I hope it's good because nothing is worse than that sinking feeling you get when a game you are psyched for fails you.
Yeah, that sucks.
The issues he mentioned with combat...
I'll try to be optimistic for us here...
Teammate AI occasionally being retarded is something I'm really used to in games.
After playing Earth Defense Force, there's a chance it could be almost endearing. So long as they're shouting something very gung-ho and excitedly stupid while acting like it.
There's a good chance the majority of us will be better at the game than the reviewer (take THAT reviewers everywhere! I think you all can be shitty gamers sometimes!) and we'll do a better job using the team commands to keep our buddies' in line.
Enemies hitting me off radar? I'll do my best to pretend "I've been ambushed!" and try to take it in stride.
If it was an enormously bad problem, it would have been complained about more than it was.
RPG elements being a little thin? It's still got shooter mechanics in it, and quite frankly I don't think I would mind a complete lack of level up systems so long as the weapons are nice and the storyline is killer stuff.
I find it hard to be... positive. Someone pat me on my e-back!
I'm just going to be frank, if the RPG elements are that thin coming from Bioware I'm going to be pissed off.
"The deep character and weapon customization can create some lethal and amusing blends, but after a few hours, you'll have seen it all. The gameplay is certainly fun, and it controls admirably, but it doesn't live up to the large stage the story sets or the standards you've come to expect from action games or RPGs."
Doesn't live up to action games or rpgs.... like... that sounds fucking TERRIBLE. Yet he gushes about how awesome it is...
I don't know how a Bioware game can 'show you everything in a few hours'...
There are different character builds, and the game's probably 100 hours long.
I'll revise.
"You'll have seen everything in a couple hundred hours. By your third playthrough you'll have a solid idea of what every character type plays like, or you could make multiple characters and take them through the first mission to get a shallow idea of each."
The RPG system doesn't look to have a very diverse set of skills per class. This is what worries me most.
Shoggoth on
0
Options
VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
edited October 2007
it really seems to me like this is a bullshit review of someone who didn't really play the whole thing, just got enough of a feel to get a review out there. he knows the game's gonna be huge so it got a high score, but he didn't like a lot of it, possibly because it's not his preferred genre, possibly because time wasn't really put into it... and of course possibly because it's got problems.
eitehr way, this review really doesn't seem like it can help in any way, so I'll leave myself how I was before. anticipating a game that will probably be awesome.
This has probably been mentioned already, but 9.75 out of 10? What the fuck? Do they really need to rate games on a one-thousand-point scale? What would it have taken for Mass Effect to score 9.76? And I thought the hundred-point scale was retarded.
Azio on
0
Options
VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
This has probably been mentioned already, but 9.75 out of 10? What the fuck? Do they really need to rate games on a one-thousand-point scale? What would it have taken for Mass Effect to score 9.76? Or 9.8?
I think... not certain but i think it's more like 9.25, 9.5, 9.75, 10
This has probably been mentioned already, but 9.75 out of 10? What the fuck? Do they really need to rate games on a one-thousand-point scale? What would it have taken for Mass Effect to score 9.76? Or 9.8?
Game Informer has always used a scale based on quarters of a point.
This has probably been mentioned already, but 9.75 out of 10? What the fuck? Do they really need to rate games on a one-thousand-point scale? What would it have taken for Mass Effect to score 9.76? And I thought the hundred-point scale was retarded.
It works on quarters of a point, and is actualyl a good balance between accuracy and differentiating between games.
I am so excited for this game. I don't care what review score it gets or who's paid the most to write the most gushing, over the top review. I want this game so bad.
Part of what seems to concern some people is that if you compare your options for customization to something like, say, NWN2 (with hundreds of feats, something like 30 classes and races, two dozen skills) Mass Effect hardly looks like an RPG at all. But Oblivion only had 21 skills and what, ten races? That was the full extent of your customization options in Oblivion.
