Mass Effect 2 Discussion

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Starting over as a terminator Renegade that looks exactly like Bruce Willis. This time I'm looking for everything, side quests, planets to scan, upgrades, no final deaths, Insanity Difficulty... although I probably won't be mining a lot until I get the upgrade to the scanner.

[Enoch]

Damn.

Crew just got stolen, and I have 4 loyalty missions left undone. I was heading out to do Jacob's when it all went down. I think I'll complete his mission (the thinking being that the travel time is already lost), then head through the relay to the endgame. I'd rather keep Dr. Chakwas alive than I would Jack, Zaeed, or Legion. It's getting late, though, so it probably won't happen until tomorrow.

 

 

 

Does not picking up the Reaper IFF until everything else is entirely done effectively avoid the choice between saving the crew and getting all the missions done? I'd like to see all these sidequests without replaying the whole game, and I do have a save back in Krogan-town. I'd have to re-do the Reaper corpse and the Migrant fleet, though...

 

Edited February 3, 2010 by Enoch

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Does not picking up the Reaper IFF until everything else is entirely done effectively avoid the choice between saving the crew and getting all the missions done?

 

 

Yes.

[Azure79]

Finished on Veteran.

 

Great overall game. I managed to save all the team and the crew. Probably because I like to do everything possible before going into the final portion of any game. I had

Legion go through the tunnels to hack the door(chose over Tali because well it is a damn hacking machine), Miranda (tactical leader seemed to fit her) to lead the first team, Jack to be the biotic specialist(chose over Samara because I liked Jack better and wanted to RP a Shepard who wanted Jack to have a chance to protect people), Garrus to lead the second team(seemed like the best leader to create a strong diversion and hold out against a stronger enemy) and Grunt to escort the rescued crew(I figured he'd just charge into and destroy everything in their path). All members were loyal

 

 

The shooter aspect of the game was great. I'm not the greatest fan of shooters, but the various powers and combination of powers, (I liked pull and than slam) made it fun for me. I didn't mind that they streamlined the inventory, items, skills aspect of the game, because it just seemed like they combined redundant things into a more concise system. I wish they had kept some kind of grenade system, so you could force enemies out of cover and vice versa. I think that would have the the shooting elements a bit more frenetic.

 

Characters were pretty good. I especially liked Joker and EDI going back and forth and then liking in each other. (AI romance in ME3!) Legion was a cool character because he added some new depth to the geth. Everyone else was pretty much what I was expecting, except perhaps Thane. I thought he'd be cooler instead of being Carth.

 

Storywise, I guess it was good.

The whole Reapers using organics to reproduce seems too simple an explanation after Sovereign went on and on about how organics couldn't possibly fathom the motivations of the Reapers. If it was about procreation and continuing the existence of their species, well organics would understand that just fine. The Reaper at the end did say something about salvation or something. It seems silly that perhaps the Reapers are waging an inter-galactic war against another unknown threat from another galaxy this late in the story, so I'm hoping there will be some cool explanations for everything in ME3. But most likely it will be about Shepard rallying the other species to fight the Reapers.

 

 

One thing I didn't like was the scanning mini-game. Ugh. I spent a good chunk of my play time sitting and scanning planets because of all the hype about your crew dying if you didn't have sufficient resources. Although the occasional side-missions were a great improvement over ME1, but they were all pretty short and far in-between. I wish they had added a market system where you could buy and trade excess elements for cash or other elements.

 

Loyalty missions were some good some bad. Favorites were Grunt's and Jacob's. Again, much better than in ME1. Can't complain.

 

I liked that you could continue to play after you had finished, but was a little disappointed that it didn't have much affect on the world. First thing after the end I did was go back to the citadel to brief Anderson on what had happened, but no option to do so. Of course it was a super secret mission, but still.

 

Don't buy any fish if you're not prepared to go back regularly to feed them.

[GreasyDogMeat]

One thing I didn't like was the scanning mini-game. Ugh. I spent a good chunk of my play time sitting and scanning planets because of all the hype about your crew dying if you didn't have sufficient resources. Although the occasional side-missions were a great improvement over ME1, but they were all pretty short and far in-between. I wish they had added a market system where you could buy and trade excess elements for cash or other elements.

