Mass Effect: First RPG In a Long Time

Ok, so I finally got a 360 due to the price drop (but might return and rebuy when the real price drops in September) and first two games, Mass Effect and Gears of War. Gears was fun, short, but really fun. Returned that to Gamefly, and got ME.

Since I haven't played an RPG since the original Final Fantasies on SNES etc. What exactly makes this an RPG? I don't know what I'm doing really, just playing along as if it's a shooter. Im halfway through the game, and haven't upgraded my weapons, bought anything, trained or antyhing yet. What am I missing? I know I've leveld up like 4 times, but I haven't noticed an increase in life or powers.

Also, the frame rate is really bad. I knew that going in, but it's quite choppy in some areas. Fun game, but I want to RP this G really bad, just don't know what to do.

That's the thing with mass effect you can play it like a shooter if you want to. Or you can start exploring, help people you meet, upgrade every single gear you have, upgrade your character, unlock new abilities, control your squad mates abilities in action and upgrade their gear aswell. I have no idea on how you missed all this.

Im currently on my 3rd playthrough and im sure i'll play it a few times more. Definetly one of the best 360 games.

The core in any RPG experience is the element of choice my friend.So in terms of RP (Role Playing) Mass Effect IS an RPG while all Final Fantasy games are not.The battle system in more action - oriented but this was a concious choice by the developers in order to make the experience as immersive as possible, and it was the best thing to do in my opinion.You will get stronger, your aim will become steadier and you will be able to take more punishment but dont expect any phoenix downs:This in not a fantasy game, and good riddance too.Fioth

well put

What makes this an RPG is the element of choice:Period.I dont mean to get rude here, but not every game with stats in it is an RPG...the way you put it WarCraft III:The Frozen Throne is an RPG, or Diablo in that matter...Fioth

Don't worry about it, also wasn't Diable an RPG?

The core in any RPG experience is the element of choice my friend.So in terms of RP (Role Playing) Mass Effect IS an RPG while all Final Fantasy games are not.The battle system in more action - oriented but this was a concious choice by the developers in order to make the experience as immersive as possible, and it was the best thing to do in my opinion.You will get stronger, your aim will become steadier and you will be able to take more punishment but dont expect any phoenix downs:This in not a fantasy game, and good riddance too.Fioth

You have a great argument but what about games like Morrowind and Oblivion? You don't really make too many choices in those games but they are RPGs.

Since I haven't played an RPG since the original Final Fantasies on SNES etc. What exactly makes this an RPG? I don't know what I'm doing really, just playing along as if it's a shooter. Im halfway through the game, and haven't upgraded my weapons, bought anything, trained or antyhing yet. What am I missing? I know I've leveld up like 4 times, but I haven't noticed an increase in life or powers.

jdang307

There's no way in hell you're halfway through the game if you've only leveled up 4 times. Heck, you don't even start exploring other galaxies and planets until you reach around level 6-10. Do you know where the squad screen is? That's where you spend your points from leveling up on skills and abilities. There's various weapon ugrades and armour upgrades, but they don't just hand them to you in the first 30 minutes playing the game. You gotta go out there an explore the planets.

HA HA the final fantasy fanboy got told

i loved mass effect hopefully a second will be on the way

HA HA the final fantasy fanboy got told

i loved mass effect hopefully a second will be on the way

AsHeavenIsWide

maybe i'm not halfway through. i'm at the point where i (Obviously really crappy spoilers coming) rescued homegirl's daughter from the mine, and then went to the exo-geni factory and then went underground to the big ass "plant" That might not be halfway but i thought it might be according to walkthroughs, which I use to gauge progress not for help (except for really tight pickles!)

Anyway, why you say FF is NOT an RPG?

Honestly I believe an RPG to be a game in which you follow and develop one character throughout the course of the game by interacting with other characters and battling. That said many games have RPG elements these days, Grand Theft Auto for example, it's not an RPG at heart but it has those elements running through it.

Now Mass Effect combines all the elements of RPG with a Third-Person Shooter combat system. Keep in mind that you can pause the combat at any time and issue orders to your team mates, which makes it play a little more like the traditional RPG's you are used to.

Ok first off the term RPG is being used losely these days. In essence if u think about it every game is a rpg (role playing game) U are thrown into a role in agame where u play out a story. Thats it. The more traditional definition of RPG has been lost in translation. Mass to me is a RPG / Shooter hybrid. Like a previous post stated u can play it different ways. U can play it like a straight shooter or do more exploration and use yur powers if u chose those specific classes.

