80 Antworten in diesem Thema

[egervari]

I started playing through the old mass effect games - I just felt like it. I really wanted to start from ME2, but I didn't have any existing saves from the first game anymore, so I wanted to import everything correctly.

Playing through this game now though, I am often really quite bored. Reading my review of the game (in the x360 gamefaqs section: http://www.gamefaqs....review-121053, it seems like I have many of the same issues with it. But I mostly find the game boring and grindy and non-engaging, which is a bad combination for a game that was considered GOTY material at the time (although, I would have been disappointed in critics immensely even then if they gave ME1 goty)

I think my biggest problem is the completionist syndrome - this game was not meant to be 'completed' and 'enjoyed' at the same time. Exploring planets to fulfill all of the side-quests is just so boring and monotonous. All of the areas are the same, and if I have to go push my Mako over another steep-sloped terrain ever again, I may just lose it.

The side-quest missions are all very boring and repetitive. Even Shepard's class upgrade mission is very unexciting. This should have been a big deal, but it was relegated to an unimportant side-mission that was easily skipped.

Gaining weapons and armors from the Requisition's officer seems like a rather cheap and unrewarding way to outfit your character too. Getting 1,000,000 credits is not hard, and those weapons make just about everything else obsolete. Saving/Reloading to refresh his stock to find something in particular is also not the most rewarding way to get the best armors either. What a terrible item system.

The paragon/renegade system seems unintuitive. You first need charm points to gain paragon. You cannot do a paragon action to gain paragon points - you first have to invest. There's a lot of talk about squatting charm/intimidate points, but I have no interest in playing this game 3-4 times just to min/max 10 skill points.

Besides, the combat is so easy that you don't even need that many skills to do well at it. By level 20-30, you can get everything you want. Seeing as you can do all of the side-quests before any of the post-citadel story missions, there is no more progression curve after that.

Overall, I think the game actually plays better the more you avoid the side-quests and the use of the Mako. It's too bad though that game gives you so many incentives to play out the side missions, because they are so boring to do.

Overall, I give the game a 5 or a 6 out of 10 now. The story, art style, atmosphere, etc. are all fantastic, but the actual game mechanics, combat, side-missions, pacing, etc. are all average at best.

I'm in Noveria now, so there's not much more to go, but I doubt I'd ever play this game again. Not worth it.

[Voxr]

Well back in 07 it was pretty dang spiffy... But that was 7 almost 8 years ago. So yeah...

[egervari]

Well back in 07 it was pretty dang spiffy... But that was 7 almost 8 years ago. So yeah...

I dunno, I remember thinking most of these thoughts back in 2008 too. I don't think it's an issue of date - just design decision or that the game was likely very rushed. Critic and player perception sometimes gets bogged down in the wow of what's good and just ignores the faults. It's happened with Inquisition, that's for sure. That's another game with similar problems. DA2 also had some of the repetitiveness problems like ME1 does, although actually not as bad. It's unfortunate, but the last Bioware games I really liked were Origins and ME2, and before that, BG2. Those are basically Bioware's 3 crowing achivements, and the rest are mired with problems of being rushed, publisher and journalism politics, and other things that kept them from reaching their full potential.

[RedCaesar97]

I agree with most of your points, but I would still give it an 8 or 8.5 out of 10. Depending on how you look at it, it is either greater than the sum of its parts or it has too many glaring issues to prevent it from being great.

[capn233]

Everyone is entitled to their opinions.  And for the record some of the game can turn into a grind if you are trying to find every mineral and unlock every crate.

 

I disagree about some of the points you made though.  For instance, all the encouragement you get for completing side missions is essentially the small collection missions in the journal, and a bit of XP and credits.  I never feel like the game encourages you to do the side missions, outside maybe one or two where some character actually specifically asks you to do something.  Most of them are overheard in the elevator, or found on a hacked terminal, or just appear when you go into their system.

