I'll start out with my favorite thing to come out of Gamescom so far, the Epic Mickey opening cinematic:
Amazing no? I feel like though I am eagerly anticipating this game it will still surprise me.
Alan Wake also had something to say at Gamescom or rather, Remedy had something to say about his episodic adventures. They said that releasing the game on Xbox Live episodically would be an 'interesting experiment' and that there technically was nothing preventing that from happening. We saw this with Fable II, a game not very episodic in nature; it would only make sense to see something like this down the road. The Writer - the second downloadable episode - was also said to have been close down the road. Hopefully it does not overlap with the release of Halo: Reach, or something silly like that.
The rest of the interesting news comes from the PS3 side of the tracks and the most interesting piece is that Mass Effect 2 is coming to the PS3. I am all for this announcement but I wonder, how many people will pick this game up a year after it was released on the Xbox? Will it have exclusive content? I'd pick it up again if that was the case.
There are also two new games coming from Insomniac - Ratchet and Clank, this time with 4-player coop and Resistance 3. Having not spent a lot of time with these franchises this news doesn't excite me like it does for some but I am still looking forward to both.
Then again we might be able to put a lot of stock into these NEW PSP Phone rumors and get excited about something else altogether.
Showing posts with label Mass Effect 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mass Effect 2. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
WAIP: March 1st 2010 - Where Have I Been for the Past Month Edition
I know that we seem to have this conversation too often but alas, this time, I have a good excuse. As you may or may not have known, I have been in grand jury duty for the past month. In between I have been working my normal job in between and thus, in the month of February - I have had one day off.
I am back and better than ever and I am here to let you know what I have been squeezing in, in terms of games played, while I was on my little hiatus.
At the beginning of the month I had been delving into Mass Effect 2 a little further but nothing really came to fruition. Jury duty really disrupted my flow and I forgot how to make time to play.
I did manage to squeeze tiny bits of 'Splosion Man in there but nothing more than a few levels at one time. It is quite a charming game, I just wish I made more time to play it.
Lastly, the coup De grace, I have been replaying the original Bioshock on hard with no Vita-Chambers. My wife had ordered Bioshock 2 for me as a Valentine's Day gift so I wanted my recollection to be refreshed for the sequel.
Bioshock is just as fantastic as I remember - just as beautiful, disturbing, and perfectly crafted. I walk into a room and I am overwhelmed by the design for a second time (yes this is only my second time through). It felt amazing to take down a Big Daddy in one shot (no deaths, nothing). I feel like this is the way the game is supposed to be played because I am just as jumpy on this playthrough as I was with the first. If you cannot afford or have not been persuaded to buy Bioshock 2, just play the original again.
I wonder if having the original running through my head is going to help or hinder my experience of Bioshock 2. Stay tuned for those impressions. I did want to say though that the Bioshock 2 Special Edition is fantastic in its construction and beauty. Have a look:
Now my only problem with all of this is that I have the remainder of Bioshock to play through, Bioshock 2 to play through, and Battlefield Bad Company 2 is coming in the mail tomorrow. I suppose that it is lucky that I am finished with jury duty.
Did I mention that I also wanted to pick up MLB: The Show 2010 and Heavy Rain for the PS3? No. Well... yeah, those too.
I am back and better than ever and I am here to let you know what I have been squeezing in, in terms of games played, while I was on my little hiatus.
At the beginning of the month I had been delving into Mass Effect 2 a little further but nothing really came to fruition. Jury duty really disrupted my flow and I forgot how to make time to play.
I did manage to squeeze tiny bits of 'Splosion Man in there but nothing more than a few levels at one time. It is quite a charming game, I just wish I made more time to play it.
Lastly, the coup De grace, I have been replaying the original Bioshock on hard with no Vita-Chambers. My wife had ordered Bioshock 2 for me as a Valentine's Day gift so I wanted my recollection to be refreshed for the sequel.
Bioshock is just as fantastic as I remember - just as beautiful, disturbing, and perfectly crafted. I walk into a room and I am overwhelmed by the design for a second time (yes this is only my second time through). It felt amazing to take down a Big Daddy in one shot (no deaths, nothing). I feel like this is the way the game is supposed to be played because I am just as jumpy on this playthrough as I was with the first. If you cannot afford or have not been persuaded to buy Bioshock 2, just play the original again.
I wonder if having the original running through my head is going to help or hinder my experience of Bioshock 2. Stay tuned for those impressions. I did want to say though that the Bioshock 2 Special Edition is fantastic in its construction and beauty. Have a look:
Now my only problem with all of this is that I have the remainder of Bioshock to play through, Bioshock 2 to play through, and Battlefield Bad Company 2 is coming in the mail tomorrow. I suppose that it is lucky that I am finished with jury duty.
Did I mention that I also wanted to pick up MLB: The Show 2010 and Heavy Rain for the PS3? No. Well... yeah, those too.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Free DLC Today on the Cerberus Network
Shocking.
More Mass Effect 2 news.
Today, February 9th of the star date 2009, when you boot up Mass Effect 2 (if you are anything like me, this happens at least once per day), you will find that there is new, free content up on the Cerberus Network. While it is nothing as cool as a new mission it is still nice to receive something that is always keeping Shepard in fresh new duds.
