New Mass Effect Game

Took a while to find some Mass Effect threads so I could share my latest ME acquisition. My special order neon light was delivered today. I'll hang it in my home office this week.

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So it's even efficient?! Can you share the details (price, manufacturer, whatever)?
 
Not excited since EA has been churning out massive turds lately. Can’t believe they got Jedi Survivor right but most of the other stuff has been utter garbage.

Wait and see approach on this one.
 
KickAssCop said:
Not excited since EA has been churning out massive turds lately. Can’t believe they got Jedi Survivor right but most of the other stuff has been utter garbage.

Wait and see approach on this one.
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It's not so much EA's influence than it is BioWare hiring idiots and Tumblr alumni to their staff. All the people who made BioWare great no longer work there.
 
KickAssCop said:
Not excited since EA has been churning out massive turds lately. Can’t believe they got Jedi Survivor right but most of the other stuff has been utter garbage.

Wait and see approach on this one.
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Everyone wants to blame EA for everything but the truth is, EA has learned not to interfere too much with what makes a given studio work. They've seen the negative impact of their interference with Mass Effect 3 and some other titles. However, when leaving Respawn alone, it created two excellent games. When they left BioWare alone they got Anthem and Mass Effect Andromeda. Now, on the latter game I think their biggest mistakes were abandoning the game as it was largely fixed six months after launch. The issues with BioWare are ultimately internal to BioWare as a subdivision and whatever happened there, the people that made it work are all gone now.

As much as I would love another Mass Effect game I am afraid the magic is gone. You combine that with today's political crap and ideological messaging (which infested Andromeda to some extent) and I don't think anyone will like the results.
 
Dan_D said:
Everyone wants to blame EA for everything but the truth is, EA has learned not to interfere too much with what makes a given studio work. They've seen the negative impact of their interference with Mass Effect 3 and some other titles. However, when leaving Respawn alone, it created two excellent games. When they left BioWare alone they got Anthem and Mass Effect Andromeda. Now, on the latter game I think their biggest mistakes were abandoning the game as it was largely fixed six months after launch. The issues with BioWare are ultimately internal to BioWare as a subdivision and whatever happened there, the people that made it work are all gone now
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Respawn created 2 amazing Star Wars games but game director Stig Asmussen left the studio after Jedi: Survivor...not a good sign...if everything was so great with EA I don't think he would have left (especially before the 3rd and final game in the trilogy)...I was a fan of Anthem but it was a failure...Andromeda was underrated but also a flop
 
All of the Mass Effect games had pretty major issues, they just had a compelling story to make you push through. The shooting in the first game was just straight up bad. Especially compared to other shooters at the time. 2 was probably my personal highlight of the older games, although it was a perfect example of "travel to a dozen planet and explore a single building on each." The gameplay from 3 was like an improved take on 2, but you always had that stupid "war assets" nonsense hanging over your head all the time. Especially with the launch version and having to play horrible MP or use a mobile app each day. That was garbage. I really liked the gameplay from Andromeda. I enjoyed actually going around and engaging with enemies and whatnot more in that game vs. the others. The plot was mostly forgettable, but if someone told me to replay one of them, I'd probably choose that one.
 
Domingo said:
All of the Mass Effect games had pretty major issues, they just had a compelling story to make you push through. The shooting in the first game was just straight up bad. Especially compared to other shooters at the time. 2 was probably my personal highlight of the older games, although it was a perfect example of "travel to a dozen planet and explore a single building on each." The gameplay from 3 was like an improved take on 2, but you always had that stupid "war assets" nonsense hanging over your head all the time. Especially with the launch version and having to play horrible MP or use a mobile app each day. That was garbage. I really liked the gameplay from Andromeda. I enjoyed actually going around and engaging with enemies and whatnot more in that game vs. the others. The plot was mostly forgettable, but if someone told me to replay one of them, I'd probably choose that one.
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a lot of people have false memories of the Mass Effect series...ME2 was probably the best in the series but each game had issues...the first game had that tedious Mako planet exploration, ME3 was disappointing in how it didn't really matter the choices you made throughout the series as all it amounted to was a different cutscene

the characters were the best part of the series...really excellent writing and character development...but the overall series had some major flaws...the interesting characters covered up a lot of the flaws but people have this glorified image of the series years later that wasn't the case in the immediate aftermath of the games release
 
polonyc2 said:
a lot of people have false memories of the Mass Effect series...ME2 was probably the best in the series but each game had issues...the first game had that tedious Mako planet exploration, ME3 was disappointing in how it didn't really matter the choices you made throughout the series as all it amounted to was a different cutscene

the characters were the best part of the series...really excellent writing and character development...but the overall series had some major flaws...the interesting characters covered up a lot of the flaws but people have this glorified image of the series years later that wasn't the case in the immediate aftermath of the games release
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Yeah, it's like Star Wars. Great fun, but don't dig for plot holes too much or it quickly falls apart. ME was great overall, and I really liked what ME3 multiplayer became but there were plenty of issues. My personal pair of hated parts are how the mystery of the first game was thrown away and everything became basically known in the beginning of ME2, and the final ME2 mission needing a very specific couple of choices to prevent crew loss. But I'm still excited for more Mass Effect!
 
