Okay, I'm Sorry but... Just What on Earth is so Great about Mass Effect?!

[DJjaffacake]

Perhaps, since you like Half Life, you could have saved yourself the trouble of making a thread and looked at any of the eleventy gazillion threads questioning why people like Half Life, and got exactly the same answer. Opinion.

 

[Sean Hollyman]

I find Half-Life boring. Shocking huh?

Anyway it's got a great story and characters. Play more than just the demo then we'll talk.

 

[Fappy]

Characters are incredibly likable, writing is solid and occasionally very good.

Who are you and what have you done with Kahunaburger?

I know right? Maybe he just likes to play Devil's Advocate.

 

[hazabaza1]

Mass Effect. Better. Than Half Life.
That was the final straw.

Truth hurts, does it?
This gon' be goooooood.

 

[WhyWasThat]

For some time now, pretty much since Mass Effect 2 released, fans haven't been able to shut up about how amazing the Mass Effect series is. This has always confused me, as having played the lengthy demos for both Mass Effect 2 and 3, I have to say that fair graphics, standard gameplay, okayish acting, and Jordan Shephard's glassy eyed mannequin head didn't even come close to impressing me. But I just rolled my eyes and got on with it.
However, in a very recent post on this very forum, a user claimed that Half Life 3 would probably not be worth the wait due to the Mass Effect series having very likely eclipsed Valve's flagship series in the meantime.

Mass Effect. Better. Than Half Life.
That was the final straw.

So I ask you all... What the fuck is the big deal?

Okay , i don't even like mass effect that much , but even i can tell you that you should play the game first before judging a game . You said you only played the demo . Fine . But you know nothing of the story , the characters , the setting , the immersion .

You chose not to buy/play a mass effect game , fine , but don't judge it when you know NOTHING about the game . You are allowed to not want to play it , but you are not allowed an opinion of the game since you know nothing about it.

I'm not judging it, I have no opinion on the game. That's the whole point of this thread, my pedigree chum. I'm asking you fine folks that HAVE played the games to tell me what the hook is.

 

[Erttheking]

Mass Effect. Better. Than Half Life.
That was the final straw.

So I ask you all... What the fuck is the big deal?

"Over the top gasp" someone DARES not like Half Life! DEATH! DEATH TO THEM ALL!

People like Mass Effect because of the rich universe, massive cast of well developed characters and interesting concepts and dilemmas, including the Genophage and the Geth.

Let me answer your question with another question, what the fuck is the big deal about half life? I tried to play it and I nearly freaking fell asleep I was so bored. It's just boring.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Characters are incredibly likable, writing is solid and occasionally very good.

Who are you and what have you done with Kahunaburger?

I know right? Maybe he just likes to play Devil's Advocate.

Hey, I have my [small]many, many[/small] gripes about Mass Effect, but far be it from me to imply that the dialogue isn't fun, Mordin's subplot isn't awesome, or that Garrus isn't a total bro

 

[unoleian]

It used to be the story was the best thing about it, until they screwed that pooch as royally as possible. Now it's a middling action shooter series with a fantastic out-of-the-gate start that fell prey to a disease of lame-ness somewhere between the end of the second game and the announcement of the third. Everything after that, well, that's history, now.

 

[WhyWasThat]

Someone else mentioned that Mordin and the Genophage were at the heart of a fantastic sub-plot, which could have carried an entire game or two on their own - a very intelligently handled and ethically complicated situation, worthy of some deep thought. I also thought that the whole subplot regarding Tali and Legion and the Quarian/Geth conflict got as close to hard sci-fi as I've seen in a long while, with it's relatively nuanced contemplation of what determines sentience and why - and those themes played well in the whole of the greater Reaper/organic life conflict as well.

But then they kinda forgot about it. :/

Mass Effect as a series had a lot of good in it, and a fair share of bad. Like most pieces of art - and most games - there was potential they developed and potential they didn't develop. And, like most storytelling in this medium, the gameplay sometimes helped sell their story and a lot of times served as a kind of huge distraction between the philosophical parts.

