From Mass effect 3 to mass effect 2?

I know I should start for the beginimg of this trilogy but..I jumped over the third. Im loving it but.. even if I understand the whole game is the third act, the action packed climax I could want more diferent missions, not only landing on a planet and start shooting.

I was thinking to stop playing it and go to the second. But the graphics and gameplay downgrade can be quite shocking.

My question is: mass effect 2 has more balance between action and exploration? Ok. No mako but al teast some more variety and interaction in their missions?

Thanks!

Mass Effect 2 is my favourite, but not by much. It had a really tedious planet-scanning feature that was perfect for sucking the life out of players with OCD. I think Mass Effect 3 had a better balance of action and exploration. I just really liked the characters in Mass Effect 2 and gaining everyone's loyalty was rewarding. What platform are you playing them on? I played them on PS3, and there is no way I will ever go back to Mass Effect 2 on PS3. The load times were abysmal. Not sure how it played on 360, but if you're on PC definitely check it out.

I haven't played any of the Mass Effect game, but I'm thinking about picking up the trilogy collection because they have it on the PSN for sale, do you guys think it's worth a playthrough?

All three are very different. I do like the first one more since it as the better RPG elements and the other two drop it and hurt the game play because of it.

A warning the 3rd one story is not good (parts are good) and the ending is the worse ending to a game. I say the first one is worth it and the second one is not bad. I have replayed both the first two and the first one more. I played third once. THe only thing I heard good things about is the mp which is dead.

I love them both: ME2 was a more intimate experience, about developing your character and relationships and finding out what the hell was going on; ME3 was when things "got epic" and you threw down the gauntlet and started kicking ass.

I don't think you made a mistake skipping ME2 and going right to ME3, but your experience might have been a little richer. Lucky you, there is enough diversity in the games to warrant a second (and third, and fourth!) playthrough, so you can totally play ME2 right now and then play ME3 again!

Don't let people phase you about the ending to ME3, it's not bad. It's not great, but it's not bad; people were just expecting something different and didn't get it, so naturally they say "This is not what I wanted, so it is bad".

There is no exploration in any Mass Effect game from the original trilogy. The closer it gets is occasionally landing on barren planets in ME1 looking for gizmos or the occasional small base to attack. The sequels handle the action with linear TPS levels.

Two and Three are crappy third person shooters.

@mrbojangles25:

I love the rich universe they HAVE created, all those charismatic character, that feeling of having your own both crew and spaceship.

Also, even being a film aficionado, I can say the narrative is brilliant and the cinematics really well made.

So, I'm really addicted to the gameplay and the story, but I feel everytime is landing in a planet with a same massive battle. So, that's why I was asking if the second installment balanced a little bit more the action, or introduced some little exploration elements even if enemies could appear at any moment.

Anyway, I see myself playing it when I finish this final chapter. So, It's just to know If I had to stop doing it right now, being half of the game in.

PS: I'm also addicte to this succesful hybrit clever game Deux Ex Human revolution is, but too much Stealth and hacking on it. A shame, since it offers a lot of posibilities to ultimatly forcing you to go in that way.

Mass Effect 2 is similar in terms of gameplay ,especially the action but where it differs from ME3 and makes it better is the story and how that story is told. ME2 > ME3 by quite some margin.

Cool, I mostlikely will go ahead and buy it, I really wanna see for myself what the big fuss is about ME3's ending!! lol

@MarcRecon:

Yeah. Do it!!!!

I don't know about the previous installments, but I can guarantee it's a really rich and amazing Universe to be. I'm really impressed in the effort they put in all those planets and galaxies, disctincive alien species each one with its own culture and story behind, charismatic characters. and ROMANCES The narrative has a terrific sense of pace and storytelling and dialogues are so great that I reall don't care about spending so much time reading them.

I should have been followed the recomendations I read months ago about playing to whole trilogy in chronologial order now. But Im so f sttuborn....;) So, you do thatfor me, please.

About the ending...well, it's more about the journey I guess. I really don't care how it's going to be even when I already have been spoilered. I experienced LOST finale, I'm inmune to those things.

too bad my computer its not going to run Mass Effect Andromeda...dammit!

PS: I "bought" Dead Space 3 because its gameplay seems quite similar, and it has a little more breath in the action, space for exploration. Even if its not going to be near as close to the fantastic world and choices from Mass Effect. And Yes, I'm already wearing the N7 Armor. :)

@SOedipus:

In PC. the load times are quick.

I can't say the same about Skyrim though...every door I open.. ;)

If you want to know about the ending then you need to look the climate that it happen it. They did change the ending late in the game development. I can tell you why the ending of ME3 is poor made even before the player choice part of the game. on youtube there a channel called Lorerunner ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWDFAOZHGSy7ItmuQl32AYw ). He did a playthrough of the game and went into details about all three games from a story telling stand point and pointed out a large number of problems with ME3 even before the ending.

