Why We Game: The Unlikely Hero (Mass Effect 2)

Welcome to our new series on Everyday Gamers, “Why We Game.” In this series, we will be taking a look at moments, innovations and experiences in individual games that made us stand up and take notice. You know, those experiences that transcend the game, sticking with you long after you are done playing. Those moments about which you must speak with a friend, but you hold back till you know the person with whom you are speaking has played that part of the game so you don’t ruin it. The innovation that seems so simple, and yet it completely redefines a game style or genre. It’s the moments, innovations and experiences that make the games stand out in your mind, and they are what lead us to spend so much time and money on this hobby.

Read more

The Illusion of the Moral Choice

For quite a while now, game designers have been working moral choices into video games. Gamers find themselves having to make decisions that will shape their characters, making them the ultimate hero or the diabolical villain. Many games have been praised for forcing people to actually think about what they want to do in a given situation, and some gamers, myself included, have found it next to impossible to take actions in game that would go against their moral codes.

When I look beyond the surface of these choices, however, I begin to wonder if they are not just a facade. Do the choices you make in the game really affect the outcome? Does choosing to be a jerk really mean anything if you can just erase the stain by being a saint come the next moral choice? Are we, as gamers, really being given a moral choice that will truly affect the game itself, or are we just being given something that looks that way so the designer can list that as a bullet point for selling the game?

In order to answer this question, I am going to look at just what makes up a moral choice in real life and then look at how companies have tried to introduce that into gaming. I will be examining many of the games which have been heralded as providing gamers with moral dilemmas to see if the choices really made that much of a difference. Basically, I am going to attempt to see if the games we play have really done a good job of integrating moral choices or if it is all just an illusion.

More than just Black and White

When I ask you about making a moral choice in a game, what comes to mind? Whether to help someone or kill them? Whether to serve the interest of a large entity, be it a corporation, government or otherwise, or help innocent people? Whether to help someone defend something valuable in hopes of a reward or kill them and take what you want?

Let’s face it; moral choices in video games normally boil down to two things: Good or Evil. The choice is so obviously black and white it tends to lack any real punch. Jordan put it best in his article “Mass Ineffective;” the extent of most of the moral choices in games boils down to “Throw the puppy in the furnace” or “Turn off the furnace.” There is a slight problem with that: moral choices in real life are rarely so cut and dry.

When was the last time you faced a moral dilemma that was that obvious? Granted, they do exist, but I am much more likely to be facing questions like whether I should follow up on something at work that as not handled correctly and therefore serve the customer or throw it back in the lap of the person who made the mistake. Sure, the person who made the mistake needs to learn, but there are times where the right thing to do would be to just get the job done, and yet I balk at it because I feel entitled to making the other person fix it. Meanwhile, the customer is the one who suffers.

It’s choices like that one that truly define our morality. We live in a world full of shades of gray. We also have seen our games start to reflect our world more and more, whether in storyline, graphics or physics. So why have they not found ways to really integrate the moral struggles we actually deal with?

Maybe you think I am being a bit too harsh in saying that. Maybe I am. The only way to know for certain is to take a look at some of the games which have presented us with “moral choices” and see if they fit this pattern. Just as a word of warning: these next sections will contain spoilers; there really is no way of avoiding them.

You’re doing it wrong

Any of you remember what one of the major selling points of Fable was? You were going to be given the opportunity to create the ultimate hero or villain, and the choices you made were going to shape the world around you. While I liked the original Fable and really enjoyed its sequel, this was one of the many promises Peter Molyneux failed to deliver. The “Moral Choices” you make in that game are ridiculous. When a new quest is available in the Hero Academy, you are actually given two different versions of the quest: one good (protect the innocent travelers on the road) and one evil (join the bandits in robbing the travelers). Even the choice you make at the end of the game, whether to kill your sister in order to keep this ultimate weapon or destroy the weapon to save your sister, really does not have a major affect on the outcome. You can be the devil and kill your own flesh and blood, and yet you are still the “hero” because you took down the main villain of the game.

Bioshock is another great example of a game which presented you with what appeared to be a moral choice with real consequences. Throughout the game, whenever you finished off a Big Daddy, you had to decide what to do about the Little Sister it was guarding. You could choose to cure her, gaining some Adam and knowing you have done the good thing, or you could harvest her, killing her cruelly yet gaining much more Adam for your troubles. Only two major problems with this perceived moral dilemma: every time you free three little sisters, you are given a gift pack containing extra Adam among other goodies which kind of offsets the positive bonus you get from harvesting, and other than the ending cut scene, the choice you make has no real effect on the game itself. The designers really had a chance to change things up based on the choices you made; they could have had Doctor Tenenbaum refuse to assist you if you harvested the girls, making you find another way to take out Fontaine. What could have been a monumental choice ends up really not mattering in the end.

What is even worse than the black and white moral choices are the ones which end up becoming more about the game mechanic than the choice itself. A great example of this is inFAMOUS. Most of the choices you make in the game are so completely black and white they make the choices in Mass Effect look gray. Then there is the “Do I save the woman I love or the doctors,” which ends up not really being a moral choice since Trish dies either way, one way professing how proud she is of Cole, the other cursing his name. Those pale in comparison to the last karmic moment of the game: do you choose to activate or destroy the Ray Sphere. Destroy it and you game some experience and some good karma. Activate it and you gain a ton of experience, three new battery cores to help you stay charged and your karmic rating is forever branded as evil/infamous. Now you know going into this decision that activating it will give you great power at the cost of many lives, but by putting that kind of a weight on it, the choice is now moot. After all, what kind of a moral dilemma is it if one choice ruins what you have been doing the entire game?

