The Affect, of the Effect... (5/5)

The world burning wasn't enough to capture Shepherd's attention...that Space Hamster sure can squeak.

Back to the Future?

As you may have guessed, this isn't yet an "up to date/on the pulse/buzzing frenzy of futurism" kind of review...i don't have access to next months games and if I did i wouldn't be taking the time to write about last months.

In relevant terms, this blog is the on-your-back-windy-handle phone in a world of touch-screen smart phones - but let's hope it retains character.

Subsquently i'm going to start with a Gaming Franchise that, for me, defined RPG in it's most eloquent forms... MASS EFFECT 1, 2 & 3

Chu-Chu-Chu-Chunk it up!

Alright Johnny BigBollocks, you've started a review blog with a Trilogy, and one steeped in controversy none the less, so why? Well the simple question is I LOVE this franchise...I love it more than fat kids love cookies, than Tom Cruise loves playing the same character and suspect religions, I love it more than...well...something that tops the previous ones in a comedic way.

In short, i was told long ago to "write what you know" and I Know Mass Effect - so here's the low down.

...hell hath no fury like a Woman with SPECTRE status.

Progression

For me, Mass Effect is an excellent example of how games can advance from release to release, and still retain the world they so lovingly crafted in the first instance.

In ME1 the ammo is as infinite as the the time it takes you to drive out of the crater you bounced into when driving the MAKO around some pretty similar landscapes.

Bosses come in the form quantity of foes, rather than quality, surrounding themselves with Mercenaries who lovingly drop the best loot and leave the rest to bloat your bank account.

But the sense of the world is there, the Politics, the action, the romance...it's Sci-Fi in it's most perfect form - a platform in which to explore the deeper aspects of that psychotic ape, ourselves.

"...it's Sci-Fi in it's most perfect form - a platform in which to explore the deeper aspects of that psychotic ape, ourselves."

Then in ME2 they've clearly learnt from the gaming errors, feeding the action sequences whey-protein by the gallon and neatly hooking it onto beautifully crafted dialogue. The characters, new and old, are there if you want them, each with a side-quest that could makes character development in high-budget TV shows look like a high-school musical. The team too, have added a little something, a touch of darkness to counteract the "space adverturer" feel of ME1 and it works excellently - bringing deeper contrast and darker pallets to work alongside the tone of the game, one of desperation, of options running out - you really felt that time was against you.

"...the tone of the game, one of desperation, of options running out - you really felt that time was against you."

This may have contributed to the near-redundancy of the Mako, but scanning your way around the universe has it's moments of tedium. Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent way of extending the gameplay, drawing out elements of customisation and progression from a character's point of view, but it's the space equivalent of cowboys putting their pistols down in the middle of a shoot-out to pan for Gold.


And then came the much anticipated, and controversially accepted, ME3. It brought with it all the space-faring adventure of ME1, not to mention the Thresher-maws who had also been sucking on some of that whey-protein from ME2. It brought with it, the darkness of the second release and made a realistic war, one with Black & White, yes...but there were seas of grey, confused parties and terrible decisions.

ME3 is the icing on the cake, it is still the franchise you love but it's grown-up, developed and blossomed into a AAA release from a creative team who seem to be going from strength to strength. Not only in terms of incredible visual art, but in the art of structure, of storyline and of emotional involvement.

"...a AAA release from a creative team who seem to be going from strength to strength."

 Summa-rise Sir Knight!

What you have here is a rare beauty, in a rare media. Game design at the moment is going through the Golden Age that Film was 20 years ago, and TV was before that. It's progressive, it's popular and at the moment, it's unpolluted...Mass Effect is a work of Creative Genius and every iota of effort has been made to make the entire genre something you can latch on to and love.

Yes there was controversy over how it all ended, but when you create something this epic, this expansive is there really a way for you to end it? My final word to all the people who played through to the end and threw their toys out the pram, those detritus-infested-fools who took law action against the team for "being let down" is this...

If you got on a train for a long long journey, and it was a beautiful train, comfortable and enjoyable...would you really give a flea's scrotum of care to how it pulled into the station, or would you appreciate it for what it was?

An incredible vehicle by which you may journey to another world.