[Megathread] Mass Effect 3

[Asrialol]

I just imported a ME2 save, and I instantly had 63 points to spend on skills, while my squad had 31 points. That's... insane. What!

[Purlina]

Two ways to get full readiness:

1. Do side quests / explore the galaxy map.
2. Play the multiplayer.

[Koriani]

So - what is ya'lls review for someone who has never touched ME1 or ME2. *I enjoy well-done RPGs AND Action-RPGS as well. *I tend to not always get into scifip/space games and am more into fantasy but at the same time if a game is solid and enjoyable then its good all around. *Ivee been gaming *since Appple 2C days so Ive pllayed a LOT of games of all types.

My like/dislike history:

I love Elder Scroll games. *(especially Daggerfall and Skyrim)
I loved Dues Ex (original and the new one - Human Revolutions but not the 2nd one ..thaht was crap). *I have not finishe DE:HR though, got sidetracked by Skyrim. *Buut I waas enjoying it far more thann I expected to.
Loved Bioschock - loved the hell out of that gorgeous game
I greatly enjoyed Dragon Age 1
I'm having fun in SW:TOR though its not the most awesome thing either.
Half-life and Half-life two
Bunches of FPS, most of them a bit older though (Hexen, Doom(s), Heretic, Halo(s), Quake(s) etc.)

Dislikes:

Dragon Age 2 -combat was fun and I liked the easier compainon control; but the loss of all the RPG and exploring stuff and it basically being "all city - zone to quest location - zone back - 10 hours in city - rinse repeat) reallyy burned me out on the gamee and I barely got out of the firrst major city before I quit.
Survival Horror (hate having to be skipy with ammo, hate dying 253 times to the same thing over and over because Im out of ammo and only have a hammer...)
Some of the newer - non-fantasy based - FPS (not into CoD or other the more realistic military ones)
Fallout Series - nevver could get into them and diddnt play them for very long. *Not sure why I really enjoyed the beginning but then got bored fast.

So Im looking for some highlights and lowlights of how you guys feel about this game as an RPG/story driven game? *Ive NEVER TOUCHED ME1 and ME2 so coming from the perspective of someone with no knolwege about world and no investment in the characters (because I usualy am not into scifi stuff). *Also means Im importing nothing.

* Does it plot/play/story/engagement more like Dragon Age 2 and the Fallout Series - or more like DA1 and DE:HR??

The only reason Im even looking at ME3 is due to the mass popularity of the whole series and I thought perhaps it it somehting worth checking out on a purely "hey fun new game!" basis??

Any advice is appreciated - because I dotn want to blow 60 bucks (I dont do DLC...ever) and get bored in 5 hours.

(and yes I have read the thread, and got a few solid reviews however not much info as a whole and am looking for some more feedback! before I spend money and waste time away from say..Skryim..LOL)

Thanks!!

[Kujako]

The only reason Im even looking at ME3 is due to the mass popularity of the whole series and I thought perhaps it it somehting worth checking out on a purely "hey fun new game!" basis??

Any advice is appreciated - because I dotn want to blow 60 bucks (I dont do DLC...ever) and get bored in 5 hours.

If you are new to the series, I would start with ME1 & ME2 since you can get them cheap and they dont require installing spyware (Origin) to play. Then, you can decide if the issues with ME3 are worth it to you or not.

[jonte912]

So - what is ya'lls review for someone who has never touched ME1 or ME2. *I enjoy well-done RPGs AND Action-RPGS as well. *I tend to not always get into scifip/space games and am more into fantasy but at the same time if a game is solid and enjoyable then its good all around. *Ivee been gaming *since Appple 2C days so Ive pllayed a LOT of games of all types.

My like/dislike history:

I love Elder Scroll games. *(especially Daggerfall and Skyrim)
I loved Dues Ex (original and the new one - Human Revolutions but not the 2nd one ..thaht was crap). *I have not finishe DE:HR though, got sidetracked by Skyrim. *Buut I waas enjoying it far more thann I expected to.
Loved Bioschock - loved the hell out of that gorgeous game
I greatly enjoyed Dragon Age 1
I'm having fun in SW:TOR though its not the most awesome thing either.
Half-life and Half-life two
Bunches of FPS, most of them a bit older though (Hexen, Doom(s), Heretic, Halo(s), Quake(s) etc.)

Dislikes:

Dragon Age 2 -combat was fun and I liked the easier compainon control; but the loss of all the RPG and exploring stuff and it basically being "all city - zone to quest location - zone back - 10 hours in city - rinse repeat) reallyy burned me out on the gamee and I barely got out of the firrst major city before I quit.
Survival Horror (hate having to be skipy with ammo, hate dying 253 times to the same thing over and over because Im out of ammo and only have a hammer...)
Some of the newer - non-fantasy based - FPS (not into CoD or other the more realistic military ones)
Fallout Series - nevver could get into them and diddnt play them for very long. *Not sure why I really enjoyed the beginning but then got bored fast.

So Im looking for some highlights and lowlights of how you guys feel about this game as an RPG/story driven game? *Ive NEVER TOUCHED ME1 and ME2 so coming from the perspective of someone with no knolwege about world and no investment in the characters (because I usualy am not into scifi stuff). *Also means Im importing nothing.

