Hi Friends,

I really enjoyed everything about oblivion. I think i played it for 150 hours + 30 hours for the expansion packs.

Is mass effect essentially the same game but with a different story and guns but the same overall gameplay style?

Thanks

I will let the experts do the comparison but I will say this:

I have a new appreciation for this genre. Even though I haven't scratched the surface with Mass Effect yet (I am only an hour into the game), it is an awesome experience.

With Oblivion, quite frankly, I didn't "get into" the game. I just thought it was too overwhelming. Now, with my new appreciation of RPG's, I can't wait to pick up where I left off.

Mass Effect has a story and actual meaningful choices... Oblivion, not so much.

So the same game other than the trappings? Not really.

Oblivion is more of a sand box game, where you can do whatever you want for as long as you want. Mass Effect is character and story driven. The deep story means you have limited options. They are both great games, but not that similar in gameplay (other than both are RPGs, with leveling, equipment, stats and skills).

I have played and finished both.

Aside from the fact that both are RPGs, there is little similarity between them.

If you played and enjoyed Knights of the Old Republic, you should love Mass Effect.

mass effect is very close to kotor. The main mission is not long at all really. the Side missions are almost silly and boring. around 30 hrs of gameplay for me to finish it doing whatever I could find to do.

I have 100 hours in oblivion and have not finished it. I could have finished it 50-60 hours ago maybe, but there are so many little side missions that are quite fun and rewarding to do I just got literally side tracked.

Mass Effect is very small in comparison to Oblivion. I was expecting a blend of kotor and oblivion but it never happened. Don't get me wrong, ME is one of the best games to come around in a long time, but Oblivion is longer, more detailed, and more polished. Which story you prefer is your own choice, I liked both.

One difference between the games is that characters in Oblivion have scheduled lives. They are free to go about eating drinking, shopping, touring the countryside, etc. You may acquire a task to go talk to a person and you have to actual go find that person. Granted, Oblivion will help you by indicating the target on your map. So, it's not difficult. But, the reality is that they could be at home or out in the city, etc.

Mass Effect feels a little limited in that main characters always stand in the same place. It's a little cheesy that Ashley is ALWAYS standing in the exact same spot on your ship.

On the other hand, the intentisty of Mass Effect main missions are a step beyond Oblivion in my mind. Oblivion had a decent main story line but it wasn't superb. So far, Mass Effect seems to have a better main story line.

I think there are more fun side quests in Oblivion than Mass Effect. For instance, you can work through a whole thieves guild side quest in Oblivion. That quest line could take many hours to finish as you go on mission after mission. In contrast, most (not all) side missions I have found in Mass Effect are contained on one planet/ship and can be completed in a single sitting.

The chatting is Mass Effect is hands down, better than Oblivion. In Oblivion, it always zoomed you right intot he face of the person you are talking to. The entire background pauses... people midstride, fire is paused, flames no longer flickering. It was odd. Here, it feels cinematic. Camera angle are improved, the conversation flows and background elements still move around a bit.

Both games feature real time combat. In Oblivion, you can pause t change weapons and such. In Mass Effect, you can do the same. One difference is that Oblivion was a solo experience. In ME, you usually have a crew with you. They are relatively useless but still add a bit of life to the event.

Overall, both games are great. If you Loved Oblivion, you will probably Love ME as I have. However, I don't expect ME to have the same staying power that Oblivion had. I put about 120 hrs into Oblivion. I'll probably put half that or less into ME.

As much as I liked Oblivion, I never got as hooked on Oblivion as I am Mass Effect.

Vice versa for me. I spent 120+ hours in Oblivion, and didn't even finish all the guilds. There was just a phenomenal amount of stuff to do in that game. Mass Effect is fun but hasn't quite hooked me in the same way. I'm at ~20 hours or so and am getting bored. If the story wasn't as good as it is I would probably not bother to finish.

I think reapers post sums it up for me. Oblivion is more expansive, has more to explore and do. Mass Effect has a far more focused and interesting storyline (and a more historically / culturally fleshed out world).

Both are great games though. If you like one you will probably like the other provided you are into the sci-fi/fantasy context.

I really haven't gotten into the inventory part of Mass Effect. Sure I have upgraded myself and team, but I haven't even really been to a store and sold stuff or bought stuff. Haven't really found the need yet.

Make sure to sell stuff eventually, or you may not be able to pick up anything new. There is a 150 item limit. Once you reach this, you have no choice but to turn anything new you find into omnigel.