Mass Effect 2 might be my favorite game this generation

[TakingBackSunday]

If you guys remember my old thread about the first game, you'll recall that I enjoyed it but absolutely despised the sidequests, thus I only really did a few ones and just completed the barebones main quest.  I borrowed a copy of the second game and while initially unsure with the almost mission-like structure of the game and the ammo system, I played the absolute fuck out of the game and LOVED it.  I started it on Monday night...and 100% beat it on Thursday night.  I didn't go to a few of my classes because of how much I was into it.

The game has much better characters and character interaction, something I thought the first game didn't really live up to.  The team must've hired a great scene director, because it feels much more cinematic this time around.  Better graphics, better mission design, better worlds to explore despite having fewer to actually land on.  I LOVED the cameos from other characters, especially Garrus and Tali.  All the party member quests were riveting.  The materials and elements system actually make sense this time, and gives you literally the ultimate reward for using the system: extended gameplay and upgrades.  Love how your usage of the elements affects the end game events.

And Miranda fucking Lawson, mah gawd.  dat ass/titties.

I'm so so so excited for ME3.

[Positive Touch]

gotg, easily

[Himu]

fantastic game, but not gotg for me. top 5 tho

[fistfulofmetal]

Second best at most. HL2: Episode 2 takes the cake so far.

[archie4208]

Please play more games.

[Madrun Badrun]

it was a sold 8.5 game.  I vastly preferred both dragon ages to it.

[fistfulofmetal]

it was a sold 8.5 game.  I vastly preferred both dragon ages to it.

[Himu]

I prefer dragon age origins to it as well.

[fistfulofmetal]

weirdos

[Himu]

As an rpg, DA:O rapes it. Sorry. Haven't played DA2, though.

[Herr Mafflard]

now go play DXHR and change your mind:

"[Deus Ex HR] is a game that the Mass Effect crowd should be buying. Because it’s better than Mass Effect in eleven ways." -- rockpapershotgun

[Great Rumbler]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Fallout New Vegas take a narrow edge, as far as RPGs go. Might put another game or two above it, too, but I haven't really sat down and thought about GOTG too much yet.

[Himu]

My favorite games this gen:

1. Mario Galaxy
2. Portal 1 and 2
3. Saints Row 2
4. Dead Rising 1
5. Resident Evil 5
6. Dragon Age: Origins (pc)
7. Mass Effect 2
8. Uncharted 2
9. Dynasty Warriors 7
10. Super Street Fighter IV

[Himu]

I can see where they're coming from actually. I just don't agree with it.

[fistfulofmetal]

ME2 has a better setting, presentation, and location atmosphere than any other game this generation.

As a through and through RPG, yeah it's not the best in that genre.

As a total video game product, it's nearly at the top.

HL2: Episode 2 is head and shoulders the best game in this generation. There's no dispute to that.

I say The Witcher 2 and ME2 are neck and neck for second, and third.

[demi]

Saints Row 2 > ME2

[TakingBackSunday]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Fallout New Vegas take a narrow edge, as far as RPGs go. Might put another game or two above it, too, but I haven't really sat down and thought about GOTG too much yet.

I'd play it if I had a capable PC.  I assume its for 360 as well?

[Himu]

ME2 has a better setting, presentation, and location atmosphere than any other game this generation.

As a through and through RPG, yeah it's not the best in that genre.

As a total video game product, it's nearly at the top.

HL2: Episode 2 is head and shoulders the best game in this generation. There's no dispute to that.

I say The Witcher 2 and ME2 are neck and neck for second, and third.

HL2 Ep 2 is one of my favorite games but for some reason I never consider it on favorite games of the generation lists.

My list is funny because it's like, the total opposite of what my list last gen was like:

1. Persona 3 and 4
2. Resident Evil 4
3. Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3
4. Final Fantasy XII
5. GTA3
6. Suikoden 3 and 5
7. Killer 7
8. Ninja Gaiden Black
9. Virtua Fighter 4: EVO
10. Shadow of the Colossus

It's so overwhelmingly Japanese. My list for this gen...isn't.

Little Himu grew up desu.

[Himu]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Fallout New Vegas take a narrow edge, as far as RPGs go. Might put another game or two above it, too, but I haven't really sat down and thought about GOTG too much yet.

