Zero Punctuation: Mass Effect
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
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i enjoyed this one, but only cos of the "Yahtzeeisms" not really cos of the review itself. I knew he wasn't going to like it, and as such was prepared for the roasting it got. For the record i'm not an rpg fan boy, i liked kotor but thats running around lamping people with a glowstick gets me hard, point is i don't want to hear about how shit they are, cos we all know, and for those who like em, they're just gonna be pissed off at it. I think all the reviews are accurate and hilarious, but leave the rpg's alone, the more people whine about em, the more the "rebels" wanna tug themselves off over one...
I honestly don't understand his complaints about the combat system. Sure, there are some things to be complained about, that the combat system is a little foreign and clunky at first with NO explanation other than a few quick hardly readable blurbs shot out in the middle of a fight you're already losing...but I just told my guys to form up on me and they never got in my way. In fact, idiots who can't tell the difference between enemies (with big red targetting triangles on them) and their allies (whom they dick around with for 25) seem like the sort of people Yahtzee would be making fun OF, not joining ranks WITH.
And for the record, Mass Effect does have a good story
. A pinch of Star Wars, a dash of Battlestar Galactica themes (you're thinking Geth? Just wait until later), and a bucketful of a living, breathing Universe where humans aren't the bastions of peace and leadership for no apparent reason like in Star Trek, and you've got Mass Effect (which, consequently, is an actually very well explored fictional concept of affecting the Mass of Space-Time with the newly discovered element Zero, which will no doubt be explored further in relation to the developement and evolution of The Reapers in later games :O).
And for the record, Mass Effect does have a good story
. A pinch of Star Wars, a dash of Battlestar Galactica themes (you're thinking Geth? Just wait until later), and a bucketful of a living, breathing Universe where humans aren't the bastions of peace and leadership for no apparent reason like in Star Trek, and you've got Mass Effect (which, consequently, is an actually very well explored fictional concept of affecting the Mass of Space-Time with the newly discovered element Zero, which will no doubt be explored further in relation to the developement and evolution of The Reapers in later games :O).Sincere praise, it's always good to hear the cynical views of Yahtzee ripping into a game underneath all the glory words every other reviewer and their cat throw up. Moderately rushed, great job again, as always, and thank you for telling me about Psychonauts.
Amused, I loved these aliens.
Amused, I loved these aliens.
Although I am very fond of CAD, that was a really funny review. "Mass Erect" was worth a laugh.
Also I found something interesting-This guy here (www.freewebs.com/perloothebold) has apparently decided that he's going to review reviewers. Yahtzee is the first one he's done.
Also I found something interesting-This guy here (www.freewebs.com/perloothebold) has apparently decided that he's going to review reviewers. Yahtzee is the first one he's done.
I wonder if there will be a review next week. It is the day after Christmas, after all.
Then again, Mr. Croshaw doesn't strike me as the "festive" type...
Then again, Mr. Croshaw doesn't strike me as the "festive" type...
Excellent vid, Yahtzee, late though this comes.
Though you'll pardon me that I take this review with a couple of salt licks, since I happen to be one of those people that love RPGs and KotOR in particular and should probably take the time to play through Mass Effect myself sometime.
Though you'll pardon me that I take this review with a couple of salt licks, since I happen to be one of those people that love RPGs and KotOR in particular and should probably take the time to play through Mass Effect myself sometime.
I see, but where do you read webcomics? usually on the web, but i don't think that point of yahtzee is valid, mainly because of the voice thingies. But i haven't played it. And i do know you can print those comics, but it's still the thing that you read those on the web.VMerken said:
I think my points aren't valid, but the point in my post was that yahtzee didn't state that he disliked CAD, just that he doesn't like walls of text that are dragging on and on... Wait that wasn't my point really, Maybe it just got something to do with webcomics then. But now i think about it, this point makes more sense.
For the record, I played through Mass Effect, did almost every single side-quest, and mostly rather liked the game.
