Poll: Mass Effect...I don't get it

[Joshimodo]

That takes elements from Halo's and Half Life's stories, in Halo, an ancient civilization far more technologicly(spelling, sorry) advanced than our own is wiped out by a mysterious alien parasite, and in Half Life the Combine take over earth via an advanced portal system linking our world to theirs.

Half Life Alien Invasion+Halo Alien Invasion=Mass Effect Alien Invasion

It's not actually that simple. The Protheans FOUND the Reaper technology (IT'S A TRAP), which had been left behind. The Forerunners made the technology, and weren't killed by the Flood. They were being wiped out, so in an effort to stop it entirely, they wiped themselves (and everything else) out.

The Combine didn't leave the teleportation device or technology there for mankind, either. They simply teleport to other dimensions, via portal storms.

 

[KarumaK]

As for the story, name another story where an ancient civilisation were wiped out by godlike robot spaceships via an elaborate teleportation device?

That takes elements from Halo's and Half Life's stories, in Halo, an ancient civilization far more technologicly(spelling, sorry) advanced than our own is wiped out by a mysterious alien parasite, and in Half Life the Combine take over earth via an advanced portal system linking our world to theirs.

Half Life Alien Invasion+Halo Alien Invasion=Mass Effect Alien Invasion

You counter godlike robots with alien parasite? No, we demanded robots. And our world is fine we stopped the takeover, take that Half-Life!

So no, H+H=/=ME. It's more I don't know something+something, find a bigger movie buff to help.

Aside from the inventory and the FUCKING MAKO! I loved the game enough to stalk it for several years.

EDIT: Ninja'd... first time ever.

 

[SquirrelPants]

I don't like Radiohead, to start things off.

Anyways.

Mass Effect was an okay game. The shooting is a bit stiff and the gameplay gets very old very fast. The only thing that kept me playing for more than five hours was the story. The story was rather interesting, but just couldn't make up for that horrible gameplay, which is why I stopped somewhere around the...I think it was called Peak 15? I stopped at about the part with Benezia in there.

 

[Magic Muffin Man]

Not about Radiohead, though. They're awesome.

I thought they went downhill after "OK Computer", but that's just me.

Actually, I can see that. I try not to be as...zealous as other Radiohead fans...hopefully. The Kid A/Amnesiac era is pretty weird, especially by rock music standards. But through time it grew on me, and some of my favorite songs of theirs come off of those albums. Their last two albums after that I really enjoyed, too.

But that's off-topic. I did enjoy Mass Effect for what it was. And I look forward to the second one.

I admit, the second ME looks ok, I'll rent it for sure, see if they fixed what I disliked. As for Radiohead, I liked certain songs off of albums like In Rainbows and Insomniac, but as a whole they were not as good as the hype said they were, I thought. And I know what you mean about their fans, I was called mentally retarded on the YuGiOh Abridged forums because I said Kid A wasn't the best album of the decade. Seriously.

 

[Razorback0z]

Mass Effect is a game that basically shows other developers how woefully pathetic thier own products are.

Mass Effect itself is not that great. But it has enough options and content to make you look at other games in the genre and say.... damn devs your just not trying...

I despair that this is the year 2009 and people are still going gaga over side scrolling fighting games. No wonder developers are of the mind that they dont need to try too hard.

 

[Bobbovski]

I liked the story and the characters mostly, the possibility of different endings were cool as well. It was a bit too action oriented for my taste though. I also disliked the samey-ness of the side quests...

But overall it was a fairly decent game.

 

[CrimsonAngel963]

i have to say that i have spent a lot of time playing this game. its far from perfect but any game that can surprise me by allowing me to kill a guy during a conversation because he was annoying me (i didn't even see that coming at the time, laughed my ass of for about ten minutes).

but the inventory and the buying/selling system needs to be overhauled...takes like 40 minutes to empty out all your useless items if you reach the item limit.

also it made no sense, to me anyway, that every character carried all 4 weapons. it would make more sense for them to only carry the weapons that they are trained in. also i would have liked to see more than four weapon types.

 

[Supreme Unleaded]

I cant really say if I like it or not becuase the day I played I got lost on the second mission on the ship where you have to talk to some guy or something. Apparently the door was right next to me but I decided to look around the ship first.

Then somehow i got lost and I couldn't find the door so I couln't continue the game.

and I swear to god my charactor had some want for tits because I always found myself back near the strip club somehow no matter what route i took in the opposite direction.

 

[historybuff]

I couldn't really get into it. I was expecting a faster paced action shooter sort of thing but there was a whole lot of dialog and eventually, I just ended up turning it off. Maybe I just didn't play it long enough.

 

[caz105]

If it helps, I did not care for KotOR either..

Maybe you don't like Western Sci-fi RPG's, as KotOR, KotOR II and Mass Effect are normally used in showcasing that genre of games.

 

[MortisLegio]

I didnt like it. it took forever to do anything and the shooting was awful.
but I dont like RPGs all that much unless its fun(i.e. Fable 2, Zelda)

 

[Dioxide20]

I really liked the story, I felt that it was so good that it basically cancelled out and surpassed the few problems the game had. I'm not saying it's perfect, but their where some awesome elements that made it great.