What BioWare seems to be doing (judging solely from that review, other info I've read online, and sheer speculation) is looking at the first two letters in RPG: role-playing. I hope, I sincerely hope, that this isn't just another hack'n'slash (run'n'gun?) action/adventure game with stat growth and experience points tacked on like every single RPG released in the last three or four years. This could be a return to form for BioWare and a challenge to every other RPG developer to focus on getting into your characters and the world rather than focusing on your stats and equipment.
my biggest fear about this game is that its just going to be an upgraded KOTOR with a non Star Wars story.
The supposed action elements in the game are hopefully not just a gimmick.
like others have said...hope this isn't just another hack and slash.
Well, from what I know of the game it's one that will really shine on multiple playthroughs.
For example, on one mission you're given the standard KOTOR option of killing the bad guy or letting him go. Well, if you have a particular henchman in your party you aren't given that option, the henchman just guns him down mid-conversation (causing you to miss an important piece of information and take the long way around in completing the rest of the quest.)
Stuff like that makes me so eager for this game that I have trouble containing myself.
Also, even if it is just a 360 version of KotoR...
From what I've read and seen (including that review), their goal seems to have been NOT to make it a 360 version of KotOR. You could play good or evil in that game, and you knew what the consequence of the choices you made would be. In Mass Effect, you don't have that luxury. The choice that seems to be the right one may end up having unforeseen consequences down the line. The truth is, you really don't know exactly what's going to happen.
Also, your ultimate goal is saving the universe, so essentially you only play good. But the question is, how far are you willing to go? Does the end justify the means?
Dashui on
Xbox Live, PSN & Origin: Vacorsis 3DS: 2638-0037-166
Yeahhhh I'm not putting that much weight into a review so lacking in detail it hurts considering the highly ambiguious 9.75 score. Anything above 8 in my mind just tells me that its pretty much guaranteed to be fun, but 10 doesn't mean perfect.
TeeMan on
0
Options
Dirty DrawersLord of the undie worldRegistered Userregular
edited October 2007
The only way I won't buy this game is if the girl party member in your team turns out to be a tranny. Even then I'd probably buy it out of curiosity.
like others have said...hope this isn't just another hack and slash.
There aren't any melee weapons in the game so you won't be doing either of those.
It can still be hack 'n slash.
only without the hacking and/or slashing
I mean, the genre is often criticized for a lack of depth and repetitive atmosphere. That can easily be applied to an RPG that has no close combat weapons. I find nothing wrong with calling Mass Effect potentially hack and slash.
Shoggoth on
0
Options
AngryThe glory I had witnessedwas just a sleight of handRegistered Userregular
like others have said...hope this isn't just another hack and slash.
There aren't any melee weapons in the game so you won't be doing either of those.
It can still be hack 'n slash.
only without the hacking and/or slashing
I mean, the genre is often criticized for a lack of depth and repetitive atmosphere. That can easily be applied to an RPG that has no close combat weapons. I find nothing wrong with calling Mass Effect potentially hack and slash.
Well I do. Despite the fact that you neither hack nor slash the gameplay is not repetitive meatgrind through enemies. So it bears absolutely no resemblance to a hack n slash game.
like others have said...hope this isn't just another hack and slash.
There aren't any melee weapons in the game so you won't be doing either of those.
It can still be hack 'n slash.
only without the hacking and/or slashing
I mean, the genre is often criticized for a lack of depth and repetitive atmosphere. That can easily be applied to an RPG that has no close combat weapons. I find nothing wrong with calling Mass Effect potentially hack and slash.
Well I do. Despite the fact that you neither hack nor slash the gameplay is not repetitive meatgrind through enemies. So it bears absolutely no resemblance to a hack n slash game.
That is only one aspect of hack and slash. Also, how do you know it's not repetitive? The game isn't even out yet.
like others have said...hope this isn't just another hack and slash.
There aren't any melee weapons in the game so you won't be doing either of those.
It can still be hack 'n slash.
only without the hacking and/or slashing
I mean, the genre is often criticized for a lack of depth and repetitive atmosphere. That can easily be applied to an RPG that has no close combat weapons. I find nothing wrong with calling Mass Effect potentially hack and slash.