The following is a description from the Bioware community forums:
Cerberus Assault Armor
Cerberus assault armor is designed for shock troops, turn the tide of battle against creatures or forces that would decimate normal soldiers.
Increases heavy weapon ammo capacity by +10%
Increases shields by +10%
Increases health by +10%
M-22a Eviscerator Shotgun
The M-22a Eviscerator Shotgun is a longer-range shotgun with armor-piercing loads. This design also violates several intergalactic weapons treaties, so the M-22a is not distributed to militaries.
I am eager to get my hands on the shotgun and the armor does not look bad either.
Another one posted by Kara for Nate.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Mass Effect 2 Review
If you are a previous fan of Mass Effect, this is the game that you have been waiting for. If you love a good space faring story (Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.) this is the game that you have been waiting for. This has been called the Empire Strikes Back of the Mass Effect series and in turn, it may be the best game of all time. Something I read on Gizmodo puts it better, "Mass Effect 2... transcends to science fiction that you can play."
The events of Mass Effect 2 take place two years after the events of the prior entry in the series. The Collectors are abducting human colonies and you are charged with taking on the suicide mission to stop them. Throughout the game you will assemble a team in order to stand a fighting chance against the Collectors and assembling that team takes you to the far reaches of the galaxy.
The majority of the experience takes place in the middle of the Terminus Systems - only previously mentioned in ME1 - so the subject matter is far grittier and the subject matter is significantly darker. The story that we are given in the Mass Effect series is some of the greatest because the information - the Mass Effect bible if you will - was created at the same time and it allows for a lack of plot holes. Most science fiction stories that we encounter have been told over many generations and Mass Effect has had the luxury of being told over the span of one - let alone one platform.
The story could not exist without its characters and the characters that you encounter are nothing less than gorgeous, gritty, deadly, and charming - there is everything to be said about the writing that surrounds them. Depending on your play style you will have your favorites and there will come a point where it becomes upsetting that you can only take two of them with you on each mission. Each character has a rich back story that will leave you feeling as though you know each one personally. I personally became attached to many characters and one would be a surprise those whom have not yet dipped their toes into the ocean that is Mass Effect 2. At the games end, though I did not take him on a wealth of missions, Thane had become my favorite character.
The combat - this time around - actually feels like combat. In ME1 we were given combat, based on dice rolls (To the naysayers: I know this to be a standard RPG element) that was supposed to feel more like a third person shooter. In its successor we are given complete third person "control" and are still, in the way of an RPG, if not more than the first game, encouraged to deploy our squad and continue doing so throughout the remainder of the fight. You could also set menu options and rob yourself of this experience having the computer take control of your squad. Everything from the controls to the way actual combat takes place feels fluid and perfect. It is a third person shooter, much like Gears of War, inside of an RPG. Having compared the combat to Gears of War, ME2 ends up missing a few bits. You cannot move from cover to cover and I also noticed that there is no animation for turning around a corner. These things never get in the way of gameplay but they will be welcome additions in Mass Effect 3.
The combat is not the only improvement on the first game. There is no longer micromanaging of weapons and armor but instead a simple upgrade system that allows for everything to be upgraded as you collect or buy research items. The minerals that you have to mine throughout the game (again another fluid system) fuel those upgrades. The mining system no longer involves landing on the planet but instead scanning and sending down probes. It is only annoying some of the time, especially when you are scrambling to look for Element Zero and Platinum.
Another change, subtle as it may seem, are what I like to call "Action Moments". These moments allow you to either take a Paragon or a Renegade action in the middle of certain conversations and they vary depending on how you are choosing to play through the game. They involve a left or right trigger press (left = Paragon; right = Renegade) and it dramatically changes the way that scene would have progressed if you had pressed nothing at all.
All the revamps and additions to Mass Effect 2 are welcome and they all feel like the team at Bioware were listening to what we had to say.
There are not enough good things that I can say about Mass Effect 2 but one is that I will be playing this game, over and over, for years to come. I still plan to return to ME1 in order to create more "Shepards" that I can drag over to ME2. There is not a soul that should go without this gem of an experience. You should not be one of the few that choose not to play. Join the team and, "Fight for the lost."
The events of Mass Effect 2 take place two years after the events of the prior entry in the series. The Collectors are abducting human colonies and you are charged with taking on the suicide mission to stop them. Throughout the game you will assemble a team in order to stand a fighting chance against the Collectors and assembling that team takes you to the far reaches of the galaxy.
The majority of the experience takes place in the middle of the Terminus Systems - only previously mentioned in ME1 - so the subject matter is far grittier and the subject matter is significantly darker. The story that we are given in the Mass Effect series is some of the greatest because the information - the Mass Effect bible if you will - was created at the same time and it allows for a lack of plot holes. Most science fiction stories that we encounter have been told over many generations and Mass Effect has had the luxury of being told over the span of one - let alone one platform.
