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[Tschumi]

Hey again homies.

... The tale so far....

Voted best Assassin's Creed title: Assassin's Creed 2 Voted best Supergiant Games title: Hades* Voted best Blizzard title: Diablo 2 + Expansion/Remaster Voted best Rockstar title: Red Dead Redemption 2 Voted best Naughty Dog title: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Voted best Valve title: Half-Life 2 Voted best Bungie title: --

Voted best FromSoftware title: Bloodborne Voted best Bethesda Softworks title: The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Voted best Bioware title: -- Voted best Konami title: -- Voted best Arkane Studios title: -- Voted best Id Software title: -- Voted best Obsidian title: --

Yes, I intend to make some kind of graphic for this, but probably in a later thread because I'm busy atm.

Back in the saddle again. Last poll didn't get many votes despite Bethesda being a real point of passion for a lot of peeps here, so I felt that I was bringing these out too rapidly. So I stepped off the gas for a few days but WE'RE BACK with a big one. Holy poop is it a big one. Bioware are responsible for some of the best, most epic, most genre-defining titles of all time - and a generous helping of flops and mediocre efforts, particularly in recent years (though Bo_Hazem might have something to say about Andromeda )

To quote Marvin Gaye: Let's get it on. With Bioware. Lube up, Bioware.

yes you'd better believe i've gone old school with the logo choice here
​

BioWare. I won't go into their background because I'm probably gonna get some of it wrong.. But just a smattering of their titles for your consideration: Baldur's Gate 1&2, Neverwinter Nights, KOTOR, Mass Effect, Dragon Age.. One does not simply overlook such achievements, Sean Bean.

I won't even clutter up my post with further opinions. Let's figure out what the best Bioware title OAT is. I hope it's not ME2 because it's a great game but it's not the best these guys ever made, but that's just my opinion.

NOTES ON THE POLL:
I've used '+Expacks/Remaster' on a lot of games, including recent ones that released their expansions in the form of DLC, just take it as write that each main title includes all DLC, too.

I've tried to keep it topical to games often mentioned on this forum, so I didn't note MDK, but if you want to see it on the poll - or other Bioware titles - save ur vote and tell me to put it up there.

If I have continued my inadvertent tradition of stupid mistakes in polls, forgive me

stay tuned for Konami...

If you have any suggestions for developers we can vote on, let me hear them!

IF you vote but don't bump the thread:

ps. @nush please don't hit me for forgetting to remove ur tag from a copy/pasted post OP

 

[Investor9872]

Mass Effect 2 and all of its DLCs for me.

 

[PuppetMaster]

Mass Effect 2 was peak Bioware.

But around 2010 after the realease ME2, a bunch of people left, including the founders Ray and Greg . And its all been down hill from there.

RIP Bioware

 

[Tschumi]

I just don't get it, ME2 was great but it involved nowhere near the customisation or freedom of earlier titles, character depth, it didn't offer anything like what was offered by NWN for the modding community.. i mean it's a fantastic game don't get me wrong.. sign of the times i guess

 

[KyoZz]

2 people have missclick on Mass Effect andromeda.

 

[AGRacing]

ME2 for sure...

...but shocked at the amount of folks who agree!

 

[ZehDon]

I just don't get it, ME2 was great but it involved nowhere near the customisation or freedom of earlier titles, character depth, it didn't offer anything like what was offered by NWN for the modding community.. i mean it's a fantastic game don't get me wrong.. sign of the times i guess

Mass Effect 2 was a wonderful marriage of Bioware's brand of branching narratives with industry leading presentation and a solid gameplay foundation. It's about as "Hollywood" as a game can get while still having the beating heart of a video game that respects the player's opinions and choices. Most of the other games in their repertoire fall short in one area or more. Gameplay might be lacking, despite having a terrific story. The technology might be not be up to par despite having in-depth gameplay. Technology and gameplay might be great, but story and characters are undercooked. In Mass Effect 2, they got the mixture just about perfect, although it was lacking in the skills/talents department.

 

[Tschumi]

Mass Effect 2 was a wonderful marriage of Bioware's brand of branching narratives with industry leading presentation and a solid gameplay foundation. It's about as "Hollywood" as a game can get while still having the beating heart of a video game that respects the player's opinions and choices. Most of the other games in their repertoire fall short in one area or more. Gameplay might be lacking, despite having a terrific story. The technology might be not be up to par despite having in-depth gameplay. Technology and gameplay might be great, but story and characters are undercooked. In Mass Effect 2, they got the mixture just about perfect, although it was lacking in the skills/talents department.

maybe if u look at Bioware in the last 10, 15 years, but it's a shallow experience with very little character choice taken in the context of the classics like BG2. KOTOR did it already, NWN actually did it already just in a less effective way, KOTOR popularized console RPGs on the xbox... I say again I like the game, liked it a heck of a lot, but it's not their best if you forget about things like how the graphics looks to a 2021 audience... I mean, people still say Ocarina of Time is a GOAT, but its gameplay and graphics are dated as all get-out.

