Mass Effect

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If Mass Effect doesn't "do it" for you (and you're a RPG/KOTOR fan as you say), you might as well say games don't "do it" for you anymore.<BR><BR>Sorry, but you fail. Also your thread is like real omg lttp and brings nothing to the table. Where you you months ago when people actually cared to discuss this?

 

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Some new pictures! Bioware knows how to make nice shots. Really hoping for a PC release down the road.<BR><BR> View image: http://www.31012.com/images/massn1.jpg <BR><BR> View image: http://www.31012.com/images/massn2.jpg <BR><BR> View image: http://www.31012.com/images/massn3.jpg <BR><BR> View image: http://www.31012.com/images/massn4.jpg <BR><BR> View image: http://www.31012.com/images/massn5.jpg <BR><BR> View image: http://www.31012.com/images/massn8.jpg <BR><BR> View image: http://www.31012.com/images/massn7.jpg <BR><BR>Some of the textures still need more work, but the variety is very impressive.<BR><BR>Especially how big this game is supposed to be, and seeing those massive space battles from the trailer adds even more to that.

 

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Everytime I see new shots for this game I wonder how in the world it fits in 7.4 gigs. The videos even moreso than the screens.<BR><BR>This and Oblivion (slightly over 4 gigs) really show that size isn't an issue unless you want to make a bullet point in a preview. I'm curious to see how many DVDs Crysis ships on. If it's less than three, PS3 looses ALL creditibility of needing Blu-Ray for this gen imo.<BR><BR>It's hard to imagine how much better it will get in another three months. I hope they put all their effort into cleaning up the few odd low res textures (like mentioned), and iron out the plot and ending as best they can.

 

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Apparently there's a in game video being played now on gamespot?... not nearly as cool as a playable demo (though I am a little confused about the whole thing). <br><br>I got excited in the confusion and don't have the marketplace but it turns out I am wrong about everything. I had thought they stealthly released a demo, and it turns out it's just another video, albeit a very impressive one.<br><br>F'n thread title at neogaf. Thought I edited quick enough (hopefully you were the only casualty -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif --), read my post again. For what it's worth (hardly anything compared to a real demo) this sounds like more than "just another video." We'll see. I'll post a link when I see one.

 

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It sounds like it's the best video of Mass Effect released to date. Looking like I'll find out tomorrow morning.

 

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<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NinjaMutha:<br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by hello world:<br>ya see, the gfx are amazing, i agree, but the game also seems sterile. It isn't fantastic the way that Darnassus or Ironforge are... it's epic but from the SS's and videos, it's soulless. </div>
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<br><br>yes, you can definitely tell all this from a few videos. Given biowares track record, I'm going to go ahead and say you're probably wrong about this </div>
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<br><br>All forms of logic are lost on hello world, just ignore, it's for the best. Clearly he didn't see the same 2007 E3 video everyone else did, that was anything but soulless. I imagine he has no intention of watching the video released tonight either when gamespot puts up the download tomorrow, he'll just complain more about it.<br><br>And then when every site gives it a 9+ / 10 review and it gets GOTY 2007 (this is speculation, but don't be surprised), he'll still say it's boring.<br><br> <blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> I think they might be pushing it too hard though. This is an action-RPG - and the frame rate just seems to chug too much. Hopefully that'll be tightened up by the time the game ships though. </div>
</blockquote> <br><br>Apparently the video on the marketplace or where ever it was doesn't show as much slowdown as we've seen before... well I'm hoping. There were tons of comments praising how unbelievably smooth the animation is. I'll see for myself soon enough. They have 3 months to optimize this game, but by the size of it, 3 years probably wouldn't be enough -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif -- <br><br>I can't wait to see the map zoom out, then out, then out again. Damned elusive video link!

 

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Maybe because the HD isn't required? There'd be a lot of angry ass customers if this big a game screwed over the core 360 user base.<BR><BR>Game needs to work for all users, unless they're so bold to put a HD required logo on the box. But it really shouldn't be a problem.<BR><BR>I flipped through the live demo linked above (not really watching it yet, because there still hasn't been a HD link for it), and I don't recall seeing any lengthy loading periods. They probably just said that because it sounds like a good excuse, whoever's responsible for that probably does that type of thing all the time.<BR><BR>The parts of the video I watched, the facial animations are really well done, and overall it looks great. I just know the HD version will be a lot more impressive, I couldn't make out a lot of the finer details in the streaming video above, so I'm still holding off on seeing it.

