@Moonshadow101: I totally agree. Didn't take me long to beat but i enjoyed it. I have played the game way too much to be fair but i think it is well worth the $5.

clifftrapremover

@Vecha: Did you fully question the leader of the Batarian extremists? Because if you fully interrogate him it seems like the info he gives you is the first glimpse of a bigger conflict somewhere in the future of the Mass Effect story.

I'm no engineer, but this kind of seems like a bridge to me.

fatheadwilson

It looks like where the first games background was set up by the Revelations book, the second game might go the same way. This means they don't need to care what choices we made in the first one, they are gonna make the decisions for us as to what the situation is going to be like when ME2 starts. Also means if they ever make ME2 for PS3 they don't need to care about what people have chosen in ME1 which wasn't on PS3.

Bought the add-on but before having started it quite worried just how much playtime it will take to complete for my lvl59/60.

FatherTed

I thought it would be something that would further the storyline a bit and would take place after the end of the game. But it's just a glorified extra side mission during the main game. Little dissapointed.

Golem29

As a Bioware fan, this sounds good. Suppose I'd already have downloaded it if my Xbox wasn't in McAllen, TX right now...

dbushik

You get to control the Normandy?! Thanks for that spoiler Kotaku..

JamieA

The contest is unremarkable to be honest, and I love mass effect and have played it almost everyday since its release. There is just nothing new with the content, no new items, weapons, services, scarcely any non recycled environments. Its definitely not worth 400 points.

Dimipapa

Downloaded this last night, and I started a new game. I really enjoyed this game on the first play-through, so it will be nice playing it again. Plus this time I'm playing as a total badass :-)

SwedishChef

Hopefully the PC version will include it.

Hylian

I'll wait for the PC version which will probably have this packed in.

RPGr

I'll get this as soon as I get the points.

PsycheDiver

"Im still curious as to how the sequel is going to work. I mean say i beat the game twice, once as renegade and once as peragon, do i just get to pick?"

Yep you will, in exactly the same way as you get to pick when you start a new game+

When you start a new game+ you see a list of all the characters you have completed the game with, along with paragon/renegade states, XP, and time played(?)
Incase you have made some carbon copy characters.

ShineDog

@ajay42: Your stats remain the same; the rest of your party's gets reset so you can shape'em as you like (stats-wise, I mean, not...uh, you can't give Ashley bigger breasts or anything). You keep all your equipment, too, meaning hefty $$$ (and the special Spectre equipment for everyone) if you know what you're doing.

LoopyChew

The DLC wasn't bad, but I was expecting more. The mission just felt like a slightly better than normal side quest. If this whole thing with the Baterians just ends here, I'll be pretty ticked off. However if this is just the first snippet of a larger side story then I'll forgive Bioware for the less than stellar beginning to their DLC offerings.

wildknight

It was an ok DLC, missed some interaction with the party members though. Especially since it was mentioned this would be more personal for Shepard, Ash and Kaidan, and all the two sidekicks was stand there looking "meh".

Did like that you got a "quest reward" a lot though. Some Quarian Colossus armor for Tali. mm mm MM!

phatseejay

@ajay42: Finish the game and start a new game with the same character. You keep your level and equipment. Paragon/Renegade is reset.

mind in rewind

@Vecha: Sweet. I'll be hoping you win the lotto any day now.

Or I could pay off my credit card debt and then charge the shit out of it again.

2NinjasTapedTogether

It seems I wasn't the only one who thought CCA as soon as this was announced. Would be cool if the guy behind the drop is a blonde human who wears red.

Shinryoma

@WasabiJoe:

Yea...the only thing I didn't like about the DLC was the turrets...that and the fact that more than half of the game was spent shooting...

Vecha

You can continue your saved game... retaining your level and gear.

aveneyer

The turret stuff was annoying, I really like the choice at the end, seemed like a standard sidequest but I was most interested when I was talking to npcs as opposed to driving around killing stuff.

3/5 - Good for $5

would buy more dlc

WasabiJoe

@ajay42:

You have to finish the game.

Vecha

@Witzbold:

I loved the smurf.

i however REFUSE to have sex with a racist.

