I Don't get all the love for Mass Effect 2

[RavenSEAL]

(This rant comes replaying Mass Effect and now going back to Mass Effect 2; I beat this game months ago, so if I fall short on points, sorry.)

Here is the way I see it, the story starts out like I thought it would, " Sweet! This looks interesting!" Right? Universe is going to hell, the evil dudes are coming to blow everyone up and Shepard comes to the rescue after being dead! :biggrin:

I get introduced to this dude who apparently owns my soul and tells me what to do and not to do, so f'that.:hmm:

I get my ship back and I get to build up my team, sounds like it should, Ok.

First thing I try to do for the sake of sense, is try to follow up with my love interest in ME1. So I set out to search for that blue lady who now appears to run an equally corrupt version of Wall Street (Guns included). She wanted a divorce, so I punched a baby in the face and walked away.

So since she's too busy giving everyone "the business", I set out to find Garrus(who p.s. if a ****ing badass):twisted:. 404-Disappointment not found, best part of the entire game. :awe:

After doing that, I set off to find my BBFF and now general president of the council of the world who...apparently still can't do anything because he's human. :whiste:

Ok...So now I have to go find the rest of the dudes who apparently seem to be more important than all the members of the President's Cabinet combined because they have 6,000 dudes between them and saving the f'ing universe.

All of them, stereotypical, predictable, bland, except for the British lady and the cool black guy.

After that, I start spamming pods into planets to upgrade my "top of the line" ship.

10 hours later...that was some boring, repetitive cover-based, crap.

Obvious final quest is obvious:

1. Find portal to boss base.

2a. if you were dumb enough to not use google, blow up and die.

2b. If you were smart enough to listen to what the characters told you, you live and your ship isn't blown to bits.

3.Break into base, kill all the janitors and the housekeeping lady with the funny accent.

4. Find human shaped reaper, blow it up.

5. Decide to whether you want to piss off millionaire-man or not.

6. Game over.

Here come the other two bagillion dudes to f more stuff up. Shocking. :|

Worst, most expensive, scavenger hunt game EVER.

I tried doing all of the side quest, but they all played the same except for the fact that you didn't add someone to your party at the end.

Break into planetary base 1, 2 kill a bunch of dudes with guns that starting shooting at you because you ran out of sugar 3,4 find leader enemy boss while walking over the remains of puny aliens who couldn't stop lighting shooting our of your hands, 5, 6 shoot leader enemy boss in the face and loot his futuristic high school locker, 6,7.

The whole sex scene mess is your usually over hyped Fox news 1 hour segment catalyst. Gameplay has improved, voice acting is meh. Game is obvious console port, runs like crap, no mods, very little customization, crappy textures, limited settings, horrid AA, Meh controls.

Come at me brahs.

 

[Rifter]

I liked the first one better as well.

 

[Clinkster]

All of them, stereotypical, predictable, bland, except for the British lady and the cool black guy.

Miranda and Jacob weren't run of the mill... but Mordin was?

I'm going to have to go with noooooope.

PS did you play on the hardest difficulty? Anything but that is a joke.

 

[NoSoup4You]

All of them, stereotypical, predictable, bland, except for the British lady and the cool black guy.

British lady... Miranda is Australian.

ME2 isn't amazing, I liked ME1 better. But ME2 is really, really good. Really good.

 

[Zorander]

I actually really enjoyed ME2. It does have a rather forgetable story but the play experience was honestly great for me.

And I really dig Mordin's lines.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Miranda and Jacob weren't run of the mill... but Mordin was?

I'm going to have to go with noooooope.

PS did you play on the hardest difficulty? Anything but that is a joke.

I found him entertaining at first, not so much a few hours in.

P.s. Yes I did.

 

[micrometers]

story is kind of secondary in these things. What matters is intrigue and twists. ME1 was utterly boring. You had all the prestige and were on the good guys side and had to sit through all sorts of ceremonies that good guys do.

ME2 had me wondering if I could trust them, ultimately.

oh, and gameplay was drastically improved in ME2. ME2 IMO is the perfect implementation of RPG aspects in the modern era.

 

[Red Hawk]

I personally loved the characters. There's a lot of depth and individuality to them. The whole sci-fi setting is something I love. Voice acting was fantastic, and the cinematic yet interactive cutscenes are something I really enjoy.