There are many other examples I can bring to up to show how little the moral choices really affect the games we play. No matter how noble you are when you meet Marle in Chrono Trigger, you will still end up having to fight your way out of jail. In the original Mass Effect, saving Wrex was more about getting charm or intimidation leveled up than it was about the choices you made. Modern Warfare 2 tried to force gamers into making a moral decision in the “No Russian” level, but since you cannot change the fact you are going to be shot and killed at the end of the level no matter how many innocent people you gun down, it kind of loses its teeth and becomes something many gamers, myself included, feel has no business being in the game. The list of games which just do not seem to get it goes on and on, but there have been a few which seem to be catching on.

Not all Moral Dilemmas fail

As easy as it is to rag on games where your moral choices just do not matter, there have been a few examples recently where designers seemed to have started to make them count. Fable II is one of these examples. While many of the moral choices are pretty obvious, a few do have more far reaching consequences. In the beginning of the game, you have to earn enough money to buy the music box. You go to Oldtown Bowerstone to try and find ways of making money and are presented with different quests where you can either help the honest people of that district or help the local crime lords. If you choose the former, Oldtown Bowerstone will become a thriving community later in the game. If you choose the latter, the area will be overrun with crime. Add to this the loss of experience when you choose to not be cruel in the Spire and the ultimate choice at the end, and you have a game which tries to make more out of its dilemmas than most others.

As much as Jordan ragged on it in his article, Mass Effect 2 actually does a decent job with some of its moral choices. There are a couple of times in particular where this comes into play. The first is during the loyalty mission for Samara. When Samara and Morinth are facing off, you get the opportunity to sway the outcome of the battle. Choose Samara and Morinth dies, while the Justicar pledges her loyalty fully to you. Choose Morinth and Samara is killed, with Morinth coming with you pretending to be her. This does make a difference as Morith’s powers are not the same as Samara’s, and if you do take the Ardat-Yakshi onto the ship, there is a chance you can lose Shepard. Then there is what happens after the Collectors kidnap the crew. While Jordan may not have known there was a danger to the crew if you did not go after them immediately, I figured there must be based on the comments about keeping your crew alive through the final mission. The problem is that event will be triggered a certain amount of time after trying to integrate the Friend or Foe tech into the Normandy. So what do you do if you have not fully gained the loyalty of your teammates before your crew is captured? Sure, you can go after the Collectors and try to rescue your crew, but without the loyalty of your team, your chances of making it back in one piece or at least with all the members of the team in tact are greatly reduced. What makes this work as a moral dilemma is it is not about being Paragon or Renegade; it is about how you played the game up to that point and whether you are willing to risk your teammates to save your crew.

Of all the games I have played where the moral choices have truly made a difference, the one which stands out is one which has been blasted by the critics. Alpha Protocol has many flaws, but one thing the developers did with this game has set it apart from any of the others on the list: they made your moral choices matter. At the end of the first chapter, you are given the choice t0 kill the terrorist who was responsible for shooting down the commercial airliner, arrest him for his crimes or set him free him  to help you get the information on the corporation that set you up to die. From that point on, every decision you make matters. Choosing to only disable the CIA agents in the infiltration mission will raise your reputation with Mina, which benefits you. Madison Saint James can be a great help in Rome, but getting her involved could get her killed, which could help you deal with a major enemy later if you play your cards right. If you choose to kill Brayko in Russia, you will not learn who really smuggled in the weapons and will miss out on an entire mission. You are even faced with some real moral dilemmas, including one where you must either decide to rescue the Taiwanese president or allow him to be assassinated but stop the riots designed to let his assassins escape. Unlike most moral choices in games, this one forces you to decide which you think is the lesser of two evils: letting a good man who has worked to help his people die or saving him at the cost of the lives of many of the people he has chosen to protect. Oh, and thanks to the time limit you face when making most decisions in game, you do not really have the time weigh the pros and cons of both sides. It is choices like these that set Alpha Protocol apart. While the game may have several frustrating bugs that make it difficult to play at times, it more than any game I have played shows how moral choices can be integrated into video games properly.

Where do we go from here?

While a few game designers seem to understand that morality involves more than just black and white, it appears many have not realized adding true moral dilemmas into their games is going to take work. Of the three examples I listed of games where the choices mattered, it can be argued only Alpha Protocol truly demonstrates how morality can affect the game in more than just subtle ways. If game developers really want to add a level of realistic moral choices to their games, they will need to realize the choices need to involve more than the standard options of hero or villain.

Of course, there could very well be a downside to this. Adding moral choices which change the game can upset gamers who want to experience everything about the game in one sitting. That, however, is a discussion for another time.

