Mass Effect So Far
I’ve been putting a lot of free time to Mass Effect lately. The PC version is very entertaining and I’ve really been enjoying the story. The dialog system is especially good, and the grainy film effect makes everything look like you are playing a movie. I’m playing through as a renegade soldier Jane Shepherd, but I can definitely see myself going back through a second time as a paragon something John Shepherd.
So far I’ve gotten the whole team together (although I think I did it out of order), and I’ve finally gotten to the point where assault rifles no longer suck. I went almost exclusively with the pistol at first, and until level 20, I didn’t put a point towards sniping. It’s actually amazing that I hit anything previously, but I guess I am used to absurd amounts of scope sway. I have largely ignored shotguns, and I use assault rifles most of the time now for run-and-gun tactics. The team AI is not that great, and it is frustrating to watch them use all their good abilities pointlessly (but I don’t want to micro-manage them either). If I run through this again, I will probably manually assign their points (now that I know what abilities do). I typically hang out with Tali (who reminds me of a CIS droid) and Garrus so that I can pretend I am an engineer.
I think this is the first single-player RPG that I have gone the “bad” route in. Usually I am a goody-two-shoes, but there is a certain delight to being evil, especially when the writing is good. I like insulting the Council, because Spectres are supposed to be the right hand of the Council and the turian guy always gets pissed off. I do occasionally fall back into patterns of being sorta-nice, and I was nice to Liara since I took her mom out.
Overall, this has been the best blend of action and RPG that I have played. I hear there is a sequel, and I know once I finish up Mass Effect, I’ll be eagerly anticipating Mass Effect 2. Also, the loading screens designed as elevator rides don’t really bother me that much.
By Jesus159159159, 6/25/2008 @ 9:47 pm
WHOA HO!!! Isn’t that the game with the controversial SEX SCENE?!?!?! XD I sometimes wonder if my computer can handle all these new high graffix games.
I remember when the Bioshock demo crashed on me after reaching level one… ALL THE TIME!!! 
I never got to shoot anyone… only see pretty water!
By Kabitzin, 6/25/2008 @ 10:06 pm
I have yet to see any romance, let alone any hot alien action, so maybe I’m just not doing it right.
By Jesus159159159, 6/25/2008 @ 10:30 pm
Maybe you should have chosen the “goody-two-shoes” path! =P =3
By Ender, 6/26/2008 @ 12:32 am
They shortened some of the more excruciatingly long elevator rides in the PC version.
By Velius, 6/26/2008 @ 8:47 am
You don’t get the hot alien action until right before the final plot planet. At some point, if you keep leading two people on, they confront you and force you to make a choice. The dialogue responses at that point are pretty hilarious.
Just curious about why you have both Garrus and Tali. You only need 1 of them to be able to decrypt everything. I would either replace one or the other with Wrex (way more humorous dialogue and killing power) or Liara (insanely awesome biotics).
By Kabitzin, 6/26/2008 @ 9:47 am
Sometimes I take Wrex instead of Garrus because he’s funny. Watching Garrus try to snipe is pretty humorous as well. I just got Liara, so I haven’t had a chance to see how awesome she is.
I thought your team’s tech skill was added together. That’s what the little bars make it look like in the squad select screen.
By Velius, 6/26/2008 @ 10:25 am
No, all you need to do is get one person (either Tali/Garrus) to put points into electronics up to “being able to hack hard level objects” and decryption up to “being able to decrypt hard level objects.” The game only uses the highest individual level out of your party when determining checks on hack/decrypt. The only skill that stacks across multiple party members is first aid.
Those stat bars when you pick your party are just short summaries of what your party’s mix of skills are.
By Ender, 6/26/2008 @ 1:07 pm
LOL @ the harem dialogue choice - “Why can’t I have you both?” In the end I picked Ashley (though her attitude annoys me to no end) purely because Liara looks like a cheesy cosplay job. I mean, she’s just a human with a Blue Man Group paint job, and a tentacle wig. The other races look truly “alien”, but the Asari look like Star Trek rejects.
Also, even if the team’s tech skills *did* stack together, it wouldn’t help, because higher tech skill only increases the tech explosion damage. The only thing that matters is that someone has the “hard decryption” block unlocked.
By Velius, 6/26/2008 @ 2:22 pm
Well, there’s Electronics for decrypting salvage (those downed satellites) and Decryption for weapon lockers and such. You just need to unlock both up to the “hard decryption” block. I typically go with Garrus simply because his weapon selection (Assault Rifle/Sniper Rifle) and ability to wear medium armor makes him a better combat choice.
On the Insanity difficulty playthrough right now though, I am using Tali and Wrex to complement my Adept.
By Kabitzin, 6/26/2008 @ 2:23 pm
Nooo, Ashley is annoying as hell! She has such a bad attitude!!! How come you can’t go out with Tali? Pilgrim Droids need love, too!
So I am guessing I can’t have my female commander fall in love with Wrex to have infected babies?
By Ender, 6/26/2008 @ 2:28 pm
Hmm…does that mean your female avatar’s only options are Kaidan and Liara? Or are Ashley and Garrus on the table as well?
By Kabitzin, 6/26/2008 @ 2:32 pm
I have no idea, I haven’t really talked to them that much. I just need them for their decrypt ability and to distract enemy fire for me.
Also, one reason to pick Liara is that you don’t have to worry about having an annoying mother-in-law… Probably won’t have a father-in-law either… Hmmm
By Ender, 6/26/2008 @ 3:05 pm
I’m not exactly sure what triggers the NPC conversation options on board the Normandy. I think it must be your level, because I didn’t pursue the main storyline, but kept getting new conversations after every few sidequests. Of course, this led to some out-of-place dialogue where your teammates discuss how we’ve pursued Saren across the ends of the Galaxy, how he keeps slipping out of our grasp, how we totally have in cornered, how we are close to the end of this incredible journey, etc, when in fact I haven’t even started looking for Saren yet.
By Velius, 6/26/2008 @ 3:21 pm
Male romance options are Ashley and Liara
Female romance options are Kaidan and Liara
The “personal inquiry” dialogue options are level dependent, but the “situation accessment” dialogue options are unlocked throughout the main plot. I also believe the Romance dialogues are plot dependent.
By Kabitzin, 7/5/2008 @ 10:24 pm
Just finished up the first run through. Time to play again on a higher difficulty as male paragon!