mass effect - Felt pretty silly after naming my Shepard "The Normandy Crew"

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Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

According to Wikipedia, Mass Effect is a military science fiction media franchise created by Preston Watamaniuk, Drew Karpyshyn and Casey Hudson and owned by Electronic Arts. The first entry in the series is a third-person role-playing shooter video game developed by BioWare (subsequently acquired by EA) and was initially released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Windows (the third installment in the series was additionally released on the Wii U). A fourth game was released on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in March 2017.

But what is Mass Effect really?

It�s four games where you can shoot throw shout hit and unfortunately bone down. I don�t think anybody really agrees which one is best or even really which ones are good great or garbage. One thing is for sure these games are fun to post about and generally pretty drat fun to play. There are now remastered versions available for PC and probably PlayStation or Xbox if anybody still has those. Idk

The Games

Mass Effect: The Motion Picture
This is the first game in the series. It�s a lot jankier then the other two in terms of gameplay but also has a charmingly Star Trek like vibe that is missing from the sequels both visually and musically as well as probably the most engaging story of the trilogy. Bad cover mechanics, insane difficulty spikes for first time players, poorly considered shooting mechanics, and the most embarrassing sex scenes in video game history! In spite of these issues this is definitely my favorite game in the series, it created a sense of magic and wonder from almost the very first cutscene that I�d never experienced in a video game before. Plus once you get past the excruciating early game difficulty spikes I mentioned you can truly break the physics engine over your knee. It�s mega satisfying. Oh and the entire last two missions of the game are the best of the series. Love this poo poo!

Mass Effect Into Darkness
Mass Effect 2 is probably the most successful one at what it sets out to do. It has great character work, largely improved gameplay mechanics, fun conversational mechanics, hella quotables, etc. I guess it�s probably most people�s favorite one? It�s really good but also the main plot is, let�s be charitable here, treading water at best and actively stupid at worst. It has a really ugly aesthetic. Has a really funny terminator last boss. The lean into increased edginess is pretty dumb and frankly the whole cerberus thing should have probably stayed in the first game�s side missions. But it�s good! I promise!

Mass Effect: Nemesis
The least controversial of the original trilogy, Mass Effect 3 included the best shooting gameplay of the series and a truly excellent online multiplayer mode that was filled to the brim with fun content. Some good story beats combined with some really bad ones! Probably the first trilogy I can think of where the new characters introduced in the last installment are actually good! Leaned a little too hard into the fan service stuff at times but everybody came away satisfied with the conclusion of the series. In all seriousness the high points of this game stand up there with the best parts of the first two. The less said about the last third the better. It was still pretty fun though.

Mass Effect: The Undiscovered Country
I didn�t play this one and the main lasting cultural impact from it seems to be that a lot of people made fun of how bad the animation was at times, and the studio got raked over the coals for it. It did badly enough that they cancelled the DLC. I�m sure the bad stuff got overblown but it seems like it could have used a lot more time in the proverbial video game oven.

THE NEXT ONES I GUESS
These don�t exist. Sorry everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XefLOWmcFpY

��
ORIGINAL TRILOGY MODDING INFORMATION GOES HERE

Lt. Danger posted:

Thought about buying the Mass Effect remaster but don't have $60-$150 to drop on a decade-old game? Or maybe you already own the entire trilogy and can't justify buying them again, even for HD graphics? Or perhaps you're just interested in spicing up a game series you've already played 25 times over (Engineer Shep no pistol no powers GOGOGO)?

...it's the lens flares, isn't it? Jesus you're gonna blow out someone's eyes with all that post-processing!

There has to be another way!

The Mass Effect trilogy, being possibly the last good Bioware games ever, has a small but incredibly dedicated mod community. Over the last few years they have produced a ton of content for all three original trilogy Mass Effect games, including gameplay tweaks, 4k textures and even new missions and content! Better yet, they've created an incredibly easy-to-use community mod manager that handles all the complicated bits of modding with a literal drag-and-drop interface.

Obviously it's early days yet but the community expects that the Legendary Edition won't be moddable at all. Chances are, if you want mods you'll have to use the original versions.

