Mass Effect 2 -- HOLY S#$@!!!! [Archive]

drunken monk

02-07-2010, 07:58 AM

ME2 is fucking amazing. Im constantly impressed visually which doesnt happen much anymore and its simply a blast to play.

I only have one gripe... Its not an rpg. Its an action game with lite rpg elements, a karma system, and an open world. All the rpg aspects of the original have been shockingly simplified or were removed completely.

Im sure this was done to appeal to a wider audience but I dont see that helping. I dont know anyone who would hop into the middle of a trilogy of this nature and not play the first so the change seems pointless. Its hard to complain when the game is so damn fun to play but it does bother me a bit.

I remember reading bioware's reasons for removing new game + and your character stats not transferring from the original and after playing ME2 I see that they were bullshitting.

But yeah I just felt the need to call out ME2 in that regard. But otherwise its a fantastic experience. Should win quite a few GOTY awards.

Blackdragon

02-08-2010, 08:05 PM

I've started playing it and just like the first one I must say I rather enjoy it. I haven't yet gotten to the core of the game where you select free missions but I heard they have improved over the previous game.

Only problem I had with the extra missions was how barren and useless most of the planets were in comparison to what was there to explore.

DragoonKnight

02-09-2010, 03:06 AM

Was never a huge fan of squad-based action until I played the first Mass Effect. It's an awesome game either way, tho.

That's why I guess I expected more out of Dragon Age since micro-managing was so much more time consuming, and I thought maybe Bioware had struck the right chord before the fact with the initial Mass Effect. Ah well. C'est la vie, some people adore the damn game still, lol.

Void

02-14-2010, 08:07 PM

It fucking sucks.

Just kidding. It's the best game I ever played. :)

freeflow^

02-21-2010, 05:46 PM

I'm deciding whether to get this game, or the DLC for Fallout 3 in the near future. I had more fun playing Fallout than the original ME.

tehjeff

03-14-2010, 10:53 PM

I re-purchased a 360 for ME2 (mine red-ringed out of warranty, but I still had my HD), and I was more than happy with the finished product.

The battles were much more enjoyable, although admittedly you get into sort of a rut when it comes to tactics. I also enjoyed the Paragon/Douchebag choices this time around, but they're always so cut and dry. I'd like to see some more ambiguous choices thrown in, because it really isn't difficult to choose the best possible outcome when reading over the conversation choices.

I was very, very, VERY impressed with the continuing character arcs and plot bits from the previous game. I think that more developers need to employ this sort of tactic when it comes to selling their product, because there is no question as to whether I will buy ME3 when it comes out. I'm invested in the series now, it's become one massive epic, and the far-reaching effects of your decisions in the first and second title will only make the third all the more satisfying once the ending credits roll at the end of the final installment.

However, my Shepherd looks pretty fucking ugly. I do not understand why the ladies are all up ons. Especially when I went down the evil path and half of my face was riddled with angry red fissures.

Void

03-23-2010, 04:52 PM

The battles were much more enjoyable, although admittedly you get into sort of a rut when it comes to tactics. I also enjoyed the Paragon/Douchebag choices this time around, but they're always so cut and dry. I'd like to see some more ambiguous choices thrown in, because it really isn't difficult to choose the best possible outcome when reading over the conversation choices.

Something that I've noticed about the series is that if you choose the top option in dialogue, it's always paragon, and if you choose the bottom it's always renegade. I'm not sure whether I like or dislike this feature. It makes it a lot easier to crunch through dialogue to get your alignment points, but at the same time it takes a lot of mystery (okay... some mystery) out of the choices you make.

That really fucked with me in Dragon Age. I kept wanting to do the same thing and a few times it caused people to dislike/like me when I was trying to build the opposite type of relationship.

King Zeal

04-01-2010, 07:25 PM

Geez, a few days after I made this topic, my damn comp died.

Anyway, I'm glad to see so many people replied to it, at least.

Ges

04-02-2010, 07:12 AM

For some reason, I stopped playing FFXIII to get back into ME2...and it's such a better game it's not even funny.

King Zeal

04-02-2010, 07:28 PM

Yeah, I strongly concur. FFXIII is painful to sit through.

Blackdragon

04-03-2010, 09:26 PM

I need to start playing it again tbh. Been spending too much time on my handhelds lately. Is it just me or is the AI better this time around. I don't recall taking as much damage (getting hit) in the first game.

Void

04-04-2010, 10:24 PM

The AI is much better, particularly at the higher difficulty settings.

Anyway, I've been pretty lazy with the game lately (working on various achievements in the Halo games mostly) but I plan to get back onto it soon. I've nearly wrapped all aspects of the game.

