"Beside The Dying Fire" was a great episode of The Walking Dead, and for several reasons. For one reason... ZOMBIES! For another reason, it really did a great job of teasing season 3 with a couple of fan-favorite storylines being revealed (which I'll begin a discussion about later, for risk of *spoilers*).
Following the last two weeks on the show, we are left without Dale and Shane, the exact left and right on the survivor's moral compass. Dale was often the voice of caution, while Shane the voice of risk, and now both are gone, after having their own morality pushed to the brink by the group. The death of Dale was somewhat-expected, but Shane's death was a surprise to everyone, including the comic fans that knew it was inevitable. And the fact that it happened at Rick's hands made it much more heart-breaking, especially with Rick's near-breakdown during that scene.
So now, after the always-neglected Carl (seriously, where is his mother?) puts a cap in the reincarnated Shane, we're left with the impending zombie invasion reaching the farm. This group of walkers has seemingly been walking since the first season, when Rick saw the helicopter in Atlanta. After hearing the gunshots let off by Shane and Carl, they are now on the brink of their ultimate feast.
Rick and Carl struggle to survive as they make it back to the farm, while the others try and find a way to survive while escaping. I thought the scenes with Rick and Carl together were pretty cool, especially as Rick shows his son the ropes on zombie-killing, by leading them into the barn and having Carl help him set them ablaze. Family bonding... I also found it funny that only when a zombie herd approaches the farm does Lori finally realize that her son is missing, and begins a drastic search for him. Bitch, there's only about a dozen people left on the planet, and you can't even look after the one that's your child?!?! Anywho, I'm getting away from the point...
I was expecting Herschel to go down with his farm, but that was not the case. We finally got rid of some dead weight, as the only people with less lines than T-Dogg (Jimmy and Otis' wife, I forget her name) finally bit it, both in equally dumb yet satisfyingly gruesome ways. The group successfully manages to escape the farm, albeit without any supplies, and heads to where the season began, the freeway. Andrea, however, is abandoned not once, but twice, and left for dead on the farm, surrounded by the mindless horde.
Also, I just need to say, that the shot of Darryl looking upon the burning farm, is one of the best camera shots I've ever seen on a television show. And I'd really like to get my hands upon Herschel's shotgun, which has some unlimited ammo cheat code. He honestly fired constantly for minutes, reloading only once. At least he had a pretty badass moment before escaping (I believed him to be a dead man in this episode).
While escaping, T-Dogg finally had some lines (success!), and was convinced that he would head for the east coast, which sounds a lot better than hanging around in the woods for another few months as winter approaches. However, he was vetoed by Lori, who finally begins caring about her family, and a silent Beth, who's dumbstruck by the death of two of the only people she knows.
After the survivors (sans Andrea) meet up on the freeway, they all agree to begin heading away from the farm. Rick decides that going after Andrea (whose most likely dead) is a suicide mission, so he calls off a rescue and they begin heading away from the area. Meanwhile, Andrea is researching the #1 rule of zombie survival: cardio. She seemingly runs all night away from the pursuing herd, and officially punches her badass card as we see her deal away several walkers in ass-kickery fashion.
Finally, we come upon the ending, which reveals 4 big revelations. Here they are, in no specific order:
1.) We officially find out what Jenner whispered into Rick's ear at the end of season 1 in the CDC. We find out that everyone is infected with the disease, and the catalyst is death. I suspected this, as the show eluded to it all season (from the dead police officers to Randall and Shane becoming reincarnated with no bites), but the way that they actually revealed it was genius. Props to the writers for managing to keep what might have been a relatively minor thing and teasing us with it all season long.
2.) Rick finally becomes the badass he's notorious for being in the comics. After the death of Shane at his own hands and the constant rebuttals from everyone in the group that's constantly begging him for help, he snapped. This, to me, was the most intense scene of the entire season. We see Rick, who's always been the calm leader under pressure, reach his breaking point. He tells the entire group that it's no longer a democracy, and if they want to keep following him, they're going to listen to him. It was nice to see him shut up that stupid zombie bait, Carol, who's always nagging everyone for anything. It was also cool to see the other "men" in the group, Darryl, T-Dogg, and Herschel, give him the look of approval. The Ricktatorship begins!
