Mass Effect 2 Gameplay

[Stark]

Do you guys mean the really spongy two-clip chunky ones or the really hard multi-clip ones? It's ridiculous that there are so many different types when there's one that works fine. The general type (the yin-yang shaped two-clip ones) break really often too.

[Havok]

First... The Elevator load screens were replaced, with... animated technical diagrams of elevators moving between floors. AWESOME!

Second... I miss the Mako.

On to the important stuff.
Combat is crazy fun, especially on INSANE!!!! The cover system is a little touchy, but you HAVE to use it and it is easy to get used to. The controller layout/button usage is a little weird for me, but again, nothing that isn't easy to get used to. I do dislike the the way you have to change weapons and apply powers, but solely because it takes you out of the action.

Overall it plays a lot like Gears 2, and that is all right with me.

Mass 3 needs to have some multi where all three members of your squad can be controlled by players, and a horde type game.

Although the heat sinks are just ammo, it makes the game far more enjoyable and gives more of a sense of "oh shit I am FUCKED!" then just "I can hide for a sec and be cool". I just wish they would have not tried to play it up like they improved the way it was when it is obviously a completely new system.

Visually the game seems a little less impressive, scenery wise, but I think I am just missing the planet side scenery you saw so much of while hill climbing in the Mako. The game is still visually stunning.

The 'acting' is great and the character interactions seem to have gotten better. I like the option of the action button during cut scenes, but I'm not sure if they really alter anything and won't until my third of fourth playthrough.

The story so far seems like Mass 1. Collect squad members, try to fuck them make friends with them, save the galaxy, but it is cool to see the old characters show up, except Ashley, who I now wish I would have killed in the first game, and to hear about the old story lines in the news from the news kiosks, as well as the codex. What Stark calls the 'fatty nerd fanfiction that has no bearing on the game'.

I liked the way the council has dismissed Sovereign as just a Geth super weapon, and it seems fairly plausible.

OH MAN!! I LOVE the planet scanning now too! As well as the way I get to 'fly' around on the galaxy map!

[Stark]

If Bioware ever made one of their games support coop play (which would be fucking trivial) I might actually buy one again. DA would be cool coop, and nobody except the fattest nerds would care that only Player One affects anything plotwise. It's all about the pew pew and the zap zap.

[Havok]

Well since I know you are going to get this and play through at least 4 times, you can gauge my 'like gears' feeling on the combat.

But yeah, if it had 'horde', it would be fucking awesome.

MULTI PLAYER PLANET SCANNING!!!

[Stark]

Multiplayer Star Control 2 spaceship flying.

Seriously they need to do some market research or something on this issue. 'Would you cry if only player one got to make conversation choices?' Or, 'are simple onscreen indicators for voting enough to make you feel like a big tough guy?'

Me I'd just want to shoot guys in seriously unbalanced combat with poorly thought-out skill and itemisation.

[Gramzamber]

I too miss the Mako, thought I was the only one. It had it's flaws but it was fun damnit.

Small spoiler I suppose: Spoiler

I was miffed that they blatantly show you the Mako at the Normandy SR1's crash site and it looks perfectly salvagable, I wanted to give the order to bring it up for old times' sake. Oh well.

Speaking of I miss the old Normandy. Sure it wasn't the greatest design ever since evidentally everyone had to sleep on the floor or something but there's something about the SR2 that feels... sterile. Maybe that's the point, but still. Also the doors are all generic and boring. And I miss the marines who'd do absolutely nothing but stand at the doors all day and salute you.

[Havok]

Yeah that bummed me out too. I thought that they pulled a fast one on us and you got to get it from the DLC.

[SylasGaunt]

Wow.. get the Cain, love the Cain, watch a pair of Ymir's evaporate in a mini mushroom cloud.

Also, I'm surprised at the number of ME1 minor players who make appearances in this.

And wow.. some of the changes your ME1 companions have undergone are downright disconcerting.. Wrex is still awesome though.

[Gramzamber]

So uh... I had fish in my room on the Normandy.. and now they're dead.
You mean I totally had to feed them?

[Vympel]

I liked the way the council has dismissed Sovereign as just a Geth super weapon, and it seems fairly plausible.

I haven't even taken the SR2 anywhere yet (I spent a lot of time codex reading last night) but that sounds frakking retarded. What the fuck will it take for these fucking morons?

"Gee, thanks Shepherd for saving the galaxy - oh btw you're totally wrong and insane about the Reapers EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NO BASIS FOR THIS OPINION, Sovereign was just a Geth superweapon."

Or do you mean this by way of public deception, not private?

[Gramzamber]

The way they're playing it seems the Council are in total denial because they're scared of the reality that there's a horde of slavering killbots waiting for the right time to eat them all.
What gets me is that now apparently the Alliance is right there with them with the "Shepard's deluded even though Shepard has always been right before we're not listening lalalalalala!".

[Vympel]

That's just BRILLIANT. Fucking Council.

[Stark]

Well frankly if they DID believe it, they'd be almost no threat and the player would be investigating and coordinating a galaxy-wide operation to maintain Reaver security instead of a maverick personally saving the world.

