Mass Effect - Review @ Worthplaying

A new review for BioWare's Mass Effect is up at Worthplaying, with a score of 9.5/10 despite some criticisms. Here's a bit on conversations:

Most conversations contribute to your character's development as a "paragon" (all-around good guy, Optimus Prime-like in a way) or a "renegade" (mercenary-like antihero). Conversations are very well-written, and they became a huge highlight of the game for me. I learned everything about my crew members, my ship's engine systems, why some strangers are where they are — it's almost impossible for one to digest it all. The long talks also add to a journal, which records and details all of the tasks you have before you. And if you want, you can have a lot of stuff to do. When you're not tracking down Saren, you'll stumble across business conspiracies, get tasked with finding a group of missing troopers — and even try to get the military to return the corpse of a dead space marine to her husband. Much like Oblivion, you could literally spend whole days doing nothing but side-quests. That's a bit much for my plate, but it's an RPG fan's dream come true.

More information.

For some reason the indented text stays black on the dark background setting.

Thanks - fixed on front page.

Originally Posted by woges
For some reason the indented text stays black on the dark background setting.

Nah, that's Australian secret code, Dhruin uses sometimes.

I've been playing this game and so far I like it very much. It's the most chatty game I've played in a long time and in my book that's a good thing. There's tons of conversation and background to everything from the tech to the different species, history and the many characters you talk to. It's all very-well written, too. The gameplay is a bit action-oriented, but the skills and character development are a lot of fun. I'd call this KOTOR Evolved, because it feels the same to me (but with awesome cinematics).

Originally Posted by Thaurin
I've been playing this game and so far I like it very much. …

Me too, with one GLARING exception.

There is this minigame you do to open locks and such and I can't figure it out. There are no instructions on how to do it and everything I have tried fails. A "keypad" appears that looks similar to the one on the controller and it lights up one of the buttons which I immediately press and it says my attempt fails. You only get one chance (ever).

OK, this is stupid. I tried tapping the buttons quickly, holding them down, etc., and nothing works. It always fails. My character even has a skill that supposedly helps but it doesn't seem to do anything.

For now I am just ignoring the locked areas and hoping there is nothing importand or interesting behind them.

Weird, I never had a problem with those, except for when I accidentally pressed the wrong button. You have to be fairly fast with it and press one wrong button and it's over. It might not be the best thing ever, but I don't mind personally.

OK, so it sounds like I am doing the right thing but just not fast enough? As I have failed at like 15 or 20 of them without it ever working even once for one button (how many buttons do you have to push?) either I am hopelessly too slow at it or something is actually wrong.

The same thing happened to me. What might be happening is that, for example, you hit "X" when the "X" appears, and then "X" appears again, and you think it's the same "X". That was what happened to me for awhile.

Keep trying (from a savepoint). Once you get the rhythm, you'll likely make them about 95% of the time. (I'd say 100%, but I botched one last night somehow.)

Do any of the skills actually help?

Not with the game itself. But some crates can't be unlocked at all (you don't even get to try the minigame) unless you (or someone in your party) has the right skill level.

Dang. Too bad they didn't think of having a place to practice the "lockpicking" skill, like aboard the starship or something. The try it/fail/load/try it/… is going to get old real fast.

I've ever only encountered the "easy encryption" crates so far, which have you pushing three buttons. Once I knew how it worked, I didn't find it very difficult, but you have to be prepared for it. Put your thumb in the middle of the four buttons on the controller and don't panic.

OK, I tried it again last night and got 4 in a row. Indeed 3 of the 4 did have repeat codes which may have been what was goofing me up before.

Congratulations.

Shame this isn't for pc.

Originally Posted by Dez
Shame this isn't for pc.

It will be either next year or the year after. I predict holidays 2008 (like Gears of War this year).