Mass Effect

Ya I was a Vanguard. Easiest one IMO.

You need a health interface for your armor. It's the only way to live as an adept, engineer, etc.

Yeah, anyone who isn't a soldier has a medical upgrade in their armor for me. Otherwise, you're boned. If you do that, it's possible, and I believe Smas when he says that the shotty is a killer. Used correctly, it's always powerful in video games. I just like the versatility of the assault rifle better.

Yeah, I only used the shotgun through the whole game and with Liari throwing people in the air, and then Garrus shooting his assault rifle, it was pretty easy to do.

Yeah, the difficulty curve was lacking. I had the force b1tch and that hacker alien in my party. I didnt need to do anything other than blast fo's with my gat and let them do the rest.

no, really, i only ever used my pistol.

The game is designed on where you can use a pistol, shotgun, assault rifle and sniper throughout the game.

Even a magic user could probably use magic instead of weapons.

I like Bioware games because its more about the story, and gameplay that overt difficulty.

I liked KOTOR for that reason because its really hard to portray a character who is supposed to be a hardcore marine, or Jedi when he/she dies every two minutes from crazy difficulty. Its more about the puzzles than anything else.

I have no complaints about difficulty. I die occasionally, so it's still believably hard.

Like Smas said, so long as it isn't too easy or too hard, story and gameplay should take precedence over difficulty.

Especially for a story heavy, and story dependent game like Mass Effect.

Right, exactly. It's only if I notice it that it becomes a problem. For example, Viewtiful Joe: too hard. WindWaker: too easy. Most games are fine though, and the focus is elsewhere.

Meh, Zelda games are hardly difficult nowadays because they follow the exact same formula.

Wind Waker was easy but it made it up with excellent visuals, and solid gameplay.

Originally posted by Smasandian
Meh, Zelda games are hardly difficult nowadays because they follow the exact same formula.

Wind Waker was easy but it made it up with excellent visuals, and solid gameplay.

Disagree. It was middle school tripe stuck between the far-superior Ocarina and Twilight Princess. Too much sailing, and no challenge. I died twice....once was on purpose. The second was just sloppy gaming. That obscured whatever else the game did well for me.

Meh,

The both follow the same formula. Its not about dying that Zelda is, its about the puzzles.

I never died in Zelda games, but some puzzles took me a few times to figure out.

Still. I felt trepidation during the final boss of TP, and at random other times. Puzzle-emphasis or not, if you die twice in a game that's 20+ hours, it was too easy. Windwaker was just like beating my sister at basketball. Slight ego boost, but mostly just boredom and slight guilt. That sword through his skull at the end wasn't nearly enough to compensate.

Maybe it was also because I had just played Metroid Prime. Timing. The final boss was a "holy sh*t" moment for me, and nothing in WW measured up.

Also, I'm glad you liked WW.

😛

I guess.

I didnt really bother me. I dont really have time to replay the same part due to developers masochistic attitude.

If games are to ever be considered art, its got get away from the idea that it has to be always a challenge, or it has to be a certain length.

Originally posted by Smasandian
I guess.

I didnt really bother me. I dont really have time to replay the same part due to developers masochistic attitude.

If games are to ever be considered art, its got get away from the idea that it has to be always a challenge, or it has to be a certain length.

Agreed. But again, you lose your main audience if it's either too hard or too easy. Games should be fun, first and foremost, not art. And difficulty issues make it considerably less fun.

I couldn't care less about length though. I beat Half-Life 2 in under 15 hours. Awesome game. I spent 100+ hours on Oblivion. Awesome game. The experience is what counts.

Exactly.

Look at Bioshock, great game, but its not amazing because I was bored by the last 5 hours. Not exciting at all.

If they cut that out, I would consider it the best of last year.

...friend of mine keeps trying to give me his Bioshock. I realize it's sweet, but shooters are low-ish on the totem pole for me, regardless of quality. And I have Mass Effect to finish and GTA to play.

Anyway, we're agreed on the length thing. 10 hours or 100, it's the quality that counts. I do think challenge level plays an important role though, more so than length.

I guess.

I find it somewhat weird to play a game on where your a kickass soldier, or whatever and you die from weak enemy type. It doesnt feel empowering, more of a game.

Thats why I liked this game, and KOTAR. You kicked ass and every enemy type generally died, while the bosses were a tad bit more difficult.

The challenge wasnt there but the story, atmosphere and the actual gameplay kept me enthralled.

Finished. Good times. Not as mind-numbingly epic as advertised (I guess I've just seen similarly awesome stuff from various sources). But fun. I'll look forward to a sequel.

It's gonna be a trilogy I believe.