You can't get the incisor for 360. It was in the Marketplace mix up only because it seems the code you get in the DDE version for it is cross platform. The two armors are frequently given by people on the ME forums.
I remember the sniper is from the DDE version, but I still don't know why it's not available any other way for someone buying the 360 version when it does work on the 360.
And thanks for the heads-up about them giving away the armor codes on the ME forums, but I haven't gone there since the game came out since I'm avoiding all spoilers till I finally beat the game - if you see any more offered in the meantime, let me know though!
I have no idea why they stunt cast minor roles. Like, Carrie Anne Moss and Michael Dorn are great, but if you're just going to cast them for tiny characters with two page dialog scripts, why not cast some unknown VAs and save budget? Ditto Adam Baldwin and any other name actor in a non-primary role. Oblivion did this too... Patrick Stewart is great, but after the first twenty minutes of the game are over and I'm listening to the same 5 chumps voice literally every other character in the game, I'm left thinking that they'd have been better off not hiring him at all and freeing up money for more variety elsewhere.
(No beef with Martin Sheen casting, of course!)
Also, I notice in the credits that "This product may contain paid product placement or sponsorship" and I'm not really sure what that could have possibly referred to. Is that about the Dr. Pepper DLC or is there some Space Doritos out there somewhere?
I was a bit disappointed that Aria's role was not expanded either. I felt that she was a brilliant character, with what we saw. I just wish we saw more, or at least BioWare bring her back for ME3.
I mean, is that possible? Would BioWare put money into re-hiring these talents for the sequel?
Also, I notice in the credits that "This product may contain paid product placement or sponsorship" and I'm not really sure what that could have possibly referred to. Is that about the Dr. Pepper DLC or is there some Space Doritos out there somewhere?
It becomes more manageable/fair fight once you start getting upgrades. You can still get killed very easily but with the right squad and skills/ammo you shouldn't feel overwhelmed.
Mass Effect 2, released last week by Electronic Arts for the Xbox 360 and Windows PCs, is more refined than its predecessor. It is far more self-aware and considered. All of the rough edges in the first game have been polished to a high gloss. Or I could say they have been sanded flat. Electronic Arts and BioWare, the games esteemed developer, were clearly taking no risks with Mass Effect 2.
Commercially, that makes sense. As a less complicated, more action-oriented experience than the first game, Mass Effect 2 should appeal to a broader swath of customers. Mass Effect 2s design and science-fiction space-opera storytelling are of excellent quality, yet each is maddeningly restrained for a developer of BioWares creativity and imagination.
Mass Effect 2 is a wonderful example of what a world-class developer can produce when it wants to create a comfortably popular and profitable sequel in an established mass-market franchise. It is not, however, an example of what a world-class developer can produce when it challenges itself to new heights. BioWare, were waiting.
I don't think mass effect 2 is selling like hot cakes because its easier then ME1.
ME2 got better marketing then ME1. I would play ME1 for days at a time and my 360 loving roommate would always ask me what am I playing.
All of a sudden the ME2 ad blitz start and he is all over this game asking me how it will be the shit and I should check it out despite me clearly telling him I've been playing Mass Effect since day one and he has witnessed me play it.
Pretty much spot on. It's an extremly good game. An incredible cinematic experience. Gameplay is way more awesome than ME 1 and yet there are weird shortcoming. It's true that the dumbing downs of skills/armors/weapons is really a blow to their RPG fans. After my 30 hours playthrough I can understand these complaints. It's true that the choices are limited. On that regards DA was better because you always had 2 different possible outcomes for every big story mission.
I played through insane as a Vanguard and loved it. You'll eventually learn to use Charge as a crowd control, last second savior and to finish a dangrous enemy off quickly. (I 1 shot the last mission). The beginning is tough though. But once you get the first upgrades for your weapons it becomes much easyer. It stays challenging though.