I like ME2. It's not their best. It's the best ME game, it's better than Dragon Age, it's better than NWN, better than Jade Empire, ME1 probably is too, but it's not better than BG2, imo.

 

[cartman414]

In a just world, BG2 would be the one with the lead Mass Effect 2 has right now.

Filthy casuals.

 

[e0n]

I would pick BG2, but the gameplay is not that great. ME2 recreates that sci-fi tv show vibe really well and will probably take it.

 

[Tschumi]

I had the brainwave to put Bungie and Obsidian on the future polls list, you're welcome, internet.

I would pick BG2, but the gameplay is not that great. ME2 recreates that sci-fi tv show vibe really well and will probably take it.

I'm not trying to disagree or change ur mind (can't change ur pick after all), but I'd just say that aged gameplay shouldn't = inferior game, imo.

I'm just saying that BG had a really innovative combat system, an automated turn-based fight that had concurrent turns, rolls, and sundry computations going on in real time long before the zaniest of Final Fantasy fight systems. Maybe it didn't refine Resident Evil 4 quite as well as Mass Effect, but it was really advanced for its time - in my opinion the turn based approach of Larian is a step back from RTWP... Pardon me I'm gonna go play Deadfire

 

[GnomeChimpsky]

I voted ME 1. The atmosphere in that game is just unmatched. 2 removed a lot of the things I liked in the first game and takes forever to get going. I couldn't get into it.

 

[Alandring]

Mass Effect 2, obviously, but Mass Effect 3 is a very serious runner-up.

 

[SmurfMustard]

Chose BG2. But actually could have chosen any game on the list except a few from the bottom of the list and it too would have been the right choice. BG1 came at a time when there was a real wRPG draught with almost no releases in that genre. It showed the genre is not dead and can be successful. BG2 is not only bigger and better, it is true bliss.

 

[JimmyRustler]

Mass Effect 1

I acknowledge that part 2 has the better gameplay but the unrivaled atmosphere of part 1 puts it on the top for me.

 

[Vagswarm]

I wasn't able to play Baldur's Gate 2 or Knights of the Old Republic when they first came out, so for me it's Mass Effect 2 followed by Dragon Age.

If this was a PC centric forum BG2 or KoToR would be #1.

 

[STARSBarry]

As with many I was a real sucker for Mass Effect 2, it was just the perfect blend of characters + good sci-fi.

My second fav is probably Dragon Age : Origins although it was close, however Mass Effects 2 characters where just too well written for there own good.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

ME2 was fine, had fun with it, and the kasumi and shadow broker dlcs were real good.
But ME3 was just the better game, with a refined combat loop so good, it made the added MP such a pleasant surprise I wound up playing it for 700 goddamn hours.

That's actually the only point that disappointed me about andromeda, I was soooo hyped for the MP, but then they just slowed progression to a crawl, half-assed support for it and just let it die.
I hope they do a better job for the 5th game.

Jade empire should get a sequel.

 

[Y0ssarian]

I had the brainwave to put Obsidian on the future polls list, you're welcome, internet

Good man.

I haven't played anything prior to KotOR (yet. I just got Baldur's Gate 1 + 2 EE) and I haven't played Anthem, but I voted Mass Effect 2. I could easily change that to Dragon Age, KotOR or even Mass Effect 1 or 3 depending on how I feel at that moment in time. But I think I had the most fun with ME2 overall

 

[Handel]

Dragon Age Origins is the easy answer for me, as it's the closest thing there is to a game that captures the epic party adventure of Lord of the Rings, while also setting itself apart with where it's lore on elves, dwarves, darkspawn (orcs), etc. differs from the Tolkien standard, culminating in my favorite video game world. It's a grand adventure where you unite the land against a common foe, and actually get to feel the result of your choices with the troop system in the final battle. The companions are good to amazing with even the weakest character-wise in Oghren having some layers to him and being entertaining. The party banter goes a long way towards feeling like they exist outside of you, which is a problem with the Mass Effect series at times. The RTWP combat is fun to me, especially at higher difficulties there's some good strategy involved, with mage gameplay being a blast.

