Mass Effect 2 Improvements You May Not Have Noticed
crafted by: Alex
Unless you played the original Mass Effect shortly before the release of Mass Effect 2, or after playing the sequel, you may have missed the more subtle improvements that make this sequel one of the best games.
1. Pacing: In the original, you can get to the citadel and spend 3-4 hours just talking to people with minimal shooting of space weapons. It's not obvious that you should spread these citadel quests out over the course of the game. In the sequel, there are multiple cities. Each city only has a few side quests. This means that you don't spend more than maybe a couple hours in any 1 location. This really helps the game stay interesting from beginning to end.
2. Conversation animations: Watch carefully, characters are varied in their animation during conversations. Characters that are sitting get up an walk around, or adjust themselves in their seats when they become uncomfortable.
3. More fluid conversations. In the original if you pick a conversation choice before the other character finishes blabbing, there will still be an awkward pause between the end of their yapping and the start of yours. In the sequel this seems mostly nonexistent. Dialog flows between the characters nicely.
4. Menus are gone: When something is missing, you usually don't notice. Reviews usually discuss the additions. Bioware purposefully rearranged when you get experience, and when you can equip weapons and armor so that on mission you aren't taken out of the story so you can fiddle with stats, changing equipment, or switching ammo. Maybe you forget how often you went through 142 menus in the middle of a battle to get +3% damage bonus against synthetics.
Random Encounter: Mass Effect 2 – Not Quite Perfect
crafted by: Alex
I solved the space tape last night. I will keep this as spoiler free as possible, but this post is largely about the end game, and though I will leave details out, I will be talking about how decisions effect outcomes. There WILL be Mass Effect 1 spoilers.
In Mass Effect 1 you have to choose between saving 1 of 2 squad members. Even though both of those characters are sort of douchey, it's a heavy burden, and it makes you, the player, feel terrible for having to make that choice and leaves you wondering "what if." At the end of the game you feel accomplished, like the death of your friend has been justified. The most difficult decision I made in Mass Effect 2 was in a side mission found by scanning some random planet in the middle of nowhere.
I easily got every team members loyalty, largely due to my strictly paragon play through. If you choose the paragon option every time, you basically win the game. The final mission has you making various decision, all of which are obvious. In the end, when my entire crew made it out alive, I felt disappointed. I didn't feel like they were alive because of my superior team leading ability. I felt like they were alive because I clicked on blue text and understand basic English. I'll admit the end of the game is EXTREMELY tense, and I was constantly on edge worrying that someone would die.
Concentrate all firepower on that Normandy SR2
I have decided that in the future I will play Mass Effect again, without choosing any of the paragon or renegade conversation options. I honestly believe this will make for a far more interesting game that may lead to some loyalties lost, tension between crew member, and the inevitable death of some. Bioware is the kind of involving players in the story telling, and even they haven't perfected the art. I think Mass Effect 2 ruined itself by making the journey to the end so fantastic. Despite my disappointment, when is Mass Effect 3 coming out? Because it has already won game of the year 201x.
Fuck it, Mass Effect 1 = Final Fantasy 7, Mass Effect 2 = Final Fantasy 8, figure it out. And no it's not because you only get money at the end of a mission.
Boss Battle: Mass Effect 2 vs Paul
crafted by: Paul
Commander Shepard considers her fate
Mass Effect 2 attacks: Ultimate strike!
- Complete overhaul from RPG into action game while retaining - and even improving on - look and feel of Mass Effect universe
- Excellent story with plenty of complex, wonderful characters (who doesn't love Dr Mordin?)
- Extremely well thought out moral choices
- Fast-paced, exciting combat that is as rewarding as it is fun
- 40 hours not enough...
- Thank Nazara for replayability: I've already loaded my Renegade Shepard to play through in an entirely different way
Paul attacks: miss!
- Some of the eccentricities of ME1 lost in effort to appeal to mainstream (I liked away parties)
- Beware major spoilers in Collector's Edition art book
- Planet scanning is a time sucker
- I'd rather stand my Shepard in an elevator than watch a loading screen of an elevator going up or down IMHOLOL
- Low-res FMV cut-scenes (wish this was on Blu-Ray)
Battle Summary:
Mass Effect 2 was my most anticipated game of 2008, 2009 and 2010, and now, after finishing it, I can say that I am still impressed. This is a stunning game that feels like the culmination of everything that has been advanced in video games for the past twenty years. Nearly every element of ME2 is drenched in quality and refinement. I did everything there was to do in the game and at no point in those 40 hours was I tired of playing - I kept wanting more. There is so much to do and so many decisions that you make that I know I will be playing it again two or three more times to experience all the games different paths.
Random Encounter: Collection Level Up
crafted by: AlexAlex's collection has leveled up!
Something a bit news worthy for the gamer on a budget. Gamestop, the evil corporation, has decided to skimp on profits and offer you a chance to own Valkyria Chronicles for $20! I've been meaning to pick this game up ever since I got my PS3 but never got around to it. I saw it listed on Slickdeals.net this past Monday, ordered it late at night, and it arrived today even though I chose the cheapest shipping option and it came from Texas, hooray!
The following items have been added to your inventory:
Random Encounter: Longitude, Latitude, or Scatitude?
crafted by: Alex
First things first, scanning planets for resources in Mass Effect 2 is a pretty decent mini-game for the first 16 hours that you do it, then it gets a little boring. I have a little tip for all you nit-wits out there.
Pro Tip: Tap the L trigger rather than holding it, you can scan twice as fast, and get a work out in the process.
I found that I scan in columns, up and down the planet, all the way around. I assume another obvious method would to rotate the planet scanning rows at a time. But maybe some of you out there just zip zaggle your way around the planet. Maybe you write out poetry on the face of the planets, who knows!
Let us know how you probe those sexy planets!
Random Encounters: Mass Effect 2
crafted by: Paul
SPOILER FREE!
- Importing my ME1 charachter was a breeze, and the game neatly summarized all the important decisions I had made in the first game before I started. I was glad I didn't play through ME1 again (like Alex) just to remember if I let the council live or not (those fuckers burned!)
- Graphics are incredibly improved. All of the issues that were in the first one are gone, and what's left is a stellar looking collection of science fiction concepts and designs. They even upgraded my ME1 Shephard's hair!
Mass Replay Effect – Why I have only days to beat Mass Effect a 5th time
crafted by: Alex
The judging gaze of the ghost of Saren
Saren's ghost is constantly looking over my shoulder. And he keeps asking me "Did you kill Wrex? Did you choose to have Anderson represent humans on the Council?" All I can do is weep and whisper "I don't remember..."
I beat Mass Effect four times. Three times as a soldier, to reach the level cap, and once as a Biotic. It is one of my favorite games. I can't wait to play Mass Effect 2. I plan on importing my max level soldier into ME2, but there's one big problem. I don't remember what choices I made. On my first play through I went the "good" route. On the second play through I went the "evil" route. On the third play through, I just picked things all willy nilly, and now, I have no idea what choices I made. Without any news on whether or not there will be a recap of choices made after you import your character into ME2, I now need to beat Mass Effect 1 in a matter of days.
Luckily my Shepard kicks some serious Geth ass-plating, so I can breeze through the game. But in all honesty, I really don't want to play ME1 again, I've seen all the choices, used all the skills. Damn you BioWare, stop making such great games.
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