Well I do. Despite the fact that you neither hack nor slash the gameplay is not repetitive meatgrind through enemies. So it bears absolutely no resemblance to a hack n slash game.
That is only one aspect of hack and slash. Also, how do you know it's not repetitive? The game isn't even out yet.
Reviews/previews/press events/media: non of this has suggested any semblance of hack n slash gameplay in any way shape or form.
It seems to me like you plucked this notion out of thin air. I have never thought for once Mass effect would ever appear as a hack n slash
like others have said...hope this isn't just another hack and slash.
There aren't any melee weapons in the game so you won't be doing either of those.
It can still be hack 'n slash.
only without the hacking and/or slashing
I mean, the genre is often criticized for a lack of depth and repetitive atmosphere. That can easily be applied to an RPG that has no close combat weapons. I find nothing wrong with calling Mass Effect potentially hack and slash.
Well I do. Despite the fact that you neither hack nor slash the gameplay is not repetitive meatgrind through enemies. So it bears absolutely no resemblance to a hack n slash game.
That is only one aspect of hack and slash. Also, how do you know it's not repetitive? The game isn't even out yet.
Reviews/previews/press events/media: non of this has suggested any semblance of hack n slash gameplay in any way shape or form.
It seems to me like you plucked this notion out of thin air. I have never thought for once Mass effect would ever appear as a hack n slash
My stance is not that Mass effect is hack and slash or will be, I'm defending the term as a valid critical assessment of an RPG that doesn't actually have close combat weapons.
People use hack and slash as loose way to define poor RPGs all the time. Like if I say,
"man I hope Mass Effect isn't too hack and slash" This makes perfect sense.
like others have said...hope this isn't just another hack and slash.
There aren't any melee weapons in the game so you won't be doing either of those.
It can still be hack 'n slash.
only without the hacking and/or slashing
I mean, the genre is often criticized for a lack of depth and repetitive atmosphere. That can easily be applied to an RPG that has no close combat weapons. I find nothing wrong with calling Mass Effect potentially hack and slash.
Well I do. Despite the fact that you neither hack nor slash the gameplay is not repetitive meatgrind through enemies. So it bears absolutely no resemblance to a hack n slash game.
That is only one aspect of hack and slash. Also, how do you know it's not repetitive? The game isn't even out yet.
Reviews/previews/press events/media: non of this has suggested any semblance of hack n slash gameplay in any way shape or form.
It seems to me like you plucked this notion out of thin air. I have never thought for once Mass effect would ever appear as a hack n slash
My stance is not that Mass effect is hack and slash or will be, I'm defending the term as a valid critical assessment of an RPG that doesn't actually have close combat weapons.
People use hack and slash as loose way to define poor RPGs all the time. Like if I say,
"man I hope Mass Effect isn't too hack and slash" This makes perfect sense.
All the pre-release materials they've shown give the impression that there's far too much emphasis on interacting with characters for it to reasonably qualify as simply a hack and slash game. So from what I've seen, anyway, it doesn't look at all like the entire game will be spent shooting things in the face. And even if the majority of the time is spent fighting, what was the last BioWare game that didn't mostly involve combat? Even going back to the Baldur's Gate games, there was a heavy emphasis on combat and, uh, the games they made before they got into RPGs were pure action games.
I also seriously doubt they would have gone to such lengths to make the characters so emotive and believable were they to be thrown into what amounts to little more than Diablo with guns. I don't expect Mass Effect to be any more a hack 'n slash than KotOR was.
Pancake on
0
Options
VariableMouth CongressStroke Me Lady FameRegistered Userregular
Well, if we want to avoid the entire semantics involved with a game based in the future having no melee weapons: run 'n' gun?
Also, I found the blathering incompetence in the larger review to be partially offset by the slightly more descriptive side column. He just seems to describe with brevity what the other reviewer couldn't accomplish with a dictionary...and a thesaurus...and a GED.
