I had it coming. I've owned a Xbox 360 for a few years but never took the step in to the Mass Effect series!
Mainly, because it's RPG and sci-fi. However, both of these elements have picked up my interest in recent years. Thanks to games like Fallout 3, Final Fantasy 13 and experience point levelling in various non-RPG genres, I've keenly picked up the interest. The fantastic Halo games on Xbox 360 have really triggered my interest for sci-fi titles too.
I figured I should begin with the first Mass Effect 1, naturally, and since Mass Effect 3 was announced recently, I'm set for a playthrough of a whole trilogy this year!
In ME1 you take on the role as Commander Shepard on board the SS Normandy, you can choose gender, name and what you character should look like. The details of the faces in ME are incredible and they've done a great job on facial expressions and movement during dialogue and cutscenes. The different alien races look cool too and the voice acting is great.
The main plot behind the ME series is that the galaxy is trapped in a cycle of extinction. Every 50,000 years, an ancient machine race wipes out all organic civilisation and leaves no trace of doing so. Very few believe in this legend, Shepard however, know it to be true and so starts the long journey in the fight for keeping up the peace in the galaxy and convincing the many races about this unknown threat.
ME1 centres around the galaxy’s Council, consisting of various alien races, while humans have yet to prove themselves worthy to be on the Council board. Shepard receives orders from the Council and work for them. You establish a team, receive a spaceship and must travel through various solar systems to find clues to an ancient race and defeat the Geth which are threatening the peace.
The game is played through a third person view and lets you cover behind environment obstacles in firefights. You can choose what path your character should follow, be it ordinary soldier skills or special abilities evolving things like gravitational pulls or levitation. ME1’s controls feel a little clumsy these days and the cover mechanic doesn't work as well as Gears of War.
Mainly, because it's RPG and sci-fi. However, both of these elements have picked up my interest in recent years. Thanks to games like Fallout 3, Final Fantasy 13 and experience point levelling in various non-RPG genres, I've keenly picked up the interest. The fantastic Halo games on Xbox 360 have really triggered my interest for sci-fi titles too.
I figured I should begin with the first Mass Effect 1, naturally, and since Mass Effect 3 was announced recently, I'm set for a playthrough of a whole trilogy this year!
Review
Played on: Xbox 360
Released: 2007
Released: 2007
ME1 centres around the galaxy’s Council, consisting of various alien races, while humans have yet to prove themselves worthy to be on the Council board. Shepard receives orders from the Council and work for them. You establish a team, receive a spaceship and must travel through various solar systems to find clues to an ancient race and defeat the Geth which are threatening the peace.
The game is played through a third person view and lets you cover behind environment obstacles in firefights. You can choose what path your character should follow, be it ordinary soldier skills or special abilities evolving things like gravitational pulls or levitation. ME1’s controls feel a little clumsy these days and the cover mechanic doesn't work as well as Gears of War.
The game plays fine though, the levelling and XP you earn can be put into the skills of your choice. Ultimately making you and your team more powerful. You pick up weapons and armour after fights, I picked up so much that my inventory went full all the time, leaving me no need to buy items.
Your character can carry four types of guns at all times, a pistol, an assault rifle, a sniper rifle and a shotgun, covering all styles of preferred guns for players. You can quickly shift between two of these in combat. Each weapon can be upgraded with ammo types and mods, like fast cool-down, less recoil , increased aiming and so on.
What sets ME apart from a lot of the competition in action focused shooters, are the constant RPG choices you make in dialogue. You have the opportunity to be good and evil and this affects everything. In fact, your decisions continue over into ME2 and even further into ME3. You also have the possibility to put XP into dialogue skills, either being good at negotiating or being persuasive and aggressive.
What sets ME apart from a lot of the competition in action focused shooters, are the constant RPG choices you make in dialogue. You have the opportunity to be good and evil and this affects everything. In fact, your decisions continue over into ME2 and even further into ME3. You also have the possibility to put XP into dialogue skills, either being good at negotiating or being persuasive and aggressive.
These dialogue decisions should be taken wisely. You need to be on your toes, because things you said and did early on, affect events later events in the story. This gives the game a great immersion and real depth to it's story. You actually feel the story changing around what you decide. It begs for a second playthrough to see the multiple variations you can witness through picking different answers in dialogues.