There are some symptoms of the game being a "port", but I've never found them to be that annoying. Textures aren't as good as they could be, sure, but the game runs great in my experience. Controls could be better, but it's not an issue to me. As for AA, that's not really a console port issue; the engine uses a deferred shading system that's hard to make AA work properly natively. Mass Effect 2 came out before post process AA and DirectX 11 really started to spread, so I have a feeling that Mass Effect 3 will use one of them or a combination of both. No mods is again an engine issue that's out of BioWare's hands -- just about all Unreal Engine games are very mod-unfriendly.

 

[Zorander]

story is kind of secondary in these things. What matters is intrigue and twists.

Don't "intrigue" and "twist" fall squarely into the "story" category?

ME2 IMO is the perfect implementation of RPG aspects in the modern era.

ME is more like an Action-shooter game, with an RPG-like background. It's nothing close to an actual RPG.

 

[irishScott]

I suggest you get all of the story-based DLC. Adds about 20-30% more plot, matters in ME3, and you get to make a decision that affects the lives of an entire system while simultaneously saving the galaxy again. Yep, you heard me right. All in the DLC.

As for the rest of your complaints, pretty sure you're trolling.

 

[micrometers]

Don't "intrigue" and "twist" fall squarely into the "story" category?


ME is more like an Action-shooter game, with an RPG-like background. It's nothing close to an actual RPG.

Sorry, I meant plot. Ultimate plot doesn't matter, but story elements like intrigue and twist do matter. I mean, otherwise every RPG is about saving the universe.

Actual RPG's are the way they are b/c technology didn't exist back then that allowed a good depiction of action. Now that technology does exist.

 

[zinfamous]

story is kind of secondary in these things. What matters is intrigue and twists. ME1 was utterly boring. You had all the prestige and were on the good guys side and had to sit through all sorts of ceremonies that good guys do.

ME2 had me wondering if I could trust them, ultimately.

oh, and gameplay was drastically improved in ME2. ME2 IMO is the perfect implementation of RPG aspects in the modern era.

the more I read your posts over the last week or so, the more I realize you have no clue as to wtf you are talking about.

 

[mirandu04]

i know what you mean
for me Mass Effect was an OK game and that's all..not incredible, not even nice just OK

 

[Born2bwire]

Yeah, in terms of the actual gameplay, I prefer Mass Effect 1 over 2. I much prefer the ability to upgrade items and have the option of changing them out. The main problem with the inventory was swapping gear between partners. If I could have just done a full swap of stuff or something like that it would have eased it.

But the way they have just dumbed things down removed the things that really made the game unique. Now the weapons and armor is really no different from any other FPS that offers upgrades to your items (for example Bioshock). The RPG element is severly dumbed down that it is a minor footnote. Then they replace the surface missions with planet mining.

It's still fun but I don't know if I would want to get ME3 if it is going to keep in this direction.

I suggest you get all of the story-based DLC. Adds about 20-30% more plot, matters in ME3, and you get to make a decision that affects the lives of an entire system while simultaneously saving the galaxy again. Yep, you heard me right. All in the DLC.

As for the rest of your complaints, pretty sure you're trolling.

That's still bullshit though. The DLC has not come down in price at all and this means that it's still about $25 for all the DLC. Plus, I need 2480 points to get all the story DLC. But I can only by in certain increments (1200 or 1600). So now I gotta shell out $5 to get those last 80 credits I need? Fuck you!

 

[irishScott]

Yeah, in terms of the actual gameplay, I prefer Mass Effect 1 over 2. I much prefer the ability to upgrade items and have the option of changing them out. The main problem with the inventory was swapping gear between partners. If I could have just done a full swap of stuff or something like that it would have eased it.

But the way they have just dumbed things down removed the things that really made the game unique. Now the weapons and armor is really no different from any other FPS that offers upgrades to your items (for example Bioshock). The RPG element is severly dumbed down that it is a minor footnote. Then they replace the surface missions with planet mining.

It's still fun but I don't know if I would want to get ME3 if it is going to keep in this direction.



That's still bullshit though. The DLC has not come down in price at all and this means that it's still about $25 for all the DLC. Plus, I need 2480 points to get all the story DLC. But I can only by in certain increments (1200 or 1600). So now I gotta shell out $5 to get those last 80 credits I need? Fuck you!

