Worth Playing Mass Effect 1-3 from Game 1?

[Realitycrash]

I once finished Mass Effect, and thought to myself; "Eh, it was a decent game. The combat was a tad repetitive, and the AI was dumb as rocks, but overall it was fun."
Then ME2 came out and a completely opted out because I realized how utterly underwhelmed I had been with the first game, in retrospect.
However, I am pondering playing the games back to back, with my save-file carrying over from one to three. However, I would rather avoid playing the first game again, so I have to ask..What you do in the first game, does it have overall THAT much of an inpact in the later games?

Edit: Also, noticed that ME3 isn't on Steam. Does this mean that in order to play ME3 I have to fall in lie with the Dreaded Ass Pirates that are EA and download Origin?

 

[ThriKreen]

Carry overs that are somewhat important from ME1 -> 2+3:

- releasing or killing the Rachni Queen
- Wrex survives Virmire
- Kaiden or Ashley survives Virmire while the other sacrifices themselves.
- Council survives (can't recall the actual impact though)
- Your choice of love interest

Not that important but still good to have:
- Captain Kirrahe survives.

More info here [http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Save_File_Transfer].

And yes, only ME1 and 2 are on Steam, you have to get ME3 off Origin or play on the console (but you'll miss out on the saved game from ME1 PC).

 

[Darks63]

One big change you will note from going to ME 1 to 2 will be that the weapons lists and armor lists shrink considerably. This is because alot of the weapons and armor pieces are stuck behind 2 dollar dlc paywalls. You can get through the game fine without, but its rather annoying.

To at to the ThriKeen's post alot of the side quest you do turn up in both games as well as extra conversations and emails you receive during ME2 and ME3. Some can impact military assets in ME3 as well.

Another thing you will note in that in ME2 vs 1 is that they really stripped out alot Sci fi RPG aspects in favor of making it shooter RPG. You also lose the ability to land and explore many planets in exchange for the boring and tedious planet scanning. You can still explore around and discover random missions but they tend to be just as short if not shorter than the ones in ME1.

 

[Lilani]

The carry-overs from the previous game can affect your options as far as characters and storylines you get to see in ME3. However, if you'll be playing on PC (and know what happens or don't mind spoilers from games 1 and 2), there are web sites you can download character save files from with different choices already made. Just google Mass Effect Save Files, and the site will let you tic off whatever options you want and give you the closest matches. That way you can get whatever choices you want without having to play through the entirety of the previous games. Because if you start a new character in ME 2 or 3 it automatically selects these things and it isn't ideal.

And since apparently making these selectable options during character creation was too hard, downloading character data is the only way to get what you want.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Mass Effect 2 takes a giant shit on you if you don't import a save from the first game, giving you the worst possible outcome to start with.

 

[Elfgore]

I'd suggest playing them all. Sure you can just buy the comic to make all the choices for the first game, but you're missing out on a lot. Soviet Heavy is not lying when he says Mass Effect 2 totally fucks you over with choices. All three of the games are great plays, even the Mako scenes.

 

[sanquin]

I usually go with getting a ME1 save file and playing with that. ME1 had an awesome story, and I loved the main story quest area designs. The combat, loot/equipment system and seemingly small impact a lot of the talents had though...not so much.

ME2 improves quite a bit in those three area's though. Probably because they decided to focus more on 3rd person shooter than rpg. Walking around and shooting doesn't feel as sluggish any more. Looting has been reduced to just finding a new (stronger) gun every now and then. No more upgrades of any kind really. And the talents have been reduced to 4 per class, each having 5 levels.

Now for some negatives. No more heat sinks. Instead you have normal ammo. The talent system feels dumbed down, and the loot/equipment system feels bare bones at best. There will be a lot of cover-based shooting. And the cover system is...okay at best. The story basically has nothing to do with what you did in ME1. It's very odd and felt very out of place to me. ME3 picks up the story from ME1 again though. The planet scanning is tedious as well. Luckily with a mouse you can scan faster, but it's still boring and annoying to have to gather resources for upgrades. And lastly, while most crew missions were fun to me, after my first play through it just started to get tedious to do all of them. (I know it's not needed but still.) As there are a lot of crew members to pick from in ME2.

So, to get back on topic. As I said, find a site that has save files for download. You can actually be pretty picky about what you do or don't want to have completed. You only have to deal with the character name attached to the save file. Just get a ME1 file there and get started with ME2 right away. At the very least both ME2 and 3 are worth playing through at least once. Just be warned that there's a high chance you won't like the ending of ME3, or even hate it. As that was, and still is, the general consensus about it.

 

[RJ 17]

I'd say it is, but then again I've had no shame about openly being a ME fanboy.

The first game is known more for its story rather than it's combat.
The second game is known for it's character development, improved combat, and planet scanning.
The third game is known for perfected combat, a surprisingly enjoyable co-op multiplayer, and an ending that made cute little pandas and koala bears cry. Personally I say the EC fixes up everything that at least I, personally, had against the ending...but as with all things of this nature it's a matter of opinion.

The point is that Bioware shines best at making memorable companions. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters across all three games. Besides, if you just stop after ME1, you'll never find out why everyone loves Garrus so much.

Captcha: Winter is Coming.
Good lord, I hope not already...

 

[Winnosh]

Just so you know. Everything, Just about every little tiny thing I recall from the series gets a payoff in someway in ME3 so it's worth playing through the whole thing with a save. Not every payoff is big but there is always some little thing I didn't notice before when I replay it.