In my opinion Mass Effect 2 unquestionably definitely ups on action, but I do miss the exploration that the Mako allowed, even if it was limited to what would eventually be (for me) very bland environments. That being said I think the Mass Effect trilogy is best enjoyed as is: the trilogy...horrible...horrible endings notwithstanding.

Thanks but I'm gonna go ahead and playthrough myself, like I said before, I want to experience the so called ''horror" that everybody was talking about! lol.....they got the trilogy for 5 bucks on the PSN, who could pass that up. :)

Mass effect 2 is by far better than Mass Effect 3. When I played from ME2 to ME3, the camera angles and graphics seem weird to me to a point i had to stop playing ME3

Then again played it on xbox 360 back then, so maybe it's just the console itself.

The third mass effect is a pile of poo. One of the worst games I've played, and an insult to us ME fans. I love parts 1 and 2, and part 3, it really killed me by how horrible it was. And I fear Andromeda will be even worse.

Dammit!

I got mass effect 2....it has all what I need to mass effect 3 for being the ultimate experience. Better balanced actiom, more diversity in its mission, more city hubs to get lost and people to interact with, more dialogue choices, more interesting lines from the characters and a better checklist status side quests diary....plus its the empire strikes back ( darker) of this trilogy. Overally a better game.

But...after the evocative planets from mass effect 3 and graphic improvements I just can not go downside...

Maybe I could finish mass effec3 and play 2 as a prequel? What do you think?

Im already with deus ex HR wich has this better balanced gameplay and the the action packed mass effect 3. So i can alternate both depending on my mood.

So maybe I should finish this two games and then go for mass effect 2 as the definitive mass effect game and a prequel?

Please...thoughts about this idea..

Thanks!

Wow man!

Mass effect 2 is soooo much better than 3!

More diversity in its missions. More surprises in its action moments. Far more interactivity in its scenarios. More diversity in the dialogue wheel and comments of your team in battles.

And the action is even better. Because its no so frantic and over the top, better balanced. Even th3 gameplay is better. Because mass effect 3 1 single button for 3 movements was a mess.

Maybe the story is not go anywhere like I read, just recluting members that even they are not going to be in the third but for the rest is a farrrr superior game! Im so happy because it has all what I wanted in the third.

The only real thing i miss is the open evocative worlds from the third..but then they were only gorgeous views...

So...

@jord:

When entering any series, I feel that you should ALWAYS start with the latest game so you can see the game at the best its best. Then if you are interested enough, you can go back to the older games. I say this because there are usually so many improvements the developers put into future installments over the years that it's an enormous drop from part 3 to 1. And if part 1 isn't good enough (because usually it's riddled with glitches and flaws they correct later on.) Then you give up and end up missing out on a great series!

Mass Effect is no exception but unfortunately, all of the major choices you need to make will be automatically generated if you start from ME3 to ME2 and ME1. Because this is the type of game that is about giving you a tailored experience! And one of the greatest joys in that concept is the freedom to shape the story over the course of the trilogy. Who survives what or dies where is entirely up to you, same goes for romances and other story details. Still, even with this in mind; I think it's great that you have started from Mass Effect 3. But I do highly recommend that you buy 1 too somewhere down the line like you did with ME2 because it's a noticeably different experience from the other two games and serves as a pinnacle for some of the most important moments in Commander Shepherd's life.

@killered3:

I know. Im trying to get 1.

Because....i loved the universe and gameplay in me3.... im totally shocked how much it was missing there now Im playing that second installment.

I can not believe how much interativity and details ( humor, buying a hamster, kicking some people from clubs, listen some minority report like personal comercial at the citadel, etc...) this game has. Now I understand the criticism the third got. It all this little details that makes a game be something special. Worth exploring and dig in.

I knew they cut some things in the final chapter but I didnt imagine it was sooo much!

What do u think?

Ps: oh,Miranda!!!

@jord:

If you love exploration then you're gonna be pissed off once you see Mass Effect 1. ME1 is still my personal favorite out of the trilogy. Mainly because it dove deeper into the whole Star Trek-like experience than the others did. You could trek massive planets on foot or driving the Mako and it really gave you that astronaut-like feel that I always wanted to see in a game! Combat was a bit laggy though but it still felt familiar to Mass Effect 2. After playing ME1, I finally understand why people were mad about 2 and 3. Bioware just kept taking more and more exploration components off as the trilogy went on in favor of making it more action oriented. Couldn't we have both?

for me Mass effect 2 and 3 were great, surely anyone can recommend the game, some ppl will spout shit on it just 'cause it's a 3rd person shooter but mechanics are nice and plot is awesome.

I love the fact its a third person shooter. They are my favourite action games.

Thats why I love hybrid games. Too bad Deus Ex HR is too much an stealth game...it could be the most perfect hybrid game ever made if it wasnt it force you all the time into stealth way:(((

As far as mass effect has this massive rich universe, great characters and story, a variety of choices in the wheel dialogue, team starategy in the battles and weapon customization...I think being shooter its a terrific link to their fantastic storytelling .

But I could get the mako from the first, the characters and interactivity from the second and armor and weapons uogrates and production values from the third. All them has its strenghs and weakness.

