fi book with better writing and a more consistent story than the ME games, it would have a more interesting thematically relevant world with more meaning and would avoid stupid stuff like humans being able to have sex with aliens and all the aliens being basically humanoid. But it loses out on that fantasy aspect because it's not a game in the same way.

Like a Brave New World, The Hunger Games, Asimov#s Foundation Series, Anathem and the Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy are all things which are way better, and more important and more furthering than the ME series, the ME series is dust in comparison with them. But although they are good books and better in almost every aspect, Star Wars beats them all in terms of wonder and ME does a good job of doing that again with their series, crud writing all the same.

 

[afroebob]

I'm more into science fiction than fantasy (and by 'fantasy' I mean copy/pasting the world of Tolkien into your story and leaving the world at that) so I'm going to go with Mass Effect. Expert writing, expert world, expert everything pretty much.

 

[Elfgore]

I'm torn between Dragon Age and Mass Effect

the fantasy nerd in me loves Dragon Age and all of it's lore and KOTOR style combat. And the sci-fi nerd in me loves the lore and once again awesome combat. Both have had some very bad spots, mass effect 3's ending and dragon age 2, but I love both equally so I'm going to have to say tie for me.

Though I have never played Neverwinter or Bauldur's Gate, Bauldur's enhanced version is on my steam wishlist waiting until the summer sale drifts along.

 

[immortalfrieza]

(Why no Jade Empire on the poll?)

Where the fuck is Jade Empire.

They didn't have Jade Empire on the list?

I don't think that having only 1 game really counts as a francise. That said, if they DID make more games in the Jade Empire universe, I'd be all for it.

 

[Xathos]

I've played Jade Empire (never finished it), Kotor (Never Finished), Dragon Age Origins, Awakening, and 2, and all 3 Mass Effect games. I sort of like the interesting take of the world in Jade Empire, loved pretty much everything in Kotor, but I would have to go with Mass Effect. There is just something about that series that made me get so attached to the characters that I haven't experienced in another game. Also helps that I like Sci-fi a lot. Not a perfect series by any means but I got sucked into it real good.

Shame I don't feel the same about Dragon Age. I have fun with it, but never to the extent that a lot of other people do. Still looking foward to DA3 though.

 

[J Tyran]

Mass Effect for me, not going to let the last hour or so during the Earth and Catalyst run ruin hundreds of hours of entertainment.

I also want a Jade Empire 2, that was a great game with fun and varied combat and a fairly unique world.

 

[norashepard]

Mass Effect, because it's Sci-Fi that isn't overly macho, or excessively cheesy. Plus all of the characters in the game feel real, the music is beyond amazing, and it has the Volus. VOLUS. On a more personal note, it's my name and was probably there for me more than my own parents ever were. /sad

Runner up would be Dragon Age because of DA2, which was another one of my favorites.

Then Jade Empire. Then Kotor. Then Baldur's Gate. Then Neverwinter Nights.

Now, BG2 might make that series jump ahead if they retroactively made Viconia bisexual, but until then, it can burn in the pits of Hades because it's frustrating and there isn't much reward for it, in my opinion.

 

[Sarge034]

I wanted to put Dragon Age, and I would of if not for Dragon Age 2. Dragon age 2 is a dark stain in gaming history folks. I'd even go so far as to say it is a blight....

Sorry, I just HAD to do that.

Anyway, on topic... I would have to give it to Mass Effect. I love Baldurs' Gate 2 but Mass Effect was so much more of a complete story... except for that which must not be named at the end of Mass Effect 3... Dragon Age Origins was a close contender, but what can I say? SyFy is more interesting to me than Fantasy, and dat Tali...

 

[The Great JT]

Mass Effect. Fantastic series, great gameplay, I liked the ending.

 

[The Madman]

Now, BG2 might make that series jump ahead if they retroactively made Viconia bisexual, but until then, it can burn in the pits of Hades because it's frustrating and there isn't much reward for it, in my opinion.

What can burn? The romance with Viconia or BG2 in general, because I know of a mod that allows female characters to romance Viconia if that's really what you're into. Also know of a couple mods that expand her dialogue, I'm even pretty fond of the friendship line of mods which is a series of mods for each main companion character in BG2 that obviously enough gives added dialogue and interaction. The Banter Pack is also really good and even adds additional possible epilogues for Throne of Bhall based on your actions.

Be warned though: BG2 goes back to the olden era of rpg where characters had personality and romances could, gasp, fail and end in tragedy. It's not like Dragon Age where even if you disagree with them in every dialogue, you can buy their 'love' with enough gifts... which in my mind at least was a really stupid feature.

 

[norashepard]

Now, BG2 might make that series jump ahead if they retroactively made Viconia bisexual, but until then, it can burn in the pits of Hades because it's frustrating and there isn't much reward for it, in my opinion.

What can burn? The romance with Viconia or BG2 in general, because I know of a mod that allows female characters to romance Viconia if that's really what you're into. Also know of a couple mods that expand her dialogue, I'm even pretty fond of the friendship line of mods which is a series of mods for each main companion character in BG2 that obviously enough gives added dialogue and interaction. The Banter Pack is also really good and even adds additional possible epilogues for Throne of Bhall based on your actions.

Be warned though: BG2 goes back to the olden era of rpg where characters had personality and romances could, gasp, fail and end in tragedy. It's not like Dragon Age where even if you disagree with them in every dialogue, you can buy their 'love' with enough gifts... which in my mind at least was a really stupid feature.

BG2 in general can burn. I've played it four times (guess why!) thrice as male and once as female, and the story just meshes a lot better for me personally as a female PC. Not a bad game though. I would just enjoy it more I think if freaking Anomen wasn't around being a turd and the only option. I'll have to check out those mods (If you could, PM links?). And I'm well aware of the relationship failures, and I actually really like that aspect. I was really happy when it half-returned in ME3 when your love interest would reprimand you for being unfaithful, it added some much needed petty bickering to a game otherwise full of Earth Shattering problems. Still was easy to work past, but it was there!