Mass Effect 2 - Page 5

UPtimist · 01-29-2010, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Not all of us are playing this on the PC, you know. Best if you stated reticle instead.

Yeah, I'm on the XBox too.

And it's not that I'm not aware of how to scan quicker, it's just that that's too slow too, even with the upgrade

Maybe it's quicker on with a mouse though. I just do a less thorough check-up, though I still cover most of the planet. Slightly rotating the planet with the right pad and going up-and-down with the left and switching the left trigger on and off (scanner on/off).

Anyways, my two main issues:
All the military glorification. Probably the most annoying aspect of the first game, and what do you know, probably the most annoying aspect of the second game too. There really isn't anything cool in the military and all the crap that comes with it, like the way they behave. And since I'm supposed to be able to "make my own adventure" or whatever and get friendly with the crew and all, why, oh why can't I just order them to stop the freaking saluting?

And to my second issue: uninteresting/dull/cliché/irritating characters. I mean, even worse than ME1. In #1 Tali and Liara were the only characters I actually liked,

Spoiler:
and they don't even have Liara as a crew member in #2 apparently

but the rest were mainly at least alright, aside from Kaidan and Ashley. They don't get much more annoying than Kaidan and Ashley.

But now it's like they thought they'd go with "interesting" characters and just went with "really cool" and "badass" characters and thought everyone would agree with them on how awesome it is. Which is always a bad decision, as they're usually just ridiculous. And now almost all of them are like that (and those who aren't are just superbland, like the Xzibit/Kanye West fellow... Jacob, was it?). I'm not saying they don't have depth, it's just that they're all from the same mold (partly as each other and partly as in all other such games). Just with a bit more depth than the next game. In ME2 they're actually a bit worse than the usual RPG characters and more like action game characters. In ME1 it was the usual Bioware characters at least.

They all have just a pseudo-/semipersonality.

And does everyone have to be "I want to do what's best for whatever but the Council/Alliance etc. don't do enough / are so deep in red tape / something"?

Let's look at who I have right now... (I'll put it in spoilers, although it's probably nothing)

Spoiler:
The two from the beginning (whatever their names... Miranda and Jacob? Both generic, the girl is the usual toughie good-looking, who's not really totally bad but doesn't mind doing whatever necessary blah blah... Very uninteresting. And the the fellow, at least not the forced badass-type, but very dull. Has a bit of potential to be better, but apparently it's pretty much the same as always.

The Professor is probably the best one so far, has an agenda of sort of his own and has an interesting twist to his... Doctorship I just hope they don't settle with the slightly comical side of his, which is obviously looming there. Of course not too serious either, something sometimes forgotten in these kinds of games (usually it's the one silly and all the other serious characters - obviously a bad choice, when all should have a bit of everything).

Garrus... I have to say I wasn't expecting him to be... well, who he was until the first time I heard someone actually refer to him as "Turian". Then of course it was obvious. An alright character, a more realistic reason for going rogue, has at least a flicker of interestingness about him I wish there was something that was strange with him, then he might be spot on. Improved from ME1 though.

Jack, ugh... The appearance is rather ridiculous, you know, the "clothes" she has on. As someone said earlier, she seems quite a lot like a Mortal Kombat import, and it's a bit true. I have hope,after having just one conversation, that she's actually not as ridiculously overdone "badass" as she seems from the trailer and the beginning, but then again, I don't exactly have faith that the writers could do that with enough, eh, delicateness.

I don't have Tali yet, though I have hopes that they've actually given her importance since ME1, where she was left unfortunately sidelined. There wasn't real relationship with her (and I don't mean romance, just that ME1 had just the background stuff and nothing more) when there obviously was potential.

I hope that they've gone a different route with the Krogan, but I doubt it. They're usually all the same in these.

The downloadable fellow is also, as all of them, the same baddie-type. Mercenary who talks about how he used to kill people. I wish they'd done something completely different.

Or maybe it's just that you actually can't make interesting, charismatic, personality-having characters in games (outside AGs at least). Maybe they should try to get someone completely outside these types of games, preferably outside games altogether, to design the characters. They obviously can create epic stories, but they are still so much stuck in their ways that they just can't truly break away from using the usual stuff. Fits the stories too well I guess. Understandable.