To the creator of the thread if u only leveled up 4 times sounds like u rushing through the game. Ok u saved the empath's daughter...fought her moms on the corporate planet. If u are playing it the way I think u are playing it u are only like 10% into the game. 15% max. Have u become a spectre yet? Try exploring more and damn assign some skill points to you, and yur squad's attributes. U unlock more attributes when u do that. Game gets nuts especially when u start getting higher lvl weapons..armor...bullets..etc. And there is really no set order in choosing missions. U can head straight to the corporate planet and duke it our with moms...then save shorty from the dig site or skip both and mess with the side missions. Did u run into old girl who wants u to off some mobster dudes on other planets? Shes at the Citadel. U should really try and find her.

Boooo. U use walkthroughs. Pickles? If u using walkthroughs in the stage u are at in the game now u gonna be having the walkthroughs studying them on yur lap when u get further. And no u cannot have only lvled up just 4 times after re-reading your last message. I call bull. Check yur stats dude. And the pickles u encountered wouldnt have been so much of pickles if u assigned skill points to you and your peoples.

But seriously if u not feeling the game its all good. Its not for everyone.

Boooo. U use walkthroughs. Pickles? If u using walkthroughs in the stage u are at in the game now u gonna be having the walkthroughs studying them on yur lap when u get further. And no u cannot have only lvled up just 4 times after re-reading your last message. I call bull. Check yur stats dude. And the pickles u encountered wouldnt have been so much of pickles if u assigned skill points to you and your peoples.

But seriously if u not feeling the game its all good. Its not for everyone.

phoenixrebirth

I said i use it to gauge my progress. I like to know where I'm at in a game. Thats why I thought I was halfway through the main story. Not counting side quests. Because when I look at the walkthrough, the mission I was at is about halfway down the list of missions ;)

I'm not rushing through it, just not exactly exploring every single little thing. I do about 1/2 or a little more than that of the optional stuff coming my way. I just wanted to know what I was missing or doing wrong, since I haven't done too much RPG wise ... I would lke to know how to increase my biotics though :D

Ok. Determined to "RP this G" I finally peered into the item and squad menu, loaded up on some ish, and now I'm kicking arse and taking names even faster. Still sucks I can't pull out an automatic since Im a vanguard, but the biotics are cool, so I just maxed out my pistola and things are humming along.

Turns out I had leveled up 16 times but only noticed it like 4 times. I had like 35-40 points in there. Doh! I don't get achievements/trophies but now I'm an XP whooore!

[QUOTE="phoenixrebirth"]

Boooo. U use walkthroughs. Pickles? If u using walkthroughs in the stage u are at in the game now u gonna be having the walkthroughs studying them on yur lap when u get further. And no u cannot have only lvled up just 4 times after re-reading your last message. I call bull. Check yur stats dude. And the pickles u encountered wouldnt have been so much of pickles if u assigned skill points to you and your peoples.

But seriously if u not feeling the game its all good. Its not for everyone.

jdang307

I said i use it to gauge my progress. I like to know where I'm at in a game. Thats why I thought I was halfway through the main story. Not counting side quests. Because when I look at the walkthrough, the mission I was at is about halfway down the list of missions ;)

I'm not rushing through it, just not exactly exploring every single little thing. I do about 1/2 or a little more than that of the optional stuff coming my way. I just wanted to know what I was missing or doing wrong, since I haven't done too much RPG wise ... I would lke to know how to increase my biotics though :D

Boo anyways for using walthroughs : p lol. If u want to improve your Biotics u going to have to do more of the side quests and explore a bit more. And for God sakes assign skill points to yur attributes!! Dont rush Take your time. U find a hell of a lot more goodies when u dont follow the main story arc. And as for following the walkthrough...not the best idea. Too many alternate ways you can go about moving around in the Mass universe. Its not linear. Seriously play without looking at the walkthrough. TRUST ME! I plugged in about 20hrs + my first play through. Spoolier alert....when u finish the game the first time u can start over again but carry over all the skill pints, armor, weapons etc u picked up on your first playthrough. As a result u start getting higher lvled gear. Shhh. Dont tell nobody. lol. Enjoy kid.

Ok. Determined to "RP this G" I finally peered into the item and squad menu, loaded up on some ish, and now I'm kicking arse and taking names even faster. Still sucks I can't pull out an automatic since Im a vanguard, but the biotics are cool, so I just maxed out my pistola and things are humming along.

