Questa discussione ha avuto 55 risposte

[ErikModi]

Just bought downloaded yesterday.  Being a PS3 owner, I snapped up ME2 when it was first released for that console, because I'd heard such amazing things about the series.  Loved it, and pre-ordered ME3, and really like it as well.  Most of my quibbles from ME2 to ME3 were rather minor, and with the release of the extended ending, I'm a lot happier.  So since I had some spare cash, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about in the original Mass Effect.

 

Gotta say, I am not impressed.

 

Started my favorite character class from 2 and 3, the Sentinel.  ME3 Multiplayer introduced me to the Turian Sentinel, and I promptly switched from Infiltrator (my class of choice for my first male Sheppard through ME2 and 3) to Sentinel.  Love the Tech Armor and the mix of biotic and tech abilities.  Great all around class, even better when supported by good, synergistic squadmates.

 

So when I rolled a Sentinel in ME1, I was just a bit dismayed to find out my weapon, armor, and power selection was, well. . . lackluster.  Only pistols and light armor, which moves Sentinel firmly out of its "control tank" roll and into "just control."  No Warp, invest a lot of points to get Overload, and no Tech Armor?  Barrier is interesting, but it's too short-term to be a reliable damage-soaking ability.  Thankfully, at least the control scheme was alterable so I could move it back into the ME2/3 configuration.

 

And the Mako. . . oh, boy.  I loved the Hammerhead in ME2, wish there were more missions involving it, and missed it in ME3.  But driving the Mako in ME1 just bites.  The steering sucks, the turret control is nice, but not at the expense of manuverability.  The weapons seem barely effective save as anti-personnel, and spending precious omni-gel to heal the thing is going to get very annoying very quickly, I suspect.

 

Which leads me to the "hacking" minigames.  Oh, frustrating.  Getting the buttons hit quick enough for the game is too difficult, and the locks require more omni-gel to bypass than seems feasible, especially if your Mako keeps getting beat up.  I'm almost tempted to skip them, since the equipment rewards in-game seem to be as lackluster as everything else.  Few, if any, straight improvements, at best a step sideways, and usually a step backwards (20 extra damage doesn't exactly thrill me when it comes with 20 less accuracy, and hitting enemies reliably is already a challenge.)  This is actually something of a complaint I have across all BioWare games, which was somewhate averted in ME3.  The "lockpicking" skills seem like little more than an XP or Character Class tax to get a few bonus items here and there.  Especially noticable in Dragon Age (at least for me), the ability to open locked doors and chests seems less like an intrinsic part of gameplay and more like "here's your item bonus for bringing a character that break into things."  The minigames in ME1 and 2 at least tried to make it interesting, but in ME1, you still need to have invested a certain amount of skill points in your "hacking" abilities to try opening something at a certain level, so it still feels like little more than an XP tax on some marginally useful items.  Hopefully, if BioWare continues to implement "open lock" type abilities in future games, they'll make it more interesting and useful than just a reward for a specific XP sink.

 

Speaking of gear. . . yeah, the gear system bugs me.  I gotta say, looking at where it started, I'm really glad the series moved progressively towards the "action" side of the "action RPG."  I'm usually pretty good at determining upgrades from gear, but this system is just too nonsensical for me.  The improvements seem marginal at best, usually a wash, and often worse then what you already have.

 

Now, granted, I'm still pretty early in the game (on my way to pick up Liara now), but I have to say, if I'd started with Mass Effect 1, I probably would not have been hooked into the series as much as I am.  The writing and characters are still great, but as Yahtzee says, "BioWare doesn't get credit for that from me anymore."  It's pretty much a constant that BioWare games are well-written and well-characterized, but that's only half of what makes a game great.  The best I can say about the original Mass Effect in terms of gameplay is "playable," and that's not much.

[SwobyJ]

Usually when you go backwards in a series, the gameplay gets worse (unless something goes horribly wrong).

 

Personally:

Eden Prime --> Citadel --> Therum = boringgggg but ok in ways

Feros --> Novaria --> Terra Nova (DLC) = eh alright, but not enough for me to be in love with Mass Effect

Virmire --> ??? --> ??? (final areas) = Oh my! Wow! I'm likin this! When's the next one?

[capn233]

The series changed pretty dramatically gameplay-wise between ME1 and ME2.  The only trademark power from the later games that is in the first one is Singularity.

 

As for Sentinel, you are a decent tank because you have Barrier, can get Barrier Specialization in one of the class specialties, and you have Medicine to reduce the CD on medigel.  No you don't tank as well as Soldier (since he gets Heavy Armor and Immunity), but the Soldier class has absolutely 0 innate CC.

[ErikModi]

Yeah, I figured there'd be some "backpeddaling" going to the first game after playing the second and third, but I honestly didn't expect that much.  It's like a completely different game.

