Mass Effect
With the recent release of new information regarding Mass Effect: Andromeda - I thought why not make this weeks Monday post one about the Mass Effect Trilogy.
Mass effect is an action-rpg with social simulator aspects that was released for PC, Xbox, PS3 and the third game got a spot on the Wii U. Mass Effect is based in the future, and provides a sci-fi experience that does well at tugging on your heart strings. Developed by Bioware, Mass Effect is very similar to their other trilogy Dragon Age.
The Mass Effect games have you follow the journeys of the fully customise-able protagonist - commander Shepard. Shepard has two default designs for both Male and Female versions, and gives the player the option to create their won Shepard to suit their own needs, making it a game that many different types of people can enjoy. These journey's are, simply describe, to save the world from an invasion of robotic entities that come around to wipe out civilisations whenever they're deemed to have progressed too far.
While each game in the trilogy can be played on it's own, there is also a save carry-over feature that allows you to transfer all your decisions in a previous game, in order to fully progress the story that you have made for yourself. If starting a new game on a later instalment, you do get a choice as to what major decisions have been made in the previous games, however, this does not include all the little side quests and people you get to speak to that pop about throughout your play through bringing you great joy, and sometimes pure despair, through their own little stories.
Bioware do a great job at making the Mass Effect games feel tailored to you, when I see other people post about the series I find myself going "eh, that wasn't my Mass Effect" because my play through is completely different to theirs, different to my friends who spent months trying to get me to play the games. While roughly the same plot happens, there's so much you can do in the Mass Effect universe, so much life in it, that there's no way you'll ever have the same experience as someone else.
Gameplay wise - the series does well to work on and develop not only the combat system, but the exploration and social aspects of gameplay as well as the series progresses. The different classes that you can pick from for your Shepard provide you with a nice mix. Giving you classes that are mixtures of a different two, it really caters to every type of person. Prefer using magic? You have the Adept class, the futuristic mage explained by science. Like to blow things up and use big guns? Solider it is for you. But wait, prefer to do both and not sure how to pick? Then looks like you've got yourself a vanguard, a nice mix of the two. And so-on-so-forth with the other classes. with each class offering you different ways of combat, every play through will require you to rethink tactics that may have work for your Adept Shepard, and constantly keeps you happily on your toes.
The inclusion of a dating aspect towards the game helps bring to life the world that little bit more. While homosexuality isn't really an option until the third game, they still did well to slowly progress the amount you can do with your LI (love interest). Spending time with them, triggering special events that give you even more insight into what your LI enjoys, and the struggles this galactic war has placed on them. It all brings to life a game that, if done incorrectly, could've been utter trash.
With the options of Paragon and Renegade, being able to shape the actions of your Shepard into the Pure hero you want them to be, or the rebel warrior you see in yourself. You're given so much option. However at times the option is weak - with every Renegade option being the bottom selection in a piece of dialogue, and every Paragon option being at the top - neutral in the middle. The system follows the `completely righteous nothing wrong fully warm hearted scheme for the Paragon, and the complete unrelenting asshole who doesn't care about anyone or anything. Which can make them seem vert un-relateable at times. Personally I'm still waiting for a game that lets me be an complete and utter ass. But an ass with morals.
In the later games, the use of skills (especially in the adept class) start seeming useless. Seeing as you can only use them when an enemies shield is down, and a lot of the adept skills don't effect armour or shield, your stuck using your gun until you're given a chance to finally use an actual skill. However, this is why choosing your squad carefully is so important. Making sure you've got comrades with you who can make up for your weakness's. Still, it can be incredibly infuriating.
Each game in the series also features way too short of an actual main story - with the first Mass Effect's main game only consisting of roughly 5 main missions. While this is the fleshed out by the multitude of different side quests that can be pursued, it makes the main plot of the games seem somewhat weak.
While each game did it's best to improve on it's predecessor - Mass Effect 2 fails to really have any form of merit towards it. The gameplay was massively updated, but still doesn't work that well and feels very clunky. The developed love interest doesn't let you continue with your previous one, so in each game your forced to almost just wipe the slate clean and decided again. Mass Effect 2's story also failed in many aspects for me personally. A lot of the missions are boring and many of them are simply just recruiting someone, or doing their loyalty mission if you want to get a good ending. Still, it's a pivotal part of the series, and while it may have gone a bit off and been a slight let down, it doesn't ruin the series and still stays enjoyable.
The online mode introduced into Mass Effect three has it's pro's and con's. It uses an wonderfully fair point scoring system that does it's best to eliminate kill stealing and make the system enjoyable for all players. However, like all online forms of gaming you still suffer the annoyance of being paired with people that clear spend far too much time on it and can be pretty difficult for new comers to get involved with. Still, Mass Effect 3 does one thing with it's online that I loved. It's relevant to the main game! For every online game you succeed in, your War Assets (necessary for getting all endings) get an increase. Meaning playing online isn't just a desperate cling to hold onto the game for a bit longer, but something not only fun but worthwhile to the story. I'm not very fond of online gaming full stop, I find it a weirdly hostile environment - yet I love the Mass Effect 3 online game play. If anyone on Ps3 ever wants a game, don't hesitate to add me on my psn. Junpei__Persona.
Overall, the series turns what could've been a complete and utter flop and gives it a lease of life that has the power to really touch a multitude of players, giving them their own little universe to escape into that's there own. The gameplay can be pretty disappointing in some aspects, but it does a good job nonetheless and makes up for it with a gripping story and realistic characters to pull you in.
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