Re: Mass Effect 2
 

Then spoiler tags your vids, and ill spoiler tag saying that the DLC was saddening.
I mean, you posted the launch trailer, and that actually shows The Normandy being blown up. One can assume that its wreck ended up somewhere, and its cool that they actually let you go to it.
Theres not much of a point warning people its a spoiler when the developer tells you what happens before the game is even out.

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

ANYWAY...

So far the game is amazing. I've played it for about 8 hours and I only have gotten Garris, Grunt and Mordun Solace on my team. There is just so much game here.

The game look and plays beautifully. The animations are 1,000 times better than the first, and there are times when the textures and detail blow me away, Garrus in particular. The streamlined combat is much more "fast twitch" and intense than the first but there is still ample opportunity to plan and strategize.

A few very minor complaints: The RPG elements were both turned down and cranked up. Here is what I mean. In traditional RPGs you are essentially a team manager. You decide pretty much everything about your crew. In ME2, this is toned down a bit to streamline the gameplay, but they've cranked up the charaters and your personal investment in the game. I can't imagine playing this game without having imported my ME1 Shepherd. It would be a completely different experience.

The last may be miscontrued as a spoiler, even though it isn't, so I'll tag it. But for me this is a major complaint.

Scanning planets for minerals is FUCKING TEDIOUS. I know they wanted to eliminate the exploration of barren worlds, but I'd much rather explore a barren world and get a sense of the desolation of space than spend 10-15 minutes scanning a damn planet for Element Zero so I can upgrade my stupid guns. I can't fathom why BioWare would make the decision to go with this method of resource gathering. They've streamlined every other aspect of the game and why they would choose to make something so unrelated to the story so awfully boring I have no idea. It completely takes me out of the game. I HATE IT, but I have to do it even if I want to upgrade my god damn scanner. ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

You hate it? Personally I think its pretty cool. Its easy to do and only takes me about 5 mins, but i kind of cheat when doing it. I dont hold down LT the entire time slowly going about, I just tap it for a sec, see if I get a reading then move up along the axis and do it across the entire planet. I also only scan the readings if they are really high, unless they are Eezo, that shit is hard to come by. :p

Also, that free DLC is up now today.
And, I switched to the second disc last night, now im wondering if ill ever switch back to the first one again or if I just keep playing on the second, cause I dont want to really install both of them to my HD.

Re: Mass Effect 2
 

If you're pressing the button you should be prepared for spoilers. It's been that way for a long long time.


Also whats the second disc for anyways?

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

The scanning is terrible, I'll admit. I'd much rather explore a near desolate planet than do this. Exploration in general seems to be toned down, and that's the main reason I play RPGs. And there's no real reward for exploring main areas either, pretty much everything you find just gives you a few credits, big deal. I also hate waiting til the end of a mission to get experience...

I know this is a great game for what it is, and a major improvement over the first game in many ways, but I'm really disappointed in the way they dumbed down things. The inventory/loot mechanics of the first game are pretty broken if you look at them now, but rather than improve upon those aspects they just decided to remove them entirely. Rather than make exploration more interesting and rewarding, they removed it.

We have enough third-person shooters out there already, the combat needed major improvements but not at the expense of reduced RPG elements, those are what should've been focused on. Having just played Uncharted 2, the third-person shooting controls aren't even anywhere near as streamlined or intuitive as that, so in turn we have a game that's trying to be as good as other games from a combat perspective, but in many ways is completely missing out on what made it different and much more special than those other games in the first place.

Still awesomely cinematic and highly enjoyable overall, though. Just breaks my role-playing gamers heart.

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

I dont know what the second disk is for really, i havnt been playing for that long, and even then, ive been doing a lot of exploring. I thought the second disk would have come in later on but I dont think ill be switching back to the first one again anytime soon.

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

I just switched to the second disc. Apparently you'll switch back and forth at least once.

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

Game is nothing short of amazing. Loved the whole mission where you get Archangel.........


I also bought a "Space Hamster"!

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

While I agree with you to some extent, isn't the entire point of a role playing game to "play a role"? To that end, Mass Effect 2 does this better than possibly any other game in existence, with all of the dialog trees and choices.

We've lost some of the typical RPG elements, but I don't feel like those elements are what define an RPG.

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

Epic.

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

"You're working too hard."

Also all you scanner whiners should just suck it up because I just got my hand on a nuclear weapon

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

I got that weapon as well, but it still doesn't justify scanning. I just learned to listen to music/watch youtube while scanning. Its tedious and boring. And I've ran into like 6-7 side missions so far, which isn't even that great of a %.

Anyhow, beat the game, clocked in a little around 30 hours. The game was good, but some parts such as the scanning and The Terminator end-boss and the really loose plot left a sour taste in my mouth.

And not much of a negative/positive, but this is probably the loosest use of an RPG I've ever played. Listening to a podcast, they summed it up nicely, "Gears of War with dialogue trees."

Good game though. Really enjoyable.

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

just beat it......... speechless. What a game. Simply amazing.


Big ending spoilers

I loved the game, so awesome. The only thing i didnt like was losing 2 members. I lost Mordin whom i sent through the tube. Then I lost Zaeed leading the distraction group the second time you had to choose who you wanted. There is a way to let everyone live, there is an achievement for it. Anyone else have any better luck?

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

Re: Mass Effect 2 *Possible Spoilers (starting page 6)*
 

By the way, if anyone wants to buy a Dr.Pepper with the EA Mass Effect promotional in game armor and give me a code I would be thankful.