Now, obviously I exaggerated a bit, but it's just that in an otherwise great, well-thought and even epic game these kinds of flaws really stand out.

You know what I'd really like in some game? That you could not only make the main character, but that you could also make a companion for him/her. It'd really create new dimensions to the stories when you could affect one person who you're with, who they are and such.

Anyways, totally addicted. Still gathering crew and I'm hoping to find as many from the old crew as possible. I just hope that there isn't any kind of restriction to how many people you can have, so that there's a quota and you can't exceed it (and you have to make a decision (or worse, not even know you're choosing between potential crew members) about who you're getting on board (there was something that might've meant that in a preview)).

AndreaDraco83 · 01-29-2010, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UPtimist

Or maybe it's just that you actually can't make interesting, charismatic, personality-having characters in games (outside AGs at least).

I strongly disagree, my dear UPtimist. I've played many adventures, and - in the past fifteen years or so - I can count only five or six really interesting characters in adventure games, while, in other genres, they have indeed been more. But not because of a genre's own faults or merits, but always because of the budget behind a game, a budget that allows the company to hire full-fledged writers and not just programmers-turned-writers or whatnots. Aside from this consideration, I can count many interesting, charismatic and personality-having characters in many games I've recently played - like Jade Empire or Dragon Age: Origins or, to be completely fair and mention the first adventure game that pops into my mind when I think of (recent) deep characters, Dave Gilbert's Blackwell series - and none of them has them better developed than BioWare's recent title. I can't speak for ME2, of course, not having played it, but, judging from ME1, well...

Spoiler:
I already adore Garrus in ME1, and Tali, as you did. And if they really improved Garrus over his past self, well, I'll be beyond happy -- as long that it's true that they got rid of the unsefferable Liara

UPtimist · 01-30-2010, 03:34 AM

Jade Empire indeed (they were quite the usual composition, but very well done, aside from certain individual... though I remember you don't agree with me about him). So, you can do well (I wasn't saying it as a fact, mind you, just making a suggestion. One that you proved wrong, thankfully), it's just hard to get rid of the usualcomposition, since they fit the story far too well.

Haven't playde DA, so can't comment there.

Of course AGs have lots of great chracters, such as, well, everyone from the GKs

(Edit): I haven't completely given up hope though, I've just been given the coordinates of the last few crewmembers, and there's very well promise there. Keeping my fingers crossed

(though that might make the playing harder...)

Lucien21 · 01-30-2010, 07:58 AM

I got a space hamster *Eeep*

Intrepid Homoludens · 01-30-2010, 01:39 PM

Otterley Shepard found an issue of Fornax for sale in Omega. Only 4 credits.

Fornax: Titillating Alien Magazine

She wasn't interested.

UPtimist · 01-31-2010, 01:58 AM

Can you actually read all those magazines and novels? I've bought a couple but can't find any place to check them out.

Not that I'm dying to, though

Intrepid Homoludens · 01-31-2010, 06:37 PM

"I'm Commander Shepard and this is my favourite store on the Citadel."

EDIT:

"Ugh. Asari are so....squishy. Where are you supposed to get a decent grip?" - Rukar, Krogan, Level 27, Citadel

LMAO!

*Fantasysci5* · 01-31-2010, 10:10 PM

I got to see a few of my guy friends play through a bit of it. And I say "guy" friends, because they had to make a comment that the AI in the game looks like a woman's lower regio. *eye roll*

Looked good, though. The game, not the AI...

booB · 02-01-2010, 07:42 AM

"Whoah... check out the HUD on her!!!!" LOL

Intrepid Homoludens · 02-01-2010, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fantasysci5

I got to see a few of my guy friends play through a bit of it. And I say "guy" friends, because they had to make a comment that the AI in the game looks like a woman's lower regio. *eye roll*

I was chuckling when I saw it for the first time myself. Made me wonder, what if EDI had a man's voice instead? LOL!

Quote:

Looked good, though. The game, not the AI...

Honey, you have NO IDEA how emotionally resonant this game is. Take 50 typical adventure games, add them up, and even then they can't touch this game's depth of story and characterization. The writing, the acting, and the directing are of the highest caliber.