3.) Andrea, after running out of ammo, is saved by a mysterious hooded character with a katana and two chained-up, armless zombie pets. I don't even read the comics, but I know that this character is the infamous Michonne. I could almost hear the country-wide nerdgasm as the shot revealed Michonne and her zombie pals, which is sure to shake up the show quite a bit. Not only is Andrea, a newly-appointed badass, saved, but she happens to be saved by a fan favorite character who's going to be officially introduced in season 3. I cannot wait to see the wrecking crew that the gruesome twosome of Andrea and Michonne make! Especially now that Andrea has an ax to grind with the entire group for ditching her!
4.) As the show came to an end, I assumed that the season was going to end with the group abandoned in the woods. I had heard grumblings of a certain politically-named character getting cast, so I just assumed that it would be revealed in season 3, as the farm was in season 2. However, I was EXTREMELY happy to see the final shot being a wide view of the prison. It's now inevitable that the poodoo is going to hit the fan in season 3. I should have taken the non-too-subtle hints throughout the episode ("We need to find a place to barricade! To fortify!") with a grain of salt. I cannot wait to see the dynamic of the group clashing with the Governor and his goons (perhaps Randall's buddies) in season 3!
Although the first half of the season went very slow, the show returned from its mid-season break extremely strong. I think that this is mostly due to the change of showrunners (now former "The Shield" E.P. Glen Mazzara is in charge), and according to interviews, the attitude and tone of the last few episodes of this season is going to be the format for the upcoming season 3. As a fan, I am extremely excited to see how Michonne, the Governor, and the prison play out with the current cast of characters, who just survived a horrendous event, and have now reached the point of desperation.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Album Review: Soulfly - "Enslaved"
Soulfly is a pretty notorious band in the metal world. Max Cavalera, the founder, frontman, and main songwriter for the band, is within the upper echelon of the metal hierarchy. He is legendary mostly for his stint in one of the best metal bands of all-time, Sepultura, but has spent the last 15 years turning Soulfly into what it is now, a stalwart of the metal community.
However, despite Soulfly being well-known and inspirational in the metal world, it is mostly a hit-or-miss band. Their first album was great, a nice mix of the tribal metal Cavalera became known for in Sepultura with the nu-metal that was popular at the time. However, for the few years that followed, Soulfly became strictly a nu-metal band, losing itself within the times. But when "Dark Ages" dropped in 2005, a new wave of inspiration hit the band. Dropping all influences, the band seemingly began to focus on creating solid metal outings that sounded like no one else, and the band has been on a pretty great roll since then.
So, 7 years and 3 albums later, the band drops "Enslaved." In the months prior to its release, many of the band members hyped it up as a return to Cavalera's "death/thrash" heyday in Sepultura. Did it live up to this hype?
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1.) "Resistance"
This song begins with a strong bassline and a strong hook that continues through its short shelf life, but it's most noticeably an introduction song. I'd compare it to "Execution" off of Slipknot's most recent album, in that it doesn't go anywhere, but rather introduces the rest of the album. If you're buying songs off of iTunes or something similar (as opposed to the entire album) just give this one a skip. However, it does start the album off in a good way.
2.) "World Scum"
Another song intro'd by a strong bass line by new bassist Tony Campos, which quickly diverges into the death/thrash territory that the band hyped. Cavalera has help from Cattle Decapitation vocalist Travis Ryan on this song, and his addition easily makes this not only one of the heaviest songs on the album, but one of the heaviest tracks that Soulfly has ever done. It's clear to tell why they chose this song to be the first single released a couple of months back, as it showcases what's to come on the rest of the album; new drummer David Kinkade described it perfectly as "'Arise' on crack" (referencing one of Sepultura's best works).