The Weekly Byte for 7/26/2010

New Releases

• Tuesday 7/27 – Starcraft II : Wings of Liberty King of the RTS, MSRP – $59.99

News Bytes

THQ, Relic and Company of Heroes award service medals to veteran franchise players. Details are sketchy but if you have a copy of Company of Heroes, and plan to jump in when the free-to-play CoH goes online this Fall, you may want to bronze that CD Key.  One of the games producers, was quoted in an interview as saying how much the CoH team appreciates it’s fan-base, and will have some rewards in store for those who enter their CD Keys into the free-to-play game when it hits.  For those unfamiliar, Company of Heroes debuted shortly after Vista, and revolutionized RTS games by abandoning the traditional base-building/resource gathering system found in games, and created a Risk-style game mechanic, where players fought for control of supply routes/depots to choke out their opponents in a WWII setting.  The game has seen expansions, and remains a largely popular competitive online game, in the RTS space.  Registration is still ongoing for the game, with chances to get into the Beta.

Charge up your R2 unit, space combat is coming the Old Rebuplic.  It seems PC Gamer will have the scoop on space combat in Old Republic, for their October issue, so details will be scarce until then.  I’m sure it’s great news for those already looking forward to TOR, or maybe it’s something that will attract players on the fence about investing in the game.  Full details will not be disclosed until the issue hits, on 8/17, but it will be interesting to see how the combat factors in with that games features, and if it will be an interesting addition, or an annoyance, hindering travel within the game’s universe.

Fighting games making a PC comeback? We can only hope so!  PC gamers reveled in the release of Street Fighter IV for PC, now we can continue the great one-on-one fighting game battles with BlazBlue : Calamity Trigger!  The good news is that Japanese fans can square off when the game releases there on August 26th, the bad news is that Games for Windows LIVE will be handling the multiplayer aspects.  No news on a US release yet, but we will be watching this closely, maybe Mortal Kombat will follow suit, with Marvel vs. Capcom not far behind?

Dragon Age 2 breathing fire on traditional RPG lovers?  I have to admit, as much as I like what I hear about Dragon Age, it seems to be abandoning all of the things that made it hearken back to the RPG of yore.  New details outline a more action-oriented combat system, and a streamlined conversation system, limiting choices to no more than three responses–each with a Mass Effect-style Paragon/Renegade icon.  While I very much enjoy strategy and tactics in my games, I do prefer them blended into the action setting, and the punishing I took in DA:O was enough to sway me from not finishing it(yet).  To me, these details are welcome and not upsetting, but I can definitely understand how those who enjoyed the style and gameplay of DA:O could see this as a negative “Mass Effect in a fantasy setting” setup.  Unfortunately, I think the latter portion of gamers make up the minority and Bioware is definitely catering to the masses in the DA sequel, but either way I can’t wait to see it this Spring.

Geared Up

This week’s Geared Up gear is not out yet, but pay’s homage to a 12 year, in the making, gaming juggernaut Starcraft II.  Hailing from Comic-Con, DC Unlimited has announced the first three figures, in their Starcraft II series.  The first three are an action pose of hero, Jim Raynor, sans armor, a space marine and Protoss Dark Templar, Zeratul.  This set of three will be in range of our tractor beams in Spring of 2011.  If they follow suit, from the similar WoW series’ from DC Unlimited, they will stand 8.5 inches tall, and retail for around $26.99 for the set—-however, those specifics have not been released yet, that is my speculation from past precedence.  Detailed pictures, from various angles, are displayed here, or check out the pic of the set below.

Daily Bits for 7/23/10

In today’s Daily Bits: Some nice gaming deals, Kane and Lynch demo goes live, Old Republic gets space fighting and LittleBigPlanet 2 gets a release date.

Such Great Deals

Looking for some gaming deals this weekend? EA is severely discounting the Mass Effect titles, with digital copies of the original selling for $5 this weekend, while Mass Effect 2 is selling for $23.97 ($35.97 for the deluxe edition). If you don’t already ahve the games, you will be hard pressed to find better prices. Pick them up at the EA Store.

Maybe a western style shooter is more you thing. then you are in luck. Steam is offering a chance to play Lead and Gold for free this weekend. If you find you like it, you can purchase the game for $7.49, half off the normal $15 dollar price.

All in all, not a bad weekend to be a gamer.

Kane and Lynch comes after non Playstation+ members

The Kane and Lynch 2 demo goes live to non Playstaion+ members on PSN Tuesday. As far as PC and 360 versions of the demo go, all Square will say is they will be released “next week.” So now almsot everyone will get the chance to see if the sequel can outdo the horrible first installment.

Source

The Sackboys return November 16

There is no denying that LittleBigPlanet is a unique and entertaining game. Well, its sequel now has a bona-fide release date: November 16. The sequel will contain so much more than the original, including a game editor that allows you not only to edit levels in the game but also create entirely different game styles from puzzle to RTS.

Yeah, this is more than likely a day one purchase for me.

Source

Space Combat confirmed for Old Republic

It’s official: Star Wars: The Old Republic will include space combat. The rumor had been reported at Comic-con by fan site Mos Eisley Radio, and Bioware confirmed this in its forums today. The game developer had already announced at E3 that gamers would have ships to house their characters, so this reveal is really not a shocker, but it has fans getting even more pumped for the release of this game.

You all know my stance on paying to play MMOs, but if I was ever to break my boycott of them, this game would be very tempting.

