So I just ordered Dragon Age and Mass Effect...

[Sylver]

It's summer. :3 And while I still have some summer courses and homework to do, scholarships to apply for, and lovely arts to do for the Four Winds (guess which of these I want to do the most), I have the first bit of free time I've had in God-knows-how-long. So I ordered some new vidyagames to reward myself for getting summer work done, and to make up for the fact that I am genetically incapable of tanning.

It's ridiculous, I'm pale as a creepy blind cave fish, then burn red as a lobster as soon as I step outside, peel in agony for a few days, and then am still as corpse-white underneath. :C What is tanning?

OH WELL, I HAVE VIDEOGAMES. OR WILL. SOON.

So, what do I have to look forward to? I've been wanting to play these games for a long time, and have done RESEARCH, of course... but has anyone else played them? What's your favorite thing about them? Hopefully soon I'll be able to respond with opinions of my own. :3

Bonus: next I'm thinking "Elder Scrolls: Oblivion." Played it? Worth it?

[Fierce Deity]

Dragon Age and Mass Effect are amazing games, but appeal to different audiences. I'm lucky enough to enjoy them both equally, but I've met enough people who like either one or the other to know that they might not be for everybody. I got them both on PC, so my experience may have been different from the console version. Anyway, Mass Effect has a unique take on an action-RPG genre. Instead of hack-and-slash, it's run-and-gun. Plot elements aside, you travel to different planets, and explore different environments for a variety of reasons. Along the way, you will come into contact with a race of sentient machines who want to kill you. The logical reaction is to shoot their heads off. There are side quests, NPC interactions, and a moral system that is loosely based on shades of grey, and not so much "wrong and right". The only thing that I have to warn you about is the sequel. The sequel of Mass Effect is better in almost every aspect. So try to play Mass Effect 1 and take it for what it is, cause after you play Mass Effect 2, there's no comparison.

Dragon Age is an amazing game (at least for the PC). It was dubbed as the spiritual successor of Baldur's Gate II, and I think that it is rightfully due. The game has the medieval setting that could make Tolkien soil himself, and the characters that would make Rowling cry. Every aspect of the game reminded me of how I felt when I played the Baldur's Gate series, and it felt like Bioware had actually mastered the craft of making an RPG. Unfortunately, to the contrary of what I stated before for Mass Effect, the sequel to Dragon Age has been considered a disappointment by the fans of the first game. I like it for its lore and its renewal of a perspective (you'll know if you play the game), but the majority has stated that the game was rushed and incomplete.

I have liked both games and their sequels immensely, but I also know what others think, and can only tell you to approach carefully no matter what you do. Although I like Mass Effect now, when I first played it, I was put off. I hope that you can learn to love it like I have. The only thing I can recommend is watching videos of the gameplay, or playing the demos (I'm pretty sure the only demos that are out are for the sequels, but they're still something).

As for Oblivion, I have tried time and time again on multiple systems to like this game, but I can't seem to get into it. Once again, this is one of those rare occasions where you can either love it or hate it, because I know many people who love the game, and they think there is something wrong with me for not liking it. I have no defensive statement that can suggest otherwise. There could be something wrong with me, but no matter how many times I play it, Oblivion ceases to get better for me. Another, "approach with caution". I'll leave you with other opinions, and hope that you find a fun experience in whichever game you choose.

[Cez]

I just recently finished Dragon Age and it was amazing. Same goes for Mass Effect --it was the reason why I bought an Xbox, and it was worthy!

As for Oblivion.... hmm... I finished it, but just because I tend to finish every game I start. For the first 20 hour it was awesome. For the next 70 hours after that, it felt like a chore. If you decide to play it, here's a warning: The leveling up system is completely broken. Read about it before you play it so you know how to properly level up your character!