 

You do not need Charm or Intimidate investment to earn Paragon or Renegade points.

 

I don't follow the point about the save and reload trick for store inventory.  It is an exploit, and although some find it convenient, it isn't really necessary.  Was the real issue the rarity of certain gear?

 

That leads into the combat system.  I agree it needed some work, and I also agree that the difficulty is a bit too regressive in that late game can become easier than early game.  But the latter effect is usually compounded when you do something like exploit the save reload trick for merchants to equip the entire squad with the rare top tier equipment.

 

Lastly on the subject of difficulty, I disagree that there is an incentive to play most of the sidequests right after the prologue because they are actually typically more difficult than the main plot missions due to their enemy composition, even if each mission itself is much shorter.

[CptFalconPunch]

I don't know, I've introduced plenty of people to mass effect 1 this year.

 

They all think its amazing. And I still think so too.

 

I don't know what kind of deal Bioware made with Lucifer, but despite the problems its still awesome.

[egervari]

I don't know, I've introduced plenty of people to mass effect 1 this year.

 

They all think its amazing. And I still think so too.

 

I don't know what kind of deal Bioware made with Lucifer, but despite the problems its still awesome.

Drew is a fantastic writer, and the art team knows how to deliver a consistent and belieavable world. If you stick to just the good stuff, the impression is rather good.

 

The mystery of the reapers is enough to engage most people for the first play through. But the game under the hood is exposed for all of its shortcomings once you got what you wanted out of the story.

 

Honestly, the irony is that by removing the planets and all of the side-quests from the game entirely, as well as changing the item system, may have actually made the game a whole lot better. And then simple polishes like letting you leave the citadel from anywhere rather than go to the docking bay manually, and stuff like that, to improve the pacing more.

[CptFalconPunch]

Drew is a fantastic writer, and the art team knows how to deliver a consistent and belieavable world. If you stick to just the good stuff, the impression is rather good.

 

The mystery of the reapers is enough to engage most people for the first play through. But the game under the hood is exposed for all of its shortcomings once you got what you wanted out of the story.

 

Honestly, the irony is that by removing the planets and all of the side-quests from the game entirely, as well as changing the item system, may have actually made the game a whole lot better. And then simple polishes like letting you leave the citadel from anywhere rather than go to the docking bay manually, and stuff like that, to improve the pacing more.

 

Yeah thats the thing, this game has such a good atmosphere that it makes up for, a LOT of its shortcomings.

 

I like the planets though, being an explorer is sometimes about exploring barren wastelands with glorious skyboxes above , and finding some stuff here and there. And because the atmosphere of the game is so great, finding that extra prothean artifact makes your imagination go wild.

 

Plus I took enjoyment in mastering the mako on uneven terrain. Its a predictable vehicle, and through repetition you master it.

 

Battlefield 3 for example has a lot of land vehicles. None of which are as fun to drive as the mako, because the frostbite engine handles vehicles unpredictably and restrictively.

 

 

In the end, this games does things wrong, but it does many things so right, like no other game does. Its a rough diamond.

[Qwib Qwib]

I don't think this game is grindy. Let's be honest -- who did the planets except those completionist fools and space-loving idiots like me? No one!

Just do the main missions. I like them except Feros. That was awful level design. We all have to admit that. 

[egervari]

I don't think this game is grindy. Let's be honest -- who did the planets except those completionist fools and space-loving idiots like me? No one!

Just do the main missions. I like them except Feros. That was awful level design. We all have to admit that. 

That's certainly a way to play the game, although I suspect a fair number of people did the planets. I did multiple times, like when the game was released and again on another playthrough. I wanted to get the level 50 achievement at least, to get me some bonuses for ME2. I don't care about the level 60 achievement though - I can't stomach it.

 

The main missions have some problems. Like, Peak 15 on Noveria has some weird story sequencing. And if you're not careful, you just make everyone go hostile, which I recall doing on release and having no clue as to why it happened until after the fact.

