lexical
Educated
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1
From browsing these forums, I understand Mass Effect is generally regarded as a hilariously bad series and not real RPGs.
But unlike for Skyrim, I wasn't able to find people seriously discussing what they thought was wrong with the games. I'm just sorta puzzled, as it reminds me a lot of BG2, KotOR 1 and 2, and even of VtMB. Which are generally regarded as good games here. So I kinda feel like I'm missing something.
Questions: Am I missing something? Is there some flaw I've yet to discover/criticize? And if I'm wrong: If ME doesn't remind you of those games, are there any modern games that seem closer to BG/KotOR/VtMB than ME?
My opinions on ME1/2, and similarities I see:
Graphics: To me, it looks like KotOR + VtMB. The graphics/animations aren't amazing, but they're less blocky and craptacular than the Bioware graphics of KotOR and NWN 2 days.
Quests/Story: Sure, the plot is classic Bioware "save the world," not anything as interesting as PS:T or VtMB, but I wouldn't say it's any worse than the plots of KotOR or either BG game. Obviously one shouldn't turn to any Bioware game for deep philosophical thoughts or a mind-blowing story. But at least they seem to have given up on the pathetic, half-assed plot twist attempts of BG and KotOR and JE and NWN that anyone with half a brain saw coming. (You know, how any character upheld as a pure paragon of virtue or wisdom in the beginning of the game would inevitably be evil?) The quests, as well, seem to be on par with the quests of BG and KotOR, though not as exciting as some VtMB quests.
Choices/Roleplaying: Again, these seem on par with BG and KotOR. People talk about ME having been dumbed down, but I'm really not seeing a big difference. ME is just using a different dialogue format. But the majority of dialogue options in BG or KotOR for example, would essentially be barter/ask question/express one of maybe 3 opinions. Which are all accounted for in ME 1/2. Alignment system is basically identical to KotOR's system. A decent number of player choices seem to be imported from each game to the next. (At least as many as were imported from BG1 to BG2 or from KotOR1 to KotOR2.)
Squad Members: Similar to your squad from BG or KotOR. Personally, I found the characters far less annoying than the ones from BG and from KotOR 1, about equal to the characters from KotOR 2.
Optional Romance: Still there. Still hilarious. Still optional, thank god. Nothing different from BG2/KotOR. Except I think there was actually less total romance dialogue in ME than BG2 or KotOR. Seemed more like the casual hookups in VtMB, less of Anomen/Carth/Sky practically humping my PC every time I let the dude open his mouth.
Fighting: Personally, it felt a lot like VtMB to me, except with better guns. Felt a lot like that game when using cover, stealth, or invisibility. I liked it better than combat of KotOR. Turn-based works for many things but not guns (IMO.)
Inventory: Sure, it's been streamlined compared to BG or KotOR. But it's a lot less streamlined than VtMB.
But unlike for Skyrim, I wasn't able to find people seriously discussing what they thought was wrong with the games. I'm just sorta puzzled, as it reminds me a lot of BG2, KotOR 1 and 2, and even of VtMB. Which are generally regarded as good games here. So I kinda feel like I'm missing something.
Questions: Am I missing something? Is there some flaw I've yet to discover/criticize? And if I'm wrong: If ME doesn't remind you of those games, are there any modern games that seem closer to BG/KotOR/VtMB than ME?
My opinions on ME1/2, and similarities I see:
Graphics: To me, it looks like KotOR + VtMB. The graphics/animations aren't amazing, but they're less blocky and craptacular than the Bioware graphics of KotOR and NWN 2 days.
Quests/Story: Sure, the plot is classic Bioware "save the world," not anything as interesting as PS:T or VtMB, but I wouldn't say it's any worse than the plots of KotOR or either BG game. Obviously one shouldn't turn to any Bioware game for deep philosophical thoughts or a mind-blowing story. But at least they seem to have given up on the pathetic, half-assed plot twist attempts of BG and KotOR and JE and NWN that anyone with half a brain saw coming. (You know, how any character upheld as a pure paragon of virtue or wisdom in the beginning of the game would inevitably be evil?) The quests, as well, seem to be on par with the quests of BG and KotOR, though not as exciting as some VtMB quests.
Choices/Roleplaying: Again, these seem on par with BG and KotOR. People talk about ME having been dumbed down, but I'm really not seeing a big difference. ME is just using a different dialogue format. But the majority of dialogue options in BG or KotOR for example, would essentially be barter/ask question/express one of maybe 3 opinions. Which are all accounted for in ME 1/2. Alignment system is basically identical to KotOR's system. A decent number of player choices seem to be imported from each game to the next. (At least as many as were imported from BG1 to BG2 or from KotOR1 to KotOR2.)
Squad Members: Similar to your squad from BG or KotOR. Personally, I found the characters far less annoying than the ones from BG and from KotOR 1, about equal to the characters from KotOR 2.
Optional Romance: Still there. Still hilarious. Still optional, thank god. Nothing different from BG2/KotOR. Except I think there was actually less total romance dialogue in ME than BG2 or KotOR. Seemed more like the casual hookups in VtMB, less of Anomen/Carth/Sky practically humping my PC every time I let the dude open his mouth.
Fighting: Personally, it felt a lot like VtMB to me, except with better guns. Felt a lot like that game when using cover, stealth, or invisibility. I liked it better than combat of KotOR. Turn-based works for many things but not guns (IMO.)
Inventory: Sure, it's been streamlined compared to BG or KotOR. But it's a lot less streamlined than VtMB.