The story could not exist without its characters and the characters that you encounter are nothing less than gorgeous, gritty, deadly, and charming - there is everything to be said about the writing that surrounds them. Depending on your play style you will have your favorites and there will come a point where it becomes upsetting that you can only take two of them with you on each mission. Each character has a rich back story that will leave you feeling as though you know each one personally. I personally became attached to many characters and one would be a surprise those whom have not yet dipped their toes into the ocean that is Mass Effect 2. At the games end, though I did not take him on a wealth of missions, Thane had become my favorite character.
The combat - this time around - actually feels like combat. In ME1 we were given combat, based on dice rolls (To the naysayers: I know this to be a standard RPG element) that was supposed to feel more like a third person shooter. In its successor we are given complete third person "control" and are still, in the way of an RPG, if not more than the first game, encouraged to deploy our squad and continue doing so throughout the remainder of the fight. You could also set menu options and rob yourself of this experience having the computer take control of your squad. Everything from the controls to the way actual combat takes place feels fluid and perfect. It is a third person shooter, much like Gears of War, inside of an RPG. Having compared the combat to Gears of War, ME2 ends up missing a few bits. You cannot move from cover to cover and I also noticed that there is no animation for turning around a corner. These things never get in the way of gameplay but they will be welcome additions in Mass Effect 3.
The combat is not the only improvement on the first game. There is no longer micromanaging of weapons and armor but instead a simple upgrade system that allows for everything to be upgraded as you collect or buy research items. The minerals that you have to mine throughout the game (again another fluid system) fuel those upgrades. The mining system no longer involves landing on the planet but instead scanning and sending down probes. It is only annoying some of the time, especially when you are scrambling to look for Element Zero and Platinum.
Another change, subtle as it may seem, are what I like to call "Action Moments". These moments allow you to either take a Paragon or a Renegade action in the middle of certain conversations and they vary depending on how you are choosing to play through the game. They involve a left or right trigger press (left = Paragon; right = Renegade) and it dramatically changes the way that scene would have progressed if you had pressed nothing at all.
All the revamps and additions to Mass Effect 2 are welcome and they all feel like the team at Bioware were listening to what we had to say.
There are not enough good things that I can say about Mass Effect 2 but one is that I will be playing this game, over and over, for years to come. I still plan to return to ME1 in order to create more "Shepards" that I can drag over to ME2. There is not a soul that should go without this gem of an experience. You should not be one of the few that choose not to play. Join the team and, "Fight for the lost."
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Blogger Is Out: Mass Effect 2
Yesterday I spent every waking second playing Mass Effect 2 and I have plans for the same - today and tomorrow. I have nothing else to say on the matter so I will talk to you on the other side.
My Best,
Nate Kowal
P.S. - Still not playing Mass Effect 2? I hope this Friday, when payday comes, that will change.
My Best,
Nate Kowal
P.S. - Still not playing Mass Effect 2? I hope this Friday, when payday comes, that will change.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Mass Effect 2 Launch Hub
This is for those who want to watch the same trailers over and over again, read reviews that they have already read, and mostly this is for those who have not yet let themselves get excited. After all, this is the second coming of the greatest game ever. Please be aware that I, myself, have not watched all of these trailers for fear that it will reveal too much of the game before I even get the chance to play it. Do not say that I did not warn you. I do not have any plans to post every video that Bioware had blessed us with so if you do feel so inclined to let me know - don't.
First the launch trailer:
Then the teaser that, just last February, started it all:
I remember being very excited after watching this trailer knowing, of course, that Commander Shepard was not dead. It was later revealed that one of the potential endings for Mass Effect 2 was the death of Shepard. Knowing that, this teaser makes a lot more sense in retrospect.
This is the cinematic trailer that was released just a few weeks ago:
This trailer is powerful. I would like to think that even if I never played Mass Effect I would want to after seeing this trailer. I would also like to take this moment to mention something that will make any fan of Mass Effect happy. I happened to be in Best Buy a few days ago - I decided to purchase the game there since GameStop, once again, does not want my money - just looking around and I noticed that every copy of Mass Effect was sold out. It made me happy to know that newer adopters of the 360 console were interested in playing ME1 before picking up the sequel. Lastly, if you are one of those people and it is taking some willpower to get through the slow beginning of the game, push through, the reward is worth it.
This was the second trailer after the 'Shepard: KIA' teaser:
Here is where we found out that Shepard was not dead - yet.
We know that at least one character from the first game will be able to come with you on your suicide mission and that ladies and gentlemen is Tali:
I wish we were able to see that shot of the flotilla for a bit longer but it does put the taste in your mouth. I just started a playthrough with Tali in my party and in this trailer she looks infinitely more interesting than she did in the first game.
This is the character I am most excited for mainly because she was in that little game, Mass Effect Galaxy:
Nothing really to say except that I think this is [one of] Shepard's new love interest[s].
If you do not remember Mass Effect Galaxy or never heard of it, here is the review.
If you recognize Miranda's voice from one of Chuck's characters here is why:
I love Bioware's ability, like many other developers, to get celebrities on board.
The next three videos showcase my next three favorite characters:
If you are not excited after all off this than you did not watch anything that I have attempted to show you or you are just ignorant and should die in a fire. Okay, kidding, but seriously, what is wrong with you?
I am picking the game up myself in just short of seven hours at the 24 hours Best Buy in Union Square, NYC. Where will you be when Mass Effect 2 releases?
