So I finally bought Mass Effect...

seriouslywhat

So after buying crackdown a while back for next to nothing and enjoying it immensly I decided to look at cheap games second hand that got great reviews..

So I finally bought Mass Effect.

Anything I should know before starting to play to make it as enjoyable as possible and less tedious.

I watched the IGN Video Review yesterday which seemed to say it was riddled with small problems like saving the game (pet hate of mine) and trouble when shooting, glichy etc..

They say its an epic game but little problems dont help.

Has there been any fixes/patches since release a while back?

ntlbell

seriouslywhat wrote: »

Has there been any fixes/patches since release a while back?

pop it in the drive and you'll find out?

me-skywalker

seriouslywhat wrote: »

I watched the IGN Video Review yesterday which seemed to say it was riddled with small problems like saving the game (pet hate of mine) and trouble when shooting, glichy etc..

They say its an epic game but little problems dont help.

Has there been any fixes/patches since release a while back?

Never had any saving problems, never any toruble shooting except that its too easy when you pick soldier class haha, but its the best calss to get through the game


Only thing is be warned: ELEVATORS!!!

seriouslywhat

ntlbell wrote: »

pop it in the drive and you'll find out?

good one.

No I havent done that yet as I had work to go to and telly was in use last night so I'm goin home very soon to set up for a few hours at it.

30 hours is what IGN reckon it has in it for finishing. Decent amount of playin time by the sounds of it. Hope it doesnt get borin.

And so much for my play through the games I have before buyin any new ones!! :rolleyes:

Sticky_Fingers

seriouslywhat wrote: »

Anything I should know before starting to play to make it as enjoyable as possible and less tedious.

Only thing to know is that it is an epic game that will give you hours of enjoyment. Any problems (inventory system is a bit cack IMO) are tiny in comparison to the games overall awesomeness. Then you have ME2 to look forward to which is one of the best games I've played in a long time.

Blazer

Enjoyed both of them..both very good games..sure there's some flaws but all games have them.
For me the positives outweighed the negatives and great replayability in them.
Don't forget to keep your save games
Keeping your save game from ME1 can be used in ME2 and then onto ME3 when it comes not..not too well implemented in ME2 but they're promising big things for it in ME3.

mlindsay215

Take you're time, complete all the side quests as they impact various response in ME2, and if possible don't play ME2 until you have found the perfect end game for you. Otherwise you will kick yourself when you start it up.

Healium

Be patient. The game may seem a bit dated now, but the combat system and inventory is heavily improved in ME2. Aiming is a bit crap in ME1

Cunning Alias

God damn lifts!! You will know soon enough.

If you hate it, don't give up on the series. Grab ME2. I thought the 1st one was a bit slow but made my way through it anyway. The 2nd one is a massive improvement.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I didn't mind the lifts at all, far preferred them to the constant "loading" screen you'd get in half life 2 every new area if your machine wasn't up to spec when it first came out

TouchingVirus

mlindsay215 wrote: »

Take you're time, complete all the side quests as they impact various response in ME2, and if possible don't play ME2 until you have found the perfect end game for you. Otherwise you will kick yourself when you start it up.

I did very few side-missions in ME1, while my friends did them all. There isn't anything to be gained from them in the discussions we've had over the two, nothing plot pivotal. The side-missions won't impact on a whole lot in ME2, save for a bit of dialogue here or there. So if you're into backstory and that then do the side-missions. If not then cruise on through, you're hardly missing anything.

My advice: Stick with it. I found the first 10 hours of ME1 to be pretty mundane stuff, but after that I was hooked, racking up another 20 hours in two days until I was done.

More advice: Purchase ME2. If you finish ME1 you will need to play it. If you don't you have two games to trade in.

um7y1h83ge06nx

I thought it was one of the best games I played in many years.

However, the first few hours were very mundane so stick with it.

keith_d99

Was thinking of just jumping ME2 ... is it really that important to play ME1 first?

FutureGuy

I played ME1 and got a little bored of it. About 3 months ago, I bought ME2. Best game I have ever played. Truely incredible on every level.

I'm currently playing through ME1 and I can see all the ways that ME2 is better. However, now that I know what's going on, ME1 is very enjoyable.

mlindsay215

keith_d99 wrote: »

Was thinking of just jumping ME2 ... is it really that important to play ME1 first?

Definitly stick with ME1, it makes ME2 that much more enjoyable, you build a repitoir with the characters, get inside them and see what makes them tick, if you really immerse youself in the game you will understand the struggles of ME2 that much more, not to mention feel a degree of sadness at the opening scene of ME2 as a result from played ME1 as you've gotten "close" to the main character.

nevelator

Install the game to the HDD if you have the room - should make the loading times shorter. You'll still cringe at the thought of elevators though.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

am I the only person on the planet who was very impressed with mass effect 1 but kinda dissapointed with me2?

um7y1h83ge06nx

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

am I the only person on the planet who was very impressed with mass effect 1 but kinda dissapointed with me2?

I sort of feel that way too sometimes.

The combat and inventory/weapon management was a lot more involved in ME1 than ME2.

Of course, ME2 is superior in almost every other way but the dumbed down combat sometimes p*sses me off.

VALIS

Texture drop ins can be a bit jarring sometimes, I found, but otherwise it's a great game--a true modern day RPG. I spent about 32 hours playing through but I suspect that a lot of that can be shaved off if you're not the sidequest type.