polonyc2 said:
a lot of people have false memories of the Mass Effect series...ME2 was probably the best in the series but each game had issues...the first game had that tedious Mako planet exploration, ME3 was disappointing in how it didn't really matter the choices you made throughout the series as all it amounted to was a different cutscene

the characters were the best part of the series...really excellent writing and character development...but the overall series had some major flaws...the interesting characters covered up a lot of the flaws but people have this glorified image of the series years later that wasn't the case in the immediate aftermath of the games release
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ME1 for me was the best. The combat had more of a RPG tilt to it and once you learned the abilities/enemy types it was lots of fun. I do understand why some would want a more arcadey combat experience though, which is why the majority probably like 2 the best. Also I totally agree that the mako could have been a lot better.
 
Furious_Styles said:
ME1 for me was the best. The combat had more of a RPG tilt to it and once you learned the abilities/enemy types it was lots of fun. I do understand why some would want a more arcadey combat experience though, which is why the majority probably like 2 the best. Also I totally agree that the mako could have been a lot better.
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I like the combat loop in all the games for different reasons. I take issue with calling it "arcadey" in ME2. The weapon handling become much more realistic and responsive, and the power system took a big leap in maturity on its way to perfection in ME3. Your choice of loadout and skills made a lot more impact in the latter two games than the first, which I would argue is more in the spirit of a RPG, especially reaching back to the original system most games take inspiration from (D&D). In the first game you just dump your points into almost everything by level 60, at which point the game becomes so broken that your Shepard may as well be a demigod.
 
Furious_Styles said:
ME1 for me was the best. The combat had more of a RPG tilt to it and once you learned the abilities/enemy types it was lots of fun. I do understand why some would want a more arcadey combat experience though, which is why the majority probably like 2 the best. Also I totally agree that the mako could have been a lot better.
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ME1 - Story
ME3 - Gameplay

I would say the tie for the best story mission design.

ME2 gameplay was better than 1, but the maps were even more linear, the overall story was weak, and spent too much time on side characters that didn't matter that much. Of course these side characters had better story arcs than most games. It also had improvement conversation camera angles.

For the next game I hope it plays more like ME3, with a story more like ME1 or ME3. That will be hard to do especially if they are trying to pick up the pieces of Andromeda. I don't mind if a few story missions take place on large open areas, but they should only take a few hours. I don't want most of the game to be spent zipping around respawning camps and generic activities. In Andromeda the best of the exploration wasn't even interactive - sand worm, settlements, etc. A few well done large maps for exploration as story missions are okay. But I hope the rest of the missions are more like Noveria.
 
Armenius said:
I like the combat loop in all the games for different reasons. I take issue with calling it "arcadey" in ME2. The weapon handling become much more realistic and responsive, and the power system took a big leap in maturity on its way to perfection in ME3. Your choice of loadout and skills made a lot more impact in the latter two games than the first, which I would argue is more in the spirit of a RPG, especially reaching back to the original system most games take inspiration from (D&D). In the first game you just dump your points into almost everything by level 60, at which point the game becomes so broken that your Shepard may as well be a demigod.
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It certainly was more arcadey imo. Very easy to pick up and much more run and gun friendly than the first. I don't think of it as a bad thing as it might seem from my previous post. Just a different style that certainly has broader appeal.
 
polonyc2 said:
what is all this leading to?...an official release date announcement?...title reveal?...I would think they would save it for the Game Awards in a few weeks
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I would think something will be shown then. They have been doing teasers for a couple years.

My speculation is we see Liara in these shorts (N7 designation was opened up to non-humans). Liara inherited the Andromeda mission when she became the Shadow Broker as the benefactor. The distress call is the Andromeda team encountering Reapers. Liara intercepted the transmission, as it was meant for the Alliance, hence the security and decryption warnings. The view out the door in the last clip is reminiscent of the atmospheric conditions of the planet the Shadow Broker's ship is hiding in.

I don't know what to think about all that. Reintroducing the Reapers would be like retreading old ground.
 
Armenius said:
I don't know what to think about all that. Reintroducing the Reapers would be like retreading old ground.
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the Reapers were fantastic villains (at least in the first game)...that scene with Sovereign at the end of ME1 is one of the best scenes in gaming history...the guy who did the voice of Sovereign nailed it...the dialogue was also excellent...


View: https://youtu.be/2BEPThkr3S0?t=62
 
polonyc2 said:
the Reapers were fantastic villains (at least in the first game)...that scene with Sovereign at the end of ME1 is one of the best scenes in gaming history...the guy who did the voice of Sovereign nailed it...the dialogue was also excellent...


View: https://youtu.be/2BEPThkr3S0?t=62
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Peter Jessop, the original voice of Wesker and also Paladin Danse in FO4. He did a brilliant job making Sovereign feel like a menacing villain. The speech itself was fairly cliche, but his delivery made it work.
 
Flogger23m said:
ME1 - Story
ME3 - Gameplay

I would say the tie for the best story mission design.

