Mass Effect. Is this just my opinion? (spoiler alert, really don't click if you don't want spoilers)

[searanox]

It's alright. Nice twist at the end, but it's also a walking cliche (intentionally). Gameplay is solid but has a lot of issues, particularly when it comes to character development and customisation, and suffers from disproportionately low-quality side-quests. The main story is great, well-written, well-acted, and overall quite competent (better than what's in most games, certainly), but the other elements leave a bit to be desired. I hardly regret the money and time I spent on it, though. I'm hoping Mass Effect 2 will remedy the first game's problems... I get the impression the original had to be downscaled quite a bit due to technical limitations (see the trailers from 2006 or so). With that stuff mostly sorted out, they'll have more time to focus on content creation and quality gameplay. This is one of the rare cases where BioWare is making the sequel to one of their own games (Neverwinter Nights and Knights of the Old Republic both went to other developers) so I think they'll get the chance to stretch their wings some.

 

[stinkypitz]

I thought it had an excellent story. The top stories in games that I can think of are all made by Bioware. God I love those people.

 

[StarkRavingSane]

In my book ME's story is above average as far as game stories are concerned. Plot-wise. Dialogue-wise it's... well, I hate to say this but they bored the hell out of me, they managed to inform and little beyond that. Sterile graphics were all ok. Sterile scripts... not so much.

I won't mention my favourite stories from games cause there's nothing new there but I'd like to mention the Legacy of Kain series. Not the best story out there, certainly not the most original, blatantly far-fetched but time-travel, alternative histories and all that complicated lore make the plot so complex that even the makers couldn't keep up. Stuff happened and I wasn't sure why cause, apparently, I forgot what some ancient vampire said 2 games before. Or would've said, if someone hadn't changed history in the last game. Etc. For the hell of it I visited a few fansites, saw some charts and some attempts to create a timeline... that encompassed all 4 (5? 6? 7??) alternative histories and I still don't get it all. And the dialogues are so histerically sublime, make me laugh every time. After all these years I still quote'em randomly. For me possibly the most enjoyable plot. True, I enjoyed it for completely different reasons than the makers had hoped I'd enjoy it but hell, I had my fun.

 

[GothmogII]

Best story...mhm, normally I'd reserve that for games like Grim Fandango and Full Throttle, as they have a more structured narrative, the story makes up the whole of them rather than with RPG's in which there will be maybe one overarching narrative that you can take your time getting too and a plethora of side quests. Thankfully however Mass Effect and previous Bioware efforts don't let the scope of the world get in the way of the plot -too- much.

 

[searanox]

I thought it had an excellent story. The top stories in games that I can think of are all made by Bioware. God I love those people.

Not really. BioWare storylines and characters are basically restricted to a handful of stock plot twists and archetypes. They need to seriously diversify their writing, especially when it comes to things like player choice and morality (enough with the outdated and binary "pet dog / eat dog" stuff, already). And if I get another "cute hunky male thirty-something with a painful past who can overcome it only with the power of love and friendship, as voiced by Raphael Sbarge" then I'm going to scream. Not that I don't like Carth, but try to be a bit more original, please. The Sith Lords showed that sci-fi videogames have a huge amount of potential for interesting and original characters, and I'd like to see BioWare live up to that potential.

 

[bad rider]

Personally I prefered final fantasy 9's, but mass effects was good. Oh also Lost odyssey that had a really nice story, but Im a sucker for a good JRPG.

 

[Social Pariah]

As previously said, very well executed, but hardly the most innovative and amazing story, and could have done with being longer... like KOTOR long.

 

[Keivz]

I always thought Mafia had the most well executed story of any videogame. Sure it was predictable, but the execution was flawless. I actually thought that the whole 'the reapers are the real bad guys and Saren's just a pawn' plot point could have been better executed, perhaps with more foreshadowing. I also thought that there were too many excuses as to why the reapers had to go through all the trouble of recruiting Saren (and, for that matter, leaving the local galaxies only to come back again). The reapers where kind of uninspired characters as well. Still a great game though.

 

[Siuss]

To be honest, it was one of the only games that made me truly sad when a character died (Your lieutenant. I tried to save him, but was too late.)

Actually, the ONLY other game that made me sad at a character death was Halo 3, but it doesn't really count since there's a way to save Johnson.

"cough*cough*, SAY WHAT!

I know! I didnt know you could save him!