 

Good to know that things "pick up" a bit as you get deeper.  I plan to do one complete playthrough anyway, though it may be only one (especially since I'm not positive if this downloaded ME1 will import saves into my store-bought ME2).

 

A few powers seem to be present, though slightly different in function, like Throw and Overload.  Oh, and adding the ability to "curve" powers is a HUGE DEAL.  I'm so used to popping an enemy out of cover with Throw or Warp in 2/3 that the lack of ability to do so in 1 is annoying.  Also the lack of quick buttons.  One power you can activate with one button press, everything else uses the wheel.  Oh, well.  It should teach me to be more conscious about opening the wheel to use other powers in the later games, if nothing else.

[SwobyJ]

If you're doing the Uncharted Worlds sidequests then I suggest you check out the Mass Effect Wiki pages for each planet you visit because they'll show which locations to head to for every reward.

Take Tali/Kaidan/Garrus with you (if you're not one to level up Decryption+Electronics for Shepard) and focus on their lock opening abilities. Once you get Master for both (for any character in your party), you should be good for anything.

 

Thresher Maws are a ******, no way around it.

BTW Scan the Keepers in the Citadel can bug out if you do too many map transitions before getting the Keeper in human embassies. On playthroughs I tend to get this quest asap and complete it asap just in case.

 

I tend to like to play the game in this order, at least for 'MainShep':

1. Eden Prime (tutorial, get Kaidan and Ashley)

2. Citadel (intro, full sweep of sidequests, get Tali, and at least either Garrus or Wrex)

3. Therum (get Liara)

4. Feros

5. Sweep of sidequests --> Citadel handins and new quests

6. Novaria (pretty good to bring Liara but not necessary at all)

7. Sweep of sidequests --> Citadel handins and new quests(?)

8. Bring Down the Sky DLC + Pinnacle Station DLC

9. FULL FINAL sweep of ALL sidequests --> Final Citadel handins and new quests = Point of No Return

10. Virmire (major events)

11. Citadel (main story, a couple new sidequests in it)

12. ???

13. ??? (ending areas)

 

#1-3 can be bogged down and I've even fallen asleep running through the Citadel.

#4-9 can be okay, but only if you take your time and do things like that Wiki suggestion I gave you for UCW (ugh Mako).

#10-11 is awesome

#12-13 made me a fan, and that interest doesn't let up as I went into ME2

 

After every main mission (Citadel, Therum, Feros, Novaria, Virmire, ???) imo you should talk to your crew. Not necessary outside of that.

[ErikModi]

Hmm.  I noticed some Keepers I'm sure I hadn't scanned aren't scannable, and I still need two more to finish the quest.  Is that what you mean by "bugging out?"

[SwobyJ]

Hmm.  I noticed some Keepers I'm sure I hadn't scanned aren't scannable, and I still need two more to finish the quest.  Is that what you mean by "bugging out?"

 

In the Elcor/Volus embassy room, there is supposed to be a scannable Keeper, but every time you do a certain thing (can't remember if it's saving, or leaving/entering the Citadel, or map transitions), there's a bug there that Keeper keeps 'respawning' lower and lower 'down' the map until he's so far underground that you could never interact with him.

[ErikModi]

Well, I got that one pretty early, I'm sure.

[Vermigs]

Hmm.  I noticed some Keepers I'm sure I hadn't scanned aren't scannable, and I still need two more to finish the quest.  Is that what you mean by "bugging out?"

 

Some easy to miss ones:

• Normandy docking bay - All the way up the ramp, to the right
• All the way in the back of the Emporium (Hanar shop keeper) on the citadel. Go up the stairs, take a left.
• Wards Access corridor. Take the elevator down from the Presidium where the preaching Hanar is. Last room on the left before the elevator to take you to the Wards.
• Past Admiral Kahoku in the tower. Really you should just scour the Tower regardless because those ones are tucked away to the side.

If you didn't scan the one in the embassy and you still can't see him, save and load while standing in the volus/eclor embassy and he should reappear.

http://masseffect.wi...epers#Presidium

[ErikModi]

Got the last two.  Tucked away in corners in the Council Chambers.

[Undead Han]

The BSN can give a false impression of the first game to a player who just has played one or both of the sequels. Because of the nostalgia factor of being the first game to get most players hooked on the series, it tends to be massively overrated on these forums.

 

Anyone who is willing to remove the nostalgia goggles for a moment will admit that the gameplay improved by leaps and bounds in the sequels, that character interaction with the companions improved throughout the series, and that while the main plot of Mass Effect was fun and entertaining...it isn't the flawless piece of writing that the BSN sometimes claims it is.

 

I love Mass Effect and it remains one of my favorite games of all time. But if you jump back into that game after having recently played one of the sequels, it really becomes obvious how much the series has improved in many areas.

 

The first game did have a better ending than Mass Effect 3 though. I will give it that.