If you want to check it out for yourself, then you can find pretty much everything you need - mods, tools, graphics presets - on the Nexus websites for Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3.

Otherwise, if you want to know about how it all works, read on.

MOD MANAGERS

Broadly speaking there are two different kinds of Mass Effect mod: content and textures. Most mods are content mods: they add or change dialogue, gameplay, characters, missions etc. Texture mods change texture files themselves: 4k upscales, recolours, NPC complexion tweaks and so on.

I mention this because the Mass Effect engine handles the two kinds of mod in different ways, which means that if you want to mod your game you will need two community mod managers.

ME3Tweaks Mod Manager, despite the name, is the content mod manager for all three Mass Effect games. Most mods you download will use ME3Tweaks.

ME3Tweaks can backup your installs (so if mods break your game you can revert quickly and easily), check for mod updates and download automatically, applies compatibility patches for DLC and other mods, and does all the fiddly stuff like AutoTOCs and binkw32.dll bypasses as well.

How to use:
Download the mod you want

Click-drag-and-drop the downloaded archive file (don't unzip!) onto your ME3Tweaks window

ME3Tweaks adds the mod into your library (you can delete the original download file now)

To install the mod, click the little "Apply Mod" button in the bottom right
ME3Tweaks also works as a launcher for all three games.

ALOT (A Lot Of Textures) is the texture mod manager for all three Mass Effect games. Only texture mods use ALOT. ALOT is also the name of basic upscaled texture packages for each game, made by the same people. The mod manager is included with each of the texture packages.

ALOT has similar functionality as ME3Tweaks, but for texture mods. Both mod managers can work together as well to avoid conflicts and ensure stable installations.

Thing is, the way the Mass Effect engine works means that any changes to texture data must be the last changes made. In other words once you install texture mods you can't install anything else. Trying to install or even update mods after changing the textures will break the game! ALOT and ME3Tweaks work together to make sure you don't accidentally do this.

How to use: official illustrated guide here but it's similar to ME3Tweaks - drag-and-drop the mod files onto ALOT, click "install textures" and the manager will do the rest. Again, the main thing to remember is that you should make sure you've installed all the content mods you want before using ALOT, as you can't do it afterwards!

ALOT has additional advanced settings if, for example, you don't want to install the default ALOT core packages or if you're having memory problems when running the game.

Once you've finished with texture mods you can go back to using ME3Tweaks to launch the games.

Word of warning - sometimes in old mod descriptions you'll see mention of a program called "Mass Effect Explorer". This is a mod developer tool that shouldn't be used to install mods any more. Use ME3Tweaks or ALOT!

Lt. Danger posted:

MODS

Okay, enough background - what Mass Effect mods are actually out there?

This is mostly the mods I use - not an exhaustive list by any means.

There actually aren't all that many content mods for Mass Effect 1 as it's apparently hard to edit. Most of them are relatively minor tweaks.

ME1 Recalibrated - the Recalibrated mod series is a set of unofficial patches for each Mass Effect game. This one fixes a lot of incorrect plot flags and quest bugs.
FemShep Appearance Consistency Project - imports the ME3 FemShep head morph into ME1. There's a ME2 version as well!
Improved Mako - changes physics behaviour for the Mako to be less bouncy. I used V1 but would consider trying the more extreme versions, as V1 was still a bit floaty
XP Rescale - reach level 60 in one playthrough
Pinnacle Station Tweaks - rebalance for Insanity challenges
Galaxy Map Trackers - shows outstanding quests on the galaxy map
No Intro Videos - no intro videos!
Faster Elevators - the elevators are faster!
Controller Support - I don't know what you want from me here!

The main draw of modding Mass Effect 1 is obviously the texture upscales, as the base textures were a hot console-port mess even on release.

ALOT - upscaled textures and lighting
A Lot Of Videos - ALOT sister project, contains upscaled videos
Mass Effect Updated/Improved Textures Mod - another texture pack that can be used alongside ALOT. It slightly edits the textures to add more detail so if you're an absolute purist, you might want to stick to just using ALOT

There are many other texture updates/reskins for individual characters, weapons, outfits etc. if you want a particular look. For example there's a nice retexture of Explorer armour for Liara that better matches her style in later games.

