As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Mass Effect - 9.75 from Game Informer

1565758596062»

Posts

  • Waka LakaWaka Laka Riding the stuffed Unicorn If ya know what I mean.Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Pancake wrote: »

    It's all okay. Mass Effect is coming out next month.

    So is a shit load of other awesome games, my wallet cries and my mind is going to go numb from all the ramen noodles I'll have to live off. :|

    Waka Laka on
  • Zetetic ElenchZetetic Elench Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Dashui wrote: »
    Mmmm, Christian Bale. <3

    Limed for Bale-on-Asari action.

    Zetetic Elench on
    nemosig.png
  • HounHoun Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Pancake wrote: »
    Houn wrote: »
    The thread title is "9.75 from Game Informer"

    They also gave a 9.75 to Orange Box and Halo 3, yet Halo 3 is the Game of the Month. Hmm...

    I didn't realize that the Orange Box wasn't worthy of a 9.75 rating, and just because they gave a 9 to two other games that a 9 is now worthless.

    I think the problem is that Game Informer quite clearly stated that Halo 3 is better than the Orange Box and far better than Mass Effect because it was Game of the Month, whereas the other two were not.

    Mass Effect winning Game of the Month two months before it came out would have been nice, but, like, it's not even out.

    That's kinda what I was going for, yes. (Late Reply, I know.) Not to mention that Mass Effect isn't out yet, but some how ended up reviewed in the same issue as Halo 3 and Orange Box (which both legitimately belonged in this issue.)

    It just seems a bit off to me, is all, that you would assign the same score to 3 games, one of which isn't out yet, and then add an extra award to another, but based on what criteria?

    Houn on
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    I'm tempted to pick up a tuner card for my computer so that I can do a Let's Play for this game the first time I go through it.

    DarkPrimus on
  • VariableVariable Mouth Congress Stroke Me Lady FameRegistered User regular
    edited October 2007
    shit. I never really think about roleplaying a character in a game, I usually just make the guy "me".

    this would be ridiculous if I played these games more often, but I usually play through the game once, as "myself" and then I'm done.

    sorry. I saw the name christian bale and thought it would be great to play as Patrick Bateman.

    maybe I need to put in kotor now.

    Variable on
    BNet-Vari#1998 | Switch-SW 6960 6688 8388 | Steam | Twitch
  • Fig-DFig-D Tustin, CA, USRegistered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Dashui wrote: »
    I think the default male Shepard is fine, so that's what I'll be using my first playthrough. He's cute. :winky:

    I may have to try and male Christian Bale later, though. Mmmm, Christian Bale. <3

    ...

    :oops:

    Edit: My avatar totally doesn't help the way this looks.

    Totally strait?

    Fig-D on
    SteamID - Fig-D :: PSN - Fig-D
  • Waka LakaWaka Laka Riding the stuffed Unicorn If ya know what I mean.Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Before the continual digital-erotic weird-fest continues, Australian IGN Mass Effect Preview after the spoiler leap.
    IGN AU: Hi Chris, thanks for the interview.

    Chris Priestly: Thanks, no problem.

    IGN AU: Let's start with a biggie. What is the total number of explorable planets in the final build?

    Chris Priestly: To be honest, I don't know the exact final number - and it depends on what you mean by explorable. In terms of the total number of celestial bodies, shall we call it, that you can visit in Mass Effect, the number is somewhere around 240 to 250. Of those, not all of them are explorable. It would be like visiting Jupiter here in our solar system; there's just nothing to do when you get there! Wow, you found a great big gas giant! If you tried to land on it, you would die instantly because the atmosphere is corrosive… so not everything you can land on. Some things you just look at and leave. Other times we have subplots where you can recover gases and strange minerals and that kind of thing - where you can do some scanning for materials.

    Then there are those that are fully explorable, that are smaller and you can do on foot and some that are so large that you need to get into the Mako - the combination ATV tank that you get to use. Again, you're looking at somewhere around 20 to 30 full-sized, plot driven planets where you're going to have to explore around.

    IGN AU: How much do these vary in size? When compared with the worlds in Knights of the Old Republic, for instance.

    Chris Priestly: There'd be a few that are about the same size as Kashyyyk or Taris - something along those lines. Some are larger - which is why we give you a vehicle this time to get around, because if we made you walk around, it would be a whole lot of walking. Even with the vehicle, if you were going end to end, on some planets it would take five minutes just to get to get to where you're going and five minutes to get back if you didn't bother stopping to do any of the plots along the way.

