Well, I never thought I'd write this, but, another franchise falls to the clutches of Electronic Arts. I loved the first Mass Effect, and I was truly hyped for Mass Effect 2. I lost everything in a move around the same time as Mass effect 3, so, I had to wait for Trilogy to play three, so I did it the only way that makes sense, I've been marathoning the Mass Effect franchise. One is still the buggy mess with bad checkpointing that I love. The game play is RPG and the action portion is more strategy then you'd believe.
Mass Effect 2 is where the series starts the down turn. For the sake of this post I'm going to do it a disservice and compare it to Alpha Protocol. Before I'm crucified for doing so, let's get the comparative scores out of the way, Graphics: ME2-8, AP-6.5, Sound: ME2-9, AP- 7, Story: ME2-9 AP-8, Gameplay: ME2-8 AP-8. These scores are subjective, and, the gameplay is fairly similar between the two, this is what I'm going to be contrasting.
Alpha Protocol, for those not in the know, is a James Bond spy simulator. You can play it expendables or other ways, but, it is mostly a James Bond RPG. I happen to like it. The game play is switching between your two weapons, multiple items/ammo/abilities with a wheel type interface in a stealth based cover third person shooter with multiple different conversation options.
Mass Effect 2 is a cover shooter where you switch between a limited number of guns and abilities determined by your class with multiple dialogue options and squad tactics using the DPad. Hmmm... Fairly similar. The controls in both are fairly responsive, and, let me say this one more time, MASS EFFECT IS THE BETTER GAME. but let's compare their play shall we?
So in Alpha Protocol you play as Solo Spy Mike Thorton. (Solo being a bit of a misnomer as he does have help in the way of his handlers, but the action is his alone.) You enter into cover aim and shoot like any third person shooter, your level up options are all of your gun types Stealth, Melee, Sabotage, and, a healing tree that I don't remember the name of. The fun of the game is customizing your play to the game itself.
Mass Effect 2 is a departure from the heat gauge in Mass Effect, introducing thermal clips and reloads.. Making it effectively just another shooter, but wait, it gets better! Your guns are limited by your class that you choose at the beginning of the game! Meaning that if you chose something like a Biotic, tech, or a Sentinal you're limited to Heavy pistol, Machine Pistol, and ?Heavy Weapon for a majority of the game! Unlike the first, where even if you're not proficient with it, doesn't mean you can't use it. You just can't zoom with that weapon. So far, Mass Effect 2 is losing to the inferior game because I can do more.
Then there's the level up system which has been greatly restricted from the first game. You now get 6-7 choices of what to level up based on class Your squad mates get 4. The game is lacking in the wide variety of customization the first game had, and still pales in comparison to the 10 Thorton is given in Alpha Protocol.
Character customization, ME2 wins, by a long shot. Gun play is more fun (subjectively) in Alpha Protocol.the critical hit system mixed with the stealth and the amount of ways to tackle each mission just kind of work. ME2 makes me feel like I should be playing a better 3rd person shooter, Gears of War. I think I got my point across, if I didn't then blame EA. I certainly do.
Then comes Mass Effect 3. I'm two hours into the game, and I can't believe that more people weren't outraged at that opening. NONE OF YOUR CHOICES MATTERED AT ALL FROM MOMENT ONE! Anyone who chose Anderson for counselor were met with a slap to the face when they started the game, which is only further aggravated when you get to the Citadel. Not to mention that you're NEVER given the reason you've been grounded nor the reason you should be held for treason (If you got your spectorhood reinstated and do all the alliance missions in ME2.)
Then there's mars... Spoilers btw. If Liara is the Shadow Broker, then why is she on mars and nor Feron or another person in the network of spies she has? Why doesn't she already have the information in the prothean archives? Why does Cerberus KILL EVERYONE IN THE LAB TO GET THIS DATA? None of this makes sense. Anyone who played ME2 is lost. EA had their hands all over this project, Drew Karpyshyn is better then that, and, Bioware is better then that. When EA got its hands on the series in 2 I should have expected a let down, but, I... I don't want to play ME3 any more. I almost want to declare the series dead.
