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Mass Effect 1: Avg playtime?

Sho'Nuff

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Hey all,

I am one of the few that never played mass effect. I am very intrigured by ME2, but want to complete the first installment before starting the second. Because I seriously have ADD with games, I'm not sure I'll be able to finish ME1 before I am compelled to start ME2. So, how long on avg does it take to finish the main quest in ME1? COuld I conceivably do it in <10-15 hours?
 
The main quest in ME1 can be done pretty fast. Probably under 8 hours. It's actually like 8 locations (Citadel is required twice so even 7). I'm pretty sure you can finish it before ME2 retails.

EDIT: It requires you to skip all the side missions and rush through the dialog so it's pretty pointless. But it's doable, if needed. Then again some of the side missions will have an influence on your ME2 imported character, so you might want to not skip those... Not to mention the game is fun so if you will feel like forcing yourself to play it to the end, this type of games might not be for you 🙂
 
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if you take your sweet time to enjoy the game, it'll last about a week of casual gaming.
i played it from one Saturday to the next including many side quests, while going to work each day and spending time with my GF.
 
just checked mine, with most if not all side quest it as about 26hrs for myself. this was before doing the 2 dlc's for me 1
 
depends on how you attack it.

It took me 20 hours. I did all the main missions, I didn't skip any dialogue, I did about half the side missions (including Bringing down the sky), and I read through the codex.

Played the game in little over a week. Definitely play the first one first, otherwise ME2 just might not be as interesting.
 
I just played through it again recently in about 14 hours. I needed a new saved game for Mass Effect 2!
 
I think my first play through was in the 22-25 hour range. I read a bunch of codec's and spent a lot of time just wandering around the citadel. Great game, can't wait for the sequel.
 
Your first time through, it'll probably take you around 20 hours or so, definitely less than 24-25 hours. And that'd be doing every side quest and talking to every crew member every time your in the Normandy.

Subsequent play throughs shouldn't take near as long. Probably less than 10 or 12 hours, again, doing everything.
 
Play the first one, skip the side missions. They're an addictive, but pointless waste of time and they'll just over-level your characters for the main quest anyway.

The main quest can probably be done in 5 to 10 hours, it's pretty short. And that's with watching all the cinemas.
 
Several of the planets that you explore with the rover are little more than filler. A few have some plot, but nothing compared to the main storyline. I would say about 15 hours with a reasonable exploration of the elements that are worthwhile.
 
Aight, sounds like it is doable. Only played 30 mins or so last night, and I'm in the citadel talking to some schlubs about becoming a spectre. I love the voice acting in this game
 
soxfan said:
I love the voice acting in this game
Click to expand...

It is good, until you hear Councilor Troi (Marina Sirtis), horrible voice actress. You could probably pull a random woman off the street that would be as good, if not better, than her and for a fraction of the price.
 
If you do all the side quests on a first play through it will take 22-28 hours. Some people have taken longer, but I don't know how unless you just screwed around driving somewhere. I got 24 my first time, but skipped at least one side quest.
 
Yep, I definitely messed around in the rover on some of the random planets. Trying to climb the huge hills/mountains and just playing around. Good fun while it lasted. I also talked to every character in the Normandy after each mission in the main story...etc.
 
The very first play-through took me a good 30+ hours, but I kept exploring and I didn't skip a single line of dialog, and I must have spoken to each and every single interactive NPCs of the game, I took my sweet time really, and I enjoyed it a lot. My second play-through took about 20+ hours or so, I did skip a few things for that one, also it was a Renegade character (first was Paragon, mostly) and I thought that Renegade was generally inferior when compared to a Paragon, in terms of fun, simply.

I can't wait to play ME2, only two days to go.
 
Definitely don't skip dialogue, the only reason to play the first one is to understand the story/races etc. You can speed run it in under 5 hours if you know what you are doing but then there is no point.
 
Personally I couldn't get into MA1 on the PC.

I went with a sniper class and found the aiming/ sniper to be off and a bit weak. It especially made some of the key fights very difficult. Also I encountered a few bugs that irritated me.

The rover on the planets wasn't worth it IMO because each planet looked exactly the same but with a different color texture.

The main story was quite a bit of fun and the dialogue and main parts were very well done. The side quests seemed like they were just to add to the "time" you get for your money.
 
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