• 20Jun 08

  A quick rant about Mass Effect

  This game sucks. Its not fun to play, the voice acting is not good, the story is not compelling or interesting, it sucks.
  Alright, let me back up a bit. First point I really ought to make is I'm not an RPG fan. Call me crazy but I dont find much fun in beating on the same goblin 200 times just so I can gain a level to wield a weapon slightly more powerful than the last.
  There are exceptions to this rule, the main one being the Paper Mario series, which is awesome, so I'll be comparing it to Mass Effect quite a bit.
  
  I went into Mass Effect expecting quite a bit of speech, considering every trailer for the game was a bunch of boring people talking politically, but I really didn't expect this much rambling about something I couldn't care less about. Within the first half hour of the game, I had taken control of my character maybe twice, which isn't exactly a good first impression. Now I have nothing against lots of story in a game, the first half hour of Super Paper Mario was nothing but text, but at least it was interesting text. The writing was funny, clever and took my interest. Mass Effect however is more boring than watching slow-drying paint dry. The script is crazy dull and its delivered with no enthusiasm at all, especially from Shepard, the main character. The only likeable character is Joker, the pilot, but apparently the rest of the crew think he's a jerk.
  
  So once you get past all the chitter chatter, you finally get some gameplay going. I guess its kind of a 3rd person shooter with a Gears of War-ish cover element, but theres just so many better shooters out there. I know its not technically a shooter, but in my eyes when you hold a gun aim at stuff then pull the trigger, thats a shooter. You fight off waves of anoyingly similar-looking enemies, using a huge veriety of 4 weapons, 2 of which I'm unable to use through lack of training. Your allies may as well be throwing bits of rolled up paper at them, the amount of good they do. You have special powers at your disposal but they can all be summed up as 'meh'.
  I'd love to say that Mass Effect should have stuck to traditional RPG combat, but that would probably result in turn-based battles, which would probably be for the worse. This is where good old Paper Mario comes in again. It stuck with the turn based, but made it its own with the whole double-punch mechanic, and ended up being really fun.

  OK, it turns out this isn't really a quick rant, but quite a wordy one. I guess I have more to complain about than I first thought. If you're still reading this, I appreciate it.
  
  So then we get to what I was dreading the most. RPG elements. Rediculous weapon management - check. A million different skills to upgrade - check. Grinding through enemies just to level up - umm, no. To the games credit, I never felt I had to work hard to level up, it happened quite seemlessly. Plus one point I guess.
  
  Maybe I was expecting this game to change my opinions on RPGs. I'm afraid to say it hasn't. This is usually the time when I'd say "I guess I'll finish it because I'm an Achievements Junkie", but not even the promise of a cool 100 points can lure me. So usually this would be the time when I'd say "Time to play more Guitar Hero until I can get my hands on CoD4", but that aint happening either, as I lent it out to borrow Mass Effect. Go me.
  
  Thanks for reading. I like to feel that people notice me, so please, leave me a comment telling me how wrong I am and that Paper Mario isn't a real RPG.

  • Posted Jun 20, 2008 2:32 pm GMT
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• 16Nov 07

  Dear Santa

  Dear Santa
  As you always bring me some pretty cool games every year, I can only assume you're really in the know about games, and so will obviously be reading this Gamespot blog. Or maybe you're just watching everything I do, like God or something. Anyway, I can't afford any paper this year (I could do with some, hint hint), so I've decided to write my Cristmas list here. I have been a very good boy all year so I deserve to have you come out of hiding to get me all this stuff.
  
  First off, lets talk games. You'll like this first one. Since you spend all of Christmas Eve flying around in the sky, you probably get to see a whole load of Space. Well, I'd kinda like to do that too, so you should totally bring me Super Mario Galaxy. I just want to be like you, a fat man with an awesome moustache flying through the sky eating mushrooms. Plus, of course, there's the near-perfet gameplay, outstanding visuals, terrific level design and other things that Alex was raving about.
  