I'd play it if I had a capable PC.  I assume its for 360 as well?

yes

[TakingBackSunday]

The story is not nearly as grandiose, sorry Wrath.  It actually feels a bit weak, to be honest, with regards to the overall scheme of things.  The fact that you had next to no contact at all with the Citadel Council officials (if you saved them in the first game) just seemed...odd.  You would think there would be more of a shock for them that Shepard was alive and you would also think they'd want him to go back to doing their will.

Other than that though, yeah, its better in every single way.

If I had to sit down and think of my favorite games this generation, I'd say at this point:

1) Mario Galaxy 1 and 2
2) Mass Effect 2
3) Batman Arkham Asylum
4) Fallout 3
5) Bioshock

[Himu]

I can see where they're coming from actually. I just don't agree with it.

I was indifferent to the mako and all the shit they cried foul about, they literally got pissed over taking out boring roam around planet missions cause of "teh scope is lozt nooooooooez". Or "I wantz ze care du 2 difarent menz of traverzel!11!" and shit like that.

Better characters, better gameplay, better graphics, better story(yeah I said it), better art design, better sidequests, better boss fights,...... It was the better game bar none! The only thing ME1 has over 2 is the soundtrack.

My beef with ME2 is removing features that had promise in ME1 instead of improving upon them like the planet exploration, for instance, or the Mako, or the inventory. The result is a more lopsided game in terms of content. I prefer sequels to improve upon everything that was in the original. It results in a better game, but it loses what made ME feel special. In the end, it just feels like a third person shooter with rpg elements, which is fine, but not exactly the game I was expecting going in.

That said, I do think ME1 has a better story, 2's was just dumb, and the customization is extremely limited in 2 to the point where it feels like an RPG for Beginners. ME2 has a very skimpy plot, but the trade off are excellent characters who experience arcs.

Also, while ME1 had the Mako and planets, they weren't necessary to see a supposed best ending. In ME2, you have to do the most mundane shit (mining) to get the best ending. It's like they replaced shit with more shit.

[Himu]

The story is not nearly as grandiose, sorry Wrath.  It actually feels a bit weak, to be honest, with regards to the overall scheme of things.  The fact that you had next to no contact at all with the Citadel Council officials (if you saved them in the first game) just seemed...odd.  You would think there would be more of a shock for them that Shepard was alive and you would also think they'd want him to go back to doing their will.

Other than that though, yeah, its better in every single way.

If I had to sit down and think of my favorite games this generation, I'd say at this point:

1) Mario Galaxy 1 and 2
2) Mass Effect 2
3) Batman Arkham Asylum
4) Fallout 3
5) Bioshock

Yeah, the universe felt...smaller in ME2.

[Himu]

I actually think 1 has a slightly better cast. 2 has a lot of throwaway characters: Samara/Morinth kinda disappear altogether once you've settled you know what. miranda is fucking boring and i'm a huge yvonne strahovski fan. jacob is a huge weak link. grunt is a boring wrex. not to mention Zaeed. Legion is neat as a novelty but the game is soon over after you get him which disallows you almost any time to grow attached.

The stand outs are Garrus, Tali, Jack, Thane, and Mordin and two of those were from the first game.

[iconoclast]

The worst thing about ME2 is that it's basically missing the entire middle section of the game.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

You assemble your team and then you're basically ready to go on the final mission. Where's everything in between? There are loyalty missions, but those are more like forced sidequests rather than part of the main plot.

[close]

ME1 had a much better story, better pacing, and it was actually an RPG/TPS hybrid. So ME1 was better.

Besides, the game of the generation is Mushihime-sama Futari.

[TakingBackSunday]

I guess I just enjoyed the "cast of castouts" ME2 had going on.  Miranda is wonderful so you shut your whore mouth himu.  Jacob is bad, yeah, but the rest are pretty cool.  I think Garrus and Thane were my favorite.  ME1 had some even more boring members...Carth Onasi lite, Ashley boring Williams, Liara was meh as well.

[rodi]

Mass Effect 2 was good until the end. Ya'll know what I'm talking about. 

[Himu]

Well I really like Ashley. I liked Liara's characterization a lot in ME2. Still haven't gone through the dlc.

I really wanted to like Miranda, but I can't remember a thing about her except her daddy issues. ME could actually be renamed Daddy Issues: The Series.

[Himu]

Mass Effect 2 was good until the end. Ya'll know what I'm talking about. 