Remember that thread from a bit ago about Mew on Pokemon? Yeah, same thing...

Really though, my favorite story line goes to the first Final Fantasy Tactics, that or Final Fantasy 9.

 

[Jark212]

I love Mass Effect, the size of the universe, The story, combat, it works...

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

How was it good? It was predictable every step of the way. I really liked the game but I wouldn't but the story on a pedestal.

 

[Lift]

I did recently finish mass effect and i did love it, its more along the lines of How I think Gears of war should have been, in that the best game ever has the good gun play of GOW, and the fantastic story of ME.

That said however I don't think its got the best story an gaming a few I thought where better include, Ace Combat 5 and the best thing ever produced by man kind, Chrono Cross (cue the cheering masses.) I'm not going to get into why Chrono Cross was so brilliant right now, because I feel it would be off topic.

Despite it not having 100% the best story ever, I'm not saying Mass Effect is bad, far from it in fact. It's one of the best games available right now, if not ever, and a rare game that incorporates story and game play so well. You can tell when a game has been made well when any other game you try to play seems bland and stale. Because I'm definitely having that problem with KTOR. I am always worried when a game gets too much hype, especially when its a game I like. For instance, a friend of mine, is big into Warhammer and I mean big, He has things in orbit around his fandom. Finally I bought into it and gave it a try and in retrospect its not all bad, but he made it sound like it was better than any game ever, and its not. its lack luster at best, and he has now ruined any chance that game as to be good. That's what I'm worried about that everyone is going to say its the best game ever so hard, that no one wants to play it. Hilariously that why I cant stand Halo now too.

 

[mattttherman3]

Ok I just tried to fix all the errors in your paragraph, I have no idea what the first two sentences mean. It was a good game though, I just wish when you choose to shoot someone(using a dialog option) that it showed it full frontal or whatever.

 

[plastic_window]

Mass Effect's story is wonderfully epic and involving. Truly a milestone in the current-generation, proving that space-marines and sex can make something that everyone else should aspire to.

It has to be said though, that for all it does there are still better ones in gaming. Even from BioWare themselves, Jade Empire has a better storyline for me.

 

[090907]

there are very few games that I replay immediately, KOTOR was one, so was Mass Effect. both were brilliant games! Please don't ask me to choose one over the other. Lets just congratulate both teams and leave it at that!
What is it with people and the endless need to rank things? Never mind.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Mass Effects story is...ok. It didn't grab me, plus there was a hell lot of talking to get though before anything happened.

 

[The Shade]

For sure, Mass Effect was done brilliantly.

One of my fav's.

 

[Jamash]

Fable 1 which is just great.

No way in hell is Fable 1s story great. Sorry if I come off like an asshole but that is one of the most unoriginal pieces of shit I've ever played through.

What, a game called Fable, based on fables, unoriginal? Never!

I don't think the game was supposed to be original (storyline wise) and Fable 2 even makes a few jokes about the lack of originality.

 

[DirkGently]

Mass Effect's story was good, but KOTOR's was much better. Seriously.

Actually I have KOTOR and the story line is really good. That is a good game *thinks* hmmm I will more than likely break it out tonight and play my Guardian
However KOTOR 2's story sucked.... seriously

Hehe, you'll hear no argument from me in that regard. Although single-handedly cutting a bloody swathe through the Sith Academy near the end did a lot to ease my frustration with the game. I just didn't get the ending at all. Didn't the Ebon Hawk...you know... break apart and fall into a chasm when you landed on Malachor V? And yet it's there to pick you up when you beat the game...

These things seem to happen when the company who came up with the idea for a game outsource the sequal to a little-known company that can't possibly handle all the expectations. BioWare outsourced KOTOR to Obsidian Studios, and Relic outsourced DOW to Iron Lore Entertainment. Both sequels came out worse in that regard.

I'm just worried that Mass Effect 2 will follow this formula now that EA has BioWare by the balls. It's a shame really. Mass Effect is still one of the best RPG's I've ever played.

It's a shame because Obsidian has produced other good games, and has a ton of the people who were fired from Black Isle Studios are now employed there. The game felt very rushed. It was decent, it's just lacking half the content it should have had and it just stands out in stark contrast to the supremely amazing KotOR.

EDIT: Also, while I found ME to be pretty fun, I wasn't that impressed by it. It was very well done plot and execution wise, but it's not that great of a story.