ModernChivalry.org
Miscellaneous => The Sallyport => Topic started by: Sir Edward on 2013-07-08, 18:22:18
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I finally got around to playing the Mass Effect games, and since I waited this long, I had the opportunity to play them all back to back and enjoy the trilogy as one long experience.
I have to say, it's extremely impressive as a game series, when taken as a trilogy like that. It's actually a pretty good sci-fi story, with characters that evolve over time, and by the end of it you find yourself really caring about the characters and the world it all takes place in.
But why am I mentioning a sci-fi game here on the chivalry forum? There's actually a pretty good tie-in with the concept of the game.
The story starts out with the main character (Commander Shepard) being put forth as a candidate to become the first human "Spectre" in the galactic community. Humans have only discovered long-distance, faster-than-light travel within the last few decades, and thus are relatively new to the community. The different species governments cooperate through a council.
What is a "spectre" exactly? It's short for "Special Tactics and Reconnaissance", and they're very much like Knights Errant. They are chosen from the elite amongst military and law enforcement, operate autonomously, are mostly above the law, and answer only to the council directly.
The story begins with investigating another Spectre who may have gone rogue.
Over the course of the series, you end up attempting to save the galaxy from an ancient threat, one that causes cyclical extinctions of advanced civilizations. Throughout all of it, you're faced with many moral choices and dilemmas, which carry forward with many possible outcomes (potentially in the next game, since you can import your progress to the next game in series each time). Depending on your actions, your squad and friends may live, or they may die. Those who live can help you out with later challenges.
So it feels like you're playing the futuristic, space-traveling equivalent of a knight errant, but one whose heroism saves trillions of lives, while forming deep connections of camaraderie along the way.
If you're a sci-fi geek at all, the story has a lot to offer, and the concept of periodic growth and destruction makes for an interesting back-story and setting. And yet, despite the scale of these ideas, it remains a personal story focused on the characters involved.
Between the moral choices and the Spectre status, it felt like a futuristic story of a knight, just in a different setting. :)
Anyway, I highly recommend it. I had a blast with these games.
I'm actually tempted to make a Commander Shepard cosplay armor now too. :)
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nooooooooooooo wait is it cool looking? lol how much does it cost? nooooooo i cant lol
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Nooooo!!! Yeeessssss!!! Noooo!!! Yesssssss!!! NOOOooooooo!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sheppard is awesome. This is true. :)
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Never played the games but have followed the storyline (as much as one can w/out actual gameplay) - definitely sounded like something I'd be interested in if only I had the time.
I'm currently back in the Holy Land hunting Templars...forgot how much fun it was.
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Yeah, it does take some time. I think with the entire Mass Effect Trilogy, you have to expect the three games to add up to over 100 hours of game time.
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Wait...that's it? I could do that...I've put in over 500 on Skyrim alone (don't tell my wife that tho lol). They've got it for consoles too, right? I'm a sucker for a good story...I'm finding nowadays that I appreciate a good story in lieu of over-the-top action (most times).
In fact, I just finished replaying The Walking Dead (TellTale games' take based on the original comic series, not the crappy FPS based on the tv show) - it was more like playing in a movie than any other type of genre- there's plenty of ohno and action moments; the control input for these moments is frustratingly vague (can't tell you how many times I got eaten because the reticle swings ever so slowly when you need it to move fast the most)- but it certainly ratcheted up the fear factor. Also, your choices have actual effect on the story and how your fellow survivors react to you. Made the story more interesting and the dialog is well written and acted. They've got a new episode available as DLC (the first 5 might run you a total of 15 hours all told).
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Yep, I'd budget maybe 130 hours for the entire trilogy with all of the DLC. You really need to start at the beginning. And yep, they have it on consoles.
The first game starts out a little slow. It picks up after a few hours (once you get your ship and have the freedom to go where you want). Each game is better than the last in terms of the cinematics, voice acting, character building, etc.
The story keeps building on itself, with all of your choices echoing forward in the story. It's fantastic.
My main tips for gameplay-- Always do as much of the optional content as you can before doing the next "plot" mission, since sometimes that optional content will go away (and it pays to be thorough). When you're near the end of each game, usually the last two or three missions are strung together such that you can't do anything between them, or you can but there will be consequences for taking the time to do them.
Also, in ME2, do all of the "loyalty" missions. It's worth the time for the character development, but also those characters' survival may depend on it at the end of the game, and their survival later in ME3 as well in some cases.
BTW, there's a lot of recognizable voice actors in the trilogy..
Martin Sheen
Seth Green
Freddie Prinze Jr.
