I played through the entire trilogy for the first time last summer, and I'm kind of inclined to agree. On the Xbox 360, at least, Mass Effect is at times unplayable. The framerate gets to "Epic Mickey 2 on Wii U" levels multiple times. The inventory system is a mess. The Mako was frustrating. The checkpointing (or lack thereof) was infuriating.

I did enjoy it for introducing me to the universe and characters, though. It's just the part where it's a game that I didn't like. Deadly Premonition was more playable in a lot of ways...

@mirado: Playing on a PC isn't a viable option for me, sadly.

I thought ME was great until I went back and actually played it again, at which point it just fell completely flat on it's face. The story has some fine moments, but it's pretty short. If you want any real length out of the game, you have to do all the side missions, which are awful. I find it strange that a lot of people are willing to overlook the recycling of enviroments in ME, considering that's one of the most vocal complaints against DA2, which does it to a far lesser degree.

As I said in the OP, I'm playing through the entire series again, and man, it was a huge relief when I finally got to ME2. It plays so good, looks amazing, and just has that "wow" factor. I remember that the game floored me when I first played, and it still does. ME2 is probably one of my favorite games of all time. It's hard not to love a game that gives you so much to love.

As for as Mass Effect 3 goes, I love that game to death as well. I think it got a lot of unjust criticism because of the ending (which frankly isn't that bad at all, especially with the EC). People complain that the ending itself didn't take into account their previous choices, but I think they miss the point. I view the entire game as the ending, and therefore I feel like my choices really mattered. It's certainly not without flaws, but as a whole, the game is pretty damn fantastic.

@fredchuckdave said:

You're ignoring that there are different classes to play with in these games. After all, who cares about how many endings their are, certainly not Mass Effect players, right? (Yes I am being sarcastic here)

In my opinion the fun of most games is in the playing not the finishing.

I played through each Mass Effect game in the series at least 3 times and more than that with 1 and 2. All three of them included some type of the standard RPG class breakouts with Adepts as casters, Infiltrators as stealth and Soldiers as, well soldiers. This gives you three obvious reasons to replay the game. Each different class style provides new strategies for encounters and provides fun in different ways.

Beyond that the hybrids of each class represented a fun way to try something totally different, yet familiar. Look at how the Vanguard class changed over the game trilogy for an obvious example of that.

Ultimately if someone finds a game fun it isn't absurd, ludicrous or stupid to replay it. Fun is fun and isn't only found in the CG animation at the end.

It was a good game for its time, and I still don't think I'd go as far as to call it a bad game or the gameplay busted, but yeah, it had a lot of issues and I think the people who say it was a better game than 2 are nuts. I'd like to see many of the people who said ME3 was a bad game go back and play 1 again. That being said, I don't think the Mako was as bad as most other people say it was, and maybe we should stop assuming that everyone who likes original things that we don't like are "hipsters".

You're right it's not good...it's fucking amazing. Best new franchise of this gen.

You're right it's not good...it's fucking amazing. Best new franchise of this gen.

The first Mass Effect is weirdly enough the only game I love in the series. 2nd was okay. 3rd was uninteresting.

Very interesting I'm sure.

Man, you are just straight up wrong.

I actually found myself playing this again on the PC for the first time a few months ago. I didn't actually finish that run (I'm just firing it up occasionally and dicking around in it), but a large number of issues with the game are solved by playing it on a PC.

Also, with a smooth framerate the game is actually quite pleasant to look at. Sue me, I like futuristic lens flare, hovercars, and clean white surfaces. No, it isn't graphically up to par, but it's more original and more interesting aesthetically than most things released since.

I also watched my brother play some of 3 on the PC recently and I still can't muster up any interest in that game. The second game is one of the best of this generation, but that third game is so blandly written. Not even bad, just bland.

The original Mass Effect, and GTA IV should have been refused console release because they ran terrible. Mass Effect in particular became a slideshow for me at several points in addition to an overall sluggish feel throughout.

The original Mass Effect, and GTA IV should have been refused console release because they ran terrible. Mass Effect in particular became a slideshow for me at several points in addition to an overall sluggish feel throughout.

If they would just put controller support on the pc i would love to buy the entire series again and play it on there. Mass Effect 1 was not a perfect game, but it was definitely not a bad game at all. It was basically the first "next gen" RPG last gen, and was probably the most ambition one up until that point in time. I was playing it again a few months ago and it was still a good game. Sure the graphics are dated a bit (pop in bothered me more than the framerate), cumbersome inventory, and unrefined combat, but ti was still a great overall experience. I liked the mako honsestly, i thought it made the gameplay a bit more varied and made planet exploration a lot more fun than it was in 2 and especially in 3.

It's leagues better than ME2 or ME3, which lost their way pretty significantly from the original formula.

Man, can we just find a way to block old GB threads from popping up on Google? Too many of them getting necroed by 1-posters these days.

It's leagues better than ME2 or ME3, which lost their way pretty significantly from the original formula.

you must be playing a different game from when i played mass effect, texture pop in ? low fps ? long load times ? plus bad game ?, GET OUT OF HERE.

Mass effect one is one of the best games this generation. Truth.

Thinking back to the first Mass Effect, it was my favorite Mass Effect game. Also, if I try to forget about 2 and 3, I can actually say that it was a good game.

2 and 3 ruined the series for me, but mostly 3 and its ending made me see many of the series' problems. Like the Normandy's engines. I mean, what's with that placement? That's just not how it works! I've played Kerbal Space Program, man, it just doesn't work that way!

Lastly, I really liked the part of the first Mass Effect where one could go down to the surface of certain planets and do stuff freely, it just gave that game a more open feeling that I like to feel in games. I missed the Mako in the next two games, but apparently many people didn't. Oh, well. I'm done with Mass Effect for now.

Maybe a new game will come along and do that universe some justice for me.

Only thing I'm gonna say is that when you lead off your points of why a game is bad with the graphics, you already lost the argument.

Did I post in this thread 5 months ago? Hmm, looks like I did. Ok, good to know.

You're right, Mass Effect isn't a good game—it's a great game.

I tried to get into this game 4 times, but each time I gave up due to boredom or frustration. It always took months for me to convince myself to go back, and when I did, I'd restart and run into the same problems. I can only speak to the first handful of hours, but those hours are not very good.

You just got NECRO'D!

You just got NECRO'D!

I am of this opinion as well. The first game was really trying to be this amalgamation of RPG and shooter, with non-linear exploration and combat that actually heavily relied on your stats. The second and third are pretty much linear action games. I didn't even bother playing 3.

I thought Mass Effect 1 was amazing in almost every way. I played through it like four times. I thought Mass Effect 2 and 3 both played worse (I'd rather have the more RPG style combat of the first game than just bad third person shooter combat of the second two games) and story wise I thought they BOTH had such awful endings that ruined the few preceding awesome points. Also, Mass Effect 1 gave the player the most choice in my opinion, which is the entire reason I'm playing a Bioware RPG. Mass Effect 3 was full of forced dialog for Shepard.