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First review from German PC Magazine Gamestar Surfaces


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#1
hagren

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 Here's a summary:

-15-20 hour-long main quest
-Around 40 hours playtime in total- side missions are vital to amass enough opposition to the Reaper threat
-90 minutes of cutscenes
-No loose ends or cliffhangers, the game is truly an appropriate end to the trilogy with a very intense and touching finale
-More than 100 scenes, conversations and/or events change depending on our choices after importing a save-game from ME2- from something small like someone thanking us for completing a mission to bigger repercussions which would be to spoilerous to write down- you are definitely going to feel the consequences, and not always like them
-SPOILER: In order to rally allies, we search for a cure for the Genophage, build a Prothean weapon, disarm a Cerberus bomb before it destroys half of a moon, and are even inserted virtually in a computer program
-If and how many of these quests we complete influences how the game ends, and who- individually and globally- survives
-While the game can be enjoyable for newcomers as well, because the game is strong on its own mechanically and story-wise, it is recommended to play the first two entries to make more sense out of the wealth of information that the game builds on
-There's an interesting sequence after the end credits
-The „Role-Play“ mode of the game (In contrast to „Action“ and „Story“) feels very much like ME1
-The game gives you more opportunity to customize your Shepard. Each class has 8 talents with 6 levels each, and up from Level 4 there are two branches to choose from to level up each individual talent differently. Weapon customization is also a factor and noticeable, but the effects (which have both pros and cons) are only marginal
-Balancing isn't optimal
-The game is noticeably more difficult up from „Medium“, which makes using the correct weapon mods and talents integral to survive. Shepard also shoots more accurately in cover.
-The AI, on the other hand, is still not very advanced
-SPOILER: You are going to visit Krogan ruins, a Geth ship and the Turian moon Palaven, among others
-There are multiple turret sections which aren't very well directed
-Despite the shortcomings in level design, which are similar to ME2, the game is constantly thrilling, spectacular and dramatic- largely thanks to the well-presented story and dialogue- and there are lot of small and large choices again to ponder on
-Scanning isn't nearly as repetitive as before, because it works a lot quicker now and incorporates a new mini-game where you have to navigate your ship away from Reaper threat
-The new melee option is fun, but a little overpowered
-Graphically, the low polycount, lack of detail and low texture resolution disappoints- the characters are well animated and modeled however, and the overall look, despite its age, is quite moody
-Great dynamic soundtrack and sound-effects
-Our progress in the war effort is constantly trackable on a terminal on the Normandy

In summary, the game builds on the strenghts of ME2 and takes some notes from ME1 to create the most compelling experience in the franchise yet. 

Edited by hagren, 25 February 2012 - 04:28 PM.


#2
FluffyScarf

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Sounds good. But low texture resolution? Guess it wasn't just a demo problem then. And level design...well, ME 1 didn't have great level design either.

Edited by FluffyScarf, 25 February 2012 - 11:53 AM.


#3
hagren

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They played the PS3 version, but supposedly, the PC version gets a high-res texture pack. They could not test that yet, though.

#4
FluffyScarf

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Any chance in changing the thread title? You know what BSN is like. They only read the title before overreacting.

If they see PC, then 'low resolution textures', this will balloon out to 50 pages of complaining.

Edited by FluffyScarf, 25 February 2012 - 11:56 AM.


#5
Gibb_Shepard

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Turret sections? I hate turret sections.

#6
AllThatJazz

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Oh, BSN I am disappoint, even knowing you so well. This sounds like a really positive review, textures aside, and not one 'WOOOHOOO!'. Well now there's one. 'Role Play feels very much like ME1'? Come on! WOOHOO!

#7
Wulfram

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Not much really new, I guess. Gameplay time seems maybe a little short, though you'd really have to know how long they took on previous ME games to make a comparison.

#8
FluffyScarf

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PS3 version mind you. Textures should be better on PC. Should, not will though.

#9
Commander Dariush Shepard

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"Interesting sequence after the credits"......Hmm...

#10
Warden130

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WOOHOO! can't wait to hear the other reviews that will be coming out for the next couple of weeks.

#11
Amyntas

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Why did a PC magazine review the PS3 version?

#12
LivingHitokiri

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The textures on PC where already miles better than the consoles on the demo, i do not see why it should lowered at the full one.
Leaving the textures aside the story is what we need most.