3.) "Intervention"
This song sounds like more of the usual Soulfly. It's a lot chunkier than "World Scum" in that it features more prominent hooks and turns. Longtime Soulfly guitarist (and frequent Cavalera Conspirator) shines on this one. The most noticeable difference in this and previous Soulfly songs is the breakdown near the end, which Soulfly really hasn't tried before. Regardless, a good song. 8/10
4.) "Gladiator"
An interesting intro leads to a riff-heavy song that's one of the catchier songs on the album. However, don't take that as being a "radio-friendly" song. This one sounds like it could have been on the last Cavalera Conspiracy album, as it features the kind of groove that's normally reserved for that band, but it's still heavy. Rizzo gets some more time to shine, and he gets to flex his virtuoso muscles a little with sitar-influenced breakdowns in between grooving and soloing like a madman. Probably one of my favorite songs on the album, because it's a song that takes only a single breath in between the many twists and turns, and the chants of "Hail Caesar!"
5.) "Legions"
A sound effect of marching intros this song, which quickly turns into another fast-speed groovefest, led by Rizzo yet again. This song sets itself apart from "Gladiator" in that it's catchy, but is more chunky in parts yet faster throughout the verses. By this point in the album, Soulfly have created yet another sound for themselves. Rizzo leads with a very melodic solo about halfway through the song, another thing that is very unheard of in Soulfly's discography, but it quickly returns to the metal insanity before settling down with the calming sounds of distant gunfire.
6.) "American Steel"
What sounds like it may be a Toby Keith anthem sung at a Republican convention is very much not. This song is a fast-paced thrasher throughout the first minute of its running time, and then turns into a chunky groove metal piece after that (the change is very unexpected, which is interesting). Cavalera gives one of his heaviest, most guttural performances in this song, proving that despite his age (which usually limits metal vocalist over 40), he is nowhere near being done, and sounds more pissed than he has in quite some time.
7.) "Redemption Of Man By God"
This song features one of my favorite (and one of the best) metal vocalists, Dez Fafara from Devildriver, so odds are that I'm going to like it. And that I do. A creepy, calm intro brings the song in, and sounds very unlike normal Soulfly, before turning into another heavy thrash-fest. The trade-off between Cavalera and Fafara sounds good, with Fafara's higher-pitched shrieks adding extra depth to the formalities. I'd compare this tune to "Lethal Injection" off of their last album, "Omen", in that the guest vocalist (in that song's case, Tommy Victory from Prong) doesn't change the format of the song, but rather adds to what's already there. Another great song, featuring a tempo change near the end that's really unexpected but still keeps you interested.
8.) "Treachery"
A brutal "This is treachery!" scream brings this song in, before turning into what is probably the fastest song on the album. Kinkade's drumming and Rizzo's guitar work really lead this song, as this song is all about the thrash. The grooves in this song are rare, but when they hit you, they hit you hard. And despite it being the fastest song on the album, that doesn't stop it from featuring a very melodic solo from Rizzo, who finally gets to show his expert guitar skills on this album. Kinkade's inhumanly-fast double bass drum kicks end the album in style.
9.) "Plato O Plomo"
To be honest, I have no idea what the song title means or lyrically implies but this is another good song. This is one of the groovier songs on the album, and sounds similar to something you'd hear on an Ankla album. There are many Latino references in the song, not only from the Portuguese lyrics, but from Tony Campos' added vocals, the tribal/flamenco guitar by Rizzo, and the additional content within the song. If you like Latin-flavored metal, then this is your jam.
10.) "Chains"
This is definitely one of the more "epic" songs that Soulfly has ever done, from the extended intro to sheer length (it's over 7 minutes long). It's definitely a slower, chuggier song than Soulfly is used to, but it somehow works to the band's advantage; I'd go as far to say that this song is a bigger departure than anything else on the album, in that it's more doom-inspired. Of course, there are moments of thrash, but this is largely a slower-paced song that builds up throughout its running time. Definitely one of my favorite songs on the album.
11.) "Revengeance"
This song is a great closer to the album, in that it features all three of Cavalera's sons, including his stepson Richie Cavalera, the vocalist to the criminally underrated metal band Incite. This track definitely follows the death/thrash influence to its end, and showcases all three of Cavalera's sons' talents masterfully.
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Vocals:
Max Cavalera definitely has his own distinct style of vocals, and it hasn't changed or varied much in the nearly 30 years he's been in the metal scene. If you've enjoyed any of his vocal material from his days in Sepultura, Naildown, Cavalera Conspiracy, or even this band, Soulfly, then you'll appreciate his work on this album. He definitely tries to give it a deeper, more guttural approach this go-around, but it's largely the same (which is a good thing). The lyrics on this album deal with slavery (which is a given, due to the name of it), and Cavalera's fear of it.
