Mass Effect

[Kekvit Irae]

I got max paragon and max renegade on my first playthrough.

The only things I hate about Mass Effect was A) the Mako drives like Britney Spears on acid, B) the Normandy REALLY needs to install a higher-powered elevator (Seriously, it'll be quicker just to go down a ladder than to use that thing), and C) the texture lag.

[Lehesu]

I liked the game, but had the same gripe against it that I had against Jade Empire. The combat is somewhat unfulfilling. The Mako, which makes up a goodly percentage of the combat, is a terrible role-playing crutch because it doesn't reflect any skill development. Considering that most all of the skills involved combat, it is surprising that such skills got little use compared to other RPGs.

[frogbeastegg]

I solved most of my mako related ills by rolling up until I was just in range with the cannon, taking out the tough targets like geth colossi with it, then hopping out to handle everything else on foot. You get more XP this way too.

As far as I can see the character combat skills vary in usefulness considerably. I confess I barely used any of my soldier's skills. Skills like fitness will be more use on the higher difficulties; there is no need for 80% damage reduction on the standard difficulty because by the time you get it your armour is so good your shields take a lot of bringing down and will recharge in a matter of seconds. It's the early game where you need it, and you can't afford the skill then. Kaiden and Garrus were throwing out a constant barrage of biotic and tech skills, and to great effect. Most of the tougher set piece battles involved them throwing, sabotaging and lifting the nastier enemies while I took out the peons with my assault rifle and felt semi-redundant. Then I got my spectre VII assault rifle and some high end upgrades and nothing could stand before me.

Playing as a tech, biotic or one of the mixed classes is probably more varied in combat, but I have vague hopes of completing the game 1050/1050, and a soldier seems better suited to the hardest difficulty levels. More health and shield power plus mastery in all weapons = combat powerhouse with high survivability ... I hope. I'm going to do the high difficulty run seperately, with a level 60 character with the best gear. Speeding straight through the plot with no side quests sounds like my best hope of survival.

[Kekvit Irae]

You'll be definitely singing a different tune about not needing skills once you hit Hardcore mode. My suggestion is a Soldier with Barrier (you will NEED barrier to survive as a tank), or an Adept with either Electronics (shields = love) or Shotgun or Assault Rifle. Shotgun will help you early on, but you'll score much more damage at range with a Spectre X assault rifle with damage and heat upgrades. Also, if going Adept (which really shines in Hardcore and Insane), be absolutely sure to pick the subclass that upgrades Singularity. Nothing sucks worse than stopping three charging Krogans only to find out that you cant harm them until the effect wears off.
Supplement your party with both Garrus (electronics and sniper rifle), Wrex (OMG TANK RUSH KEKEKEKE), or Liara (biotics in Hardcore = essential).

[Lehesu]

What I meant to say is this: the game is already fairly light on combat compared to other RPGs. It's mainly story and dialogue driven, which is fine because the both are quite excellent. This amount of combat is further split up into Mako and non-Mako sections, further reducing the impact of skills. I am not arguing that the skills aren't useful; they are.

[frogbeastegg]

You'll be definitely singing a different tune about not needing skills once you hit Hardcore mode.

I fully expect to die swiftly, messily, and repeatedly

[Monk]

I was paragon the first time through, so my second playthrough will be renegade. I have my fingers crossed that they have gone a different route to the usual "I will steal your sweets and then kick sand in your face! :evil laugh:" depiction.

Renegade is a much funner game. In Kotor and kotor2 I hated being evil, I really did because the game almost guilts you when you did something bad. Like "OMG HOW COULD YOU KILL HIM HE HAD A WIFE AND KIDS!". Mass Effect on the other hand doesn't really guilt you too much when you do something seedy, in fact it rewards you a lot of times with dark humor to go along with your alien-hating, genocide conducting, baby-eating Shepard.

Oh yeah. You remember the News Reporter? The one who ambushes you for an interview?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

You get to punch her in the face.

I mean. Come ON! Best game ever for that alone.

The galaxy becomes a very different place if you are renegade, especially if you take the renegade ending to go along with your reign of hilarious terror. To be quite honest ever since I saw the renegade play-through I haven't had it in me go to back to Paragon when I have an itch to play, I still crack up at some parts of the game I know I shouldn't just because of the dialogue the characters respond with.

[frogbeastegg]

Well, I have already (minor spoiler for the first hour)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Punched out the 'crazy' guy who is hiding in the shed with the other scientist. The one who says the end of all life is coming, everyone and everything is doomed, etc.

That was unnervingly funny. "Yeah, well he's a lot calmer now," says my Shepard in a deadpan.

I can't wait until I meet the council.

[pevergreen]

This game is sounding better and better!

If only I could get into the storyline part of RPG's.

[Mailman653]

Well, I just got done with bringing down the sky and it was pretty fun. This is my second playthrough, I'm on hardcore with a level 50 something vanguard. Those missle towers make quick work of the Mako, I had to save every two towers I took down unless I wanted to go through the gauntlet over and over.

The funny thing, my first time with the game I got almost all paragon, this second time I'm trying to go renegade, yet somehow I still mange to have a higher level of paragon, maybe I'm still being too nice. It's fun to see Sheperd go bad ass on people.

I agree with Kekvit, your going to need those special powers once you step up the difficulty, great armor and guns help alot, but sometimes you'll need that extra push to take down aliens. Liara is awesome with biotics of course, she was a major asset when I took on Benezia the first time around. Most of the time I use Tali and Ashley together, or Garrus or Ashley, or Liara and any of those menttioned, I probablly don't use Wrex and that other guy that offten, especially that other guy, I can't even remember his name I barely use him ha ha ha.

I haven't made it too far into hardcore yet, only did a few side missions and rescued Liara, so maybe my teams will have to get switched up again depending on what kind of stiff resistance the AI will put.

[OverKnight]

My computer is at minimum specs for the PC release. It looks like I'm going to have to breakdown and upgrade my system.

That's usually how it goes, I limp along with an aging system until a desirable game forces me into acknowledging its obsolescence. Curses.

Of course I could just buy a 360 . . .but I like playing with a mouse and keyboard.