Mass Alex: Mass Effect - Part 03

Just a quick heads up, since Vinny seems to be mixing up ME1 and 2 a bit:

1. The minerals you can come across on planets are more or less collectibles. If you find them all you'll complete a side quest and while you do get a good chunk of XP for each find, it's not really worth the trouble.

2. You'll not need to collect these things for upgrades later on. That's in 2, as part of the scanning mini game which 1 doesn't have either.

Not trying to backseat game or come across as a know-it-all, and you might as well grab whatever you come across naturally, but there's really no reason to go out of your way to find minerals. Unless you enjoy collecting them of course!

Edit: Oh... and manual save frequently. The auto saves on main missions especially are super random.

@arbuthnaut: TBF, I think what you're describing is kind of the key to enjoying any game without getting too bogged down in analysis.

The sound design in this game is really something. So much bass!

I didn't think we were gonna hold the line this hard until Virmire.

@scrollcourier: Frequent manual saving is critical in this game, especially on UNC worlds and the first part of Liara's planet. Having to replay half an hour or more of Mako stuff because you died sucks major ass.

@anonymous_jesse said:

I'm Commander Shep Shep and this is my favorite proposed name on the website.

I think Wrex is a cool person as well.

My new favorite series <3

THanks GB! Been waiting all week! I love this feature, so happy to be a member

This is almost as infuriating to watch as Metal Gear Scanlon. Every time Alex tries to figure something out, Vinny jumps in and says "No, I don't think that's right" then says something that only applies to ME2 and 3.

Curving powers around corners only happens in the later games. Omni-gel is NOT the same as Medi-gel.

And yes, the map sucks. At least they found the Journal for this one.

Funny, this exact thing happened to me last night. I was smart, saved right before a major firefight. Failed. Hit the wrong button and loaded the auto-save which was way back at the beginning. Went to load my manual save and accidentally saved *over* my manual save. So I have to start that planet from the beginning as I didnt keep multiple saves. Turned off the console in disgust (at myself) and went to bed. However, Lesson Learned! :)

Throw those grenades @alex - it's the back button during combat. Also, like someone already mentioned, the journal has also assignments tab for sidequests.

Mako tips:

• When on Mako, you can double zoom, which helps with taking out snipers and such - I think you have to click in the right(?) stick after holding down the left trigger.
• You can run over and ram stuff with the Mako which can be helpful against solitary targets.
• Jumping with the Mako is useful for dodging slow projectiles like rockets.
• You can use Mako as portable cover. It won't explode if you're outside of it. But if its sparking, never enter it unless you've killed all enemies nearby.
• Safest tactic is to use terrain as cover. Find a good position and peek over a hill to take potshots and then duck into cover until enemies are all dead.

The PC one is also trivially easy with a mouse. Looks like the controller mod Alex is using makes controlling it way worse, even when using a mouse.

The Mako combat works much better using the zoom and just cannon-sniping everything.

@justin258: Yeah, I remember playing ME1 on PC right when it came out and never had any issues with the hacking minigame using mouse and keyboard- I remember thinking it was almost pointlessly easy. Which makes Alex's struggles with it baffling to see- of course its cause they're using whatever mod it is for controller support.

Maybe their setup requires using a controller or that's just Alex's preference but I recall ME1's PC port being pretty good in terms of decent mouse/keyboard controls- they reworked a lot of the inventory/minigame stuff to work best with mouse/keyboard and you have easy quicksaving, which is pretty key at points in the game.

I love how everyone just turns to the right (their eyes dart to the right first though) very suspiciously to end a conversation. I had completely forgotten about that and I'm remembering just how funny it is.

I think it's just a comfort/preference thing for Alex. Mouse and keyboard support in Mass Effect 1 is pretty good, but if they're recording at the same desk where they play games live, I can't imagine mouse and keyboard play works all that well for the hour plus that Alex plays this thing.

