Have to say I'm not enjoying this anywhere near as much as the original. There seems to be a whole level of immersion that's been stripped back in favour a game that largely focuses on Combat. Perhaps my impressions will change, but I'm now on the second disk and I'm assuming it's going to be broadly the same as what's gone before.
-
-
I figure I'd have to post my feelings on ME2 sooner or later, but if you guys just want to know how I feel then I agree with Sholo's assessment that ME2 is a better game but ME1 is a better experience.
SPOILERS etc etc
I'm just going to bullet point this **** because I can't be bothered to form basic sentences and ****:
What ME1 did better:
Story
Epicness
Music
Sci-fi feeling
Ending
Credits sequence
Exploration and side quests (ignoring the ****ty c/p, but more side quests variety and they're better developed)
No stupid level summary bull**** (boner killer)
To expand:
The story in ME1 was more focused, the events of the game happened in a way that can be explained logically, and the game links these events clearly to a main villain(s). Having Saren as the established bad guy allowed the player (at least for me) to feel more connected to the story because you want to find out WHY he's doing what he's doing. With ME2 you know that a group of bad guys are doing some stuff, but it doesn't really go beyond that. Okay, fair enough the game gives a reason for that
, but the game feels empty for it. Perhaps they should of made it so Shepard confronted hologram
just like how he confronted Soverign on Virmire. Not that original, but at least I could go "**** this sentient-being bug thingy is arrogant as **** this makes me feel mad" and it would give the main story the depth it clearly lacks.
I loved ME1 for its strong sense of identity due to the music and 70's sci-fi theme, but alot of the music in ME2 was weak compared to ME1 (still good though). Don't think I really have to expand on the ending and credits; nothing in ME2 really matches Virmire onwards and nothing matches ending with The Faunts.
As for exploration and side quests: It's true that in ME2 none of the environments in the sidequests are copy/pasted, but they're all kind of empty and shallow because they're just 5 minute of gameplay. You compare this to ME1, and not only did you have a larger amount of side quests, but some of them would be quite detailed and large in scope (rogue A.I on moon, Cerberus, stopping Geth invasion etc). Even if they do all kind of suck with the c/p base designs.
What ME2 did better:
Graphics
Gameplay
Dialog + interruption system
Cutscenes
Moral choices
Characters
Fan service
Hub worlds (except for the Presidium)
Graphics are better, you guys have eyes don't really need to expand on it. As for the gameplay, I thought even though the RPG elements were 'streamlined', the actual combat had more depth to it, at least for the soldier class. This is partly attained by the fact that learning curve is no longer messed up, but also because of the exclusion of levelling weapon skills and the inclusion of ammo clips. I found myself using every weapon depending on the circumstance, and I generally enjoyed the game for that. This is reinforced by a friendlier and more competent cover system, and enemies that now react to you bullets and ammo types (which I actually use now as opposed to ME1). Also, I liked the addition of mini-bosses; I still think they can be improved upon by making them feel less gamey, but I liked the challenges they presented.
Really enjoyed the interrupt system, it was well used both for paragons and renegades. Some examples being
I also gotta give thumbs up to the dialog; characters come across better and the sequencing is more fluid.
One of my biggest gripes with ME1 was that during the dialog and cutscenes the characters were incredibly static. They would just stand there, do a few canned animations and it was abit of a immersion killer. In ME2 however, everything was more fluid and alive: People moved around and did things, you would actually see some pretty good action sequences and this really helped add to the immersion of the game.
Was awesome.
The character crew in ME2 was more diverse and likeable than they were in ME1. Morbin and Thane were pretty awesome, I thought
were going to be **** but they turned out all right. The inclusion of
was pretty ****ing awesome, and I'd be disappointed if they're not recruitable in ME3. I'd just like to give props to what Bioware did to Joker, not only was he funnier but he played a much better role in ME2, and I liked the development of his relationship with Edi.
Liked the Hub worlds, they were diverse and ****. Shame about the Citadel though.
What I hope ME3 does:
Combine the focused story of ME1 with the better gameplay of ME2
Shepard is in charge
Return to ME1 style music (this doesn't mean I want rearrangements of ME1+2 music, just new **** in that style)
Better sidequests
ME2 cutscenes but with more 70s sci-fi.
