[Megathread] Mass Effect 3

[Oerba Yun Fang]

No one is saying it is heresy. Its just that for a "default" play through it shouldn't have been so damning. A person shouldn't be penalized just because they started with the third game. Yes it is a trilogy, but that doesn't mean everything is required. ME1 wasn't required for people to make and see most things in ME2. They still had the option to influence and actually change most things that happened.

As it stands now ME3 default is essentially not a choose your own adventure. Its a follow the rails until you can pick from additive color model.

/devilsadvocate

But if someone starts at ME3, they're not going to have the same attachment to the characters as someone who has played through the first two games. Thane's death scene isn't going to impact someone who has never met him before the same way as someone who fought the Collectors by his side. Same for Grunt, Tali, Miranda, and all of the other characters who have possible deaths.

/enddevilsadvocate

It was disappointing that so few of your choices really seem to mean anything in ME3 though. In the end, virtually none of them seem to mean anything.

[JustintimeSS]

Ive been playing silver MP with friends and pugs for the last few weeks and it has come to my attention that this games MP is so damn good that it should be recognized.

Seriously. MP alone is worth the money for this game.

[Oerba Yun Fang]

Ive been playing silver MP with friends and pugs for the last few weeks and it has come to my attention that this games MP is so damn good that it should be recognized.

Seriously. MP alone is worth the money for this game.

lol Yes, I was pleasantly surprised by the Multiplayer. I actually like it. I expected it to be something I loathed entirely. As I've said in the past: I'm very glad they waited until ME3 to do MP because it would have been utter torture with the previous two games' combat mechanics, particularly ME1's.

[rol3x]

It was disappointing that so few of your choices really seem to mean anything in ME3 though. In the end, virtually none of them seem to mean anything.

I really struggled to even load the game after my first playthrough because of how hollow any choice is in retrospect. I managed to give multiplayer a try and it saved the game from an uninstall after day 2. Would never have guessed that outcome before my purchase. I have yet to play the single player again and honestly I doubt I ever will.

[Valeron]

I have to admit, I'm struggling to play it again a second time through. I can't quite put my finger on why. I mean I replayed the first two games numerous times. And although I think ME3 is a well made game (aside the ending) it just doesn't seem to have the same replay value, at least to me it doesn't.

[rhorle]

/devilsadvocate

But if someone starts at ME3, they're not going to have the same attachment to the characters as someone who has played through the first two games. Thane's death scene isn't going to impact someone who has never met him before the same way as someone who fought the Collectors by his side. Same for Grunt, Tali, Miranda, and all of the other characters who have possible deaths.

/enddevilsadvocate

It was disappointing that so few of your choices really seem to mean anything in ME3 though. In the end, virtually none of them seem to mean anything.

That is true. But its not so much that people die. It is that no matter what you do you can't change that outcome at all. In the grand scheme of things its sort of fine since it is the "end" of the book. But it is still a game and the journey still matters. To New comers and old timers a like. Even with an imported save it was still pretty much a few choice game.

It really is sad that they decided to roll everything into the War Asset feature but is pretty much the only way they could have handled the game after making so many choices. At the very least people should have been able to choose "key events" with a new game. I bet that such a choice gets added as DLC like it was added for ME2.

[Deleted]

I have to admit, I'm struggling to play it again a second time through. I can't quite put my finger on why. I mean I replayed the first two games numerous times. And although I think ME3 is a well made game (aside the ending) it just doesn't seem to have the same replay value, at least to me it doesn't.

Because you dont feel like getting to the goal again.

[Deleted]

I have to admit, I'm struggling to play it again a second time through. I can't quite put my finger on why. I mean I replayed the first two games numerous times. And although I think ME3 is a well made game (aside the ending) it just doesn't seem to have the same replay value, at least to me it doesn't.

I have only played it 7 times because I wanted to experience it frome every angle. I did full Paragon Sheps, full Renegade ones, 1 insanity and so on.

The main motivation however was the fact that I am lacking good games lately and needed something to do until Diablo 3 in May.

[Spaceshaman]

No one is saying it is heresy. Its just that for a "default" play through it shouldn't have been so damning. A person shouldn't be penalized just because they started with the third game.

As it stands now ME3 default is essentially not a choose your own adventure. Its a follow the rails until you can pick from additive color model.

Dude, I see you are from Michigan. So... grab a pitchfork and be at PAXEast at Bioware panel please. Tell this them please. Tell them you have my authority, too. ^^

[Deleted]

Dude, I see you are from Michigan. So... grab a pitchfork and be at PAXEast at Bioware panel please. Tell this them please. Tell them you have my authority, too. ^^

I would totally do it if I would live in the US Sadly I am from the EU and flying there is just stupid.

Tell them that they should go fuck themselves with that ending and stuff.

Edit: I don´t think that you would gain acces to PAX with a pitchfork however LOL

[rhorle]

My only reason to ever play most games again was because I find the gameplay to be fun. When I play through the story once its hard to get the motivation to play through it again even if I picked different options. Because it still feels the same and most "choices" don't change the game enough. They just change some parts of it. Even Dragon Age: Origins didn't really offer up enough varied gameplay for me to play it more then twice. But at least you could experience drastically different ways to approach the events.