[Gramzamber]

Plus it seems getting reinstated as a Spectre doesn't get you anything. At least, nothing I've noticed. Should've told them to fuck off when I had the chance.

[Havok]

Spoiler

The thing is, Shepard's death weakened the position of those that knew the truth so in his absence, they weren't able to keep pushing it through.
Even still though, the council seems a bit... untruthful about calling him crazy. They are willing to give him the complete benefit, just without outright admitting, mostly to the public, that they believe him.

The fact that he has now resurfaced with Cerberus, isn't really helping matters. They also only have the evidence of one ship/evil monster A.I. and nothing else. Everything else that Sheppard encountered that sheds light on the truth has been destroyed or rendered inert.

[Stark]

Frankly there's no reason to believe there are that many Reavers anyway; Sovereign was massively overconfident, stupid and underpowered. If five of them showed up they'd get raped and the races would put up big 'lol we killed the Reavers what a bunch of pussies' monoliths everywhere. I guess he should have recorded all that Prothean hysteria of his phone like kids do these days?

[Havok]

Plus it seems getting reinstated as a Spectre doesn't get you anything. At least, nothing I've noticed. Should've told them to fuck off when I had the chance.

Probably wouldn't have made a difference.

This to me is where games like this totally fail.
If you tell the council to fuck off, you should now be totally reliant on Cerberus, in essence making you a treasonous terrorist and you should become a high priority target on the level of Saren and Specters should be coming after you. I understand that this would involve making almost two completely separate games, but it is what should be, and I would have paid double for it.

[Gramzamber]

Probably wouldn't have made a difference.

This to me is where games like this totally fail.
If you tell the council to fuck off, you should now be totally reliant on Cerberus, in essence making you a treasonous terrorist and you should become a high priority target on the level of Saren and Specters should be coming after you. I understand that this would involve making almost two completely separate games, but it is what should be, and I would have paid double for it.

Yeah I would've liked an option to convince the Council to at least officially sponsor me then tell Cerberus to stick forks in their eyes, or vice versa.
At least it would present an option to play without Cerberus' godawful white/yellow colour scheme everywhere..

[Havok]

Frankly there's no reason to believe there are that many Reavers anyway; Sovereign was massively overconfident, stupid and underpowered. If five of them showed up they'd get raped and the races would put up big 'lol we killed the Reavers what a bunch of pussies' monoliths everywhere. I guess he should have recorded all that Prothean hysteria of his phone like kids do these days?

That's basically the council's stance. Minus the phone.
They are like, 'Dude, quit stirring shit up. We examined the wreackage and there is nothing there that isn't in the realm of the Geth to create, even though it is advanced. Yes, you saved all our collective asses, which is why you aren't in jail for hooking up with Cerberus, but don't push your luck.'

[Havok]

Probably wouldn't have made a difference.

This to me is where games like this totally fail.
If you tell the council to fuck off, you should now be totally reliant on Cerberus, in essence making you a treasonous terrorist and you should become a high priority target on the level of Saren and Specters should be coming after you. I understand that this would involve making almost two completely separate games, but it is what should be, and I would have paid double for it.

Yeah I would've liked an option to convince the Council to at least officially sponsor me then tell Cerberus to stick forks in their eyes, or vice versa.
At least it would present an option to play without Cerberus' godawful white/yellow colour scheme everywhere..

Yup. Have you have to go back to the old Normandy and everything.

[Gramzamber]

So conversley, anyone who chose to let the Council blow up know how the Great Emperor of the Galaxy Anderson/Udina deals with this situation?
I'm guessing it's not much different, but wonder what excuses they use.

[Stark]

Seriously that time Sovereign tells you his plan in SPOOKY RED HOLOGRAMS for no reason would have made a great youtube video for Sheppard. If only it was that easy to keep track of all the information Sheppard found and the trail he followed so he could keep everyone informed?

[Gramzamber]

Seriously that time Sovereign tells you his plan in SPOOKY RED HOLOGRAMS for no reason would have made a great youtube video for Sheppard. If only it was that easy to keep track of all the information Sheppard found and the trail he followed so he could keep everyone informed?

"Hang on mate let me get my iphone out. Okay, start off from how you plan to kill us all again."
Though the Council would probably dismiss it as Shepard dicking around with a 3D modeller and a voice synthesizer.

As an aside, what's with the hologram technology in ME2? Sure in ME1 they were beige but at least you got a good image.
Now they're in colour but with scan lines and a resolution that would make users of 1990's 640x480 VGA displays point and laugh.

[Stark]

Sorry I forgot the codex of useless crap never mentioned their armoured nano pressure suits had helmet cams to record missions or even radio traffic. Why would you want evidence? You're a maverick!

The fuzzy hologram thing is just them following scifi convention. Sure, they might have holograms sticking out the side of your gun for NO REASON, but they sure are crappy looking. Surely there's something in the awesome codex about it?

[Gramzamber]

You know Star Trek Online has that same schtick with half the guns having flourescent holograms sticking out of them for no good reason.
Why? Surely making your weapon glow in the dark is a bad idea unless you're a Jedi.