  Next up, Guitar Hero III. You must be really sick of all those awfull Christmas rock songs that the radios pump out, so I'll just drown out the noise with this game. Granted, it'll probably just be the sound of me sucking hard at Dragonforce, but oh well. Oh, and make sure to bring the guitar bundle. I don't want to keep playing the game with my controller.
  
  Speaking of controllers, I've kinda half busted my 360 controller playing Geometry Wars, do you think you could hook me up with a new one? They sell the black ones in HMV, get that if you can. Or maybe the pink one. Also, I need a new 360 haedset, as I've broken my old one. It still works, I just have to tie it to my head with selotape, and tape isn't 'in' this season, so I'd rather not go through that any more.
  
  Also, I need some more selotape.
  
  Let me see, what else...? Ooh, I need a new watch. My old one snapped on a bouncy slide. Don't ask. You can get this nice watch at Argos, and it's only £20. Catalogue no. 254/4667
  
  That'll just about do it. Like I said, I've been a really good boy all year, so thank you very much in advance, and if possible make Christmas come early this year. Like tomorow. Becuause I want to play Mario but I'm broke.
  
  Thank you very much again,
  Loads of love and a million kisses,
  Harry Hansard

  • Posted Nov 16, 2007 2:02 pm GMT
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• 9Nov 07

  Been playing some games

  My tradition of not updating my blog for ages at a time is continuing. But you can hardly blame me, I've been playing a whole load of games, and I thought I'd give you some small reviews for all of them.
  
  The Orange Box
  Basically, Portal and some other games. I'm having fun playing through Half Life 2 for the first time, and I can't get on Team Fortress because I don't have XBLGold, but Portal is brilliant. Very clever, challenging, and surprisingly funny. And I can't get that damn credits song out of my head! I'm listening to it right now on Youtube as I type, how sad is that? Seriously though, if you have a 360, go buy Orange Box. Or just download Portal from Steam, do whatever, just play the game.
  
  More Gears of War
  I always said I wasn't going to get caught up in the whole Achievements Points craze, but that hasn't stopped me repeating the same damn level on Gears just to get 30 measly points. General RAAM on Insane difficulty. They call it insane for a reason, I just can't beat that guy. As soon as I get Gold (probably at Christmas) or a second controller, I'm gonna have to get some help with the guy. Anyway, Gears is still a great game.
  
  I've just developed a rather nasty neck pain
  Yeah, its a new Wii game. Seriously though, just as I was typing my neck suddenly hurt quite a bit. Now I have to type single-handed while I try to rub it better
  
  Amped 3
  Borrowing it off a friend, those cutscenes are crazy. Boring gameplay though, what a shame. I can't be bothered to complete the second chapter, and not even the points are going to tempt me to.
  
  Guitar Hero 3 Demo
  I sure hope playing the game with the guitar is easier than what I'm doing now. Downloaded the demo, then tried playing it with the normal Xbox controller. Not easy. I'm getting used to it though, I can play Hard mode with it. Then again, I can only complete Hit Me With Your Best Shot on Hard, and its basically the easiest song in the game. Getting this game for Christmas, can't wait!
  
  Super Paper Mario
  Just completed this, bought it basically as an excuse to pick my Wiimote up again after about a month of neglect. Poor thing. Pretty good, game, but also disapointing. Wasn't nearly as good as the origional Paper Mario on N64, and those stupid cutscenes took far too long. I'm all for a decent story in a game, but I don't appreciate having to spend ages reading though text, no matter how funny it is. Anyway, my little sis is playing through it at the minute, and really likes it, which is good coming from a non-gamer.
  
  Other Thoughts
  I think somebody has dropped this mouse on the floor, the left button barely works, I'm having to press it down really hard just to get a response. So, couple that with my half-busted RB button on 360, my snapped headset, my broken earphones and my lost DS stylus, I think it's safe to say that I need some new hardware for Christmas. Ah, Crimbo, just under 2 months away, but I'll save that for another blog post. I'm off to get a beer, maybe it'll help this damn neck pain.
  
  • Posted Nov 9, 2007 1:21 pm GMT
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