Guitar:
What more can I say about guitarist Marc Rizzo besides that he's a virtuoso? He's been a stalwart of Soulfly and one of Max Cavalera's major contributors for nearly a decade, and released several instructional/instrumental albums that showcase his ability. Despite being under-used on many of Soulfly's albums, he finally gets a chance to break loose and shine on this album.
Bass:
This is the first Soulfly album I've listened to that had a very noticeable bass sound. Tony Campos, formerly of Asesino and Static-X, really gets to showcase his metal chops on this album, and proves himself. The bass is great on this album, especially in tracks such as "World Scum" and "Plato O Plomo." This definitely reveals that Campos has been underrated for far too long.
Drums:
New drummer David Kinkade, from the death metal band Borknagar, increases the tempo of the song with his drumming alone. Drumming has never been something that stood out to me on a Soulfly album, but Kinkade does a great job with the material, turning what could have been basic Soulfly material and infusing his death-inspired drumming with it. His double bass kicks, especially in songs such as "Gladiator," "World Scum," and "Treachery" are daring you to not head bang (which is impossible).
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If you've ever liked Soulfly, or you are one of those holdouts who only liked Cavalera's old stuff with Sepultura, then you'll like this album. It's the album I've been waiting for him to make for years, and it's definitely light years beyond what Sepultura's making nowadays without him.
This is the perfect mixture between regular Soulfly material and "Arise"-era Sepultura, when many believe Cavalera was in tip-top shape. It's personally my favorite Soulfly album by far, and if you like metal music in general, you'll find something to like (or love) about this album.
However, despite Soulfly being well-known and inspirational in the metal world, it is mostly a hit-or-miss band. Their first album was great, a nice mix of the tribal metal Cavalera became known for in Sepultura with the nu-metal that was popular at the time. However, for the few years that followed, Soulfly became strictly a nu-metal band, losing itself within the times. But when "Dark Ages" dropped in 2005, a new wave of inspiration hit the band. Dropping all influences, the band seemingly began to focus on creating solid metal outings that sounded like no one else, and the band has been on a pretty great roll since then.
So, 7 years and 3 albums later, the band drops "Enslaved." In the months prior to its release, many of the band members hyped it up as a return to Cavalera's "death/thrash" heyday in Sepultura. Did it live up to this hype?
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1.) "Resistance"
This song begins with a strong bassline and a strong hook that continues through its short shelf life, but it's most noticeably an introduction song. I'd compare it to "Execution" off of Slipknot's most recent album, in that it doesn't go anywhere, but rather introduces the rest of the album. If you're buying songs off of iTunes or something similar (as opposed to the entire album) just give this one a skip. However, it does start the album off in a good way.
2.) "World Scum"
Another song intro'd by a strong bass line by new bassist Tony Campos, which quickly diverges into the death/thrash territory that the band hyped. Cavalera has help from Cattle Decapitation vocalist Travis Ryan on this song, and his addition easily makes this not only one of the heaviest songs on the album, but one of the heaviest tracks that Soulfly has ever done. It's clear to tell why they chose this song to be the first single released a couple of months back, as it showcases what's to come on the rest of the album; new drummer David Kinkade described it perfectly as "'Arise' on crack" (referencing one of Sepultura's best works).
3.) "Intervention"
This song sounds like more of the usual Soulfly. It's a lot chunkier than "World Scum" in that it features more prominent hooks and turns. Longtime Soulfly guitarist (and frequent Cavalera Conspirator) shines on this one. The most noticeable difference in this and previous Soulfly songs is the breakdown near the end, which Soulfly really hasn't tried before. Regardless, a good song. 8/10
4.) "Gladiator"
An interesting intro leads to a riff-heavy song that's one of the catchier songs on the album. However, don't take that as being a "radio-friendly" song. This one sounds like it could have been on the last Cavalera Conspiracy album, as it features the kind of groove that's normally reserved for that band, but it's still heavy. Rizzo gets some more time to shine, and he gets to flex his virtuoso muscles a little with sitar-influenced breakdowns in between grooving and soloing like a madman. Probably one of my favorite songs on the album, because it's a song that takes only a single breath in between the many twists and turns, and the chants of "Hail Caesar!"
