59 réponses à ce sujet

[LadyKarrakaz]

Hello everyone!


I've read a lot about Mass Effect (1) and feel attracted to the game. I've never played it, and can't decide if I want to buy it or not. It seems they're (only, compared to DAO) 40 hours of gameplay, and thing that is a problem to me, it seems that ME is more a shooter than a role playing game. 
Assuming that on these forums, there are only RPG fans, I thought I should seek your advice.

Knowing that I can't stand shooter, what shoud I do?
- buy the game, because the story is great anyway, and the shooting thing  is not too present/hard
- don't buy it and keep on waiting for DAO

Thanks. 

[Mystranna Kelteel]

The shooting is not hard; it's way less intense and twitch-based than a typical shooter style game. But it is a shooter where you have to aim and all that. You can pause and aim and play slow and tactically choosing your skills from the wheel, or you can just run and gun, whichever you prefer.



The RPG aspects are good. The story is good, the dialogue is good, so it's a good RPG, and I think you'd enjoy it despite the shooter elements.



Also, for a complete playthrough, it's probably closer to 30 hours your first time, 20 if you're quick, but 40 seems like a lot.





All in all, I'd say it's more RPG than shooter in general, but the combat is more actiony most RPG's like KOTOR or NWN. But the ability to pause the combat whenever you want to aim and use your abilities makes it pretty fun.

[LadyKarrakaz]

Thank you Mystranna, the active pausing is going to help me for sure. I was tempted, you just decided me. Any story written by Bioware I'm sure is worth it, I was just afraid that the mechanics of the game itself would spoil it.



Thank you for the quick answer!

[LdyShayna]

I can't stand shooters either. I haven't played one in...errr...at least a decade. Maybe two. I found the first 15 hours of Mass Effect arm-gnawingly frustrating. I wasn't used to the camera positioning of a third person shooter, pausing to aim was of very limited usefulness, and early on I didn't seem to have the kinds of abilities I needed to survive. I was reloading from death every ten minutes on normal difficulty (and this average takes into account non-combat situations like dialog and exploring). My husband claims I used words he didn't think I knew. I couldn't tell you why I refused to turn the difficulty down. It was irrational, so perhaps you would enjoy it at a lower difficulty.



However, eventually, I found an approach that worked for me. I got used to the camera, and got some basic skills in strafing and taking cover while still being able to give my team commands. Also, my character finally got Lift, and floating enemies are much easier to aim at.



The story was quite enjoyable, however, and in the end I came out over-all liking the game. However, I can't bring myself to replay it, and I hear that Mass Effect 2 will make more prominent those aspects of gameplay I didn't like, so I'm saddened that I will not be seeing the end of the story.

[Mystranna Kelteel]

Now I'm going to feel guilty if you don't like it.

[LadyKarrakaz]

Thanks LadyShayna, happy to see I'm not the only one not loving shooters. I tried playing quake once, but err.... just not my thing I guess (and I also have to confess I was awfully bad too).

Glad to know that you came over your dislike of FPS while playing ME, the game must be worth it for sure if you accepted to endure so much frustration. Thanks for your gameplay advice, I think I'll give the game a try.

You seem to be of a different opinion than Mystranna concerning active pausing. No real help? Hum... For sure, i'll try to play at normal level of difficulty, but if it gets too hard, I sure will turn it down. If I could avoid combat altogether and just enjoy the story, I'd do it gladly.

However, most important thing is the story, I you did loved it, I suppose I will! The companions seem pretty good.



Thank you for the long answer.

[LadyKarrakaz]

Mystranna Kelteel wrote...

Now I'm going to feel guilty if you don't like it.

Don't, I'll just send you the bill !

I think I would have decided to give it a try anyway, but wanted to be sure the FPS thingy was not a major turndown. 

[Coverten]

Welcome to the world of forums. At least your all saying something interesting.



I found Mass effect to be a very enjoyable game. However I do agree with LdyShayna that the re-playability with is lacking. The controls did take some time to get use to, but once I did I'll still take Mass Effects control setup over many other games I've played.

[Mystranna Kelteel]

No replayability?

I've logged over 300 hours in ME and have 30 different characters.

[vwogho]

Trust me the story is great. I really don't care for FPS games but ME was really nice. Like Mystranna said the pause and play should allow you to aim and give your party commands without too much grief.

[vwogho]

As for replayability I would also have to go with kelteel on that one. I have over 10 characters in ME and I have well over 250 hours so yeah.. the value is there.

[LadyKarrakaz]

Seems there are very divided opinions about the game re-playability and mechanics, but you seem all to agree that the experience, at least once, is worth it. That's why I'll give it a try.

Thank you everyone, BTW, now that I am decided, you can turn this thread into a debate on ME if you want, just don't spoil the story for me please

Modifié par Purple Lady, 24 octobre 2009 - 01:58 .

[Anacronian Stryx]

I guess the RPG is best referred to as being "lite" .. but still it's an good game.

[LadyKarrakaz]

Thanks Anacronian Stryx, I think I've made my decision now. A good game with a story is what I am looking for. I reckon the "lite" version of story, from Bioware, is much more than the full version of many other game stories.