Reave is a very strong move. Not only does it damage, it also stuns the ememys for a while and gives you back health in the process. On top it can strip down barriers and armor, what the Vanguard lacks in his basic skill setup. You don't need an extra barrier since Charge basicly does the same thing including stunning the enemy for a bit. Ofc you have to make sure to be able to go in cover right away or have your teammates controll the enemys that you have enough time to return to cover.
I'll definitely give Reave a try, since shotguns won't do much against barriers and armor and the sniper rifle specialization I picked up won't handle them alone. I'm willing to stick with Vanguard even if the going gets tough. With some careful squad management Insanity ought to be manageable, (I figured I'd have to use them wisely given the Vanguard's CQB emphasis).
Mostly, though, I just think Charge looks fucking cool.
Good review, but I still hate how this review and others say that ME2 is less of an RPG because of the lack of inventory system and leveling focus. To me, a role-playing game is about playing a role - it requires great character development and great dialog, which ME2 has.
While a better overarching story and more connection between the characters' stories would have improved it a great deal, I still felt like I was playing a particular character who had to make meaningful decisions. Having strong characters makes those decisions even more important - whether they require you to act a certain way or make you think about the effects your decisions will have on those around you. Inventory and levels have no effect on this.
Damn, wish I hadn't have bought 3 Dr. Peppers 3 days ago, I don't even drink the stuff :lol
If anyone has an extra Terminus code that they happen to have and don't plan to use I'd really appreciate it as that's the last DLC I need to have everything.
It becomes more manageable/fair fight once you start getting upgrades. You can still get killed very easily but with the right squad and skills/ammo you shouldn't feel overwhelmed.
It also helps if Insanity is your second time playing the game, even if you're starting a new character. As such, I'm pretty much done with Insanity
just finished the Collector's ship
and as a whole, it was much easier than my first time through at Hardcore. It also helps that I was playing a gimpy Vanguard first time around and now I'm an Infiltrator (the Widow is like having a second Heavy). The only part I would say I have I had trouble with was
on Horizon when you have to kill a few streams of Husks while two Scions are throwing Shockwaves at you. Even the two parts after that, the Collector drops and the Praetorian, were pretty easy.
Micromanaging your squad helps a great deal. Thinning out the opposition quickly to reduce the damage you take is crucial, so you'll want to constantly switch their weapons based on protections, use their abilities, and make sure they're firing at the same target.
Pretty much spot on. It's an extremly good game. An incredible cinematic experience. Gameplay is way more awesome than ME 1 and yet there are weird shortcoming. It's true that the dumbing downs of skills/armors/weapons is really a blow to their RPG fans. After my 30 hours playthrough I can understand these complaints. It's true that the choices are limited. On that regards DA was better because you always had 2 different possible outcomes for every big story mission.
Dragon age sure isn't a showcase of creativity & imagination however. :lol If there's one Bioware game where they decided to play it safe,it's DA:O.
It's true that Bioware is going mainstream like crazy with Mass effect,but it doesn't bother me at all.Look at Gears of war and how Epic can't write or create persona and you understand all the praise for ME 2.If all else,it's just normal for Bioware to reach a higher plateau than most western developer.
They could probably do more,but they were bought by EA and there's no place for commercial flop like Jade empire with all the money at stakes (the Mass effect 2 marketing campaign must have been significant as well).
Maybe if you're painting in broad strokes. Ie, there are elves, dwarves, humans, etc. But in terms of gameplay that's palatable to the masses, ME2 is easily that.
Good review, but I still hate how this review and others say that ME2 is less of an RPG because of the lack of inventory system and leveling focus. To me, a role-playing game is about playing a role - it requires great character development and great dialog, which ME2 has.
While a better overarching story and more connection between the characters' stories would have improved it a great deal, I still felt like I was playing a particular character who had to make meaningful decisions. Having strong characters makes those decisions even more important - whether they require you to act a certain way or make you think about the effects your decisions will have on those around you. Inventory and levels have no effect on this.
