Hi all!

This past friday, I started up Xenoblade Chronicles X! And also not that long ago, I also started up the WiiU version of Mass Effect 3.

While I'm not new to RPGs (I've played many on SNES, PS2 and PC), both series are new to me.

I figured I'd do an ongoing thread where I compare my experiences with the two games. Where they are similar, where they differ, which I ultimately like best and other impressions along the way.

I think perhaps my experience might inform you if you should check one or the other if you haven't already.

Enjoy!

updated with my first comparison: character creation

Comparison 1 - Character Creation

In terms of function, both games feature very similar character creation tools, but end up creating very different looking characters.

ME3's character creation generally outputs characters that don't deviate too greatly from the standard Commander Shepherd. To me, that's fine - but I wish I could give the character more personality. All characters have this dead-in-the-eyes look that never sits right with me.

XCX's anime-ish artstyle gives you the opportunity to make a beautifully designed, vibrant character. The problem is that artstyle can easily steer you into creating a very derpy looking character if you don't take your time.

Biggest difference between the two? Hairstyles. A male ME character can't seem live without a pair of Wahl clippers. A male XCX character probably hasn't seen one since Earth was destroyed.

I like the character I created in XCX better than the one I made in ME3. Screenshots later.

I love ME3. Bought it on launch and planning on replaying next year, but now I'm inmersed in XCX.

Not even XCX could lose against that.

Actually no. I know many ME fans would encourage going through the whole series on a different platform, but mainly for story reasons.

At this point, I'm not interested in all the intricacies of the ME storyline -- I just want to know what this series plays like and ME3 is as good as any.

I've kind of gone in blind for both XCX and ME3 here - so I'm doing this for science!

I bought it new from Gamestop for $13.

Mass Effect 2 > KOTOR > Mass Effect 1 > KOTOR 2 > Mass Effect 3

I own both, and while I'm only 11 hours into XCX, so far it's no contest for me; ME3 is a good game, but XCX has it firmly beat, on the strength of its world design and breadth of content.

Well Mass Effect 3 sucked... so...

Deus Ex is great though! Go play that.

I can't even imagine how it would be playing ME3 without having played the first two games. Not knowing the lore, characters, stakes...
The Mass Effect series is one of the best game series ever made IMO, but comparing only ME3 to XCX I feel must go to XCX easily.