Should i play mass effect before mass effect two?

[rawrmonsta]

so over the last few years I've somehow ended up skipping most of the RPGs. But most notably I haven't yet played mass effect or mass effect 2. So after asking a few of my friends about the games I was told that the first one is much more in depth with customization and less about action. Which sounds a lot less fun than the little bit of mass effect 2 (the demo) that I tried.

So my question is how important do you think it is to have played mass effect before mass effect 2 and for someone who isn't so much into customization is mass effect still likely to be fun?

Also on a side note I played dragon age on my brother's comp a while ago and never really got into it. But after looking at dragon age 2 I think it looks awesome. Thoughts?

 

[Rack]

Yes, the events are largely segregated so you can understand 2 without playing 1 but playing 1 will enrich your experience. It's also a stronger game in all I believe, 2 has a tightened up combat system which is a little better but very different but the plot for 2 was written by a high school kid who was on everything.

Dragon Age 2 is a game that gets a lot of stick for being different to Dragon Age 1. In terms of gameplay you may get on with it better if you like flash but it was pretty horrifically rushed so the plot isfiercely railroaded and asset reuse is the stuff of legends. There are 3 maps that stand in for every place in the game pretty much.

 

[ultrachicken]

You don't sound like you have the patience to deal with all the inventory management that comes with Mass Effect 1, so I suppose Mass Effect 2 would be up your alley. Just make sure to get the comic book intro that catches you up on previous events and you're golden.

As for Dragon Age, my recommendation is similar. Origins is slower and more tactical with a heavier emphasis on teamwork. DA2 is about action and flash, but at the expense of an epic tale of adventure and of variety of environments (There are really only about eight dungeons that get reused).

 

[Wuggy]

Yes, you should. I like ME2 way better than ME1 but for the story alone you should play it.

 

[rawrmonsta]

You don't sound like you have the patience to deal with all the inventory management that comes with Mass Effect 1, so I suppose Mass Effect 2 would be up your alley. Just make sure to get the comic book intro that catches you up on previous events and you're golden.

As for Dragon Age, my recommendation is similar. Origins is slower and more tactical with a heavier emphasis on teamwork. DA2 is about action and flash, but at the expense of an epic tale of adventure and of variety of environments (There are really only about eight dungeons that get reused).

Yeah super in depth systems tend to annoy me. I like customization but only if its more streamlined. Though I'm a fan of action and flash a lacking story doesn't sound to good for dragon age since that is my main reason for playing it.

 

[The Pinray]

I'd recommend playing ME1 first on Casual to get the story, characters, experience. Don't pay too much attention to side missions if you don't want to. It will make worlds of difference in ME2. It'll feel a lot more organic and you won't regret it.

Just ignore the overly robust inventory, you won't need to diddle around in it too much on Casual. I'm like you. I hated all the damn micro-managing.

So I repeat: ME1 on Casual. Breeze through the story. Get to know the universe and characters. Experience the brilliance and all that. Then pop in ME2. You'll love it. And have fun!

 

[Shoggoth2588]

If you can then you should definitely give Mass Effect a play-through before going into the second and third. There are a ton of minor choices in the first that effect the second and, apparently, the third.

The thing about Mass Effect though is how it feels more like a 3rd person shooter with heavy RPG overtones. As for Dragon Age 2, I always thought it played out more like a Mass Effect game only with swords instead of guns.

 

[Cridhe]

Yeah Play 1 first. Both are very worth playing, and you can load your save game onto ME2 for story thingies and a small benefit to your character.

 

[blue_lame93@hotmail.com]

I would suggest that you dont waste your money buying either of them, i'm thinking you've been avoiding RPG'S because there not the right genre for you(like me), and trust me mass effect isn't one thats gonna persuade you to like them, if anything it made me despise them more=]

 

[Champion95]

I'd say it's not %100 necessary to play Mass Effect 1 first, but i would recommend it. Mass Effect is a truly amazing game , both of them, and playing the first BEFORE the second, you not only learn the structure of the entire story behind the characters ect.. but it also adds to the second game with several different bonuses and also the decisions you choose in ME1 directly affect ME2 (most of them anyway)

As for Dragon age, I haven't played any of the games yet >.< Sorry, bro.

 

[ultrachicken]

You don't sound like you have the patience to deal with all the inventory management that comes with Mass Effect 1, so I suppose Mass Effect 2 would be up your alley. Just make sure to get the comic book intro that catches you up on previous events and you're golden.

As for Dragon Age, my recommendation is similar. Origins is slower and more tactical with a heavier emphasis on teamwork. DA2 is about action and flash, but at the expense of an epic tale of adventure and of variety of environments (There are really only about eight dungeons that get reused).

Yeah super in depth systems tend to annoy me. I like customization but only if its more streamlined. Though I'm a fan of action and flash a lacking story doesn't sound to good for dragon age since that is my main reason for playing it.

The story isn't lacking, at least not in my opinion, but it's definitely different than most fantasy games. You're not the hero of the lands, whose whims decide the fate of nations. You're a refugee, then a noble, then a popular noble. It's a personal tale where the major events that dictate the course of history are entirely out of your hands. Origins' story is about the heroic hero of Ferelden, one of the last of the Order Reborn [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OrderReborn], who must unite a band of misfits to battle the Big Bad [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BigBad]. Pick which style of storytelling appeals to you more.

 

[Juk3n]

They're truer rpgs than the sequels, and if you don't like item sorting and stats then avoid them, they're great, and im a real rpg grinder, but you don't sound as if you are, so i wouldn't waste the cash.

 

[Images]

Yeah you should probably hit ME1 first. I knew my GF would prefer ME2 but that without the emotional weight of ME1 she would probably lose a lot of the experience. If you like storytelling definitely do it.

 

[FEichinger]

I personally avoided buying ME1 for my new rig, due to the drivers issues.
As said before, it isn't required, but it surely enhances the experience in ME2 over a start from scratch, and it appears ME1 decisions will still have some impact in ME3, so ... if you're into the full story, definitely go for ME1 first.

 

[Justice4L]

The whole point is to play 1 before 2. That's why you shouldn't buy it on PS3.

 

[Tibike77]

You should read the first book,
then play ME1,
then read the second book,
then play ME2,
then read the third book,
then look forward to ME3.

 

[Images]

You should read the first book,
then play ME1,
then read the second book,
then play ME2,
then read the third book,
then look forward to ME3.

Stay away from the books. Decent action, terrible character writing and dialogue. Plus the creation of the biggest Mary Sue in recent years Kahlee Sanders They work as a trashy holiday read I suppose but otherwise meh. Stick to the games and get the Lair of the shadow Broker + Arrival DLC's and you'll have a whale of a time.

 

[campofapproval]

i'd say mass effect 1 is essential to play; it's like watching empire without a new hope, y're getting only a portion of the story and rich, established characters from the first time around aren't being properly introduced (or scantly featured at all, see: wrex, liara.) also, unlike star wars, any other game series ever etc. how you play in the first game can mean dramatically different things for your galaxy; it's worth the experience, from who you might've lost in combat to what npcs you might've helped out, screwed over, shot dead etc. though i gotta warn you, the first has a couple driving sequences that have super-wonky physics and might make you super annoyed. still worth it though!

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Would you read the last Harry Potter Book before the first? Play ME1 first. It gives the second one a lot more context.