Mass Effect 2

[Wrath of Dagon]

My point wasn't that QTE's/ button presses were bad in and of themselves, my point was that's all that's left of an RPG, and was meant to be satirical. Of course I was going by what someone else said, so that may not even be the case.

[Purkake]

Could we have a separate spoiler thread and reserve this one for impressions and general discussion?

 

Think of us poor Europeans

Edited January 27, 2010 by Purkake

[Enoch]

A few minutiae from the first couple hours of play:

 

-- I thought it was odd that the installation didn't create any desktop/menu shortcuts.

-- The savegame import worked fine, but could definitely have been better designed.

-- I actually played the

Lazarus Facility

twice, because by the end of it, I hated the custom face I had made and wanted to go back and do it again.

--

I'm going to be disappointed if, later in the game, it isn't revealed that the whole "attack on the Lazarus Station" wasn't a stunt pulled by TIM to test out my recovery. It's just too ridiculous as-is. I'm supposed to believe that the traitor was the head doctor, and he sabotaged the facility not by simply dosing Shepard with something bad when nobody is looking, but by hacking all the robots in the facility to attack??

 

-- I was disappointed in how they handled the "who is the human Council member" decision. In ME1, I always took the "not my call" option, because I thought that both Udina and Anderson would be terrible Council members. But when the choice was presented in ME2, it was binary, and when I picked a name (I picked Udina because I suspected that he would've been most likely to win absent a Shepard endorsement, and because I'm a contrarian and the first game tried so hard to make the player hate him), Shepard started talking about how she endorsed him. It's irritating that one of the supported choices in ME1 wasn't supported in ME2.

-- Hacking/Decrypting: Shockingly easy, so far. It's basically a test to see whether you're paying attention. (Does it get any harder later on?) Although I did have some trouble with the first Decryption I tried (that's the one where you match the colored text, right?) because the game didn't tell me that I should be using WASD/spacebar instead of the mouse.

-- Why is Run, Take Cover, Jump Over Cover, and Use Item all bound to one key? Feels like a lazy console port in this respect (and in some of the menus). I'm sure I'll get used to it, but it's an odd decision to not even let PC users re-bind these to separate keys. (You can change which single key does all that, but not split the functions into different keys.)

-- I like the limited ammo-but-we-won't-call-it-ammo system.

-- I'll reserve judgment on the rest of the new combat systems until I see how other stuff works (e.g., upgrades).

[Guest Slinky]

Since some of you are already playing the game, could someone give any feedback about the squad AI? Do the squadies still shoot the PC in the back more than the enemy?

I've only played up to the point where you get your ship, but so far, they are more apt to charge ahead to take the piece of cover I was aiming for. I shoot them in the back more than vice-versa.

Thanks. Well then they atleast try to do something productive, instead of standing behind the player like idiots.

 

-- Why is Run, Take Cover, Jump Over Cover, and Use Item all bound to one key? Feels like a lazy console port in this respect (and in some of the menus). I'm sure I'll get used to it, but it's an odd decision to not even let PC users re-bind these to separate keys. (You can change which single key does all that, but not split the functions into different keys.

Aww man, does that button of epic multifunction even work like it should? Or do you often accidentally jump over cover when you try to run to new position or somesuch?

[Enoch]

-- Why is Run, Take Cover, Jump Over Cover, and Use Item all bound to one key? Feels like a lazy console port in this respect (and in some of the menus). I'm sure I'll get used to it, but it's an odd decision to not even let PC users re-bind these to separate keys. (You can change which single key does all that, but not split the functions into different keys.

Aww man, does that button of epic multifunction even work like it should? Or do you often accidentally jump over cover when you try to run to new position or somesuch?

Well, the "vault" function actually requires you to be pressing "W" (or whatever key you use for "move forward") while you hit the spacebar. And I haven't used the "charge" function, except where you have to in the intro. I haven't really gotten the hang popping into and out of cover yet, but I suspect that, once I do, it will be less problematic than ME1's "automatically glue you to cover whenever you come within 5 feet of it" system.

[GreasyDogMeat]

The Zaeed character is available for download now. I think he's free only today.

[Enoch]

The Zaeed character is available for download now. I think he's free only today.

It's not a limited-time thing-- he should be free for everyone who bought a new retail copy and registered the "Cerberus Network" card that came in the box (much like Shale was in DA:O). I was able to download and install him yesterday on my PC, although there were delays in getting the DL ready for Xboxes. (I haven't gone looking for him in-game yet, but the quest did show up in my journal.)

Edited January 27, 2010 by Enoch

[GreasyDogMeat]

It's not a limited-time thing-- he should be free for everyone who bought a new retail copy and registered the "Cerberus Network" card that came in the box, (much like Shale was in DA:O). I was able to download and install him yesterday on my PC, although there were delays in getting the DL ready for Xboxes.

I see. Wasn't sure how it worked... either way he's available now for the 360.

[Meshugger]

Lame sex aside, does this game even feel like an RPG, when Volourn starts to say that Bioware are stretching it, i do not know what to believe.

