If people are talking the original Star Wars Trilogy and they think Mass Effect is better they must place so much importance on interaction... it's not even remotely close to as good from a plot perspective. I like the ME universe but the main storylines are not that strong, especially in 2 which I thought had some big flaws at the end. The nonexistent "Suicide Mission" that was built up throughout the game (where you literally have to try to kill your whole party or half ass the game before that) and the stupid terminator boss and weak cliffhanger really soured me on that game.
Really, lets compare both series "Dark Second Chapters": Empire and ME2.... Both open with great scenes, that is for sure (Hoth and the destruction of the Normandy). Empire is the best Star Wars film and leaves your mind absolutely blown and throws the whole storyline in a new direction with more importance to all the characters and their conflicts (especially Luke vs Vader, which becomes a destined battle and solidifies both characters as the central hero and villain). It gives you a cliff hanger, but one that leaves all the main characters in peril, the villain as a more important character with direct ties to the main hero, and you wondering what the hell will happen, while not feeling cheap. ME 2 might as well not exist, it totally feels like "Well, something has to happen before the reapers come"... who is the bad guy? That idiotic terminator robot that didn't appear before the end? Humans were being harvested... so what if Earth will be destroyed? What new things do we learn in the course of the game that really means something? In comparison to ME 1 it again seems like filler. We only get interesting threads left unsolved in regards to Cerebrus, something that was a throwaway part in the first game and thus is not a consistent part of the whole story. And the characters wrapped up in that plot didn't exist before 2, the ones from 1 are mostly only there to show the results of your actions in 1, and the ones that return to your party like Garrus are not wrapped up in any new or interesting plots. Maybe you had a romance with Garrus, but if the importance of your romance to the next game is handled in 3 like it was in 2 it might as well of never happened from an overall plot perspective.
ME 1 had a much stronger storyline, but even with that there is no comparison to the original Star Wars, in the structure of the plot, its pacing, its twists, and the beauty of its simplicity... even if Return of the Jedi had some lame moments. As an overarching story, ME wanders and is not tied together well. I understand from a game perspective why some of these things exist, but if we are comparing the two main plots it means ME is not as good. The central villain, for example, is an important part of this type of action/adventure fiction... whats the central villain of ME? ME 1 had one at least but ME 2 had none and 3 can't have one that came from the ones before either, so from an overarching story perspective that's a big flaw. Yes, I know about the Reapers but an army of different enemy space ships are not a compelling villain from a plot perspective.
NOW, if we are talking the new Star Wars films, then I think Mass Effect is going to be better by the third game, absolutely. Already is IMO and will wrap up in a way that makes it clearly better I'm sure.
All that aside, I do understand why people love the whole ME universe and in many ways it is better constructed, being more sci-fi than Star Wars (which is really a kind of space fantasy series, like LOTR in space). But in regards to the plots... I don't see how ME could possibly stack up. That has always been the issue to me about really diving into the ME ficiton: I find it hard to really care about Shepard or the characters or the central plot, so without that really hooking me I just enjoy the games and move on, especially in regards to ME 2.
I keep an open mind and am certainly looking forward to ME 3, I really like the series, but so far its not close. Maybe 3 would change my mind but I doubt it considering the lack of cohesion, consistent characters and conflicts... also add in Shepard being pretty much a lifeless character as an avatar for you. (Even if Luke did become pretty lifeless in Return of the Jedi lol)
@Gabriel
said:
" @Fjordson said:
" Personally, I think Star Wars is a pile of shit. Yes, Empire Strikes Back is a legitimately great film, Han Solo is a great character (as are a few other characters) and friends tell me that a small amount of the related literature is pretty cool, but that's it. All the other movies, TV shows, etc. that I've come into contact with are garbage. I also hate its close affiliation with sci-fi. As a lifetime lover of science fiction, I'll never understand why it gets so much praise when discussing the genre. It's bloody teen fantasy not science fiction. Stuff like Star Trek, Blade Runner and yes, Mass Effect, are infinitely more appealing to me than that garbage. "
Every time someone mentions Blade Runner, I'm compelled to mention Total Recall is better. "
Dude... not the thread for this but as much FUN as Total Recall is Blade Runner is a movie with serious meaning that is beautifully crafted by the film makers and actors. I don't think that's close. I love watching Recall and probably have seen it more times but it's not a better crafted movie. I guess more fun is fine but not better, if we are viewing film as an art form.
Log in to comment