The modding scene for Mass Effect 2 is a little more developed, both in the number of mods available and how much those mods change the game.

ME2 Recalibrated - an unofficial patch like the others, but also includes much bigger changes: Illium, Samara and Thane are available straight away, DLC missions are gated behind plot missions, and lots of minor edits (e.g. FemShep no longer comes on to Jacob every time you talk to him)
FemShep Appearance Consistency Project - it's back, in Mass Effect 2 form
Modern Weapon Pack - backports 16 ME3 weapons so you have a choice of, like, more than two kinds of pistol
Recovered Powers - 4 new bonus powers for Shepard, salvaged from ME2 enemies
Add Powers to Squadmates - gives every squadmate 2 extra powers, and changes weapon loadout for a few of them as well. Slightly janky in implementation due to engine limitations but not buggy per se
Gameplay Tweaks ME2 Gameplay Tweaks and Improvements - not tried these but both let biotic/tech powers ignore enemy protections which I know quite a few people wanted
Same Gender Romances, FemShep and Miranda, FemShep and Jack - there are a few romance mods for squadmates available - due to the scale of changes required they are often incompatible with other mods or sometimes even other playthroughs! Not my cup of tea but they are there if you want them
Controller Support - why would you want this when the mouse and keyboard are right there? Well, here it is anyway

There are ALOT and ALOV packs for Mass Effect 2, naturally. MEUTIM has a pack that changes some squadmate textures to resemble those used in the ME2 trailers. Others are complexion tweaks for major NPCs, often with a ME3 equivalent by the same modder.

Here's where it gets juicy.

Mass Effect 3 easily has the most mods available, either because it's the easiest to mod or the game that needs it the most. These mods offer the most content and the biggest changes.

ME3 Recalibrated - an unofficial patch more like the ME1 version - bug fixes rather than content edits
Expanded Galaxy Mod - whole game mod that touches up what I would call the "connective tissue" of ME3: the Normandy, the Galaxy Map and War Assets. Customise the Normandy, visit every system from all three games, take ME2 squadmates along on missions... honestly too much to fit here. Community standard that's required for a couple of other mods
Spectre Expansion Mod - EGM expansion that adds more entries and dilemmas to the Spectre terminal. Want to authorise strapping bombs to pyjaks and pointing them at the Reapers? You can now! Also adds new enemies to the game
Miranda Mod - EMG expansion that brings Miranda onto the Normandy for the final segment of the game. Bit janky in parts but fun otherwise
Ark Mod - EGM expansion that adds a couple of new missions with Collector enemies using multiplayer maps. Difficult!
Project Variety - whole game mod that adds more NPCs to the Citadel, changes NPC outfits, fixes cosmetic bugs. Also a bit janky, and has some issues with ALOT and the game's memory management
Bonus Power Packs - adds powers from multiplayer as Bonus Powers for Shepard
Omega Hub - visit Omega after clearing the DLC
Aria Arena Mod - Omega/Citadel combo DLC for those who can't get enough Carrie-Anne Moss
Better Dreams, Shorter Dreams - changes Shepard's dream sequences to get rid of the slow-mo hide-and-seek forest
Take Earth Back, Priority Earth Overhaul - two different overhauls for the final mission in ME3. Take Earth Back is low-key, more stable and compatible with other major mods. Priority Earth Overhaul is bigger, more ambitious and buggier. Both are still being actively developed, so expect updates
Singleplayer Controller Support, MP Controller Support - mutually exclusive controller mods
BackOff - dialogue mod that adjusts how ME3 handles romances to make them easier to start, finish or avoid. Did you pick an upper-right dialogue option and accidentally end up marrying Liara? This mod stops that. Poor compability with other mods due to scale of changes, so I haven't used this
ThaneMod - one of the oldest mods, ThaneMod stops Thane from dying in the Citadel coup. Currently awaiting a major update. Also not great compatability with other mods. I haven't tried this mod either!
Same Gender Romances, FemShep and Miranda, FemShep and Jack - continuation of the ME2 mods, with the same kind of compatability issues. Not for me but some might be interested!
MEHEM, JAM, CEM, LIME - ending mods of different flavours. I don't use these mods so I don't really know what changes they make but whatever!