5.) "Legions"
A sound effect of marching intros this song, which quickly turns into another fast-speed groovefest, led by Rizzo yet again. This song sets itself apart from "Gladiator" in that it's catchy, but is more chunky in parts yet faster throughout the verses. By this point in the album, Soulfly have created yet another sound for themselves. Rizzo leads with a very melodic solo about halfway through the song, another thing that is very unheard of in Soulfly's discography, but it quickly returns to the metal insanity before settling down with the calming sounds of distant gunfire.
6.) "American Steel"
What sounds like it may be a Toby Keith anthem sung at a Republican convention is very much not. This song is a fast-paced thrasher throughout the first minute of its running time, and then turns into a chunky groove metal piece after that (the change is very unexpected, which is interesting). Cavalera gives one of his heaviest, most guttural performances in this song, proving that despite his age (which usually limits metal vocalist over 40), he is nowhere near being done, and sounds more pissed than he has in quite some time.
7.) "Redemption Of Man By God"
This song features one of my favorite (and one of the best) metal vocalists, Dez Fafara from Devildriver, so odds are that I'm going to like it. And that I do. A creepy, calm intro brings the song in, and sounds very unlike normal Soulfly, before turning into another heavy thrash-fest. The trade-off between Cavalera and Fafara sounds good, with Fafara's higher-pitched shrieks adding extra depth to the formalities. I'd compare this tune to "Lethal Injection" off of their last album, "Omen", in that the guest vocalist (in that song's case, Tommy Victory from Prong) doesn't change the format of the song, but rather adds to what's already there. Another great song, featuring a tempo change near the end that's really unexpected but still keeps you interested.
8.) "Treachery"
A brutal "This is treachery!" scream brings this song in, before turning into what is probably the fastest song on the album. Kinkade's drumming and Rizzo's guitar work really lead this song, as this song is all about the thrash. The grooves in this song are rare, but when they hit you, they hit you hard. And despite it being the fastest song on the album, that doesn't stop it from featuring a very melodic solo from Rizzo, who finally gets to show his expert guitar skills on this album. Kinkade's inhumanly-fast double bass drum kicks end the album in style.
9.) "Plato O Plomo"
To be honest, I have no idea what the song title means or lyrically implies but this is another good song. This is one of the groovier songs on the album, and sounds similar to something you'd hear on an Ankla album. There are many Latino references in the song, not only from the Portuguese lyrics, but from Tony Campos' added vocals, the tribal/flamenco guitar by Rizzo, and the additional content within the song. If you like Latin-flavored metal, then this is your jam.
10.) "Chains"
This is definitely one of the more "epic" songs that Soulfly has ever done, from the extended intro to sheer length (it's over 7 minutes long). It's definitely a slower, chuggier song than Soulfly is used to, but it somehow works to the band's advantage; I'd go as far to say that this song is a bigger departure than anything else on the album, in that it's more doom-inspired. Of course, there are moments of thrash, but this is largely a slower-paced song that builds up throughout its running time. Definitely one of my favorite songs on the album.
11.) "Revengeance"
This song is a great closer to the album, in that it features all three of Cavalera's sons, including his stepson Richie Cavalera, the vocalist to the criminally underrated metal band Incite. This track definitely follows the death/thrash influence to its end, and showcases all three of Cavalera's sons' talents masterfully.
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Vocals:
Max Cavalera definitely has his own distinct style of vocals, and it hasn't changed or varied much in the nearly 30 years he's been in the metal scene. If you've enjoyed any of his vocal material from his days in Sepultura, Naildown, Cavalera Conspiracy, or even this band, Soulfly, then you'll appreciate his work on this album. He definitely tries to give it a deeper, more guttural approach this go-around, but it's largely the same (which is a good thing). The lyrics on this album deal with slavery (which is a given, due to the name of it), and Cavalera's fear of it.
