Topic: Mass Effect 2

[MysterD]

Amazon and their crazy sales - buy the sequel, get original FREE.
For X360 versions ONLY.
Buy Mass Effect 2 for X360 (currently $49.64), get ME1 for X360 for FREE.
Free saver shipping for over $25.

[MysterD]

Mass Effect 2: Kasumi's Stolen Memory DLC - Trailer.

[Xessive]

Finally finished it!

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Legion died.
Saved the entire crew.
Opted to destroy the Reaper facility.
Got it on with Tali. Yes, Tali.

[MysterD]

Finally finished it!

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Legion died.
Saved the entire crew.
Opted to destroy the Reaper facility.
Got it on with Tali. Yes, Tali.

About Tali...

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So, do they show Tali's face?
Or do you end up kissing her mask?

[Xessive]

About Tali...

(click to show/hide)

So, do they show Tali's face?
Or do you end up kissing her mask?

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Haha, the mask is removed but her face is not shown!

On a personal note I realized that I can fall in love by personality Awww

Next time around I'll have to choose between Miranda, Jack, or possibly Samara. I wonder if I can get it on with Kelly (Yeoman Chambers).

[Pugnate]

Finally finished it!

(click to show/hide)

Legion died.
Saved the entire crew.
Opted to destroy the Reaper facility.
Got it on with Tali. Yes, Tali.

(click to show/hide)

haha I knew you'd get it on with Tali... because that's who I got it on with.

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My entire crew survived as well. They will as long as you get straight to them after they've been kidnapped.

From what I understand you can get it on with Kelly as well.

[iPPi]

To those of you who imported an ME1 character and got it on with Liara from the first game, did you pursue another relationship in the second?  I think there could be some major consequences in the third if you did.  I ran into this easily missed scene after I finished the game (and pursued a relationship).  If I complete an insanity run of the game I will probably avoid a relationship because of that scene (which I missed on the first go).

[W7RE]

To those of you who imported an ME1 character and got it on with Liara from the first game, did you pursue another relationship in the second?  I think there could be some major consequences in the third if you did.  I ran into this easily missed scene after I finished the game (and pursued a relationship).  If I complete an insanity run of the game I will probably avoid a relationship because of that scene (which I missed on the first go).

I romanced Liara and stayed faithful in ME2. I didn't get that dialog though. I typically exhaust all dialog options, but I must have reached a logical end of the conversation without hitting that one.  Had I seen that I probably wouldn't have been so confrontational with the elusive man.

Also, the full story of that is told in the ME: Redemption comics, I think there's 3 of them out now.

[MysterD]

Mass Effect 2: Kasumi's Stolen Memory DLC
7.5 from IGN.
Video Review.
Written review.

IGN loves the mission, but feels it is too short.
A little over an hour it took them to finish.
They feel it is not worth the price-tag ($7) b/c it's too short.

[Pugnate]

To those of you who imported an ME1 character and got it on with Liara from the first game, did you pursue another relationship in the second?  I think there could be some major consequences in the third if you did.  I ran into this easily missed scene after I finished the game (and pursued a relationship).  If I complete an insanity run of the game I will probably avoid a relationship because of that scene (which I missed on the first go).

See that was Bioware being clever.

Whether you romance Ashley or not, it doesn't matter, as she will be a bitch to you in the second game regardless.

Regarding Liara, she isn't of a monogamous race, so she really doesn't care if you are bedding others.

[MysterD]

See that was Bioware being clever.

Whether you romance Ashley or not, it doesn't matter, as she will be a bitch to you in the second game regardless.

Regarding Liara, she isn't of a monogamous race, so she really doesn't care if you are bedding others.

I wonder if Ashley will be a bitch in the 3rd game...

[iPPi]

Regarding Liara, she isn't of a monogamous race, so she really doesn't care if you are bedding others.

That's a good point. 

[gpw11]

Another good point is that all the choices carried over are pretty much entirely superficial and there really hasn't been any cross game branching so far. Also, Sheppard better have the option of getting some quality tail in the third game.  My Sheps has been very let down so far.  Most badass motherfucker in the galaxy and still forced to bust slumps in the bush leagues.

[Pugnate]

Another good point is that all the choices carried over are pretty much entirely superficial and there really hasn't been any cross game branching so far.