I agree with this. For me the most important part of role playing, at least in Western made RPGs, is the story and how the decisions I have made affects the world. Inventory systems and levels come second.
Regarding the lack of inventory I just want to say the bad inventory system in ME1 actually made the game worse, for me anyways. If Bioware didn't have time to fix it then I'm fine with them leaving it out. If it was a design decision then I'm also fine with it, since the core of the gameplay, the shooting, was so good this time.
Good review, but I still hate how this review and others say that ME2 is less of an RPG because of the lack of inventory system and leveling focus. To me, a role-playing game is about playing a role - it requires great character development and great dialog, which ME2 has.
While a better overarching story and more connection between the characters' stories would have improved it a great deal, I still felt like I was playing a particular character who had to make meaningful decisions. Having strong characters makes those decisions even more important - whether they require you to act a certain way or make you think about the effects your decisions will have on those around you. Inventory and levels have no effect on this.
The issue I think is how little the choices you're given with respect to your character inform the core shooter gameplay, and how the choices you had in Mass Effect that informed gameplay outside of combat (hack/bypass, persuade skills) have essentially been removed.
So in Mass Effect you had skills to build up your proficiency with specific weapons, to improve your armor efficiency, improve your healing abilities, along with more generalized class skills that influenced cooldown times and such. Along with that you had lots of weapons and armors to upgrade, and tons of mods to go with them that affected them in a number of ways.
All of that stuff was working under the hood every time you took a shot or took a hit, and gave a sense that all those little choices accumulate into how proficient your character is at the role you've chosen.
This is almost entirely absent from ME2. Instead, as the Salarian game seller on the Citadel laments, it's all about the "big choices" now; who lives or dies, who you decide to build or sever relationships with, etc...
The issue I think is how little the choices you're given with respect to your character inform the core shooter gameplay, and how the choices you had in Mass Effect that informed gameplay outside of combat (hack/bypass, persuade skills) have essentially been removed.
So in Mass Effect you had skills to build up your proficiency with specific weapons, to improve your armor efficiency, improve your healing abilities, along with more generalized class skills that influenced cooldown times and such. Along with that you had lots of weapons and armors to upgrade, and tons of mods to go with them that affected them in a number of ways.
All of that stuff was working under the hood every time you took a shot or took a hit, and gave a sense that all those little choices accumulate into how proficient your character is at the role you've chosen.
This is almost entirely absent from ME2. Instead, as the Salarian game seller on the Citadel laments, it's all about the "big choices" now; who lives or dies, who you decide to build or sever relationships with, etc...
Basically. They basically gutted the item/ability/character progression part of the game entirely. Which was upsetting.
ME2 feels like a lot of wonderfully designed set pieces with an extremely thin veil of "freedom" thrown over top of them. Not that it's necessarily a horrible thing, just that the game was, in my opinion, a lesser experience for it in comparison with ME1. That, and the story seemed very piecemeal in comparison to the first's, and few of the plot points are as memorable as the first's on the whole.
Dat opening scene tho.
EDIT: And let's not forget the most awful gameplay change decision that continues to baffle: Global cooldown. Someone needs to get smacked for that one.
You don't get my point at all. I'm not talking about the generic fantasy stuff with elves. I'm talking about how choices were handled. For example in DA your party member will confront you with your choices. There are many instance you have to choose carefully or they will hate you/leave. In ME 2 they hyped it like every choices would count. It would have been logic, you hold the life of these people in your hand, it will be a suicide mission. But no, in my 30 hours playthrough there have been a total of 2 times when members had a meltdown with each other.
Main Quests in DA also had 2 possible outcomes depending on who you side with, leading to 2 different outcomes, different bosses, party reaction and so on. In ME 2 there are few of these possibilities. Samara's loyalty quest come to mind and that is pretty much it.
