Bubba's Mass Effect Adventures

[Bubba]

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So after mulling over which big screen game to play next, I've decided to play through the Mass Effect Trilogy on PS3! The Bioware threads have me a tad embarrassed that I've never sampled any of their work. This one appealed to me more than the Dragon Age series because space always has the edge.

I'll be using this thread as more of a diary as opposed to a Let's Play as I want to immerse myself and can't be faffing with recording or screenshots. I'll just post my general thoughts, feelings, rants, ramblings anything really so do feel free to join in!

I'll be starting my journey later on tonight. I'm going into this game quite oblivious to the story or characters. Any of you have any non-spoilerific, general tips before I start out?

[theundeadhero]

For the love of good voice acting, I hope you pick a female Shepard.

I started this series with ME1 two or three times and quit each one early before I finally got into the game on my last attempt. Now, it's one of my favorites and I actually restarted it again yesterday. I don't know what it was that made it so hard to get into the game. Maybe it's because those times I picked soldier, and the time I got into it an infiltrator. It may not be because I can play soldier now and it's still fun. Maybe I just wasn't ready for it yet. Either way, if you don't like it much at first try a new class and give it another try.

[Formalhaut]

The classes do play very differently, and only become more varied as the games progress. If you're confident in shooting, pick soldier or a soldier-aligned class, like vanguard (close range) or Infiltrator (long range). Defensively, the sentinel is your best bet, and has the best of both worlds though in the first game their firepower is severely lacking, while Adept is essentially the mage of this series. The engineer sort of is as well, but with more tactics; they get a sentry drone in later games.

[Bubba]

So yeah, it took me a full hour to even get past the custom character screen. I was intending on playing as a female then once I was happy with my lass... I changed my mind. I decided I wanted to play as me instead. Trying to design someone that looks like you is pretty hard going. You start to question how you actually look and it can be quite depressing! I eventually settled on my young man and I realised too late that my eyes were all wrong. Oh well, too late now.

I proceeded to select 'Colonist' and 'Lone Survivor'. I toyed with the idea of 'War Hero' but decided that after my playthrough of all three games... then they can call me a hero!

My class took me forever too. I had it in my head that I'd go with Infiltrator but I panicked at the last minute and selected Soldier instead.

After playing on PS4 for so long I thought I wouldn't be too keen on the way the game looked with it being on PS3 and the first in series. It looked great though. I also thought I'd get annoyed with the constant conversation choices. Jury is still out on that but I'm actually enjoying that so far.

I started the first section of Eden Prime and it has to be said... Jenkins was asking for it. The poor, daft bastard. I realised pretty much straight away that I'd picked the wrong class. I love the sniper rifle and wasn't keen on rushing ahead to engage. The mechanics on the rifle aren't amazing but I'm sure once it's levelled up it'll get better.

I didn't get in that locked door because my reactions were terrible. I'd accidentally been using omni-gel so I couldn't even use that. I pushed on a bit further and witnessed the death of Nihlus before deciding enough was enough. I'd only just started so I decided to stop there and start again from scratch next time. I'm gonna be an Infiltrator damn it! I like the idea of opening all the doors myself too.

I'm gonna crack on later tonight after my gig or first thing in the morning. It won't take me long to get back to the same point. Enjoying every minute so far though!

[theundeadhero]

When it comes to character creation in most games I just use the default face. I'll change the hairstyle/color, eye color, and maybe the nose a bit, but I've made some truly horrifying monsters trying to edit faces in the past.

I prefer Infiltrator for two main reasons. The first is that you can pick all the locks yourself. It would get ridiculous trying to get Omni-gel for everything that can be unlocked in this game, and I want the choice to use any party member instead of taking a slot up with someone that can break them. The second is that it's it's a mix between engineer and soldier. You don't sacrifice too much in the way of damage to have the electronics ability. I preferred the pistols to the sniping though.

And yeah, smurf Jenkins. That guy should of remembered his training.

[Formalhaut]

With the reaction time locks, you can just save beforehand and try again. I messed up a few times until you get the rhythm. Heck, you don't even need to do all of them, they're just loot boxes, and the loot system in this game is annoying as hell.

I can't give you sniper advice, because I never played as a class that could really use snipers effectively in ME 1, 2 or 3 (Vanguard, Adept and Sentinel). I'm not great at sniper rifling, and the thought of concentrating on headshots while under fire is... perturbing.

[Bubba]

if you don't like it much at first try a new class and give it another try.

Well, I've re-started the game for a third and last time and I think I'm finally happy. The main reason I started again was...

When it comes to character creation in most games I just use the default face. I'll change the hairstyle/color, eye color, and maybe the nose a bit, but I've made some truly horrifying monsters trying to edit faces in the past.

...this. Yeah, I thought my guy looked pretty good when I'd finished. In-game though, he looked like the illicit offspring of an elephant and a village idiot. I've gone with default Shephard as he's much more handsome than I'll ever be.

With the reaction time locks, you can just save beforehand and try again. I messed up a few times until you get the rhythm. Heck, you don't even need to do all of them, they're just loot boxes, and the loot system in this game is annoying as hell.

This is the second reason why I did a third restart. I got the first lock fine but the second one I came across on Eden a prime threw up 2 'X's in a row and I panicked and pressed 'O'. I was not happy. I'm definitely gonna be saving beforehand in future.

Anyway, I restarted and completed the mission on Eden Prime. Very happy that I restarted as I managed to get some decent gear from that Cole guy in the second locked trailer and then some grenades from that coward hiding behind crates where Nihlus was killed. I'm really hoping the sniper rifle gets more stable as while I love it, it's tricky at this point.

Also, I'm a terrible Commander. Towards the end of the level I found some better armour for Ashley but... I... thought she looked better in the white outfit and didn't give it to her. I'm an awful person.