Source

Speaking of Comic-Con

In the past, Comic-Con was all about comics. Then, slowly, the convention started to get invaded with more news about movies. Now video game news is starting to pour out of this year’s convention. Whether it is Capcom’s announcement that thor will be joining the cast of marvel VS Capcom 3, Bungie showing off Forge World and Firefight for Halo: Reach or all the news coming out about Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, this year’s convention appears to be a veritable cornucopia of gaming information.

Veritable cornucopia? Don’t ask.

Read Joystiq’s coverage of the Comic-Con gaming news here.

——————————————————————————–

Daily Bits is a collection of all the gaming news that has happened for the current day that we deem as interesting and relevant to our readers. Check back daily for more news round-ups and feel free to send your suggestions to dailybits@everydaygamers.com

The Weekly Byte for 6/7/2010

New Releases

Prince Of Persia : The Forgotten Sands – 6/8, retailing at $49.99

News Bytes

• Mass Effect Deathmatch? Apparently that’s the newest rumor.  Job listings for Bioware Montreal were looking for ‘programmers  capable of adding multiplayer components to an already rich single player base using the unreal engine’.  Of course, these postings were ripped down, the minute they made headlines, but it would seem the damage is done.  The only Bioware property to use the Unreal engine is Mass Effect, and further rumors have a captured screen of one of the ads, shown here, getting into gross detail about the requirements.  Let us know how you feel about multiplayer in the Mass Effect universe.  I, for one, think it’s completely unnecessary and will divert resources that should be focusing on the awesome single player experience that the previous games brought-but, then again, I never would have predicted some of the things Bioware has pulled off before, so I guess we will see.
• Move over Torchlight, dungeon crawlers are crawling out of everywhere! Those of us who can’t wait for Diablo III, now have Dungeon Siege 3 to look forward to!  And it will simultaneously release on consoles?  Press releases have confirmed the sequel, designed by Obsedian with some Chris Taylor input, and a sprinkling from Square Enix.  Co-op has also been confirmed, but all other details seem to have Town Portaled back to E3 for a more spectacular reveal, so stay tuned!
• You shall pass, without fees! It would seem that Lord of the Rings Online will follow in the footsteps of Dungeons and Dragons online, and become free to play, later this year.  Hold onto Sting and your Lembas bread, players will still have to pay to unlock the content from the expansions, and some other features.  There will be ‘VIP’ access, but those details have not been outlined yet.   If your lucky, maybe you will be able to storm Mordor in the closed Beta, venturing forth on the 16th of this month.
• In other RPG news, Elemental : War of Magic, from Stardock, will be unleashed this September. Stardock’s Brad Wardell posted a lengthy video demoing the game’s opening dozen turns, in the beta engine.  For those unfamiliar with Elemental, think a fantasy-style Total War game with some Magic : The Gathering and Heroes Of Might and Magic elements thrown in.  The game is Stardock’s newest entry into the 4x strategy genre, and has not seen much in the way of details. The trailer is a whopping 12 and a half minutes long, but lacked the grand scale teasers that have come before, opting, instead, to show off the game’s basic mechanics and strategies. UPDATE : Release date confirmed for 8/24 2010!
• Survival horror on Mars? That’s the feeling we have gotten from the newest Red Faction trailer, announcing the new game, Red Faction : Armaggeddon, slated for March 2011 release.  So, the game takes place about 50 years after Red Faction : Guerrilla, and you take the role of the grandson of that game’s character.  Oddly enough, aliens have now been thrown into the mix, begging the question, where were they for the last few games?  Taking a page from Aliens and Dead Space, it will be interesting to see how this new mechanic plays out, as I’m sure we can all admit some new mechanics were needed, for the franchise.  I’m sure our own, Eric Bouchard, will be able to unearth more details at this month’s E3, and let us know if he got any hands-on squashing bugs with the game’s fabled hammer!
• Ready for some more Star Wars MMO action? No, I’m not talking about The Old Rebuplic and please don’t mention Galaxies!  The new, younger audience attracting online game is titled Clone Wars Adventures.  This fall, the free to play online game from Sony will be unleashing it’s clones on us, but don’t think typical MMO!  The game is more a collection of puzzle games, with some overarcing elements-reminding me of Puzzle Pirates, by description.  Early hands-on reports have force pushed nay-sayers aside, and reported that the minigames have tapped into the best addictive flash games and innovated them with a little Lucas magic.  Needless to say, I am intrigued, and my little clones at home will play anything emblazoned with the Star Wars logo, so you can be sure to find plenty of details here, as soon as I can get them!
• OK, I know I’m known as the MMO hater, but I’m all about the FREE! Another, free to play online game, this time sanctioned by Bigpoint and Universal, will take place in The Mummy film universe.  Supposedly, the game will be a browser based, action RPG featuring many of the characters and environments from the film series, in your quest for ancient treasure.  Unfortunately, the only details we have are speculation, but it will be interesting to see if this trend continues as well as to see how well this particular title will turn out.
• Last, but not least, some bittersweet Aperture Labs news. Yes, I know, this story already opened up on our own, ‘Daily Bits’ segment, but it bears repeating for PC fans.  In an oddly worded press release, from Aperture Labs, Valve canceled it’s ‘Portal 2′ event at E3, but said that there would be a surprise-the time and details of which would not be released until it was time for the surprise.  Also, to clear up any accusations, the memo also stated that the cancellation was NOT the surprise in question.  I think we will see that Eric Bouchard’s prediction of Portal 2 releasing with an Orange Box type bundle successor are coming to fruition, but I, admittedly, am not sure what to expect in it!  I think, if a Half-Life game is in the works, Valve will skip Episode 3 and just launch right into the next full game-especially if we are to believe the changes teased in the way of bringing back proper scary games.  I would have to think that a worthy Team Fortress 2 replacement would be in one such collection, but who knows if it’s Counter-Strike related, or a new property.  I can’t imagine Team Fortress 2 needs any work or new iterations right now, it is standing well enough on it’s own feet. Stick around for the emerging details from E3!

