Ordered Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 - can you complete ME w/out touching annoying side missions?

KatanaDV20

KatanaDV20

KatanaDV20

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Ok so after reading the reviews and hearing mates bang on about ME Ive relented and just ordered ME & ME2.

However amongst all the praise I hear a lot of moaning about how ME is full of nonsense and super-boring side missions. Some of them involving a mutant SUV called "Mako". Also I hear that you have to explore planets but you dont REALLY get to fly a lander down (like in Aliens movie!) but instead use a 2D interface to "scan" for stuff. I cant stand sleep-inducing stuff like this and just wanted to ask ME players on here - can you completely ignore these side "quests" and just bang through the main one? Or are some of them required?

I hear they fixed all this in ME2 though! Looking forward to both of them. I usually go for sandbox free-roamers (Fallout, Just Cause 2 etc) but will be nice to check this out as I like tramping about on spaceships and such. And the ME universe all looks very Star War-sey :D
 
Yes in Mass Effect 1 you can very much just fly through the main storyline missions if you wish. I did do a few of the side missions but got carried away with the story (think i finished it in a week :D)

I cant really comment on Mass effect 2. It's been ages since I've played it last and I'm only 5 or so hours into it. I think it is a little more focused on the main story though.
 
It took me 5 attempts to get into Mass Effect 1.
It isn't a game to play with the tv on in the background, or to play it half-arsed, as this is what I did the first 4 times.

I am nearly at the end of ME1 and have ME2 to play next :).

It really is a good game, however the mechanics and graphics are looking a touch dated now. I hear Mass Effect 2 is far better than Mass Effect 1.
 
Yeah, there's nothing stopping you from just sticking to the main story quests. Probably cutting out half the game, mind you ;) but nothing stopping you.
 
Probably cutting out half the game, mind you but nothing stopping you.
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If they are fun to do I wouldnt complain (like in Oblivion or Fallout) but if all of them feel the same then hmmm...I do know I will do one or two to see what the fuss is about - specially the hated "Mako" ha!
 
ME1 tips:
1) Ignore the collection quests (minerals/insignias etc) - only scan if you happen across one for the credits/xp.
2) Go for missions as you receive them in your journal instead of systematically scouring the galaxy map.
3) Stick to veteran unless you want the insanity/hardcore achievements (well this doesn't matter for first playthrough because higher difficulties aren't unlocked). Otherwise combat can be unnecessarily tedious.

ME2:
1) Scan planets when you need the resources for upgrades - if you go on a scanning binge you might die of boredom! :p (Or you can edit your save to add resources).


Apart from that, just relax and play as you like. :) Have fun!
 
Thanks for those good tips Curunen, appreciate it :D .will keep that in mind. Im kinda eager to finish ME one fast...its ME2 thats got my attention. I just wanted to play ME because I read that you can transfer the save game into ME2...and it will be a more personal save-game (even though I know ME2 auto-creates one for you making assumptions about what you did in ME1)
 
Take your time and savour some parts of ME1 (don't want to spoil). General concensus is the story is better than ME2, and personally the climax of ME1 is (for me) the pinnacle of the series so far.
 
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Take your time and savour some parts of ME1
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Yea I will do that, got a bad feeling this the worst game to play during work week lol. Will have to discipline myself. Im hoping it has a pulse-rifle like in Aliens...!
 
In ME1, the side quests are not required at all, and they are mostly dull, drive a bit around some planet in a silly buggy thing, enter a building/mine that looks exactly the same as all the others and shoot some stuff.

ME2 has loyalty missions which are more interesting than the main plot plus completing them will help with the main quest so you should definitely do them. The planet scanning is the worst part of the game but you don't need to spend much time on it, just a few planets in between each mission should do.
 
True the ME1 sidequests are repetitive in their gameplay.

However I'm of the opinion that the substance of the UNC missions (the concepts/plots) are better than N7 missions, they are just sadly let down by the execution with repetitive environments and combat.
 
Curunen said:
Take your time and savour some parts of ME1 (don't want to spoil). General concensus is the story is better than ME2, and personally the climax of ME1 is (for me) the pinnacle of the series so far.
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This, so much.
 
My advice when playing RPG games is not to worry too much about what is a "side quest" or "main quest" but to just throw yourself in to whatever missions take your fancy. Often I end up doing missions geographically e.g. tackle all missions currently available in a given area and then move to the nearest place with a mission. Sometimes this results in me not collecting a reward for a mission for several hours (in cases where I need to return to some planet miles away to 'cash in').
 
It took me a playthrough of ME2 before I could get into ME1. I tried ME1 twice but never really "got it." When ME2 came out and I played it for the first time, I was instantly hooked. Not sure if it was due to tighter direction or more focused gameplay, but once I finished ME2 I was able to go back and replay ME1 again and really enjoy it.

As others have said, just give yourself to the story and you'll get hooked. Its a really immersive series and right up there with the best RPGs of the last decade.
 
As others have said, just give yourself to the story and you'll get hooked. Its a really immersive series and right up there with the best RPGs of the last decade.
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Ok you guys have whet my appetite for it enough...hurry up Amazon :D

Will take my time..im slow at RPGs anyways...erm...still only 10% of the way into Fallout 3 and 20% into Oblivion hahaha! But I will be faster at ME...BUT still take it slow and enjoy it as you all suggested. Thats the whole point of it all in these games....they are not COD!
 
Make sure to do the Luna VI side mission in Mass Effect 1 when you get to level 20 as it unlocks some special powers. :D
 
Update

Well I bought ME & ME2. Installed ME about 2 hrs ago. Now I know Im gonna sound lame when I say this (and this is no fault of the game) but the dated graphics are a major downer and immersion-killer: but only when in external locations. Inside the spacehips you dont feel it that much.

Also TBH this point-and-click-to-choose-reponse is not my kinda thing but im gonna keep ME installed for the next week to give it a chance. So far it feels more like an interactive movie than a game!

I do hear that ME2 leans more towards the FPS side of things.

There is no way Im touching ANY side missions - except for what ic1male said:

Make sure to do the Luna VI side mission in Mass Effect 1 when you get to level 20 as it unlocks some special powers.
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So lets see how things go - one thing I will say: SUPERB production and voice-acting. The best I have ever heard in a game. The voice acting alone increases immersion and takes some of the pain from the aged graphics!
 
You will need to drive the Mako though at some points during ME1.
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Yikes....I have heard a lot about this Mako. None of it good :p

*And another :( - it does not like Eyefinity @ all. Its horrible going back to one screen!!!!
 
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