* Does it plot/play/story/engagement more like Dragon Age 2 and the Fallout Series - or more like DA1 and DE:HR??

The only reason Im even looking at ME3 is due to the mass popularity of the whole series and I thought perhaps it it somehting worth checking out on a purely "hey fun new game!" basis??

Any advice is appreciated - because I dotn want to blow 60 bucks (I dont do DLC...ever) and get bored in 5 hours.

(and yes I have read the thread, and got a few solid reviews however not much info as a whole and am looking for some more feedback! before I spend money and waste time away from say..Skryim..LOL)

Thanks!!

ME3 went the same way DA2 went, but the combat might be fun?
if you want good story etc like DA:O go for ME1,2.

[Deleted]

Most ME3 conversations are like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x354h...ature=youtu.be
Most ME1 conversations are like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2sZb...ature=youtu.be
(ME2 is pretty much the same as ME1)

yes, they removed the RPG part of the game.
also find it funny that ME1 has the best PC controls out of the ME games.

My shep said different things...

Looks like it changes the auto selected things on paragon/renegade level

---------- Post added 2012-03-08 at 06:16 PM ----------

If you are new to the series, I would start with ME1 & ME2 since you can get them cheap and they dont require installing spyware (Origin) to play. Then, you can decide if the issues with ME3 are worth it to you or not.

And origin really isn't spyware...

Look for anything in the EULA that steam doesn't have.

[Kujako]

And origin really isn't spyware...

Look for anything in the EULA that steam doesn't have.

There's a fair amount that's different. Steam for example does not monitor everything you run and collect it for marketing purposes. I will grant that Origin is not spyware, but only because they tell you what its going to do and you agree to it.

"You agree that EA may collect, use, store and transmit technical and related information that identifies your computer (including the Internet Protocol Address), operating system, Application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware, that may be gathered periodically to facilitate the provision of software updates, dynamically served content, product support and other services to you, including online services. EA may also use this information combined with personal information for marketing purposes and to improve our products and services. We may also share that data with our third party service providers in a form that does not personally identify you. IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE APPLICATION. This and all other data provided to EA and/or collected by EA in connection with your installation and use of this Application is collected, used, stored and transmitted in accordance with EA’s Privacy Policy located at www.ea.com. To the extent that anything in this section conflicts with the terms of EA’s Privacy Policy, the terms of the Privacy Policy shall control."

There is simply no reason EA needs that much information about me inorder for me to play a video game. Steam by contrast only looks at things that are related to the operation of Steam. They dont monitor my hardware peripherals or non-Steam software.

[Deleted]

There's a fair amount that's different. Steam for example does not monitor everything you run and collect it for marketing purposes. I will grant that Origin is not spyware, but only because they tell you what its going to do and you agree to it.

"You agree that EA may collect, use, store and transmit technical and related information that identifies your computer (including the Internet Protocol Address), operating system, Application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware, that may be gathered periodically to facilitate the provision of software updates, dynamically served content, product support and other services to you, including online services. EA may also use this information combined with personal information for marketing purposes and to improve our products and services. We may also share that data with our third party service providers in a form that does not personally identify you. IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE APPLICATION. This and all other data provided to EA and/or collected by EA in connection with your installation and use of this Application is collected, used, stored and transmitted in accordance with EA’s Privacy Policy located at www.ea.com. To the extent that anything in this section conflicts with the terms of EA’s Privacy Policy, the terms of the Privacy Policy shall control."

There is simply no reason EA needs that much information about me inorder for me to play a video game. Steam by contrast only looks at things that are related to the operation of Steam. They dont monitor my hardware peripherals or non-Steam software.

http://www.valvesoftware.com/privacy.html

"Aggregate information" is information that describes the habits, usage patterns, and demographics of users as a group but does not describe or reveal the identity of any particular user.

Pretty vague.

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/
Says it's optional, can't see privacy settings anywhere. Which means you probably have to call them up and ask not to be included, and everyone looks deep/cares enough to do that.

[Fojos]

this game is probably getting a lot of downvoting bcuz it's not a "mass effect" game, they have removed more than ~50% of the conversation options, which was the biggest feature of ME, YOU WERE SHEPARD

now you're pretty much just watching shepard, so in a sense, they pretty much did another DA2

yes, it's a great game but it's not a "Mass effect" game, which pisses off a lot of people

The things is the choices were just filler. They were there to make it feel like you chose more than you actually were, while most of the time the different choices didn't make a difference at all. The choices in ME3, even the minor ones, make some sort of impact.

---------- Post added 2012-03-08 at 07:53 PM ----------

Plot holes and lore foul ups. (The one I remember particularly was when joker states that "the stealth systems are engaged and we're dropping out of FTL now", in ME1 it was said that this was impossible and that jumping in and out of FLT makes the ship light up on sensors, I vaguely remember adams saying that jumping to FTL with the stealth systems engaged would destroy the ship. Maybe the SR2 fixed that problem) really detracts from the game as a whole. I mean if you ignore them or don't care so much for the consistency then the gameplay is fine, the voice acting is typical bioware hit and miss. The writing is horrible for some parts and really well done for others (The characters.)