First the launch trailer:
Then the teaser that, just last February, started it all:
I remember being very excited after watching this trailer knowing, of course, that Commander Shepard was not dead. It was later revealed that one of the potential endings for Mass Effect 2 was the death of Shepard. Knowing that, this teaser makes a lot more sense in retrospect.
This is the cinematic trailer that was released just a few weeks ago:
This trailer is powerful. I would like to think that even if I never played Mass Effect I would want to after seeing this trailer. I would also like to take this moment to mention something that will make any fan of Mass Effect happy. I happened to be in Best Buy a few days ago - I decided to purchase the game there since GameStop, once again, does not want my money - just looking around and I noticed that every copy of Mass Effect was sold out. It made me happy to know that newer adopters of the 360 console were interested in playing ME1 before picking up the sequel. Lastly, if you are one of those people and it is taking some willpower to get through the slow beginning of the game, push through, the reward is worth it.
This was the second trailer after the 'Shepard: KIA' teaser:
Here is where we found out that Shepard was not dead - yet.
We know that at least one character from the first game will be able to come with you on your suicide mission and that ladies and gentlemen is Tali:
I wish we were able to see that shot of the flotilla for a bit longer but it does put the taste in your mouth. I just started a playthrough with Tali in my party and in this trailer she looks infinitely more interesting than she did in the first game.
This is the character I am most excited for mainly because she was in that little game, Mass Effect Galaxy:
Nothing really to say except that I think this is [one of] Shepard's new love interest[s].
If you do not remember Mass Effect Galaxy or never heard of it, here is the review.
If you recognize Miranda's voice from one of Chuck's characters here is why:
I love Bioware's ability, like many other developers, to get celebrities on board.
The next three videos showcase my next three favorite characters:
If you are not excited after all off this than you did not watch anything that I have attempted to show you or you are just ignorant and should die in a fire. Okay, kidding, but seriously, what is wrong with you?
I am picking the game up myself in just short of seven hours at the 24 hours Best Buy in Union Square, NYC. Where will you be when Mass Effect 2 releases?
Friday, October 16, 2009
Mass Effect 2 Release Is Dated for January, Preorder Incentives Detailed
Let me just say that I NEEDED to write this post before I popped in my copy of Brutal Legend for the first time.
Mass Effect 2 has been dated for OFFICIAL release on January 26, 2010. This is the most exciting moment of the past month for me, I mean seriously, what else is happening? Oh other games are releasing... PSHHH... whatever.
But seriously folks I need clean underwear.
And that is not all. There will be Preorder incentives to go along with this stellar announcement.
For Gamestop audiences:
Mass Effect 2 has been dated for OFFICIAL release on January 26, 2010. This is the most exciting moment of the past month for me, I mean seriously, what else is happening? Oh other games are releasing... PSHHH... whatever.
But seriously folks I need clean underwear.
And that is not all. There will be Preorder incentives to go along with this stellar announcement.
For Gamestop audiences:
- The Terminus Armor which has increased run speed and can hold an extra clip of ammo
- The Blackstorm Heavy Weapon that creates a gravity well when you fire it
- The Inferno Armor which does a number of things that do not sound as cool as the other incentives
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Bioware reveals new character for Mass Effect 2 - Grunt, "An irrationaly violent krogan"
So hot off of last week we also have this awesome awesome preview of another new character from Mass Effect 2.
Every time I think that this game slips into the back of my mind Bioware brings the game surging to my senses with a vengeance. Obviously, from the videos, everything about this game looks perfect but the trailers from the first game captured that aspect as well and we all know how that turned out.
What these new trailers have that ME1 trailers did not seem to have is a sense of urgency. This game feels like it is going to always be epic and grandiose and I have no doubt that it is going to feel like an unforgettable roller coaster ride.
Grunt looks cool enough though he may be a bit too similar to Wrex even though Grunt's head looks smaller and roundish. Grunt's voice is scratchy like Wrex's (looks like a species of smokers) but Grunt seems shorter in comparison to Wrex. If you have not already asked yourself the question, yes, I really am comparing the two.
I am curious to see if the selection of teammates that one can have in their party is much larger than the original's five party members.
But I suppose if none of that interests you, you could always go check out the Mass Effect clothing for your avatar.
Every time I think that this game slips into the back of my mind Bioware brings the game surging to my senses with a vengeance. Obviously, from the videos, everything about this game looks perfect but the trailers from the first game captured that aspect as well and we all know how that turned out.
What these new trailers have that ME1 trailers did not seem to have is a sense of urgency. This game feels like it is going to always be epic and grandiose and I have no doubt that it is going to feel like an unforgettable roller coaster ride.
Grunt looks cool enough though he may be a bit too similar to Wrex even though Grunt's head looks smaller and roundish. Grunt's voice is scratchy like Wrex's (looks like a species of smokers) but Grunt seems shorter in comparison to Wrex. If you have not already asked yourself the question, yes, I really am comparing the two.
I am curious to see if the selection of teammates that one can have in their party is much larger than the original's five party members.