Characters interaction between members are also rare in ME 2. You would think they would take to each others about the mission and the odds of surviving but no. Some party combination will lead to some conversation but these are much rarer than DA.
Like I said I'm not saying ME 2 is a bad game. It's one of my favorite next gen game but when you come back from ME 1 and DA you expect some things. It's true that they tried to market the game as an epic space shooter to attract the mainstream crowd. And it's good for Bioware/EA if they can make money so they can make more games/project. But the fact is there. Does it make ME 2 an awful game because the RPG parts were dumbed down? Hell no! Is it disappointing for Bioware fans? Well it was a bit for me but I still love the game.
The issue I think is how little the choices you're given with respect to your character inform the core shooter gameplay, and how the choices you had in Mass Effect that informed gameplay outside of combat (hack/bypass, persuade skills) have essentially been removed.
So in Mass Effect you had skills to build up your proficiency with specific weapons, to improve your armor efficiency, improve your healing abilities, along with more generalized class skills that influenced cooldown times and such. Along with that you had lots of weapons and armors to upgrade, and tons of mods to go with them that affected them in a number of ways.
All of that stuff was working under the hood every time you took a shot or took a hit, and gave a sense that all those little choices accumulate into how proficient your character is at the role you've chosen.
This is almost entirely absent from ME2. Instead, as the Salarian game seller on the Citadel laments, it's all about the "big choices" now; who lives or dies, who you decide to build or sever relationships with, etc...
I can see where you're coming from, but I don't think ME1 was exceptional in that regard either, at least when compared to KOTOR, where your decisions actually affect your combat skills.
The whole game just felt far too scripted, and very empty as a result.
PA got it right:
PA Article said:
Both games - ME2 and DE2, which are moving us dangerously close to astromech naming conventions - delivered second chapters which sought to "streamline" their gameplay loop, diminishing their mechanical complexity. In the case of the second Deus Ex, this was generally seen as a gruesome affront to thinking creatures and by extention the entire human race. In the case of Mass Effect 2, it's regarded as something between refinement and alchemy. I'm not entirely sure why this is, but I suspect that Mass Effect is benefiting from seven years of retreat from RPG orthodoxy.
There's also the fact that the original Mass Effect didn't wear its mechanical depth especially well, and its depth wasn't especially deep. It had the outward appearance of depth, as a hologram does; tantalizing peeks at hidden contours which never and could never wholly materialize. Another developer - even another team at Bioware itself - might have worked those underpinnings until they manifested broad systemic peaks, but they went exactly the opposite way, trading the genre's customary numerical twiddling for an orderly schedule of player directed unlocks. Firmly demarcated "missions" culminate in Doom style breakdowns of what occurred, what was earned, rendering the epic into discrete meals which offer a progress a la carte.
Outside of the Normandy itself, which is brilliant and real, environments in Mass Effect 2 tend to be a little too designed, too obvious in their purpose - decidedly unlike places in which people might live or work or even be. That doesn't keep the game from being fun, or interesting; this is simply something that is true. I defy anyone to experience the game's introduction, though - especially with a legacy character - and not whirl inwardly, prepared to haul the narrative on your back if necessary, coursing with a terrible momentum.
Like I said I'm not saying ME 2 is a bad game. It's one of my favorite next gen game but when you come back from ME 1 and DA you expect some things. It's true that they tried to market the game as an epic space shooter to attract the mainstream crowd. And it's good for Bioware/EA if they can make money so they can make more games/project. But the fact is there. Does it make ME 2 an awful game because the RPG parts were dumbed down? Hell no! Is it disappointing for Bioware fans? Well it was a bit for me but I still love the game.
Indeed, but in ME 1 I was able to get people taking much more while walking around the citadel or during mission. For the RPG parts well ME 1 had an awful inventory/loot system and they could have tweaked it instead of removing it. That's my two cents anyway.