 

[ThriKreen]

I also used something called Gibbed's Save Editor or something to edit a saved game (since I originally played ME1 on the xbox, but ME2 and 3 on PC), and replicated my decisions over. You could look at doing that.

 

[mooncalf]

The first Mass Effect looks a little bland these days - everything felt pretty much like SW KOTOR recycled for Starcontrol fans the last time I looked at it and it's a bit of a slog when your intent is to remind yourself how it goes and get to the next installment. But if you enjoy playing it then sure, good idea!

Might be a good idea for someone who likes editing/talking to do a "Previously on..." youtube series for games with sequels where you don't want to play the many (usually padded) hours of a game just to get caught up.

 

[drummond13]

I found a site somewhere that had saves you could download with different choices made in ME1. I loved this, since I felt ME1 was by far the weakest of the games and it gave me a chance to play the others with some different choices. Since ME2 lets you recustomize your player at the start, there's really no downside.

 

[DementedSheep]

You could make yourself a gibbed save to get the options you want or recreate your old ME save.
http://social.bioware.com/project/4373/

I'm probably going to do that if get around to ME3 since I don't have my saves any more and while I might replay the second like you I don't want to play the first again.

Edit: Yes you need Origins for ME3 and I think you will need it for any bioware games in future.

 

[Realitycrash]

Carry overs that are somewhat important from ME1 -> 2+3:

- releasing or killing the Rachni Queen
- Wrex survives Virmire
- Kaiden or Ashley survives Virmire while the other sacrifices themselves.
- Council survives (can't recall the actual impact though)
- Your choice of love interest

Not that important but still good to have:
- Captain Kirrahe survives.

More info here [http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Save_File_Transfer].

And yes, only ME1 and 2 are on Steam, you have to get ME3 off Origin or play on the console (but you'll miss out on the saved game from ME1 PC).

You know, it might actually be worth to play ME1 again JUST to experience the brief moment of happiness when Ashley bites the big one.
..It's not just me, right? There's got to be others who celebrated when the - to quote Loki - mewling quim finally got what she deserved? (Alright, alright, maybe not 'deserved'. She just bugged the ever-loving shit out of me)

my only further question would be: If I play ME1-2 on Steam, and 3 on Origin, will it still detect my save-files?

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

If you want to avoid playing the game again, you can pay a visit to MESaves here [http://www.masseffectsaves.com/]. To paraphrase their frikkin' brilliant slogan, "They played Mass Effect so you don't have to." You can download other peoples' save files for almost any combination of decisions conceivable so you can import into ME2 with the plot you wish. I've used it, and the ME2Saves sister site multiple times just to see the differences and try different Shepards.

To directly answer the question...it is a lot of gaming and if you don't wish to play the first again, you shouldn't feel you have to. What I will say however is that you will feel much more invested if you do. The ME universe will be your playground for well over 100 hours spanning all three games and if you are in it from the very start to the end you'll be immersed in it like nothing else.

If you still have your old save file for ME, use it for a New Game+. Everything is reset but you get some perks (bonus powers and XP among them) and start the game with all your abilities and items, a greater challenge but can shape the story how you feel like. This means you can wholly ignore bits you didn't enjoy, do side quests or don't as you choose and "refresh your memory" on the story, the world and the characters. Then go into ME2 with that save and see it through. From beginning to end, it's an absorbing, immersive and enjoyable experience with only a handful of letdowns on the way (which can be overlooked in lieu of the overarching story spanning three games).

 

[CloudAtlas]

my only further question would be: If I play ME1-2 on Steam, and 3 on Origin, will it still detect my save-files?

Yes.

If you don't want to play ME1 again, I recommend http://www.masseffectsaves.com/ - just pick a save file with the combination of decisions you like. It is also fairly easy some decisions afterwards (like your background) via Gibbed's ME2 save game editor in order to "fine-tune" a save game. Or you pay a few bucks for the ME2: Genesis DLC, an interactive comic that lets you make the key decisions from ME1 - this option might make your character feel more like "yours", compared to importing someone else's savegame.

 

[Hieronymusgoa]

I'd say it is, but then again I've had no shame about openly being a ME fanboy.

The first game is known more for its story rather than it's combat.
The second game is known for it's character development, improved combat, and planet scanning.
The third game is known for perfected combat, a surprisingly enjoyable co-op multiplayer, and an ending that made cute little pandas and koala bears cry. Personally I say the EC fixes up everything that at least I, personally, had against the ending...but as with all things of this nature it's a matter of opinion.

The point is that Bioware shines best at making memorable companions. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters across all three games. Besides, if you just stop after ME1, you'll never find out why everyone loves Garrus so much.

I just needed to quote you because sometimes it felt to me as I am rather in the minority when it comes to just loving ME1-3. Yes, there are gameplay things which could have been better but I was never as moved by a story as over the course of the three games. And I did cry, twice. Once during ME3 and once in the extended ending. And that has never happened to me in a game before.

 

[nathan-dts]

Personally I say the EC fixes up everything that at least I, personally, had against the ending...but as with all things of this nature it's a matter of opinion.

It doesn't. Not even a matter of opinion. The fact is the reapers are attacking because organics and synthetics will always fight each other, but about an hour earlier I stopped a centuries old war between the Geth and the Quarians. The entire premise of the ending is completely contradicted by a huge moral issue that I already solved in the game.

I have zero excitement for Mass Effect 4 because of this ending. Indoctrination theory still makes a lot more sense, even if I don't think Bioware have writers and designers that are intelligent enough to have purposely implemented it.