Mass Effect 2

[del]

Who else is playing this game?

Thoughts on the sequel? Speculations on the future of the series?

I've been playing it obsessively since it came out, and have been overjoyed by it. Amazing sequel, and the best game I've played in a long, long time.

For those of you who don't know, Mass Effect is a sci-fi shooter/RPG set in a time shortly after humanity discovers an ancient technology, called "mass effect," that allows them to transverse the galaxy; the first game takes place as humans are integrating with a galactic civilization of aliens who've already discovered this technology. It has a real "70's sci-fi" vibe, in a good way.

Here are the trailers for the first two games.

Spoiler

YouTube- Mass Effect Story Trailer (HD)

Spoiler

YouTube- Mass Effect 2 Launch Trailer [HD]

 

[Mello]

I just beat it. It was awesome.

 

[Subotai]

Im playing it and it's EPIC !

 

[RubberDucky451]

I just beat the first one. The story was a bit cliché but still worlds better than most console RPGs.

I love all the voice acting

 

[Decaf]

Just beat the second one after playing the first one to make an importable save. I liked it a lot and I love that you can see the improvement in so many aspects of the game over the original. Martin Sheen was excellent casting.

My thoughts for ME3?

Well I imagine it will involve developing some technology that mutes the power of the Reavers. I'm very curious how the final decision of ME2 affects how that happens. The plot has never been as strong as the story telling, but that's certainly not a knock on the plot. However it ends, I'll enjoy the ride.

 

[Darby]

Saw it on the shelf today, never played the first, heard it was awesome, waiting for my next check

 

[Darby]

Sorry to double post, but I got it! installing it now, I went to my friends house and watched him play for an hour or two, and as soon as I could snatched it from freddies(rather large local store, I'm pretty sure just in oregon)

 

[Decaf]

Sorry to double post, but I got it! installing it now, I went to my friends house and watched him play for an hour or two, and as soon as I could snatched it from freddies(rather large local store, I'm pretty sure just in oregon)

Yay! Bout time

 

[Cognisant]

Haven't played Mass Effect 1 or 2, should I buy either/both?

I didn't buy Mass Effect 1 in protest of the "evil machine empire" theme, but I've seen what appears to be one of the machine-people as a possible crew member in Mass Effect 2 and that alone is tempting me to buy it; but if I buy Mass Effect 2 is there ample justification to warrant buy Mass Effect 1? (story continuation, unlockable & such)

 

[Quiet&Nerdy]

im about to steal my friends xbox just so i can play it

 

[Fedayeen]

In the 1st 5 days it was out I spent over 90 hours playing it. (beat it 3 or 4 times in that period)

Haven't played it much sense.

 

[Melllvar]

Ok, so I'm a month and half late to this thread, but here goes...

The Mass Effect series is great. By a long margin my favorite game ever (prefer the first one to the second, but its a close call). Beat the first one 7 times and spent around 85 hours fully exploring the second one on the hardest difficulty setting as soon as it was out. In short: I'm an addict. But if you're reading this I probably don't need to convince you, so here's some tidbits you might not know...

The plot is extremely similar to an old computer game called Star Control 3. I haven't played SC 1 & 2, but SC3 was basically the same setting with a galaxy caught up in cycles of mass extinction brought on by some mysterious, enigmatic race of ancient aliens (the Eternal Ones as opposed to the Reapers), with warnings about it left over from another long extinct, more advanced race (the Precursors as opposed to the Protheans). You of course play a heroic captain who is the only one who can stop them, and must convince all the other races to unite against them. Notice any similarities?

Secondly, a spoiler about what BioWare (ME developer) has said about how the romantic subplot will play out in the third game...

Spoiler

If you've played one and two you know that you don't have the option to romance in the second game the same person you did in the first game. If you're like me, you picked someone else and got it on with them. Apparently whether or not you stayed faithful through out the trilogy will be a plot point in the third one, and they're planning to track it using achievements.

Anyway, I personally liked the RPG elements and the worlds from the first game better. In ME2 I missed being able to customize my ammo, armor, etc. to the same degree, and missed the silly, stupid little side plots. It seemed like most of the sideplots had been compressed into the loyalty missions, which you pretty much have to play if you want the best ending, and not having as many optional subplots just made the world seem smaller, IMO. The Citadel was sooo much smaller too, which was one of my favorite parts from ME1. On the other hand, the graphics were way better in the sequel, the shields/barrier/armor/health system was a lot more fun, the Collectors were AWESOME, IMO, and it had a lot of improvements. But overall I'd go with the first one as my favorite: it just felt like a more quintessential sci-fi story.

 

[Architectonic]

The plot is extremely similar to an old computer game called Star Control 3. I haven't played SC 1 & 2, but SC3

Oh Dear. SC3 was regarded as the runt of the group, since it had different developers and was not in the spirit of SC2.

But don't fret, you can rectify this by playing SC2 here: http://sc2.sourceforge.net/

Anyway, I will give ME 1 & 2 a go eventually.

 

[Melllvar]

Just downloaded it.

I have indeed heard this rumor that SC3 is the worst of the series, but since it was one of my favorite computer games as a kid, and hence a large part of what turned me on to Mass Effect, its kinda hard to believe.

Thanks for the heads up though, you've just ensured I'll be a wasting a good portion of this week...

 

[Architectonic]

PS, for a more authentic feel, configure it to use the classic SC2 music, rather than the shitty 3DO 'remixed' music.

 

[Himself]

Shameless ME addict here. Very easily among the best games I've played, period.

I've always thought these two videos pretty neatly sum up the awesomeness that is Mass Effect.

Spoiler

YouTube- Mass Effect: Commander Shepard Is Such A Jerk

Spoiler

YouTube- Mass Effect 2: Commander Shepard Is Still A Jerk

 

[Galthian]

Mordin is my hero.

 

[The Lurker]

^^ Trying to determine how scale itch got onto Normandy. Sexually transmitted disease. Only carried by varren...Implications unpleasant.

 

[Razare]

I played and beat Mass Effect 2. It didn't seem as time-consuming as the first, and for me that means I didn't like it as much. I guess there were less pointless planets to land on, but I thought cruising around in that land rover was a lot of fun.

I think I understand why it was disappointing. They probably spent an immense amount of time working on the game; however, most of that work was done to create plot-line options. If you only play through on one-plot-line, you miss a most of the available options. Yet, the story is still pretty linear, so it's not worth a second play-through.

So it's worth a play if you played Mass Effect 1; but it's not the greatest game of all time nor anything near that.

 

[Farion]

I would have already beaten it, but unfortunately two missions from the end of the game my friend decided to "borrow" the second disk (I had already lent him the first one).

It really is a great game though, even if it's not the absolute best I've ever played.