#13
Vez04

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This review i couldent care less about, the author reviewed it on PS3, and ME3 has got endless of complains of PS3 (when it comes to graphics/fps) ever since the demo launched.

So seeing this is also in the full game, im not suprised.

#14
FluffyScarf

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Good question. PC version is still 'locked'. Maybe they just wanted to say 'first!'

#15
Spaghetti_Ninja

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-The „Role-Play“ mode of the game (In contrast to „Action“ and „Story“) feels very much like ME1

Really? They didn't cut out any of the huge improvements from ME2, did they?

Edited by Spaghetti_Ninja, 25 February 2012 - 12:08 PM.


#16
RamirezWolfen

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Judging by this review, it looks like either an 8/10 or 8.5/10.

That's pretty good to me.

#17
DenizYe

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You all should know that Gamestar is a german magazine being very skeptical and are moaning about many things, so this is a pretty decent review i guess :)

And yea: They gave ME3 a 9/10 
here is their rating:
Sound 10/10
Quests/Plot 10/10
Charaters 10/10
Combat 8/10 (because of "stupid" AI)
And all other areas 9/10 (don't know which areas they mean)

And they gave ME1 85/100
                           ME2 87/100
so ME3 will likely get 90/100
nice development
____

source:  http://www.masseffec...ts--id-861.html (german + SPOILERS)

Edited by DenizYe, 25 February 2012 - 12:14 PM.


#18
Chewin

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hagren wrote...

-There's an interesting sequence after the end credits


A 'flashback' of your choices and consequences would be nice.

#19
Gibb_Shepard

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Chewin3 wrote...

hagren wrote...

-There's an interesting sequence after the end credits


A 'flashback' of your choices and consequences would be nice.


I'm guessing it's a set up to a future spin off. Like a baby reaper slowly opening it's eyes as the camera zooms in with ominous music playing in the background.

#20
LivingHitokiri

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Lets just hope it wont end like Final Fantasy XIII-2 ended with the " to be continued" note >.>

#21
Warden130

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DenizYe wrote...

You all should know that Gamestar is a german magazine being very skeptical and are moaning about many things, so this is a pretty decent review i guess :)

And yea: They gave ME3 a 9/10 
here is their rating:
Sound 10/10
Quests/Plot 10/10
Charaters 10/10
Combat 8/10 (because of "stupid" AI)
And all other areas 9/10 (don't know which areas they mean)
____

source:  http://www.masseffec...ts--id-861.html (german + SPOILERS)



From what I have played in the demo, the AI seems alot smarter than in the other ME games. Hell, smarter than in alot of games. Maybe they are refering to squad member AI, that AI always seems to be worse than the enemy AI for some reason.

#22
JaegerBane

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hagren wrote...

They played the PS3 version, but supposedly, the PC version gets a high-res texture pack. They could not test that yet, though.


That's good to know.

Interesting points in the review. I am seriously stoked for this game. :D

#23
FluffyScarf

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Thanks Deniz for the scores. If an usually skeptical company gives ME3 a 9, I wonder what IGN/GS would give it...

#24
Chala

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hagren wrote...

They played the PS3 version, but supposedly, the PC version gets a high-res texture pack. They could not test that yet, though.

We have high res textures?
Really?
I heard that we have the same ones used on consoles.

#25
JaegerBane

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Warden130 wrote...

DenizYe wrote...

You all should know that Gamestar is a german magazine being very skeptical and are moaning about many things, so this is a pretty decent review i guess :)

And yea: They gave ME3 a 9/10 
here is their rating:
Sound 10/10
Quests/Plot 10/10
Charaters 10/10
Combat 8/10 (because of "stupid" AI)
And all other areas 9/10 (don't know which areas they mean)
____

source:  http://www.masseffec...ts--id-861.html (german + SPOILERS)



From what I have played in the demo, the AI seems alot smarter than in the other ME games. Hell, smarter than in alot of games. Maybe they are refering to squad member AI, that AI always seems to be worse than the enemy AI for some reason.


That's odd. I personally thought the same when I played the demo - in fact there was one scenario that stuck in my mind - in the area with the Varren attacking the cerberus soldier in the Salarian level, I ordered Garrus and Liara to take cover on the lower level while I ran up the top. After cleaning that out I opened fire on the Cerberus soldiers advancing on the lower level - once one soldier got hit, the other three all moved to take cover under the overhand I was standing on, so I couldn't even get out of cover to keep shooting, I had to run to the other side of the balcony.. That felt like good AI.