ALOT and ALOV have packs for Mass Effect 3. Again, there are a lot of complexion tweaks for major NPCs, and specific HD textures for individual weapons and armour.

If you look on the Nexus sites you will also see lots of ReShade presets and the like. ReShade is a generic post-processing injector that's entirely separate from content and texture modding. It's a bit out the scope of this post but if you want fancier graphical effects, then grab the framework and a preset you like and go hog wild. Unlike the other mods, you can do whatever whenever with it without potentially breaking the game.

CONCLUSION

So: as you probably guessed, a lot of this stuff - bug fixes, new graphics, ME1 gameplay tweaks - is gonna be in the Legendary Edition remaster, and to a higher (professional) standard. You could save yourself some hassle and just shell out for the remaster in three months time.

On the other hand, Warcraft 3 Reforged showed that you don't have to be an amateur mod developer working out of a bedroom to utterly gently caress a game beyond all salvaging. And if any of the new content or twists on old content strike your interest... well, that's probably not gonna make the jump to the remaster.

The original games are fairly cheap, cheaper if you wait for a sale, and if you're reading this thread chances are you already own all three anyway. If you don't mind putting in a bit of work, there's basically a community-sourced remaster right here, entirely for free.

It's worth a look.

Thanks to known player of mass effect Lieutenant Danger. You�re a real N7 in my book

Bismack Billabongo fucked around with this message at 16:35 on Jan 27, 2024

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 03:19

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# ¿ Apr 26, 2024 23:46

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Thanks. I made it myself

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 03:52

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

By game I�d have to say my favorites are wrex, then mordin, then wrex again.

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 04:04

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Here�s some songs from mass effect to put everyone in the mood to post about mass effect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IitCQCaKi3E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TCkFAzr924

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUKiOcV1SSc - this one�s good

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 04:21

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Apple2o posted:

Shepard became noticeably less psychotic throughout each version of the game. Mass effect 1 evil Shepard was such a bastard.

Mass effect 3 evil Shepard was a pushover, hardly able to murder his own scientist or something. Mass effect 1 Shepard could barely go a mission without executing somebody.

This is a good point but consider this: if you don�t punch Manuel not only are you doing yourself a disservice but you also are doing Kaidan a disservice by not showing him how things are gonna be going from here on out.

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 04:59

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Little known fact but actually Sentinel is the best class.

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 05:07

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

The Voice of Labor posted:

I liked the planetary rover sequences in mass effect 1.

Hmm. The bits with some actual structure, namely the main path planets, had fun truck sequences yeah. I like the idea of exploring in the rover on the uncharted planets but the execution was not great

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 06:16

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

For anybody interested in the remaster collection this seems like the most important info to me:

Alright, let's talk about the big stuff: gameplay changes to modernize Mass Effect 1. In terms of combat, there's improved aim assist with a stickier lock-on, allowing you to keep locked onto targets while strafing. There's finally a dedicated melee button too, and though weapons have been balanced and tuned across the trilogy, the changes are most prominent in ME1. A huge change in combat is the removal of class-based weapon restrictions and aim penalties. So you still can't train in weapons that your class isn't specialized in, but you can now use them without being penalized.

Lt. Danger posted:

drat op I wish I knew someone was making a new Mass Effect thread, I was gonna make a modding guide for anyone not getting the remaster

If you have anything big you want added feel free to post that stuff and I�ll add it in

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 18:17

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

DEEP STATE PLOT posted:

this is an extremely correct post

me1 also had the best story by a country mile

Nodding sagely at this post

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 18:19

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Nice lens flare

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 18:41

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Vega was a good character. So was javik who was definitely the best character in ME3

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 19:39

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

It would have been cool to get a little more time with him before the attack sequence at the beginning of the game. That whole segment was a total garbage hatchet job tho

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 19:55

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

I added those to the OP. Thanks

# ¿ Feb 2, 2021 22:42

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Rynoto posted:

The suicide mission was incredibly good and made the boss fight at the end seem comically stupid.

