Mass Effect 3

[Calax]

Meh, disagree re: Liara, think that Ashley could be a lot better if she didn't have Zaeed's ME2 line budget. Tali could've got the chop without me noticing, but she has essentially an extended cameo so it doesn't trouble me. Apart from that, mostly agree with you. SubZero and Miranda could've been good with little effort (that part I don't expect you to agree with)

 

The dialogue with Ashley annoyed me, mainly because she happened to be my love interest for that play through. Yet a lot of time after missions, she had nothing more than a Zaeed/Kasumi response.

 

Ashley: Horrible what happened on Thessia. Those poor people.

*click on her again*

Ashley; I hope Liara is holding up.

*click on her again*

Ashley: Those Reaper bastards.

*click on her again*

Ashley: Commander.

*click on her again*

Ashley: Commander.

*click on her again*

Ashley: Commander.

 

This is my love interest, the one that's supposed to be so close to Shepard, yet that's all I get when discussing one of the major moments of the game?

 

(PS. I think it was after Thessia. It might have been after Rannoch. Either way, it was a major story point mission)

It feels stranger if you're running around with Liara as your love interest. Mainly because she acts as your XO and after every major event/debrief she pops up to give you the secondary string of objectives for that segment.... and NOTHING else. She might talk about how terrible the devestation is and how she hopes certain people are all right, but there is NO closer interaction going on UNTIL the designated romance point.

 

Honestly, if I were to re-chop the game, I'd slash Tali as a recruitable (maybe put her in as DLC), and put Legion in her spot. Although I'd have Legion recruitable much earlier, maybe with more foreshadowing about the incidents on Rannoch and what happens there. I think having the Virmire survivor being a returning squad member AND a love interest was a bit.... backwards given the reaction in ME2.

 

Vega? I can understand. He's supposed to be the "new guy" on the team who exists to receive exposition for new players. It's just that they didn't play up the whole "not really sure what's going on" aspect of his character. If he felt more like a rounded our character (I know he's only got one games worth of history to him, but COME ON! He could at least act as XO to give him more face time), instead of a stereotype he probably would have gotten along better.

 

War Assets? Probably ditch them, at least in their current iteration. Maybe for the scanning/assets mechanic design a wargame system where each of your assets could come into play. Think Battleship but with bonuses for different assets, and maybe assets showing up.

 

From a fundamental story level, I'd play up the fact that "Hey, a war is going on" MUCH more. Have Shepard and the Normandy be used for a few more combat extractions, or jump into the middle of a fleet battle or SOMETHING, rather than just have everything be very placid in space. Screw the "we wanna mess with your SOUL" bit, bring home the fact that people are fighting and dying by having you jump into a system and watch a turian battleship get ripped in half by a reaper as you try to duck and not get killed yourself. Make Harbinger the main "face" of the enemy, give him a personality and such and have him interact with the Normandy crew more so that it doesn't feel like you're trying to get a graph to max out anymore.

[Amentep]

Meh, disagree re: Liara, think that Ashley could be a lot better if she didn't have Zaeed's ME2 line budget. Tali could've got the chop without me noticing, but she has essentially an extended cameo so it doesn't trouble me. Apart from that, mostly agree with you. SubZero and Miranda could've been good with little effort (that part I don't expect you to agree with)

 

The dialogue with Ashley annoyed me, mainly because she happened to be my love interest for that play through. Yet a lot of time after missions, she had nothing more than a Zaeed/Kasumi response.

 

Ashley: Horrible what happened on Thessia. Those poor people.

*click on her again*

Ashley; I hope Liara is holding up.

*click on her again*

Ashley: Those Reaper bastards.

*click on her again*

Ashley: Commander.

*click on her again*

Ashley: Commander.

*click on her again*

Ashley: Commander.

 

This is my love interest, the one that's supposed to be so close to Shepard, yet that's all I get when discussing one of the major moments of the game?

 

(PS. I think it was after Thessia. It might have been after Rannoch. Either way, it was a major story point mission)

 

But my experience is that all of the characters do that. And frankly I can't expect that any of the characters have an infinite amount of dialogue.

 

Also I liked Vega; was he the greatest companion? No. But I did like having his comments in the party seeing a lot of the craziness for the first time.

[Majek]

Yeah Vega turned out fine and filled his combat role adequately, so when i play SP i will use him more.