Geared Up

Geared Up is taking a hiatus this week, it was a full news week, and we are awaiting some of the E3 goodness heading our way.  In the meantime, if you have any entries, send them to me over at chris@everydaygamers.com!

Mass Effect 2

The Story: A New Threat

After a dramatic intro to the game, Mass Effect 2 drops you back into BioWare’s universe two years after the fateful battle at the Citadel. Human colonists in the terminus systems are being abducted by an alien race known as the Collectors, and no one seems to know why or how to stop them. Cerberus, a shady entity with a pro-human agenda, seems to be the only group willing to do anything about the Collectors. Its leader, known only as the Illusive Man, hires Shephard and provides him/her (your choice) with a new and improved version of the Normandy, believing Shephard is the only person who can assemble a team capable of dealing with this new threat.

As Shephard, you must recruit the best of the best, whether human or Asari, biotic or soldier, in hopes that the collective skills of the crew you assemble will give you a chance against an enemy that outnumbers you and has much greater technology. Along the way, you will run across your old friends and enemies, along with several new characters who make the story truly come to life. The voice acting in this game is absolutely top notch, with sequences that will rival any movie being made in Hollywood. Add to that a plot that completely changes everything you thought you know about the universe created in the first game, and you have what is easily one of the most engaging storylines in gaming.

While it is impossible to talk too much about the story without spoiling it, one thing I can say is to pay attention to the decisions you make. Not only will they affect the game itself, they can affect the loyalty of your crew, and you will need all of their loyalty to make it though the end of the game in tact.

After all, in case you did not know this, it is possible for you to beat the game and yet still have Shephard die.

The Gameplay: BioWare Listened

As good as the firstMass Effect was, there were some things that drove gamers absolutely crazy. A poor inventory system, quirky combat controls that looked like a shooter but really did not play like one, cookie cutter side missions with the same buildings and caves over and over and those darn elevators tended to drive even the most ardent fan of the game insane. BioBare had said going into Mass Effect 2 they were going to improve all of those things, and they delivered in that promise.

• Inventory: There basically isn’t an inventory system in the sequel. As opposed to having multiple weapons of a particular type and all the various upgrades, you find various items you can research to improve your weapons, armor and even the Normandy itself. What this means is you are never having to decide what useful item you were going to have to turn to omni-gel just so you could carry more stuff.

• Combat: Mass Effect 2 plays much more like a third person shooter with RPG elements, as opposed to its predecessor which did the reverse. Gone are the feels of the die rolls; there is much more emphasis on aim and headshots in this game. At the same time, you have a much better squad command system and the ability to map three biotic/tech powers to buttons on the controller on top of your standard time pausing target selection process. The game also forces you to rely on cover; you are usually outnumbered and outgunned, and if you try to run headlong into battle, you will not last very long.
• Side Missions: There is no such thing as a cookie cutter mission in this game. Every side mission takes on its own life, with unique settings and additions to the storyline. Some side missions actually unlock others as you beat them, giving the missions a depth that was never really there in the first game. I never felt like I was just going through the motions of the side quests in this game. On the contrary, I quite enjoyed them.
• Elevators/Load Screens: The first time I entered an elevator in the Normandy, I could not help but mockingly brace myself for what was coming. Instead of spending forever in the elevator just spinning the camera around to waste time, I was rather pleasantly surprised to see myself zooming out to a schematic of the ship, giving me an overview of where the elevator was taking me. Other load screens are handled in this same style, showing anything from your shuttle departing from the Normandy to land on a planet to whatever path the planet side transportation you are using is taking. Its a nice touch that never lasts as long or gets as frustrating as the first game’s load screens.

While BioWare has made signification changes to the gameplay, the best element may be a slight refinement to what was already one of the series’ most distinctive features: the conversation system. Conversations flow much more naturally in Mass Effect 2, with characters actually moving around and reacting logically to the flow of the dialogue as opposed to just standing there as you talk. Little touches, like a character standing up to pace a bit before answering or moving closer or further from you as you converse, make the dialogue seem more real.

No discussion of the conversation system would be complete without discussing ME2′s interrupt feature. During conversations, you will often be given the chance to interrupt the character in either a positive or negative way. Paragon interrupts, activated by hitting the left trigger when prompted, will result in positive actions, such as giving medi-gel to an infected Batarian or helping someone focus. Renegade interrupts, activated with the right trigger, lead to more negative results: shooting someone’s bodyguards, head butting a Krogan, etc. This feature draws you into the game even more, making you pay extra attention to the conversations in the game, often wondering what would have happened if you had chosen to use an interrupt, or if you hadn’t.

And then there is the character import system. BioWare obviously wanted to reward those who had played the first game, and while it may have seemed the company down played this feature, you will be amazed at what a difference it can make. You will run across several characters who were influenced by your actions in the first game, giving fans a chance to truly see the difference they have made.