Well, your weapon skills have gone the way of the shooter, and (early on, at least) cover is more important than equipment, but you still level-up your other abilities, and you still have the all-important pause function in combat where you can issue orders. Equipment itself is more sparse, with character progression defined by squad-made upgrades rather than by looting gear with a higher roman numeral at the end of its name. (I still consider this valid RPG progression; it's just more granular than ME1's was. That said, I haven't gotten any upgrades yet, so whether they provide noticeable benefits remains to be seen.) Plus, a large part of the appeal of the game is in dealing with the NPCs, and, according to Pop, they've built in at least a little reactivity to your decisions. I don't know where that puts the game on your personal the "Action RPG -- Shooter w/ RPG Elements" continuum. As someone who doesn't generally enjoy shootery combat, I'm still having fun.

 

Caveat: I'm playing as a Sentinel, which allows me to play in what is probably the least-shootery way possible. Tech Armor gives you some freedom in ignoring cover from when you want to, and you've got a non-firearm power for every occasion.

 

Thank you, that was quite informative! I will have some consideration to do.

 

jaguars4ever: I hear ya, bro. Jugs are made to be shown and to bounce. Pathetic, Bioware, Pathetic.

[Pop]

Note that I've only had the one playthrough - The game made a lot of noise about outcomes being different had I done something different but I'm not 100% sure how different it would be. Also the variability in consequences for endgame choices are hard to gauge at this point.

[jaguars4ever]

Need help guys.

 

I'm trying to romance Dr. Chakwas. I've bought her favorite brandy, we cracked it open, but...how do I escalate from here?!?

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

I find it weird none of these people already have a relationship.

[Purkake]

They gave everything up for Shepard.

 

 

And he died for their sins.

 

Edited January 28, 2010 by Purkake

[jaguars4ever]

Too bad you have to pay for lap dances now. In ME1 you could get Asari Lap Dances for free!

[Volourn]

"I find it weird none of these people already have a relationship."

 

At least two of them did...

 

 

P.S. Plus, some of these characters are too weird to be in any kind of relationship outside of the sxual physical kind. Seriosuly, can you see 'JACK' in a relationship? The doctor? Etc., etc.

[Krookie]

"I find it weird none of these people already have a relationship."

 

At least two of them did...

 

 

P.S. Plus, some of these characters are too weird to be in any kind of relationship outside of the sxual physical kind. Seriosuly, can you see 'JACK' in a relationship? The doctor? Etc., etc.

 

Don't make that assumption about Jack before you find out more about her past...

Edited January 28, 2010 by Krookie

[jaguars4ever]

Awesome.

 

****SPOILERS****

 

Depending on whether you quit the Spectres or stay on, your dialog options change even in low-key-Quarian-racism-quests.

[Volourn]

"Don't make that assumption about Jack before you find out more about her past..."

 

I know enough to know that she is one of the most emoist characters ever. She should just cut herself, and get it over with. I should have allowed her to die in that prison (if you are able to). Miranda may be a biatch but at least she iemo. Plus, she's super hot so that takes the sting off.

[GreasyDogMeat]

I LOVE how your choices carry over into ME2. I've run into so many characters and news announcements about specifics that I chose in the original game. At first I suspected the game detected my Paragon status, and simply repeated Paragon outcomes to quests, but I have yet to hear any sort of give away about a situation I handled differently. It all matches up so far.

[jaguars4ever]

"Don't make that assumption about Jack before you find out more about her past..."

 

I know enough to know that she is one of the most emoist characters ever. She should just cut herself, and get it over with. I should have allowed her to die in that prison (if you are able to). Miranda may be a biatch but at least she iemo. Plus, she's super hot so that takes the sting off.

Why even settle for a biatch, when you can have a sweet, playful, space-babe for those steamy space nights?

 

Tali > Kelly > Miranda > SuZe

 

--

 

 

I LOVE how your choices carry over into ME2. I've run into so many characters and news announcements about specifics that I chose in the original game. At first I suspected the game detected my Paragon status, and simply repeated Paragon outcomes to quests, but I have yet to hear any sort of give away about a situation I handled differently. It all matches up so far.

***SPOILERS***

 

Meeting up with crime boss Helena Blake, bitch reporter Al Jillani (renegade QTE here was the moment of the game), & sweet reporter Emily Wong kicked ass. An especially nice touch was the Toombs dude that was kidnapped by Cerberus in ME1.

[Jaesun]

I've been playing non-stop since I picked up my copy from the store. This is pretty much the best thing Bioware has done since Baldur's Gate II.

 

Now off to get Tali, the *only* girl I really was interested in. <3 <3

[Morgoth]

I'm now near the end

At the Collectors base

, and I didn't get the chance to shag someone. And I was always so nice to Kelly and Miranda. What did I wrong?

[jaguars4ever]

I'm now near the end

At the Collectors base

, and I didn't get the chance to shag someone. And I was always so nice to Kelly and Miranda. What did I wrong?

Don't you know anything about women, Morgoth?

 

They don't like nice guys, they like jerks. You gotta treat them like dirt. They'll love you for it, my friend.

[Bokishi]

I'm now near the end

At the Collectors base

, and I didn't get the chance to shag someone. And I was always so nice to Kelly and Miranda. What did I wrong?

Don't you know anything about women, Morgoth?

 

They don't like nice guys, they like jerks. You gotta treat them like dirt. They'll love you for it, my friend.

 

lol

[HoonDing]

I'm now near the end

At the Collectors base

, and I didn't get the chance to shag someone. And I was always so nice to Kelly and Miranda. What did I wrong?

You didn't talk to them enough? That seemed to be all that was required in ME1.

Edited January 28, 2010 by virumor