 

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Supposedly there are so many planets you can land on and explore, that no one at Bioware has had enough time to be able to visit them all.<br><br>Not kidding. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing though -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --

 

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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Nerfgun:<br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Destructoid Opinions </div>
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<br> </div>
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<br><br>You left out this part:<br><br> <blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> <b><i>Watching the first 20 minutes </i></b>of Mass Effect played by a <b>cute BioWare representative</b>, I couldn't help but be reminded of a ventriloquist I saw on America's Got Talent a few nights ago. Why I happened to be watching America's Got Talent is none of your business, but let it be known that I wasn't happy about it. </div>
</blockquote> <br><br>Yea, it's pretty clear what he was watching... not the game. Look at all those comments come from merely watching the first 20 minutes of gameplay.<br><br>Hardly the way to go about judging a 20-30 hour RPG... don't you agree Nerfgun? Some of the greatest RPGs ever made are pretty damned boring for the first 20 minutes. KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Torment didn't really thrill me, Fallout, most RPGs I'd argue. <br><br>I'm surprised you didn't think that review to be a joke<b> just on the fact the person writing the comments wrote everything based on watching 20 minutes of gameplay from the introduction of the game.</b> Nothing more. <b>He didn't even PLAY the game.</b><br><br>It's not like we haven't seen the videos of facial animations and dialog ourselves, so I'm not sure why people are taking this too seriously.<br><br>I mean do you really think this game looks anything like a typical FPS shooter? I don't even think you can take anything else he says seriously after that, c'mon. That statement is a joke, <b>IT'S NOT EVEN FIRST PERSON!</b><br><br>Gameplay is hard to judge without a controller in your hands?! Who the fuck posts this garbage on a website about a game from just the first 20 minutes, and without playing it themselves! <br><br>This shit is worse than Eurocrapper's RE4 review, and I'm being completely serious.<br><br>Sorry for the rant. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif -- I just really don't like the way that (I can't even call it a preview) opinionated piece was created and the (lack of) intelligence it delivered.<br><br>In all honesty, I'd take a bet that the guy who wrote that has never even played or seen an RPG game in his life, based on how that was written (unless it was done specifically to generate ad traffic).

 

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See that's a much more rational post to me (yours). If only Destructoid's words were put together in a more convincing manner than what they choose. <BR><BR>I personally can't help but to ignore comments where the previewer goes out of their way to make crazy metaphors insulting the game repeatedly from just 20 minutes of watching it.<BR><BR>It'd be a different story to me, if say, he honestly played the game for 10 hours. I'd trust his opinion more then, even if it was laced with insults (which any site claiming to be professional shouldn't stoop down to, not that I'm saying Destructoid is a professional gaming site).

 

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">That's one guy's opinion. And it's based on more interaction with the game than any of you have had. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Are you blind? Or did you just miss the part where he said multiple times he didn't play it, merely watched. I've seen more than 20 minutes of combined footage from Mass Effect though. So going by that, I'm more qualified than he is, especially since the footage I've seen doesn't all fall in to one spot of the game.<BR><BR>That pretty much sums up about how ridiculous that write up is in my opinion.

 

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Seriously, one can expect a multitude of opinions on such a highly scrutinized game...I think what the Destructoid guy was getting at, however badly worded it was, is that the interactive cutscenes may not be the end-all be-all that they were originally hyped as by Bioware. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>That may well be the case, but is it too much to ask for people (especially those with websites, it's really not a big deal if the average forum poster decides to take an uninformed stance) to make such judgements on more than 20 minutes of gameplay?<BR><BR>I mean the guy didn't exactly say, "from what limited amount of Mass Effect I saw, I think this game may not live up to expectations." No, that wouldn't generate nearly as much traffic. From his 20 minutes of video, it's like he wanted to beat the living shit out of the game, like he has some sort of vendetta over it.<BR><BR>And I still don't think this guy has ever played an RPG game, or previous Bioware one for that matter.<BR><BR>There's a certain amount of knowledge and pedigree that you'd expect from someone who's giving their opinion on a game, that is if you want to use their opinion as something more. It'd be like having a person with no background in art give a breakdown of some famous piece, they're likely to be wrong beyond all expectations. This guy comes across as someone who has no knowledge of RPG games to me, so why he's giving his opinions on something he knows nothing about, I don't know.