It is deeply deeply dumb and probably the most videogamey moment in the game. Something positive did come from it though, originally you would have had a boss fight with Sheen at the end of ME3 but they cut it out. Maybe they learned from the dumb pointless boss fight.

# ¿ Feb 3, 2021 00:52

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

The part at the end of ME3 with the Sheen confrontation is kind of lame but his last line if you cap him is probably my favorite thing the character does. I really hope the sequel doesn�t have him in it at all

# ¿ Feb 3, 2021 02:37

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

LionArcher posted:

I've never played these. So I'm excited to grab them for my PS5. (checks notes). Okay I'm happy to grab them for my PS4 up res when they are on sale or if I'm still stuck at home in May (hahaha of course I will be). All three will be worth $60 right?

Well sorry about all the spoilers! I would suggest not reading any more of this thread.

Anyway, yes, unless BioWare really butchers some technical stuff and the remasters run like garbage or something, the trilogy is definitely worth sixty bones. Dumb or not all three games are very very fun.

# ¿ Feb 3, 2021 23:44

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

It looks fine imo.

# ¿ Feb 4, 2021 02:40

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

My fave mass effect video is Mass Effect Club Movie but I won�t link it because it features a lot of extremely good sex scenes and butt stuff. Please tell me I�m not the only one who finds this video hilarious.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2021 03:31

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Pattonesque posted:

plus the bit with the Citadel coup where he jumps on top of the car and Shepard's response is to go "oh that's weird"

like try to shake him off or something man, cmon

Doesn�t Shepard shoot at him through the windshield or am I remembering wrong?

That whole sequence is dumb as gently caress haha.

# ¿ Feb 7, 2021 17:41

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Oxxidation posted:

one of the weirder/sadder side-stories of the Ends are Bad debacle was patrick weekes bitterly explaining the way walters and hudson shut out the rest of the team on a different forum (Penny Arcade i think) and being ratted out by another user there, which led to bioware censuring and muzzling him

just a shitshow all around

Lots of speculation!

# ¿ Feb 7, 2021 20:19

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

The second game also seems like it had a lot of people pulling in different directions during development as far as the story goes for example the heavy focus on Legion during promotional materials and his relatively speaking minor overall importance to the narrative. All the cut dialogue for Legion seems to suggest a lot of mishmash ideas changing on the fly I think the second game just had enough positive character work and other things going on that it wasn�t as big of a deal

# ¿ Feb 7, 2021 20:57

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

frajaq posted:

what are they going to give us to make up for the Miranda rear end shot

Mass effect will generate a nude Wrex.

# ¿ Feb 7, 2021 21:22

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Lt. Danger posted:

Bioware has always been a little uneven: Mass Effect 2 has "humans are genetically diverse", butt shots, a mis-balanced Suicide Mission, an awkward transition to working for Cerberus; Mass Effect 1 has Malthusian economics, Saren/Benezia, awful gameplay, a scientific explanation for psychic blue space babes

in turn Bioware aren't all that egregious - even Obsidian got in on the gaming-journalism-stunt-casting with the New Vegas DLCs

Mass effect 1s gameplay actually rules though?

# ¿ Feb 8, 2021 18:20

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

exquisite tea posted:

Saren kicking around a trash can inside Sovereign screaming RAAARGH! ARRGHHA! in Mass Effect 1 is the absolute lowest point in the trilogy and I'm including the star child here.

Ah man. That poo poo cracked me up the first time and it cracks me up now. Makes me think of Leon from Curb telling Larry to leave trash on the floor.

# ¿ Feb 8, 2021 20:13

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

I definitely would never advocate for letting wrex die in me1 but I almost think the worst case scenario tuchanka ending where you convince mordin to sabotage the cure because wreav is a dipshit and eve is dead is the most interesting one from a perspective of a sequel to ME3

# ¿ Feb 9, 2021 00:41

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Of course if there was never a followup then the �happy� ending is the most satisfying albeit kinda trite

# ¿ Feb 9, 2021 00:42

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Milkfred E. Moore posted:

Uh, I mean: Argh! Rarh! Argh!