ME1 would come second, as it is a very balanced experience, with great pacing. The companions besides the awesome Wrex are just good here, but other than Kaidan they all have interesting aspects to them. The plot is quite focused especially compared to 2&3, particularly when it comes to having central villains to overcome in Saren and Sovereign. Even without that much to do on them, planet exploration helped in creating the feeling of a space adventure. The taking out rather than improving on of the RPG elements in later games was also a disappointment.

 

[fart town usa]

Mass Effect 1. Just love the OST and the sense of mystery. Such an awesome game.

I had a lot of fun with the first Dragon Age too, really great game.

I've tried to play some of their older games but I didn't game on PC as a kid and I honestly don't know how to play games like Neverwinter Nights. KOTOR on XBOX seemed cool but again, the combat didn't make sense to me at the time so I stopped playing it.

 

[brian0057]

Knights of the Old Republic.
But the fact that Mass Effect 2 is winning the poll is depressing.
I would've been fine with the first game winning. At leaast that game was an actual RPG.

 

[AJUMP23]

Mass Effect 1 is their best story. ME2 is the best gameplay. KOTOR is just a triumph in characters and dialog and story. My favorite from Bioware is ME1.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

Definitely ME2.

One of my top ten.

 

[DelireMan7]

I'd like to vote for this one but can't because despite the fact I want to basically play most of the games on the list (Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, KOTOR and Neverwinter Nights), I have only play 2 of them :
Dragon Age : Origins and Baldur's Gate 1 + expansion.

I played Dragon Age Origins, 2 years ago. It was my first game of this kind and I was blown away. The combat was so good and the role play amazing. Playing the expansion and beating the whole franchise is my "to play list".

Last year, I played (and beat) for the first time Baldur's Gate 1 (on PS4). I was completely stunned by this one. This 20+ years old game was just so much better than most of the modern games I have played. I loved the combat, the intense role play and the freedom this game gives you. If I had play this game 20 years ago, I pretty sure I would have ended up being a much different person than I am today. I would have become a cRPG hardcore fan and most probably dive into tabletop RPG and that would have result into a different "me" who is not afraid about any social interaction xD

 

[Fbh]

Mass Effect 2. Though I like the overall story better in 1 and I also like how 1 had more RPG mechanics, but 2 has a better cast and that's one of the main appeals of the franchise (also some good combat improvements).
To me Mass Effect still has one of the best worlds and settings in gaming. They managed to create a Sci Fi universe that really stood out and resonated with people, and I think making it as a trilogy with direct sequels and returning characters really helped make it more memorable.

 

[Shut0wen]

Love the mass effect 1 and 2, especially 2 helped me through a very dark time in my life when it came out so did bad company 2 but i played origins last year on xbox one, honestly hands down my favourite bioware game now, the combat on consooe is straight up shite but the writing and story is top notch imo, reminds me of game of thrones and the expansion was one of the best expansions ive ever played, was incredibly disappointed when i finsihed the 2nd game and couldnt even get into the 3rd one, everything outside the main quest is just boring as fuck, like they tried to make it like xenoblade but failed incredibly

 

[Majormaxxx]

It has to be ME2 for me. I loved KOTOR 1-2 and Jade Empire and had fun, but didn't finish, Dragon Age 1.. But the ME trilogy was the bomb. ME 3 had a bummer ending - I expected a triumphant ending ala A New Hope or Jedi...

 

[e0n]

I'm not trying to disagree or change ur mind (can't change ur pick after all), but I'd just say that aged gameplay shouldn't = inferior game, imo.

I'm just saying that BG had a really innovative combat system, an automated turn-based fight that had concurrent turns, rolls, and sundry computations going on in real time long before the zaniest of Final Fantasy fight systems. Maybe it didn't refine Resident Evil 4 quite as well as Mass Effect, but it was really advanced for its time - in my opinion the turn based approach of Larian is a step back from RTWP... Pardon me I'm gonna go play Deadfire

It's not just the gameplay; it also has a lot of high-fantasy writing that I just don't care much about. Most significant rpg that Bioware made maybe, but not as fun as more modern entries.

 

[Kraz]

ME1.
The main planets have such personality and their music is perfect.
Noveria
Feros
Virmire

Ilos onward is well paced. and that run up the outside of the citadel tower felt life changing the first time. And the credits song was the best of the series. AND I NEED YOU TO RECOVERRR...

 

[Mozzarella]

This one is hard, i will be thinking about this.
Baldur's Gate 2
KOTOR
Dragon Age Origins
Mass Effect 2

Are all 4 excellent role playing games. My vote most likely will be between Mass Effect and Baldur's Gate 2.
I think ME2 will win this so i will give Baldur's Gate 2 some love.