Mass Effect 2...explain?

[vip3Rz]

Hey I'm new here, recently took a break from PC gaming and getting back into it now.

I recently just finished off Witcher 2, had a blast, loved that game. Now this thread is about explaining why mass effect 2 is so good. I've played maybe 10hrs into it and just have absolutely no desire to go back and play it. I know I'm behind the times as it came out last year, but like I said, I took a long break from PC gaming.

It's a good game don't get me wrong, but great? I don't see it. It's a fun shooter but I wish it was more oriented toward a RPG style game. I can't get into the story it just seems kind of generic.There's been so much positive reception over the game that I must be missing something, or just a difference of opinions. It has some really cool elements with the conversations and the different moral actions you can take (blue and red conversation options)

I am a fan of both of these genres, Oblivion is my favorite RPG (I'm currently in the process of modding Morrowind and am going to play this game for the first time tonight). I've played counter strike 1.6 and source for like 8 years now, Battlefield 2 is my favorite game of all time and currently alpha testing BF3

I want to hear from people who "represent" different game genres. If you are a huge RPG fan, what did you think of the game? If you primarly play shooters what did you think about it?

 

[Rakewell]

Well... Did you play ME1?

 

[Red Storm]

It was good, but ME1 was better.

 

[Dumac]

ME2 was mediocre.

ME1 was good, but not great.

Both suffer from generic plot and an uninspired world.

 

[vip3Rz]

Good point, never played the first and I could certainly tell that it would have helped, especially in understanding the relationships between characters that originated in ME1

 

[Rakewell]

Most people I know liked both games, if not loved them.

I personally loved both.

 

[Zenoth]

Play ME1 first.

 

[KeithTalent]

Play ME1 first.

This.

KT

 

[Red Hawk]

As others have said, you must play ME1 first. The Mass Effect series is a very tightly connected trilogy of games and if you don't play the first one you'll miss out on a lot of stuff, both in the understanding of the world and in interaction options for your character. (Poor PS3 players :'()

As for my opinion of the games, they're two of my favorite games of all time. I love BioWare's story style and the well-crafted science-fiction setting and story. Can't wait for ME3! :awe:

 

[gorcorps]

Didn't play ME1? Hard to take your opinion seriously :\

 

[Kristijonas]

Mass Effect series are epic, unless you start demanding from games something they didn't promise to deliver.

[OT]
Does anyone know of any cheats to raise my renegade morality ? I'm stuck. I completed al missions and can't get Morint to join me. Not enough paragon/morality and no more quests to get any more. I know all the tricks, but they are not enough. I'm thinking cheats... :< Please share if you know any.
[/OT]

 

[Red Storm]

Mass Effect series are epic, unless you start demanding from games something they didn't promise to deliver.

[OT]
Does anyone know of any cheats to raise my renegade morality ? I'm stuck. I completed al missions and can't get Morint to join me. Not enough paragon/morality and no more quests to get any more. I know all the tricks, but they are not enough. I'm thinking cheats... :< Please share if you know any.
[/OT]

Have you tried trainers?

 

[Modeps]

ME2 was mediocre.

ME1 was good, but not great.

Both suffer from generic plot and an uninspired world.

Trolling post is trolling.

The Mass Effect universe is ridiculously realized and fleshed out. Just going in to read some of the codex should show off how much detail is there if you want it. Generally, the draw of the games though are not their main story, which in broad strokes could be considered 'generic' (many Sci-fi themes are the same throughout different IPs), but instead in the characters and their interactions.

 

[Martimus]

What drives the game is the story telling. If you don't like that part of the game, the gameplay itself is mediocre at best.

It is like all other Bioware games in that respect. They do a good job at putting together an engrossing story, and have bad to mediocre game play that you have to endure to see that story.

 

[vip3Rz]

Didn't play ME1? Hard to take your opinion seriously :\

Which is why I said "I must be missing something" and asked for your opinion. The general consensus is that I should have played ME1 first and that was what I was looking for.

In hindsight I should have taken more time to research how much ME1 would effect ME2, had I done this, I would have enjoyed the latter more.

I have played other bioware games in the past and knew that they do a great job of incorporating previous games of a series into newer ones, but this game got great reviews and I thought I could get away without playing the first.

 

[Red Hawk]

Trolling post is trolling.

The Mass Effect universe is ridiculously realized and fleshed out. Just going in to read some of the codex should show off how much detail is there if you want it. Generally, the draw of the games though are not their main story, which in broad strokes could be considered 'generic' (many Sci-fi themes are the same throughout different IPs), but instead in the characters and their interactions.