Guitar:
What more can I say about guitarist Marc Rizzo besides that he's a virtuoso? He's been a stalwart of Soulfly and one of Max Cavalera's major contributors for nearly a decade, and released several instructional/instrumental albums that showcase his ability. Despite being under-used on many of Soulfly's albums, he finally gets a chance to break loose and shine on this album.
Bass:
This is the first Soulfly album I've listened to that had a very noticeable bass sound. Tony Campos, formerly of Asesino and Static-X, really gets to showcase his metal chops on this album, and proves himself. The bass is great on this album, especially in tracks such as "World Scum" and "Plato O Plomo." This definitely reveals that Campos has been underrated for far too long.
Drums:
New drummer David Kinkade, from the death metal band Borknagar, increases the tempo of the song with his drumming alone. Drumming has never been something that stood out to me on a Soulfly album, but Kinkade does a great job with the material, turning what could have been basic Soulfly material and infusing his death-inspired drumming with it. His double bass kicks, especially in songs such as "Gladiator," "World Scum," and "Treachery" are daring you to not head bang (which is impossible).
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If you've ever liked Soulfly, or you are one of those holdouts who only liked Cavalera's old stuff with Sepultura, then you'll like this album. It's the album I've been waiting for him to make for years, and it's definitely light years beyond what Sepultura's making nowadays without him.
This is the perfect mixture between regular Soulfly material and "Arise"-era Sepultura, when many believe Cavalera was in tip-top shape. It's personally my favorite Soulfly album by far, and if you like metal music in general, you'll find something to like (or love) about this album.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Game Review: Mass Effect 3
I cannot emphasize how excited I was for Mass Effect 3. I got into the original Mass Effect game a few years ago, and didn't think much of it; I liked Bioware, but I just couldn't sink my teeth into it. Then, Mass Effect 2 came out, and that was the game that hooked me into the franchise. I instantly became obsessed with the lore of the game: the mythos of the ancient Protheans, the dispute between the Quarians and the Geth, the extinction-bound Krogan and their genophage, the wealth of the rich and interesting characters I had become personally involved with, and many other interesting things that made up the majority of the codex of the series. I even went out of my way to purchase all of the books.
So, Mass Effect 3 arrived on Tuesday, and I awoke at 6:30, unable to sleep. I was honestly a 21-year old waiting for a video game like a child stays awake for Santa Clause on Christmas Eve. I ended up spending the majority of the morning sitting right beside the door, anxiously awaiting like Scott Pilgrim. When the game finally arrived, was I satisfied, or disappointed? Well, here goes...
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Gameplay:
In my opinion, the gameplay was fairly advanced from the first and second games. The first game was a very primitive game, in terms of not only character design, but also in shooting mechanics and environments. The second game made leaps and bounds on the first game, adding much in terms of making it a solid third-person shooter. The third game made further improvements on that, fixing much in the ways of cover mechanics, adding realistic grenades, making the weapons more realistic (with recoil and stability dilemmas), and adding more movement abilities. The combat was far and away better than the other two games, adding the streamlined combat of the second game to the RPG-savvy elements of the first game, letting you choose between different weapons/armor and upgrading them as you saw fit.
However, as much as the combat was improved, I still did have a few issues with the gameplay. There were quite a few bugs regarding the movement system, and I found myself diving/rolling in a giant line of fire when all I wanted to do was get cover behind a slab of concrete. My biggest problem with the game, however, came when I realized that the dialogue system was greatly changed... no longer did I get to select every conversation option, instead getting to choose either one or two options within a conversation, and instead forcing the default Shepherd to take control, separating me from the Shepherd character that I created.
8/10.
Graphics
As I was playing on the Xbox 360, I had only a few difficulties with the graphics in this game. Mass Effect is a series that was made for the Xbox and the PC, so I cannot relate to those who played on PS3 and experienced deal-breaking issues regarding graphics.
Mass Effect 3, much like Mass Effect 2, looks very good on the Xbox. The graphics are arguably better than in the first or the second game, despite not having the themed look that the other two were notorious for. Several environments look absolutely stunning on the Xbox, and there is little-to-no-difference between the Xbox version of graphics and the PC version of graphics (which is often called the "superior" console).
9/10.
