30 to 40 seems to be the avg if you take your time and do all the side quest, but if you really want to immerse yourself in the world, check out the codex, the info you gain in there is amazing, and everyone pls invest in 'Charm' as this opens up some quest and stories you will miss in the conversations otherwise, i know i have missed some stuff because of this next time round i wont make that mistake!, you have been warned.

Thanks for the explanation delgado.

Hey Dc, glad you are back to to the real world ;P

Glad to hear that it it much more than what you expected.
Its just 4 days left until I get it as well, the Collectors Edition of course, and then I will play my ass off...kind of, abandon the forum a bit.

:)Yeah it sucks to be back in the real world!! one more thing to all Bring Wrex with as much as possible, the dude is bad-ass!! :)

Dc, is Garrus still this bad ass I keep seeing in trailers and such? :D

I watched the IGN video review...and the guy who did it says that the game can not keep a steady framerate at all...and that sometimes the buttons do not do any action.

Have you come across this?

Kind of a shame you can not save at will though, would be awesome.

I found that the normal shops have pretty lame items but those pink aliens things sell lots of rare cool looking armour and weapons.I maxed out Intimidate, which unlocked a few extra mission during conversations. I have about 4 points on charm but i prefer to intimidate, its far more satisfying lol!

I dont agree at all, for the most part it runs very smooth, as for the button issue, when i first loaded the game and i got to the Normandy i went to speak to the Navigator, but when i pressed the button to speak to him nothing happened, i tried about 10 times and still nothing so i had to leave that section then come back in for it to finally work???, that's the only time this has happened to me (so far).:) first time through RPG's i always play as a good guy (most of the time anyway) so charm is were i'm spending at the moment, do you get to romance Ashley??

i tried and failed, i think its cause i was trying to pull them both (Ashley and Liara), so i dont think ashley was up for that :( Mind you Liara was a success, its a pity shes an Alien though.

:)


Sath:

I have not bought him along yet, as i am trying to keep my team balanced between Tech\Biotic\Combat.

Jin:

I'm bringing Tali along we me, as she is a tech specialist, but even though in the level-up menu i have invested points in the squad heal talent for her, its nowhere to be found on the combat wheel?, have you seen this, what am i doing wrong?

By that, i'm guesing you mean the first aid? Well that confused me for a while at first till i actually read what it does lol. When you give points towards the 'First aid' it affects the use of the Medi Gel. For example, it boosts the amount of health restored when a Medi gel is used and also speeds up its recharge time.

Son of a B!*@! (Lessoned learned :) )

This guys impressions, are pretty much spot on IMO.

Mass Effect - 13 hours in (Quotes)

Mass Effect is an adult game and not because of the sex scene. It demands more of you than just sharp reflexes and if you let it suck you in then you may just be glimpsing one strand of the future of gaming.

This is hardcore. Mass Effect - the Xbox 360 RPG, developed by Bioware - is out this Friday and 13 hours in I feel like I've barely scratched the surface. In the time it took me to finish Call of Duty 4 all I'd done is finish the tutorial, and pottered round the hub area chatting to the excellently depicted inhabitants. Thrill seekers will find the early stages slow going but then this probably isn't for them. The combat is more tactical than reflex, but Mass Effect is as much about the story as shooting. Anyway, the embargo lifts today but I haven't seen enough to do a review yet - so consider this first impressions.

Probably a quarter or my play time has been spent nattering to the locals. It all works so fluidly and the character graphics are so believable - wince as that alien you've pissed off rolls her eyes in disgust - that it sets new gaming standards. You genuinely feel part of a sci-fi movie and while you input is simply down to choosing responses you never fell like you are passively watching a cut-scene.


To really experience the game it is worth throwing yourself in. Read all the codex entries, chat to everyone - Mass Effect rewards dedication. The first four or five hours are particularly important in setting the scene.

There isn't a massive amount of handholding - it feels more like a PC game in that respect - and casual players, as well as your average GRAW/Halo/360 shooter fan will take a while to get used to it. KOTOR fans though, will feel right at home.

Downers? Well the slow pace will put some people off. It takes a while to get going and while some - like me - will enjoying pouring over the codex and chatting to the locals, it will be frustrating for those looking for a quick firefight. The graphics are generally superb - especially with the grainy film effect turned on - but there is some slowdown in the larger battles. Loading screens can interfere a little more of then than you'd like, although they mainly occur when landing on planets. And disappearing corpses are a shame in an otherwise perfectly crafted - and believable - universe. Finally the enemy AI can be a bit hit and miss - Halo this isn't. I came across at least 3 or 4 assailants who didn't realise I was pummelling bullets into them until far too late. Generally though the combat is a real challenge, especially if you've been lulled in by a preceding conversation or lengthy exploration.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/archives/2007/11...

Dc, it seems you are liking it :P

But damn I want this game so badly :D

I hope that they allows us toyou like complete the full story and when you are done, continue with side quest.

Nope :(

I think stuff like that should be mandatory in games now. Especially SP games.

A damn it then!

I guess I will have to wait a loooooooooooooooooooooong time to kick Sarens ass in this game...side quest is important.

But I don't mind this...longer play to finish it is better, especialy when it comes to Mass Effect :D

Sath quick question did you ever play KOTOR or OBlivion?, just want to know if this will be your first RPG?

Edit:

Spent the few hrs i had on the game last night just talking to my crew and exploring the ship, make sure you do this after every outing as the have some real engaging things to say and there are collectibles throughout the ship to :)

I owned KOTOR 1 and 2 two times. I thought if I get them I might be able to like it again, but the combat turned me off...again.

And I owned Oblivion, but it got boring after a few weeks so I traded it in.

Hmmmm so your not a fan of the traditional RPG turn-based combat?, but you don't mind the story/exploration/character development and interaction parts?, if this is the case Mass Effect could be the perfect fit for you and the first RPG you finish :)

Sidenote: Try your best to finish KOTOR the story is amazing.

Dc, I dont like JRPG game at all, its because of its tradional turn based...any game were I give orders to my character and others to do my ttacks is not for me.

I want to attack the enemies by myself, manualy.

And that is why I can't wait for Mass Effect, it is shooting were I control the combat, but also have that tactical approach when I in-pause the combat.

The story, exploration...etc. I love these types, as long as the setting, and gameplay mechanic is right...and as a sci-fi junky and a shooting fan with RPG, this game is perfect for me.

Sidenote answer: I do not have KOTOR games anymore. Don't plan on getting them again :P

I shed a tear for all those that have not experienced KOTOR, but rejoice that you will soon be joining me on one of the greatest sci-fi epic stories ever told :)

Grift we have discussed this many times, and I do not have the strength to go back to it.

I am gonna play Mass Effect the way I am gonna play it, as a shooter with deep RPG.You have no idea :)

I dont care if it changes or not, its not up to me to decide.

In majority, its still an RPG first, action shooter second..even BioWare have said it MANY times.

I will say this one more time though...the shooting or the combat in general will not be like "aim and kill everything you see".

You have to upgrade, gain experience and training, level up to try and take out the tougher enemies...so thats why RPG comes first...when that is out of the way, the shooting mechanic comes to say "hello".

http://music.ign.com/articles/836/836317p1.html

Awsome musics.

I want the game!

Got an mail from game.co.uk, and they are processing my Limited edition :D
Just hope gets here in time for Friday :)