[Hurlshort]

I didn't have an issue with the way Ashley reacted to me in ME2, either. I'd been dead for two years, I showed up in a Cerberus uniform which was doing some really messed up stuff in ME1, and our relationship wasn't exactly all that developed to begin with. I thought she was a bit depressing when it came to the ME3 stuff, but overall it was a decent conclusion to the relationship.

[Nepenthe]

But my experience is that all of the characters do that. And frankly I can't expect that any of the characters have an infinite amount of dialogue.

Ashley is a lot worse than the others in that regard, though. Shorter lines and fewer of them. Too bad, since she was one of the better set up characters in ME1, with dialogues regarding her beliefs and views of other species (and changes in them brought about by, say, Shepard's death) apparently being cut at a very late stage.

[Amentep]

But my experience is that all of the characters do that. And frankly I can't expect that any of the characters have an infinite amount of dialogue.

Ashley is a lot worse than the others in that regard, though. Shorter lines and fewer of them. Too bad, since she was one of the better set up characters in ME1, with dialogues regarding her beliefs and views of other species (and changes in them brought about by, say, Shepard's death) apparently being cut at a very late stage.

 

Well she had more than Doctor Chakwas (expected) but less than some of the other companions. But it wasn't really something I noticed (but then Ashley wasn't a main member on my 1.5 trips through the game).

[Aedelric]

I agree with what you are saying Nepenthe.

 

The characters seemed to have a lot more life to them this time, moving around the ship and conversing with other companions. But the conversations the player could have with them seemed to lessen with each game which is an absolute shame, as characterization is something Bioware does quite well.

 

I can not say I felt quite so strongly about the fate of game characters before in regards to Mordin's death or Ash's almost death scene, which was made all the more worse as she was my characters faithful love interest at the time. It is a testament to their writers, but it was the previous games depth of conversations that made me care for them, now they generally say three lines and they are done, it just feels lacking in comparison.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Aedelric

[Nepenthe]

I agree with what you are saying Nepenthe.

 

The characters seemed to have a lot more life to them this time, moving around the ship and conversing with other companions. But the conversations the player could have with them seemed to lessen with each game which is an absolute shame, as characterization is something Bioware does quite well.

 

I can not say I felt quite so strongly about the fate of game characters before in regards to Mordin's death or Ash's almost death scene, which was made all the more worse as she was my characters faithful love interest at the time. It is a testament to their writers, but it was the previous games depth of conversations that made me care for them, now they generally say three lines and they are done, it just feels lacking in comparison.

I dunno, the extra banter IMO more than made up for fewer actual conversations for all other party members than Ashley. I have a save with Kaiden I'll do at some point, if they do something about the ending so that it no longer makes me suicidal (over the amount of times I played ME2 to get different kinds of imports).

 

Ash's near-death did absolutely nothing to me, but Mordin's and Legion's sacrifices as well as the quantum farewells at the end do result in a slight lump in my throat.

[Aedelric]

I would not say it totally made up for it, they are less interactive. I think they need to find a middle ground, with more dynamic and lively ME3 location movement and background chat yet retain the ME1 depth of character conversations and influence. (Like with Ash and aliens or Garrus with C-Sec)

 

Ash grew on me, she may not be your cup of tea, in my case it was Liara that did nothing for me. Only thing I found that most people have in common is a fondness Mordin and Garrus, they were very well writen.

 

I am not overly optimistic about this ending dlc, the whole fiasco put a bad taste in my mouth. I am not even sure I will even re-install when it comes out. ME1 has never left my hard drive since release, which says a lot about the sequels.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Aedelric

[Nepenthe]

I dunno, I was playing some ME3 on insanity yesterday, and at least my initial impression was that it might to turn out a challenging AND fun experience - something I can't really say about Insanity in either of the two previous games. Ie. they've (IMHO) consistently managed to improve the gameplay, at least.

[Aedelric]

You are right, the gameplay was improved, the combat is fluid and very enjoyable, well balanced on insanity. But it is not the combat I have a problem with.

[Nepenthe]

You are right, the gameplay was improved, the combat is fluid and very enjoyable, well balanced on insanity. But it is not the combat I have a problem with.

I play ME1 for the story, ME3 for the gameplay, ME2 for a little bit of both.

