Mass Effect

[Semitry]

RPG/Shooter by Bioware that comes out in 2 days. Got released early by lots of retailers and it's look pretty damn sweet so far.

Great reaction from those that have played it and the reviews that have been released. Will be picking it up tomorrow since I'm a big fan of Bioware.

Link to images

http://masseffect.bioware.com/galler...=5#gal-screens

[Exoduso]

So is it out tomorrow or is it streetdated for Tuesday?

[Semitry]

So is it out tomorrow or is it streetdated for Tuesday?

Street dated for Tuesday but Kmart released it last week. Toys R Us in Edmonton (where Bioware is located) did too lol. Those are the ones I've heard about.

[Falconblade]

Suddenly, thousands of copies sell.
And Thousands of tissues are consumed.

[Hellboy]

Suddenly, thousands of copies sell.
And Thousands of tissues are consumed.

amen

[Kaylia]

Bioware RPG generally bore me to death. The only thing I'm asking for is interesting character, and this one seem to fall in the same category as kotor (decent story, with uninteresting character for the most part). It looks beautiful tho, but I doubt it will convince me to buy it (if I ever get an xbox)

[gt_killa]

Suddenly, thousands of copies sell.
And Thousands of tissues are consumed.

amen

[Correction]

Bioware RPG generally bore me to death. The only thing I'm asking for is interesting character, and this one seem to fall in the same category as kotor (decent story, with uninteresting character for the most part). It looks beautiful tho, but I doubt it will convince me to buy it (if I ever get an xbox)

I'm sure Bioware would be happy to make brilliant, character-driven RPGs, if only they sold: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planescape:_Torment

As it stands they deliver on games that sell and play well. Can't blame a company for being successful.

[Kaylia]

I'm sure Bioware would be happy to make brilliant, character-driven RPGs, if only they sold: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planescape:_Torment
As it stands they deliver on games that sell and play well. Can't blame a company for being successful.

Nah, I'm not blamming them. A lot of people enjoy those kind of game, it's just not my thing.

Planescape was ok, but slightly overrated imo. Beside the hero, I dont remember much about other character, and the ending kinda sucked.

[Semitry]

What games have memorable round characters?

[Correction]

To make a full-cast of interesting RPG characters is a huge investment of time and creative resources/money. Planescape had tons of interesting characters if you took the time to do their sidequests. I can't really think of a lot of other RPGs that approached the depth of action/consequence you saw in Planescape (you could sell your own party members into slavery!)

I only say this because I have zero experience with the Ultima games (my first gaming computer wasn't built until around '95). Did those really make it interesting to play the hero AND give you sweet backstories on NPCs?

[Khamsin]

Bioware RPG generally bore me to death. The only thing I'm asking for is interesting character, and this one seem to fall in the same category as kotor (decent story, with uninteresting character for the most part). It looks beautiful tho, but I doubt it will convince me to buy it (if I ever get an xbox)

I'm sure Bioware would be happy to make brilliant, character-driven RPGs, if only they sold

I could name a number of successful brilliant, character-driven RPGs that sold well, I have several of them, although I haven't played them in years, they were best-sellers by well-known companies.

[BRP]

What games have memorable round characters?

Kirby.

Wait, I don't think I understood your question.


Anyway, the Bioware games have nice and detailed secondary characters. That's one of the main appeals.

So is alien sex in for the US version? I wouldn't want to have someone walk in on the alien sex scene where I have to explain "ITS ART OKAY AND ITS SO WARM IN HERE THATS WHY I TOOK OFF MY PANTS".

[Kaylia]

What games have memorable round characters?

Metal Gears, most Final Fantasy..etc. You know those games where character development play an important role in the plot. Even game like starcraft/warcraft had more interesting character imo, even if the story is kinda short.

Bioware rpg are usually closer to tabletop rpg, and main character represent yourself. Because of that, he wont have any personality, even if he can have a complex backstory like in kotor.

[Correction]

What games have memorable round characters?