 

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Gamespot has a new, much better written preview of the game up. Unfortunately for the haters, it's a generally positive one.<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> After the combat ended, we witnessed some dramatic story points that we can't tell you about just yet. But we did get to see Mass Effect's innovative interactive dialogue system put to its fullest use when Sheppard and one of his crew members got into a heated discussion over a particularly crucial topic. As we've reported frequently, the game gives you a number of dialogue--and in some cases, action--options as you progress through a conversation. In this case, <b>we saw that this particular version of Sheppard had spent talent points in the charm and intimidation categories, giving him two extra response options (in red and blue) that he wouldn't have had otherwise</b>. Apparently, you won't even be able to complete some of the optional side missions without sufficient levels in these categories. <b>At any rate, the confrontation came to a head, and Sheppard had to make a decision between all six options, some of them quite extreme.</b> (Again, unfortunately, BioWare wants certain plot points to remain secret for now.) This situation certainly exemplified the freedom you'll have to handle even the most tense, pivotal situations in multiple and diverse ways. </div>
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<br><br>The difference between this and the last one, is this one actually talks about stuff you'd expect to hear from someone who's played an RPG game before -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --

 

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How credible are reviews in your opinion when they don't even play the game they are reviewing? <BR><BR>Read the fucking thread.<BR><BR>The point of all this is that idiot based all those insults and comments (which as pointed out, none really even apply to what one judges an RPG on anyway), without playing the game.<BR><BR>I don't know about you, but giving a professional review or even judgment of a car, without driving it, certainly seems a little shady to me.<BR><BR>I don't know why anyone would care what the fuck someone has to say about a game, when they go off saying shit about it without even playing it. That's just embarrassing. And then you have people like you claiming, look how people get upset over it, as if his review is perfectly grounded and fair.

 

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I'm basing my angry defensive stance on the fact that no reputable website has any right to take that sort of obnoxious stance on what looks to be a AAA title from watching a mere 20 minutes of game play (actually it's closer to 15 to be more precise), and not expect to be ridiculed.<BR><BR>Explain to me why we care about someone's opinion who has seen less of the game than ourselves, hasn't played the game, and who appears to have no knowledge about RPGs?<BR><BR>The answer: We don't. Their opinion is worth about as much as the dirt on the ground. Maybe less.<BR><BR>You think that'd stop such a person from slamming the game on a 'reputable' site. Clearly Destructoid lacks any dignity whatsoever.

 

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I read previews and reviews specifically to hear what I don't want to hear. The flaws and real world impressions that knock us off of cloud nine. Fuck this goddamn mentality that anyone giving less than glorious praise is instantly crucified. Why. Read. Anything. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>So you still don't get it huh? <BR><BR>Why read a preview about a 15 minute video? You really think it's fair to slam a game just because you want to with no care for what actually matters in the game? <BR><BR>Do you like going to websites about DS or Wii games and reading about people bitching about non-HD graphics in every review? Sure sounds like it.<BR><BR>The point is this guy's review is unfounded. Anything based on 15 minutes of gameplay shouldn't be used to pass judgement on a 20 hour RPG game.<BR><BR>But you can go back to your bubble of ignorance and keep ignoring the fact, and act like it's perfectly fine for a website to post unfounded hate and the sort, because hey, it's a different perspective. Doesn't matter that it's not grounded at all. <BR><BR>I'm pretty sure I can take 15 minutes of almost any game ever made and make a convincing argument that the game's a piece of shit (actually a 3 year old could do a better job than Destructoid did).

 

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His points aren't valid. He hasn't played the game. No one will convince me of anything, when they haven't even played the game they are attacking.<BR><BR>He claims the game lack life, looks like a generic FPS, boring weapons, unconvincing game play, subpar facial animations, and poor voice acting.<BR><BR>All from a 15 minute video without playing the game. I'm sorry if I'm not convinced, and the jury's still out on this one for me.<BR><BR>If you honestly think we'll be seeing 5's and 6's coming in on this game's reviews, and not 9's and 10's, well you have a broken crystal ball there.

 

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Because I find it's easier to ignore previews, until they start talking trash about games to get attention.<BR><BR>It's common knowledge that previews go over a game's potential. It's not out of place in a preview to give out glowing praise, just about every preview does this, because a preview is meant to get you interested in the game, and show what the game has to offer.<BR><BR>Previews are also often full of information about the game's features, such as the gamespot one I linked to above. It explains some of the features of the character building and their effects on the game, and explains how the squad based combat can be used effectively.<BR><BR>I expect criticisms from websites, especially flagrant ones that fill up the entire preview, to be well founded. In order for that, normally you have to play the game to understand what you're talking about. It's clear to me this guy has not.