This guides sight seeing tour that they call an introduction is a waste of talent and time. I'm sorry Bioware. You deserved better.
Mass Effect 2 is where the series starts the down turn. For the sake of this post I'm going to do it a disservice and compare it to Alpha Protocol. Before I'm crucified for doing so, let's get the comparative scores out of the way, Graphics: ME2-8, AP-6.5, Sound: ME2-9, AP- 7, Story: ME2-9 AP-8, Gameplay: ME2-8 AP-8. These scores are subjective, and, the gameplay is fairly similar between the two, this is what I'm going to be contrasting.
Alpha Protocol, for those not in the know, is a James Bond spy simulator. You can play it expendables or other ways, but, it is mostly a James Bond RPG. I happen to like it. The game play is switching between your two weapons, multiple items/ammo/abilities with a wheel type interface in a stealth based cover third person shooter with multiple different conversation options.
Mass Effect 2 is a cover shooter where you switch between a limited number of guns and abilities determined by your class with multiple dialogue options and squad tactics using the DPad. Hmmm... Fairly similar. The controls in both are fairly responsive, and, let me say this one more time, MASS EFFECT IS THE BETTER GAME. but let's compare their play shall we?
So in Alpha Protocol you play as Solo Spy Mike Thorton. (Solo being a bit of a misnomer as he does have help in the way of his handlers, but the action is his alone.) You enter into cover aim and shoot like any third person shooter, your level up options are all of your gun types Stealth, Melee, Sabotage, and, a healing tree that I don't remember the name of. The fun of the game is customizing your play to the game itself.
Mass Effect 2 is a departure from the heat gauge in Mass Effect, introducing thermal clips and reloads.. Making it effectively just another shooter, but wait, it gets better! Your guns are limited by your class that you choose at the beginning of the game! Meaning that if you chose something like a Biotic, tech, or a Sentinal you're limited to Heavy pistol, Machine Pistol, and ?Heavy Weapon for a majority of the game! Unlike the first, where even if you're not proficient with it, doesn't mean you can't use it. You just can't zoom with that weapon. So far, Mass Effect 2 is losing to the inferior game because I can do more.
Then there's the level up system which has been greatly restricted from the first game. You now get 6-7 choices of what to level up based on class Your squad mates get 4. The game is lacking in the wide variety of customization the first game had, and still pales in comparison to the 10 Thorton is given in Alpha Protocol.
Character customization, ME2 wins, by a long shot. Gun play is more fun (subjectively) in Alpha Protocol.the critical hit system mixed with the stealth and the amount of ways to tackle each mission just kind of work. ME2 makes me feel like I should be playing a better 3rd person shooter, Gears of War. I think I got my point across, if I didn't then blame EA. I certainly do.
Then comes Mass Effect 3. I'm two hours into the game, and I can't believe that more people weren't outraged at that opening. NONE OF YOUR CHOICES MATTERED AT ALL FROM MOMENT ONE! Anyone who chose Anderson for counselor were met with a slap to the face when they started the game, which is only further aggravated when you get to the Citadel. Not to mention that you're NEVER given the reason you've been grounded nor the reason you should be held for treason (If you got your spectorhood reinstated and do all the alliance missions in ME2.)
Then there's mars... Spoilers btw. If Liara is the Shadow Broker, then why is she on mars and nor Feron or another person in the network of spies she has? Why doesn't she already have the information in the prothean archives? Why does Cerberus KILL EVERYONE IN THE LAB TO GET THIS DATA? None of this makes sense. Anyone who played ME2 is lost. EA had their hands all over this project, Drew Karpyshyn is better then that, and, Bioware is better then that. When EA got its hands on the series in 2 I should have expected a let down, but, I... I don't want to play ME3 any more. I almost want to declare the series dead.
This guides sight seeing tour that they call an introduction is a waste of talent and time. I'm sorry Bioware. You deserved better.
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