NOBODY likes it. I don't think you can even classify it as a 'mini-game'. There is no 'game' involved. No threat of defeat, or anything. If they had somehow managed to work in some sort of actual mini-game in then it could have been fun. Maybe something like a Pac-man or centipede rip off that somehow involves resources.

[Malcador]

Don't buy any fish if you're not prepared to go back regularly to feed them.

 

That's what Chambers is for

[GreasyDogMeat]

That's what Chambers is for

How do you get her to do it? I never saw the option...

[Oner]

NOBODY likes it. I don't think you can even classify it as a 'mini-game'. There is no 'game' involved. No threat of defeat, or anything. If they had somehow managed to work in some sort of actual mini-game in then it could have been fun. Maybe something like a Pac-man or centipede rip off that somehow involves resources.

Pac-Man with the Mako and Thresher Maws.

[Azure79]

That's what Chambers is for

How do you get her to do it? I never saw the option...

Never saw it either.

 

Mako-man with Thresher Maws sounds really fun

[213374U]

The whole Reapers using organics to reproduce seems too simple an explanation after Sovereign went on and on about how organics couldn't possibly fathom the motivations of the Reapers. If it was about procreation and continuing the existence of their species, well organics would understand that just fine. The Reaper at the end did say something about salvation or something. It seems silly that perhaps the Reapers are waging an inter-galactic war against another unknown threat from another galaxy this late in the story, so I'm hoping there will be some cool explanations for everything in ME3. But most likely it will be about Shepard rallying the other species to fight the Reapers.

It's obviously a clear case of the writers not having the faintest idea of how to resolve a plot item. This wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact that the whole freaking story arc revolves around it.

 

They did the same with Cerberus. In ME1 you're clearly told that Cerberus is an Alliance black ops outfit gone rogue. Retconned for effect in 2. Oh well.

 

BTW, anyone played Star Control 3?

 

 

That's what Chambers is for

How do you get her to do it? I never saw the option...

You need to invite her to your quarters for... eh, dinner. Yeah, that's the ticket. After that, she offers to take care of your fish. Edited February 3, 2010 by 213374U

[Deraldin]

I find that the more I play the game, the more disappointed I become with the lack of interactions. The only places that anyone seems to actually say anything is on their loyalty quest. There is very little interjection into PC conversations outside those areas and absolutely no random conversations with the exception of the Tali/Garrus elevator speech, that I was able to find. It's like walking around with a bunch of mutes.

 

To hell with all the calls for more weapons, armour and all that crap. I want squad interactions dammit!

And why does no one ever react to Legion?! "Geth do not infiltrate." while amusing, was quite disappointing. Hell, you even get to describe Geth to that c-sec officer and she doesn't bat an eyelash with Legion standing right behind you! Also, Legion should get a bullet in the head the moment he steps onto the Migrant Fleet. There's your C&C you bastards!

 

[Nepenthe]

Confirmed on (loyal) Samara pulling through on the Biotic Bubble portion of the endgame. I had (loyal) Legion do the first part and he got a Collector Wasp to the noggin. Seeing as I had counted on his help for all of 2 hours, it wasn't a great loss. Don't know why he survived for you and not for me. Maybe something to do with your performance during that portion? I didn't make any obvious mistakes.

 

 

 

who was your second team leader? perhaps you need a valid second team leader in addition to right tech specialist.

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Yeah, the second team leader does make a difference I think.

 

It's quite clear they're going for the interactive story based shooter market. It's no stat based rpg, and in a way that's refreshing.

 

The consensus seems to be that because you fill up less colored dots during level-ups and you improve your gear via customising existing gear as opposed to going from Spectre Master Gear VII to Spectre Master Gear X makes the game less of an RPG. I'm having trouble adapting to this - and none of the table-top RPGers I know are disagreeing with me. Wonder if its a CRPGer thing.