But I suppose if none of that interests you, you could always go check out the Mass Effect clothing for your avatar.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Mass Effect is coming to the comic universe with Mass Effect: Redemption
I consider myself to be a casual fan of comic books so naturally when my favorite video game of this generation has a comic coming out based upon its universe it is natural for me to be ecstatic about it and thus find the need to let you know about it.
Mass Effect: Redemption will fill in some of the gaps between the first and the second game and will specifically follow Commander Shepard and Dr. Liara T'Soni after they become separated from the Normandy and its crew.
The first issue hits shelves January 6, 2010. Mark your calendars I am sure it will not be as disappointing as Mass Effect Galaxy was.
In addition to the Mass Effect comic news The Guild is also coming to comics - also by Dark Horse - and it plans to follow the Guildies on some of their in game adventures.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Bioware releases Mass Effect 2 gameplay; Universe explodes
SPOILER WARNING: Before watching this video or reading this post be very aware that it does spoil one of the endings of game for you. Keeping that in mind, at least to myself, it seems as though there will be a sufficient amount of endings to the game and that seeing this one will just have you being extremely careful for the duration of the game. Now that you have been warned here is the trailer that I did not think would make me as excited as it did:
Hello again. I apologize that you had to return to this universe but alas we can not live in fantasy land all day. In several months this will be a different story but for now let us discuss the video that we just watched. There is a good chance that you have already seen this video somewhere else and I take some of the blame for that but that is not why we are here today.
The first thing that I noticed when watching the video was that the graphics are vastly superior to those of the original game and all I am hoping for in regards to that is significantly decreased or no graphical pop-in.
The second and probably most important thing is the combat. YOU CAN SHOOT OUT THEIR LEGS AND THEY WILL HAVE TO CRAWL TOWARD YOU. Seeing this in the video just let me know that there are going to be some EPIC battles in Mass Effect 2. The physics and NPC animations that they added make it look and feel 100 percent believable. I think that people are going to get out of the combat exactly what they put in (ex. Shoot a Geth in the foot and he will limp toward you).
In this video they also showed the space exploration aspect of the game in some detail and I am happy to say that it looks like it is going to be a lot lessboring monotonous. They also said that each place you visit is going to feel like a vastly important aspect of the game (like an episode of a sci-fi series (no recycled environments?)) hopefully much like the main planets in the first game.
And finally Commander Shepard can die at the end of Mass Effect 2 so one will have to be careful with all of the choices that they make throughout the entirety of the game.
The game looks to be one helluva roller coaster ride that I cannot wait to jump on.
Hello again. I apologize that you had to return to this universe but alas we can not live in fantasy land all day. In several months this will be a different story but for now let us discuss the video that we just watched. There is a good chance that you have already seen this video somewhere else and I take some of the blame for that but that is not why we are here today.
The first thing that I noticed when watching the video was that the graphics are vastly superior to those of the original game and all I am hoping for in regards to that is significantly decreased or no graphical pop-in.
The second and probably most important thing is the combat. YOU CAN SHOOT OUT THEIR LEGS AND THEY WILL HAVE TO CRAWL TOWARD YOU. Seeing this in the video just let me know that there are going to be some EPIC battles in Mass Effect 2. The physics and NPC animations that they added make it look and feel 100 percent believable. I think that people are going to get out of the combat exactly what they put in (ex. Shoot a Geth in the foot and he will limp toward you).
In this video they also showed the space exploration aspect of the game in some detail and I am happy to say that it looks like it is going to be a lot less
And finally Commander Shepard can die at the end of Mass Effect 2 so one will have to be careful with all of the choices that they make throughout the entirety of the game.
The game looks to be one helluva roller coaster ride that I cannot wait to jump on.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Mass Effect Galaxy Review
Let's quickly establish how big of a Mass Effect fanboy I am. I am a huge Mass Effect fanboy.
With that said I was surprised with the high production values that this game had. It looks like Bioware had their hands in this (okay maybe just one hand). The stylized cut scenes are worth playing the game for alone. The story is your basic, run of mill, "Batarians are trying to take down the Citadel," type of story and it is funny because the Batarian ambassador, who we are introduced to rather quickly, looks like a stuffed animal (but perhaps that was the point).
You then, quickly, get into the combat and realize that what you are playing is a high production value cell phone game. Everything has nice animations and it works well but it is the same rinse and repeat gameplay throughout the entire game.
The combat takes place in "combat scenes" where you must kill every enemy in order to pass through to the next one or to the next conversation. You typically get 3-5 combat screens before you get to your next conversation (I would honestly take a stab at it and say that there are probably only about 25-30 combat screens in the entire game).
The gameplay is not hard (it might take you five minutes to learn how to play) and I only died about 4 or 5 times throughout the game and that was just because I was seeing how far I could push Jacob.
All of this is not to say that I did not have fun while playing the combat scenes but I do not see myself playing this more than once more. It is missing the addictive driving point that most addictive cell phone games have and in the end the entire game might take you anywhere between 2-4 hours to complete [and 4 hours is being pretty generous].