    IGN AU: Morality steers the story in a big way. However, it's been said that this morality is actually persistent throughout the trilogy. If you have two morally opposite endings, how will it reconnect in the sequel?

    Chris Priestly: I don't know a great deal about the second or third parts of the game yet. I know the lead writer and the writer of the Mass Effect novel have a bunch of ideas in terms of how the first one ends and how it will have ramifications on the second and eventually the third. I really don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea… what you do in the first game will definitely have and effect on what happens in the second and the third.

    IGN AU: This question relates to that, too. Is it possible to be completely evil in the first game but totally good in the second?

    Chris Priestly: I think throughout the whole game, certainly in the first one, you get to make the moral choice. Again, I don't know exactly where we're going to take the second and third games yet; I would assume, based on what you can do in the first game, that you'll have that freedom in the second and third ones as well.

    IGN AU: When can we expect to see the first DLC content coming through?

    Chris Priestly: I know they're already working on the DLC content for Xbox Live - that sort of thing. I think, within a month [of release] I think is a good estimation. I certainly would hope it's out in time for Christmas; it's certainly not set yet. It's all up in the air, depending on how well the game sells and all that good stuff. I would think that, by 2008, we would have at least one or two things up.

    Massive exploration and a rich sci-fi setting.
    IGN AU: Will people who get onboard with part two or three be at a disadvantage, skills and equipment-wise? Conversely, will skills and items be persistent?

    Chris Priestly: There would be no way that we would deliberately penalise a player like that. It would just be too unfair [to remove their gear]. Exactly how it'll work I'm not too sure yet, but you will not be penalise for not playing the first one.

    IGN AU: 'Ambitious' is a term that gets bandied around a lot in games these days and Mass Effect gets labelled this quite a lot. Is the team satisfied that they've achieved everything they wanted to with Mass Effect?

    Chris Priestly: I think so - I mean, I'm not in direct contact with the team all the time and all the leads are extraordinarily busy finishing the game, finally getting it gold and getting it out the door. But the team meetings I attend and actually playing through the game itself, it does actually achieve what it intended. In fact, I think it probably exceeds it, just because it was our first game on the Xbox 360, it was our first game with the Unreal Engine, we didn't know exactly how much we could put into it, how much space on one disc, two discs - whatever was going to be needed to make the game great. I know they're really proud of what they've achieved.

    IGN AU: How much is really left to be discovered? Do you think fans who have been following from day-one will get the same impact as someone who's going into Mass Effect nice and fresh?

    Chris Priestly: Yeah, oh god yeah.

    IGN AU: How much of the game do you think has been seen publicly?

    Chris Priestly: Five percent! [laughs] At best. You're looking at a game that, depending on how you play, how rapidly you progress through the story, how quickly you pick up combat and skip dialogue and so on, it'll take 20 hours. But then there are those people that play, like me, who want to do a romance plot, do party NPC plots, who get sidetracked with sub quests and such - then you're looking at maybe 60 hours at least. Again, it depends on your individual play style.

    Knowing the video so far that have been released, and the screens, there's just so, so much that hasn't been seen before. There are a lot of surprises still there.

    IGN AU: Is there still a sense of resolution at the end, even though there are two more games coming?

    Chris Priestly: It's conclusive to the point that, if you enjoyed the game but never wanted to play another Mass Effect game again, you would've been totally satisfied with the experience. You're not going to be left hanging at the end of Mass Effect one. It's a self-contained story by itself, but there are definitely ways - and people will say 'oh! I see how they can do a second one!' That sort of thing.

    IGN AU: Is there a tentative release timeplan for parts two and three at this stage?

    Chris Priestly: Not that I know of; certainly at this stage they've done the first one and when it's out in stores, the team is going to take a well-deserved vacation and get their energy back. I know that some of them are already working on the Xbox Live content - certainly the lead artists, designers and programmers have already started thinking about where they're going to go and all that sort of thing.

    They will be working on it essentially immediately; it's not something that's going to take years before we start working on the sequel and then years for the next one to come out. The preliminary work is underway - the preliminary work was in place when we started one because we had a general overriding idea of where we wanted to go, which is why we announced it as a trilogy at the start. I would think within a couple of years you'll be seeing the second one.

    IGN AU: Is Shephard coming back?