[GreasyDogMeat]

NOBODY likes it. I don't think you can even classify it as a 'mini-game'. There is no 'game' involved. No threat of defeat, or anything. If they had somehow managed to work in some sort of actual mini-game in then it could have been fun. Maybe something like a Pac-man or centipede rip off that somehow involves resources.

Pac-Man with the Mako and Thresher Maws.

Less than 10 minutes after I mention it you come up with something that sounds infinitely more fun than the resource gathering in ME2.

[jaguars4ever]

Can someone here explain the whole deal with Thane's flashback exposition? Is he on drugs or something?

[GreasyDogMeat]

Drell remember everything with perfect clarity... so if you ask them about their past they go through a lame seizure.

[jaguars4ever]

Ah, got it.

 

Shouldn't there be a codex entry on this or did I miss it?

[GreasyDogMeat]

Ah, got it.

 

Shouldn't there be a codex entry on this or did I miss it?

He tells you himself. Its kind of odd though. He goes through multiple 'seizures' until one particular one where you get to ask him what his problem is.

[Oner]

NOBODY likes it. I don't think you can even classify it as a 'mini-game'. There is no 'game' involved. No threat of defeat, or anything. If they had somehow managed to work in some sort of actual mini-game in then it could have been fun. Maybe something like a Pac-man or centipede rip off that somehow involves resources.

Pac-Man with the Mako and Thresher Maws.

Less than 10 minutes after I mention it you come up with something that sounds infinitely more fun than the resource gathering in ME2.

Thank you.

[jaguars4ever]

NOBODY likes it. I don't think you can even classify it as a 'mini-game'. There is no 'game' involved. No threat of defeat, or anything. If they had somehow managed to work in some sort of actual mini-game in then it could have been fun. Maybe something like a Pac-man or centipede rip off that somehow involves resources.

On the other hand, Explode-the-Monkey was awesome!

[HoonDing]

So, what happens if the Normandy runs out of fuel the between two star systems? Call Intergalactic 911?

 

And on another note, where the heck is Zaeed inside the Normandy? Spent half an hour looking for him, to no avail...

Edited February 3, 2010 by virumor

[jaguars4ever]

So, what happens if the Normandy runs out of fuel the between two star systems? Call Intergalactic 911?

 

And on another note, where the heck is Zaeed inside the Normandy? Spent half an hour looking for him, to no avail...

Bottom floor, hang a right. Don't touch his rifle. Unless you're a FemShep. In that case, make sure he holsters it properly.

Edited February 3, 2010 by jaguars4ever

[Oner]

So, what happens if the Normandy runs out of fuel the between two star systems? Call Intergalactic 911?

This.

[Raithe]

I have to say, there's something about Cerberus going from a black ops unit gone rogue that no-one really knows about.. to being some intergalactically known terrorist group that wear uniforms, where they all wear emblems everybody recognises as Cerberus, oh, and they register their super-secret ship so even the Quarrians know it's built by them...

 

Although, the whole dialogue run of Miranda explaining that there are seperate divisions of Ceberus, military, political, science, and that all of Shep's encounters in ME1 were a semi-rogue bunch of the Military division....

 

 

Then when EDI's blocks are removed, she's all happy to say "oh yes, there are only about a dozen projects going at any time, because the Illusive Man likes to keep a personal control on everything....

 

[Nepenthe]

I have to say, there's something about Cerberus going from a black ops unit gone rogue that no-one really knows about.. to being some intergalactically known terrorist group that wear uniforms, where they all wear emblems everybody recognises as Cerberus, oh, and they register their super-secret ship so even the Quarrians know it's built by them...

 

Although, the whole dialogue run of Miranda explaining that there are seperate divisions of Ceberus, military, political, science, and that all of Shep's encounters in ME1 were a semi-rogue bunch of the Military division....

 

 

Then when EDI's blocks are removed, she's all happy to say "oh yes, there are only about a dozen projects going at any time, because the Illusive Man likes to keep a personal control on everything....

 

 

there's a reason she quits.

 

[jaguars4ever]

*****SPOILERS*****

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What should I do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*****SPOILERS*****

Edited February 3, 2010 by jaguars4ever