Mass Effect 2

Eluvei · November 30, 2009

Walter said:
(I have a feeling the Steam collector's edition will include all of these, and if not, you'll be able to get them through paid DLC.)

Well, I don't know if I would pay for an item-based DLC regardless of it being broken or not. I'd like it if they put new missions as DLC and give these special items as rewards for completing them instead of just handing them to you like that. But these armor designs are so attractive... :puck:

Walter said:
On another related note, I just bought Mass Effect Galaxy over the weekend (it was on sale for $3). Played about 20 minutes or so, and it's good. Not stellar, but definitely fun to play around in a side-story chapter of the Mass Effect world.

I'm glad you're enjoying this little game, I wish I could play it too. Please, post your impressions as well when you're done with it, I'd like to hear some more of this from another fan before I play Mass Effect 2.

Walter said:
Story and character details are only going to increase as we get closer to the release of the game in January.

I'd also like to add that the marketing for ME2 is currently based on releasing videos about the playable characters on GameTrailers and the official website. Apparently they will release a video of one or two minutes for each of the playable characters. Please everyone, don't even mention the names of the characters available to join the party, especially if they're originally from ME1, and don't talk about their respective videos here without a spoiler tag. I really like the element of surprise when it comes to party members, especially on a game as unpredictable as Mass Effect.

Aazealh · November 30, 2009

Eluvei said:
So, is anyone planning to buy this? I think the cover is infinitely prettier than the standard one

I'm totally getting the Collector's Edition (for X360), and in fact I use its cover as my desktop wallpaper. Now the question is which version of the Collector's Edition to get...

Eluvei said:
Man I can't wait for this, I'm actually expecting this game more than The Last Guardian, which two weeks ago was the only game I was looking forward to.

I'm expecting it more than I've ever expected anything else in my life. It's pretty crazy.

Eluvei said:
Oh, and Aazealh, thanks a lot for the huge description of Mass Effect Galaxy. There's no way for me to play it and, everywhere I looked for info, all I found was people badmouthing the game and that's it. Your review actually made me a little sad I won't play it so soon.

Glad it was helpful! :serpico:

Eluvei said:
I'd also like to add that the marketing for ME2 is currently based on releasing videos about the playable characters on GameTrailers and the official website. Apparently they will release a video of one or two minutes for each of the playable characters. Please everyone, don't even mention the names of the characters available to join the party, especially if they're originally from ME1, and don't talk about their respective videos here without a spoiler tag. I really like the element of surprise when it comes to party members, especially on a game as unpredictable as Mass Effect.

Yeah, BioWare's advertising has been awful both for ME1 and ME2 as far as revealing plot points goes. It's also the reason this thread's been dead for a few months, since we're trying our best to avoid spoilers. To give you an idea I didn't even read your post before getting a greenlight from Walter that it was spoiler-free.

Walter · November 30, 2009

Eluvei said:
Well, I don't know if I would pay for an item-based DLC regardless of it being broken or not. I'd like it if they put new missions as DLC and give these special items as rewards for completing them instead of just handing them to you like that. But these armor designs are so attractive...

Well, that's just how BioWare handled the packaged items with Dragon Age: Origins. If you only bought a standard edition, you could pay a few bucks to get the special equipment and extra quest chains. I don't see how it's much different from paying extra for a collector's edition and getting them in the package.

But I agree with you in principle: DLC shouldn't be used primarily for equipment that should already be in the game anyway. It should extend the life of the game with added quests/missions/zones etc.

Eluvei said:
Please everyone, don't even mention the names of the characters available to join the party, especially if they're originally from ME1, and don't talk about their respective videos here without a spoiler tag.

I'd actually prefer NO discussion of these things, period, until a few weeks after the game's release. And even then with mandated spoiler tags for details.

Walter · November 30, 2009

Double posting for this important breaking news update! :isidro:

Mass Effect is on sale for $5 on Direct2Drive for today only: http://www.direct2drive.com/6032/product/Buy-Mass-Effect-Download

$5 for this game is just an outright steal. If you don't have it yet, buy it. If you don't have a good enough computer to play it yet, buy it anyway and play it in the future once you've upgraded. There's absolutely no excuse not to buy this now if you haven't already.

PS: Small caveat, "This product is only available for purchase in the United States and Canada." :sad:

Eluvei · November 30, 2009

Aazealh said:
I'm totally getting the Collector's Edition (for X360), and in fact I use its cover as my desktop wallpaper. Now the question is which version of the Collector's Edition to get...

I really liked that cover... but if I decide to buy a physical copy of the game, I'd have to wait for the shipping, which would take about a month if I'm lucky, since there's a bureaucracy here for imported video games... and I can't wait until March, no freakin' way. BioWare always makes me go through the most difficult choices, inside the game and out! :ganishka:

About the versions, my favorite bonus armor is the Terminus Assault Armor, so I'd probably go with it. The Inferno one reminds me too much of a certain superhero... :iva:

Aazealh said:
I'm expecting it more than I've ever expected anything else in my life. It's pretty crazy.