    Chris Priestly: Hmmm… could beeee! [laughs] How's that for vague? Could be! We'll see what the writing team comes up with for that.

    IGN AU: Bioware has a near-religious fanbase. Have they had any influence on the direction of the game through forums, fansites, feedback or other words beginning with F?

    Chris Priestly: Yeah, they really have. My job actually was created to deal with that. I was in QA at Bioware for over five years, and Bioware started to realise that it's not just the fans playing the game - we need feedback from them. That created my position as Community Coordinator, to sort act as a go-between. If fans say, 'you know what I really like? I like facial customisation' for instance.

    The Milky Way galaxy is explorable via the map menu. There are some 250-odd planets to be found.
    IGN AU: Are there any cool in-jokes or easter eggs we should keep an eye out for?

    Chris Priestly: There are definitely some things in there. Without giving away any major plot points, there's a really good one that I laughed out loud at. When you defeat a certain enemy in battle and a holographic AI popped up and it started giving this explanation when you were expecting to continue the mission and Shephard looks at it and goes 'oh great; another pop up!' [laughs]

    There are little things like that - little bits of light humour. You know, Mass Effect is a darker, more mature game for us; I think in order to appreciate how occasionally dark and gritty it is, you get these contrasting elements of humour in the game. There are little secret things hidden here and there…

    IGN AU: Like what?

    Chris Priestly: Nope! Nope! Not going there!

    IGN AU: You old dog. Fine. For god sakes, give us Baldur's Gate III! What would it take to make this game happen? We'll do it. Name your price.

    Chris Priestly: I would like to see it - I really would. I'd love to see it; I know there's all kinds of 'who owns what IPs' - Infogrames, Atari, Wizards of the Coast and everything that went in there. So many fans have great memories of Baldur's Gate, including myself and most of everybody at Bioware. It would be great -it's not something that's on our slate currently, but you never know what we're going to get up to next.

    IGN AU: That makes me cry. Alright - five more years, when Mass Effect is out of the way - I expect to be holding a copy in my hands.

    Chris Priestly: Possibly! You never know!

    IGN AU: Thanks!

    Chris Priestly: Oh no problem.

    Waka Laka on
  • UltimaGeckoUltimaGecko Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Variable wrote: »
    sorry. I saw the name christian bale and thought it would be great to play as Patrick Stewart.

    Now, does their face editor let you make egg-shaped skulls?

    I'll probably just play as myself like I usually do with every first run-through of RPGs. I see no reason to stop now; eventually I'll probably need to run through two or 3 times more to get each iteration of gender and nice/mean. Sure, there'll probably still be stuff I'll miss, but you can only play a game so many times before its sequel comes out.

    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.
    Bitstream wrote: »
    People respect a man who might do science at any moment.
  • ChildrenChildren Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Whatever, this game looks like it's just going to be like halo, in space, with guns.
    I am soooo sorry.

    Children on
    360 tag: A Blue Mushroom
    skate, halo 3
  • PharezonPharezon Struggle is an illusion. Victory is in the Qun.Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Children wrote: »
    Whatever, this game looks like it's just going to be like halo, in space, with guns.
    I am soooo sorry.

    First Person Shooter versus Third Person Shooter Role Playing Game.

    Pharezon on
    jkZziGc.png
  • ChildrenChildren Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Wow, that was easy.

    Children on
    360 tag: A Blue Mushroom
    skate, halo 3
  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Children wrote: »
    Whatever, this game looks like it's just going to be like halo, in space, with guns.
    I am soooo sorry.

    But... isn't Halo Halo in space with guns? :). I think what you mean to say is it looks like Halo with magic and lesbian sex.

    Tomanta on
  • tyrannustyrannus i am not fat Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    it'll be like halo but actually good

    tyrannus on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited October 2007
    wow what an edgy comment

    you are so edgy

    Tube on
  • tyrannustyrannus i am not fat Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    i know it keeps the tone of the whole last pages of the thread

    tyrannus on
  • 4rch3nemy4rch3nemy Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    You people are retardo-funny. I love it.

    I'm definitely going to model my first character after these three characters, depending on if I can get satisfyingly close with the editor:
    (in this order)

    1. Hitler (evil playthrough of course)
    2. George Bush (evil playthrough of course)
    2. Jesus (evil playthrough of course)

    ...yes, not very original, I know. But man it would be fun to just scream HITLER IN SPACE! A MONKEY IN SPACE! JESUS IN SPACE!