Bioware while getting the "story and cinematic" down seems to have drifted away from more open choices with their games of late. ME3 and DA2 both play like they are on rails but you can have 3 different tracks to choose from that all lead to the same destination. It seems like they are sacrificing some aspects for whatever reason when they used to put as much Pride and work into those things in the past. Maybe its EA, maybe I just like things that most Bioware and people who buy Bioware games don't like.

Mass Effect as a whole is really well done. They have achieved that balance of great gameplay with great story. And still have great combat. They just should have spent more time on the "side" stuff.

---------- Post added 2012-04-03 at 04:02 AM ----------

Dude, I see you are from Michigan. So... grab a pitchfork and be at PAXEast at Bioware panel please. Tell this them please. Tell them you have my authority, too. ^^

I would if it was closer but PAX East is still like 700 miles and 12-14 hour drive away.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=michig...ed=0CAwQ_AUoAg

[rol3x]

I would totally do it if I would live in the US Sadly I am from the EU and flying there is just stupid.

Tell them that they should go fuck themselves with that ending and stuff.

Edit: I don´t think that you would gain acces to PAX with a pitchfork however LOL

I almost feel bad for the poor people at that pax panel who have to answer the barrage of questions/abuse coming their way with regards to that ending.

[Notos]

What they really need to do is add more options in the "combat loss" section when you're doing the psychological profile. I think the options you can pick under who died are: Ashley died, Kaidan died, and a lot of people died. They could add something like "the collector base mission was very successful" or "Shepard and half of his squad barely made it out" and then the game could pick how many people survived and randomly choose who made it. So on one playthrough, you could have Grunt and Samara alive, and in another you can have Jack and Mordin.

[Valeron]

I almost feel bad for the poor people at that pax panel who have to answer the barrage of questions/abuse coming their way with regards to that ending.

I imagine they are very well prepared for that.

[Deleted]

What they really need to do is add more options in the "combat loss" section when you're doing the psychological profile. I think the options you can pick under who died are: Ashley died, Kaidan died, and a lot of people died. They could add something like "the collector base mission was very successful" or "Shepard and half of his squad barely made it out" and then the game could pick how many people survived and randomly choose who made it. So on one playthrough, you could have Grunt and Samara alive, and in another you can have Jack and Mordin.

Random would be interesting, having it just give all loyalty missions etc on a default play would devalue save imports imo...
Part of "the feel" leading up to the end in ME3 for me was keeping/gathering everyone for the final battle (then look how it turned out... where'd they all go )

[Deleted]

What they really need to do is add more options in the "combat loss" section when you're doing the psychological profile. I think the options you can pick under who died are: Ashley died, Kaidan died, and a lot of people died. They could add something like "the collector base mission was very successful" or "Shepard and half of his squad barely made it out" and then the game could pick how many people survived and randomly choose who made it. So on one playthrough, you could have Grunt and Samara alive, and in another you can have Jack and Mordin.

This would be brilliant !! This would easiliy defeat most problems I have with fresh ME3 saves at the moment

[Notos]

Random would be interesting, having it just give all loyalty missions etc on a default play would devalue save imports imo...
Part of "the feel" leading up to the end in ME3 for me was keeping/gathering everyone for the final battle (then look how it turned out... where'd they all go )

I think a good compromise would be that even if the game determines that most or all of the crew survived, they could flag some of them as not having completed their loyalty mission. So if Grunt shows up, he'll end up dying to the Rachni, or if Samara is alive, you won't get the paragon interrupt that prevents her from killing herself. That way, if you really wanted the best outcome you would still have to import a perfect ME2 save.

[Deleted]

This would be brilliant !! This would easiliy defeat most problems I have with fresh ME3 saves at the moment

Actually I think the best would be to be forced to choose P out of N people from the list, If you don't have a ME2 save 3 members of the ME2 team are dead, you get to choose who, 3 members of the surviving team members are not loyal, you get to choose who. Random would be just frustrating and force people to quit their save and restart until they get who they want.

[Deleted]

Actually I think the best would be to be forced to choose P out of N people from the list, If you don't have a ME2 save 3 members of the ME2 team are dead, you get to choose who, 3 members of the surviving team members are not loyal, you get to choose who. Random would be just frustrating and force people to quit their save and restart until they get who they want.

Yes this would be indeed better. Instead of 3/4 of your ME2 team dead (currently) it would be cool to be able to choose who died (like Ashley or Kaidan atm). Random is always stupid

[Notos]

Yes this would be indeed better. Instead of 3/4 of your ME2 team dead (currently) it would be cool to be able to choose who died (like Ashley or Kaidan atm). Random is always stupid

Well you still have to take new players into consideration. Imagine having to pick who survived and who didn't when you have no idea who is who. For that reason I think it would be more straightforward for the game to offer vague scenarios instead of specific character choices (Kaidan and Ashley being the exception because you have to have one or the other).