Mass Effect - Review @ DarkZero

Dhruin

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Douglas Adams gets a nod in this review of Mass Effect at DarkZero. The score is 8/10 and here's the into:
Space... is big, really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mindboggingly big it is. It is this wide open playing field that is without doubt the main draw of Mass Effect, thus letting you paint your own elaborate story in a much larger and more complex way than Bioware has ever let us do before. So, with sights set on such grandeur it’s hard to admit that Mass Effect is not everything it could have been. In fact, if you look past that big draw a huge amount of limitation has been placed upon what was once thought to be a thriving galaxy. Indeed, the universe that has been created could very well make a lot of people very angry, and even be widely regarded as a bad move. Don’t panic though, Mass Effect is not a bad game, in fact it is far from it. It could even be argued that it is the exact opposite, as after some solid time playing it's clear to see many of the wrongs have been righted that people had with the slightly off-kilter Jade Empire. However, with a collection of bugs, texture pop-in that rears it head every time a cut scene loads, and the repetitious nature of the planets on show it is hard to have complete reverence for what Bioware have accomplished.
More information.
 
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I like the Addams style ;)
 
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95% certain of that. It's just a matter of time.
 
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I'm looking forward to this game on the PC, but I hope that they fix some of the problems that I have been hearing about which sound really annoying.
 
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Yeah, I was thinking of the texture pop-in as well. It's not that jarring, actually, but it's the most obvious of Xbox 360 games I've seen so far. Gears of War didn't have the problem as much, and it uses the same engine.

It's much an engine problem, and I've read that Microsoft pressured Bioware early in development to not rely on the harddisk. Later, it was too late to implement a cashing system, or so I've heard.

It's not that bad, but it is unfortunate.
 
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The things I've read, are the world is repetitive and empty (iirc) outside of the MQ and most seem to complain about combat, not being very fun. Lastly. (only if they can get the gameplay solid, if not screw the graphics) I hear only the NPCs look good while world textures (as typical on consoles?) are very weak, at least compared to PC games in general.

Oh, anyone that has played ME does Bioware continue the really *just weird policy* of Not Allowing us to *Jump At Will* as a PC? Iirc they did this in KotOR and JE, yet *In Game Moves* your PC jumped, heh. :rolleyes:
 
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Don't forget that Bioware was bought out by EA which probably means no PC version unless it is a rushed port that will be very crappy.
 
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The things I've read, are the world is repetitive and empty (iirc) outside of the MQ

Well, this is true, from what I've seen outside the main quest (which isn't much). Personally, I don't care, because I don't really need a RPG to be free-roaming. The main quest can be pretty involving and can take anywhere from 15 to 25 hours, anyway.

most seem to complain about combat, not being very fun.

I disagree with that one. The combat to me is more fun than most shooters and almost as strategic as most RPG's. There aren't hundreds of skills, but planning a fight instead of going in guns blazing usually works best and is more fun. So I guess it depends on what you want out of it and how you play it. Some people expect a shooter, others turn-based combat. It is neither, but you better think about what you do, or it'll be either boring or extremely difficult.

Tastes differ... but saying that the combat is not fun in general is nonsense.

I hear only the NPCs look good while world textures (as typical on consoles?) are very weak, at least compared to PC games in general.

Not so, and not typical on modern consoles neither. There is the pop-in as mentioned, but once everything is loaded, I can think of few PC titles that look as good (characters and world).

Oh, anyone that has played ME does Bioware continue the really *just weird policy* of Not Allowing us to *Jump At Will* as a PC?

I don't recall that you can jump around in the game, but I don't see that as a problem. We're not playing Mario here, for God's sake. :) Like I said, I don't care all that much for a do-whatever-you-want game if the game is just plain fun. If you want to be able to jump off a cliff, fine, but do it in another game. ;)

Don't forget that Bioware was bought out by EA which probably means no PC version unless it is a rushed port that will be very crappy.

EA has been changing its tune in recent times, so who knows?
 
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Did you catch those Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency radio broadcasts the BBC aired not so long ago? They were great. :)

Only read them... They were still great :)
 
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Good to know Thaurin, thanks. :)

Not so, and not typical on modern consoles neither.
Am I seeing this right you think console world textures are typically good? If, so I am not sure how you can say this, unless you mean they look good for consoles, which is sort of the point, i.e they don't look all that good at all, average sure.

