Recommended game to start with?

[󠀡󠀡]

I saw this game on sale for $6 and that felt like a steal. I never got into Mass Effect so I'd like to know if it really matters what game you start with, or if you should play them in order.

[Jámez Bondo]

You should absolutely start with ME 1 to properly understand the setting, because that is one of the biggest strengths of the series.

[Aergistal]

The trilogy is a single story and choices carry across, so play them in order. You can and should import the saves from a previous game in the next one.

[v.aurimas91]

Technically, choices carry-over to ME2 from ME1, but as far as I remember it only pertains to who is left alive in the last mission. ME1 is the most dated (currently towards the end of it myself) out of the three games.

[Steve (Dawn's Hubby)]

I would play the games in order. The codex is a great help and I have to admit that in my first play through I listened to/read every entry in it.

[Chummy 8]

Play them in order.

[dwhansen777]

In my second play through of the series now with the LE. I started this series once again with ME1...why...b/c ...knowing how the series ends with ME3... I want to relive the complete saga to fully experience again the Mass Effect trilogy.

[Jonathan J. O'Neill]

Originally posted by v.aurimas91:

Technically, choices carry-over to ME2 from ME1, but as far as I remember it only pertains to who is left alive in the last mission. ME1 is the most dated (currently towards the end of it myself) out of the three games.

There's a lot that will carry over from ME1 to ME2 and ME3. Not all of it is major but it does carry over.

This page lists pretty much everything:

https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/Save_File_Transfer

Even seemingly minor things will affect stuff like additional War Assets in ME3.

For example:

If the colonists of Zhu's Hope and Shiala are saved in Feros: The Thorian then they can become war assets.

or

Meeting Conrad Verner, collecting Matriarch Dilinaga's writings, the Elkoss Combine License, and Gavin Hossle's thumb drive gives an opportunity to acquire an additional 5 War Asset points during Citadel: Medi-Gel Sabotage. Helping Jenna will also affect the mission's outcome.

[v.aurimas91]

Originally posted by Jonathan J. O'Neill:

Originally posted by v.aurimas91:

Technically, choices carry-over to ME2 from ME1, but as far as I remember it only pertains to who is left alive in the last mission. ME1 is the most dated (currently towards the end of it myself) out of the three games.

There's a lot that will carry over from ME1 to ME2 and ME3. Not all of it is major but it does carry over.

This page lists pretty much everything:

https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/Save_File_Transfer

Even seemingly minor things will affect stuff like additional War Assets in ME3.

For example:

If the colonists of Zhu's Hope and Shiala are saved in Feros: The Thorian then they can become war assets.

or

Meeting Conrad Verner, collecting Matriarch Dilinaga's writings, the Elkoss Combine License, and Gavin Hossle's thumb drive gives an opportunity to acquire an additional 5 War Asset points during Citadel: Medi-Gel Sabotage. Helping Jenna will also affect the mission's outcome.

Yes, I'm well aware of that since I completed the original trilogy 4 times in the past. Like, the Rachni helping you in ME3, if you let the queen live in ME1. However, most of them are just miniscule decisions that, if someone never played ME 1, would not even notice.

If he wants to play from ME1, by all means, it is a trilogy, but he would not be missing much, if he'd skip ME1, because it's not really that fun to play anymore - it's really dated.

Hell, on that note, I was thinking of re-installing KOTOR I and II, but, it will be way more dated than ME1 at this point...

[Koala 4peace]

Originally posted by v.aurimas91:

Yes, I'm well aware of that since I completed the original trilogy 4 times in the past. Like, the Rachni helping you in ME3, if you let the queen live in ME1. However, most of them are just miniscule decisions that, if someone never played ME 1, would not even notice.

If he wants to play from ME1, by all means, it is a trilogy, but he would not be missing much, if he'd skip ME1, because it's not really that fun to play anymore - it's really dated.

Hell, on that note, I was thinking of re-installing KOTOR I and II, but, it will be way more dated than ME1 at this point...

Well, ME2 may not be as dated, but the gameplay is as bad as it was in the 360 and unfortunately they did not fix a single thing. Just my take, of course.

I think that if one is to be skipped, 2 is the one that adds less. Of course given the three a chance is a good idea.

[Belbe's Phyrexian Toy Collection]

Originally posted by Koala 4peace:

Originally posted by v.aurimas91:

Yes, I'm well aware of that since I completed the original trilogy 4 times in the past. Like, the Rachni helping you in ME3, if you let the queen live in ME1. However, most of them are just miniscule decisions that, if someone never played ME 1, would not even notice.

If he wants to play from ME1, by all means, it is a trilogy, but he would not be missing much, if he'd skip ME1, because it's not really that fun to play anymore - it's really dated.

Hell, on that note, I was thinking of re-installing KOTOR I and II, but, it will be way more dated than ME1 at this point...

Well, ME2 may not be as dated, but the gameplay is as bad as it was in the 360 and unfortunately they did not fix a single thing. Just my take, of course.