King Zeal

04-05-2010, 08:32 PM

The AI is better to a degree, but they still wander stupidly into enemy fire and thus get killed easily. Bosses in particular tend to kill party members quickly. It was hard keeping them alive at all on Insanity, where you truly need them to help draw fire.

Sushi_b

08-04-2010, 05:51 AM

I've finally been able to get a copy of Mass Effect 2. I knew I was going to be moving around a lot and my 360 just died recently so I had no choice but to wait for the game. Now I'm just waiting to get home and have my 360 returned to me and then I finally get a chance to play this game that I've been waiting far too long to try out.

Of course I've read all the reviews and I've been so excited to see how my save file from the first one will play out within this one's story.

Ges

08-04-2010, 10:15 AM

It is great. I envy you getting to experience it for the first time. Best game I've played in a while. I might try a different playthrough myself soon as another class. I went Vanguard my first time through.

Also, good to see you posting again, Sush.

On a side note, anyone here purchase the most recent DLC?

Sushi_b

08-04-2010, 07:53 PM

Hey Ges, sorry about your Flyers.

I still have to probably wait a good 2 weeks at least before I can really get into the game. I won't be home until then and probably have to wait for the 360 to arrive. I've been really looking forward to playing the game though because everyone else has played it except me it seems. I feel so sad about that.

Luisfe

08-09-2010, 05:22 AM

I am surprised that it runs better than ME1 on my system.
I mean, WAY better. And it doesn't freak out when alt tabbing.

Less RPG and more corridor shooter, but it is solid.

Luisfe

08-14-2010, 10:46 PM

Doublepost: Finished it. Can't wait for ME3. Resource gathering sucks, but less than the Mako.

Best cutscene in both games? Anderson punching Udina.

Luisfe

08-25-2010, 10:32 PM

Triplepost: Holy shit. Pretty much in the middle of my second playthrough, and I am already planning a third, while I got fed up with ME1 when I was 3/4ths done. Particularly because I got really tired of ENEMIES EVERYWHERE GO GO GO and the boring prefab areas. Kind of felt Oblivionish in the lack of variety of the non-storyline missions.
Did not feel like doing another playthrough of ME1, and I can't wait to have a third go through ME2 (this time having certain characters available before they should be, yay, savegame editor).

Great goddamn game. Likely supplanting SMT: SJ as my favorite 2010 release.

Sushi_b

12-11-2010, 02:33 AM

I find it really interesting to read all the positive comments on the game. It seems like there isn't much negative feedback for the most part.

This is what pains me the most. I just can't get into this game that much. I don't know what it is, and I hope it will pass, but I'm just not digging this game. I don't like the fact that they put so much more focus on the shooter aspect and took out equipment, added power cells instead of auto recharge, the new cast of characters. There is so much I haven't done yet, but I'm not a fan of what I've seen so far.

King Zeal

12-11-2010, 01:30 PM

You feel the same way most of us did in the early hours.

All I can say is that it gets better.

Sushi_b

12-13-2010, 01:04 PM

I'll see how it goes and hold those words Zeal. I haven't been keen enough to pick it up recently but I'm sure I will here in a few days again.

Just thought I should throw up the Mass Effect 3 trailer that was just released since I'm sure it will excite some people.

http://www.gametrailers.com/game/mass-effect-3/12960

Luisfe

12-13-2010, 06:26 PM

Mordin is the best character, get Mordin as soon as you can.

Then Garrus.

King Zeal

12-14-2010, 07:29 AM

If by "best" you mean most useful, then you got that wrong.

Miranda is by far the most useful party member, with Warp and Overload killing 2/3 of enemy immunities.

Luisfe

12-14-2010, 05:29 PM

No, I meant best as in "best lines" and "most entertaining"

And eh, Miranda is useful if you are playing as a Soldier. As any sort of Biotic or Tech hybrid, she is NOT as useful.

Warp and Reave plus incinerate plus something else is nice. That being said, shockwave is awesome against the husks.

Edit: For second or third playthroughs, if you are playing on the PC CHEAT and get Legion early, finish the tutorial mission and unlock it. It won't break stuff unless you do silly things like bringing him to his recruit mission (and even then I think it won't generate errors, but better safe than sorry). He gets unique dialog for EVEN THE EARLY missions. And will allow you to explore his dialog tree without having to get a bad ending, unlike normally.

I should get DLC. Have not played Overlord.

LunarGriever

02-01-2011, 05:41 PM

Not to revive a dead topic but....