That was the most random, distinguished mentally-challenged final boss fight I fought since Final Fantasy IX.

[TakingBackSunday]

Well I really like Ashley. I liked Liara's characterization a lot in ME2. Still haven't gone through the dlc.

I really wanted to like Miranda, but I can't remember a thing about her except her daddy issues. ME could actually be renamed Daddy Issues: The Series.

Has Bioware confirmed any returning characters for ME3?  I want Miranda in my party again.  I always brought her along in my party.

[CajoleJuice]

All this talk about games of this generation make me realize how few games I've actually played this generation. Obviously has something to do with only have a 360, and a barely capable PC, but still.

[TakingBackSunday]

360 is all you need 

[Himu]

Well I really like Ashley. I liked Liara's characterization a lot in ME2. Still haven't gone through the dlc.

I really wanted to like Miranda, but I can't remember a thing about her except her daddy issues. ME could actually be renamed Daddy Issues: The Series.

Has Bioware confirmed any returning characters for ME3?  I want Miranda in my party again.  I always brought her along in my party.

Lemme check the SA thread:

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3403293&pagenumber=1&perpage=40#post390226743

Characters
Confirmed squadmates:

    There won't be 12 squadmates this time (they're "focused on a smaller squad with deeper relationships and more interesting interplay"), but every squad member (including Zaeed and Thane) will be back in some capacity. Squadmates from ME2 will not be in your game if you let them die in the suicide mission; same with Wrex and Virmire.
    Liara
    Ashley/Kaidan, who became Spectres!
    Garrus (who has finished his calibrations) and Tali (who may be getting some kind of radical redesign, according to Hudson. They also haven't decided about showing her face). And Garrus has finally fixed his armor!
    James Sanders Vega (who is not the sniper in the trailer, but joins the party very early on, before the trial even begins). Aka Beefy McLargeHuge. This might be a picture of him.
    Apparently both Garrus and James Vega can use the Revenant machine gun.
    According to a dev, "James = Survivability and Ashley = Lethality. Both are Soldier types but play very different."

Appearing, not necessarily party members, or not confirmed as being party members yet:

    Every character who survived the suicide mission will be back, but we don't know exactly how or how big their roles will be.
    Wrex is pretty much confirmed as not being a party member. He'll fight along with you at times, just won't be a full squadmate.
    Jack, who has "matured" and isn't quite so naked anymore.
    Mordin, Legion, and Anderson, as long as they survived the first two games.
    Some characters may be a party member just for a mission or two before returning to wherever they were before.
    The Illusive Man and Udina also play prominent roles.
    Characters who survived the suicide mission who join your party might have personal quests for you to complete. If they died during the suicide mission, they're gone and aren't magically coming back. However, there's a focus on rewarding us for the choices we made and how we played, not punishing us if we let some party members die, so there will be different options (instead of either getting a bonus quest or not getting it).
    Conrad Verner will also be back.

[Himu]

[CajoleJuice]

360 is all you need 

but you have two Wii games as your #1 

[Himu]

Borrow a wii, buy mario galaxy for like 20 bucks, bask in all its glory, give wii back.

[TakingBackSunday]

That.

Also I'm very happy Garrus is back.  I think he may be my favorite party member in the entire series.  I really do hope Miranda is a party member, I liked her way way more than Ashley.

And poor Thane

[Himu]

Garrus is pretty much your official wingman at this point

[TakingBackSunday]

For real.  When you went to recruit the Archangel and you saw him, all I could think of was this:

[Shaka Khan]

My favorite games this gen:

1. Mario Galaxy
2. Portal 1 and 2
3. Saints Row 2
4. Dead Rising 1
5. Resident Evil 5
6. Dragon Age: Origins (pc)
7. Mass Effect 2
8. Uncharted 2
9. Dynasty Warriors 7
10. Super Street Fighter IV

That list is missing Tactics Ogre. I can't even look at you right now.

(dun care if it's a port/remake. Gud game is gud)

[fistfulofmetal]

Garrus + Tali + Shepard = Amazing threesome

[Himu]

My favorite games this gen:

1. Mario Galaxy
2. Portal 1 and 2
3. Saints Row 2
4. Dead Rising 1
5. Resident Evil 5
6. Dragon Age: Origins (pc)
7. Mass Effect 2
8. Uncharted 2
9. Dynasty Warriors 7
10. Super Street Fighter IV

That list is missing Tactics Ogre. I can't even look at you right now.

