Mass Effect 2 on Jan 26

Shalafi

Shalafi

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It's coming out Jan 26 for us here in North America. The storyline is supposed to involve crime gangs and warlords, and has vast potential to be much more interesting than the storyline of the first game. It's also supposed to have much better graphics than the first game as well as more animations. You can also import your saves from the first game and they will have an effect on the new game because the decisions you make will carry over to the second game, as well as you can bring your squadmates with you provided they weren't killed in the first game.

That feels pretty epic.

My only gripe is they are releasing DLC at the game's release, which is going to range between individually sold weapons (lol?) full fledged quests (lol again . . .) to expansion style stuff (maybe . . .?)


The game has potential, I don't like the nickel and diming though, I didn't waste any money on Dragon Age's DLC and nobody who has the DLC thinks it's worth the $10 or $15 they paid for it (an hour's worth of gameplay for Wardens Keep for $15? that could buy you quite a few games from the Steam holiday sales)

What do you guys think?
 
I'm ridiculously excited for it.

On DLC:
I don't like "DLC" as it is now, but I would be happy with them providing an "expansion pack" of sorts, with say 5 or so hours of gameplay, during release. The issue I have with DLC (assuming the content is GOOD, I'm ignoring the crappy DLC) is that it typically arrives long after I'm done with a game, so I can't really be bothered to start it up again and play for a few more hours. Having said that, there's an argument that if the DLC comes out alongside the game, that it should have been included to begin with.

*sigh*
 
Fail said:
It's also supposed to have much better graphics, or, at least what the XBox 360 hardware will allow than the first game, as well as more animations.
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Fixed that for you. While Mass Effect = Awesome, it's still a console port. And it shows.
 
I did my initial play through of ME1 on the 360 long before the PC version came out. Now I'm replying through on PC just so I can import my save. Unfortunately I probably won't have time to finish it before the 26th so I'll wait at least a little while to pick up ME2. I will definiately get it before my codes from the DA:O pack-in expire though.
 
damn you steam holiday sale. I just bought a wired 360 controller too. guess i'll wait for a sale, it'll probably be awhile though.
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darkpaw said:
I did my initial play through of ME1 on the 360 long before the PC version came out. Now I'm replying through on PC just so I can import my save. Unfortunately I probably won't have time to finish it before the 26th so I'll wait at least a little while to pick up ME2. I will definiately get it before my codes from the DA:O pack-in expire though.
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Can you import your save file from ME1 to ME2?
 
Awesome, I didn't think they would do that. I guess I'll play through ME again.
 
yeah

I might hold off on buying ME 2 untill it's on a sale

I don't know what it is, but after seeing all these Steam sales, i'm not exactly after the LOWEST price, but I do wanna get stuff cheaper now, like really good deals as they become available.

One good way Steam could take advantage of people like me is offering 4 pack deals on all new games

they might get more sales that way
 
cant wait for me2. like darkpaw above, i first had on xbox but got me1 on pc and need to finish before I get me2, which I'll get for pc this time around. i love that me1 can transfered and affect me2 but I've read that wont be so for me3.
 
Mr. Bluntman said:
Fixed that for you. While Mass Effect = Awesome, it's still a console port. And it shows.
Click to expand...
That doesn't make what he said any more incorrect. Better graphics are better graphics.

And, unlike the original game, this game appears to have been developed from the start as a multi-platform game. Thus, it's NOT a port, as that would imply there's a finished 360 game with assets tailored specifically for the 360 for them to shoehorn onto a PC. There's always the chance that they started with slightly higher-polygon models and higher-resolution textures, and then reduced the quality as-needed for the 360 version. While they probably didn't go out of their way to write special shaders or other code they knew would never be used on the console version, it just seems to me like good design practice to make your models and textures as big and detailed as reasonably possible, and reduce the quality for the 360 version as the 360's hardware limitations demand.

Here's an example from a game that was widely criticized by self-respecting PC gamers the world over. Infinity Ward with their design decisions made it clear that their goal was, despite developing a multi-platform game with three unique sets of hardware they could leverage in different ways, to have a uniform an experience as possible across all platforms. Take a look at this picture:

377678232.jpg


You can clearly see more detail in the road texture for the PC version than on either the PS3 or the 360 version. This is from a company that couldn't be bothered to cobble together a dedicated server even when they had COD4's mostly-the-same dedicated server code to start with, and acted like adding keyboard and mouse support and text chat for the PC versions were laudable achievements. If they, despite making it very clear the PC version was at the bottom of their list of priorities, released a PC version with better textures than the console versions, I would argue that we can expect much better things from developers with a modicum of common sense like DICE and BioWare.

