In my original blog post about Mass Effect, I complained about the combat being poor, and I stand by that statement. The combat isn't great. The enemy AI often runs around in a mad panic, confusing both themselves, your team-mates and me. However, I'm playing as an Infiltrator this time around, rather than a Vanguard, which means I have access to a bunch of tech-based powers, the use of all which result my enemies exploding. I had planned to use the sniper rifle as my primary weapon, but I am next to useless with the damn thing. Until I invest a few more points into sniper rifles, I'm having to rely on my pistol most of the time. It has poisonous bullets. I think my Shepard should nicknamed "The Viper" or something.
In a slight change to my original playthrough, I'm actually playing as a female Shepard (or FemShep, if you must). I can honestly say there's really not a vast amount of difference between playing with or without a Y chromosome. Conrad Verner's fandom takes a slightly weirder note, but apart from that, it's pretty much the same. I've never really like either of the voice actors for Shepard, so really, it's just a cosmetic change, with the plot rattling along as ever. Not that I'm really doing anything plot related. In fact, I'm making an effort to ignore it. I missed quite a few of the side quests in my first playthrough, so I'm not going to let that happen this time. Scanning planets and doing side quests has raised me to level 21 without going near Virmire, Feros, Noveria, or the other one.
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| And also, more Mako sections, because fuck anyone who didn't like the Mako |
Playing through the original game really highlights how the series has evolved over time. ME2 and 3 are much darker games, really focusing on a desperate and dirty conflict against overwhelming odds. Hell, Mass Effect 2 was about collecting individuals for a suicide mission, a hard sell if I ever saw one. The original doesn't have the same feel however. It's a far more gentle introduction to the galaxy. It's all about the new environment you are being introduced into, letting you learn the rules and races. The plot travels forever at a a much slower pace, letting you stumble around the galaxy before actually achieving anything. You can explore the surface of planets before being told why you should go there. Driving around on the surface of an uncharted ice world with no really purpose is a fantastic feeling.
I'm definitely not suggesting that this makes the original superior in any way. The series needed to evolve in order to continue the storyline. I can't help wondering though, how the trilogy might have been different had EA not acquired Bioware. I'm not one to point the finger at publishers for "destroying games" or whatever, but I'd imagine the Mass Effect trilogy would be a mite different had it been developed by Bioware alone.
I suppose I'm saying I prefer the feel of the original game over the later ones. Maybe it's because I prefer my sci-fi a little less dramatic and cataclysmic. Mass Effect just has this, I don't know, almost "geekier" feel to it. Sort of like the original Star Trek. That's it actually. Mass Effect 1 is like the original series of Star Trek, and maybe some of Next Generation. The later games feel more like the films, with all the whiz-bang and the "UNIVERSE AT STAKE" stuff.
In other news, I also took the time to finally play Stacking, the Russian doll puzzle game from Double Fine. That's why I love this industry. I just used the term "Russian doll puzzle game" without being sarcastic. What other creative industry can say that? NONE, probably. What was I talking about? Stacking? Yeah. It's a fun little game, and actually gives me a lot of hope for the upcoming Double Fine Adventure game, since that's sort of what Stacking is. If they can apply the same level of ingenuity and flexibility to their puzzles as they did in Stacking, DFA will be amazing.
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| It's my birthday in July, by the way. Just mentioning that. |
Remember before when I said that I wouldn't be back for a few months? Well, evidently, that was a lie, but now it's not, because I really AM going away for a few months because university and exams and everything else that is wrong in the world (but mostly just the first two). Wish me luck and everything, because my future career as a games journalist could be riding on this.
Few things going up on darkzero in the next couple of days too, keep an eye out for them.
See y'all in June.
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