Turns out I had leveled up 16 times but only noticed it like 4 times. I had like 35-40 points in there. Doh! I don't get achievements/trophies but now I'm an XP whooore!

jdang307

I knew u couldnt have possibly gotten that far without lvling up more then 10x..lol. Game is a diff story now that u assigned some points to yur powers huh? lol. Well hey it is what it is @ vanguards not using automatics. But they got great powers man. And max yur charism, intimidate and spectre training. Muahahahahahaha. Remember...u keep yur skills, weapons and armor after the first play through if u decide to play again and u get higher lvl gear. Try to bless yur squad with spectre weaponds. Oh u gonna have fuuuuuun 2nd or third time around.

Enjoy my dude.

Ok. Determined to "RP this G" I finally peered into the item and squad menu, loaded up on some ish, and now I'm kicking arse and taking names even faster. Still sucks I can't pull out an automatic since Im a vanguard, but the biotics are cool, so I just maxed out my pistola and things are humming along.

Turns out I had leveled up 16 times but only noticed it like 4 times. I had like 35-40 points in there. Doh! I don't get achievements/trophies but now I'm an XP whooore!

jdang307

Hehe, I knew something had to be up. I actually prefer pistols maxed to assault rifles. Vanguards rock too. Also, once you beat the game, any skills you get the achivement with (pistol,assault rifle, warp, ect.) you can carry over to a new character. Only one though. So you could make a Vangaurd that uses assault rifles.

im pretty sure diablo is an RPG

u dont just hack, you hav to level up to increase your hit perrcentage, you increase your health

so in a traditional sense YEAH it is definately an rpg

and its not all about choice that makes an RPG

What makes this an RPG is the element of choice:Period.I dont mean to get rude here, but not every game with stats in it is an RPG...the way you put it WarCraft III:The Frozen Throne is an RPG, or Diablo in that matter...Fioth

Uhhhh Diablo is an RPG is called an action RPG where the main focus of the game is action and the more action leads to building your characters stats.

What defines a game as an RPG can be debated all day and no one's opinion will have been changed.

Regardless, Mass Effect is a Shooter-RPG hybrid.

i love mass effect more than anything.haven79

Apparently not enough to play through it more than once, at least according to your achievements :P

Its is actually a dungeon-crawler/hack-and-slash, some ppl might call it an RPG but in my opinion they are wrong.I play RPGs since I was little, both video games and pen 'n paper so I might say that I have a pretty good idea about what is and whats not.Vampire the Masquerade:Redemption for example is not an RPG while Bloodlines is:The element of choice is absent in the first one but resides in the second - and both have stats.Fioth

Diablo is an action/adventure/hack-n-slash (mainly action/hack-n-slash) with RPG elements. The character building is the only real RPG element in the game. Notice how i said RPG ELEMENT... Many games use this in their game (Kameo, Too Human, and others). Leveling up or building your characters is an element from an RPG (hence the reason Diablo may be called an RPG some times), but having one element from an RPG doesn't make it one.

Now truly be an RPG you need your game centered around the Role-Playing and story driven elements. I say Story Driven elements because guess what... you can role-play in Diablo (not that anyone does), but the main focus in that game is action while in Mass Effect and Final Fantasy's it is story.

I see an RPG as being a game were gameplay comes as a after thought to story. Because if the action is Mass Effect was like a Final Fantasy it would still be Mass Effect, but if the gameplay in Diablo was like a Final Fantasy than it just wouldn't be Diablo now would it? That is just one way i look to see if a game is really an RPG or not. IF the game is remebered for is gameplay really then it probably isn't (this isn't always true).

Damn the FPS has been really crappy a bit worse than before. I just blew up (spoilers!) the krogan and fought Saren for the first time.

Game is super fun, but the FPS hiccups are quite bad right around now. Oh well. I'm just astonished how much easier everyone dies now with my super powers :D I just needed a good break from pure FPS and mass effect has whet my appetite. Some "pure' rpgs are next, after Kameo

You get upgrades you can place on your weapons, armor, amps if your a biotic.

When you level up you go into squad and choose which skills to increase depending on what kind of combat you like.

Ive played it through almost 3 times. In my opinion, one of the best RPGs in its time.

What makes this an RPG is the element of choice:Period.I dont mean to get rude here, but not every game with stats in it is an RPG...the way you put it WarCraft III:The Frozen Throne is an RPG, or Diablo in that matter...Fioth