UltimaGecko on
The facehuggers want to play with you in the AvP LP. Facehuggers also want you to check out the TF2 cards here. View the in-progress RE mansion recreation for L4D here.
Well, if we want to avoid the entire semantics involved with a game based in the future having no melee weapons: run 'n' gun?
Also, I found the blathering incompetence in the larger review to be partially offset by the slightly more descriptive side column. He just seems to describe with brevity what the other reviewer couldn't accomplish with a dictionary...and a thesaurus...and a GED.
Shoot and Snipe is more appropriate, but I would never say that because no one would have any idea what the fuck I was talking about.
The art direction, great atmosphere, diverse cast of charicters, fun (albiet simple) fighting. Whats the problem?
All of that stuff. I didn't like any of it, especially the combat.
well clearly that means everyone that likes it is wrong and it is in fact a bad game.
Hey, he asked. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a bad game- mediocre at best, and regardless I'm simply using it as a counterexample to some folks stating that Bioware shits gold.
At the very least I'm sure we can all agree that it's no KotOR or BG2.
This game looks absolutely amazing, but I'm reserving judgement until I see some more reviews. I don't trust Game Informer and I feel like the hype machine suckered me into Jade Empire. While I agree that it had a nice atmosphere, I hated the art direction (obviously not a concern for Mass Effect) and the gameplay (simple to the point of being absolutely boring).
I wouldn't go so far as to call it a bad game- mediocre at best, and regardless I'm simply using it as a counterexample to some folks stating that Bioware shits gold.
That about sums it up for me. I have high hopes for Mass Effect. It's not every day that such a fully-realized sci-fi RPG hits the market.
This has probably been mentioned already, but 9.75 out of 10? What the fuck? Do they really need to rate games on a one-thousand-point scale? What would it have taken for Mass Effect to score 9.76? And I thought the hundred-point scale was retarded.
It works on quarters of a point, and is actualyl a good balance between accuracy and differentiating between games.
So a forty-point scale. How insipid.
All anyone should need is a rating out of five stars. Any additional detail should be left in the body of the review, where it belongs.
Posts
"The deep character and weapon customization can create some lethal and amusing blends, but after a few hours, you'll have seen it all. The gameplay is certainly fun, and it controls admirably, but it doesn't live up to the large stage the story sets or the standards you've come to expect from action games or RPGs."
Doesn't live up to action games or rpgs.... like... that sounds fucking TERRIBLE. Yet he gushes about how awesome it is...
I don't know how a Bioware game can 'show you everything in a few hours'...
There are different character builds, and the game's probably 100 hours long.
I'll revise.
"You'll have seen everything in a couple hundred hours. By your third playthrough you'll have a solid idea of what every character type plays like, or you could make multiple characters and take them through the first mission to get a shallow idea of each."
I dunno.
Game looks sick, anyway.
eitehr way, this review really doesn't seem like it can help in any way, so I'll leave myself how I was before. anticipating a game that will probably be awesome.
I think... not certain but i think it's more like 9.25, 9.5, 9.75, 10
Game Informer has always used a scale based on quarters of a point.
It works on quarters of a point, and is actualyl a good balance between accuracy and differentiating between games.
Part of what seems to concern some people is that if you compare your options for customization to something like, say, NWN2 (with hundreds of feats, something like 30 classes and races, two dozen skills) Mass Effect hardly looks like an RPG at all. But Oblivion only had 21 skills and what, ten races? That was the full extent of your customization options in Oblivion.
What BioWare seems to be doing (judging solely from that review, other info I've read online, and sheer speculation) is looking at the first two letters in RPG: role-playing. I hope, I sincerely hope, that this isn't just another hack'n'slash (run'n'gun?) action/adventure game with stat growth and experience points tacked on like every single RPG released in the last three or four years. This could be a return to form for BioWare and a challenge to every other RPG developer to focus on getting into your characters and the world rather than focusing on your stats and equipment.
God I want this game.
The supposed action elements in the game are hopefully not just a gimmick.
like others have said...hope this isn't just another hack and slash.