Pretty much. It doesn't surprise or disappoint me, because it is what I have to come to expect from Bioware. They have done this in so many other sequels before, where they can't spend the resources (understandably at times) on establishing continuity, so they create plot devices to cover these shortcomings.

The real reason why Ashley wasn't in the second game beyond the cameo was because she had been a romance option in the first game, and it would taken a lot more writing and voice acting to account for the various possibilities.

Basically they would have had had to have written dialog for the following Ashley scenarios:

People who had romanced her in the first game, and wanted to continue in the second.

People who hadn't romanced her in the first game, but wanted to now.

People who hadn't romanced her, and didn't want to now either.

People who had romanced her, but wanted to break up with her, yet still remain friends now.

And then there are other possibilities, like people who romanced with her but then broke it off with her for Liara etc.

Even the meeting with Liara in ME2 was carefully positioned so that it would happen before any romance could begin in the second game.

[PyroMenace]

Well I'm finally working my way into this. I haven't read much of what has been said because I'm avoiding any hint of spoilers. I did read iPPi's comments on the bad load times which I am in agreement with so I'm installing the to the hard drive right now. Besides that I'm falling pretty hard for it, the same way I did with the first one. Story wise I have recruited the first set of squad mates and I'm working my way to recruiting the rest. I made my way to Illium for the first time. I went with making a infiltrator class character and so far I'm enjoying it quite a bit. Sniping is easier than I initially thought, the slowdown effect when aiming is such an awesome mechanic, plus going stealth works out great for both getting kills and going evasive. Oh and did I mention shooting shit is totally awesome? Because it is.

[gpw11]

Yeah, the action is like 1000x better than the first game.

[W7RE]

I sort of liked the combat in the first game, except for the framerate problems. Maybe it's that I'd heard complaints for so long that I had low expectations, or it was the fact that I used a shotgun (which had ridiculous range). Seriously that shotgun took me through the whole game, and it was almost jarring how much less useful the one in ME2 was.

[PyroMenace]

No she doesn't look bad or anything... but sometimes she looks a little creepy, which could be the uncanny valley thing of course.

Here is another one that is amusing:

Haha, I dont think theres anything really wrong with her, she looks like a video game female. I just think whenever developers create a super model attractive female character in games it just comes off creepy to guys because its not real. Hell we had the same exact conversation about Morrigan in Dragon Age.

[Quemaqua]

Yeah, but she looked like a heroin addict.

[MysterD]

Kotaku takes a look as Mass Effect 2.
WARNING: Spoilers galore for ME1 and 2.

[beo]

it's cool to hate. me2 was awesome. not flawless, but awesome. anyone who disagrees is wrong and a cunt.

[gpw11]

Now why would I go and spend time reading an article by someone named "Manasteel88"?

Honestly.

[MysterD]

me2 was awesome. not flawless, but awesome.

Oh, I most definitely agree w/ that.

[MysterD]

Mass Effect 2: Equalizer Pack $DLC coming out tomorrow.

Equalizer Pack

Cerberus doesn't just need a hero - they need a one-man army. That's why the Equalizer Pack adds the Capacitor Helmet, Archon Visor, and Inferno Armor to Shepard's armor locker. The Capacitor Helmet stores power for kinetic barriers, allowing Shepard's shields to recharge faster. The Archon Visor manages omni-tools and biotic amps, reducing the recharge time of Shepard's powers. The powered Inferno Armor speeds up Shepard's movements and increases his tech and biotic power damage, additionally stress analysis software even gives him an edge in negotiations outside of combat. The Equalizer -- when the armor goes on, the gloves come off.

Price:
Xbox 360: 160 MS Points
PC: 160 BioWare Points

[iPPi]

Meh... though it's cheap, there really isn't anything there that makes it worth buying, especially this late after its release.

[Pugnate]

Meh... though it's cheap, there really isn't anything there that makes it worth buying, especially this late after its release.

[MysterD]

Meh... though it's cheap, there really isn't anything there that makes it worth buying, especially this late after its release.

Something like this just should've been released for those tapped into The Cerebus Network.
Even though it is cheap, I expect bigger and grander things out of $DLC than this.

[MysterD]

Casey Hudson talks about Mass Effect 2: Overlord $DLC.
And Casey does say this is NOT the last DLC for ME2, BTW....

[PyroMenace]

Ugh, I really need to get myself to finish this, after the move and the Xbox breaking I haven't gotten around to playing it again yet.

