One thing I would like to know before I go buy ME3: Are the missions all the same again? The scenery is occasionally breathtaking, but all in all every bit of combat in Mass Effect 2 seems to revolve around either long, knee-high or narrow, person-high crates, arranged in a way that makes every engagement play out the same, at around the same ranges! It really doesn't matter much what weapon you chose to specialize with, because whether it's a shot-gun or a sniper, you're always in just about the right range... I'm playing Infiltrator and I haven't had to snipe anyone yet, I think. The only difference between me and an assault rifle person is I point and click and they point and hold click.
It wasn't like that in Mass Effect 1. In ME1 if enemies came too close you switched to your pistol. Or if you were shot-gun kinda guy you switched to the pistol if they were too far away. In ME2 the only reason for me to play with the pistols is to save ammo for my sniper, because it's too scarce to use just that.
The enemies are all more or less identical as well, the main difference being that some have shields or other shield-like effects. They do have different weapons and different special abilities, but what's it matter really?
Games like Gears or Halo have different types of enemies that really are different and require you to treat them differently. In Mass Effect 2 the only different treatment an enemy gets out of me is what instant-damage special ability I chose from the wheel, based on what color his shield has.
I just did three missions on Nos Astra and they were all exactly the same. They even all had someone standing outside making an important phone-call about something or other they lost but they won't talk to you. Surprise, the thing they need is in the combat area and you can bring it to them afterwards... Three times. The exact same bit. On the same planet, no less.
It's astonishing how a game of such ridiculously high quality (voice acting, design, graphics, interactivity, even writing, aside from the insanely rigid, predictable structure) can be so boring.
Is Mass Effect 3 more organic in this regard?
It wasn't like that in Mass Effect 1. In ME1 if enemies came too close you switched to your pistol. Or if you were shot-gun kinda guy you switched to the pistol if they were too far away. In ME2 the only reason for me to play with the pistols is to save ammo for my sniper, because it's too scarce to use just that.
The enemies are all more or less identical as well, the main difference being that some have shields or other shield-like effects. They do have different weapons and different special abilities, but what's it matter really?
Games like Gears or Halo have different types of enemies that really are different and require you to treat them differently. In Mass Effect 2 the only different treatment an enemy gets out of me is what instant-damage special ability I chose from the wheel, based on what color his shield has.
I just did three missions on Nos Astra and they were all exactly the same. They even all had someone standing outside making an important phone-call about something or other they lost but they won't talk to you. Surprise, the thing they need is in the combat area and you can bring it to them afterwards... Three times. The exact same bit. On the same planet, no less.
It's astonishing how a game of such ridiculously high quality (voice acting, design, graphics, interactivity, even writing, aside from the insanely rigid, predictable structure) can be so boring.
Is Mass Effect 3 more organic in this regard?