Mass Effect showed how cinematic an action/RPG can be. Mass Effect 2 improved heavily on its predecessor, making this an almost flawless game.

The Verdict: Not Hyped Enough

As I just mentioned, Mass Effect 2 is an almost perfect game. There are some issues with the cover system where you will find yourself suddenly vulnerable to attack, an odd choice to have you fly manually between solar systems not containing Mass Effect relays and some game glitches including but not limited to a complete loss of sound in the game that keep it from being perfect.

In the end, however, I found these few negative points just really did not bother me. BioWare has built an absolute masterpiece of a game that manages to more than live up to its hype. Every character is multi-dimensional, even Subject Zero, who could easily have been just the archetype bad girl. Players of the first game will love the references to characters and events in it. Even more impressive than that is the the fact BioWare did with this game what I thought would be next to impossible: creating an ending even more epic than the first.

Every now and then a game comes along that forever changes your perspective on just what is possible in this medium we enjoy. Mass Effect 2 is that kind of game. I cannot stress enough just how much of a joy it is to play, and though I have beaten it, I am already planning my next playthough. An early favorite for 2010′s Game of the Year, Mass Effect 2 gets a 5 out of 5.

30 Reviews in 30 Days, Day 29: Mass Effect

In the review for Chrono Trigger, I mentioned it was once my favorite game of all time. After I had spent some time with StarCraft and Shenmue, I had to revise that a bit, dropping it to the position of best RPG I had ever played.

After playing Mass Effect, I had to revise that once again, this time saying it was among the best I had ever played. Bioware had finally done what I thought was not possible: make a game on par with Square’s masterpiece.

A pedrigree of great RPGs

To say people were anticipating the release of Mass Effect is a bit of an understatement. Not only did the game itself look amazing, but it was being made by one of the most well known producers of role playing games, Bioware.

Bioware has made some of the most well known RPGs on the market. Baldur’s Gate is the game that brought the company into the forefront, establishing it as a serious contender in PC RPGs. It followed this up with the critically acclaimed sequel and then the popular and acclaimed Neverwinter Nights. These games borrowed heavily from the tried and true RPG formulas of the day, though Bioware definitely put its own twist in each of them. The company had proven it was here to stay, at least in the PC market. The company’s biggest surprise was yet to come, however.

In 2003, Bioware released its first console RPG, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. People were stunned at just how good a game it was, if for no other reason than it was the company’s first foray into the consoles. The game was very well received by both critics and players, and for lack of a better way to put it, Bioware had arrived. The company’s next offering, Jade Empire, did not do quite as well, but at this point it could afford to have a game that just fell a little short.

So like I said, there was a lot of aniticipation surrounding Mass Effect. People could not wait to see what Bioware, who had revolutionized the way you interacted with NPCs in its earlier RPGs, was going to do with its first game on a next gen console. With such high expectations, it would have been easy for the game to fall short.

It doesn’t.

Amazing back story

To craft a game like Mass Effect, one of the first things you need is a credible back story. Bioware went out of its way to create one. The year is 2183, and humanity has made its way to the stars, only to find out it is not alone. They are now in what is known as Citadel  Space, which is ruled by the Council. For the last several years, the humans have been pushing for inclusion in this council, but to no avail.

Mass Effect combines story, graphics and RPG elements to make one great game.

The Council has a group of hand picked agents referred to as Spectres. They operate above the law that normally governs most police forces, which leads to others treating them with both reverence and more than a little suspicion. Saren, one of the most respected Spectres, has turned rogue, aligning himself with a murderous group synthetic lifeforms called the Geth. It is up to you as Commander Shepard, the first human Spectre, to stop him. You will assemble a team that of several different characters, including both humans and aliens who all have their own reasons for wanting to see Saren stopped. At stake is the fate of the universe, though the true threat is much more than just the Geth.

As you begin to get the full picture of just what is going on within the game universe. you see how much time and attention Bioware paid to make Mass Effect so much more than just a game. It truly becomes an epic, culminating in one of the most amazing final hours of gameplay I have ever experienced.

Want to know what is even more amazing about the back story of the game? There is more than one. When you are designing your character, you get the normal customization you have come to expect from a company like Bioware: sex, facial features, build, hair and eye color, character class, etc. You also choose two part to your character’s back story. One is where you were born: space, a colony or Earth. The other is your character’s reputation, where you are given the choice of war hero, lone survivor of an alien attack or a ruthless soldier. Though these choices may seem rather minor, they will affect how others relate to you in the game and can influence certain side quests. It is a really nice touch.

The conversations are the key

When people talk about Mass Effect, they generally do not start talking about the combat. It’s not that the combat is horrible, though people who did not understand the game is an RPG at heart and expected it to play like a first person shooter were disappointed when they were not getting head shots with sniper rifles. The reason it is not the first thing that comes to mind is the combat is not what stands out about the game; it is the conversations.

Bioware took its conversation system from Knights of the Old Republic and overhauled it, adding to what was already considered one of the best in the industry. What makes the system in Mass Effect so impressive is it is so dynamic.

Whenever you enter a conversation, you are given options to choose just like in any RPG. One of these is usually considered a positive response, one more neutral and one negative. That is where this game breaks company with those that come before it, however, because you are not actually choosing what your character is going to say; you are choosing the attitude with which you are going to say it.