    ..or whatever. Samuel L Jackson is my second playthrough, no matter what so yeah.

    4rch3nemy on
  • UltimaGeckoUltimaGecko Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    4rch3nemy wrote: »
    You people are retardo-funny. I love it.

    I'm definitely going to model my first character after these three characters, depending on if I can get satisfyingly close with the editor:
    (in this order)

    1. Hitler (evil playthrough of course)
    2. George Bush (evil playthrough of course)
    2. Jesus (evil playthrough of course)

    ...yes, not very original, I know. But man it would be fun to just scream HITLER IN SPACE! A MONKEY IN SPACE! JESUS IN SPACE!

    ..or whatever. Samuel L Jackson is my second playthrough, no matter what so yeah.

    What? No Stalin? Considering the crazy beards and mustaches required, Stalin would probably be easier than Hitler or Jesus to create (although you'd need to use a younger version, before his mustache got all crazy and crap). They already said someone made 'Mission Accomplished'-Action-Bush, so you know you can make him.


    ...only on the internet can this discussion truly be serious. I'm thinking a Keith David or Schwarzenegger or Milla Jovovich could be a cool playthrough; comedy would probably a Paris Hilton or something.

    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.
    Bitstream wrote: »
    People respect a man who might do science at any moment.
  • Zetetic ElenchZetetic Elench Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Considering the crazy beards and mustaches required...

    Someone needs to do a Burnside playthrough.
    burnsidepx7.jpg
    Sounds dangerous...

    Zetetic Elench on
    nemosig.png
  • CherrnCherrn Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    From what I understood, you couldn't actually be evil in the game? I mean, you can be brutal, a complete asshole, completely ruthless, but you can't actually commit genocide and take the galaxy for yourself. I don't have a problem with that, but the Hitler template would probably need some revisal.

    Cherrn on
    All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai.
  • ThetherooThetheroo Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Cherrn wrote: »
    From what I understood, you couldn't actually be evil in the game? I mean, you can be brutal, a complete asshole, completely ruthless, but you can't actually commit genocide and take the galaxy for yourself. I don't have a problem with that, but the Hitler template would probably need some revisal.

    They gotta leave something for the sequel.

    Thetheroo on
  • AmbivalentAmbivalent Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Can I make a female character with the face of the default male sheperd? that's what I want to know

    Ambivalent on
  • DashuiDashui Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Cherrn wrote: »
    From what I understood, you couldn't actually be evil in the game? I mean, you can be brutal, a complete asshole, completely ruthless, but you can't actually commit genocide and take the galaxy for yourself. I don't have a problem with that, but the Hitler template would probably need some revisal.

    That's correct. Your ultimate goal is to save the galaxy, but how far are you willing to go? Will you be ruthless in your quest for answers, or will you be forgiving? And how you react will some real, and often unforeseen, consequences. The course of action you think is correct and virtuous might end up causing some people their lives down the road. That gets me giddy!

    Dashui on
    Xbox Live, PSN & Origin: Vacorsis 3DS: 2638-0037-166
  • Zetetic ElenchZetetic Elench Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Also, there's been hints that certain ruthless courses of action result in humanity being far more powerful and militaristic than it should be.

    Zetetic Elench on
    nemosig.png
  • StigmaStigma Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Also, there's been hints that certain ruthless courses of action result in humanity being far more powerful and militaristic than it should be.

    Should.

    Haha should.

    You know. Considering what we know about 'life forms' and their bullshit, I don't see a problem with humanity leaving a huge boot print in the galaxy.
    Certainly better than living in fear of some mindless insect creatures who'll kill us for our sugar.

    Stigma on
    YHWHYinYangblueblackblueborder.jpg
  • SilpheedSilpheed Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Also, there's been hints that certain ruthless courses of action result in humanity being far more powerful and militaristic than it should be.
    You know, that could be pretty awesome if Bioware manages to pull that off. During the game you could see how Earth changes it's policies due to your actions in the Federation. If you go the Paragon route humanity will start to resemble Star Trek humanity, go far enough in the Renegade direction and you'll end up with Starship Troopers Earth instead.

