Fixing Mass Effect 3

I've previously wrote that BioWare's Mass Effect 2 was a flawed masterpiece. I've read that Mass Effect 3 will come out in March of 2012. Let's hope that they fix the following flaws from the previous game and keep certain things from previous games. Note that some of the fixes are not necessarily technical fixes.

A. Fixes.

1. Get rid of the mining. This mini-game which is necessary was so mind numbing boring that if you suffer from insomnia, it will cure it. In the first Mass Effect, it's one touch mining. Perhaps BioWare should return to that.

2. Fix the tiny text. This is primarily a problem with SDTVs. But even on HDTVs the text is small. First, BioWare should realize there are still many SDTVs out there. Now every month, those old TVs are becoming less and less but there are still a significant number out there.

The fix would be to get rid of all the empty space that Mass Effect 2 had versus text. Scenes regularly have about seventy percent wasted space with neon graphics. For example, loading screens would have tips at the bottom but the screen is about ninety five per cent graphics. I would rather read the glorious details about the Mass Effect world than stare at empty graphics.

3. Simplify weapons upgrades. While Mass Effect 2 had a more understandable upgrade system than its predecessor, the game still required you to basically buy the game guide to figure out how it worked.

What they should do is just have a simple numerical upgrade. For example, name the upgrades by weapon such as assault rifle upgrade one. Then when a player maxes out an upgrade, inform the player he need not seek more upgrades.

4. Allow the player to take off his helmet. In Mass Effect 1, you could wear or not wear your helmet during a mission. In Mass Effect 2, you cannot. I want to take off my helmet when I engage in cutscenes. I want to look at my face as I talk to other characters.

5. Add mini-games when the main missions are over. In Mass Effect 2, the game ends and you are left on the bridge of the Normandy with nothing to do. If BioWare really wants an open world game, then let the player do some mini-games. Perhaps allow him to fight on a disputed world with variable enemies coming at him each time he lands. Or have a space casino with gambling games such as poker and black jack.

6. Allow the player to replay missions. Again if BioWare wants an open world type of game, allow the player to replay missions at the end of the story.

7. Allow multiple simultaneous love interests. This would be fun. Yeah, I know the Moral Majority would hate it. But let's face it, this is a video game. And by the way, if you choose Miranda as your girlfriend, BioWare had better realize that Ashley dumped you. So, it ain't your fault over the broke relationship. Yeah, I saw what happened when you try to get two women. Video below. So why not allow the player to have both? It's the male fantasy come true. :-)

B. Keep these things from the previous Mass Effect games.

1. Improved targeting from Mass Effect 2.

2. Doable Achievements Unlike Halo 3, the Insanity difficulty for Mass Effect 2 was not ridiculous hard.

3. Maintain the action in this RPG. Yeah, I know some hate the focus of action over the RPG elements. But frankly since you can create a character, it's still a RPG. The action makes the game more dynamic.

4. Allow you to import your character from Mass Effect 2. Hey, it took me a long time to create my Shepard character to look like me. So, allow me to import him to Mass Effect 3.

5. Bring back Miranda. Yes, I want Miranda back. She's played by the beautiful Yvonne Strahovski. (Chuck) (Pictured; real actress on right.) She's a little mysterious but please keep her a good girl. At the end of the game I want her by my side. Hey, we're role playing here.

In Mass Effect, this funny scene happens when you try to choose both women.


Trailer for Mass Effect 3.