Gotta agree. One may not like the science-fiction world of Mass Effect, but for a science-fiction world it's very well thought-out and the art direction is distinctive. And, to be technical, the world of Mass Effect draws a lot of inspiration from old-school 80s sci-fi.

Which is why I said "I must be missing something" and asked for your opinion. The general consensus is that I should have played ME1 first and that was what I was looking for.

In hindsight I should have taken more time to research how much ME1 would effect ME2, had I done this, I would have enjoyed the latter more.

I have played other bioware games in the past and knew that they do a great job of incorporating previous games of a series into newer ones, but this game got great reviews and I thought I could get away without playing the first.

Critical error. The setup by the first game is part of what makes the second game so good to begin with.

 

[Mem]

Which is why I said "I must be missing something" and asked for your opinion. The general consensus is that I should have played ME1 first and that was what I was looking for.

In hindsight I should have taken more time to research how much ME1 would effect ME2, had I done this, I would have enjoyed the latter more.

I have played other bioware games in the past and knew that they do a great job of incorporating previous games of a series into newer ones, but this game got great reviews and I thought I could get away without playing the first.

You can always start ME1 and play ME2 later ,especially if you only have done 10 hours or so with ME2.

Btw the only retail Bioware game I was disappointed with was DA2,way below their standard.

 

[vip3Rz]

You can always start ME1 and play ME2 later ,especially if you only have done 10 hours or so with ME2.

Btw the only retail Bioware game I was disappointed with was DA2,way below their standard.

Yeah true, I might give it some time and make it a point to play both before the 3rd comes out.

Agreed on DA2, however any game following DAO was at a disadvantage because that game was so good. But still, DA2 was disappointing.

 

[Powermoloch]

play the 1st game

 

[sigurros81]

I also thought ME2 was quite overrated. It's a decent 3rd person shooter, but sorely lacking as an RPG. As for the story, I enjoyed the first, but the second unfolded like Bioware was trying to ride the success of the first game (kinda like the Matrix sequels).

On top of that, the game was quite easy as well as formulaic. While the story is all apocalyptic, I never felt any sort of urgency with the whole typical Bioware shtick where you hire your teammates, do their personal quests, try to have sex with one, and yaddi yaddi yawn.

The locations are also quite small and compact, so there was little sense of grandeur or exploration, and the mission environments were pretty much all linear.

I'll check out ME3 for sure once the game goes on sale, but I was sorely disappointed after buying into all the hype with ME2 and bought it when it first came out.

 

[Kelvrick]

Yes, definitely play ME1 first. I played ME1 on my xbox and got ME2 for pc. After about 30 minutes, I went and got ME1 for the comp and played through it just so my choices could carry forward.

 

[Via]

Having played both It would seem weird to me to play ME 2 first.

For example - The opening sequence on the Normandy in ME2 wouldn't have near the emotional impact if you hadn't spent many hours commanding the ship in ME1.

It would just be a random outer space location that starts a game.

I remember going to the planet that was under attack, meeting up with an old crewmember, and then the original Mass Effect music starting to play. That was also an awesome moment that wouldn't have meant anything without a playthrough the first game.

For me it's like going back to the prison colony in Gothic 2 after spending 50+ hours there in Gothic.

Like Gothic, ME is series that really needs to be played in sequence imo.

 

[SMOGZINN]

I also thought ME2 was quite overrated. It's a decent 3rd person shooter, but sorely lacking as an RPG. As for the story, I enjoyed the first, but the second unfolded like Bioware was trying to ride the success of the first game (kinda like the Matrix sequels).

I'm currently playing ME2, and I have to say that while I am enjoying the game, I'm also a bit disappointed. With out the loot choice and equipment management it ends up feeling like all I really do is run between missions killing everything I see, with little reward. There are few enough skills, and I’m getting enough skill points that I feel that I’ll max all my characters skills long before the end of the game, and therefore have little need to make choices about it and tend to just let the computer autolevel. In other words, it plays much more like a shooter.
The game is still fun, and I’m interested in it because the story is compelling, but I’m really hoping that ME3 finds a better balance between RPG and shooter. Good RPGs need to make you develop characters and make decisions on loadout, a good shooter needs to let you jump in the action and feel competent to kill everything in your path.

 

[KentState]

Both games are great in their own ways. ME2 was more polished in many respects like inventory, load times, mining, vehicles and combat mechanics.

ME1 was a little better with an overall RPG feel and the freshness of a new IP and discovering a new threat to the universe.

I'm probably the most excited about ME3 out of all the games coming out in the next 12 months. Hopefully the build some more RPG elements into the characters, but retained the what makes the second one fun.

 

[spaceman]

forget the haters
me2 is a landmark game
sorry u dont get it
cool to hate on something pop i guess