Yeah, I almost feel sorry for you guys that knew how amazing this game was for all this time, and had to wait so much for the sequel. I have it easier, since I've only just been graced by its awesomeness... and it's still not that easy to wait!

Aazealh said:
Yeah, BioWare's advertising has been awful both for ME1 and ME2 as far as revealing plot points goes. It's also the reason this thread's been dead for a few months, since we're trying our best to avoid spoilers. To give you an idea I didn't even read your post before getting a greenlight from Walter that it was spoiler-free.

Yeah, I wonder what BioWare's thinking... they're showing way too much of the game, and it's not even that close to the release. Sorry for reviving the thread and exposing you guys to the danger of spoilers, it's just that I've been to excited for it! I hope Walter's warning was enough to keep the danger out. :void:

Walter said:
Well, that's just how BioWare handled the packaged items with Dragon Age: Origins. If you only bought a standard edition, you could pay a few bucks to get the special equipment and extra quest chains. I don't see how it's much different from paying extra for a collector's edition and getting them in the package.

You're right, it's not different after all. Well, I certainly don't regret buying the Deluxe Digital Edition of Dragon Age: Origins, I'm having a blast right now, and the bonus they've added is pretty awesome. I still didn't get to wear the overpowered armor, though.

Walter said:
Mass Effect is on sale for $5 on Direct2Drive for today only: http://www.direct2drive.com/6032/product/Buy-Mass-Effect-Download

Wow, that's way too cheap for a game of this quality.

Anyway, has anyone read the two novels? Are they good? I saw some comments a few pages back, but nothing as big as Aaz's post about Mass Effect Galaxy. :troll:

I'm thinking about buying them this week so the wait for ME2 will be less painful.

Walter · November 30, 2009

I'd recommend you read the novels. Bioware has already said that several things in Ascension will tie into ME2. That's reason enough to me. They aren't superb, but they're competent for the genre, and certainly a fun read if you're a fan of the Mass Effect universe. You'll get a lot of information about things that are otherwise unexplained, particularly about the Quarians (in Ascension) and Saren (in Revelation).

Revelation is about Anderson and Saren and their hunt for a human scientist who was involved in experiments with AI. It predates ME1 by something like 20 years.

Ascension is about the Illusive Man (remember him?)'s infiltration of a government-run school that's testing biotic aptitude in children. It occurs just after the events of ME1, so it can be considered a kind of ME2 prelude.

But if you just want the story with no frills and spoilers galore, the Mass Effect Wiki has a pretty extensive outline for both novels here: http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Storyline#Mass_Effect:_Revelation and here http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Storyline_II#Mass_Effect:_Ascension

Bekul · November 30, 2009

Walter said:
Mass Effect is on sale for $5 on Direct2Drive for today only: http://www.direct2drive.com/6032/product/Buy-Mass-Effect-Download
PS: Small caveat, "This product is only available for purchase in the United States and Canada."

Alright, as a poor college kid (hah! Closer to 30 than kid, but hey, an ordinary life is boring) - $5?

Imma get this.

Now, I'm not good at finding deals like this, usually - but I'd like to propose that, for those that are, it'd be awesome to start a thread somewhere to point out to the rest of the members when crazy deals like this pop up. I would have missed this and regretted it forever unless you'd just pointed it out to me - I've been yearning for this game for months, but just can't justify the price with my other commitments (damn you, maturity!) - but /this/ is seriously gonna give me an awesome Christmas! :ubik:

Walter · November 30, 2009

As I think I've said before, I'd happily pay $50 in hindsight to play ME, so $5 is really an incredible price.

Bekul said:
Now, I'm not good at finding deals like this, usually - but I'd like to propose that, for those that are, it'd be awesome to start a thread somewhere to point out to the rest of the members when crazy deals like this pop up.

http://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?topic=10193.0

I stopped posting in the thread a while back because no one seemed to be using it other than me. I find nearly all my deals by visiting this site daily: http://didimatic.com/dd/en/onsale/

Bekul · November 30, 2009

/reads that thread, eyes bug out/

Man I wish I'd found that earlier!

Thanks for that link though, I'm gonna book that and slot it into my morning '60 tabs I flip through over coffee' tab.

Some of those deals make me weep with :ubik:

Aazealh · November 30, 2009

I'll second what Walter's said about the novels. If you're a fan, get them. They're not too expensive and while they're not the best thing you'll ever read, they're decent enough.

Bekul said:
I've been yearning for this game for months, but just can't justify the price with my other commitments (damn you, maturity!) - but /this/ is seriously gonna give me an awesome Christmas!

Welcome! Now there is no going back.

Eluvei · November 30, 2009

Walter said:
I'd recommend you read the novels. Bioware has already said that several things in Ascension will tie into ME2. That's reason enough to me. They aren't superb, but they're competent for the genre, and certainly a fun read if you're a fan of the Mass Effect universe.

