Mass Effect 3 Review in Progress Part 1: The basics (This is just page 3-4 of the Q & A link below)
Mass Effect 3 Review in Progress Part 2: Q & A (19 Questions & Answers)
Mass Effect 3 Review in Progress Part 3: Final Update NEW
ARTICLES
The Galaxy Map
The Normandy
The Atlas Mech
VIDEOS
Exploring the Galaxy Map
Mars Combat
Hijacking an atlas (Video's background MAY be a spoiler)
A Tour of the New Normandy
Attempting to download From Ashes DLC (Not really that important since they fail)
Tour of the Citadel NEW (BLASTO!!!!) (1:02 - Sheppard AI?!)
Meet the Brute NEW
From the IGN Review in Progress - Day 1
On PS3 Issues
It's also worth noting that a few technical issues arise on the PS3 version as soon as you start playing, too. Fairly serious framerate issues plague the opening cinematic on Earth, and while this particular problem clears up as you play further through the game via future cutscenes, these hitches certainly concerned me early on. Likewise, lip-syncing is almost always off and characters sometimes appear stiff and can even flicker in and out of cutscenes when camera angles change.
The good news is that these problems don't injure a title that relies almost entirely on its otherwise top-notch presentation. If you can get past these sorts of aesthetical hiccups, you'll find a title drowning in a deep, well-fleshed out story surrounded by intriguing characters, both familiar and unfamiliar.
On shooting mechanics
In fact, I rather enjoy Mass Effect 3's combat, and find it stronger than most third-person shooters. That speaks volumes about a game where story and role-playing sit paramount over actual gameplay.
On war assets and Exploration
Now, your focus apart from questing is on developing and retaining precious war assets while scanning the known galaxy's solar systems for a much more limited array of planets to land on, items to find and more.
From the IGN Review in Progress - Day 2 - Q & A
On touching moments
Colin answers... Mass Effect 3 portrays inter-character stories exceptionally well. So far during my playthrough, Mass Effect 3 has turned in some of the most touching moments in the entire series, and I expect more to come.
On how the PS3 version feels
But when you get into the nitty-gritty, undeniable technical problems present themselves in the game. The problems have subsided for me on PlayStation 3 the further I've gotten into the game, and I don't think it's because I've "gotten used to" what I am seeing. Things really seem to have improved. Why that is remains to be seen.
On reputation
The conclusion we've thus drawn is that Reputation contributes to your Paragon or Renegade standing generally, but that Reputation points in a vacuum are given neutrally and contribute to your character's slant. Either way, your Reputation seems to give you extra cachet with characters during conversations in addition to the typical Paragon and Renegade conversation options.
On Side Quests
One of the more unfortunate aspects of Mass Effect 3, therefore, is that a lot of the game's side quest have very little to do with that larger Reaper threat, and have more to do with ancillary tasks. Some of these tasks -- such as N7 missions -- do connect to the game's main narrative, but there's enough disconnected from the main story that many things admittedly seem out of place.
There are other concerns I have with side quests. One concern centers on the sheer amount of random side quests earned when running through places like the Citadel. Overhearing random characters speaking triggered side quests in past Mass Effect games, but in Mass Effect 3, this is brought to an almost absurd level. You can earn multiple side quests within a minute of each other by running through a new area of the Citadel, for instance, without having known to listen to the actual conversations for context. And the codex does a poor job of explaining your actual task. All of this comes off as a bit sloppy and unnecessary.
The other complaint pertains to side quest timing. I've failed several side quests because I didn't do them soon enough, but you're never given much of an explanation of timeliness, or given fair warning that time is even a threat. So take heed from my experience, and knock out side quests as soon as you earn them. Otherwise, you may eventually get cut off from them forever.
From the IGN Review in Progress - Day 3 - Final Update
On comparison to ME2
Mass Effect 3 actually felt weaker in many ways when compared to Mass Effect 2 just because it set the bar so high. But now, my feelings have markedly changed.
This change only made itself clear 15 or 20 hours into the game, when it becomes overwhelmingly obvious how intricately woven the sum parts of the Mass Effect series are. I found myself continually shaking my head in awe as things came together, not only from Mass Effect 2, but from Mass Effect itself. Even though I'm playing "fresh" on PlayStation 3, my extensive experience with Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 on Xbox 360 allowed me to appreciate all of the odes, both major and minor, being thrown out to characters, events and conversations that had occurred in previous games.
On overall thoughts
Mass Effect 3 marks the culmination of the most engrossing, engaging and entertaining story ever told in gaming's winding history.
Modifié par Abisco, 02 mars 2012 - 03:39 .
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