Half-Life is a great sci-fi action series, and it had solid gameplay which never really detracted from the narrative - but it's narrative wasn't quite as ambitious as parts of ME were. Does that make it worse? Not really, because what they sacrificed in scope they more than made up in a concise, more unified experience - which is something Valve has always done very well. The thing that holds Half-Life back as a series is that it takes so damned long to make new ones; folks still compare games to HL2, but HL2 is getting dated, and without an update to the series it is starting to lose its appeal to many.

I may disagree with some of what you say, mostly the parts that hint at Half Life 2 being less than a sublime experience of staggering perfection, but you aired your thoughts with eloquence, and for that I salute you.

 

[Veldt Falsetto]

Mass Effect, it's a good series of RPGs with some great highlights, but it's nothing special. Some communities are fans of the developer and overhype how good the game is, that's all

 

[Kae]

I find Half-Life boring. Shocking huh?

Anyway it's got a great story and characters. Play more than just the demo then we'll talk.

You know it could be that it's not his thing but he's far too annoying to let it go, and instead decided to question it, I personally have mixed feelings about it, I like the visual novel/choose you're own adventure bits, but I didn't like any of the choices available much and instead I just went renegade because t at least made me laugh, but after that I just wanted to see Sheppard die because he was kind of an ass and then I stopped playing it, not to mention the shooting and the level design at least on the first one was downright awful, I far more enjoyed watching my friend play through the entire series because since it wasn't me I wasn't bothered by the crappy choices, but I can't say I got too invested in it's story.

Oh and BTW after watching my friend cry on the third one, I'm pretty damn sure of what the appeal is, but it's ridiculously hard for me to care about a character, even if I like them I hardly ever care if they die, so that's pretty much the reason why I couldn't get into it, well that and my above mentioned hatred of Sheppard.

 

[ChildishLegacy]

Well I actually managed to make it all the way through ME2 because I wanted to keep playing. Gave up on HL2 after only a few hours, didn't feel the need to continue it.

 

[Fappy]

Characters are incredibly likable, writing is solid and occasionally very good.

Who are you and what have you done with Kahunaburger?

I know right? Maybe he just likes to play Devil's Advocate.

Hey, I have my [small]many, many[/small] gripes about Mass Effect, but far be it from me to imply that the dialogue isn't fun, Mordin's subplot isn't awesome, or that Garrus isn't a total bro

All these are true of course. People said I was crazy when I told them my favorite part of ME2 was Mordin's loyalty mission. After the subplot ended in ME3 and turned out to be the best plot thread in the whole franchise I had much gloating to do

 

[WhyWasThat]

Mass Effect. Better. Than Half Life.
That was the final straw.

So I ask you all... What the fuck is the big deal?

"Over the top gasp" someone DARES not like Half Life! DEATH! DEATH TO THEM ALL!

People like Mass Effect because of the rich universe, massive cast of well developed characters and interesting concepts and dilemmas, including the Genophage and the Geth.

Let me answer your question with another question, what the fuck is the big deal about half life?

Half Life is a shooter series like no other. To be honest, it's almost difficult knowing where to begin when it comes to explaining what Valve got right with it. I suppose... Everything.
The story, while seemingly simplistic in itself, is handled with such subtlety and sophistication that it manages to convey countless abstract thoughts and ideals, almost unintentionally at times. It is a desolate world, but a beautiful one for that very reason, and where every single location is drenched in a heady and intense atmosphere.
The characters are probably the best conceived cast in gaming, period. Honestly, the only other series that has come close to enkindling the same level of bonding and fellowship in its characters is Naughty Dog's Uncharted series, and even then they rely heavily on cut-scenes to get the job done.
Gameplay is fast, intuitive, natural. It really is flawless.
The pacing is arguably where Half Life shines brightest - especially in Half Life 2. No shoot-out drags on, no location outstays its welcome. Valve know exactly when to break up the action with some narrative, and visa versa. And all the while the game never takes you out of the shoes of Gordon Freeman... AKA YOU. What, you think he's a mute because Valve are lazy?
Honestly, if you actually have to think hard about why the Half Life series is incredible, then you've probably missed the point out the gate. Go back to your Harry Potter books, while others contemplate Steinbeck.