Also, if I'm being honest, Mass Effect is really just a "controller" game. I know mouse and keyboard fans will argue with me to the end of time, but you spend half of these games running around talking to people. I don't want to do that with a mouse and keyboard. I want to do that leaned back, in a nice comfy chair, with my feet propped up on something.

I don't know why, but for some reason I never liked Wrex nor the Krogan race, I think they're just dumb and not the good type of dumb. (Grunt was kinda OK though).

Wrex and Jack were the characters I used the least on my squad for the whole series.

The Mako isn't just disliked because it's slow, floaty and has some issues with aiming and staying upright. You also mostly use it to travel long distances of sweet nothing. You occasionally have a cool setpiece moment with it during a story mission, and it's cool for that, but mainly you use it for sidequests on random planets. Every planet you can explore in Mass Effect 1 has some random mountainy featureless terrain that's a)not easy to have fun traversing with the Mako and b)isn't exactly exciting to look at. Then you get to the actual bases/caves where firefights happen and every interior is one of like, three or four? As much as I wished ME2 and 3 improved on this stuff rather than just remove it, I don't feel like very much of value was lost.

I've heard there were some exciting things to find in these side missions(a shifty cow and one of those krogan worm monsters), but I never saw those during my playthrough.

Tali and Liara are pretty cool too. Basically: screw Kaidan and Ashley.

This reminds me... I love these games and want to hear to everything everyone has to say.

Also - The combat is mind blowing better in me2 and me3 have way too much action

Ashley is awesome. Screw the haters. Honestly the only shitty companion in ME1 is Kaidan. Dude just sucks so much.

Every instance of Wrex saying "Shepard" is like a tiny kiss from an angel.

Today on the NAVARRO EFFECT!

FYI if anyone is playing through the series along with Alex on Xbox, a bunch of the dlc is currently on sale for ME 2 and 3

I love/hate that Vinnie can't stop thinking about things from Mass Effect 2. He keeps giving advice or saying things that don't have any bearing on this game such as near the end when Alex mines the deposit and Vinnie says he will need it for upgrades later.

enemy is everywhere

Female shepard performance is great but I am so used to default male shepard look and voice. It's an interesting take.

btw - renegade is amazing is ME games

ENEMIES EVERYWHERE

Man... I need this more than once a week.

I want to go to space, man!

Best intro!

I think they should ignore what people say and just play the way they want.

The best upgrade from ME1 to 2 is the simplified Citadel

oh the agony every Monday night! I just want to see the next episode!

BTW, ME2 and 3 DLC are on sale on xbox this week, for those looking to pick up stuff.

Vinny keeps thinking the biotic powers have travel time and curve through the air. They didn't start doing this until ME2.

Use the arrow keys or WASD for the hacking stuff, Alex. Makes it pretty easy.

Also I'm pretty sure you can retry if you fail.

Squad!

Hopefully they'll turn equipment to omni gel or just sell them soon.

allects navarro vas giantbomb

You have picked the correct two squadmates.

You could have saved Fist if you didn't bring Wrex to his office. Then he ends up in a little scene in ME2. It's not important at all but I enjoy little details like that.

I really want to see Alex invest points towards unlocking Lift. It's so useful for getting guys out of cover, or neutralizing a strong charging enemy.

Wait, he's playing the game slightly different than how I played it!

I will not accept this!

@vinny@alex

Don't forget to talk to your companions on the ship to learn about them and progress their stories. They always have new things to say after every main mission. Those conversations were my favourite thing about the first two games. I was sad that they downplayed it for Mass Effect 3.

@wonsdale:

Agreed! Talk to your entire crew on the ship after each mission! This is arguably the most important thing in the game.

Also, stop using so much fast travel on the Citadel! You might miss stuff, like Keepers and little side quests.

@landgrinch: Maaaan. The fact that people are still making a fuss over the name is fucking hilarious. It's perfect. Get a sense of humour.

Thought alex decided on Alex effect? Sounds so much better...