Yeah it's bullshit. But it does add a good deal to the story. Honestly I spent $40 on Empire: Total War and completely regretted it (don't even have it installed anymore). I disagree with it, but I can stand $25 extra for something quality.

 

[PrayForDeath]

voice acting is meh. Game is obvious console port, runs like crap, no mods, very little customization, crappy textures, limited settings, horrid AA, Meh controls.

Come at me brahs.

Seriously? Can you name a game with better voice acting?

When I first played ME2 I was running an Athlon 64 4200+ with a Geforce 9800 GT, and the game actually ran faster than ME1 (CPU hog). I could easily max all settings @ 1920x1200. I just don't see how you'd say it runs like crap.

I could address your other points, but honestly, it seems like you're just trolling.

 

[jlee]

OP, what kind of games do you like? Perhaps that'll shed some light on the matter. I loved ME and ME2.

 

[Red Storm]

Actual RPG's are the way they are b/c technology didn't exist back then that allowed a good depiction of action. Now that technology does exist.

I completely disagree. Action games (like ME2) are twitch based shooters, they rely on your physical skill with the controls to win. RPGs are the opposite; you role play a character whose strength is determined by their in-game stats/abilities, not how fast you can press buttons.

To the OP, I completely agree with you. ME1 was an amazing game. The story, setting, characters and game play were all much better IMHO.

 

[thespyder]

Sorry, I meant plot. Ultimate plot doesn't matter, but story elements like intrigue and twist do matter. I mean, otherwise every RPG is about saving the universe.

Actual RPG's are the way they are b/c technology didn't exist back then that allowed a good depiction of action. Now that technology does exist.

It's pretty clear that you wouldn't know an RPG if it hit you square in the jaw. Which is fine. They are not your thing (despite what you apparently think). All of the elements that you post that you hate about RPG games are usually those elements that distinguish it AS an RPG. Best if you realize that and stop looking for RPGs only to be disapointed.

With that having been said, Played ME1 and 2. ME1 was (IMHO) much better as an RPG, although still a bit light. And although I enjoyed ME2, it was a clear yet further departure from the RPG elements that I have come to expect in good games. But then it was an EA games so....

I fully expect ME3 to be a TOTAL sell out on the rails shooter. I just hope that they finally abandon any pretext of being an RPG in the process. I think a lot of the gaming community would actually appreciate the honesty. And I think it would make for a better (non-RPG) game as a whole.

 

[akahoovy]

I agree with RavenSEAL and thespyder. The rpg elements are light. I very much disliked the lack of an inventory and managing items. I found the characters very uninteresting, but I did like the assassin, he was interesting.

Probably what I disliked most about ME2 was how blatantly modular it was translated from design docs to gameplay. What I'm referring to is where there's zones with no combat, and then there's literally an obstacle course with combat. With special abilities spam.

I liked the one mission where you were battling inside the dead reaper. That was pretty cool. Going to the Prothean station reminds me of Master of Orion 2.

 

[irishScott]

It's pretty clear that you wouldn't know an RPG if it hit you square in the jaw. Which is fine. They are not your thing (despite what you apparently think). All of the elements that you post that you hate about RPG games are usually those elements that distinguish it AS an RPG. Best if you realize that and stop looking for RPGs only to be disapointed.

With that having been said, Played ME1 and 2. ME1 was (IMHO) much better as an RPG, although still a bit light. And although I enjoyed ME2, it was a clear yet further departure from the RPG elements that I have come to expect in good games. But then it was an EA games so....

I fully expect ME3 to be a TOTAL sell out on the rails shooter. I just hope that they finally abandon any pretext of being an RPG in the process. I think a lot of the gaming community would actually appreciate the honesty. And I think it would make for a better (non-RPG) game as a whole.

Nothing wrong with RPG-lite. IMO ME2 allowed adequate customization while streamlining gameplay and giving more of what most people care about: The story and the action.

I think the RPG crowd is having a hard time getting over the fact that your average gamer doesn't want to worry about taking time between missions to micro-manage gear, or have to do written math to calculate stats, or worry about whether some all-but-nameless outpost that looks suspiciously like all the other all-but-nameless outposts needs help killing the all-but-nameless enemy.

As much as the plot and action made up for it, in between main missions in ME1 felt like a chore to me. I had to run around selling loot, switching mods/armor, and chase down all of the those repetitive side missions (I'm a rabid completionist, and hey I'm supposed to be an intergalactic superhero right?). ME2 was much more focused on the plot, characters and action, with few chores in between missions.