Space Combat of some kind
Not spending 80% of the campaign recruiting species to help you fight PLEASE (will probably happen anyway)
Better exploration
I just want to explain one thing: In ME1, Shepard took his orders from the Alliance and Council and ME2 he took his orders from The Illusive Man. In ME3, I want Shepard to be in charge and decide what to do. Not sure if this will happen, because 99% of videogame stories have you being a scrub and have someone telling you what to do.Comment
-
Yeah, couldn't disagree more with most of that. ME1's music was tinny-sounding rubbish, the story had no depth (you're even admitting yourself all you actually wanted was something going LOOK THIS AM TEH BIG BAD YOU MUST HAET HIM NAOW!!!11!!!1
- sorry, just because a game does that doesn't automatically make it 'epic' 
), and the sidequests were tedious as all hell given they all used the same lifeless cut-and-paste textures and level design.
Nothing I read on the internet so far has managed to change my basic belief that ME1 just appeals to the typical RPG fan who'll take anything on board as long as it has big words in the plot (the way it was fashionable for every JRPG going towards the tail end of the PS2 era to have a subplot 'dealing' with racism, for example), trades in Boys' Own adventure nonsense (I R STARSHIP COMMANDER YOU WILL BOW B4 MY POWAR!!!!11!!11!) and has enough pointless busywork to put anyone with half a brain to sleep. ME2 shows you how this supposed galaxy-spanning threat affects the people - for once it puts the human element in, the way Bioware have rarely if ever managed to do before - and everything else just falls into place as a result. Ultimately I couldn't have cared less what happened to anyone in ME1 - come the end of ME2 I was on the edge of my seat praying everyone would get out alive.Comment
-
Mass Effect was decent in the epic department but Mass Effect 2 just blows it out of the water. It has way more epic moments than the original, so I don't really get that comment but hey horses for course and all that.Comment
-
your post is pretty condescending and full of straw man arguments. still, there are points in your post that i would like to challenge but alas i do not wish to waste my words on you good trollOriginally posted by Eight Rooks View Post
.
I understand what you mean. Many of the missions and environments do feel epic,Originally posted by ezee ryder
or seeing
was incredible. i am talking somewhat about the plot and how they involve the missions. I mean, chasing saren around the galaxy, learning about the reapers and protheans, virmire onwards. it had such a rush and urgency to it which i felt me2 lacked.Last edited by El Leone; 13-02-2010, 17:28.Comment
-
Ah fair enough, I can understand where your coming from when you explain it like that.
I do hope, like you said, Shepard is given control over proceedings in Mass Effect 3. That would be awesome. Man, I can't wait for it.
Comment
-
Pity. I try and get a rise out of people by being contentious in the hope they'll actually make some decent points to change my mind. Not for ****s and giggles. After all, they (I do actually mean internet comments in general, not just you) generally can't say much more than OMG it is awesome!!!11!!! of their own accord. ('Story' - what story? Other than 'Bad things are coming why won't you listen to meeeee'. 'Sci-fi feeling' - buh? I guess you did say you couldn't be bothered to type complete sentences. 'Credits' - well, if it's that important to you...)Originally posted by El Leone
But hey, if you think 'The galaxy is under siege! Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the galaxy?' automatically qualifies as epic, then good for you.
Me, I consider you actually have the opportunity to establish your own motivation in the second game, instead of being a cipher (dealing with stuff like the end justifying the means, the human cost of what you're doing, the full implication of what the threat to humanity is and on, and on, none of which even came into the first game); the people you take with you actually have depth, and emotion, and real, plausible human characteristics, warts and all (which barely any of them did in the first game, and some, like Liara, pretty much had nothing going for them at all); different places actually have their own identity, rather than everywhere looking like some bloody futuristic Ikea catalogue (it's still far too clean and not as believable a world as it ought to be, but it's a huge improvement)... and that's not even touching on the gameplay. I can't think of a single bit in Mass Effect 2 where I thought 'Dear, dear, I wish this was like the first game'.
