So, did anyone else pick up Mass Effect?

Picked it up yesterday, played it a little today before it crashed after the first planet. Few things:

-Graphics are beautiful and well done, and the animations use motion capture when compared to KOTOR's stiff movements. Sound is also a high point, with the voices all well done.

-Customization is awesome, if not limited. I was sort of hoping for a few more options then what we got.

-Dialog Trees are interesting, although I have not seen anything too out there yet when compared to KOTOR.

-Combat is like a RPG version of Gears, even offering a similar viewpoint and hiding system. Controls are a real pain in the ass, though.

-Menu system is sort of eh, not as smooth or as easy to navigate as KOTOR or Jade Empire. I sort of hate that you have to go in the locker section of the ship just to change your teammates weapon's, and that the elevator takes for fucking ever to get there.

I'm defiantly enjoying it, although there are a few things Bioware should have put more effort into, since it is not something you can pick up and play easily without confusion.

 

I beat it last night. Aside from all of the technical issues, I still consider it one of the best games I've played in recent memory.

 

How long is it without the side quests?

 

About 20-25 hours.

 

I hear that besides some glitches, it friggin' owns. And is a contender for Game of the Year...

 

Sounds about right, not bad considering there is a bunch of stuff to do as a male and female. KOTOR was about 40 hours the first time with most of the side missions.

 

I was thinking about it, but then again, I never really liked the previous Bioware RPGs like KOTOR. Too much dialog for my tastes.

 

Yeah, you won't like Mass Effect then. I have been playing for about a hour and a half in the beginning, and only 20 minutes of that has been combat.

 

Yeah, that's what I've heard.
Nothing wrong with that sort of setup, but I prefer more arcade-y/quicker paced games. RPG's in general usually don't suit my style.

 

Lucked out and found the Ltd Edition (only supposed to be availble online) in a bricks and motar Gamestop in Manhattan when I was down there for Thanksgiving.

Game is pretty sweet though a lot like playing KOTOR again and that's not really a bad thing.

Bonus Disc is pretty sweet 4-5 sets of gamer pics, 4-5 themes, the soundtrack and 4 documentaries (showing beta builds etc..)

 

It's sitting under a tree at my moms...

 

aw, you already know what your present is?? lamesauce!

 

Didn't like it.

 

I got to pick out my crap lol, but I pretty much get Mass Effect and Rock Band, thats bout it, no problem though. I just need to get the family stuff.

Rock Band was sort of an impulse buy, since my mom and stepdad wanted to play it so much and I stumbled across the last copy in another state. I didn't think Mass Effect looked like my kind of game at first, but I saw it a buds house and thought it looked cool, and I've already played everything else thats good, so why not.

 

ah... we always compile a list for our parents. a christmas/birthday list. picking out your own stuff sounds boring... then you can be surprised on Christmas morn. ;-) Anyways, my list was short: some 360 games and boxers.

 

I've just finished it today. The 2nd best RPG on the 360 after Oblivion for me. It was fun to play, but I felt the game shorter (it took me around 15 hours on normal difficulty) and easier than KOTOR 2. Don't think I'll ever replay it, as I don't have much interest in getting all the achievements.

 

Finished it yesterday.

It could have used some time in developement. The game that shipped is NOT the same one that was promised. I found it somewhat underwhelming. Still a fun game and all but it could've been a lot better.

The E32006 video here

 

Got to play around with it the other day: the whole galactic exploration part is awesome, but the combat part kinda not...

For me, having to stop the combat to select a special item is a complete buzzkill, specially cuz you've to do this all the time.

 

The only things pissing me off with the game is the "stuck in place" glitch and the near-constant DRE (disc read error) which is funny since it's the first game I've played on the 360 since I got it back from MS (tho it's a replacement, not mine repaired).