@ShaggE:

I will agree with you...it could have been better.

But there are far worse games out there.

Yes, Mass Effect was not the best game of 07(I wouldn't give the award to Halo 3 or bioshock either)

But the negatives of ME do not make the game unplayable.

Vecha

Quick Question for those in the know: If you start over again I assume you do not retain your leveling and gear right?

ajay42

This will be the first DLC I'll pay for, but my purchase will have to wait 'till I'm done with Lost Odyssey...

Alazar

@Shadebane: It's not a spoiler. Trust me.

mind in rewind

@stuminus3:

No doubt...

Remember Kotaku editors, not everyone has had a chance to play this game yet. Keep your spoilers to the jump page!

Shadebane

Sigh, I'd like to check it out, but I'm really already knee deep in Lost Odyssey and Brawl and I just don't have the time to start up a whole new game of Mass Effect.

ThisCharmingMan

@stuminus3: Don't be stupid. The article didn't reveal anything about the game other than that you don't get to keep wandering around after you beat the game.

unstuck

And at the end of Bring Down the Sky you divert the colony and then it lands on Sydney, Australia...

deathwombat

@Vecha: Honestly, I think the hiccup during the credits was due to the disc drive spinning back up to full speed. But my point still stands that ME shouldn't have been that choppy. It may have had wide-open environments, but none of them were detailed enough to justify the slowdown. If the environments did cause it, then I fear for GTA4.

@Witzbold:
"Oh Shepard, we never did it like this back on the flotilla!"
"This reminds me of a time back on the flotilla..."
"Did I ever tell you about the flotilla?"
"I miss the flotilla..."
"You should see the flotilla!"
"Wow, Shepard... that was Flotillatastic!"

Have I made my point yet? :p She's as bad as Navi...

ShaggE

@Vecha: Its just she had a lot more character than the other 2 "love" interests. :x I totally did not dig GI Jane or the Smurf.

Witzbold

"you're going to have to restart and play to the point where you are actually in control of the Normandy again"

Thanks for the fucking spoilers.

stuminus3

@Witzbold:

You have a fetish of gas masks?

lol I kid, I kid.

Vecha

@2NinjasTapedTogether:

If I was a millionaire I would.

Vecha

WANT!

Someone want to send me 400 Microsoft Points?

Oh and an X360, copies of Mass Effect, Bioshock, and a Gold Live Lifetime Subscription?

Thanks!

2NinjasTapedTogether

I still want a "relationship" with Tali. D:

Witzbold

@ShaggE:

"Yet Mass Effect actually manages to have slowdown during the end credits"

That didn't happen on my copy...

You sure your 360 is all right?

Vecha

@Yukichu: I'm confused by ME's framerate as well. Look at COD4. Smooth as butter, and absolutely gorgeous to boot. Yet Mass Effect actually manages to have slowdown during the end credits, when nothing is onscreen but text.

ShaggE

@Yukichu:

Mass Effect is way more Massive, no pun intended, than the close-spaced claustrophobic atmosphere that is bioshock.

Please do not compare a FPS to a RPG with shooting elements. "

Both games are great.
But Vastly different.

Vecha

I'm glad someone else mentioned the framerate. I'll wait for the PC version, where this will probably be included for free... not to mention I'll be able to play it without everything jumping around.

Seriously, there a ton of other games that run very smoothly on the 360, Bioshock being the most recent one I played... why is Mass Effect so bad in this area? The story overshadows the graphical hiccups? I'll take SNES Final Fantasy graphics so long as they don't stutter.

Yukichu

@crazyscreenwriter:

There are 3 games.

Lvl 60 ME 1

Lvl 100 ME 2

ME 3 ????

I think they should just restart the leveling in ME 2 and 3.

Just have the Stats come over from the other game.

Vecha

@Moonshadow101:

what I mean though is an actual continuation...

unless by "bridge" they mean DLC that must be played while playing ME.

Don't get me wrong...I'll buy every last DLC for ME whether they are bridges or not...

....just because I'm a fanboy of the game...