[213374U]

I dunno, I was playing some ME3 on insanity yesterday, and at least my initial impression was that it might to turn out a challenging AND fun experience - something I can't really say about Insanity in either of the two previous games. Ie. they've (IMHO) consistently managed to improve the gameplay, at least.

ME3 Insanity is easier than ME2. I'm not sure why that is, but I died all the time in ME2 and in my current Insanity playthrough (2nd overall) I'm beating most encounters in the first try. And I'm definitely nowhere near those Vanguard pr0s posting crazy no-cover Collector ship vids at the Bioboards.

 

My main beef with ME2 gameplay was that it felt... random. And quite clunky, for a shooter. Enemies routinely shooting with pinpoint accuracy through cover -or not hitting despite having a clear shot- always focusing on the player, regardless of everything else including their own safety, and squadmates reduced to little more than warp bomb helpers. All of that seems to have been, at the very least, disguised to be less noticeable in ME3, so the game is more fun to play. I'd still like to have a greater variety of enemy skills and more consistently interruptable insta-kill animations, but this was a step in the right direction, for sure.

 

Shame it doesn't have a plot to go along with the improved gameplay.

[Nepenthe]

Based on Mars base the major difference between the two is the lack of loading everything with protections ME2 had, creating an artificial difficulty spike essentially to everyone but Soldiers - or maybe sentinels, since the first ignore defences and the latter specialise in removing them. Still, initial impression was that it felt fun, not a 26 hour trip to the dentists.

 

(I don't generally care about achievements, but doing 100 % on the mass effect games - and deus ex:HR - has been a matter of pride to me).

 

Or, we've just had too much practice with the system and are now just doing this:

Edited April 16, 2012 by Nepenthe

[Majek]

ME3 is easier than ME2 just because you have at least double health and shields and do more damage. The combat is only slightly improved. Maybe 10 games later it would actually live up to it's potential.

[GhostofAnakin]

 

But my experience is that all of the characters do that. And frankly I can't expect that any of the characters have an infinite amount of dialogue.

 

Also I liked Vega; was he the greatest companion? No. But I did like having his comments in the party seeing a lot of the craziness for the first time.

 

I found that Ashley had much less dialogue than any other person in your party had. All of them had that Zaeed/Kasumi-style dialogue to some extent, but Ashley's dialogue was about on par with Cortez, who wasn't even really a full party member, despite the fact she should have played a big role if she's brought back to the team.

 

Just IMO, of course. But I thought they really dropped the ball with regards to the number of dialogue options you have with her throughout. It was especially disappointing given that BioWare stated the reason they went with less party members than in ME2 was to make the ones we did have more fleshed out. I don't think that's the case at all.

[Amentep]

Well I won't dispute not feeling the characters were fleshed out despite there being less of them; but I think in general there's a feeling that for me at least all of the characters could have used more development.

[Janmanden]

Ashley has been the most useless, petty, rigid and conservative character since the beginning.. Ever since she turned the offer of a threesome in ME1 she has been on my hatelist.. I wish I could have saved her from a gruesome end by shooting her myself. The only time I 'endured' her was the time I 'dated' her, which is pretty much everything she is about. She is eye candy, like one of those bitter acid drops, that you only suck on because it's got a delicious filling, which unfortunately is spent a lot faster than the bad taste in the beginning.. I think the count of times with 'new' dialogue is probably about the same as previous games, but because it's spend so fast with so few choices in the process just makes it feel a helluva lot less..

 

I think it's sort of okay in principle, that instead of giving me the same old dialogue options I get some dismissive hit and run 'floating text', when they have nothing else to say, but I think it's much worse when Shepard replies back in the same fashion, because there is too little choice in dialogue already. Compared to ME1/ME2 there is only about 10% of all of Shepards dialogue, which is a matter of choice and it happens quite often that there is no choice at all.. So yeah, they really dropped the ball on dialogue.. I think the reason there is any choice at all is mostly just for old times sake or as kind of punishment.. Sometimes I just want to nap on the keyboard and wake up to some action, but then they put one of those few choices in between two cutscenes to make me endure more of that passive spectator play.. I guess I could put the game in 'action' mode, but that's just.. I.. hng.. Too much (read: too little).

 

Full Choices: "All conversations require participation. No choices are made for you."

- That's obviously a matter of interpretation, because in 90% of the cases where Shepard got a line someone decided that you shouldn't have that as a choice, but the few choices you do get, well, uh.. you get those - even though they have been reduced as well.. Instead of getting three choices on the right, there is mostly only two.. And 'participation' in itself is quite anal-retentive like "you did start the game yourself didn't you?"..