 

[plastic_window]

I agree with the inventory system - it really is far too cluttered, and I can also see what you mean by the gameplay. But then, it is an RPG first and foremost, so I can forgive this like I forgave Fallout 3's constantly dice-rolling gunplay.

I can see where these criticisms come from because I share them with you, but I cannot see how you find the story unoriginal. Yes, there have been games set in space before, but there have been very few stories told so well as Mass Effect's. The characters and voice acting; the setting and atmoshpere; the rich, detailed history of the galaxy - all these things contribute to the sense of urgency and action that the plot is told through.

Briefly changing subject, I wonder why all these threads keep appearing? Do you genuinely want to know why people like a game that you don't? I can't see why that would be of any use to you - it's not like a million comments are going to change your mind.

 

[Bigeyez]

You don't like the inventory system? It's not like it's unique and screwy.

As for the story, name another story where an ancient civilisation were wiped out by godlike robot spaceships via an elaborate teleportation device?

That takes elements from Halo's and Half Life's stories, in Halo, an ancient civilization far more technologicly(spelling, sorry) advanced than our own is wiped out by a mysterious alien parasite, and in Half Life the Combine take over earth via an advanced portal system linking our world to theirs.

Half Life Alien Invasion+Halo Alien Invasion=Mass Effect Alien Invasion

And those take elements from every Sci-Fi story since Sci-Fi was a genre. You could say the exact same thing about any game ever made. Especially if you generalize stories like you just did.

Mass Effect has a solid story, great characters, good dialogue, good acting, and decent combat. The visuals are also very good and much better then the slabs of brown and grey most games have nowadays. The inventory system, like most other Bioware games is wonky and can definitely use streamlining. Same applies to the vehicle controls. Those two things coupled with framerate hiccups and texture popping are the only negatives I have against the game. In my opinion it's head and shoulders above any other RPG released in the last couple of years.

That said Mass Effect is very much like other Bioware games, and chances are if you don't like one Bioware game you might not like the others. If you don't like it, you don't like it, to each his own.

 

[Ace of Spades]

It felt like another installment in the KOTOR series which was enough to get me hooked.

 

[WayOutThere]

but I really don't like the gameplay, loathe the inventory system and find the story a bit on the unoriginal side.

2nd, 2nd, could not disagree with you more

If it helps, I did not care for KotOR either. But I want to know (and yes, I got the idea from the half life thread, sue me) why everybody loves it so much. My view on Mass Effect is the same as it is on Radiohead: I can't understand why such a bland thing with, I'll admit, good ideas, is called the greatest thing since sliced bread. So yeah, stuff.

I love Mass Effect for its story. Yeah the gunfights leave much to be desired but the story was so awesome I put up with it. I do praise the Bionic/Tech powers but thats the extent of my enjoyment of the gun-play. The story overcomes this problem with its sheer depth and intrigue.

Have you played to the end of the game? The way the whole plot fit together is what really wows me.

 

[iggyus]

I thought it was good, but not incredible. Too short and repetitive (the side-quest planets especially) to be considered masterful. And the plot was rather easy to predict, not because it was bad, but because Bioware gave away too much of it too early.

So I can see where you're coming from.

Not about Radiohead, though. They're awesome.

Too short? The game lasts about 30+ hours. Other games in single player last only 8-9 hours so Mass Effect is one of the longest games out there. And plot was easy to predict? You must be clairvoyant or something, because the plot twist caught me and most of my friends really hard

 

[hazabaza1]

Mass effect really does seem like a love it-hate it thing, so while I disagree, I understand where you're coming from.

 

[Fatman gamer]

the story was star trek rip off, the characters were a "my life is hard feel sorry for me" bunch, and the only decent character was rex and he died because he whanted to save his race but shepard wouldnt let him because hes hitler......one last thing is that the blue tentacle headed are mind rapists

 

[The Man Who Is Thursday]

Too short? The game lasts about 30+ hours. Other games in single player last only 8-9 hours so Mass Effect is one of the longest games out there. And plot was easy to predict? You must be clairvoyant or something, because the plot twist caught me and most of my friends really hard

30 hours? Wow, I couldn't get it nearly that long. I am not a fast gamer, either. It took me only 19 hours to finish ME the first time. Granted, I didn't do everything, but I did a lot. For reference, it took me 45 hours to finish KotOR (so I am slow). I don't know, maybe I did something wrong.

As for "easy to predict," I probably shouldn't have phrased it that way. Firstly, I followed the game pretty closely before it came out, and Bioware divulged way too much about the Reapers beforehand. And then in the game, Liara basically sheds light on the whole Reaper thing hours before you get to the "Big Plot Twist" (TM). So I just thought it was handled poorly. Much of the twist was genuinely surprising, don't get me wrong. But I think that Bioware could've done *way* better at keeping a lid on it. Like they did with KotOR. I didn't see that one coming at all.

PS: How do you get the little spoilers box so you have to click to see it? I'm rather a noob, despite registering a long time ago, and don't know how to do it.