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Mass Effect 1 is still my favourite sci-fi game of all time (media.piefed.social)
submitted 3 days ago by cloudless@piefed.social to c/patientgamers@sh.itjust.works
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This game made me feel like the captain of a space ship. There was nothing like it at the time it was released, and even now I have not experienced any other game making me feel this way. I loved Fallout 3 too, but Mass Effect had something special. It was so well crafted, I listened to every dialogue of every NPC. The characters are so memorable with amazing voice acting. The Citadel is the best city in video games, felt really alive. Most sidequests add to the story instead of just padding the gameplay time.

After playing the game, I wondered how Star Wars (movies) sucked so badly, when a video game could create a much more interesting sci-fi world and story.

Unfortunately Bioware is no longer the same company.

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[-] undeffeined@lemmy.ml 67 points 3 days ago

This post is my favorite post in the Citadel

[-] Hubi@feddit.org 16 points 3 days ago

I should go.

[-] MellowSnow@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

We'll bang, ok?

[-] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 31 points 3 days ago

Seems to be an unpopular opinion, but 1 was the best in the series as far as I'm concerned.

[-] rustydrd@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 days ago

Imma upvote this so hard, it'll turn your opinion popular.

[-] FluffMongo@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

May be unpopular but I'll stand by it being right!

[-] absquatulate@lemmy.world 38 points 3 days ago

Had to be Bioware. Someone else might have gotten it wrong.

[-] glorkon@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

My favourite sci-fi game of all time is Elite. Because I am old.

[-] bampop@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

There was nothing like it at the time. Not even close. It was the most immersive game you could get

[-] zod000@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

My favorite sci-fi game is probably Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. ME1 was the only game in the series that I enjoyed, but it still felt like a de-StarWars-ified KOTOR game.

[-] theskyisfalling@lemmy.dbzer0.com 28 points 3 days ago

Maybe I should finally play this game......

[-] Weirdfish@lemmy.world 33 points 3 days ago

Oh to play this series blind again, I envy you.

The parts are all good, especially with the remaster, but the sum of its parts is something really unique.

[-] Talaraine@fedia.io 5 points 3 days ago

I still remember the first time I drove the Mako. Man they did so well with the atmospheric feel of other worlds in 2005. Could have done a bit better with the wild landscape tho xD Ride em cowboy!

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[-] Carnelian@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago

There’s a graphically updated version of the trilogy, regularly goes on sale for a few bucks

[-] mephiska@fedia.io 7 points 3 days ago

Yep, totally worth the $5 when it comes up for sale. PC controls updated from original so works with controllers now too.

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[-] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 days ago

The first is very much a story first, combat second style game. I wouldn't pick a "caster" focused character for a first play.

[-] absquatulate@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago

Do it. All mass effects are great. Even Andromeda ( despite the lackluster story )

I've been itching for a similar game these past few weeks and I swear there is nothing contemporary that is quite like Mass Effect. KOTOR is close, but is has aged like milk ( graphically ). Maybe the deus exes? I am still open to suggestions.

Also you'll want to play the legendary edition, I think they fixed some of the less pleasant gameplay quirks ME1 used to have.

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[-] Goodeye8@piefed.social 6 points 3 days ago

The first game is worth playing even if you dislike the rest of the trilogy, it's just that good. Some people like the second or third game more but the first game absolutely nails the sci-fi setting and mystery of the reapers that the latter games IMO are lacking.

[-] Zephorah@discuss.online 24 points 3 days ago

ME, as a trilogy, plays on most of the tropes in scifi. The voice acting is pretty great too, barring the Resident Evil 1 level Liara in ME1.

And then Bioware lost all capacity to write dialogue stronger than a wet, overcooked spaghetti noodle.

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[-] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Personally, I find Star Control II, Star Trek 25th Anniversary & Judgment Rites, to be better than Mass Effect 1 & 2 when it comes to science fiction and consequences of choice. Mind, I haven't gotten around to Mass Effect 3 since I abhor DRM and walled platforms, so I might be missing the ribbon that ties the trilogy together.

[-] cloudless@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

Thanks for the suggestions. Star Control appears to have a confusing UI (based on the screenshots). Star Trek looks cool I will give it a try.

I haven't played Mass Effect 3 either. Got a bit a burn out after finishing ME2.

[-] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 5 points 2 days ago

When it comes to Star Control II, the controls are actually quite simple, the difficulty of playing mostly come from a lack of quest logs. If you can handle Mass Effect's controls, then SC2 is definitely within your ability.

Through this link, you can get the most modernized experience of SC2, and the game is also freeware. Be sure to opt for 3D0 style, since that has the best presentation.

Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters - HD Megamod

When it comes to the Star Trek adventure games, 25th Anniversary can be considered to be Part 1, with Judgment Rites as Part 2.

[-] cloudless@piefed.social 1 points 2 days ago

Thanks again I will give SC2 a try. I prefer pixel art and I want to see the original artists' vision, so I will try the original game first.

[-] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 1 points 2 days ago

Ah, check out that Bone Pit page. You have the choice of three different presentation styles of SC2 - original, 3DO, DOS, plus optional HD graphics to go with them. The 3DO was a extremely powerful and expensive console back in the day, created by EA's Trip Hawkins. That EA, before it went bad. The 3DO mode is pretty akin to what the original developers intended, as Toys for Bob - the Skylanders company, is now making Children of Infinity, a proper sequel to SC2. If you check out the trailer, it is very similar to SC2 3DO.