Enlist in Star Citizen! Citizenship must be earned!
There aren't any melee weapons in the game so you won't be doing either of those.
Did you not play Jade Empire?
It can still be hack 'n slash.
The art direction, great atmosphere, diverse cast of charicters, fun (albiet simple) fighting. Whats the problem?
skate, halo 3
Well, from what I know of the game it's one that will really shine on multiple playthroughs.
For example, on one mission you're given the standard KOTOR option of killing the bad guy or letting him go. Well, if you have a particular henchman in your party you aren't given that option, the henchman just guns him down mid-conversation (causing you to miss an important piece of information and take the long way around in completing the rest of the quest.)
Stuff like that makes me so eager for this game that I have trouble containing myself.
Also, even if it is just a 360 version of KotoR...
It's KotoR with Achievements.
Seriously. Sign me up right the fuck now.
twitch.tv/Taramoor
@TaramoorPlays
Taramoor on Youtube
only without the hacking and/or slashing
All of that stuff. I didn't like any of it, especially the combat.
Also, your ultimate goal is saving the universe, so essentially you only play good. But the question is, how far are you willing to go? Does the end justify the means?
I take it you'll be punching barkeeps in the face to get your information. :P
"Ok, here's the plan: We go in. I start punching people hard in the face, and see where it takes us."
I mean, the genre is often criticized for a lack of depth and repetitive atmosphere. That can easily be applied to an RPG that has no close combat weapons. I find nothing wrong with calling Mass Effect potentially hack and slash.
well clearly that means everyone that likes it is wrong and it is in fact a bad game.
Well I do. Despite the fact that you neither hack nor slash the gameplay is not repetitive meatgrind through enemies. So it bears absolutely no resemblance to a hack n slash game.
That is only one aspect of hack and slash. Also, how do you know it's not repetitive? The game isn't even out yet.
Reviews/previews/press events/media: non of this has suggested any semblance of hack n slash gameplay in any way shape or form.
It seems to me like you plucked this notion out of thin air. I have never thought for once Mass effect would ever appear as a hack n slash
Mass Effect seems to bare zero resemblence to Diablo
My stance is not that Mass effect is hack and slash or will be, I'm defending the term as a valid critical assessment of an RPG that doesn't actually have close combat weapons.
People use hack and slash as loose way to define poor RPGs all the time. Like if I say,
"man I hope Mass Effect isn't too hack and slash" This makes perfect sense.
All the pre-release materials they've shown give the impression that there's far too much emphasis on interacting with characters for it to reasonably qualify as simply a hack and slash game. So from what I've seen, anyway, it doesn't look at all like the entire game will be spent shooting things in the face. And even if the majority of the time is spent fighting, what was the last BioWare game that didn't mostly involve combat? Even going back to the Baldur's Gate games, there was a heavy emphasis on combat and, uh, the games they made before they got into RPGs were pure action games.
I also seriously doubt they would have gone to such lengths to make the characters so emotive and believable were they to be thrown into what amounts to little more than Diablo with guns. I don't expect Mass Effect to be any more a hack 'n slash than KotOR was.
I'd buy it.
Well.....to summarize, everything's the problem with Jade Empire, which is part of the reason I was skeptical about Mass Effect at first.
Also, I found the blathering incompetence in the larger review to be partially offset by the slightly more descriptive side column. He just seems to describe with brevity what the other reviewer couldn't accomplish with a dictionary...and a thesaurus...and a GED.
Shoot and Snipe is more appropriate, but I would never say that because no one would have any idea what the fuck I was talking about.
Hey, he asked. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a bad game- mediocre at best, and regardless I'm simply using it as a counterexample to some folks stating that Bioware shits gold.
At the very least I'm sure we can all agree that it's no KotOR or BG2.
That about sums it up for me. I have high hopes for Mass Effect. It's not every day that such a fully-realized sci-fi RPG hits the market.
All anyone should need is a rating out of five stars. Any additional detail should be left in the body of the review, where it belongs.