(dun care if it's a port/remake. Gud game is gud)

well, I'm only including the hd systems in this list. otherwise, you'd see a lot more portable games.

[Shaka Khan]

> HD systems
> Mario Galaxy

[Himu]

Oops, I mean this generation's consoles.

[TakingBackSunday]

I will say that the load times in ME2 were unbearable.  I would've rather had the elevator hidden loads.

[CajoleJuice]

Borrow a wii, buy mario galaxy for like 20 bucks, bask in all its glory, give wii back.

I'm not friends with anyone who owns a Wii.

[Himu]

you have a good choice of friends

but surely some granny or something you know has a wii

[fistfulofmetal]

i own a wii and mario galaxy. never finished it.

[TakingBackSunday]

i own a wii and mario galaxy. never finished it.

this makes me a sad panda.

[fistfulofmetal]

in fact i think i opted to play Silent Hill: Shattered Memories instead of finishing it.

Shattered Memories is probably the best Wii game i've played.

[Trent Dole]

I will say that the load times in ME2 were unbearable.  I would've rather had the elevator hidden loads.

Installed it wasn't that bad...

[cool breeze]

ME2 is one of those games that has this backlash on forums and I understand most of the criticism but don't really care because it's still really good.  Planet scanning and hacking suck big time.  Bioware's proprietary biodurrr point bullocks means I'm in limbo waiting for the goddamn DLC before I can play it and I want to because it is supposed to be good. 

Not excited for Mass Effect 3 right now because it's so far away.  Will probably get really excited leading up to it.  Wasn't excited for ME2 either but ME1 wasn't...that...good so ME3 can go either way for me.  First thing that seems kinda dumb about ME3 is the melee attack thing because: you'd think there would be a dynamic where getting close means you'll make some punk's five dollar ass into change, but Shepard kinda STABS THEM WITH HIS HOLOSHIV and they stumble back and keep fighting.  I don't get it.  My gat or techwizardry or brainpower are fine as murdering tool.  but a lot of the marketing is Shepard posturing like "I'm actually a captain of a ship. Where my crip at?"  You'd think the inclusion of melee would be some badass takedown if you managed to get at close range.  I guess the RPG heritage interferes with that stuff.  Like loose skin on a previously fat guy.

Also, I'd like Vanguards' usefulness to match how fun they are to play as.

[Great Rumbler]

My hype for ME3 has actually kind of dropped off a bit in the time since I ME2 came out and I finished it. It's basically a culmination of things: Bioware's handling of DA2, showing little of ME3 beyond war-torn Earth and combat, other genre fusion titles coming out that I've been falling in love with [New Vegas, Human Revolution], and ME3 moving to 2011. Even though I know I'll love it when it comes out, I'm just not feeling the excitement anymore. We'll see how things shake out after this year's heavy-hitters come and go.

[CajoleJuice]

you have a good choice of friends

but surely some granny or something you know has a wii

A couple of former co-workers owned Wiis. Two middle-aged women.

[Human Snorenado]

It's probably either ME2 or Fallout 3 for me.  I played the fuck out of some Fallout 3, probably close to 200 hours or some shit.

[magus]

Monster Hunter 3 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mehss Effect 2

and i say this without having even played it

[Stoney Mason]

Easily one of favorites from this gen. It's hard not to over-hype myself for ME 3 but I'm trying.

[CajoleJuice]

Bioshock feels like so long ago.

[Stoney Mason]

A top 5 my favorite of gen big budget would go something like

1. Mass Effect 2
2. Cod 4
3. Red Dead Redemption
4. Fallout 3
5. The Witcher

[Joe Molotov]

Bioshock feels like so long ago.

This generation has drug on. Just the other day I saw someone at GAF praising Naughty Dog for being able to get such great graphics out of the PS3's "ancient hardware" and I was like "really?" But then I remembered that it has been 5 years.

[Cerveza mas fina]

Top 10.

1. COD 4
2. Mirrors Edge
3. Fallout 3
4. Gears of War 1
5. Uncharted 1
6. Mass Effect 1
7. Mass Effect 2
8. Dragon Age 1
9. Dead Rising 1
10. Left 4 Dead 1

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Fifa 11 is the best game, but it doesn't count  :'(

[close]