ME2 gameplay was better than 1, but the maps were even more linear, the overall story was weak, and spent too much time on side characters that didn't matter that much. Of course these side characters had better story arcs than most games. It also had improvement conversation camera angles.

For the next game I hope it plays more like ME3, with a story more like ME1 or ME3. That will be hard to do especially if they are trying to pick up the pieces of Andromeda. I don't mind if a few story missions take place on large open areas, but they should only take a few hours. I don't want most of the game to be spent zipping around respawning camps and generic activities. In Andromeda the best of the exploration wasn't even interactive - sand worm, settlements, etc. A few well done large maps for exploration as story missions are okay. But I hope the rest of the missions are more like Noveria.
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This is almost exactly the same opinion I have on the trilogy. ME1 had tons of flaws but it had a great story and did an amazing job with story building.

ME2 improved on combat but did practically nothing to advance the story. Most of the game felt like a side quest because most of the game was little more than doing companion missions. Companion missions aren't a bad thing if they're done right but they weren't. In ME1 the companion missions were built into the main storyline missions.

ME3 definitely had the best combat. It was sped up which felt more satisfying and you could do more with the skills Shepard and the companions had. While there were side quests for companions it wasn't the entirety of the game and felt much more natural. It was also pushing the main story throughout. The ending was obviously trash but up until that part it was damn good.

I'm not excited at all about any new ME games. No one who created the original magic is left. At best I expect a generic shooter with a few RPG elements and bland story with a bunch of bullshit injected into it. Andromeda was already like this but I expect anything new to be even worse.

Ironically, Andromeda wouldn't have been that bad except it was way too open world. There's so much make work included in the game that I have no desire to play through it a second time. It would be nice to mess around some more with character setup and skills but it's not worth the time wasting.
 
2>1>3>Andromeda

I couldn’t even bring myself to finish Andromeda, and that left a pretty bad taste in my mouth as it was one of my most anticipated titles. I can’t help but be highly skeptical about this one, if it isn’t something really special I’m most definitely done with the series.
 
the open jacket is pretty much a trademark Liara, and with her lifespan, seems viable. though the boobs are too small for a matriarch. after the events of ME3, Systems Alliance opening up to other species isn't a huge leap, so N7 would follow.
 
Nimisys said:
the open jacket is pretty much a trademark Liara, and with her lifespan, seems viable. though the boobs are too small for a matriarch. after the events of ME3, Systems Alliance opening up to other species isn't a huge leap, so N7 would follow.
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Couldn't really see her boobs in the clips, but BioWare is the type of developer these days to spite the lore and reduce boob size to fight the male gaze, or something. Remember what they did to the Legendary Edition.
 
Armenius said:
Couldn't really see her boobs in the clips, but BioWare is the type of developer these days to spite the lore and reduce boob size to fight the male gaze, or something. Remember what they did to the Legendary Edition.
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I really hope there is very little focus exercised on stuff like that. They need to focus on making a good overall game, which andromeda really wasn't.
 
There’s a lot of revisionist history with this series amongst gamers. The original game, when it was released, didn’t live up to expectations, because A) you couldn’t switch between characters (as was shown in the demo footage, and B) the shooting mechanics were atrocious.

But somewhere along the way, the the first three games became classics. I actually like the series a lot, and would love to see another Mass Effect game.
 
Hershy said:
There’s a lot of revisionist history with this series amongst gamers. The original game, when it was released, didn’t live up to expectations, because A) you couldn’t switch between characters (as was shown in the demo footage, and B) the shooting mechanics were atrocious.
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I didn't play ME1 until well after ME2 had been out for some time. I picked up both games on a Steam sale. All I ever heard was praise for the game when it was new leading up to the time I actually played it. Complaints such as those are certainly valid but in my mind are a far cry from not living up to expectations.
Hershy said:
But somewhere along the way, the the first three games became classics. I actually like the series a lot, and would love to see another Mass Effect game.
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As I said, I only ever heard general praise for the first game. That's not to say there wasn't bitching and moaning about the Mako or things like that but I don't think there was this mysterious switch to the game being a classic from being any kind of failure or disappointment. Sure, some people like Comixbooks might have gotten a refund and bitched about the game but I'd say that was a minority of the people who played it.
 
Q-BZ said:
I'll believe it when I see it.
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I love ME every bit as much as anyone, but I try to avoid all the deep dive down the rabbit hole speculation/interpretation of what's to come in the next chapter. It's baffling to see YouTubers break down trailers into single frames in which they analyze every minute detail in pursuit of some nebulous clue. It always reminds of the great SNL clip...


View: https://youtu.be/WUL7q8eyig8?si=pD_PywjvIXY_eid6
 
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SmokeRngs said:
While there were side quests for companions it wasn't the entirety of the game and felt much more natural. It was also pushing the main story throughout. The ending was obviously trash but up until that part it was damn good.
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That is true, some of the best conclusions for characters occurred during main quests. Shooting felt the best in ME3 as well. The only thing I didn't like was the rolling, it didn't really add much and just made things odd.

ME1 did have bad shooting which is my biggest complaint with that game.
 
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