We're not playing Mario here, for God's sake.
Lol, well if that's the only reason you can think of the need for jumping then I am glad your happy with *Scripted Jumps Only*. Most games created have *at will jumping* for some reason Bioware, thinks it fun or entertaining to get stuck on the smallest objects. However if most console gamers feel like you that Mario is the only reason Jumping is need well I can see why Bioware might have such werid designs. :)
 
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Am I seeing this right you think console world textures are typically good? If, so I am not sure how you can say this, unless you mean they look good for consoles, which is sort of the point, i.e they don't look all that good at all, average sure.
You need to keep up with the times Acleacius, we're no longer talking PS2 and Xbox here, but the next generation ;)

Seriously though, it is indeed true that console titles have been marred in the past by really low level texture resolutions but that really isn't the case anymore. I can see no difference whatsoever if I compare the PC version of BioShock with the Xbox 360 version and both Mass Effect and Gears of War also look stunningly good. Another example is Assassin's Creed which is also looking fabulous.

No the low resolution texture problem is a thing of the past ... but Mass Effect is, with the texture popping issue, indeed either showing the upper limit of the Xbox 360 or with the engine (too early to tell), so once the PC hardware AND software again has the upper hand, the issue may again appear.

Lol, well if that's the only reason you can think of the need for jumping then I am glad your happy with *Scripted Jumps Only*. Most games created have *at will jumping* for some reason Bioware, thinks it fun or entertaining to get stuck on the smallest objects. However if most console gamers feel like you that Mario is the only reason Jumping is need well I can see why Bioware might have such werid designs. :)
If there is a need for jumping then it should be there, if not, then I can't see why it should be there. Be insisting there be a jump option you're basically limiting the options available to the developers by forcing them to implement certain gameplay mechanics while avoiding others.
 
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fatBastard() said:
You need to keep up with the times Acleacius,
Hehe, well maybe I am behind the times and took it for granted these issues were lack of memory based, oops. :)
I was thinking of how oblivion was a good example and I could have sworn many PC gamers complained the world graphics of Bioshock could have been more detailed. I never played gow but it's getting slammed by the PC crowds as weak and raves by consoles and even heard the sales were horrible on PC from Blue's.

You seem familiar, so I will have to defer to you, since I am not really motivated to buy a console. :)

If there is a need for jumping then it should be there, if not,......
Many have played more games than me, yet in the 15 to 20 years of playing games I can only think of 3 first or third person games, atm who only have scripted jumping KotOR, JE and The Witcher, which leaves 100 or more that do have it, just seems strange, maybe this is a console issue?
Oh wait maybe 4, KotOR 2 but I can't recall I have been putting off playing for 2 years, waiting for the Restoration Project,which is due for an update soon, Yay! :)
 
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A console issue? Hardly. :D I still don't understand the feud between PC and console fanboys. By the way, if it's such a console issue, why is The Witcher in your list? ;)

Anyways, I recall good reviews in the graphics department for the PC version of Gears of War. As for the complainers, it's just people like you that want to see everything non-PC fail. I can't imagine why.
 
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Thaurin that's a great point I am not on any feud, I was just pointing out technical issues between the two and my personal likes or dislikes only help me decide which to buy. Plenty of people have very good reasons to buy or not to buy consoles or PCs and each of these systems have different design criteria.

Even if console gamers are disappointed by the technical limitations of their systems which does affect design, they do afaik have a small niche of games which seem better suited for consoles like sports games.

If by *console issue* you mean the jumping, well you can choose your personal word, if free form jumping exist in 99% of games and doesn't on consoles then issue sure seems accurate. :)
 
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A console issue? Hardly. :D I still don't understand the feud between PC and console fanboys. ... As for the complainers, it's just people like you that want to see everything non-PC fail. I can't imagine why.

It's this weird elitism/clique thing. "PCs is better dan youse guyzs stoopid consoul!" You see it between console "camps" too. XBox360 fans love to post cr*p in the PS3 forums and vice-versa. They both like to pound on the Wii.
 
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Thaurin said:
As for the complainers, it's just people like you that want to see everything non-PC fail. I can't imagine why.
Hehe, no wonder your confused. as I have never advocated the failure of consoles, so you have me confused with a different person. :)
I have always maintained that m$ dumping billions of dollars in to creating consoles is at the expense of PCs which m$ admits is true. Hence their play nice campaign about how great vista was, which proves they are trying to help the PC or some such PR BS they were shoveling, atm.

As I have mentioned the problem is they with the 7 billion dollars are building on the weakest platform first, when they could have been building up PC and xbox at the same time, it's much easier to scale down, than trying to go back and scale up, iirc. This would include things like bring back artist to improve textures, so you would be paying them a second time.
Additionally like I have mentioned as well these dual release dates don't help sales when they come a year or two later, as the companies have to pay for PR again.
The list is very long about the problems designing this way and the only reason m$ has exclusives it to try to help get PC gamers to buy xboxes.

None of this has anything to do with wanting consoles to fail, at all. If this exist at all I would have to agree with BillSeurer, it exist between different console manufacturers and have nothing to do with PC. :)
 
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