Other than the cut scenes the other place where the game shines are the conversation pieces. Usually you are given between 3-5 different things to say and they all have varying responses (ala ME1). Your facial expression changes based on each selection and you can also avoid conflicts based on what you say (also akin to ME1). But like everything else in the game, it still feels watered down. You can threaten people or you can be their saving grace but in the end it is all for naught because there are no Paragon or Renegade attributes rewarded. Essentially you could tap through all of the conversation pieces, without changing anything you say, and you would end up with the same ending that I recieved.
Ending Thoughts: The game was fun enough to play and I'll get my five bucks worth out of it, if just for the reward that it gives you for Mass Effect 2, but overall it was disappointing. I didn't go into it expecting to be disappointed but at the very least there was some decent addition to the Batarian (albeit very short (maybe the length of one or two Sci-Fi book chapters)) backstory. Only the hardest of core Mass Effect fans need apply and still then you are stretching it pretty thin. I have read both books and played through the game 4 times and I still think that this game was bare bones (very pretty bare bones).
"Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt."
With that said I was surprised with the high production values that this game had. It looks like Bioware had their hands in this (okay maybe just one hand). The stylized cut scenes are worth playing the game for alone. The story is your basic, run of mill, "Batarians are trying to take down the Citadel," type of story and it is funny because the Batarian ambassador, who we are introduced to rather quickly, looks like a stuffed animal (but perhaps that was the point).
You then, quickly, get into the combat and realize that what you are playing is a high production value cell phone game. Everything has nice animations and it works well but it is the same rinse and repeat gameplay throughout the entire game.
The gameplay is not hard (it might take you five minutes to learn how to play) and I only died about 4 or 5 times throughout the game and that was just because I was seeing how far I could push Jacob.
All of this is not to say that I did not have fun while playing the combat scenes but I do not see myself playing this more than once more. It is missing the addictive driving point that most addictive cell phone games have and in the end the entire game might take you anywhere between 2-4 hours to complete [and 4 hours is being pretty generous].
Other than the cut scenes the other place where the game shines are the conversation pieces. Usually you are given between 3-5 different things to say and they all have varying responses (ala ME1). Your facial expression changes based on each selection and you can also avoid conflicts based on what you say (also akin to ME1). But like everything else in the game, it still feels watered down. You can threaten people or you can be their saving grace but in the end it is all for naught because there are no Paragon or Renegade attributes rewarded. Essentially you could tap through all of the conversation pieces, without changing anything you say, and you would end up with the same ending that I recieved.
Ending Thoughts: The game was fun enough to play and I'll get my five bucks worth out of it, if just for the reward that it gives you for Mass Effect 2, but overall it was disappointing. I didn't go into it expecting to be disappointed but at the very least there was some decent addition to the Batarian (albeit very short (maybe the length of one or two Sci-Fi book chapters)) backstory. Only the hardest of core Mass Effect fans need apply and still then you are stretching it pretty thin. I have read both books and played through the game 4 times and I still think that this game was bare bones (very pretty bare bones).
"Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt."
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
MASS EFFECT GALAXY comes to iPhone... right now!
So as far as I know there was no release date for this game and if there was I missed it but it is here regardless and that fateful game is Mass Effect Galaxy for iPhone and iPod touch. It cost five dollars (that I will not have until Friday... at least I think so) and I want it now. Sorry for the lack of tack in this post but I was just enjoying myself playing Ghostbusters (and passing 20,000 gamerscore in the process) when I decided that it would be time for a break. I clicked on over to my TweetDeck window and... BAM... there it was. Now I must have it. These are the days of announcing things on Twitter apparently... or at least for Bioware.
And apparently you can unlock something for Mass Effect 2 at the end...
Expect a review as soon as I get it/beat it.
And apparently you can unlock something for Mass Effect 2 at the end...
Expect a review as soon as I get it/beat it.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Game Diary: June 15, 2009: In Which the Author Accidentally Goes on Hiatus
This is quite possibly the longest silence that you have endured from me and as usual I apologize for neglecting you - the dear reader. Real life gets in the way.
The last bit of anything gaming related (be it news or actually playing) that took place for me was when I played Mass Effect last Tuesday. I know that I am going a week here and it looks like it will be a week because I have no plans time to play today. I have honestly not even had time to acknowledge the fact that I hadn't been playing. I did touch on 1 vs. 100 extended play sometime last week but nothing more than answering a few questions here and there. I'll get my full impressions up when I get the chance to play it live.
However, last Tuesday was still quite enjoyable. It was the longest stint of playing Mass Effect on the current playthrough. I finished up at least half of the side quests that the game throws at you and I am feeling sufficiently confident that just playing through the main story line at this point will be enough to net me the achievements for completing the majority of the game with Kaiden and Wrex. I have also been chatting up Kaiden seeing as I am playing through with a female character and I suppose that is going well despite the fact that he is always jealous of my happenings with Liara. Something about that blue skin... Ahem.
Still, after this playthrough, I will need a final one to net the remaining achievements for the game. It will be my first 100% gamerscore on a retail game and I figured it will do justice for my love of the game. I will have played through five times after all is said and done - whew. I will save my last playthrough for the end of this year/beginning of 2010 so as to be fresh for ME2.