Lucien21 · 02-01-2010, 11:27 PM

"I am a Biotic God. I think things and they happen. Fear Me lesser creatures for I am biotics made flesh."

"You need help"

LOL

In other news Shepard the outragous flirt now has Kelly to feed his fish when he's not there so he went out and got shitface drunk in a bar and collapsed.

Intrepid Homoludens · 02-01-2010, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucien21

In other news Shepard the outragous flirt now has Kelly to feed his fish when he's not there so he went out and got shitface drunk in a bar and collapsed.

LOL! I think some of the Bioware staff had been playing some Fable and Fable II.

Intrepid Homoludens · 02-02-2010, 12:56 AM

Awww! Rachni Queen. Beautiful Lobsters from outer space. Got the message for Otterley when she, Tali, and Miranda touched down for the first time on Illium. I miss the Beautiful Lobsters.

(You probably wouldn't have gotten this if you did not import your Shepard from ME and made a certain choice)

EDIT: OMG! Tears! Shiala's green! Poor girl. Because of Otterley was a Paragon before (and now is again, largely) she heard the Baria Rep's full story...and the Rep was crying tears.

VERY THOUGHTFUL. It's amazing what a difference tears can make in a dramatic moment.

Also, there's a touching moment when Shiala thanks Shepard this time now and Shiala trails off... it's an exquisite scene where a not single word is exchanged.

Again, this probably wouldn't make emotional sense to you if you didn't import your ME Shepard.

Intrepid Homoludens · 02-02-2010, 02:23 AM

"My life is too long to deal with an asymmetrical scalp." | commercial announcement, Illium.

LMAO!

EDIT: o_0 WTF, Conrad, why are you still fanboying Shepard?! (imported from ME)

I LOVE the bartender at Eternity!! I'd order a drink from her anytime (non-Turian and non-Krogan, natch).

Intrepid Homoludens · 02-03-2010, 07:06 PM

Interrogated someone at C-SEC during Thane's personal side quest. During the ordeal it was so tempting to use the right trigger but I wanted to stay Paragon. Good cop/bad cop situation.

Damn, the writing for this game is good!

Intrepid Homoludens · 02-03-2010, 08:11 PM

My god, I LOVE the tears in this game and story!

Tears actually shed by characters during a dramatic moment. Awww, Thane....

*wipes own tears*

UPtimist · 02-04-2010, 08:32 AM

I hope ME3 will be a cross between the previous two. A tad more role-playing qualities with maybe a bit of an inventory, a more diverse and... flexible (or something) story, but have the intensity of this one.

And a slightly better planet scanning system (and a bit more anomalies on the planets, more semi-irrelevant side-quests).

And I wouldn't have believed I'd say it, but I miss the old elevators

I'd rather watch a bit of movement and listen to news reports in an elevator than look at some loading screen with blueprints and stuff. Also, as a review pointed out, it takes away from the immersion and movie-like quality of the game. (in the same context he also mentioned that the clip-system emphasizes the game-quality, but I don't mind that so much. I like it more than the overheating)

Intrepid Homoludens · 02-04-2010, 04:27 PM

Favourite line from Jack:

"Fly, BITCH!"

hild · 02-04-2010, 09:32 PM

I know I miss the elevators to I miss the interparty conversation in the elevators.

Jazhara7 · 02-05-2010, 01:39 AM

I miss the elevator rides. They never were too long for me, and the conversations between your squad members were fun.

Also, I think my favourite squad combination right now is Thane and Tali. When saying "If you get an unreasonable order, you should disobey it." Tali says "Good to know that for the next time Shepard sends us on a suicide mission." and Thane answers "That's about twice a day.". ^^

Also, am I the only one who got tears in their eyes when exploring the wreck of the old Normandy? I really was close to crying when reading Pressly's Journal. I miss the old bugger.

Also, the Space Hamster Rock - he even has Boo's "voice acting" ^^. The fish suck however, as nice to look at as they are. They keep dying on me, even though Kelly promised she'd feed them for me while I'm away.

Overall, I greatly enjoy the game. Even though I agree there's a bit too many "badass" characters. Though Jack does show some soft sides, and that she's not completely happy with her badassery. Also, the new hacking games are good. I really got frustrated with the old ones. Also, I want my darn inventory back!