As a PS3 owner Mass Effect was a series that I had interest in but figured I would never get to play since I didn't own a 360. However when the ME2 demo came out on PSN a couple months ago, I was blown away. I knew that one way or another I had to play the series ASAP.

I ended up buying the first game and borrowing a friends 360. The game was amazing. I was completely blown away. Possibly one of the best games I had ever played. The final stage was nothing short of pure epic win.

Having finished the first game in just a week, thank you snow days sometimes being a teacher isn't so bad, I started the PS3 version of the ME2 right away. It kinda sucks not being able to transfer everything, but I may go back an play ME2 again on my friends 360 to see what the difference was.

Anyway, so far while I do enjoy ME2 it's not the game that the original was. I thought the first game was the perfect balance of RPG and shooter, whereas the sequel seems to favor the shooter part a bit too much. I guess like you said, everyone feels that at first. That said, I haven't really gotten very far into the game yet. Still recruiting my first set of party members.

Bottom line, great series loving it. It reminds me of what Xenosaga should have been.

Also I'm kinda still new to WRPGs, Fallout 3 really being the first one I had played in over a decade. Are their any other companies besides Bioware that make party based WRPGs? Fallout 3 was cool, but I strongly prefer having a party like in DAO and ME. So yeah... any other companies do party based WRPGs?

EDIT:

Is Miranda really that good? So far the abilities don't seem nearly as helpful as they were in the first game... The cool down time effecting the entire skill set really seems to kill the skill based characters...

EDIT EDIT:

Oh and, should I be concerned with how I spend my money in this game? It seems to me that without any armor to sell, it would be very possible to totally run out of money ruining my ability to explore, get minerals for upgrades etc.

King Zeal

02-02-2011, 12:08 AM

What class are you?

And yes, you need to choose what to buy very wisely, depending on what class you are and which weapons you prefer.

LunarGriever

02-02-2011, 02:38 AM

Just a normal soldier... And I prefer the machine gun and the sniper rifle the most... Also what's the deal with these loyalty missions? Do I need to worry about triggering them, or will they just happen as I progress / talk to the character?

Right now I've got plenty of $ but I need to go and mine more... So an can get some more upgrades.

Oh and the mission to get Tali was awesome. I don't care if she's not the most powerful in the game, she and Wrex might be my favorite characters in the series so far... Of course Saren was amazing too.

Luisfe

02-03-2011, 08:51 PM

The loyalty missions will appear as you advance. More missions get unlocked as you go on.

Does the PS3 version let you choose the ME1 events, or are you screwed to have Udina as the councilman and Wrex killed?

LunarGriever

02-04-2011, 01:37 AM

There's an interactive comic that lets you make decisions on the 6 main carry overs from the first game. That includes who you dated, the queen, Wrex, the Virmire situation, save the council, and Anderson / Udina...

So all the main stuff carries over... I'm disappointed they couldn't find a way to carry over the more important side missions though. It upsets me to hear that the Soliarian Captian died on Virmire, and that the consort fell on hard times... Especially because I know that I did do those things.

My buddy who lent me the Xbox is mostly a PC gamer and he's in no rush to get the system back. And since he already had a copy of ME2, for some reason, I might replay ME2 later with my date transferred, just so I can see what's different.

Luisfe

02-04-2011, 04:09 AM

Other than Wrex, Udina and the Queen most of the ME1 choices are just fluff.

Hell one could say that other than Wrex all the choices were fluff

Too bad that on the PS3 version you can't cheat and get Legion early. I still am surprised that he has BANTER FOR ALL MISSIONS after arriving in Omega.

LunarGriever

02-07-2011, 06:52 PM

What happens if you decide to kill Wrex? Is that whole portion of the game cut out? I have a feeling that the Queen decision will have a major impact at some point before the series is over.

Luisfe

02-07-2011, 09:04 PM

He is replaced by his brother, who does not try to unite the tribes/is not as forward thinking and thus will likely have a different repercusion in ME3

Phakiel

02-07-2011, 09:09 PM

I thought the hardcopy would be consistently cheaper but I can get the thing online for the same 60 bucks plus I think it has the extra content.

I may buy it once I get my new tv.

LunarGriever

02-08-2011, 12:01 AM

You get the extra content free when you buy the hard copy. I've heard it takes FOREVER to download online.

Ah, yeah that's a big difference Lui. Like I said I think most of the major choices are going to effect the 3rd game more than the second. It would be really hard to make the second game bridge the first and third if it really had that many different choices taking place...

BTW when you recruited the Assassin who is he trying to kill if you already killed Nissanna? I know I did that side quest on the X60 but clearly it didn't carry over for the PS3 version.