Sorry for the long and slightly off-topic rant, but people have been throwing the words "console port" around like they're dirty words, when in most cases they don't really apply like they think it does. If all you PC gamer elitists can't live with the fact that a developer creates console versions alongside your precious PC version, or think that your experience is ruined by the fact that some console-owning swine can share it with you, then go join fanclubs for DICE or Valve or Crytek. Except all of their new games are multi-platform too, so I guess you're screwed.
 
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i don't care if they create it multiplatform or not, but I do want to see value in having a nice rig that's able to get the most out of a game.
 
What I want to know is why Steam doesn't have a pre-order availible yet. The Gamestop version with all its extras is tempting me.
 
Steam doesn't have pre-orders yet, because EA want to sell this via their own download service first IMO :) But hell, that game is worth having a disc version, mine is already preordered and knowing Game UK policy, I'll get it on release date :)
 
I never played the first one but I'm looking forward to checking out the new one. I'm still debating as to whether I should pick up the first on the cheap before trying the new one.
 
piratepress said:
I never played the first one but I'm looking forward to checking out the new one. I'm still debating as to whether I should pick up the first on the cheap before trying the new one.
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You should play the first one to understand the characters and what is going on.
 
Got my pre-order in from the EA Store for a physical copy of the collector's edition.

EA, as of late, has been shipping triple-A titles to pre-order customers on the Friday before the Tuesday release date, meaning that if you pre-order a physical copy from EA then it's likely that you'll get your copy on Monday.

Then you can go onto the internet on Monday night and complain about stuff you don't like about the game and people can't respond, other than by calling you names, and also a liar - they'll tell you that you don't have the game because it doesn't release until the next day. Then you can post a picture of yourself holding the game box, and everyone who called you a liar will suddenly start asking you questions about the game.

It's great.
 
Ill wait for a while, for it to show up on steam and make sure its not a POS.
Loved the first one. DLC makes me angry, DAO DLC made me feel raped.
 
refraxion said:
You should play the first one to understand the characters and what is going on.
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Mass Effect 1 = Shepard saves the universe from an ancient race of synthetics called The Reapers. What's so difficult about that? You could also go to Wikipedia and read their entry. That's all you'd need to know to play the second game.

The second game looks much more modern than the first game - I'd go straight for the second game personally.

This is an event. You've got to be down for this on day one.
 
WabeWalker said:
Mass Effect 1 = Shepard saves the universe from an ancient race of synthetics called The Reapers. What's so difficult about that? You could also go to Wikipedia and read their entry. That's all you'd need to know to play the second game.

The second game looks much more modern than the first game - I'd go straight for the second game personally. --->It is coming out what? 2-3 years after the first game.<---

This is an event. You've got to be down for this on day one.
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If you want, whoever is too lazy to even play a game that has a sequel shouldn't even play the game at all IMO.

Oh and personally, I'd go for the first game then the second. Reading wikipedia will give you info sure, but you don't get the atmosphere of the surrounding game.

What's so difficult in playing the first game? Gamers sure are lazy nowadays.
 
refraxion said:
You should play the first one to understand the characters and what is going on.
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In case wikipedia doesn't cover it enough or the various web sites out there, IGN has a humorous video that covers most of the bases:

Mass Effect in five minutes
(Spoilers for ME1, of course....)

Personally Mass Effect 1 is a game that's worth playing thru before playing ME2
 
refraxion said:
If you want, whoever is too lazy to even play a game that has a sequel shouldn't even play the game at all IMO.

Oh and personally, I'd go for the first game then the second. Reading wikipedia will give you info sure, but you don't get the atmosphere of the surrounding game.

What's so difficult in playing the first game? Gamers sure are lazy nowadays.
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No, I agree, Mass Effect should not be missed... but if you only have time for one, I'd go for Mass Effect 2, since it's only 3 weeks away. I haven't seen Mass Effect 2 in action personally, but my best friend, who works for CNET, has, and he says he was surprised at how much better looking Mass Effect 2 is over the original. Well, it has been two-and-a-half-years, hasn't it. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I was playing this thing on my new 360.
 
Neb said:
In case wikipedia doesn't cover it enough or the various web sites out there, IGN has a humorous video that covers most of the bases:

Mass Effect in five minutes
(Spoilers for ME1, of course....)

Personally Mass Effect 1 is a game that's worth playing thru before playing ME2
Click to expand...

Hmm, I'd somehow forgotten most of this.
 
Play the first one because it's good, it's cheap, and it'll whet your appetite nicely for 2. :)
 
Well, this might be beating a dead horse, but i think there's one thing we all want to see improved.

You CAN beat the game in 5-6 hours (ME 1) if you do none of the side quests, which are very repetitive and don't really add much to the gameplay. I think we all would like to see that improved greatly in this new version. I'm actually gonna wait a little to see if this is the case, if not, I'm probably not gonna pay much for it.