Aazealh said:
I'll second what Walter's said about the novels. If you're a fan, get them. They're not too expensive and while they're not the best thing you'll ever read, they're decent enough.

Great, I'll definitely read them, then. Thanks, guys.

Aazealh said:
Welcome! Now there is no going back.

Yeah, no kidding. I barely remember my life before playing it. The oldest memory I have is when I was walking on the Normandy while Nihlus waited for me on the bridg... no wait that's Mass Effect. Oh, well.

I've been rushing through the game as a Renegade, as evil as one can be, and I must say that I'm almost shocked at some of the available choices you can make.

I killed Wrex, and man is it an ugly death. I would feel sorry for the guy no matter the way he died, but evil Shepard takes him down like an animal. Also killed all the Asari that worked under the Matriarch, and that one that was being used by the Thorian kneels with her back to you so you can shoot her. I thought the worst possibility of a Renegade would be a little lighter, not that you could just become a merciless murderer like that. I was very surprised.

Walter · December 1, 2009

I actually got the most enjoyment out of my Renegade run in Mass Effect. It's FAR more entertaining than the vanilla Paragon route. :void:

Eluvei · December 1, 2009

I prefer some peace and love in my Galaxy. Although sometimes it is pretty damn awesome to be badass ... like

punching that tabloid reporter

in the FACE.

And stuff like this, obviously:

Th3Branded0ne · December 1, 2009

Walter said:
I actually got the most enjoyment out of my Renegade run in Mass Effect. It's FAR more entertaining than the vanilla Paragon route.

Yeah, I was in my first play a full paragon, now on my second playthrough I was a mean red head female.

Aazealh · December 1, 2009

Aside from punching idiots the best part of a Renegade run is to be a dick to the Council every time you speak to them. :void:

Vampire_Hunter_Bob · December 1, 2009

Just ordered my collectors edition. :badbone:

Walter · December 1, 2009

Aazealh said:
Aside from punching idiots the best part of a Renegade run is to be a dick to the Council every time you speak to them.

Yeah, I still get a kick out of cutting them off mid sentence- "Oops, we lost the connection..." :ganishka:

Eluvei · December 1, 2009

Walter said:
Yeah, I still get a kick out of cutting them off mid sentence- "Oops, we lost the connection..."

Joker's reactions to these are awesome. :SK:

Just a word of advice for everyone, stay away from Gametrailers until ME2 is released, the bastards just released a new spoiler video (whose name is already spoilerific enough). Goddamn them. :puck:

Bekul · December 1, 2009

Aazealh said:
Aside from punching idiots the best part of a Renegade run is to be a dick to the Council every time you speak to them.

Haha, I knew I'd be /waaay/ to tempted to be a dick to everyone, so I figured I'd make my first run as renegade and assholish as possible. So far I've just spoken to the Council for the first time, and man I'm impressed by the game so far. I say that realizing I probably haven't even /seen/ the game yet.

SaiyajinNoOuji · December 2, 2009

Well I need to rant real quick about Mass Effect. So I went to Direct2Drive where they had the sale to get the first Mass Effect for 5 bucks! I try to get it, "This digital downloaded is restricted from your IP" :mozgus:

Fuck you D2D and fuck you too steam!

Eluvei · December 2, 2009

SaiyajinNoOuji said:
Well I need to rant real quick about Mass Effect. So I went to Direct2Drive where they had the sale to get the first Mass Effect for 5 bucks! I try to get it, "This digital downloaded is restricted from your IP" Fuck you D2D and fuck you too steam!

Sorry to hear man, I know the frustration. But don't feel so bad, with the growing Mass Effect 2 hype I'm sure new deals will surface pretty soon.

Anyway, I just finished my Renegade playthrough, it was pretty badass but I still prefer the "vanilla Paragon" route. :griffnotevil:

Also, for being an ass with everyone, I didn't get laid this time. What a life lesson! Thank you BioWare!

I'l make a third playthrough before ME2 when I'm done with Dragon Age. I've become a BW fanboy, it seems.

ELEKTRO · December 2, 2009

Eluvei said:
Also, for being an ass with everyone, I didn't get laid this time. What a life lesson! Thank you BioWare!

lol too funny.

By the way I was looking at ign.com early this week and Mass Effect 1 was selected as the best XBOX 360 game.

Aazealh · December 2, 2009

ELEKTRO said:
By the way I was looking at ign.com early this week and Mass Effect 1 was selected as the best XBOX 360 by ign.

The best Xbox 360 game you mean? It's only fitting!

Walter · December 4, 2009

On BioWare's forums, it was announced today that ME2 will be on 2 discs, with a disc swap required at "an appropriate point" in the game.

Eluvei · December 4, 2009

I hope that means it's also twice as lenghty as the first game. :badbone:

Mass Effect 2

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I'm still better than you

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