 

I think a lot of the mako sections in the main story are bleh and poorly paced, especially the one where you're going towards the conduit. I mean, the whole thing just seems like pointless padding, even if Ilos is pretty.

 

The game is okay. I think it falls short of stuff that came previously though. It feels rushed and unpolished. If not for the story, characters, writing, atmosphere, art design, etc., I think the game would be looked upon quite differently. As a game - and not a full work of art - it's pretty lackluster - and notice that the game's problems are the things that occur later in development. Art and writing are done way before the programming. I wanted to go for another playthrough, like with a Biotic rather than Soldier, but I just can't make myself do it all over again.

[Jeremiah12LGeek]

The first one was the best.

 

Mako.

 

 

MAKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[FNX Finest]

The Mako....dear god.....

 

I don't care how its done either.....it should not be in the next ME.  i feel dread even thinking about it.

[Qwib Qwib]

Am I the only weirdo that liked the Mak0? 

[capn233]

No the Mako was fine.  They just needed the damping to be more predictable, but I think there was actually some sort of physics glitch that may have caused it to bounce funny some times, and might be related to it sometimes flipping thousands of meters into the air.

 

The main problem with the Mako was really the side mission design with lots of steep cliffs that people tried to drive up.  For nearly everything worth visiting on all the maps you do not have to drive up such gradients, there is usually an easier path, but you have to find them.  Even so there are ways to scale most "mountains" without looking for the ideal path.

 

Most of the main objectives on the side quests are very easy to reach by driving, and if you don't care about all the minerals or crates you rarely have to drive up grades.

[ImaginaryMatter]

No the Mako was fine.  They just needed the damping to be more predictable, but I think there was actually some sort of physics glitch that may have caused it to bounce funny some times, and might be related to it sometimes flipping thousands of meters into the air.

 

I think they needed to improve the kinesthetics so it felt like a tank with weight... and not a bar of soap with wheels. And improve some of the controls.

 

Anyway. All hail the Mako!

[themikefest]

When I play the game, I just do the main missions and about 6 hours later, I'm starting ME2

[capn233]

^ I bet if you climbed into the Mako on Alchera it would start up right away.

[MegaIllusiveMan]

I think they needed to improve the kinesthetics so it felt like a tank with weight... and not a bar of soap with wheels. And improve some of the controls.

 

Anyway. All hail the Mako!

*snip*

 

I imagine all the Squadmate Responses:

 

Liara: By the Goddess

Kaidan: Shepard, you want me to drive?

Garrus: I need to calibrate this thing...

Ashley: Don't do it again, or I'll stick up the mako in your as$

Tali: Commandeeeeeeeeer! My Helmet is being brokenn! I'm gettin Bacteria.

Wrex: Hahahaha. Now it gets fun! Remind me of those earthquakes days on Tuchanka!

[sjsharp2011]

I'd rather have the Mako than the Hammerhead though because at least the Mako could take a fair amount of punishment. I wasn't a fan of either vehicle really as they were both a little bit annoying in places but if I had to choose one I'd rather have the Mako. I still e4njoy using the vehicles as it does add something different to the game than just running around and blowing things up all the time. In games like this it's always interesting to have things like the Mako/Hammerhead to mix things up whether you're a fan of the vehicles or not imo.

Before anyone jumps on me I love the idea of exploring after all that's one of the great features of most if not all of Bioware's games and this is one of the things they do best in their games I feel. I just think it's moer the vehicles being hard to control sometimes that is the problem

[Mouser]

If they didn't put in all the planets and side quests people would ****** that the game was too short and "on rails".

 

I'll admit they could have come up with a few more floor layouts, but maybe there's just a standard few building types they use on all colonies. As for the Mako, I had no problems with it after the first fifteen minutes or so figuring out how it worked. You don't have to travel in a perfectly straight line from point A to point B (as the MAKO flies?). If you look at the map it shows you where the level terrain is, and going out of your way is a good way to find Thresher Maws (sweet XP - see below) and mineral deposits.