[the_one_54321]

it's an FPS with very heavy RPG undertones.



it sounds like a really good game either way. ive never gotten it because the PC version has SecuROM and i dont and will not ever own an xbox.

[BLACK RAVEN21]

I'm a big Fan most of the games in my collection RPGs and i have a few shooters. Mass Effect has an amazing story in my opinion. I love the game more so for the story than anything else. The shooter aspics of the game aren't hard to figure out and get use to. For a rpg fan the battle Skill wheel will be a big help.



I agree with Mystranna that if you can get past the shooter elements of Mass Effect it a great game. I believe it actually does have a fairly good replay value as well.

[BLACK RAVEN21]

I told a buddy, who isn't really a RPG fan (he prefers shooters like Halo and such), about Mass Effect and how good it was in my opinion. He was so curious about it that Mass Effect ended up being the 1st Game he brought and played on the Xb360. He actually ended up loving the Rpg elements of the game more than the Shooter elements.

[Sornin]

I disagree with the above poster and contend that Mass Effect is far more of an RPG than a shooter.

Firstly, the shooting action can be paused and commands can be issued, so it features stop-and-start strategic gameplay, a staple of many RPGs. You can command squad members to use biotics, which are basically spells, that are fire-and-forget, just like RPGs.

Secondly, the combat portions are governed predominantly by statistics, not skill. The motor skills required in Mass Effect are minimal - the combat is more about thinking than doing. Compare this to a game like Halo.

Finally, Mass Effect is highly story-driven and features a ton of quests and plot development. You spend more time running around and talking to people than you do fighting.

The combat style of the game should not necessarily dictate its genre. I think it is easy to label Mass Effect as a shooter but, if that were true, it would be a terrible one - no difficulty, no replayability, and too much relies on statistics, gear, and hidden rolls. Also, people looking for a shooter would summarize the whole story as "tl;dr".

[LadyKarrakaz]

the_one_54321 wrote...

it's an FPS with very heavy RPG undertones.

it sounds like a really good game either way. ive never gotten it because the PC version has SecuROM and i dont and will not ever own an xbox.

Hoping the heavy RPG undertones will make me able to bear the shooter part...

I hate SECUROM with passion! This st.... security programm told me to insert my NWN2 Disc inside my computer although it was already here. Prevented me from playing the game I had bought with both expansions. I actually had to download hacks to break securom and be able to play the game. 
I remember doing a happy dance when it was said DAO was not protected with it....


@ Black Raven 21

Thank you for the reporting your experience! I'm glad the RPG part is really present. I really can't stand shooters. Your friend experience gives me hope.

[aragfore03]

I would suggest buying it and playing as an adept. You might enjoy that play style. I personally loved the game and I can't stand your average shooter.

[LadyKarrakaz]

Sornin wrote...

I disagree with the above poster and contend that Mass Effect is far more of an RPG than a shooter.

Firstly, the shooting action can be paused and commands can be issued, so it features stop-and-start strategic gameplay, a staple of many RPGs. You can command squad members to use biotics, which are basically spells, that are fire-and-forget, just like RPGs.

Secondly, the combat portions are governed predominantly by statistics, not skill. The motor skills required in Mass Effect are minimal - the combat is more about thinking than doing. Compare this to a game like Halo.

Finally, Mass Effect is highly story-driven and features a ton of quests and plot development. You spend more time running around and talking to people than you do fighting.

The combat style of the game should not necessarily dictate its genre. I think it is easy to label Mass Effect as a shooter but, if that were true, it would be a terrible one - no difficulty, no replayability, and too much relies on statistics, gear, and hidden rolls. Also, people looking for a shooter would summarize the whole story as "tl;dr".

Yeah for sure, the story in most FPS can be summed up in three words: "kill them all". I'm not that much into it...
The strategic aspect of combat is really interesting. We can give orders to our companions? I thought they were much independent NPCs. Can we switch views and not be Shepard anymore? I don't remember something like that, so I guess it must be giving commands like heal or stay right?

Nice to know the statistics/skill influence ingame. LdyShayna said that her first hours of gameplay were difficult, but eased when she got the right stats/talents. So, I'll have to check carefully what I choose.

Story driven? That's why I'm here! Really wish to experiment a new great story and ME really appealed to me because of its new universe.

Thank you for giving your opinion here! Much appreciated.

[LadyKarrakaz]

aragfore03 wrote...

I would suggest buying it and playing as an adept. You might enjoy that play style. I personally loved the game and I can't stand your average shooter.

adept? Hum, I'll go check the classes and see! Thanks for the tip!

And great, another one not loving the average FPS but gave ME a try and did not regret it. You're backing my choice to give ME a try.

[Panderfringe]

It is both. It also a very, very good game.

[maerae]

FPS' are not always my cup of tea. I like stories,I like slower combat,but I've also come to love playing some (Left 4 Dead,anyone? ) of those types of games. The first time playing through ME,I had to play on easy till I got used to the combat.



Trust me it may be confusing or hard for the first 20 minutes,but you pick it up pretty quick. I also have to say compared to Unreal and Left 4 dead and many others,ME is no where near a shooter game.

[GhoXen]

It can't be a FPS. It's not first-person.



It's more of an RPG than Diablo, less of an RPG than NWN. All in all, it's an excellent game and deserves a try.