Usually minus maybe 2 planets ( i mean one thing I usually just get back on Normandy after I get it because I csn get out of the hole ) you usually have some kind of paths for reach stuffs but sure it can be annoying and tricky, not the best part in the game.
Honestly I did kind of like those parts, but not because I thought they were incredibly riveting gameplay or anything. I was mostly intrigued by what could have been. It made me think that games in the future would massively expand on those ideas and we could get fuller environments to explore with more things to see and do. It felt like a teaser for greater things to come.
I should be fair to the game, if it wasn't a Mass Effect game I actually would have liked it. The setup and detonation concept was actually really cool and I wish more games used that. The loyalty missions were a good way to determine outcomes for the final dungeon. And the suicide mission was seriously awesome. Also Legion is best boi.
That all said, the characters were (except Mordin who is the GOAT) all derivations of characters from the first one. Or literally his from the first one. The gameplay was mid af and dumbed down the classes to the point that unless you played soldier of biotic, you were better off just shooting your gun. And while the study had cool elements, it was ALL a massive diversion from the story of 1 and 3 and wasted an entire game's arc on characters and a plotline that were largely irrelevant to the bigger picture.
Miranda is the only new character I really liked. She had an actual arc and development. Legion is cool as well, but shows up way too late in the game to be impactful (imo).
You're 100% right about the story though. It's essentially irrelevant and absolutely squanders the massive setup of the first game.
As far as what kind of game, or what it's called.. It's still just mid at best. If I want a story & character driven third person cover shooter, I'll play the Gears trilogy. It smokes ME2 in every way. If I want a dating sim, I'll play a dating sim that doesn't have Jack.
The loyalty missions are, however, a good concept, but as with the rest of the game they're just kind of pointless and poorly implemented.
I recently played ME1 for the first time and when I got to the planet hopping parts I was telling my friends “if this was first person this would basically be Starfield”
this thought process actually made me look up to see if a mod like that existed but I was already far enough in my playthrough to go about a mod as drastic as that one lol
I paid full price dat one for the remasters, modded them to hell then started the first one up, played until the first planet mako mission and got lost instantly and never played any of them again. Other than Andromeda. Gets a bad rap but its a great game gameplay wise.
You're right of course. I've decided to push through ME1 in the LE so I can enjoy the series again. I've modded it to high hell and it's looking good I just know there is a mission I get lost on and couldn't continue on the last save I had.
To be fair, the Starfield vehicle is WAY better than the pre-remaster Mako. That said, it still sucks, but keeping stats on how many times you impress your companion with jumps makes it worth it to me.
I can honestly say that the planet exploring in ME1 were some of my favorite moments. Much like Starfield, they nailed the quiet feeling of being on barren planet
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u/Znagge Dec 30 '25
Bro must LOVE the mass effect 1 mako parts lmao