Mass Effect 2 then. It takes all the good things about ME1, greatly improves them and fixes all the bad sides the first game had. ME1 had a fantastic story but shortcomings in the gameplay, ME2 perfects both. The story has even more twists, really interesting characters and more depth when choosing and training your crew. You get to know and take part in their back story, choosing who you will take on board the Normandy.
ME2 begins with the SS Normandy from ME1 being attacked by an unknown alien ship, Shepard gets blown up and rebuilt at a Cerberus lab two years later. You get the option to import your character from ME1 or make a new one entirely, even allowing to alter how you used look.
ME1 is a great sci-fi game but it fades somewhat in comparison to ME2 when it comes to gameplay. The framerate is bad and hits slowdowns often, very apparent and annoying in heavy firefights. The menus are a little clumsy and all the armour, weapons upgrades and abilities you pick up, end in a huge mess in the inventory.
What ME1 excels at though, is it's immersive and incredible story. The vast lore, the scale of a mission reaching out to distant planets and numerous characters you meet along the way. This is a must play, regardless of the somewhat dated controls, if you plan to play its sequel. You simply should understand the deeper meaning of choices you make, that get moved into ME2.
Review
Played on: Xbox 360
Released: 2010
Released: 2010
Shortly after, you meet the Illusive Man for the first time. A mysterious character, human in form but with glowing eyes, whom you only meet in a hologram room. Here he resides sits in front of you in a chair, wearing a suit while smoking and drinking whiskey. He is the head of the Cerberus company, during the game you must decide to serve the Council or Cerberus, making decisions even more difficult.
Technically, ME2 is a marvel. The environments look stunning and a really varied. Everything from tropical planets to icy and volcanic terrain. The size and variation is amazing. The gameplay is incredible and the firefights are intense. It's right up there with the best third person shooters and this time the cover system is greatly improved and works perfectly.
Technically, ME2 is a marvel. The environments look stunning and a really varied. Everything from tropical planets to icy and volcanic terrain. The size and variation is amazing. The gameplay is incredible and the firefights are intense. It's right up there with the best third person shooters and this time the cover system is greatly improved and works perfectly.
The weapons types are more diverse, have a heavy feel to them and are awesome to shoot with. The firefights never rush you, letting you take time and plan each shot. Especially fun is using special abilities to, let's say, lift an enemy from behind cover into the air, then shooting them helplessly in a floating state. You can also flank, snipe or go for close and intense combat.
The progress of building up your crew towards a final end battle, getting to know them and using their best abilities in fights is engaging and satisfying. Scanning and then exploring planets together, fighting many types of enemies in open or closed surroundings and getting the variation of action in lonelier and creepy settings helps build a bond to your teammates.
The progress of building up your crew towards a final end battle, getting to know them and using their best abilities in fights is engaging and satisfying. Scanning and then exploring planets together, fighting many types of enemies in open or closed surroundings and getting the variation of action in lonelier and creepy settings helps build a bond to your teammates.
ME2 manages to make you attached to it's main hub too, the Normandy spaceship. Here you can research upgrades, talk to the crew and, just like in ME1, you can even start a love relationship with one on the crew, scan planets for minerals and even reside to your captain’s cabin. It feels like home and it’s a relief to return to it after intense battles down on planet surfaces.
I also love the fact that this time around you get new dialogue options determined by how your personality has been throughout the game and not through putting XP points into them. Being harsh and unforgiving in dialogues and situations, will result in new dialogue options reflecting this and vice versa if you choose a path of forgiveness and righteousness.
I also love the fact that this time around you get new dialogue options determined by how your personality has been throughout the game and not through putting XP points into them. Being harsh and unforgiving in dialogues and situations, will result in new dialogue options reflecting this and vice versa if you choose a path of forgiveness and righteousness.
Everything in ME2 is perfected. The story is incredible, the gameplay is really fun and the feeling of altering the dialogues with decisions rather than just follow a predetermined plot, makes ME2 one of this generations best games. The scale of the game is amazing and offers so much, you'll never be bored. It’s a true masterpiece.
See you around for more reviews and gaming soon! :)