Mass Effect vs. The Orange Box? Yours Thoughts?!?!

So I'm torn between getting Mass Effect or The Orange Box. I have never played Half Life 2 or any of the episodes, believe it or not. The reviews seem more inclined to Orange Box but Mass Effect also looks really nice and I enjoy RPGs just as much as I enjoy shooters.

I dont know what do get so I figured, why not ask the helpful members on Gamespot :P so what do you think?

and I enjoy your thoughts but would appreciate it if you guys could also put your game choice down so its easy to tell as well..

Half Life 2 = Best single player shooter ever made.

Portal = Great new puzzle game.

Team Fortress 2 = Great online game.

Plus the 2 episodes.

I'd say the Orange Box by a long shot.

If you never played HL2 get ready for an awesome shooter but it's still just a regular shooter (but with awesome physics) and the graphics are not on par with games like bioshock or gear of war since it's an old game. But you get Episode 1 and 2 which makes HL2 like a 20-25 hours game plus portal (never played it but looks cool) and a multiplayer game. But Mass Effect is really unique, beautiful (some of the best graphics around) and involving as a single player game. I'd say Mass Effect, since I bought the LE and not regret it at all. I play from time to time and haven't finished 60% of the game yet (25 hours in) so if you do and read everything you'll get a 40 hour out of it. So shooter or RPG? Multiplayer or not? Awesome graphics or more content? Your choice, but ME for meMrQuaker

I just recently got ME a couple days ago, and since it was the weekend i had time so sit down with it and beat it once, and i'd say its really a spectacular RPG, and a fun shooter. With all the coices you get through out it, i can tell i can tell that it would be hard to exactly duplicate the same expieriece twice. (simple generic RPG stuff like quarian or krogan alies, then more moral choices like save or abandon certain people have a huge impact on the story.)

Then theres Orange Box, which i think is just as good but for different reasons. its a mostly single player shooter and its very linear, the only real choices are what weapon to choose, and thats only a tactical stand point. Portal is fun and you'll likely want to play it more than once just because its the most unique puzzle game around. and then theres TF2, but i cant say much about it yet because i havnt relly played it much.

So both games have a great story, its more about personal prefference, replay value or lasting value. Mass effect took me 20 Hrs to beat the first tim ( but i wasnt too far into alot of the side quests, i was mainly doing the central missions.) but i'm still playing through HL2, and havnt even started Ep. 1 or 2. both stories will take you for a loop, though i've found that Half life has more shocking twists because of how linear it is. in ME, you can usually see the outcomes of your actions before you make them.

This really is a tough choice. Its a little too hard not to give a clear choice.

If your more of a casual gamer and have xbox live you will proably enjoy the Orange Box more since you can easily switch between the Half Life Games, Portal, or the online Team Fortress.

If your a hardcore gamer in the sense of you like playing anything you get your hands on then the box may be a better choice since once again you have a group of good games to dominate.

If your a hardcore gamer in the sense of your picky and need only top quality games to play mass effect is defintaly your way to go. (Half life will seem somewhat dated but still a great game series)

Since you love RPG's and Shooters you might wan't to lean on Mass Effect. You will get more playing time out of Mass Effect too.

Personally I would choose Mass Effect, I didn't care much for the Orange Box (I also don't have Xbox live so that helped my decison)

Mass effect! Orange Box Sucks monkey nuts! i own OB and it was a huge mistake! rent it! TF2 has uber lag syndrome. Portal is easy, Half life is well.... lets just say the guy who made it must have been smoking pot at the time and was high.WiiNut6493

thats 5 for OB and 5 for ME....great

How likely will I be playing ME through twice?

Orange Box has a much longer play value (around 50-100+ depending on if you play TF 2 or not) Mass Effect, though still an amazing game with lots of great story, is short and the exploration is very repetitive. Both games however have great game-play mechanics.Niether Orange Box nor Mass Effect have the 'run and gun' game-play.Half-life2 is all about the physics while ME is all about the micro-managing style of game-play. TF 2 is all about team-work. If youlike shooters like CoD 4 or Halo, you will not like either of these games, however, if you enjoy shooters with strategy, you will love these games. The better of the two, in my opinion, is Orange Box because of its playability. ME will only last you 30 hours, more if you go for all the achievements. I would rent ME because it is only good for three play-throughs, then it gets boring. OrangeBox (TF 2)can be played many times and each class is different. Portal is also one of the best puzzles you'll ever play. However, it is very SHORT. Saulaur

I own and loved all 4 of those games not to be a jackass but please dont scare people from game by saying you wont like it if you... they may end up on missing out on the greatest games