The intricate converstaion system really sets this game apart.

It’s really hard to describe this without giving an example. One of the earliest conversations you have in the game is with your pilot, who expresses concern that, for your first mission in this new ship, you are being accompanied by a Spectre (Shepard has not been elevated to Spectre status at this point). One of your choices on the conversation wheel is “You worry too much ,” which is a valid response and the one I chose. What Shepard actually said, however, was “You always look for the worst in any situation.”

So why is this important? It makes the conversations feel more fluid, more lifelike. You become much more interested in them because your character will not just parrot back the response you choose. What is even more impressive is that you are rarely taken out of this mechanic. Even in the games “cut scenes,” you are still choosing what Shepard is saying. When I took over the Normandy after being made a Spectre, I sat back for what was undoubtedly going to be the “motivational speech” from the captain. I had to pick the controller back up because, instead of just giving a wrote speech, I was given the ability to choose the overall theme and attitude with which it was presented. Bioware does not take you out of the game by going to cut scenes that play out some pre-programmed way; if Shepard is involved in the scene, it is a safe bet that you will have input.

BTW, you gain experience in the game based on how you handle the conversations.

The game is not perfect

Though Mass Effect is one of the best games I have ever played, it is not without its faults. Three stand out:

1) Technical Issues: Bioware was really pushing what the 360 could do for this game, and that lead to a few technical issues. One is texture popping, where the overall amazing graphics will take a little time to full load in an area, with finer textures “popping” into existence. This can be annoying, but it is nothing compared to the elevator load times. You will spend a lot of time in this game waiting in elevators, and though you will at least get a little bit of story while within the ones in the Citadel, their is nothing to help deal with the tedium of the one in the Normandy. In fact, Penny Arcade took a rather humorous stab at this in its Nitpicking: Mass Effect comic (warning, language is not safe for work, which is why I am not posting the comic in the article).

2) Combat Issues: As I mentioned earlier, the combat in Mass Effect is in no way broken. It can be a little unwieldy, however. It is a hybrid between third person shooter and RPG, with much more of an emphasis on the RPG side, something many gamers did not understand. You can pause time to choose your attacks and biotic powers (sort of akin to The Force in Star Wars) and to assign targets for your team members, which is a good thing. The biggest problem, however, is you cannot really direct your team mates to where you want them to go, at least on the 360 version. You can issue commands like stay or go to a certain location via the D-pad, but it is imprecise at best, and it can lead to your comrades getting in the way of your shots or just standing out in the open to be shot. From what I understand, the PC version corrected some of this.

3) Recycled Areas: Each of the major, story driven planets and areas of the game are unique and impressive. The side mission planets, however, pretty much all fall into a certain formula: barren land, a couple of outposts that look exactly alike on the inside, and maybe a cave. While the side missions themselves are often interesting, the areas themselves are not.

Even with these issues, Mass Effect still excels as a gaming experience. By the time you get to the end, you will not really care about the issues; you will be so engaged in the storyline they just will not matter. This game will make you laugh out loud, scream in fury and possible even choke up a bit, especially after having to deal with the consequences of one rather difficult decision.

I never thought I would find myself playing an RPG where I wanted to get past the combat to get to the conversations, but this game made me want to do just that. For forever changing the way I will think of storytelling in an RPG, Mass Effect gets a 5 out of 5.

One more to go. Funny thing is I would not really consider myself a serious RPG player, and yet 3 of my top 5, including the one I will review tomorrow, are RPGs.

Push Play: The Music Behind the Games

Gaming music has always had a place in my heart. I remember grabbing my boom box and taping the intro to One on One: Jordan VS Bird and playing the drop ship level from Aliens over and over again because I was entranced with the music. As systems and sound cards improved, so did the music, and now I find myself adding game soundtracks to my glowing collection of Anime and Movie scores.

Does that sound a little strange to you? Maybe you think there just isn’t enough good game music out there to make you want to buy a soundtrack. If that is the way you feel, let me challenge you to listen to the games you play. Notice how the music adds to the experience, much like a good score adds to a great movie. Think about the driving sound of the battles in Gears of War, and the great relive you felt as the music changed and dropped out, your audio clue that the battle was over…for now. Remember the haunting music that plays in the wraith mash in Fable 2, setting you on edge as you looked around each corner, trying to spot the banshees before they spotted you. Good music adds to the atmosphere of the game; we just tend to be so wrapped up in making sure we don’t die that we tend not to notice.

So maybe you’re considering starting a soundtrack collection of your own, but you have no idea where to begin. The following list, while in no way comprehensive, might help give you some ideas.

Video Games Live Vol 1

If you have no idea where to begin, consider picking up Video Games Live Vol 1. Video Games Live is a series of live performances of music from some of the most well known video games ever. The first CD is a compilation of fantastic video game music, including greats like Kingdom Hearts, Myst, Medal of Honor and a rocking rendition of the Castlevania theme that is a definite crowd pleaser.

The great thing about this compilation is not only is the music masterfully performed by great orchestras and choirs, it will give you a chance to experience music from multiple games. After listening to this compilation, you will hopefully get some ideas for some other soundtracks you may want to consider. Just remember that the older games aren’t going to quite sound as good as they do on this compilation.