Indeed, but in ME 1 I was able to get people taking much more while walking around the citadel or during mission. For the RPG parts well ME 1 had an awful inventory/loot system and they could have tweaked it instead of removing it. That's my two cents anyway.
Really? Mainly they talked during the elevator rides. That's the only main point of interaction between party members. There were also news reels, which just randomly play now as you walk through the town or whatever.
Edit: I do agree that the character interaction took a step a small step down from ME1 and a leap off the cliff compared to DA.
ME1 had a lot of problems with its RPG mechanics but instead of rising to the challenge and attempting to better them, BioWare took the easy way out and just got rid of them completely and ME2 suffers greatly as a result.
ME1 had a lot of problems with its RPG mechanics but instead of rising to the challenge and attempting to better them, BioWare took the easy way out and just got rid of them completely and ME2 suffers greatly as a result.
Really? Mainly they talked during the elevator rides. That's the only main point of interaction between party members. There were also news reels, which just randomly play now as you walk through the town or whatever.
Edit: I do agree that the character interaction took a step a small step down from ME1 and a leap off the cliff compared to DA.
I am actually okay with the removal of the inventory. But with it gone two things should have happened:
1)-Access to weapons and upgrades in the inventory at any time.(especially with the way weapons handled, being able to change load-outs on the fly would have been nice)
2)-Ability to extensively upgrade and mod our limited weapon collection
I thought the hawtest Asari in ME1 was Shiala. When she got un-Thorian'd she had great angry eyes. I was so used to seeing Liara's vacant stare I thought all Asari were going to be as boring as she was, and then Shiala looks at me like she's trying to bore a hole through my face. She doesn't seem the same in Mass Effect 2, though. It isn't just that she's green, she seems to have a different voice actor.
I also liked Nelyna, the greeter for the Consort. She had a lovely voice (her voice actor also does Cartman's mother on South Park). Unfortunately, though,
I'm pretty sure she's dead. When you do Shiala's quest on Illium and talk to the Asari who's enforcing the contract she says that her partner was killed in the Quarian Flotilla, and one of her daughters, a greeter for the Consort, was killed during Sovereign's attack. Still, there were a bunch of Asari in the waiting room, so maybe Nelyna's still out there.
He improved greatly, but she still has more range. The thing is that with all the manly macho Alpha male stuff, most will not notice shortcomings, but emotional moments fall flat.
Not to say Hale is perfect, because I think she got worse in this game. She is merely better.
I am actually okay with the removal of the inventory. But with it gone two things should have happened:
1)-Access to weapons and upgrades in the inventory at any time.(especially with the way weapons handled, being able to change load-outs on the fly would have been nice)
2)-Ability to extensively upgrade and mod our limited weapon collection
This pretty much. Given the context I would have expected party members to defy Shepard, become scared and everything. It's a suicide mission for god's sake. No one really seems to care that they could die. You do their missions and they are ok with dying for your crazy plan. There are two party members fights I got in the game and they were not about the mission at all but about personal stuff.
At the same time I understand the reason. The game is supposed to flow like a movie. If verybody start to whine and complain it won't be too hot for progression. It's clear that they aimed it at a mainstream crowd who maybe didn't care about these ''extra fluff''. Still an awesome game anyway.
This pretty much. Given the context I would have expected party members to defy Shepard, become scared and everything. It's a suicide mission for god's sake. No one really seems to care that they could die. You do their missions and they are ok with dying for your crazy plan. There are two party members fights I got in the game and they were not about the mission at all but about personal stuff.
At the same time I understand the reason. The game is supposed to flow like a movie. If verybody start to whine and complain it won't be too hot for progression. It's clear that they aimed it at a mainstream crowd who maybe didn't care about these ''extra fluff''. Still an awesome game anyway.
