Hello, gamers! I need some help choosing my next game!

I’m finding very quickly that Mark Plays is not going to unfold like my other two sites, Mark Reads/Watches. It’s actually quite exciting to do things different, so I’d like to keep y’all involved as I move forward.

So, I thought I had decided on my own what to play next, but the more I think about it, the less sure I am that I will be able to pull it off. I would like to get some help regarding some logistics since this is not a matter of simply reading a book or watching a show. Without getting too spoilery, of course! But you should be able to answer these questions without telling me much about any of these games.

A bit about my set-up right now: I have Steam on my MacBook Pro and on Windows 7 through VMware Fusion. Both work beautifully, and I’ve experienced no lag whatsoever running Steam through VMWare. I also own a Playstation 3, but I do not own an HD image capture device.

In terms of the first few games I’d like to play, the top five for me are:

1) Mass Effect series
2) Dragon Age games
3) Ace Attorney series
4) Borderlands 2
5) Monkey Island

The issues I’m having are mostly logistical. I absolutely have to upgrade the RAM on my MacBook to 8GB this week if I am going to be able to handle heavy gaming AND screen capturing through Quicktime Pro. It’s not possible any other way, especially since running VMware AND Steam AND Quicktime eats up my memory rather quickly. I hope to have this installed Tuesday, and y’all will never see the behind-the-scenes freakout I’ve been having. BEAUTIFUL. This is ideal. If this is the case, I shouldn’t have any problem playing a ton of games, since a lot are on Steam, and I love Steam. A lot.

I need to invest in a Nintendo DS so I can play Ace Attorney, so it will be a bit before I can get to that game or the Pokémon ones either. The same goes with anything that’s Xbox or PS3 specific only. I don’t want to play a game without the ability to screen capture.

This week, I did three test videos. None of them were commissioned. I’ll remind you at the time, but please provide feedback on these videos. One is a screen capture with my live voiceover, and the other two are videos of me playing without a screen capture. Which formats works best? Which is more entertaining for y’all?

Additionally, the format used for the Portal 2 posts IS ONLY FOR THIS GAME. It will be far too repetitive and challenging to do for a longer game. Whatever I do next, I’ll have more diary-like entries for reviews instead of a pre-decided format.

Now, on to games! When it comes down to it, I’m partial to Borderlands 2 (BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO WAIT TO PLAY THIS GAME OH MY GOD) or Mass Effect. Borderlands 2 will be easy to execute because it’s available on multiple platforms, it just came out, and it is a single game. However, I think it would be fun to just jump straight into Mass Effect as the first SERIES that I cover!

Here is my question: I have heard that the games are inextricably linked in the sense that what you do in one affects the story in the next? Or something? I am aware that I know VERY, VERY, VERY LITTLE about this series, but I could swear I heard this. So, since Mass Effect 1 is not available on PS3, I’d have to play it on Steam. CAN I PLAY THE FIRST GAME ON STEAM, THEN PLAY THE OTHERS ON THE PS3? Would it be best to play all three on the same platform in a row? What’s the best experience for me in terms of continuity?

Thanks for your help. This is all very, very new to me, so I’m adapting as best as I can. I really appreciate the advice you can give me! I write all posts for my sites the week before they go live, so starting Wednesday, I’ll do the last two playthroughs of Portal 2, then start whatever game I do next. I’ll announce on Twitter (@MarkDoesStuff) and in a separate post the next project. If you would like to design a banner for the site, let me know! markreadsandwatches [at] gmail [dot] com.

Quite a few of you have gifted me games on Steam. In fact, that’s how I chose Portal 2 to start first. If you would like to donate anything to help this process, I’m xpanasonicyouthx on Steam and the PS3 network. You can always purchase something from my online store, click the Donate button in the right sidebar, or let me know of other ways to help. I just purchased my own private server to handle the intense traffic my three sites get, and it’s becoming very expensive to keep my sites online. Anything you can help with is appreciated.

Hello to all the new folks from Kotaku, by the way! It’s really cool to see SO MANY new faces in the comments. I genuinely did not expect this! Please make sure to check out the Site Rules, the FAQ, and the Suggestions pages, and I hope you have a wonderful time as I poorly stumble my way through a bunch of video games.

Thank you!!!