Mass Effect

[MikeRox]

I didn't expect to really be into this sort of game (I never dug titles like Oblivion and couldn't stand titles such as KOTOR yeah I know, heathen etc.) but this is actually a damn strong contedor for best game of 2007. I'm completely absorbed by the games world, to the extent that I actually WANT to explore it all. Reading the background information on the races etc is also fascinating.

Guess there is a silver lining to having been made redundant the other week afterall, theres no way in hell this would have got the attention it deserves from me without that

[Synthesthesia]

Completed it doing all the sidequests in a little over 30 hours. A truly spectacular game. Fantastic story, well-written and often intellectual dialogue, great soundtrack, fun combat and a beautifully realised world to explore. On that last point, the last few hours of the game feature some of the most stunning visuals I've seen so far in a 360 title. Brilliant art direction.

Now you could argue the sidequests aren't as fun as the main quest. Who would have thought, eh? But the fact is they're still fun to do. I enjoyed all of them, quite frankly. The only thing that irked me is that they copied and pasted a few interiors for the sidequests. That's it.

I really dug the characters as well. Very fleshed out. The aliens look totally believable! But a special mention has to go to Liara. I loved this character. Had her in my party at all times. Really enjoyed the conservations -- quite sophisticated, if I may say so. Perhaps she appealed to the geek within me. For a special bonus, take her with you to Noveria and the last planet.

Probably my favourite game on the 360, although my opinion is skewed because I love RPGs. But before signing off, I will admit that there is no plot twist quite on the same level as the one in KOTOR, which is a shame. However, overall the story I think is better.

I wouldn't say side quests aren't as fun as main parts of games. I mean Crackdown and Oblivion, i spent the most time in those just running around finding the orbs/people and doing things for them. Oblivion was absolutely incredible imo, just wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was.

I had infinately more fun with the side quests in that, ended up with a 135 hour save

[reektan]

It's a shame you kind of aren't made aware that you cant go back at one point to polish off some sidequests. There was a lot I didn't do but still clocked a good 18 hours play - I was thinking I could go back and visit some planets after but then a lot of twists kick off so you can't.

I've carried my character over to a new profile - found it interesting you get all your talent points to respend and all your equipment right from the off. Still - makes it easier on the harder setting and all that I guess and I can get the level 50 achievement thing.

It's very true though - As soon as I finished it I wanted to play it again. Very rarely do I get that with a game.

[Red Hogg]

Since restarting completely I am enjoying the game a lot more (even though I'm playing on Casual).

On the stats screen there is a Fitness upgrade that you can do. "Increases health by 10%" it claims. I added a point to this generous offer and my health went from something like 195 to 198. I have tried to work this out on a calculator but the poor device exploded. Did I press a wrong button or is the game just thick?

[Riskbreaker]

I've started a second playthrough as a Sentinel on Hardcore. Bit of a shame that you can only carry a character across if you continue from the level you finished at and then the career is exactly the same. It would have been much better to save a character template which you could edit later. Anyway, not too big a deal I could remember where all the sliders were so I just recreated my character exactly the same from scratch and started with a new class. I think I pretty much hit every sidequest available on the first run so I'm looking forwards to completing a second trimmed down playthrough.

Really enjoying it so far and it's not often I replay games like this.

[Mephistopheles]

I wouldn't say side quests aren't as fun as main parts of games. I mean Crackdown and Oblivion, i spent the most time in those just running around finding the orbs/people and doing things for them. Oblivion was absolutely incredible imo, just wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was.

I had infinately more fun with the side quests in that, ended up with a 135 hour save

While I wouldn't compare a game like Crackdown to an RPG, I absolutely agree about Oblivion. The sidequests were surprisingly fun and varied, especially the Dark Brotherhood which was amazing. Although the main quest wasn't in the same league as the one in Mass Effect. It'd be fantastic for a game to come along and have the best of both worlds -- great sidequests and a great main story. Perhaps the new Fallout game.

[Jebus]

Y'know I really really like this game but I feel it is really let down by the side quest planets. I actually stopped playing the game after 7 hours (before I'd even started Feros!!) because I was bored but I fired it up today and did Feros and it was very very enjoyable, and different!

Makes me wonder why the side quest planets all feel the same!

[Malc]

^Indeed, they even use the same level layouts when going in a bunker or a cave; they just change and re-locate some of the interior entities.

[Dazzyman]

I stuck with my playthru on first go (something around 38hours as I did everything) by not going near another game otherwise I would have benched it. I did all the sub quests first and messed around doing loads at Citadel alone for 8ish hours. At the end of the game I would say to anyone coming at it new just dont bother with them just do the main game and a few sub missions thats it as the main storys fantastic but the padded stuff is average at best and will bore some off the game.

[Durham Red]

You're still going to need to do more than 3 to get everything, I wasn't being specific about the ally achievements - unless you went out to get the achievements from the start - getting all the bio, weapon stuff etc very much depends on the class you've chosen. It's just the way BioWare have decided to spread them out.

Seven might have been an exageration though, but it's more play throughs than I want to do

Genuine question - what does it matter? The achievements, I mean. You've finished the game, you've had your fun, why punish yourself playing more than you want to for meaningless crap like achievements.

I find the whole thing utterly baffling, especially when looking at US forums where everyone's like OCD obsessive about getting every last one of them. Very strange.

[MikeRox]

I hear you on the achievements side, I looked at the list and was just like "why?"

[Jebus]

Achievements for me depend on the game. If it's something I absolutely adore like Guitar Hero or Crackdown, I'll get them whilst playing anyway. Something like this that requires me to play the game all the way through twice I look at and think "Ain't gonna happen".

[Malc]

There's a fair few of you here saying you've completed all the side quests and stuff and maybe explored all the planets, if you have; I have a question:

On one of the planets (Can't remember wich one) you come across a floating sphere related to Prothean technology. once activated it floats up and explains of how a key-type object can be fitted into the bottom, but you'll probably never discover where to find this object/key...

Well I wondered if this side quest is completable or if it's something to do with the later part of the main quest.

If it's the latter, then please explain using spoiler tags; as i've not completed it yet.

[Wild_Cat]

It is completable: the key is a Prothean trinket you get near the beginning of the game as a side-quest reward. The Asari consort on the Citadel (am I the only one who realizes how impossibly awesome it'd have been if she'd been voiced by Morena Baccarin? ) gives it to you.

[Spatial]

If that was a write up from scanning a planet then it's probably just another one of those catchy little mysteries that'll never be solved.

Future DLC perhaps?

edit: wait, what? I totally, totally missed that as I didn't bother with her

I seriously need to go back and play through this game again.