Lance Henriksen (Aliens)
Keith David (Cloud Atlas, They Live)
Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix)
Adam Baldwin (Firefly, Chuck)
Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck, Dexter)
Michael Dorn (Star Trek TNG/DS9)
Marina Sirtis (Star Trek TNG)
Armin Shimmerman (Star Trek DS9)
Tricia Helfer (BSG)
Michael Hogan (BSG)
Claudia Black (Farscape)
And probably others I've forgotten. :)
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Wow, impressive voice cast...and I'm a Claudia Black fan, loved her as Chloe Frazer in Uncharted. Anyway, I think that might be my next epic adventure after completing AC until GTA V comes out; and maybe after as I'm thinking I'll need the PS4 or XB1 to give that game the justice it deserves.
I'm a big one for doing optional missions- not only for the sake of extending gameplay but also for fleshing out missions, characters or what have you so I'm all in for that.
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may have to check this game out
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Didn't you find a list of all the cut scenes somewhere? Could you post that here?
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Didn't you find a list of all the cut scenes somewhere? Could you post that here?
Yup.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL61B5E0DC94526D3E (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL61B5E0DC94526D3E)
This let's you watch the entire game trilogy as if it were a 55-episode TV show. Granted, it's with only one selection of choices, and some of the DLC (not all). Plus it skips all the smaller side missions, most of the action, and so on.
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Awwww...if I do that, I'm certain I won't play it. lol
Did just complete AC last night though...gotta tell ya, completing games isn't something I'll do much of, I can tell you that. And nowadays, most of the achievements also include online multiplayer which I think sorta sucks. Not everyone's into that.
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anyone know who has the cheapest copy out there for sale?
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For the entire trilogy? Probably ebaY...you could try Amazon, too. Or just walk into a neighborhood EB Games/Gamestop - if you can find a used copy it'll probably be cheaper than most places online. XBLA's a ripoff, they're still charging like-new prices for older games.
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I picked up the first two games on Steam, and the last one on Origin (since Steam no longer has ME3). Since they've been out a while, they're not that expensive anymore. Like $20.
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The steam summer sale is going on too. I saw ME2 the other day for like 6 bucks or something, it may still be on sale.
Or are you guys looking for the xbox versions? in that case, nevermind... go play with your inferior gaming platform :)
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i have a pc. and an old ps2 and a wii for the kids. so i'll try it on the pc
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The steam summer sale is going on too. I saw ME2 the other day for like 6 bucks or something, it may still be on sale.
Or are you guys looking for the xbox versions? in that case, nevermind... go play with your inferior gaming platform :)
I am, and I shall.
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ok.... weird... steam doesn't recognize my account email. i had to sign up when i got duke nukem and some other freeware game.
now what do i do
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nevermind i got into it. gonna talk to the wife tonight and download it.
midnightwolf667 if anyone wants to "buddy" me
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I'm in there as ZenBones.
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I have a maxxed out Female Shepherd (and yes, I play female because if I'm looking at a butt for hundreds of hours, it better be a girls! :D ) but I've not played Mass Effect 3 yet.
Just as a warning, I'm one of those people that could make a Templar Habit because I've made so many Jedi robes! :D so when I say I actually appreciate the Mass Effect Universe more than Star Wars, take heed. I played through ME1 and ME2, both twice. And the first game alone I chocked up over 100 hours. So it can add up really quick. But it's a fun, quick 100 hours with a definitely driven plotline.
Also, playing that much is rewarded. My friends couldn't believe the final mission in ME2 and how I came out of it the first time, let alone the second.
If you're just casually playing it though, it still is a great game trilogy.
Also, it's being sold used, as a collector's edition trilogy at your local game store.
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WELL I'VE PLAYED JUST ABOUT ALL DAY. ah my caps look was on lol. i found the female scientist(daughter of the bad guy) and now onto some distress beacon.
maybe more tomorrow
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neosonic04 on steam. I sent Sir Ed a friend request like a week ago, but apparently I'm not cool enough :)
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i'll look for you when i get home if i can get on to play.
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neosonic04 on steam. I sent Sir Ed a friend request like a week ago, but apparently I'm not cool enough :)
If it doesn't pop up, then I don't know about it. :)
EDIT: Looking now, I don't see it.
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In my friend's requests sent it has 'invitation sent to ZenBones' and you're avatar is a pic of you in your armor, so I'm assuming I got the correct profile. My avatar is my CoA.
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Yep, found it. I think we're good.
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WELL OK.... oops caps
it won't let me load my me1 character. says i need some sorta utility tool... but where do i get that?
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WELL OK.... oops caps
it won't let me load my me1 character. says i need some sorta utility tool... but where do i get that?
How did you install the game? I think you have to do it through the configuration program, instead of in-game. If you're running it from Steam, right-click the game in the Steam library, and select the option to run the configurator instead of the game.
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finally i got it to work. jsut to die? what? ohhhhhhhh lol nevermind hehehehe.
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finally i got it to work. jsut to die? what? ohhhhhhhh lol nevermind hehehehe.
lol. Glad it's working. :)