(And I was being dead serious about the music, too; I love a John Carpenter score as much as the next man, and pumped my fist in the air at the opening theme in the first game... then just about every other piece of music for the next thirty, forty hours or so ended up as tinny, poorly orchestrated rubbish. When I saw the Normandy reveal for the sequel I could have cried, the overwhelming sensation was just so 'This, this, this is how it should have been done first time around'.)
But hey, UNIVERSE IN DANGER OMG SO EPIC - no, wait, I'm trolling again, right? Must watch that.
Comment
-
hey brah, you're either trolling or being condescending and insulting my intelligence. anyway. you'd actually be making some good points if you weren't coming of as so bitter and unable to accept others opinions.Last edited by El Leone; 13-02-2010, 22:32.Comment
-
I'm still not anyway near done with ME2 but having played ME1 again through straight before starting 2 I really applaud Bioware for building on your squad characters throughout the game.
Most of the time in ME1 you got fairly basic contextual comments here and there from your squad and I never felt like I got to know them very much.
Straight away in 2 the characters seem more likeble , warmer and just generally more realistic. Taking a particular member with your is a tough choice because you really want to see what they have to say in certain situations and confrontations wither via realtime gameplay or during cutscenes.
I always thought that ME1 played best as a bad 3rd person shooter with RPG stats tagged on and the move to a more focussed action game was definitely the way to go. But i secretly miss the weapon/armor stats/customisation.Comment
-
the song was cool in the me1 credits but they were still pretty boring, same as me2. I know its a minor gripe, but the credits are the last you see of a game, and I always watch the credits through to the end, its like a ceremonial finishing of a game. The least the developers could do would be to make them semi interesting to watch.Originally posted by El Leone View Post
This. I still don't know if I can quite verbalise what I mean, but me1 seemed sort of lifeless (kotor was the same) which is ironic when you consider how much detail has gone into facial expression and lip syncing. me2 was much more cinematic, the camera was put to better use and there were actually cutscenes to show what happened. me2 still wasn't perfect, when you agree to play cards against the 2 engineers instead of showing you playing cards, it shows you standing there, fades to black and back in, and you're standing in the exact same spots talking about what a great game of space cards that was.Originally posted by El Leone View Post
anyway, minor niggles are about all I can come up with. me2 is the best game I've played since super mario galaxyComment
-
Right, either this game is very broken or I'm missing something entirely. I've just killed Captain Wasea as part of the Justicar mission only to find that I am stuck and can't move on. I've looked everywhere for this bloody datapad (yes, I've looked on the desk) and it's nowhere to be seen. So basically I'm stuck on this level. I've played through again and the same thing happens over and again. Anyone else found any problem with this?Last edited by paul; 14-02-2010, 15:53.Comment
-
I never really understood the term "insulting my intelligence". If your intelligence is insulted by somthing that someone says or does then you cant be very intelligent in the first place, or at least not very secure about what intelligence you have.Originally posted by El Leone View Post
Anyway I dont think he was comming off as unable to accept your opinion, I just think he completely disagrees. Your first post did reek a bit of nostaligia for the first game (if thats possible with a game thats only a few years old itself).
I mean you said that the first one was more sci-fi, they are set in the same universe, the sequel is just a continuation of that universe, theres nothing less "sci-fi" about it. Maybe Eight Rooks thought you were trolling by saying silly things like that and wanted to put you in your place?
You also stated many things as fact and not just your opinion, so if anyone was trolling it was probabaly you.
Anyway, just saying, think you over reacted.Last edited by rmoxon; 14-02-2010, 16:00.Comment
-
As an aside, it would be immeasurably tedious if everyone had to preface everything they said by declaring it their opinion. It's implicit. We don't need to keep declaring it.Comment
-
Indeed. Done it myself a few times and it always feels like, for some reason, I've got less conviction. I've encountered some people who seem to think that if they prefix everything they say with 'in my opinion' then it somehow makes them immune to other opinions (at best) and facts (at worst). Safe to assume that most analyses of the gaming experience are opinions.Comment
-
Yeah, I absolubtley agree.
Ive said somthing is crap a few times on here and immediatley had people jump down my throat saying "you mean its crap IN YOUR OPINION", and I just think to myself... well yeah,. of course its my opinion, I mean, its not someone elses is it?Comment
Comment