Just arrived in the Citadel and yeah, I want to live here.

[Formalhaut]

You get some improved aiming mods that will help with that, I'm sure. In 2 and 3, you get some time dilation mechanics when aiming, which is nice.

[Freya]

Yeah better guns and better mods for them will help. Infiltrator is my go to. In fact I've tried other classes and always end up switching back to infiltrator.

The first game's facial creation sucks. It does. In the second game some "plot reason" happens and you can tweak your face if you want and it's much better in the second game.

[Bubba]

Yeah better guns and better mods for them will help.

Its just the weapon sway at the minute that's a bit much. I'm still a pretty damn good shot with it. I attribute that to Sniper Wolf battles in Metal Gear Solid when I had no diazepam.

So like the true lone survivor I am, I had a free half an hour whilst my baby is at his grandma's and my fiancée was having her eyebrows done. I've had a nice explore of the Citadel, or the parts of the citadel I can access. Those consorts are a friendly bunch, aren't they? No wonder there's a four-month waiting list. Anyway, I think I've activated some sort of side quest as this consort wants me to confront a guy who is spreading lies about her. No idea where Chora's Den is though so I assume I don't have access yet.

After a nice long walk around the rest of the Citadel (I love it here) I headed for the tower to try and convince the council that this Sarren guy is a baddie. Although, it has to be said that Shephard can't know for sure whether he's actually guilty. We as the player know because we saw the cut scene. Shephard heard the shot, then some untrustworthy smuggler told him that Sarren killed Nihlus. Hmmm, I guess I'll just see how that plays out.

After playing hundreds of hours on Destiny, you can tell already that Bungie took a lot of inspiration from Mass Effect. Only, I've played about an hour or two of this game and it already has more story to it than the entire Destiny world. I've listened to everything in the journal (partly because I'm in love with the guy's voice) and the game seems to have a rich, detailed world. I'm excited for what's to come!

[Freya]

I think after you talk to them once or something you can then explore more of the citadel and go to different levels, one of those levels is where choras den is. You'll start acquiring new party members as you wander so try to go to a bunch of different places! Once you go to actually leave the citadel and go exploring, go find the last squadmate mission first. I don't want to say too much to spoil anything. Do all the planets first and then save the Virmire planet last as that progresses the story officially further and you can't go back. There's like 3 main missions, one to get the last squadmate, noveria, and another one i'm spacing on. You only need two done to unlock Virmire. But don't go there right when it unlocks, finish everything!

[Bubba]

No that's great, thank you! I really don't want to miss anything so anything that will advance me too far I definitely need to know about

[Formalhaut]

Yeah, it's rather similar to Dragon Age: Origins, with a central mission flow which opens up in the middle, before funnelling through to the end:

Eden Prime, then Citadel. After that, the game opens up to three main missions taken in any order: Rescue teammate, Feros and Noveria. After completing two of those, Virmire opens up, which you can complete at anytime. After that, you're on a straight path to the end.

Hilariously, this results in the situation where you can rescue the team-mate last, long after the other three primary missions.

Probably the best order is Teammate, Feros, Noveria and finally Virmire.

[theundeadhero]

Speaking of good commanders and armor: on my last play through the game I was a male soldier Shepard, and I was not exactly a moral compass on Eden Prime. Ashley has armor with better stats than what you start with, so being the solider commander I was, I put that pink armor on myself and gave her the crap I had sitting in my inventory. I'm just going the pretend that's why the council ignored that particular Shepard. He was too pretty.

Sniper rifles get slightly better with sway. I don't remember any mods making it sway less, but you can get ones that reduce its recoil. In ME2 and 3 however, they're amazing.

I'm curious once you recruit your party on the Citadel, who you'll pick and whether you plan to stay with that crew or switch it up throughout the game. If you use the same person through most of the game you get an achievement which unlocks bonuses available the next time you play through the game. For that reason I always get the next crew member mission done first. After that, I fly through all the non-mission planets doing all the quests you find planet-side to level-up a ton and get lots of gear, except for the DLC asteroid and space station. I do those two after Virmire. Make sure you go to Earth's Moon as soon as you get the mission though. The reward is worth it.

Remember to talk to your crew after every planet for the conversation and to sell the extra stuff you don't need. If you do that you'll never run into the extra annoying problem of not having enough inventory space.

[Bubba]

Sniper rifles get slightly better with sway. I don't remember any mods making it sway less, but you can get ones that reduce its recoil. In ME2 and 3 however, they're amazing.

Well that's encouraging. I'm sure I can stick out a poor sniper mechanic in the first game if it's corrected in the last two. Like I said, I'm a pretty good shot with it anyway.

I'm curious once you recruit your party on the Citadel, who you'll pick and whether you plan to stay with that crew or switch it up throughout the game.

I had another little tinkle last night and don't think I've recruited anyone yet apart from Kaiden and Ashley which are both clearly automatic. I met with the council and yeah, that was pointless. They'll do bog all about Saren without proof and to be honest, I agree with them! I was put onto a lead to find this Harkin guy in Choras Den who can help. It doesn't sound like he'll be a recruit though. I guess and I 'll just go and see what's shaking in Choras Den as I have two reasons to go there now!

I clearly should have got there before now but I keep meeting people with sidequests for me! I met this guy called Chorban who wants me to scan all the bloody Keepers. His name was far too similar to Corban Dallas from The Fifth Element so every time I found a Keeper and scanned it I would say "Corban Dallas Multipass!" because I am an actual freak. Anyway, I've been round the Citadel twice and pretty sure I found all the Keepers. Just gonna head to Choras Den now to meet my two contacts and hopefully complete Corban Dallas' sidequest too