Story
Bioware has always been world-renowned for their story. Even in games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, and the first Mass Effect game, where the gameplay wasn't the best, the story is what set everything apart. Some of the best storytellers in the gaming industry work for Bioware, so the major critical emphasis on this game was on how the story unfolded and how it was presented.
To those of who who are unaware of the storyline of Mass Effect 3 (which probably isn't many, considering you're reading this), it concerns the return of an ancient race of sentient machines called the Reapers, and the apocalyptic doom they bring with them. As Commander Shepherd, the notorious and well-known human soldier, it's up to you to not only save the human race, but the rest of life in the galaxy from impending doom.
The story in this game kicks off from the get-go: the first mission is where the Reapers make it to Earth, and begin their bombardment. Following a short tutorial mission, you're quickly off to the stars to try and rally the galaxy against the Reapers. In my opinion, the story takes a while to get "into." There's plenty in the beginning of the game to keep you interested, but this is a game that picks up steam and momentum as it evolves. Even as I found the beginning of the game non-too-enthralling, within the first few hours I was hooked, and unable to stop playing for extremely long/unhealthy periods of time.
Mass Effect 3 also plays less linearly than the previous two games; instead of following a strict storyline that divulges into a previously-selected ending, you're supposed to take into account your "War Assets," which consists of all of the forces/species you've managed to convert to your cause. This forces you to make immediate decisions, which impact the now and determines how your ending plays out. You can, of course, follow the basic storyline to it's less-than-climactic end, but the best endings (out of the 16 available) are those where your War Assets and Galactic Readiness ratings are highest, which forces you to play more than just the basic campaign.
10/10.
Soundtrack
The soundtracks for the first two Mass Effect games were amazing. The first Mass Effect featured a largely-electronic sounding soundtrack, while Mass Effect 2 turned to a much more cinematic and classical soundtrack. Both were composed by Jack Wall, while Bioware landed film composer Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream, Moon, Black Swan) for Mass Effect 3.
Mass Effect 3 has a much more cinematic soundtrack than the previous two games, while retaining basic themes and concepts from both (especially the electronic cues from the first game). Some moments are epic, while some are less-than-so, but I'd put ME3's soundtrack on par with the previous two soundtracks.
9.5/10
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Overall, I was very satisfied with this game. Although the ending I received left me a little disheartened with the game, research showed me that my ending was not the preferable outcome, and my next playthrough (which I've already started) will hopefully yield the best results.
This was a near-perfect end to the Mass Effect trilogy, and I seriously hope that this isn't the end of this saga. What Bioware did with this series was create a universe as vast and gripping as some sci-fi and space opera titans such as Star Trek and Star Wars, yet left much more up to the imagination. Mass Effect 3 was the ultimate end to Commander Shepherd's story, but I hope there are more tales to tell within the galaxy, whether they be prequels, sequels, or standalone stories.
If you've played either the first Mass Effect or Mass Effect 2 (or preferably both), then you should definitely go out and buy this game right now. This is the Star Wars for our generation, and the fact that I have no more Mass Effect games in the immediate future to look forward to fills me with an indescribable emptiness. However, the trilogy that Bioware has released will leave me satisfied for quite some time.
Overall: 9.5/10.
So, Mass Effect 3 arrived on Tuesday, and I awoke at 6:30, unable to sleep. I was honestly a 21-year old waiting for a video game like a child stays awake for Santa Clause on Christmas Eve. I ended up spending the majority of the morning sitting right beside the door, anxiously awaiting like Scott Pilgrim. When the game finally arrived, was I satisfied, or disappointed? Well, here goes...
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Gameplay:
In my opinion, the gameplay was fairly advanced from the first and second games. The first game was a very primitive game, in terms of not only character design, but also in shooting mechanics and environments. The second game made leaps and bounds on the first game, adding much in terms of making it a solid third-person shooter. The third game made further improvements on that, fixing much in the ways of cover mechanics, adding realistic grenades, making the weapons more realistic (with recoil and stability dilemmas), and adding more movement abilities. The combat was far and away better than the other two games, adding the streamlined combat of the second game to the RPG-savvy elements of the first game, letting you choose between different weapons/armor and upgrading them as you saw fit.