Metal Gears, most Final Fantasy..etc. You know those games where character development play an important role in the plot. Even game like starcraft/warcraft had more interesting character imo, even if the story is kinda short.

Bioware rpg are usually closer to tabletop rpg, and main character represent yourself. Because of that, he wont have any personality, even if he can have a complex backstory like in kotor.

I guess then it highlights a design decision by game developers. The final fantasy games feature character development by and large for every member of the group but you are kind of on a rail leading to some inevitable conclusion. Very few FF games varied their endings depending on the decisions you made during the game (FFVI is the only one I can think of where the ending varied even a little). Chrono Trigger took it a step further, where the decisions made had a serious impact on how the game ended, but the development of the main character was non-existent. The same is true of a lot of PC RPG experiences. Most of the time in order to make decision-making by the primary protagonist believable you kind of have to make him a blank slate so the player doesn't feel out-of-character by making any kind of decision. Planescape did it best because most of the game was figuring out what kind of man you used to be before you found yourself on a slab in a mortuary. Turns out the conclusion of the game hinged on whether or not you liked who you used to be or not. To me that's genius

[SupHammer]

Bioware rpg are usually closer to tabletop rpg, and main character represent yourself. Because of that, he wont have any personality, even if he can have a complex backstory like in kotor.

You may or may not like Mass Effect then. All the character personality come directly from you. At every point of the game, every one you talk to, you have to decide what to say and how to react. Your decisions will either have a good outcome or a bad outcome, or even no outcome. It's very ingenious.

The game itself is incredible. It's a mix between GoW and Final Fantasy, although graphically it has a Halo vibe. This game is an easy contender for GoTY.

[Exoduso]

So I take it that you like the story then? Is there an actual progression or is it more like Oblivion?

[SupHammer]

So I take it that you like the story then? Is there an actual progression or is it more like Oblivion?

Never played Oblivion, so um... there is an actual story, and yes it is interesting so far. I'm about 10 hours in and only on the the second "mission" planet. There's tons of side quests and exploration. I've been to like 16 different solar systems each with 4-6 planets, not all of the planets have something, but some can be explored. The game is excellent and i can't wait to restart and make different decisions on the next play-through.

Some points of advise. Start the game on the highest difficulty. I'm playing highest difficulty and lowest assist and the fighting is still kinda easy. There were some hard parts but nothing impossible. Second i've found that Pistols are extremely potent, when i found this out i restarted and picked Infiltrator over Soldier.

[Kaylia]

You may or may not like Mass Effect then. All the character personality come directly from you. At every point of the game, every one you talk to, you have to decide what to say and how to react. Your decisions will either have a good outcome or a bad outcome, or even no outcome. It's very ingenious.

The game itself is incredible. It's a mix between GoW and Final Fantasy, although graphically it has a Halo vibe. This game is an easy contender for GoTY.

I don't want to discard the game before trying it or seeing it in action, I was just expressing my doubt considering previous game like this didnt do much for me.

Having choices is usually my biggest issue with those games, because it will always hurt the uniqueness of the characters. Their dialogue will feel scripted because they rarely have a big impact on anything, it's just a bunch of parameter giving you 2-3 differents answers. In the end, it's virtually impossible to create a character with a personality like Snake in an "open game" like this.

[SupHammer]

I don't want to discard the game before trying it or seeing it in action, I was just expressing my doubt considering previous game like this didnt do much for me.

Having choices is usually my biggest issue with those games, because it will always hurt the uniqueness of the characters. Their dialogue will feel scripted because they rarely have a big impact on anything, it's just a bunch of parameter giving you 2-3 differents answers. In the end, it's virtually impossible to create a character with a personality like Snake in an "open game" like this.

That's why i said "you may or may not like it". I can see your point, but they did a good job in making the dialog flow. Some choices you make have a definite, immediate and severe impact. For example, one of the side quests can end in a battle, or be resolved in a peaceful manner, depending on your choices. I know not all of that translates in to character development, in fact, i know none of it does, but it does help create a psuedo-personality for the main character. All the lesser characters are developed through side-quests it seems.