[cap and gown]

OP I totally agree with you. I started in ME3, then went and got ME1 and ME2. I absolutely detest ME1, but I fell in love with ME2. I actually bought ME: Genesis to see if I could get around playing ME1. I found out, however, that Genesis does a very, very poor job of setting up ME2. So now if I want a brand new Shepard I trudge through ME1. At least it gives me a chance to get a feel for who my new Shepard is by having him/her make decisions based on the psyche I am trying to impart on him/her.

[meganbytes]

yeah the controls and everything is a backpedal sense it is the first game. kinda sucked but didnt totally ruin it. i have playstation 3 too so i played ME1 last. i do think it was pretty different. i wasnt expecting that to be the case but it was. what i liked better about it was the larger areas that felt more free to roam around in - like the citadel. and i liked the ending of the first one a lot. it really added to the story of the second two. i actually think the mako was fun. but also i think the areas where a little too big. i didnt really enjoy driving around planets looking for minerals and anomalies. i pretty much skipped most of them. i liked the feel of the first one i guess but it was a bit too big with not enough stuff in-between. the main missions were fun tho and i enjoyed my squad of corse. so yeah i liked it but not everyone will, especially sense its pretty different from the 2nd and 3rd. 

[ErikModi]

So, I've gotten a bit farther.  Picked up Liara and run some side missions, and had my first run-in with Cerberus (an Alliance black-ops division?  Really?  Boy, did they change THAT story a lot between games.)  Things are getting better.  Straight gear upgrades are becoming more common (in the sense that "this model of weapon/gear/armor is better in every way then this model") and though the hacking still bothers me, there's at least enough stuff I can break down and still have some saleable junk that I'm not feeling overwhelmed.  The basic system still gives me some grief, but it's not as bad as it could be, and I'm starting to see the solid seeds of where ME2 and 3 came from, gameplay-wise.

 

Of course, I'm still only sticking around because of my investiture in the series as a whole, and because of BioWare's taut writing and deep characters.  That, and I paid fifteen bucks for this, so I'm going to get at least one playthrough out of it.

[ErikModi]

Also, used Wrex in my party for the first time since I got him, to finish his armor quest (actually had to reload, because I didn't know that was it until I'd already retrieved.)  Had one suit of Heavy Krogan armor after I'd increased his skills. . . a Phoenix suit.  Poor Wrex walking around in WHITE AND HOT PINK armor.  All I can think of when I look at him is "I think, a krogan walks down the street in that armor, means he's not afraid of ANYTHING."

[cap and gown]

 Poor Wrex walking around in WHITE AND HOT PINK armor.  All I can think of when I look at him is "I think, a krogan walks down the street in that armor, means he's not afraid of ANYTHING."

 

Funnily enough, he never complains about the pink and white armor in ME1, but if you take him to the Casino in ME3 he gets annoyed about wearing a tux.

[Vapaa]

Clunky gameplay, boring exploration, badly designed skilltree, short main quest, bizarre sidequest environements.

 

But an incredibly compelling interactive movie, and the Noveria mission is still in the hall of frame of the trilogy.

[themikefest]

Like you I started with ME2. I got halfway through the game and ordered ME1 for the pc. Driving the Mako on pc is harder than using a game controller(for me anyways).

 

I've played ME1 numerous times and enjoy it

 

This how I do the missions

Eden Prime

Do all sidequests that can be done on the Citadel

Feros

Noveria

Virmire

do everything else that can be done

Therum

Ilos/Citadel

[MrStoob]

ME1 is all about the story. And equipment.  The mechanics of battle are a bit flakey but with beefed up armour/weapons, it becomes pretty easy.  Spent many an hour wandering the galaxy just to get some Colossus X armour lol.  And yea, the classes bare little resemblance to ME2/ME3, and nothing like the ME3 MP classes.  For me, in ME1, the fighting was usually an inconvenience getting in the way of the next part of the story.

[Vapaa]

I don't see moving from a very interesting RPG system with shooting-dice mechanics never seen before to another generic Gears of War wannabe as an improvement, quite the contrary. You can say that you like the shooter mechanics more than the RPG ones and that's completely fine, but not everyone likes games getting dumbed down to the point where you can't hardly distinguish one from another.

 

ME1 already was run-and-gun from the getgo, but with bad gameplay design (no separate commad for cover, not separate command for CQC while having a useless holster weapons command, overlapping powers, dumb IA).

[Vapaa]

ME was run and gun in the same way DA is like Demon/Dark Souls... like nothing at all.

 

What did you ever do in combat situation besides running and gunning ? because I don't remeber using any kind of strategy besides this.

[Vapaa]

The difficulty curve was one of the things wrong with ME, but try starting a new character in Insanity.

 

You'll just bunker down some more, and then the flaws in the gameplay will become even more apparent.