There is one other good reason to buy this CD. It contains a suite from a game that has made several people decide that video game soundtracks may just be worth buying:

Halo

It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of the series or think it is overrated, one listen to the main theme for Halo will have you geared up to play. The combination of classical and rock influences make this score, composed by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, one worth owning.

All you need to do is listen to the main theme to see what I mean. It starts with an ethereal chorus, building up to the first strings of electric guitar. Before long, you are completely drawn into the music.

If you are looking to build a video game soundtrack collection, Halo is a great one to pick up. Some might even argue that the soundtrack outshines the game. Might be a bit of a stretch, but it is rather well done. It’s not far fetched, however, to argue this soundtrack was what made many people actually start considering the possibility that game scores could be on par with movie soundtracks.

Gears of War

Forgive the pun, but an epic game deserves and epic soundtrack. Gears of War definitly delivers. Composer Kevin Riepl is a veteran of gaming soundtracks, with credits ranging from Twisted Metal Black to the Unreal series. For Gears, he took a more movie-like approach, writing a score worthy of any war drama.

The theme sets the tone early, with a driving tempo and militaristic feel that fits the game perfectly. This is followed by the haunting overture “14 Years After E-Day,” adding the eerie feel the to the background of the story. Other tracks are also reminiscent of some of the major battled in the game, like the high pitched and fast paced “Miserable Wretches,” the overpowering “Running With Boomers,” and the powerhouse “Train Ride to Hell,” which builds to the finale, leaving just a hint of more to come in Gears 2.

Mass Effect

Anyone who played the game knows just how good the music of Mass Effect is. Jack Wall, Sam Hulick, Richard Jacques and David Kates combine to create one of the most unique soundtracks in recent memory. Borrowing heavily from the older electronic sounds of 80s Sci Fi, this soundtrack ranks up there as one of my all time favorites.

Just lietening to the theme will be enough to remind fans of the great atmosphere of this game., complimented by tracks like the powerful “Spectre Induction” or the uptempo “Uncharted Words.” With 37 tracks, there is plenty of music for fans of the game to enjoy.

None of the tracks on the CD are as good as “M4 Part II” by the Faunts. I remember listening to this song as it rolled with the end credits of the game, just being amazed by the fact Bioware found a song that actually fit the game. As a matter of fact, I found myself almost sad once the credits were over because it was that good. Of all the tracks on the CD, I have listend to this one the most.

So far, all of the soundtracks I’ve been recommending are from the last couple of generations of consoles. While gaming music has really come into it’s own in these generations, there are great soundtracks from earlier consoles worth purchasing.

Metal Gear Solid

I bet that if you are a fan of Metal Gear Solid, you probably have the theme playing in your head right now… or at least a clip of it with someone screaming “SNAKE!”

The music of MGS really helps set the tone for the game, and the soundtrack brings some of the more memorable set pieces of the adventure to mind. Just try not to remember franticly trying to find cover while taking out Sniper Wolf when you hear “Duel,” or lining up shots with the missile launcher while avoiding the attack of the “Hin D.” The soundtrack even includes the soulful “Mantis’ Theme” and sorrowful “Enclosure” (plays after you kill Sniper Wolf), which remind you of the serious undertone of the game.

Metal Gear Solid is definitely a great example of a soundtrack worth picking up from an earlier generation of consoles, but it’s still a CD based game. Earlier games relied upon midi synthesizers and other programing tricks to make music. It doesn’t mean these earlier game soundtracks are not worth tracking down, however. As a matter of fact, my favorite game soundtrack comes from the pre-CD consoles.

Chrono Trigger

If you have been listening to the podcasts, you should have seen this one coming. I was lucky enough to find the Chrono Trigger soundtrack a few years ago at Bookmans, and I have never regretted the purchase.

Composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, Chrono Trigger is considered by many to be one of the best soundtracks done on the SNES. Beginning with “Premonition,” it is clear that Mitsuda was able to get past the musical limitations of the system in a way most could not. Each area in the game has its own unique music, and yet they all blend together to make a great CD.

I’m not the only one who likes the music of this SNES RPG. In fact, the next Video Games Live CD is going to have music from the game in it, and those of us who preordered Chrono Trigger on the DS got a CD with fully orchestrated versions of music from the game.

So that’s my list of video game soundtrack recommendations. It is by no means all inclusive, and I intend on getting many more soundtracks to add to my collection, but hopefully reading about these soundtracks will get you thinking about some of your favorite gaming music. You might even think about tracking down a soundtrack or two for yourself. You might be surprised by just how good they can be.

New DLC coming for Mass Effect

In a recent interview with Blend Games of cinemablend.com, BioWare community manager Jay Watamaniuk mentioned there will be a new  chapter of DLC for Mass Effect. Watamaniuk was elusive about details including even a date. “I’m gonna say ‘coming soon’ because I have no idea of the date,” he stated, but affirmed “…not six months – Like a month or two.”

The first episode of DLC for Mass Effect, “Bring Down the Sky,” released March of last year. It’s interesting to see BioWare return to the original after so much time. Let’s hope they do something interesting.

Source

Mass Effection – Part II

Another comic for the Mass Effect junkies out there. Brought to us by YNFVGB faithful, Yuoma.

Mass Efflirt 2 by ~yuoma on deviantART