However, I definitely empathize with Yahtzee's complaints. The game does tend to be rather wordy, and it carries this strange compulsion to fully explore and listen to every journal entry and dialogue tree even though you don't really care, just in case you missed something. The combat is weak, in part due to the reasons mentioned. The Mako really does handle terribly, though this is partially due to the design of the non-plot-related planets, with their giant jaggy cliffs, pits, and ditches.
Anyway, awesome review. One of the better ones.
Also, I knew there was something that bugged me about Ashley's name. I'm suddenly really glad I went with the blue alien chick.
However, I definitely empathize with Yahtzee's complaints. The game does tend to be rather wordy, and it carries this strange compulsion to fully explore and listen to every journal entry and dialogue tree even though you don't really care, just in case you missed something. The combat is weak, in part due to the reasons mentioned. The Mako really does handle terribly, though this is partially due to the design of the non-plot-related planets, with their giant jaggy cliffs, pits, and ditches.
Anyway, awesome review. One of the better ones.
Also, I knew there was something that bugged me about Ashley's name. I'm suddenly really glad I went with the blue alien chick.
I don't think Yahtzee understands equipment systems in RPGs, then again RPG's have not had great equipment systems in 8ish years.
1) I think Bruce Campbell is definitely sexier than his Mass Effect counterpart. I wish there was a more blatant homage with which to enjoy the (allegedly since I haven't gotten that far) missing man on man option.
2) Ruggedly handsome may be true, but I think it's admireable that your character and the other human military folks aren't the huge over-muscled hulks ala Gears of War. Not that I mind it, it just seems horribly inaccurate.
3) I found the text to be enjoyable. The sheer volume of incoming information was daunting, visual, audio, etc, but it was still enjoyable. I say this as a man who usually can't sit focused on a single game at once and in the case of Mass Effect I did. I mean, I usually have on a few messengers and chat rooms to keep me occupied. I am constantly pulling up other stuff on the internet. And strangely Mass Effect was strangely engrossing.
4)I like CAD. It has stories.
5) Down with patriarchy and the criticism of "feminine" men. *cough*
2) Ruggedly handsome may be true, but I think it's admireable that your character and the other human military folks aren't the huge over-muscled hulks ala Gears of War. Not that I mind it, it just seems horribly inaccurate.
3) I found the text to be enjoyable. The sheer volume of incoming information was daunting, visual, audio, etc, but it was still enjoyable. I say this as a man who usually can't sit focused on a single game at once and in the case of Mass Effect I did. I mean, I usually have on a few messengers and chat rooms to keep me occupied. I am constantly pulling up other stuff on the internet. And strangely Mass Effect was strangely engrossing.
4)I like CAD. It has stories.
5) Down with patriarchy and the criticism of "feminine" men. *cough*
Having gone through Mass Effect a second time, something I rarely do, I've got the tendency to disagree with this review even further. It's touch-and-go, half-arsed, encourages dumbing down of videogames, does wordier games like PST a great injustice and does crappier combat systems like KoTOR an even greater one. The only just complaint is the Mako.
The reason this bugs me so much is that Yahtzee is mostly right about which games are worth having. Doing this instant classic a disservice such as this will have awful implications on sequels and other such ambitious RPGs.
After having played all the major titles for PC and 360, Mass Effect is game of the year 2007 in my list and for excellent reasons. How disappointing of Yahtzee to bash an excellent title such as this, just for the sake of antagonizing the current market.
The reason this bugs me so much is that Yahtzee is mostly right about which games are worth having. Doing this instant classic a disservice such as this will have awful implications on sequels and other such ambitious RPGs.
After having played all the major titles for PC and 360, Mass Effect is game of the year 2007 in my list and for excellent reasons. How disappointing of Yahtzee to bash an excellent title such as this, just for the sake of antagonizing the current market.
A person who creates fun adventure games, writes novels and satire, played Planescape: Torment (sic!) probably has sufficient insight into what makes dialog-driven game entertaining.
It may be the case that Yahtzee's standards are set a bit too high... And I'm afraid there's no cure for that.
It may be the case that Yahtzee's standards are set a bit too high... And I'm afraid there's no cure for that.