-

01-30-2010, 07:58 AM	#84
Lucien21 Psychonaut Last Online: 02-17-2013 07:59 AM Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 5,114	I got a space hamster Eeep __________________ I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

01-30-2010, 01:39 PM	#85
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Last Online: 05-17-2012 02:26 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	Otterley Shepard found an issue of Fornax for sale in Omega. Only 4 credits. Fornax: Titillating Alien Magazine She wasn't interested. __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien

01-31-2010, 06:37 PM	#87
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Last Online: 05-17-2012 02:26 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	"I'm Commander Shepard and this is my favourite store on the Citadel." EDIT: "Ugh. Asari are so....squishy. Where are you supposed to get a decent grip?" - Rukar, Krogan, Level 27, Citadel LMAO! __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien Last edited by Intrepid Homoludens; 01-31-2010 at 07:43 PM..

01-31-2010, 10:10 PM	#88
Fantasysci5 Stalker of Britain Last Online: 04-26-2013 07:28 PM Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Missouri, US Posts: 4,535	I got to see a few of my guy friends play through a bit of it. And I say "guy" friends, because they had to make a comment that the AI in the game looks like a woman's lower regio. eye roll Looked good, though. The game, not the AI... __________________ "And everyone's favourite anglophile, Fantasy!"-Intense Favorite Adventure Games-Lost Crown/Dark Fall 1&2, Longest Journey games, Myst games, Barrow Hill Favorite Other Games-King's Bounty, Sims 2, Fable, Disciples 2 Gold Currently Playing-Trine 2 Games I Want-Kings Bounty: Warriors of the North!!!, Asylum, Last Crown, Braken Tor, Testament of Sherlock Holmes

02-01-2010, 07:42 AM	#89
booB Junior Mint Last Online: 09-07-2010 06:58 AM Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA Posts: 350	"Whoah... check out the HUD on her!!!!" LOL __________________ *I'm in my undies. That's... SO not appropriate.*

01-30-2010, 03:34 AM	#83
UPtimist Life and times of... Last Online: 04-13-2014 04:36 AM Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Up there in the mist Posts: 6,025	Jade Empire indeed (they were quite the usual composition, but very well done, aside from certain individual... though I remember you don't agree with me about him). So, you can do well (I wasn't saying it as a fact, mind you, just making a suggestion. One that you proved wrong, thankfully), it's just hard to get rid of the usualcomposition, since they fit the story far too well. Haven't playde DA, so can't comment there. Of course AGs have lots of great chracters, such as, well, everyone from the GKs (Edit): I haven't completely given up hope though, I've just been given the coordinates of the last few crewmembers, and there's very well promise there. Keeping my fingers crossed (though that might make the playing harder...)

01-31-2010, 01:58 AM	#86
UPtimist Life and times of... Last Online: 04-13-2014 04:36 AM Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Up there in the mist Posts: 6,025	Can you actually read all those magazines and novels? I've bought a couple but can't find any place to check them out. Not that I'm dying to, though

02-01-2010, 11:27 PM	#91
Lucien21 Psychonaut Last Online: 02-17-2013 07:59 AM Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 5,114	"I am a Biotic God. I think things and they happen. Fear Me lesser creatures for I am biotics made flesh." "You need help" LOL In other news Shepard the outragous flirt now has Kelly to feed his fish when he's not there so he went out and got shitface drunk in a bar and collapsed. __________________ I'm not insane, my mother had me tested! Last edited by Lucien21; 02-01-2010 at 11:33 PM..

02-02-2010, 12:56 AM	#93
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Last Online: 05-17-2012 02:26 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	Awww! Rachni Queen. Beautiful Lobsters from outer space. Got the message for Otterley when she, Tali, and Miranda touched down for the first time on Illium. I miss the Beautiful Lobsters. (You probably wouldn't have gotten this if you did not import your Shepard from ME and made a certain choice) EDIT: OMG! Tears! Shiala's green! Poor girl. Because of Otterley was a Paragon before (and now is again, largely) she heard the Baria Rep's full story...and the Rep was crying tears. VERY THOUGHTFUL. It's amazing what a difference tears can make in a dramatic moment. Also, there's a touching moment when Shiala thanks Shepard this time now and Shiala trails off... it's an exquisite scene where a not single word is exchanged. Again, this probably wouldn't make emotional sense to you if you didn't import your ME Shepard. __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien Last edited by Intrepid Homoludens; 02-02-2010 at 01:33 AM..