    Silpheed on
  • JungsUJungsU Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Silpheed wrote: »
    Also, there's been hints that certain ruthless courses of action result in humanity being far more powerful and militaristic than it should be.
    You know, that could be pretty awesome if Bioware manages to pull that off. During the game you could see how Earth changes it's policies due to your actions in the Federation. If you go the Paragon route humanity will start to resemble Star Trek humanity, go far enough in the Renegade direction and you'll end up with Starship Troopers Earth instead.

    would you like to know more?

    JungsU on
  • ChildrenChildren Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Tomanta wrote: »
    Children wrote: »
    Whatever, this game looks like it's just going to be like halo, in space, with guns.
    I am soooo sorry.

    But... isn't Halo Halo in space with guns? :). I think what you mean to say is it looks like Halo with magic and lesbian sex.

    That's not what I meant, but damn, that makes this game sound awesome.:P

    Children on
    360 tag: A Blue Mushroom
    skate, halo 3
  • powersurgepowersurge Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Dashui wrote: »
    Cherrn wrote: »
    From what I understood, you couldn't actually be evil in the game? I mean, you can be brutal, a complete asshole, completely ruthless, but you can't actually commit genocide and take the galaxy for yourself. I don't have a problem with that, but the Hitler template would probably need some revisal.

    That's correct. Your ultimate goal is to save the galaxy, but how far are you willing to go? Will you be ruthless in your quest for answers, or will you be forgiving? And how you react will some real, and often unforeseen, consequences. The course of action you think is correct and virtuous might end up causing some people their lives down the road. That gets me giddy!

    Gman is in Mass Effect? Sweet! :P

    powersurge on
  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited October 2007
    "Rise and shine, Mr Shepherd.."

    darleysam on
    forumsig.png
  • StigmaStigma Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Tempting me to name my character Adrian Shepherd.

    edit: Has everyone seen the 42 minute demo that's up on Youtube?

    Stigma on
    YHWHYinYangblueblackblueborder.jpg
  • GreeperGreeper Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    I actually...

    I WISH I played as myself, but usually I'm BORING, I'll say: "I'm going to be GOOD this time" then "This time: EVIL!"

    mostly in kotor gamez

    it's kinda shallow so i've been working on changing it. In Fallouts and Fable for example, I played me.

    Greeper on
  • Zetetic ElenchZetetic Elench Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Stigma wrote: »
    Tempting me to name my character Adrian Shepherd.

    edit: Has everyone seen the 42 minute demo that's up on Youtube?

    No. Is it the same one that was on the french site a while back? At a press conference? With the demonstrator showing off face creation and some of the first mission on a widescreen TV behind him?

    Linky?

    Zetetic Elench on
    nemosig.png
  • GreeperGreeper Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Stigma wrote: »
    Tempting me to name my character Adrian Shepherd.

    edit: Has everyone seen the 42 minute demo that's up on Youtube?

    No. Is it the same one that was on the french site a while back? At a press conference? With the demonstrator showing off face creation and some of the first mission on a widescreen TV behind him?

    Linky?

    I got it:

    PART 1


    Part TWO

    Part TRES
    Part D
    FINAL SEXTION

    Greeper on
  • StigmaStigma Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Stigma wrote: »
    Tempting me to name my character Adrian Shepherd.

    edit: Has everyone seen the 42 minute demo that's up on Youtube?

    No. Is it the same one that was on the french site a while back? At a press conference? With the demonstrator showing off face creation and some of the first mission on a widescreen TV behind him?

    Linky?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb6Zf5KvO7Y

    It's probably old. I'm just catching up myself.

    Stigma on
    YHWHYinYangblueblackblueborder.jpg
  • GreeperGreeper Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    okay going through that 42 minute demo, I'm thinking:
    Class: Soldier
    Background: Spacer / Sole Survivor
    Name: MAL REYNOLDS

    Greeper on
  • Zetetic ElenchZetetic Elench Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Yeah, it's the same one. But it's awesome. And the french site pulled it within a day or two, so it's great that we can see it again now.

    Edit: Holy crap page one hundred.

    Zetetic Elench on
    nemosig.png
  • deowolfdeowolf is allowed to do that. Traffic.Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Oddjob187 wrote: »
    My friend it is safe to say anyone who makes a pay check off reviewing games is on the payola.

    True-ish.

    deowolf on
    [SIGPIC]acocoSig.jpg[/SIGPIC]
  • apotheosapotheos Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited October 2007
    Mass Effect gets a sequel, and so does this thread.

    apotheos on


    猿も木から落ちる
This discussion has been closed.