Don't start talking about plotholes if you don't know they are plotholes or not. Normandy 2 is a much better ship than the first.

[jonte912]

The things is the choices were just filler. They were there to make it feel like you chose more than you actually were, while most of the time the different choices didn't make a difference at all. The choices in ME3, even the minor ones, make some sort of impact.[COLOR="red"]

which is very important for shepard to be "your" shepard, a meanie/nice/neutral character.
which the 2 first games was about, they made ME3 a turn around, same with DA2

also the same thing with splinter cell:conviction but that doesnt have anything to do with this

[Frozenbeef]

tomorrow can't come soon enough....can't even play it till like 2pm got to give a presentation tomorrow nice reward for giving it though lol :S

[OlSom]

Hi guys!

I'm about to start playing the game but i have two questions about*the save importing:

1) Are there any meaningful differences? iirc there were very few in ME1->ME2, mainly the romance and whether you saved Ashley or the dude, the rest were either one conversation or a mail.

2) If there are, can all of the choices that are carried over from the previous two games be set by a save editor? I've played through both 2-3 times, and really don't feel like doing it again, but i lost my saves some time ago.*

[Kashydan]

Hi guys!

I'm about to start playing the game but i have two questions about*the save importing:

1) Are there any meaningful differences? iirc there were very few in ME1->ME2, mainly the romance and*whether*you saved Ashley or the dude, the rest were either one conversation or a mail.

2) If there are, can all of the choices that are carried over from the previous two games be set by a save editor? I've played through both 2-3 times, and really don't feel like doing it again, but i lost my saves some time ago.*

1) you did liara in me1 and hit on ashley, or say tali'zora in me2? god you're in for some awkward situations also, all the little character-dialogues, with miranda, with jack, etc etc.. they all play out one way or the other, and seem to be pretty well lined up with how you treated those characters before.

1)&2)
basically it officially only checks for like 10 or so important events in me1&2, as far as the import-tool tells you.
but either its made REALLY well dialogue-wise, or you just get bitten by all those small decisions you made before...

also, giving the collector base to cerberus seems like a REALLY stupid idea by now.. -.-

/edit: link to the choices it seems to check up*http://i.imgur.com/jDMCe.png (spoiler alert, duh -.-' )

[OlSom]

I like how some of the spaces were randomly changed to *s.

Anyway, guess I'll quickly replay both then

[Anprionsa]

Played it, and I must say the ending is so disappointing that I think I just wasted a day of my life. I hated it.

Edit: All of them. Man, that is so frustrating. I was going to give it a B+ or A-. But now? F. You can't do endings like this. You just can't.

[Grrwaherr]

I didn't beat it yet and don't what spoilers. I just don't understand how the endings are so bad. Seems to me like you either save the galaxy or you don't. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

[Anprionsa]

You really will, and then you will join in the bashing, I Guarantee it.

[Blznsmri]

Just beat it and I've got to say, it's the only ending that I actually had to think about. And I don't get why people complain that it's not "Their" Shepard. It never was "your" Shepard, you just formed the personality, I like that Shepard is more of a person in this game than an Avatar, I mean, you already get to choose part of Shepard's back story, who he fucks, what alliances he makes and doesn't make. You're not Shepard, you just make the decisions.

[Anprionsa]

I don't care about my Shepard. I care about the ending, the conclusion of the story. This game didn't do that, it ended and gave you even MORE questions.

[Deleted]

Regardless, giving you the otption of..


a) Save the galaxy, but destroy all technology and all synthetics are now controlled by whats left of shepard in some sort of computer form, including reapers yes, they are not destroyed, also shepard "dies" and team gets stranded on random bullshit planet, also all mass relays are destroyed.

b) Join organics and synthetics in symbiosis including reapers.... creepy as hell, again all technology destroyed, buy synthetics and organics saved, all mass relays are again, destroyed.

c) Destroy the reapers, all mass relays, all other synthetics, geth and EDI etc, and again... team stranded on random garden planet.

Then there is a chance of shepard surviving, if you destroy the reapers, with high enough war assets, but you just see him badly wounded on earth, taking one final gasp, and then nothing.

Honestly, I know this is the last shepard game in the mass effect universe and all, but ... really? They couldnt come up with anything better than fucking everything up completetly? I mean, this makes it impossible for future games to work around the same concept, as... inter-system travel is ruined, the citadel is blown to pieces, and the few that are still alive are pretty much all of them stuck on and around the sol system, except for the normandy which seems to be all by itself in the middle of nowhere...

Unless they somehow rebuild mass relays and stuff... I dont see any continuation what so ever, which is a shame, because mass effect has such a fleshed out backstory and lore basis around the races, weapons, technology, different types of planets etc etc... just tossing all that to the wind... seems very strange to me.


Its no wonder people are asking for a DLC ending.

Please remember that some people haven't finished the game and use spoiler tags if you are going to post about things that happen late in the game (or at the end). -Edge