Neo's Mass Effect 3 Comments, Almost Mostly Spoiler Free and Tinged With Hatred

So vanguards can do solo warp explosions with pull+shockwave now which makes them even more absurd to play, also I started at level 30 with shitloads of upgrades from my import so I feel a bit overpowered.

Save importing is horribly broken, I tried 4 different saves and none of my characters looked remotely similar. I've also heard that people are having problems with their choices not carrying over correctly ie: the story playing out like they killed certain figures/characters when they didn't. Hopefully there's a day 1 patch for this because I can't see anyone but the most die hard Biodrones defending it in this state.

Quality Bioware Storytelling™ Instance #1: I elevated Anderson to a council position over Udina at the end of Mass Effect 1 but apparently Anderson decided that "he wanted to be where the action was" so he let Udina take his place anyway. I feel like my choices really matter.

That happened in one of the novels. Blame Drew for that one.

So I ended up swapping to Adept as it felt like the shield boost on charge had been nerfed pretty hard which wasn't holding up on Insanity. Turns out pretty much every power can combo now and, with upgrades, cooldown time can be almost non-existent so I've just been running around with a pistol+SMG that I never really use to get the most out of my powers.

Stasis is blatantly overpowered now, it works much the same as it did in LotSB except now you can damage the enemy you trap and even, with upgrades, deal extra damage to them. It's essentially become an 'I win button' when I've run into heavy enemies though you still do have to be a little bit careful on Insanity.

No more awful plot elements/negation of previous choices so far which is a good sign, from some of the dialogue I've heard I think my save might have imported correctly too so I'll see what happens.

I don't like the Galactic Readiness system at all and I'm starting to doubt whichever Bioware employee it was who said that you'd never need to touch the co-op. I don't want to, not to mention can't, play multiplayer which means I'm stuck at 50% Readiness for the entire game. This means that all the War Assets I get only count for half of their actual worth. I don't know how I'm going to get a good ending bar some sort of save editor/hack.

Oh for anyone who's not going to import a save, you probably don't want to start off on Insanity. Because of my maxed out import I started the game at level 30 (out of 50 or 60 max I think) so I had a pretty significant advantage to start off with.

Even though I wish there could be a little more than single mission cameos I have quite enjoyed seeing all the people I bro'd up with again. Jack and Kasumi have made an appearance so far and David, the guy from the Overlord DLC, pops up if you saved him too.

Okay so the ultimate plot of this game is TTGL.

Who the hell do you think Shepherd is?

Bag of Oranges wrote:

Save importing is horribly broken, I tried 4 different saves and none of my characters looked remotely similar. I've also heard that people are having problems with their choices not carrying over correctly ie: the story playing out like they killed certain figures/characters when they didn't. Hopefully there's a day 1 patch for this because I can't see anyone but the most die hard Biodrones defending it in this state.

When I imported my save, my guy looked somewhat similar to his ME2 self, but fuglier. Like a super derpy version of Jean Reno. I then decided to just change his face to the default one. SCREW CONSISTENCY!

My lovely shiny copy of the N7 collectors edition arrived today. I've not had a chance yet to explore its goodies, but will do so over the weekend and report back. We've already got a couple if current ME3 topics, so should I contribute in one of them or shall I start a new "Simian plays" topic?

Hell yeah, N7 CE owners unite!

I heard people were annoyed because they used a poorly shopped stock photograph as the reveal of some important character.

I've kept away from everything revealed pre-launch, solely to avoide any such instance. I'm certain I enjoyed ME2 a lot more becuase I had no idea what was coming, and I'd like that to be true for part 3 as well.

Keep away from the artbook till you're done playing then. I wasn't too bothered when I got to see the design of a certain character, but you best just avoid looking through it, lest ye be spoiled.

Dammit, about ten minutes too late for that advice! I flicked through the artbook and the (admittedly pretty dull) graphic novel whilst I'm waiting for all the N7 DLC to download. It's taking a while.

Then, I need to decide which character to import first. I think I'm going to go with my uber-paragon Vanguard. He's a shining beacon of loveliness to most people, but told the illusive Man where to stick it in ME2. LI is Liara, and I'm sticking with vanguard. For now.

i have to redo mass effect 2 so i can romance tali like i fucking ment to but because of my derp in lotSB somehow it read her as my LI in 3 so redo D=

Hot damn, getting the DLC character was exciting and crazy(I'm doing an Insanity playthrough). I can't believe how I beat that last part of the mission in one go. The most surprising bit was when I was ganged up by a few enemies while being stuck in one of those small buildings and managed to melee them all while also trying to avoid those dang grenades and the large mech's attacks coming through the window.

Vanguard is still a riot to play. Starting as lvl 30 thanks to importing, I got to the Normandy and reset my skills, taking points out of Nova (which, while powerful, discharges your shields to activate and leaves you vulnerable) and maxing Charge, picking the ME2-like path where it fully replenishes your shield and gives increased damage to Shotgun once you've hit. Thanks to ME3s weight system, I'm only carrying said shotgun, so it does mean my cooldown is only around 3 seconds. Charge > Shotgun > Shotgun / Melee > Charge > rinse and repeat.

Heck, on Eden Prime I even took out the Boss Mech on my todd, and can do the same to Reaper Brutes. By the same token, I didn't realise that Eden Prime was meant to be the DLC. Everyone's got pissy about it, but it was an intriguing mission with decent payoff. Not as essential as LotSB, but certainly better than Overlord.

Fffffff.

Spoke too soon. Just did the Grissom Academy, and damn that was tough. Vanguards struggle against enemy engineers and their turrets, so you end up hiding in a corner waiting for your teammates cooldowns to finish to knock out the turrets. must have died half a dozen times.

Nova obliterates Turrets if you level it up enough. The ideal progression for a Vanguard is Charge > Nova > Shotgun (if there's time) > Charge.

I didn't get on with Nova, just seemed like it was stopping me from using Charge. Maybe I've still got my ME2 Vanguard hat on?

Damn I love Wrex.

"I still don't have a window like Liara does, but maybe that's because I don't kiss as well."

Then he just chuckles heartily to himself.

i need to try a vangard for me3 cause i was looking at the nova skill and you can make it take only half your barrier for 40% decreased damage but you get left with half a barrier ar least still so yeah

SimianWonder wrote:

Fffffff.

Spoke too soon. Just did the Grissom Academy, and damn that was tough. Vanguards struggle against enemy engineers and their turrets, so you end up hiding in a corner waiting for your teammates cooldowns to finish to knock out the turrets. must have died half a dozen times.

Haha, being an Infiltrator, Sabotage made that mission a breeze. Not to mention I'm using the smexy Particle Rifle from the DLC mission.

Pfft, next time will be different.

Had a few heart-in-mouth moments, notably when

Spoiler:

There have beena few moments like that, as if Bioware know we're expecting someone to die and they toying with our emotions.