# ¿ Feb 10, 2021 14:28

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Shirkelton posted:

Horrific, cosmic terror beasts are a bad choice for villains in an RPG, because at some point, they've got to fuckin' talk to you.

That first chat with sovereign in me1 at virmire is incredible. I like harbingers poo poo talking in me2 also before you find out he�s a reaper and not just the main collector.

# ¿ Feb 10, 2021 17:17

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Funky Valentine posted:

It's hosed up that Harbinger only shows up for ten seconds at the end of ME3 and he doesn't even taunt you for old times' sake.

Agreed. It�s cool that he�s the one that shoots you and all but definitely would have liked more mess talking from him.

# ¿ Feb 10, 2021 17:27

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

I think we can all agree: lift is better than singularity.

# ¿ Feb 11, 2021 02:19

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

BWAMMMMP

# ¿ Feb 11, 2021 02:21

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

I liked in ME3 how the turian counselor was the most helpful of the three

# ¿ Feb 12, 2021 04:33

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Ashley is the lower ranking soldier and should be sacrificed every time. Bye ashley

# ¿ Feb 12, 2021 19:25

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Funky See Funky Do posted:

I just fired up Andromeda again because maybe this time around I know what to expect so it won't be so bad. As soon as I got to "*gasp* We made it." it all came flooding back. Made as far as the first moment the UI lock ended and I could quit to desktop.

E: I want to play a space game dammit. Are there any hidden good ones out there?

Play Metroid prime trilogy

# ¿ Feb 13, 2021 05:07

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

I didn�t play andromeda but the benefactor person was clearly going to be good ol Tim

# ¿ Feb 14, 2021 16:44

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Olanphonia posted:

It seemed implied to me that the benefactor went with you to Andromeda

I didn�t play it so you�re probably right but just reading the wiki entry made me assume it was going to be a Cerberus thing. People can�t let go of their pet characters lol

# ¿ Feb 14, 2021 21:42

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

I mean it�s better then Fable.

# ¿ Feb 16, 2021 02:11

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Mass effect andromeda: it�s better than fAble

# ¿ Feb 16, 2021 02:11

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Simone Magus posted:

Right, the actual engine and general gameplay feel are perfectly cromulent. Graphics are very nice sometimes, the planets look gorgeous.

But... the writing is agonizingly generic and boring, the encounter design is somehow worse than in Dragon Age 2, and the actual "gamefeel" is wrecked because there are times when you'll spend 2 or 3 hours just running back and forth with no combat, no choices, no real anything happening.

I've always said that the biggest reason I think ME2 is regarded so ludicrously highly, despite being a sequel to a mediocre jank fest and prequel to a wet fart, is because the actual act of playing it is so well done.

I've replayed ME2 like 15 times. There are less than 20 games I've replayed even once. And I truly believe the biggest reason is that ME2 goes like this

You boot it up, you load your save, you pick a mission, you go do that mission and you get to shoot and talk a bit and then you're done with it forever.

You never have to worry about going back to look for stupid collectibles. You literally can't return to mission areas! You never have to spend 45 minutes crafting or looking for better gear. There's like 7 guns in the entire game and it's awesome!

I agree with almost all of this but me1 was not mediocre, don�t besmirch my baby like this. Don�t do this to me

Jank fest, yes obviously but cmon. Even if you think the gameplay is total dogshit which is a valid opinion to have albeit one I don�t share but the story, music, visual style, idiotic side plots.....cmon

# ¿ Feb 16, 2021 05:04

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# ¿ Apr 26, 2024 23:46

Bismack Billabongo: Oct 9, 2012; Wet

Dapper_Swindler posted:

i feel like with tali and garrus, the writers wernt really sure what was going underneath the armor or the suits or whatever. like i am pretty sure tali/quarians were intended to me more cyborgy or whatever,

and do turians even have dicks? are they like reptiles with two or are they like ducks where its like a weird canon thing that shoots out and than disinigrates/falls off.

I don�t want to address this and would prefer to move to an adjacent topic.

which mass effect aliens have the best sex toys

I�m going turians

# ¿ Feb 17, 2021 05:05

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > mass effect - Felt pretty silly after naming my Shepard "The Normandy Crew"

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