02-02-2010, 02:23 AM	#94
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Last Online: 05-17-2012 02:26 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	"My life is too long to deal with an asymmetrical scalp." \| commercial announcement, Illium. LMAO! EDIT: o_0 WTF, Conrad, why are you still fanboying Shepard?! (imported from ME) I LOVE the bartender at Eternity!! I'd order a drink from her anytime (non-Turian and non-Krogan, natch). __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien Last edited by Intrepid Homoludens; 02-02-2010 at 02:33 AM..

02-03-2010, 07:06 PM	#95
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Last Online: 05-17-2012 02:26 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	Interrogated someone at C-SEC during Thane's personal side quest. During the ordeal it was so tempting to use the right trigger but I wanted to stay Paragon. Good cop/bad cop situation. Damn, the writing for this game is good! __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien

02-03-2010, 08:11 PM	#96
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Last Online: 05-17-2012 02:26 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	My god, I LOVE the tears in this game and story! Tears actually shed by characters during a dramatic moment. Awww, Thane.... wipes own tears __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien

02-04-2010, 08:32 AM	#97
UPtimist Life and times of... Last Online: 04-13-2014 04:36 AM Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Up there in the mist Posts: 6,025	I hope ME3 will be a cross between the previous two. A tad more role-playing qualities with maybe a bit of an inventory, a more diverse and... flexible (or something) story, but have the intensity of this one. And a slightly better planet scanning system (and a bit more anomalies on the planets, more semi-irrelevant side-quests). And I wouldn't have believed I'd say it, but I miss the old elevators I'd rather watch a bit of movement and listen to news reports in an elevator than look at some loading screen with blueprints and stuff. Also, as a review pointed out, it takes away from the immersion and movie-like quality of the game. (in the same context he also mentioned that the clip-system emphasizes the game-quality, but I don't mind that so much. I like it more than the overheating)

02-04-2010, 04:27 PM	#98
Intrepid Homoludens merely human Last Online: 05-17-2012 02:26 AM Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 22,309	Favourite line from Jack: "Fly, BITCH!" __________________ platform: laptop, iPhone 3Gs \| gaming: x360, PS3, psp, iPhone, wii \| blog: a space alien \| book: the moral landscape: how science can determine human values by sam harris \| games: l.a.noire, portal 2, brink, dragon age 2, heavy rain \| sites: NPR, skeptoid, gaygamer \| music: ray lamontagne, adele, washed out, james blake \| twitter: a_space_alien

02-04-2010, 09:32 PM	#99
hild Junior Member Last Online: 11-28-2011 05:55 PM Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 26	I know I miss the elevators to I miss the interparty conversation in the elevators.

02-05-2010, 01:39 AM	#100
Jazhara7 Ale! And keep 'em coming! Last Online: 10-14-2012 06:15 AM Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Beyond the Pattern of Reality...or Germany Posts: 8,527	I miss the elevator rides. They never were too long for me, and the conversations between your squad members were fun. Also, I think my favourite squad combination right now is Thane and Tali. When saying "If you get an unreasonable order, you should disobey it." Tali says "Good to know that for the next time Shepard sends us on a suicide mission." and Thane answers "That's about twice a day.". ^^ Also, am I the only one who got tears in their eyes when exploring the wreck of the old Normandy? I really was close to crying when reading Pressly's Journal. I miss the old bugger. Also, the Space Hamster Rock - he even has Boo's "voice acting" ^^. The fish suck however, as nice to look at as they are. They keep dying on me, even though Kelly promised she'd feed them for me while I'm away. Overall, I greatly enjoy the game. Even though I agree there's a bit too many "badass" characters. Though Jack does show some soft sides, and that she's not completely happy with her badassery. Also, the new hacking games are good. I really got frustrated with the old ones. Also, I want my darn inventory back! - __________________ - "esc(x) cot(x) dx = -csc(x)!" Dennis added, and the wizard's robe caught on fire. "Gosh," Dennis said, "and some people say higher math isn't relevant." >>>Inventor of the Mail order-Assassin<<< And This...is a Black Hole - BYE!