I see this trilogy as hybrid games.

Otherwise, I play neither Borderlands 2 or baldurs gate :)

Mass Effect 3 is the worst in the series by far. ME1 and ME2 are way better in Action/RPG experiences.

@jmcc84:

Well, i was having a lot of fun with the third.

And I understand being the third act, the climax is so action packed. But...

The lack of interactivity with npc, the terrible side quest diary, the lack of real choices in the dialogue wheel and all the missions featuring over the top frantic action battles even if justified makes for an enjoyable but exhausting shooter. far from being the ultimate mass effect game like it should be.

5 hours into the second, only because Omega and Garrus -arcangel mission i prefer that one over the third. I hope the rest of the crew members i have to reclute will contain so interesting missions...crossing fingers.

I even like planet scanning....ouch.

@jord: Mass Effect 2 is not to different game play and graphics compared to Mass Effect 3, you will notice a huge difference if you played the original Mass Effect its generally a bit more awkward to control.

Mass Effect 2 is my favourite game of the franchise

@thehig1:

No. Its not. In fact I was surprised I can jump over barriers and do melee attacks in me2. Since it has been told it was introduced in 3.

Also I think the fact you dont have 3 movement pressing one button makes me2 gameplay better.

About the visuals....im also surprised as well. Except for some textures and landscapes are quite in line with 3.

Overally im shocked how me2 is so much better than me3. Even in the battle designs and pace... im not saying me3 is bad. Its pretty good and i suppose its what It had to be for a climatic intergalactic conflict, but as a game the second wins by miles....except for weapons crafting.

@jord: your describing minor differences between the games, I agree Mass Effect 2 is the best in the franchise but its not because of the gameplay.

The gameplay and graphics of 2 and 3 are similar.

@thehig1:

No. Of course not.

Ita because far more dialogue options, more interactivity, diversity in its missions, better balanced combats, sense humour, the character and loyalty missions...everything feels more alive, organic and deeper.

Overall i feel me2 seems to me the definitive and most complete mass effect experience.

@jord: i agree mass effect 2 is the best, for the story, dialgouge characters etc.

However gameplay wise, 2 and 3 are similar.

@thehig1:

Even the graphics are not so far way from 3.

@jord: i said that in my first post

@thehig1:

Yeap. But im soooo surprised how incredibly good this game is and how they left so many things out in the third.

Silly question...i flirted way too soon with my assistant Kelly. Can I still get a romance with miranda? Lol

@jord: yes, i beleive you can't romance Kelly anyway.

I don't know I'm kinda know to the game world but i find it interesting tho.

I Have a XBOX that i rarely play

https://grtrck.com/bE7K

From what I have heard, the trilogy edition does not contain most of the downloadable content, which IMO, adds a lot.

I'd honestly play the whole trilogy in order from ME1 all the way to ME3. I'm more or less the same with games. Once i start one thats advanced in gameplay, graphics etc, i never ever really go and buy the one before it unless the one i bought happens to interest me or if i really like it.

I bought ME2 first. I didn't really like it, but i did like the theme and the game play of it, so i decided to buy ME1 as it was only £5. I never knew about ME until i saw footage of ME2 just before it got released. If it wasn't for ME1, chances are, i wouldn't have played or completed ME2 and i'm pretty sure i still wouldn't have enjoyed it. But thanks to ME1, i did end up liking ME2, but its in 3rd place from the other 2 ME games. I just found ME2 boring in story and it was only the ending that i really enjoyed.

Its the same with Star Wars KOTOR2. I played it first, but as i enjoyed it, i bought the first one when it was avaliable again and to be honest, i love the first one better than the 2nd. It just annoyed me that there was never another KOTOR game after number 2 :(

Please one more question...

Planet scanning is really necessary? You always can not improve weapons and get low dificulty level right? Not going to do so. Im going to enjoy everything from this great game. Im only curious...

Anyway I find planet scanning fun, more if you can find an annomaly and land to a brand new planet with amazing landscapes to explore!

12 hours into Mass effect 2....

I can propperly say it's a FAAAAR better game than 3. In Almost every aspect.

Maybe the storytelling, being about those characters and their stories, is a little bit more difuse. but it's the praise to pay when you try to do something a little bit smaller and intimate. So Mass Effect 3 does its job well as an action packed climatic third act, resolving all races conflcts. But...when it comes to everything else, mass effect 2 is the ultimate experience. I even love planet scanning, it reminds me to Dune 2. Getting resources, you have to gain your weapons upgrates! Besides finding an anomally and landing on a planet makes you feel like a real explorer.

I can't say enough little details to stablish how good the 2 is . only with the lines every character delivers when they are in a battle with me, or the rich dialogue trees making the relationships devoloping in a more realistic way is quite enough to stablish my point. Nothing the gamers doesn't already know, though.

Happy of making that journey in the opposite way. Because from the interactive world from 2 to 3 could have been really paintful. more when all those characters (lets say, Jack) doesn't appear in the third.