 

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The game did score a 9.75 / 9.75 in the most recent GI too, with this summary:<BR><BR>"It's an adventure so captivating, you'll be counting the days for a sequel. It takes interactive storytelling to new heights and brings the player closer to content than ever before. It's easily one of the year's best titles, and one of the most impressive games to date."<BR><BR>They said it has it's little nuisances, but when it all comes to together (and that it does, time and time again), it delivers an experience that makes you feel the game is alive.

 

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The high scores can't be stressed enough. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --<br><br>Bring on the PC port!

 

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Early impression from copies sold ahead of street date and reviews indicate this game surpassing anything Bioware's ever done before. <BR><BR>Pretty good replay value too (especially given reports of people w/ the game spending 30+ minutes on just character customization):<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> From their lead designer:<BR><BR>- The level cap on the first playthrough is 50.<BR>- Beating the game the first time raises the cap to 60.<BR>- You can reach this cap by playing a new character (very hard to reach) or using an old character to re-enter the game.<BR>- You bring over all your gear and money from the previous playthrough when you restart with an old character.<BR>- You can customize new characters on subsequent playthroughs using unlocked talents earned from achievements. Think Adept with a shotgun.<BR><BR>Now that's serious incentive to replay. Not to mention that you'll be able to carry your character over to the sequel. Amazing job, Bioware. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> <BR><BR>Finally, if you need any convincing whatsoever that this game will kick more ass than anything else this year, or you want to see one of the sweetest videos on ME, just <B>watch the official trailer in all it's HD glory (really, you ought too):</B><BR><BR>http://www.gametrailers.com/player/27725.html<BR><BR>This game looks freaking amazing. There's no other way to put it, especially when you factor in it's all on a single disc. Just in that trailer alone, there's a tremendous variety of planets, locations, textures, and of course since this is an RPG, the amount of branches and different ways to customize your character's abilities is quite a bit as well; and that trailer probably only shows a small amount of what the whole game contains.<BR><BR>Amazing. <BR><BR>That link again if you didn't watch it:<BR>http://www.gametrailers.com/player/27725.html

 

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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Agreschn:<br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by 10k:<br>Well. I went to gamestop today to try and find a Wii (hopeless I know) and was pleasently surprised to see Mass Effect out on the shelves. I more or less ran to the front desk to buy the thing and the guy got as far as ringing it up before his manager was like "DONT SELL THAT!!". Apparently the guy had been selling copies all day and for some reason thought that only the special edition had the 11/20 street date. <br><br>I guess I'm the lucky winner of the first person to not get sold Mass Effect today at that Gamestop. Oh well just six more days... </div>
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<br><br>I would've grabbed it and bolted. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif -- </div>
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<br><br>^ Pretty much. The second you get it in your hands from it being on the shelf, you have every right to buy it, I would have said look, it's not my fault you shelved this, either you sell it to me, or I'm leaving with it. <br><br>There's no way they could not sell you a product that was put on a shelf for sale that you have in your hands, no matter the date, or anything else, even if it was reserved for someone else. <br><br>Which is probably why most new releases are stored behind glass, behind the cash register, out of reach from the consumers.

 

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> It should be here monday/tuesday. You asses better be right about this one Big Grin Judge </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>It's Bioware, what could possibly go wrong?

 

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Seems to be averaging out right around the same as Uncharted (8.5s-9.5s), that is, slightly below Bioshock or SMG (9.5s-10s). <BR><BR>A little disappointing to be honest, but it sounds like most of the problems should be fixed up (or are fixable via a patch) by the time the PC version rolls out (UI and combat) in 1-2 years.

 

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For what it's worth (nothing, I know) GameSpot reviewed Uncharted a 8.0, and I think you enjoyed that a whole lot, so maybe a 8.5 from them is better than it sounds...

 

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Subtitles? Ack. Do you need to have subtitles on or is the voice acting convincing enough to have them turned off? They're distracting when you already know English. I know in ancient times they've been necessary what with bad lip syncing and poor audio, but I hope we can move away from them soon enough. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I actually prefer subtitles because I can read a lot quicker than I can listen, so if I'm talking to someone boring I can just fly through the dialog, rather than wait and listen to all the nonsense they have to say. <BR><BR>I can't even think of a game (especially a Bioware one) that didn't offer subtitles for impatient people, but I'm glad that you can turn them off to increase the immersion if desired.