Luisfe

02-08-2011, 05:07 AM

Luisfe

02-10-2011, 02:27 AM

So yeah, apparently if a group of 5 is organized, ME3 can be had with all the DLC for a mere 13 dollars plus paypal fees. That is not at all a bad thing and might or might not entice me to doubledip on the thing (even if the Steam one I have was a gift, hah)

Phakiel

02-10-2011, 05:25 AM

It can be much cheaper via PSN download if you take advantage of the "share a game in 5 ps3S" thing. Haven't done it myself but that is also a viable option.

Also: PC version supremacy, even if it is not as easy to share, it is slightly cheaper on Steam for the nondeluxe version.

Would have to get people organized online, my gamer friends dont care about RPGs if they are actually gamers who actually are not that many.

Luisfe

02-10-2011, 03:21 PM

Yeah also trying to get in a share group in another forum (SA), not very succesfully since I am a week or two late from the original craze (and I can't do the buying since PSN does not accept credit cards here)

LunarGriever

02-13-2011, 05:23 PM

Well I finished ME2 today. Another fantastic game, just like Zeal said this is quickly becoming one of my favorite series.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW:

That said, I do prefer the original. I thought the story was better and so where the characters. Of course I did like Miranda and Jacob better than Ashley and Kaiden, but overall as a cast I think I enjoyed the original better. ME2's problem might have been that it just had too many characters. I think it would have been better if they had cut some of them out. Did Grunt, the Justicar, Thain or Jack really bring anything to the table? I mean really, if Wrex is a party character again in ME3 do you really think anyone on the planet would choose Grunt over him? Or Samara over Liara?

Mordin was a great addition, and Legion is a VERY interesting one, so much so that I can't dislike him. Tali's further development was awesome, she continues to remain a favorite of mine. Garrus was...different... I don't know why he decided to become Batman.

I found the final battle to be disappointing. It wasn't nearly as epic as the original’s conclusion. Not only that, it wasn't even as epic Lair of the Shadow Broker.

Anyway overall excellent game, not quite as awesome as the original but still amazing. I'm very excited for the 3rd one.

Luisfe

02-13-2011, 06:24 PM

Garrus decided to become Batman when he decided that going within the framework of the law/regular power structures was not going to do shit-all, which he learned while traveling with Shepard after ME1. And then he became much angrier when a member of his crew betrayed him, it's all there in the dialog and the loyalty mission.
A Batman that calibrates.

LunarGriever

02-13-2011, 07:09 PM

Ah that makes sense. I never really used him in the first one, so I probably missed most of the change.

I'm going back now on youtube and watching some of the differenct choices and such that people made. It really is amazing how Bioware can manage to program this many options and true consequences into a game.

Also... it seems like they took out alot of the dialogue options that one existed in this game. Watching video on youtube it's clear that Bio had at one point planned to let you get the characters in any order. Why else have dialogue options for characters in missions before they join?

I kind of thought the game lacked dialogue as a whole. I had hopped that Tali and Garrus would have alot to say to eachother being the only two returning characters but they didn't.

Oh well, like I said great game. Think I'll take a break from RPGs for a month until Dragon Age 2 comes out.

Luisfe

02-14-2011, 03:08 AM

I'm going back now on youtube and watching some of the differenct choices and such that people made. It really is amazing how Bioware can manage to program this many options and true consequences into a game.

And yet it is NOTHING, and I do mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING compared to what Obsidian did with Alpha Protocol. ME does not have all that many branching paths or choices that have actual consequences (maybe it will in ME3?), and meanwhile I've had 5 playthroughs on AP and not a single one has had the same end result. Hell, in the SomethingAwful thread there are spoilers that make me go "wait, what? THAT can happen? How?".

The result is: Alpha Protocol owns, but that is a derail.

Also... it seems like they took out alot of the dialogue options that one existed in this game. Watching video on youtube it's clear that Bio had at one point planned to let you get the characters in any order. Why else have dialogue options for characters in missions before they join?

It's not really taken out. Just not directly accesible. I just got into a PSN share for me2 it (since it was cheaper that way than just to get the DLC for the Steam version I have.) and the thing I will miss the most will be to be able to take Legion early, he has goddamn dialog options for Mordin's recruiting mission! It is just a shame that they had to structure the recruit/loyalty in such a way in the end. That way one won't get most of Legion's character developement without dooming the crew.

So yeah, the PC version is very, very good and allows one to get characters early, and do some very very silly things (I've seen a modded Shepard with Legion's head. It is hilarious)