 

They actually took out the grind as far as I can tell, unless there's some secret cave of respawning enemies I don't know about somewhere. I finished the game at level 45 and I don't think I left too many stones unturned. I did play on casual (go head and laugh) as I'm not a huge fan of twitchy combat games and wanted to be able to focus on the stories, and the side planets did have stories to go with them if you read your journal and paid attention to what Shepard found along the way. I did use the Mako to kill things, so I lost a bunch of XP along the way there (didn't realize it at the time )

 

The story isn't the best, but it's up there. Does remind me at parts of Xenosaga (which is a Good Thing™ as that is hands down my favorite story in a video game EVAH), and other Bioware titles. It isn't a very 'deep' story though (at least not ME1). The Paragon/Renegade system was interesting in that gaining in one didn't cause you to lose the other.  The Renegade system also made you still be an effective Spectre - killing people wasn't nearly as rewarding as _threatening_ to kill people.

 

Edit:  I went back and looked at my final save. That was done with no walkthrough, exploring all the clusters, doing all the sidequests I could find, getting lost in the Citadel, etc...  The final time was just over 45 hours - not a very long game at all. If I had paid full (launch) price for the game I would be a bit miffed at that.

 

I'm glad they make you go to C-Sec to get to the landing pad. Stuff like that helps keep the game feeling "real". They already put in fast transit hubs all over that place so you don't have to run around. Hell, they even give you transit to points you haven't been to yet if it's part of the plot.

[ZerebusPrime]

Am I the only weirdo that liked the Mak0? 

 

No.  I especially liked ramming Colossi on Vermire over and over again and instant-killing them by tossing them over rock boundaries and into the ocean.  The Mako should have had a ram prow for how often I ran into/over people and things on purpose.

[sjsharp2011]

No.  I especially liked ramming Colossi on Vermire over and over again and instant-killing them by tossing them over rock boundaries and into the ocean.  The Mako should have had a ram prow for how often I ran into/over people and things on purpose.

Yeah I do that on the odd occasion as well

[CDR David Shepard]

I'm sorry, but taking a game that came out in 2007, that you have probably played multiple times...and now calling it "boring" and "not that great" holds no weight at all...and really makes it seem like your stretching so hard simply to hate on the game for no reason at all.

 

The fact that you even felt the need to play it again to get all the correct imports, is what really tells the story about this game.

 

It feels like a "grind" and is considered "boring" to you now because you have played it multiple times before.

 

If the game truly was not as great as you say...you would have realized this the first time you played...not 7 years  and multiple playthroughs later.

[StarcloudSWG]

The game design itself really wasn't all that great. It was bogged down by the inventory system and by the open area design with interesting bits few and far between. It was less than impressive with the cookie cutter habitats and mine layouts. 

 

Where it shone was in presenting the universe. It was new, it was different. And most important of all, it showed the ugly side of humanity. The arrogance, the pushiness, that humanity in many ways was the bratty self entitled newcomer, and the way the more established races didn't instantly take a liking to humanity. It was, in many ways, a much more realistic universe.

 

In the first game, it was made very clear that humans were NOT special, and NOT the center of civilization. Both of the existing major space opera IPs have humans at the core and center of everything: Star Trek and Star Wars.

 

It felt more like Babylon 5, with its themes of humanity just being one among many.

 

Unfortunately, that changed in ME 2 and ME 3.

[themikefest]

No.  I especially liked ramming Colossi on Vermire over and over again and instant-killing them by tossing them over rock boundaries and into the ocean.  The Mako should have had a ram prow for how often I ran into/over people and things on purpose.

I've done that a few time. I even hit an armature hard enough that the thing fals into the lava on Therum

 

I especially like the part where I was able to drag a colossus that it went through the conduit on Ilos. Very funny.