360 recommendations

[Isuka]

I could make peace with the engine, if it wasn't for the fact that the characters look like emotionless mannequins.

My most recent and superfluous topic also reminded me of Senko no Ronde. It looks neat, anyone tried it?

EDIT: This one was pretty awesome. So true.

[Green Gibbon!]

Just for the record, I can now very highly recommend Mass Effect.

[The Ghost Of Ember]

Just for the record, I can now very highly recommend Mass Effect.

While I agree, I also have a few caveats. Read the manual, the game fails completely to properly train you on anything. Don't rely on the auto save, unless you enjoy repeating an hour or two of the game on random occasions. Also, Bioware's inexperience with shooters sometimes shows up, such as putting a large amount of rocket launcher wielding enemies in a cramped environment. Wee fun.

[Protodude]

My most recent and superfluous topic also reminded me of Senko no Ronde. It looks neat, anyone tried it?

I picked it up for about $15, but only played it for a few minutes. I've only tried one character, but it seems varied enough although I got the impression it might only be fun with multiplayer.

Just for the record, I can now very highly recommend Mass Effect.

Care to elaborate? I never thought of this game as the type you'd take interest in, so I'm curious as to why you liked it so much.

[Green Gibbon!]

Yeah, it looks for all the world like the sort of thing I'd snort at and pass on by and indeed it took a bit of willpower to get over my initial doubts. There are certain recurring themes in Western games that I find difficult to stomach, namely an obsession with photorealistic graphics (yawn) and an apparent inability for Western designers to concoct game engines that involve mechanics beyond "shoot it with generic firearms" (double yawn). Also, the grand scale sci-fi schtick is a bit intimidating to those of us who are not devoted fans of the genre, but - despite my apprehensions, I'm really enjoying it. Everything comes together and I can't explain why. It was the Citadel that won me over, I think - a big, gorgeously detailed space station that I spent 3 four-hour sittings Shenmuing up and down.

The combat is intimidating at first because, as Ember just pointed out, there is no tutorial and there's alot to learn, but it's actually not as crazy as it seems at first blush. For example, I haven't remembered how to throw grenades since the first area, but I'm doing okay regardless. Combat is almost an afterthought anyway, the game is about conversation (oodles and oodles of conversation) and exploration. This kind of requires that you bunker down and chew thoroughly on the game's admittedly generic sci-fi schtick, BUT. I, at least, am managing to dig it.

[j-man]

I'm a bit of a sucker for "create-a-character" modes, and from what I've seen Mass Effect is pretty in-depth in that respect. I think that alone sells the game for me. Hypothetically, of course, since I can't afford a 360.

[Green Gibbon!]

It seems like there's alot of ways you can mess with the facial features, but I just used the default character because I would've felt unclean otherwise. There are a few different job classes you can choose as well, though I don't know how they affect combat.

[Ritz]

It seems like there's alot of ways you can mess with the facial features

Would I be able to recreate this? It's pointless otherwise.

[Oompa Star]

Would I be able to recreate this? It's pointless otherwise.

Is there a name for that Ghandi look-alike? I remember you once posted a link to a hilarious video featuring this guy.

[Ritz]

His creator swears his name is Grant Kelly, but everyone calls him Monsquaz. Spread the love!