You don't get my point at all. I'm not talking about the generic fantasy stuff with elves. I'm talking about how choices were handled. For example in DA your party member will confront you with your choices. There are many instance you have to choose carefully or they will hate you/leave. In ME 2 they hyped it like every choices would count. It would have been logic, you hold the life of these people in your hand, it will be a suicide mission. But no, in my 30 hours playthrough there have been a total of 2 times when members had a meltdown with each other.
Main Quests in DA also had 2 possible outcomes depending on who you side with, leading to 2 different outcomes, different bosses, party reaction and so on. In ME 2 there are few of these possibilities. Samara's loyalty quest come to mind and that is pretty much it.
Characters interaction between members are also rare in ME 2. You would think they would take to each others about the mission and the odds of surviving but no. Some party combination will lead to some conversation but these are much rarer than DA.
Like I said I'm not saying ME 2 is a bad game. It's one of my favorite next gen game but when you come back from ME 1 and DA you expect some things. It's true that they tried to market the game as an epic space shooter to attract the mainstream crowd. And it's good for Bioware/EA if they can make money so they can make more games/project. But the fact is there. Does it make ME 2 an awful game because the RPG parts were dumbed down? Hell no! Is it disappointing for Bioware fans? Well it was a bit for me but I still love the game.
Mass effect isn't a franchise where choices impact your game that much.It was also true in the first game,but it make sense since it's a mass market franchise aimed at console gamers.
That review just stated the obvious if you think about it.Bioware just want to become the Square-Enix of the west.
Case in point: Mass effect which is aimed at console gamers+shooter fans.KOTOR: the old republic which will be a mmorpg and hopefully a cash cow.Dragon age which include mmo mechanics in hope of appealing to wow or mmo gamers who want a singleplayer experience.
They don't want to challenge themselves and be the new Black isles,they want to create quality mass market games and make a lot of money in the process.
I could appreciate the addition of thermal clips as a utility item that enabled you to "reload" faster as it were, if you happened to burn out your gun, but functioning as ammo wholly was a nuisance I could have done without.
Well that's how the first game handled it as well. The only difference is that you had to progress through several conversations in the game for the party members to help them with something. Its the same deal except they did it somewhat poorly this time around.
Don't know if this was already posted, but on the main Mass Effect 2 review page on Giantbomb there's a link to a user Mass Effect 2 guide, and I did a doubletake at the picture icon for the link:
Agreed. My beef with Grunt is that he's just like any other Krogan on a personality level.
The Krogan are a pretty boring and annoying race. They're fucking morons, obsessed with violence, have an extremely primitive and devolved culture, and generally dont get along with the rest of the galaxy due to their petty obsession with combat.
Its spelled out clearly throughout both games. Many of your enemies are Krogan. Many Krogan you talk to or see speaking are dolts. All lore you learn about Krogans is exactly the same; they destroyed their own planet, had the Salarians pull them out of their hole, and then pissed everybody off. They're still sorting their shit out.
Mordin even explains on the ship that
they made a mistake in helping the Krogans out. That the Krogan race was not cultually advanced enough to handle the technology the Salarians gave them, and the end result was catastrophic.
Hence why most people love Wrex. He's a Krogan at his core, but he's one of the most intelligent (if not the most) you run into throughout both games. He's humble, but not afraid to say it like it is. He's got stories to tell, and offers insight into his way of thinking. He's able to respect other combatants on an emotional level. He wants the best for his own species, moreso than pretty much all of them. He comes across as an intelligent, wise Krogan worth talking to.
Grunt doesnt. He's the same as every Krogan you run into throughout the game, only with even less of a back story. He's a total nobody with no worthwhile ambitions or conversational worth.
BioWare dropped the ball there, in my opinion. The most interesting characters in any story or game are the ones that defy stereotypes and expectations, or can offer insight and knowledge into something unkown. Grunt fails at both. He's easily my least favourite member of the crew, even more so than Miranda.
Well that's how the first game handled it as well. The only difference is that you had to progress through several conversations in the game for the party members to help them with something. Its the same deal except they handled it somewhat poorly this time around.
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