 

Hmmm.. Maybe it's because I don't use XBOX Kinetic, that the game fails to notice that I sit with my arms crossed 90% of the time of every conversation.. I often nearly miss out on those blinking Renegade and Paragorn options, because I am half asleep from inactivity.. I wish there was a visible count down timer for next 'participation'.. That way I could plan my time better, go to the toilet, make coffee, talk to my gf and all kinds of other things while the game plays itself relentlessly.. If only it was funny to review on replay.. If only they would show some random footage of development, casting, voice recording, cut parts or goof points, while I am waiting for all those repetitive. predictable and unavoidable parts of the game to finish playing.. Could just be like a semi transparent pop up window in the foreground.. That would be nice as a bandage. If only Bioware was into making nice with choices.. and blah-blah-blah.

 

Ugh. This game is a wound that won't stop bleeding..

[Nepenthe]

You hate the character because it's well and consistently done, not because it's ****. That's an achievement in itself.

[Janmanden]

Thank you. Sycophant Achievement gained. Wohooo!!

 

That was the hardest achievement of them all for me and the least gratifying. Wonder why they scrapped the achievements of ME2, but that one would have been quite a thorn in the eye on that page anyway..

[HoonDing]

Not a bad word about Ashley. She's a Geth killah.

[213374U]

ME3 is easier than ME2 just because you have at least double health and shields and do more damage. The combat is only slightly improved. Maybe 10 games later it would actually live up to it's potential.

If you say so. I find that standing idly in the open gets me killed just as quickly as it did back in ME2, and unless I aim real good and land a headshot, the Claymore isn't a reliable one-shot-one-kill tool anymore -which is why, coupled with them doing away with the reload trick, I no longer use that- so I don't think the player has been significantly buffed other than by tweaking cooldown mechanics.

 

The real balance changes have been applied to the MP portion of the game only, as far as I know.

[Tale]

Not a bad word about Ashley. She's a Geth killah.

I rarely speak ill of the dead.

[Majek]

ME3 is easier than ME2 just because you have at least double health and shields and do more damage. The combat is only slightly improved. Maybe 10 games later it would actually live up to it's potential.

If you say so. I find that standing idly in the open gets me killed just as quickly as it did back in ME2, and unless I aim real good and land a headshot, the Claymore isn't a reliable one-shot-one-kill tool anymore -which is why, coupled with them doing away with the reload trick, I no longer use that- so I don't think the player has been significantly buffed other than by tweaking cooldown mechanics.

 

The real balance changes have been applied to the MP portion of the game only, as far as I know.

Balance? Bwah it's worse that ME2 there ( talking about Gold, you can solo Bronze and should have an easy time on Silver with pretty much every char ). Shots from nowhere, paper cover, powers and mods not working properly and gazillion health on the enemies, not to mention that from all the weapons most are completely useless.

[213374U]

ME3 is easier than ME2 just because you have at least double health and shields and do more damage. The combat is only slightly improved. Maybe 10 games later it would actually live up to it's potential.

If you say so. I find that standing idly in the open gets me killed just as quickly as it did back in ME2, and unless I aim real good and land a headshot, the Claymore isn't a reliable one-shot-one-kill tool anymore -which is why, coupled with them doing away with the reload trick, I no longer use that- so I don't think the player has been significantly buffed other than by tweaking cooldown mechanics.

 

The real balance changes have been applied to the MP portion of the game only, as far as I know.

Balance? Bwah it's worse that ME2 there ( talking about Gold, you can solo Bronze and should have an easy time on Silver with pretty much every char ). Shots from nowhere, paper cover, powers and mods not working properly and gazillion health on the enemies, not to mention that from all the weapons most are completely useless.

Well, Gold IS supposed to be hard to beat. I agree though that the bugs aren't cool. I've lost count of the times I've become locked out of the map after Charge bugged on me. Mobs can somehow still kill me, even though I'm floating a hundred meters above the ground, though. Mad skills.

 

And don't get me started on connectivity problems. I must have roughly a 50/50 chance of d/c before matches end. Lost connection on wave 11? Sorry, you get nothing. That's not only bad netcode, it's poor design right there.

 

Still, pretty fun for a while.