Mass Effect 3

Now that BioWare has released it's "extended cut" of the endings for Mass Effect 3, I figure now would be a good time to go back and look at this game, and explain my feelings about the game.  I personally believe that there is no more important new IP from this generation of consoles than Mass Effect.  BioWare is one of those rare companies (like Blizzard or Epic) that can build up hype for a game simply by saying that they are making it.  Sure, their track record isn't as stellar as Blizzard (still haven't forgiven them for Sonic Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood), but they manage to make some excellent games, and do while while not always relying on the same IPs.  Heck, one could argue that BioWare takes a lot of chances in this area when you compare that most other developers continually pump out the same stuff every year or so.  One thing I certainly believe in, and you can quote here, BioWare is the developer that started to turn the tide with console RPGs.  Before BioWare, most console RPGs were Japanese, such as Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy.  However, when Star Wars:  Knights of the Old Republic came out, everything changed.  This showed that western developers could produce a triple A role playing game.  Seriously, if I told you 10 years ago, that a Canadian developer would be making better RPGs than the most current Final Fantasy, you'd laugh your ass off at me.  But I'm telling you right now, Mass Effect is better than Final Fantasy XIII.  Period.  

Mass Effect, the first one, was released only for the X-Box 360, and BioWare never bothered to re-release it on the Playstation 3.  Why is that?  Because, honestly, it wasn't really good enough for that much attention.  Don't get the wrong, it was a good game.  However, there was a lot problems with the game, and this biggest problem with a new IP is getting people to get invested in the characters and story.  While Mass Effect's story and characters were quite good, it wasn't the easiest thing to get into.  Many went into this thinking of it being a lightsaberless KOTOR.  Without the Star Wars name to drive this game, some found it a little hard to relate to.  Also, for a console RPG, it was far too technical.  I've always said that the biggest difference between  a console RPG and a PC RPG is that console RPGs are more based on characters and story, while PC RPGs are more based upon being "true to life."  This first game in this series was very technical, with a ton of different attribute points to go into skills that many didn't know what they did or why they needed that skill.  It wasn't bad, it was just far too technical for an RPG that played more like a Gears of War title than KOTOR.  Then there was the landing missions and the like.  This was not a bad game at all, it just was a lot harder to get into that many were expecting it to be.  Of course, there was that sex problem that made it into some in the main stream media, but I'd prefer to not get into that.  The game did have a very deep and complex story, and those who took the time who were patient enough to get into it were well rewarded. 


This brings me to what I personally consider to not only be the best game of the series, but the best game of this generation of consoles.  Yes, I put this game very high when it comes to acclaim.  Mass Effect 2 fixed everything, that was wrong with the first offering.  The shooting mechanics were refined to the point of near perfection, the leveling system was far more streamlined, and even hunting for minerals was less of a pain (although far more tedious).  The cast of crew members was increased dramatically, and as long as you were playing as the correct gender, every member of the crew was able to be romanced (unlike the first game, where only three were).  BioWare spared no expense in improving everything in this game, right down to the voice talent (such as Martin Sheen, for instance).  Far more was revealed, and it was far easier to get sucked into the galaxy.  As a bonus, any choices you made in Mass Effect were carried over to impact what happens in the sequel.  It did have a few things that needed to be tweeked, though.  The scanning system was tedious, and the leveling system also too streamlined.  However, when you play both games back to back, it's very obvious to see the evolution in game play, and where BioWare was looking to go with the series.

 The initial feedback on Mass Effect was mostly good.  Reviews were high, and the game play was not that much different from the 2nd installment, and the story was building up from the first to games.  As with Mass Effect 2, choices made in the first two games were carried over to effect the third.  Expectations were extremely high from the fans.  Sadly, the ending disappointed some very vocal fans.  BioWare quickly rebounded, promising an extended ending that would be more rewarding than what was actually delivered.  However, I'm here to tell you that the game wasn't as good as 2, and it had nothing to do with how long or short the ending was.  Sure, the game still played like a dream, and they gave back a little more character development with the leveling system.  However, the biggest problem with the game is that Mass Effect 3 acts like Mass Effect 2, for the most part, never happened.   

 

 

The only party members you had from the second game were also the ones that appeared in your crew in the first, Tali and Garrus.  If you decided to romance on of your crew from 2, like Miranda here, Mass Effect 3 treats the romance as something that was really thrown in rather than plotted for.  It was clumsily done, and sadly, probably the worst part of the game.  Furthermore, Mass Effect 2's main paragon/renegade choice at the end of the game seems like it should have been a pretty big choice.  However the person you don't want to get the item in question (trying to remain spoiler free here) ends up with that item anyway, basically making the focal point of the second game completely pointless. 

Overall, I still love Mass Effect, and Mass Effect 3 is a great game.  The extended ending is a better overall ending than the original cut.  I won't spoil anything here, but I will say what happened had to basically happen.  However, I honestly think that the "tree" of choices that BioWare originally intended to create with this game got far too big for the game to handle.  At least in the time allotted for completion.  I would guess if you got the developers behind closed doors, they would state that they would probably had prefered another six months to a year in order to let this game cook some, and let the choice tree work it's way out.  There really needed to be more choices, more returning characters in your crew, and a much bigger adventure than what BioWare produced.  It's still a triple A game, and I have to take into consideration that they are one of the first to allow this sort of branching storytelling from game to game (Namco Bandai tried something similar with the the MMO simulator .Hack, but those were far more streamlined, with little to no choices involved).  I believe that their next attempt will be far better, but this was a fantastic first step.  I'm more than certain that Mass Effect will continue in a very big way, and we should all be looking very forward to it.