[PyroMenace]

Well after I got my Xbox back I dove back into it hardcore and finished it off. Completely awesome, though I was a little underwhelmed by the ending compared to how much I really enjoyed the ending to the first. Though I think the choices I made are similar to what most of you made.

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In the first game I:
- Killed Ashley
- Romanced Liara
- Saved the council

Finishing this one I:
- Destroyed the heretics
- Romanced Tali
- Saved my crew but not my NPC crew
- Destroyed the collector ship

I was a little let-down about the illusive man, I was really expecting some huge twist to happen there with him. You never find out much about him and I was somehow hoping there was be a point to him and Cerberus. He just gets pissy at the end and thats it. I was also expecting for one of my guys to die so I was carefully considering how I was selecting my parties and leaders at the end when it was giving me the options but no one perished. I was also hoping for some epilogue texts for the characters at the end like what was done in Dragon Age, but ugh, your left with this big blank nothing! Ah well, building up for the third one, bastards.

I was pretty happy with choosing the assassin spec, sniping and cloaking were so much fun.

I bought the Stolen Memory DLC and I'm downloading it now. I'll let you guys know how it is.

[Pugnate]

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Yea I do agree that the last 20% of ME2 was a bit underwhelming. It wasn't bad, but I thought the first half was where all the intensity came. The recruiting missions were quite incredible, and I expected the final mission to blow my socks off. Again, it was pretty good, but not as good as I had been expected. At the same time, this was the second game in the series... so I suppose that's why.

[PyroMenace]

So I checked out that Stolen Memory DLC, while the character you get isn't all that interesting, her loyalty mission is pretty damn awesome. I'd say one of the very best ones. Its got some cool codex stuff in it too, it gives some Earth American history as humans had just started colonizing space, and theres even a cool little Dragon Age thing to check out. As for item goodies, I found a biotic tech damage increase research and a better SMG. If your really into the ME world I think its worth getting.

[MysterD]

Pyro, how long it took you to get through Stolen Memory DLC?

Really, though - Bioware should compile a bunch of the pay DLC's and toss in in a box, sell it as an expansion.

I really don't wanna deal w/ Bioware Points currency.

[PyroMenace]

Its short like whats already been said about it, about an hour and a half. She works the same as Zaeed, when you meet her, she agrees to come with you, only under the condition you do something for her. And you don't really have conversations with her, just like Zaeed when you go to talk to her she has lines she automatically feeds you and there are things around the room you can select and she'll talk about them.

[MysterD]

Its short like whats already been said about it, about an hour and a half. She works the same as Zaeed, when you meet her, she agrees to come with you, only under the condition you do something for her. And you don't really have conversations with her, just like Zaeed when you go to talk to her she has lines she automatically feeds you and there are things around the room you can select and she'll talk about them.

I'm guessing it would be an undertaking to get the voice-actor for DLC character like Zaaed and Kasumi - and have them add some commentary to the actual main game itself, here and there.

I'm sure if we were still in an era where a good deal of dialogue was text-written, they could probably easily do this - have the DLC characters actually have some written dialogue pop-up when playing, incorporated into some of the main quest stuff, here and there.

You know, w/ all this DLC milking that Bioware's been doing, I think I'd rather see a full-fledged Mass Effect 2 expansion...

[Pugnate]

You know, as time passes after you finish a game, you start to come to terms with how you really felt about it... you know... once that honey moon period has passed.

I restarted this game -- something that is rare for me these days --, and I still think ME2 is incredible.

[MysterD]

You know, as time passes after you finish a game, you start to come to terms with how you really felt about it... you know... once that honey moon period has passed.

I restarted this game -- something that is rare for me these days --, and I still think ME2 is incredible.

ME2 basically is showing the world how to evolve the entire Shooter/RPG genre...

It's come a long way, since the likes of SS2, Deus Ex, Vampire: Bloodlines...

[Pugnate]

Disagree.

ME2 is a pure shooter with great storytelling. Not even an RPG hybrid. Deus Ex was an RPG hybrid.

[MysterD]

Disagree.

ME2 is a pure shooter with great storytelling. Not even an RPG hybrid. Deus Ex was an RPG hybrid.

There's still decision-making on how to finish quests and there can be different outcomes. That's one of the two RPG elements.

[Pugnate]

No.