Mass Effect

[Guts]

Here's an example of the superb dialogue:

http://rpgcodex.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=21072

[maximum]

I couldn't even think about showing this to professionals in literature and films to convince them that games can have high artistic values.

glad to hear it. only a pretentious ponse would consider doing that in the first place.

[cavalcade]

I couldn't even think about showing this to professionals in literature and films to convince them that games can have high artistic values.

You're quite right to be cautious. I remember there was that time I tried to get Mathew Arnold to play Full Auto and he was having none of it. He considered the most important criteria used to judge the value of a game were ?high truth? and ?high seriousness?, and yet he found the sheer beauty of a well timed machine gun burst into the back of a fuel tanker had no "clearness of arrangement, rigor of development, simplicity of style". I dread to think what he'd make of Mass Effect, so thanks for warning me.

[Malavon]

One quick question:
I'm having trouble finding the last Keeper to scan, does anyone know if the final reward is worth the hassle of me running around trying to find it?

[SuperBeatBoy]

One quick question:
I'm having trouble finding the last Keeper to scan, does anyone know if the final reward is worth the hassle of me running around trying to find it?

Im having this problem aswell, he must be well hidden. I feel that i have explored every area.

[hudson]

I think you get about 700xp for it, but I could be very wrong though as the xp info is sadly displayed very briefly.

I just wasn't boarding the Normandy until all them freaks were tagged

My last one was

->Open Spoiler<-

to the right side of the court room at Ciditel Tower or inside the c-sec traffic control room.

[MartyG]

I've put about 10 hours into this now, and the thing that has impressed me most is the direction and camera work in cut-scenes and conversations. The use of angles and depth of field is excellent and have been thought about to represent a cinematic experience.

The level of exporation allowed is vast, which is typical of BioWare. I must have spent a good 5 hours wondering around the wards, completing side quests, scanning keepers. Did anyone do the

->Open Spoiler<-

AI computer stealing credits which decided to blow itself up?

- top stuff.

The pop-in and frame rate issues are annoying, but not enough to detract, they are just annoying, driving the vehicle is the most irritating aspect of the game for me.

BioWare have done a good job here putting across a workable Sci-fi universe.

[El Leone]

Really enjoying this, but I'm stuck at a particular point and its really kicking my ass. If I manage to get past this, I'm gonna do a decent amount of side quests so that I can get my level up.

[Malavon]

Did anyone do the

->Open Spoiler<-

AI computer stealing credits which decided to blow itself up?

- top stuff.

In case anyone is in two minds about reading this, just to confirm it's regarding a mini quest before you leave the Citadel.

And yeah, I did it too -

->Open Spoiler<-

I was genuinly surprised (in a good way) when I found out it was a "rogue" AI, as I was expecting some random NPC where you'd just threaten him and he'd apologize and wander off. Really loved the idea of a rogue AI stealing credits so it can purchase a ship to attach itself to and use to search for the geth. Hopefully there will be more interesting AI encouters ahead.

My last one was to the right side of the court room at Ciditel Tower or inside the c-sec traffic control room.

Got both of those

700 XP is quite a bit though, and as I want to go off and do some more exploring before continuing with the main story segment I think I'll finish this quest off, as it sounds like I may need to level up a bit first.

What level was everyone when they left the citadel?

[MartyG]

Got both of those

There's one

->Open Spoiler<-

right at the top of the docking bay

[SuperBeatBoy]

Is it best to keep the film effect on, i didn't like it when i first saw it.

[vanpeebles]

Its just dawned on me but reading about exploring these planets and finding old ships reminded me of the superb RPG Buck Rogers Countdown to Doomsday on the mega drive.

[Malavon]

There's one

->Open Spoiler<-

right at the top of the docking bay

Yeah, got that one too. I think tommorow I'll have another run round the citadel and I'll post the spoilered location of each of them as I go, and that should make it easier for someone to help me out. I'll then edit it into the list and leave it up for someone else to use if they're having the same trouble.

[hudson]

What level was everyone when they left the citadel?

I was level 9 or 10 when I left. I think I completed every possible side quest before doing so.

[PeteJ]

I can't remember my level, sorry. I think it was about 6 or 7...?

I'm 18 now at about 10 hours, just done the first plot mission after the citadel. I'm sure it is possible to finish the main story in under 10 hours as some reviewers have complained about, but to do so would completely miss the point and a whole lot of detail too.

I spent an hour earlier listening to the back stories of all the crew, some of them actually have good stories to tell! I've also spent a very long time reading the codex files; if you want detail, it certainly has it.

Some really cool conversations too that weren't moral or good vs evil but actual descisions that really genuinely did change what happened next. They may not have been huge things but I actually had to think how to respond. I'm also pleased that Shepard puts the majority of responses very well, I haven't felt that the summary choices have lead me down paths I didn't want to go...well once, actually, but I'll let that slip!

I also had a situation where I tried to play the diplomatic route and ended off worse for it! That was entirely my fault though

There are a few blips but this is a really impressive new IP Bioware have created. Probably the most rich sci-fi I've seen in a very long time. Probably since I read the Gap series many moons ago!

I think at the 10 hour mark I am feeling the strengths and weaknesses a bit more, and I agree with some reviews that there are some strange design descisions and areas that are left irritatingly rough.

Technical details are already well documented so I'll ignore that, but my biggest issue is actually the saving, loading and retrying...specially the retrying! The combat in the game is quite tough so expect to die a lot, and expect to retrace large portions of a map because the auto-save is so rare (you can manually save of course, but it is easy to forgot, and easy to get caught out by an unexpected attack), and worse still, expect to rewatch unskippable cutscenes a lot. It's disappointing that Bioware didn't look at this a bit closer, and it is particularly bad when an autosave occurs before a cutscene, a loading screen, yet another cutscene and then a pretty tough battle (which you can't save during).

I'm also finding it difficult...nay..overwhelming with equipment at the moment. I have so much stuff and most of it is worthless. Most RPG's do the same of course, but almost every pickup is a weapon, armour or weapon upgrade, which devalues the specialness of all of them.

The jeep is a little uncofortable to drive, particularly when reversing. It is quite fun, and I enjoy scrambling up tough surfaces just to reach the top! Got very annoying at some insta-death lava pools on one planet though, which seem to kill you with just one tyre scraping the side.

I have had massive expectations for this one, and its my most anticipated release of the year. In some respects the gameplay should have been refined more but the stuff that counts, the stuff that I wanted to be good, has delivered. Script, characters, plot and exploration.