 

[WhyWasThat]

I may disagree with some of what you say, mostly the parts that hint at Half Life 2 being less than a sublime experience of staggering perfection, but you aired your thoughts with eloquence, and for that I salute you.

Well thank you for that.

Don't get me wrong, though, I absolutely love Half-life and it's sequels, and I yearn in my heart of hearts for the day Gabe Newell gets his ass in gear and finally delivers part 3 - but I try to be objective. It's been what, five years since our last Half-life sequel? Gaming is moving right along while the series remains frozen in time. Unfortunately my love for the series won't change that.

I will point out, though, that when Yahtzee Croshaw needed an example of an FPS done right, HL2 was where he went to find it.

Well, it was six years between Half Life and Half Life 2...

 

[Erttheking]

Mass Effect. Better. Than Half Life.
That was the final straw.

So I ask you all... What the fuck is the big deal?

"Over the top gasp" someone DARES not like Half Life! DEATH! DEATH TO THEM ALL!

People like Mass Effect because of the rich universe, massive cast of well developed characters and interesting concepts and dilemmas, including the Genophage and the Geth.

Let me answer your question with another question, what the fuck is the big deal about half life?

Half Life is a shooter series like no other. To be honest, it's almost difficult knowing where to begin when it comes to explaining what Valve got right with it. I suppose... Everything.
The story, while seemingly simplistic in itself, is handled with such subtlety and sophistication that it manages to convey countless abstract thoughts and ideals, almost unintentionally at times. It is a desolate world, but a beautiful one for that very reason, and where every single location is drenched in a heady and intense atmosphere.
The characters are probably the best conceived cast in gaming, period. Honestly, the only other series that has come close to enkindling the same level of bonding and fellowship in its characters is Naughty Dog's Uncharted series, and even then they rely heavily on cut-scenes to get the job done.
Gameplay is fast, intuitive, natural. It really is flawless.
The pacing is arguably where Half Life shines brightest - especially in Half Life 2. No shoot-out drags on, no location outstays its welcome. Valve know exactly when to break up the action with some narrative, and visa versa. And all the while the game never takes you out of the shoes of Gordon Freeman... AKA YOU. What, you think he's a mute because Valve are lazy?
Honestly, if you actually have to think hard about why the Half Life series is incredible, then you've probably missed the point out the gate. Go back to your Harry Potter books, while others contemplate Steinbeck.

Duhhhhhhhhhh, I not get why Half Life r so good, I must be stuped. Frankly I've played Half Life 2 and I couldn't even get past the level with the rebels running around because it was just BORING! Oh, using the gravity gun to throw crap in a poisonous swamp, that sounds like fun. Gunning down fifty head crab zombies while an carriage moves towards me at a snails pace, sure why not. Oh and and fighting a couple hundred giant bugs all while trying to figure out where the Hell I'm supposed to go? Nice. And just trying to figure out where I'm supposed to go and dealing with puzzles and box stacking that's just shoehorned in and is beyond tedious? Nice. And those driving sections those FUCKING DRIVING SECTIONS! Yeah I disagree, I got sick of the zombie town and the prison really quick and the level with the boat dragged on WAY too long. The locations seemed jumbled and when lined up against each other they seem odd, especially considering that it's supposed to be on Earth and not that far away from each other. And the characters? They're as flat as cardboard cutouts! Barney, he's nice, the doctor, he's quirky, the redhead, she's a *****, but she's really well intentioned, yeah there's only about fifty thousand people like that in fiction, that dad is nice and Alyx is spunky.

Yeah I probably did miss the point right out the gate, but I fail to see how that's my fault and not the game's. I didn't' get ANY enjoyment out of playing this game from the gameplay or the story and I refuse to accept that it's because I'm thick. or maybe the reason really is "GAH my puny Halo fan brain can't take it!" Maybe I will go read harry potter, because unlike Half Life it has a well developed universe and three dimensional characters that stick around for more than five minutes!

So sorry that I don't kiss the ground that this game walks on. You don't need to like Mass Effect but you getting all worked up over someone liking it more than Half Life is beyond petty.