ME 1 was $5 over this years Steam sales

i can afford to wait untill then if that turns out to be the case
 
Fail said:
Well, this might be beating a dead horse, but i think there's one thing we all want to see improved.

You CAN beat the game in 5-6 hours (ME 1) if you do none of the side quests, which are very repetitive and don't really add much to the gameplay. I think we all would like to see that improved greatly in this new version. I'm actually gonna wait a little to see if this is the case, if not, I'm probably not gonna pay much for it.

ME 1 was $5 over this years Steam sales

i can afford to wait untill then if that turns out to be the case
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5 hours?

I'm skeptical of this remark. Most of the really big sections took me more than five hours for each one of them. Mass Effect was a good solid 30 hours for me when I originally played it.

EDIT: And I didn't go on one single side-quest.
 
well i've heard of playtimes of 5-8 hours by skipping all the side quests

I'm sure others have too, i saw it mentioned here on the forums a couple of times.
 
Fail said:
well i've heard of playtimes of 5-8 hours by skipping all the side quests

I'm sure others have too, i saw it mentioned here on the forums a couple of times.
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IGN quoted 19 hours for the PC version, "blitzing" through the game (as the reviewer played it through previously on the 360). It offers plenty of content.

The end of january can't come soon enough....
 
refraxion said:
Another reason some people should just play the game if they haven't yet.
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Or they could just watch that IGN video!

I had completely forgotten that The Reapers created the conduit as a way of drawing people into their world, and that the Protheans were attempting to stop them. I'm still not sure I remember it?

Ah well, the plots for these games are impossible to follow anyhow. After all those superb Infocom text-adventures of the 1980's, it all went downhill.

If you want to find out what a great story is then try playing Brian Moriarty's superb 'Trinity' - this game begins with a nuclear bomb about to drop on London, and ends with you, as the chief character, running about on the desert at Los Alamos, attempting to dismantle the first nuclear bomb ever made.

'Trinity' is the greatest story ever told via the medium of the computer. Brian Moriarty's 'Wishbringer' also told a pretty amazing story - you were a postal worker, and had to deliver a mysterious envelope to an old lady across town. "You're standing on a hilltop overlooking the seaside village of Festeron-by-the-sea," the game began. "There's a path leading down the hill to the north. To the south lies the village post-office. Somebody inside is calling your name..."
 
refraxion said:
You should play the first one to understand the characters and what is going on.
Click to expand...

my question is, do we really have to do this in order for stats to get transferred? I got so damn bored with the first game that I just couldn't finish it, no matter how many times I tried. I'm going to give it another go before me2 comes out, but I'm only about 1/2-1/3 of the way.
 
mas said:
my question is, do we really have to do this in order for stats to get transferred? I got so damn bored with the first game that I just couldn't finish it, no matter how many times I tried. I'm going to give it another go before me2 comes out, but I'm only about 1/2-1/3 of the way.
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Apparently I think that is the only way. How many hours have you put into the game? I put in less than 15 hours when I beat it the first time around. Side quests are useless in the game.

@WabeWalker - I remember it pretty clearly, I thought it was straight forward when I played it :p.
 
WabeWalker said:
Or they could just watch that IGN video!

I had completely forgotten that The Reapers created the conduit as a way of drawing people into their world, and that the Protheans were attempting to stop them. I'm still not sure I remember it?

Ah well, the plots for these games are impossible to follow anyhow. After all those superb Infocom text-adventures of the 1980's, it all went downhill.

If you want to find out what a great story is then try playing Brian Moriarty's superb 'Trinity' - this game begins with a nuclear bomb about to drop on London, and ends with you, as the chief character, running about on the desert at Los Alamos, attempting to dismantle the first nuclear bomb ever made.

'Trinity' is the greatest story ever told via the medium of the computer. Brian Moriarty's 'Wishbringer' also told a pretty amazing story - you were a postal worker, and had to deliver a mysterious envelope to an old lady across town. "You're standing on a hilltop overlooking the seaside village of Festeron-by-the-sea," the game began. "There's a path leading down the hill to the north. To the south lies the village post-office. Somebody inside is calling your name..."
Click to expand...
So nice to find someone else who recognizes true gaming brilliance. Infocom's text games were masterpieces compared to most of what passes for video games today.
 
I played about half way through the first one then stopped playing for a while an when I came back to it I was lost. I don't have plans on replaying it, so hopefully what I got out of it is enough to get a solid enough understanding of what's going on in ME2. I'll be waiting for the Steam version. Having the physical copy would be nice but I'm just running out of room on my shelves and I HATE putting disks in the drive.
 
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