 

[magomago]

(This rant comes replaying Mass Effect and now going back to Mass Effect 2; I beat this game months ago, so if I fall short on points, sorry.)

Here is the way I see it, the story starts out like I thought it would, " Sweet! This looks interesting!" Right? Universe is going to hell, the evil dudes are coming to blow everyone up and Shepard comes to the rescue after being dead! :biggrin:

I get introduced to this dude who apparently owns my soul and tells me what to do and not to do, so f'that.:hmm:

I get my ship back and I get to build up my team, sounds like it should, Ok.

First thing I try to do for the sake of sense, is try to follow up with my love interest in ME1. So I set out to search for that blue lady who now appears to run an equally corrupt version of Wall Street (Guns included). She wanted a divorce, so I punched a baby in the face and walked away.

So since she's too busy giving everyone "the business", I set out to find Garrus(who p.s. if a ****ing badass):twisted:. 404-Disappointment not found, best part of the entire game. :awe:

After doing that, I set off to find my BBFF and now general president of the council of the world who...apparently still can't do anything because he's human. :whiste:

Ok...So now I have to go find the rest of the dudes who apparently seem to be more important than all the members of the President's Cabinet combined because they have 6,000 dudes between them and saving the f'ing universe.

All of them, stereotypical, predictable, bland, except for the British lady and the cool black guy.

After that, I start spamming pods into planets to upgrade my "top of the line" ship.

10 hours later...that was some boring, repetitive cover-based, crap.

Obvious final quest is obvious:

1. Find portal to boss base.

2a. if you were dumb enough to not use google, blow up and die.

2b. If you were smart enough to listen to what the characters told you, you live and your ship isn't blown to bits.

3.Break into base, kill all the janitors and the housekeeping lady with the funny accent.

4. Find human shaped reaper, blow it up.

5. Decide to whether you want to piss off millionaire-man or not.

6. Game over.

Here come the other two bagillion dudes to f more stuff up. Shocking. :|

Worst, most expensive, scavenger hunt game EVER.

I tried doing all of the side quest, but they all played the same except for the fact that you didn't add someone to your party at the end.

Break into planetary base 1, 2 kill a bunch of dudes with guns that starting shooting at you because you ran out of sugar 3,4 find leader enemy boss while walking over the remains of puny aliens who couldn't stop lighting shooting our of your hands, 5, 6 shoot leader enemy boss in the face and loot his futuristic high school locker, 6,7.

The whole sex scene mess is your usually over hyped Fox news 1 hour segment catalyst, most of the characters are plain and boring, not to mention predictable. Gameplay has improved, voice acting is meh. Game is obvious console port, runs like crap, no mods, very little customization, crappy textures, limited settings, horrid AA, Meh controls.

Come at me brahs.

I hope there is nothing tieing your username to your account, otherwise you might lose access to your games

 

[RavenSEAL]

Seriously? Can you name a game with better voice acting?

When I first played ME2 I was running an Athlon 64 4200+ with a Geforce 9800 GT, and the game actually ran faster than ME1 (CPU hog). I could easily max all settings @ 1920x1200. I just don't see how you'd say it runs like crap.

I could address your other points, but honestly, it seems like you're just trolling.

The Witcher 2, Heavy Rain, L.A. Noire, and Mafia II.

 

[Red Storm]

streamlining gameplay

Is it just me or does this phrase always end up meaning "removed stuff from the game"? I dread anytime I hear a dev or publisher utter those words.

 

[thespyder]

Nothing wrong with RPG-lite. IMO ME2 allowed adequate customization while streamlining gameplay and giving more of what most people care about: The story and the action.

Absolutely there is nothing wrong with RPG-Lite. The only problem I have is when they sell games like ME2 in the same bucket as games like DA:O, NWN(1-2), BG - Series, etc.... It's miss-leading. ME2 is a significant departure from those others and are lacking in areas that make those games loved by their player base. Not to say it isn't a good game, but it isn't the same.

And if you don't want customization, that is perfectly valid as well. There are those of us who DO like that level of customization and are disapointed by it's lack in cases like this. Which is why I think that if RPG games have come to mean "Customization" at least in part, game developers should find a different designation for games that they create that don't have that focus.