Free Stars - Children of Infinity

More important than the graphics, however, is the voices and soundscape. The 3DO edition was a voiced game, and they added a huge amount of character to each species that you encounter. They are pretty much why the 3DO version became the gold standard among the SC2 releases. It is the same reason why System 1 and Star Trek 25th Anniversary were best on CD, because the format allowed them to use audio that wasn't possible on the floppy versions. SHODAN just isn't the same without that voice of hers, nor Kirk's style of speech.

[-] tacosanonymous@mander.xyz 19 points 3 days ago

The menu music and sounds live rent free in my head.

[-] undeffeined@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 days ago

The galaxy map music was amazing

[-] Vince@lemmy.world 16 points 3 days ago

My favorite game of all time is Star control 2, and this was the closest thing I could imagine to a modern version it.

They simplified some of the planetary resource gathering, ship upgrades and exploration, and I was hoping they would expand on that in the sequels. Unfortunately they did the exact opposite and simplified it even further.

[-] TheGreenWizard@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago

Great series! I played them for the first time this year, by the time I got to 3 I was legit tearing up at certain parts. Absolute recommend!

[-] B0NK3RS@lemmy.world 16 points 3 days ago

It took me a few tries back in the day but ME1 is my favourite of the 3. It has the best storyline and the other 2 games were more action/adventure.

[-] JackbyDev@programming.dev 9 points 3 days ago

I loved the way weapons worked in ME1, and they had such a logical thought process behind it written in the little lore snippets. But then when ME2 came out they scrapped it for something more traditional.

[-] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

The hamfisted explanation was also pretty bad as well. It's not super believable that swapping heat sinks was superior.

[-] JackbyDev@programming.dev 1 points 2 days ago

I think it's logical, but it's sort of like, if it was that easy why didn't they do it sooner? And why wouldn't guns work the old way but "reloading" just instantly dump all heat?

Come to think of it, hearing myself say it out loud, this is exactly how the laser rifles work in Helldivers 2 lol. They overheat slowly. If you fully overheat them or release early they swap out the current heat sink for a new one.

[-] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

It makes a lot less sense when you could make assault rifles that never overheated

[-] JackbyDev@programming.dev 1 points 2 days ago

I thought they still did? I played Vanguard so I only had shotguns lol.

[-] lunsjentilanette@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

Loved me1! One of my all time faves. Need to pick it up again soon. Started a play about a year ago but ran into a hectic patch at work and it died out. Never finished me3 tough, the gauntlet at the end got too gears of war-y for me and when i ended up having to start from scratch because i ran out of ammo i juat said fuck it and put down the controller never to return

2007 also gave me another two of my all time favorites: portal and super mario galaxy

[-] cloudless@piefed.social 1 points 2 days ago

Super Mario Galaxy is one of my favourites too. Amazing soundtrack and the levels are innovative, fun without being too long.

[-] lunsjentilanette@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

Gusty garden galaxy <3 perfect soundtrack

[-] ashenone@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 days ago

If your a reader at all give the revelation space series a read. It's what the Mass Effect games story was based on and its a great ride

[-] Kolanaki@pawb.social 7 points 3 days ago

Unfortunately Bioware is no longer the same company.

They weren't even the same company when ME1 came out. Jade Empire and KOTOR 1 and 2 were even better, while ME had clear signs of EA sucking their soul out before they even actually announced the sale of the company to them.

[-] Ashtear@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Even though I liked ME2 and 3 a bit more, the series overall still has my favorite Bioware cast by a mile and one of my favorite casts in gaming.

The ironic thing is I actually find the setting kinda hokey, but the moment-to-moment action is fantastic. The exposition dump towards the end of ME1 that sets the stage for the larger conflict was so satisfying. A classic example of solid script writing and characterization elevating overall plot and setting.

[-] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 days ago

I should go.

[-] FlexibleToast@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago

Amazon is creating a Mass Effect TV show. I hope they draw inspiration from Fallout rather than Halo or even Last of Us.

[-] VerilyFemme@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 3 days ago

I hope they draw inspiration from the Mass Effect games.

Not to be negative, but save for Last of Us Season 1, none of those series are great adaptations.

Fallout had some great dialogue that was very reminiscent of the games at points, but the lore decisions they made were questionable at best. Ghoulification was changed to be less mysterious and more like the process of mutation; the Sino-American war was simplified from a resource war into Capitalism vs Communism; and the NCR, an imperialist nation and I believe the largest in that area, has been all but destroyed by one nuke to their capital. Also all of the survivors of the NCR are communist, for a reason I'm sure.

Maybe I just needed to rant about the Fallout show. Either way, I sincerely hope they get some huge Mass Effect fans on the team for this one that care about the story the games present above all else.

I'm really tired of this attitude that Hollywood has toward adaptations, where they all want to make it their own. You adapt the story to the best of your ability, and the decisions you must make to adapt to a new medium make it your own. Not rewriting what has come previously.

Mini rant over

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[-] A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago

Driving the Mako (is that what it was called? God its been ages) was so damn fun for some reason.

[-] TwoBeeSan@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Yo fiddy hit that ramp

Doing jumps off those unreal 3 ass landscapes was more fun than it had any right to be

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[-] cloudless@piefed.social 7 points 3 days ago

Yeah I keep hearing complaints about the Mako but I enjoyed it.

[-] FlexibleToast@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

Yeah, a lot of people complained about it back then. So much complaining that they replaced it with the planet scanning in Mass Effect 2. A much worse mechanic. ME2 improved the gameplay in every other way. ME1 story with ME2 mechanics and menu system would be the best.

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this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2025
268 points (97.9% liked)

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