However, as much as the combat was improved, I still did have a few issues with the gameplay. There were quite a few bugs regarding the movement system, and I found myself diving/rolling in a giant line of fire when all I wanted to do was get cover behind a slab of concrete. My biggest problem with the game, however, came when I realized that the dialogue system was greatly changed... no longer did I get to select every conversation option, instead getting to choose either one or two options within a conversation, and instead forcing the default Shepherd to take control, separating me from the Shepherd character that I created.
8/10.
Graphics
As I was playing on the Xbox 360, I had only a few difficulties with the graphics in this game. Mass Effect is a series that was made for the Xbox and the PC, so I cannot relate to those who played on PS3 and experienced deal-breaking issues regarding graphics.
Mass Effect 3, much like Mass Effect 2, looks very good on the Xbox. The graphics are arguably better than in the first or the second game, despite not having the themed look that the other two were notorious for. Several environments look absolutely stunning on the Xbox, and there is little-to-no-difference between the Xbox version of graphics and the PC version of graphics (which is often called the "superior" console).
9/10.
Story
Bioware has always been world-renowned for their story. Even in games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, and the first Mass Effect game, where the gameplay wasn't the best, the story is what set everything apart. Some of the best storytellers in the gaming industry work for Bioware, so the major critical emphasis on this game was on how the story unfolded and how it was presented.
To those of who who are unaware of the storyline of Mass Effect 3 (which probably isn't many, considering you're reading this), it concerns the return of an ancient race of sentient machines called the Reapers, and the apocalyptic doom they bring with them. As Commander Shepherd, the notorious and well-known human soldier, it's up to you to not only save the human race, but the rest of life in the galaxy from impending doom.
The story in this game kicks off from the get-go: the first mission is where the Reapers make it to Earth, and begin their bombardment. Following a short tutorial mission, you're quickly off to the stars to try and rally the galaxy against the Reapers. In my opinion, the story takes a while to get "into." There's plenty in the beginning of the game to keep you interested, but this is a game that picks up steam and momentum as it evolves. Even as I found the beginning of the game non-too-enthralling, within the first few hours I was hooked, and unable to stop playing for extremely long/unhealthy periods of time.
Mass Effect 3 also plays less linearly than the previous two games; instead of following a strict storyline that divulges into a previously-selected ending, you're supposed to take into account your "War Assets," which consists of all of the forces/species you've managed to convert to your cause. This forces you to make immediate decisions, which impact the now and determines how your ending plays out. You can, of course, follow the basic storyline to it's less-than-climactic end, but the best endings (out of the 16 available) are those where your War Assets and Galactic Readiness ratings are highest, which forces you to play more than just the basic campaign.
10/10.
Soundtrack
The soundtracks for the first two Mass Effect games were amazing. The first Mass Effect featured a largely-electronic sounding soundtrack, while Mass Effect 2 turned to a much more cinematic and classical soundtrack. Both were composed by Jack Wall, while Bioware landed film composer Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream, Moon, Black Swan) for Mass Effect 3.
Mass Effect 3 has a much more cinematic soundtrack than the previous two games, while retaining basic themes and concepts from both (especially the electronic cues from the first game). Some moments are epic, while some are less-than-so, but I'd put ME3's soundtrack on par with the previous two soundtracks.
9.5/10
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Overall, I was very satisfied with this game. Although the ending I received left me a little disheartened with the game, research showed me that my ending was not the preferable outcome, and my next playthrough (which I've already started) will hopefully yield the best results.
This was a near-perfect end to the Mass Effect trilogy, and I seriously hope that this isn't the end of this saga. What Bioware did with this series was create a universe as vast and gripping as some sci-fi and space opera titans such as Star Trek and Star Wars, yet left much more up to the imagination. Mass Effect 3 was the ultimate end to Commander Shepherd's story, but I hope there are more tales to tell within the galaxy, whether they be prequels, sequels, or standalone stories.
If you've played either the first Mass Effect or Mass Effect 2 (or preferably both), then you should definitely go out and buy this game right now. This is the Star Wars for our generation, and the fact that I have no more Mass Effect games in the immediate future to look forward to fills me with an indescribable emptiness. However, the trilogy that Bioware has released will leave me satisfied for quite some time.
Overall: 9.5/10.
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