[Starwars]

The rating guidelines be here: http://www.irontowerstudio.com/forum/index.php/topic,101.0.html

So, this is released (?) or is getting released soon. I was not a fan of the first game at all, but mayhap this second episode is better? Discuss!

[Oscar]

Officially, it's going to be released tomorrow, but it got leaked a couple of days ago.

[Wrath of Dagon]

If it's not unbearably idiotic, it might be a good shooter.

[caster]

I see the tensions are running high...

[Gregorus Prime]

BioWare seems to rapidly be turning into a company that produces dating simulators. You can bone Tali, you can bone Garrus, you can bone the black guy or the genetically engineered chick or the other somehow engineered chick or the fishy assassin, etc. I mean, not that I'm complaining or anything. Makes Shepard more like Kirk, which can only be a good thing, and in his defense Tali does have a nice ass that looks great in skintight environment suits.

Unfortunately I'm going to have to miss out on the shooty goodness for a while, as I literally have no money. I'll borrow it off my friend once he beats it. I've heard nothing but high praise for it from various sources, only some minor bitchery having to do with the mining mini-game, or shotguns not being all that great, but it's nothing that can't be fixed with a minor patch.

[caster]

well, this is one slightly overgushing review but it mentions a few improvements.

Also - Ge, your on your way to find allies to fight the final battle as a main plot. Let me guess, there are four places to visit, right?


http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=232630

[Gregorus Prime]

Yes, plus numerous optional sidequest areas.

Like Tali's ass.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Here's a more balanced review: http://www.bravenewgamer.com/2010/01/mass-effect-2-review-more-like-mass-effect-squared/

That doesn't mean there's no more grinding. The Normandy requires fuel and probes to find more raw materials, which cost money. Planets must be sucked dry with a boring grind that involves players shooting probes at various parts of a planet’s surface. When the signal shows an element is there, shoot a probe and it’ll feed the materials into the ship.

Sounds lovely.

(through GB)

[Gregorus Prime]

Sounds like a minor annoyance to me at worst. Hell, there's a perverse part of me that actually enjoys doing mindless tasks in video games as long as it looks cool.

[CandyStick]

I don't think I'll ever be able to bring my self to play Mass Effect, especially part 2, after seeing all those super nerdy and cheezy trailers introducing different characters, the one with the bold tatooed chick litterally made me emberassed that I play games.

[EmptyWallet]

I think I am going to have to be very, very bored before picking this up. Unfortunately the prospect of sodomzing Tali does nothing to increase my will to buy this game.

[pnutz]

She actually just lays her eggs, lets you fertilize them, then Shepard carries them around in his mouth for the rest of the game.

[shihonage]

I might pick it up when it's $20.

[dr.newbenstein]

I've been playing non-stop for about 10 hours now, the following contains spoilers. Mass Effect 2 is a good FPS with some very minor RPG elements. The setting is the same as Mass Effect 1 so I won't go into that, you either like it or you don't, it's generic space fantasy. I imported my character from ME1. This gives you some bonuses like extra money/resources/levels. I'm playing on the hardest difficulty.

C&C
There is none. Let me rephrase that. The C&C is cosmetic in nature, now I can't speak for long term effects or what will carry over into ME3. What I can tell you, is that if you choose a Renegade option the end result will be the same as the Paragon option. I reloaded and tried this several times throughout the game and it always ended up the same. New to ME2 is action options, sometimes during cut-scenes/conversations if your Paragon/Renegade level is high enough a little flash will display and if you press the corresponding mouse button you will do something.

Example: Garrus is about to kill a guy, I have a high enough paragon to press a button and stop him. If I stop him, the end result is the same as if I don't. He still becomes loyal and unlocks his final skill.

Example 2: I'm interrogating a guy in front of a plate glass window and he isn't answering my questions. I can press a button and send him flying through it. The mission ends the same way. Maybe certain allies will react differently towards this but I doubt there is a long term effect if so.

Missions
Huge improvement here, missions are more varied and interesting than ME1. There are actually several timed sequences where you don't have time to dick around and the tension is nice. Unfortunately, the time limit is way too long and I always finished with plenty of time to spare. Of course, I didn't know I had plenty of time going in. There isn't much strategy involved, other than bringing along the right team mates for the right fights. All fights are pretty much solved in the same fashion.

Character System
Someone swallowed a retard pill here. I assume this is for the console users who complained about the inventory system in ME1. There is no inventory. You find new weapons very rarely (I've found like 4). You do not buy weapons. You can research new heavy weapons. Research is the new thing, basically there are all kinds of upgrades which you can find (and then research using minerals) or buy outright (using credits).

Each weapon type has 7 possible upgrades which apply to all squad members using that weapon type. 5 damage upgrades (10-50%) and two special upgrades. For example, Sniper Rifles get Increase Headshot Damage by 50% and Increase Damage to Armor by 50%. There are also upgrades that increase squad health/shielding, lower cooldowns, increase ability damage, etc.

You can also research ship upgrades and apparently there is ship vs ship combat? Not sure haven't gotten to any yet, or any vehicle for that matter. What research boils down to, is finding a schematic and then playing a retarded mini-game farming the minerals to actually research it. I hate it with a passion.

• No inventory.
• All hacking/lockping is now handled by mini-games unrelated in any way to skills or resources.
• All upgrades require minerals, which must be mined from planets (basically another mini-game) or found on missions (small amounts).
• Smaller skill list, when you max it you can evolve it into one of two forms (basically along the lines of do you want more health or more damage)
• Appears to be more linear than the ME1.
• Does have several callbacks to what you did in the first one, but from discussion with a friend who played very differently than me in the first one these are essentially cosmetic, at least so far, and who knows for ME3

TLDR: A pretty awesome FPS. Discounting the System Shock 1&2 and Deus Ex, this is the only other FPS that can hold my attention outside multi-player. Decent story/scenes. Not very deep, fails at C&C, almost everything is cosmetic. Very much simplified compared to ME1. Fucking SHIT character system.

[One Wolf]

Thanks for the rundown.  I never played the first ME, looks like the second isn't worth much either.  Not that I had any expectations.