LOL

Vecha

definite reason to dust off my ME. God why did you make me love a game with so many flaws !?!?

dropoff

@Vecha: This could be the start of that. If Batarians are the primary enemy of ME2, then this one certainly does a good job of convincing you that they're complete and total bastards, as well as communicating WHY they're complete and total bastards.

Moonshadow101

@ArmyofJuan: My guess is that the Paragon / Renegade think isn't going to fully port over to Mass Effect 2. I mean, there wouldn't be any point to role playing when you start a game at 75% renegade or Paragon?

My guess is that probably your character's appearance, the major choices your character made (who lived and died on Virmire, who you are having a relationship with, and the whole choice at the end), and hopefully most of your stats. I just hope you get to keep your current character Level and then can build on top of that. Say if you have a Level 60 Soldier, you start at a Level 60 in ME 2 and can Level up to say 90 or 100, adding some additional skills.

Really that's what I want from Mass Effect. The ability to continue the character you created throughout the really cool story they are building.

crazyscreenwriter

I played it and beat it. I really enjoyed it. More of the same, but much better and actually had a story arc to it than a lot of the side missions in the original game. I dug it, definitely worth $5 if you liked the original game. Gives you a reason to play through again, too, if you haven't.

crazyscreenwriter

I enjoyed it.

I just hope the next DLC is an actual bridge between ME1 and 2.

Vecha

Or Mike, how about pointing out the fact that you can just load an earlier saved game if you have one instead of restarting?

Giolon

Im still curious as to how the sequel is going to work. I mean say i beat the game twice, once as renegade and once as peragon, do i just get to pick?

ArmyofJuan

Man I can't wait till this hits PC's. The inventory system and horrible framerate on 360 has made me stick it out for a while. Hope its worth the wait!

slikz21

@DARTH_TIGRIS: I never do that, ever. I have one save, if I screw up, oh well, I move on and I'll know better next time. Never had to catch 'em all in Pokemon, never had to have a perfect run the first go on anything else.

Introducing DLC that requires you to not be past a certain point in the game to use is incredibly unfair to people who actually play your product.

Maldron

Multiple saves FTW!

Yes, instead of restarting, I'll just load up one of the 10 or 11 save slots from when I played through the game. You know, what pretty much all RPG gamers have been doing for years. Yeah.

DARTH_TIGRIS

@ManjiKengo:

CHHAARRRRRR!!!!!

Freekarrtt

Im halfway through it and looks ok so far. Gonna finish the rest tomorrow.

Woylez

Damn the Batarians and their Unoriginality
Sieg Zeon!

Wargamer234,Sieg Zeon!

@Freekarrtt:

SEIG ZEON!

I need to get my game back from my friend.

ManjiKengo

Baterians are space bears?

:)

CyberSkull

Dropping a mobile asteroid on a planet!? DAMN NEO ZEEKS!

Freekarrtt

"Of course if you've already finished the game you're going to have to restart and play to the point where you are actually in control of the Normandy again"

Only if you don't have a save prior to the "point of no return" which really, everyone should if they used all the save slots.

darthmole12

I would get it, but unfortunately the last of my money that can be given to the cause of gaming for the next month or so was spent on Brawl. Though, I'm sure once I get done with Brawl(hahahaha) I'll hit up some more Mass Effect... with or without the DLC.

MantisDragon

I am just about to complete my second play through so perhaps I will pick this up once I beat it and restart again.

Deltakiral

Just played it, beat it in ~an hour.

It's not ground-breaking, it's pretty much just an extension of what the game has already been. They have a new bunker model (which makes a total of about six different interiors!) and frankly, I rather enjoyed it, but then again, I also have four characters, all of which have completed at least one playthrough. Not exactly a neutral party over here.

Moonshadow101

Hmm I guess Ill get this.

Witzbold

"saving millions of NPCs from a grizzly death." That's either a typo, or a confirmation of Space Bears in Mass Effect. I'm hoping for Space Bears.

ShaggE

Hm... for the cost of a cheap Live Arcade game, I'm probably going to check it out. Besides, this is DLC for the 2007 Game of the Year.

RobKramble