I had the privilege of reading OXM's big story on Mass Effect 2 (and by "had the privilege" I mean I bought the magazine) and all in all the article was awesome but it was nothing more than just a big tease full of concept art and screen shots. I am happy that I will get to see what the space port Omega will look like (after reading Mass Effect: Accession) and I am also stoked that Cerberus will be playing a larger role in this game. I hope the Illusive Man is as bad-ass as he sounds/reads in the book.
The last bit of anything gaming related (be it news or actually playing) that took place for me was when I played Mass Effect last Tuesday. I know that I am going a week here and it looks like it will be a week because I have no plans time to play today. I have honestly not even had time to acknowledge the fact that I hadn't been playing. I did touch on 1 vs. 100 extended play sometime last week but nothing more than answering a few questions here and there. I'll get my full impressions up when I get the chance to play it live.
However, last Tuesday was still quite enjoyable. It was the longest stint of playing Mass Effect on the current playthrough. I finished up at least half of the side quests that the game throws at you and I am feeling sufficiently confident that just playing through the main story line at this point will be enough to net me the achievements for completing the majority of the game with Kaiden and Wrex. I have also been chatting up Kaiden seeing as I am playing through with a female character and I suppose that is going well despite the fact that he is always jealous of my happenings with Liara. Something about that blue skin... Ahem.
Still, after this playthrough, I will need a final one to net the remaining achievements for the game. It will be my first 100% gamerscore on a retail game and I figured it will do justice for my love of the game. I will have played through five times after all is said and done - whew. I will save my last playthrough for the end of this year/beginning of 2010 so as to be fresh for ME2.
I had the privilege of reading OXM's big story on Mass Effect 2 (and by "had the privilege" I mean I bought the magazine) and all in all the article was awesome but it was nothing more than just a big tease full of concept art and screen shots. I am happy that I will get to see what the space port Omega will look like (after reading Mass Effect: Accession) and I am also stoked that Cerberus will be playing a larger role in this game. I hope the Illusive Man is as bad-ass as he sounds/reads in the book.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
E309: Joystiq's MASS EFFECT 2 Impressions
Before I say anything else I just wanted to say that I was just playing Mass Effect and I just wanted to say that I hope they fix the planetary exploration, what with surveying deposits and picking up Salarian ID tags, things can get a little tedious.
I just finished reading these Mass Effect 2 impressions that the Joystiq staff were so nice to put up forme the internet and all of its users.
Who are we kidding it took a lot of will power to not just go, "Mass Effect post here, Mass Effect post there, Mass Effect tweet said this, this guy from Bioware said that about Mass Effect," I mean come on give credit where credit is due.
So I am going to hit on the highlights of the Joystiq impressions:
I just finished reading these Mass Effect 2 impressions that the Joystiq staff were so nice to put up for
Who are we kidding it took a lot of will power to not just go, "Mass Effect post here, Mass Effect post there, Mass Effect tweet said this, this guy from Bioware said that about Mass Effect," I mean come on give credit where credit is due.
So I am going to hit on the highlights of the Joystiq impressions:
- Combat looks and feels more fluid while still keeping the feel of an RPG. Cover works better and Bioware is adding location damage, new weapons, and more importantly a heavy weapons system that can end a battle in seconds. All of these new improvements sound/look great. Fluid controls to me mean I am going to feel like a more badass Spectre.
- There is a quick button press interrupt option in conversations that allow the player to take these conversations in a different direction provided that one's finger is quick enough. Translation: I can punch someone in the face if they are not giving me the information I want fast enough or how I want it.
- You can play past the credits with downloadable missions and the like provided of course that you... survive? You are dead, you aren't dead, you can die, you can save yourself, all of this sounds quite dark and brooding. Does it make anyone else itch with anticipation?
- Casey Hudson (project lead) is touting a new planetary scouting mode but that is all he is saying. See above for why this excites me.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Prelude to E3 (Another Mass Effect 2 Video)
"I'm so excited...
...and I just can't hide it...
...I'm about to lose control and I think I like it."
This is why I just broke out into song, I mean serious WTF, is Bioware trying to give me a heart attack?
[Via Joystiq]
...and I just can't hide it...
...I'm about to lose control and I think I like it."
This is why I just broke out into song, I mean serious WTF, is Bioware trying to give me a heart attack?
[Via Joystiq]
Thursday, May 14, 2009
My E3 Rumor & Speculation
When it comes to games expos I honestly am only ever really looking forward to the Xbox news. It is in my nature (it just gets me giddy inside); I have attached all of my caring to that console. I know that there will probably be decent enough iPhone and Ninendo DS announcements but I will not care about them until I hear them.
So having you understand that the only expectations that you are going to see here are 360 in nature I'll just get this show on the road. Naturally I assume that we are all going to see some things from Mass Effect 2, Halo 3: ODST, Modern Warfare 2, Brutal Legend, Dead Rising 2, Bad Company 2, maybe that Mass Effect iPhone game, etc.
What I really want to talk about is what we are not expecting. Could we see a bigger hard drive for the 360? It seems the most likely of any announcement. We have the ability to copy games to our hard drive and my and I am sure most other's Rock Band song collection is growing and that requires a lot of space. Let's not forget the video marketplace. With all of these things together it seems more than likely that we will see a bigger hard drive unveiled at E3.