ME2, although I was wary at first due to drastic changes to the inventory and to an extent leveling up characters (much simplified) proved even more the masterpiece; I actually dug the dumbed down inventory because I felt it stripped some unnecessary tedium out of it (I have the attention span of a fish). And ME2's latest DLC was so good, I cannot wait for ME3.

SeanyMc22

Picked up ME1 for €8.99 new in HMV today. Looking forward to it as missed it first time round thanks to College.

Sticky_Fingers

Paul Shaggy Mucous wrote: »

I sort of feel that way too sometimes.

The combat and inventory/weapon management was a lot more involved in ME1 than ME2.

Of course, ME2 is superior in almost every other way but the dumbed down combat sometimes p*sses me off.

There was a few things taken out of ME2 that I liked in ME1, though definitely not the inventory system, it was bloated and unwieldy. I would periodically have to shift through it and get rid of loads of equipment that I didn't want or need, not much fun.

I seem to be in the minority with regards the Mako, I actually liked trundling around in it exploring planets and I felt it gave the ME universe a sense of vastness and immersion. I am however glad they got rid of the cookie cutter bases, though my brother contends that it gave it a sense of realism since everything in the ME universe would be mass-produced and modular and outposts would all look the same.

me-skywalker

Its a crime to jsut jump straight into 2 without h playing the first one!!

This lays the backgournd to the story and universe and plots and characters! And on its own is a an epic game!!

Raze_them_all

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

am I the only person on the planet who was very impressed with mass effect 1 but kinda dissapointed with me2?

No I love me1 alot more rpg like with the proper side quests(though the buggy thing was annoying) dicovering characters and

choosing who lives and dies

Me2 just layed them out there and then

VALIS wrote: »

Texture drop ins can be a bit jarring sometimes, I found, but otherwise it's a great game--a true modern day RPG. I spent about 32 hours playing through but I suspect that a lot of that can be shaved off if you're not the sidequest type.

ME2, although I was wary at first due to drastic changes to the inventory and to an extent leveling up characters (much simplified) proved even more the masterpiece; I actually dug the dumbed down inventory because I felt it stripped some unnecessary tedium out of it (I have the attention span of a fish). And ME2's latest DLC was so good, I cannot wait for ME3.

I wouldn't class it as a true modern rpg tbh, maybe an american one, I prefer Jrpg's for there inventory systems, proper battles, not just shooting!! I always hate how in rpg's if a character has a gun he can shoot and shoot all day, yet in a cut scene in only takes one bullet to be killed

Sagat06

TouchingVirus wrote: »

My advice: Stick with it. I found the first 10 hours of ME1 to be pretty mundane stuff, but after that I was hooked, racking up another 20 hours in two days until I was done.

Exactly my experience of it... took a long time to get in to it (1 year between games) but once I did... christ I loved it. And yeah finish 1 before playing 2, it sets it up for you.

The lifts :mad: pick the wrong floor and its like aahh ffs :mad:

calex71

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

am I the only person on the planet who was very impressed with mass effect 1 but kinda dissapointed with me2?

No that I was unimpressed with the game over all as such but really did feel dumbed down in terms of RPG elements in ME2 It got replaced with the even more annoying scanning of planets bits, though that said driving around them in the 1st game was a bit nuts.

AdMMM

keith_d99 wrote: »

Was thinking of just jumping ME2 ... is it really that important to play ME1 first?

When you can pick up Mass Effect for something like €6 in GameStop, there's really no way to justify skipping it! I bought both at full price and never regretted it.

seriouslywhat

€6 in gamestop?! Damn it I payed €10 in xtra vision. Knew I shoulda had a look around!!!:mad:

VALIS

No way, when I was looking around in physical retailers all copies were around 18 euro so I thought I was getting a deal at 15.49 from a seller on play!

Still worth it.

hightower1

Have to say I enjoyed ME1 way more than 2. 1 felt like a proper RPG where 2 just felt like a half assed shooter with a VERY thin RPG premis tacked on.
Much preferred 2's story though.

It was a clear marketing decision though to make 2 dumbed down to appeal to the bigger shooter market compared to the RPG market.
Think of it this way... th erpg fans bought ME1 and loved it so they were a sure bet to buy ME2 no matter what , by changin it to a more shooter based game they could only stand to entice in more purchases.

Long term though is will it hurt ME3 sales? If they remain with the shooter rather than RPG format I wont buy, will just lend off a mate. If it goes back to RPG style then will defo buy.

Sure you end up with shed loads of inventory but thats the joy of playing an RPG, selling it and raking in the loot, grinding fights to level up and get that wicked powerful item! If I wanted a shooter I buy a shooter , if I want a RPG I buy an RPG... please dont try and turn it into a mongrel of the two. It never really works well. I disliked fallout for the same reason, felt like an ok RPG but the combat felt like a 3rd rate shooter. Be one of the other ME3 PLEASE!

hobochris

I never got into ME1, everything felt like it took so long, just going between the embassies felt like forever.

Of Course I started ME1 after completing fallout 3 which is arguably the best xbox game ever.

Jayd0g

+1 on enjoying the mako in ME1 Have yet to play ME2 though, only half way through ME1 at the moment.

Must admit though, I got a planet guide for Mako exploration, so that I knew when I'd found X number items on a planet I'd stop exploring. Once I paid attention to the mini map, it was fine. If you use the radar, you can cover an entire planet in 2 or 3 passes across the map.

Elevators are really annoying though. Usually make a cup of tea while they load.