I think that if one is to be skipped, 2 is the one that adds less. Of course given the three a chance is a good idea.

agreed, ME2 is basically not worth playing as it discards everything that made ME1 good in favor of terrible gameplay and a story completely disconnected from every other game and its own DLC.

[Korinth]

ME2 was the best of them are you high ? when I'm thinking about Mass Effect I'm thinking about me and the team going to save the galaxy, it's the epitom of that in ME2.

ME1 gameplay is old and rubbish, I know multiple people who gave up on the entire trilogy because of the first game and its big empty maps. At least it's better with the Legendary edition.

[Korinth]

Anyway if we're talking about gameplay / gunplay... ME Andromeda is the best then LOL
https://youtu.be/HMP0LaA6bGk?si=qYTRcPoqurN_nu1j&t=6

Made a better mako and you can change the powers and gunplay however you want.

[Koala 4peace]

Originally posted by Hahli:

ME2 was the best of them are you high ? when I'm thinking about Mass Effect I'm thinking about me and the team going to save the galaxy, it's the epitom of that in ME2.

ME1 gameplay is old and rubbish, I know multiple people who gave up on the entire trilogy because of the first game and its big empty maps. At least it's better with the Legendary edition.

Since i'm replaying the series right now, i can say that ME2 combat is the worst by far. The balance is non existant; unless you are playing in anything but the highest two difficulties, powers are useless because you can kill everything with pistols faster. And in the highest difficulties powers are useless because by the time you take away the enemy's protections it is simply faster to keep shooting that using powers. The combat is so obviously undercooked that it is not even funny. They obviously meant for people to choose soldier or infiltrator.

Worse you can say about ME1 combat is that it is clunky, but at least it was not designed purely around soldiers and snipers.

[orthostatic]

Originally posted by 󠀡󠀡:

I saw this game on sale for $6 and that felt like a steal. I never got into Mass Effect so I'd like to know if it really matters what game you start with, or if you should play them in order.

Is there a "story mode" choice for ME1? (I can't remember.) Recommend that if only to get introduced to all of your beginning *tagonists and the story arc at large; really sets the stage for 2 and 3.

If the gameplay doesn't suit just choose the easiest gameplay modes and play it through for all the delightful story bits. These three games have so much to offer in that regard.

[Belbe's Phyrexian Toy Collection]

Originally posted by Koala 4peace:

Originally posted by Hahli:

ME2 was the best of them are you high ? when I'm thinking about Mass Effect I'm thinking about me and the team going to save the galaxy, it's the epitom of that in ME2.

ME1 gameplay is old and rubbish, I know multiple people who gave up on the entire trilogy because of the first game and its big empty maps. At least it's better with the Legendary edition.

Since i'm replaying the series right now, i can say that ME2 combat is the worst by far. The balance is non existant; unless you are playing in anything but the highest two difficulties, powers are useless because you can kill everything with pistols faster. And in the highest difficulties powers are useless because by the time you take away the enemy's protections it is simply faster to keep shooting that using powers. The combat is so obviously undercooked that it is not even funny. They obviously meant for people to choose soldier or infiltrator.

Worse you can say about ME1 combat is that it is clunky, but at least it was not designed purely around soldiers and snipers.

this.

having played the trilogy over a dozen times I can confidently say that ME2 was always an annoying slog that was neither challenging or fun, just extremely tedious.

ME2 combat is an absolute joke and feels like complete garbage. this combined with the way missions are structured makes the game feel like a chore to get a perfect ending. On top of that all the characters are psychotic or insane and their loyalty missions are basically humoring their insanity to murder people. The writing is just bad, the story is a ♥♥♥♥ show, and the gameplay is patently mediocre.

Originally posted by Hahli:

ME2 was the best of them are you high ? when I'm thinking about Mass Effect I'm thinking about me and the team going to save the galaxy, it's the epitom of that in ME2.

ME1 gameplay is old and rubbish, I know multiple people who gave up on the entire trilogy because of the first game and its big empty maps. At least it's better with the Legendary edition.

first off no need to insult other people for their preferences, if you enjoy ME2 that's fine, but everyone is entitled to their opinion in this issue.

ME1 is a bit dated and clunky but it was interesting, innovative and ahead of its time, but ME3 is a wonderfully tuned game that makes all classes viable and enjoyable. The varied unique AI and their different combinations lends itself to a DOOM like combat that engages the player with the systems. The story makes sense and the characters are sane. All in all ME3 is the best of the trilogy.

Originally posted by Hahli:

Anyway if we're talking about gameplay / gunplay... ME Andromeda is the best then LOL
https://youtu.be/HMP0LaA6bGk?si=qYTRcPoqurN_nu1j&t=6

Made a better mako and you can change the powers and gunplay however you want.

I will say ME: Andromeda has the best mechanics and gunplay but the enemies provided makes the combat super boring. I like to think of it like ME3 is DOOM (2016) and Andromeda is DOOM Eternal but every enemy is fodder. ME: Andromeda is an incomplete game that has a lot of good improvements to the ME3 formula but then throws them out because of lacking content in terms of enemy and combat design.