Rumors have also been swirling again (like in a circle, get it?) on a motion controller so that could be something (albeit something I do not care about).
And last of my speculations: Could we see a slimmer 360 since we may see a slimmer PS3 this year? Who knows?
What kind of announcments are you anticipating?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Mass Effect: Jacob's Story - Color Me Interested
The reason that I considered not posting about it is because it is just that, an iPhone game. I have confidence in the iPhone as a gaming platform but I am skeptical on whether this game will be good as a good percentage of the games for the iPhone are crap. From what I can tell I am not sure if Bioware is developing this but as long as whomever is developing it does not take any unnecessary creative license with the Mass Effect universe everything will be fine. In the end it did not take much convincing; I am going to play this if and when it comes out.
This is what Joystiq reported about the reader survey:
The mobile game will feature top-down shooter combat and a stylized, cartoonish look. The survey notes that Jacob's Story will function as a predecessor to the upcoming Mass Effect 2, revealing some of the backstory of characters featured in the console game. The handheld adventure would be about two hours long and cost $2.99.If the game does what this short quote says that it will do, it will be a nice experience to bridge the gap between Mass Effect 1 and 2. I am looking forward to it, I just wish there was a date on it.
Monday, March 30, 2009
A Cavalcade of Updates (Mass Effect, Bad Company 2)
When I sat down to write this post I only had an inkling of an idea on what I wanted to write about but, now that I have crawled through a minimal amount of my feeds, I have a few things that I would like to cram into this post.
First off, we will go with the most interesting part of the past few days of mine. I decided to pick up and play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare after my last post. I am at least halfway through according to the Mission Select screen and the game is more awesome than I remember. Every little thing is so detailed and I feel like I am in the thick of it at all times. An interesting thing to note is that the headphones are a big help for finding helicopters that are circling around the building that you are in. The game is so obviously well-done and it really has me wondering what they are going to improve for the next one. You can officially count me excited.
Speaking on the subject of warfare the teaser trailer for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has made its way onto the internets via a GameTrailers WORLD EXCLUSIVE (exciting, no?). It really is quite the boring trailer but I am still excited for the game because the first one was a riot and the multiplayer was something different than I am used to. I had never really found interest in a Battlefield game before this one (Bad Company 1) and I feel than many people who primarily game on consoles felt the same way that I did (first Battlefield game exclusive on consoles = fun). The funniest, most interesting part of the trailer was a joke that I understood despite not actually playing the game that it referenced; "Specializing in warfare since 1942," was what the tag line at the end of the trailer read.
In terms of other news, Bioware did unveil thier level design videos for Mass Effect 2, but as you can see I am not giddy in excitement because they did not really show much of anything. Do not believe me? See for yourself.
The only other thing that I have to report is that I may be moving this blog over to WordPress soon because I feel that it is a site that offers more to an up and coming blog such as my own.
First off, we will go with the most interesting part of the past few days of mine. I decided to pick up and play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare after my last post. I am at least halfway through according to the Mission Select screen and the game is more awesome than I remember. Every little thing is so detailed and I feel like I am in the thick of it at all times. An interesting thing to note is that the headphones are a big help for finding helicopters that are circling around the building that you are in. The game is so obviously well-done and it really has me wondering what they are going to improve for the next one. You can officially count me excited.
Speaking on the subject of warfare the teaser trailer for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has made its way onto the internets via a GameTrailers WORLD EXCLUSIVE (exciting, no?). It really is quite the boring trailer but I am still excited for the game because the first one was a riot and the multiplayer was something different than I am used to. I had never really found interest in a Battlefield game before this one (Bad Company 1) and I feel than many people who primarily game on consoles felt the same way that I did (first Battlefield game exclusive on consoles = fun). The funniest, most interesting part of the trailer was a joke that I understood despite not actually playing the game that it referenced; "Specializing in warfare since 1942," was what the tag line at the end of the trailer read.
In terms of other news, Bioware did unveil thier level design videos for Mass Effect 2, but as you can see I am not giddy in excitement because they did not really show much of anything. Do not believe me? See for yourself.
The only other thing that I have to report is that I may be moving this blog over to WordPress soon because I feel that it is a site that offers more to an up and coming blog such as my own.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Game Developer's Conference 2009
It kicks off today so you can look forward to my excited rants about all kinds of games and features of said games.
What I am looking forward to the most is the panel of the level design of Bioware's Mass Effect 2. I am excited to see what they are doing differently this time to hopefully make each level area a more dynamic experience.
I know that Joystiq and MTV Multiplayer will be there and I am looking forward to their hands-on opinions of Bioshock 2 and, if it is being showed, Overlord 2.
This is all I have until the news really breaks so be on the edge of your seat and I will try and bring you all the news I can in the coming days.
What I am looking forward to the most is the panel of the level design of Bioware's Mass Effect 2. I am excited to see what they are doing differently this time to hopefully make each level area a more dynamic experience.
I know that Joystiq and MTV Multiplayer will be there and I am looking forward to their hands-on opinions of Bioshock 2 and, if it is being showed, Overlord 2.
This is all I have until the news really breaks so be on the edge of your seat and I will try and bring you all the news I can in the coming days.
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