Just Finished Mass Effect 2 (Not impressed)

[GrizzLee]

After many short bursts of forcing myself to play ME2, I finished the game.

 

I dunno, I am a bit dissapointed. It took me awhile to warm up to the original and I did find it satifying as the game progressed, but the second seemed a bit to movie like with WAY too much cinematic and very little in the way of actual gameplay. Long movie sequences followed by short burts of gameplay is how I would describe my experience.

 

I know it recieved numerous kudos and such; maybe I am just bored with this format. I know tha tI will now hav eto pl;ay through ME 3 just to see how it ends. However, I would prefer to see ME 3 as a CGI cinematic movie and forget playing it if this is the way Bioware is going.

 

Am I the only one who feels this way? Maybe old age is starting to set in.

 

I am starting BioShock 2 now. I hope it lives up to the hype. I really enjoyed the first one.

 

-Lee

[liveinabin]

I quite liked it, but it wasn't as good as the first (and not a patch on, say, Fallout 3). I'm most of the way through it again, a situation that I feel somewhat forced into as, through some obscure narrative, I didn't get a great end to my first ME2 game.

[Lord Helmet]

I thought it was great, but not nearly as good as the first one.

[moycon]

I thought it was great, but not nearly as good as the first one.

 

Yep, I agree with this statement. I think part of the problem with the second one was the sense of exploration was gone. Shooting probes over and over wasn't nearly as satisfying to me as launching the Mako and driving around strange planets never quite sure what was just ahead. I figured they might enhance this game play element for the sequel, instead they did away with it and replaced it with that lame probe junk.

 

I also felt the story suffered in the second game. Again the not so much exploring and uncovering a mystery as simply trying to recruit a bunch of people to save the universe. The only sense of mystery and wonder was when you first awoke. Then it seemed to settle into a recruitment game.

 

I didn't hate the game, in fact it was really well done, and the first few hours when we are just waking up and trying to figure out what is going on was great, but it didn't hold a candle to the first one.

[Jess Ragan]

You guys are entitled to your opinions, but I can't tell you how much I prefer Mass Effect 2 to the original. It's more streamlined, less confusing, and just more fun to play. Half the time when I was playing Mass Effect I felt like I was stumbling around in a cave without a flashlight... Mass Effect 2 goes a long way toward clearing up all the obfuscation of the first game.

[GrizzLee]

I thought it was great, but not nearly as good as the first one.

 

...

 

I also felt the story suffered in the second game. Again the not so much exploring and uncovering a mystery as simply trying to recruit a bunch of people to save the universe. The only sense of mystery and wonder was when you first awoke. Then it seemed to settle into a recruitment game.

 

...

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. It started out pretty good and then got very repetitive IMHO. After getting the team assembled, it was a bit more fun to go and kick arse, but even then it seemed more of the same. Overall it just didn't feel as gratifying of a game experience like the first installment. Not a bad game. I didn't think it was as good as the hype. I personally think it suffered from a poor ratio of gameplay to cinematic sequences. This may be a maturity thing for me though.

 

-Lee

[Crazy Climber]

I have been meaning to try the first one, still have to finish Elder Scrolls and Brutal Ledgend first. By the time that happens ME2 will rpobably be $20, yea!

[bloodreptile]

ME2 is okay , the graphics are better but that is about... I am with Moycon ... good game that does not hold a candle to the first one

[legeek]

I loved both Mass Effect 2 and the original, but I guess it depends on what you are looking for in games...

 

I am a big RPG fan and enjoy a good Sci-Fi Yarn. The story bits and their interactive nature, was pretty great.

 

EDIT: I agree, the larger story was better in the first game. The 2nd one was more about expanding the game "universe" and getting to know your squad.

Edited May 7, 2010 by legeek

[davepesc]

I enjoyed the first game more. The story felt "bigger" and I enjoyed the mako exploration for the most part. Yeah, it sucked when you had to climb a steep hill to reach a node, but the possibility of being ambushed by a wurm kept me on my toes.

 

I liked battles more in the first game. I preferred the run-and-gun style more than the duck-and-cover mechanic.

 

There was some decent story in ME2, however, if you really talked to everyone between missions and payed attention during loyalty missions. I also really loved running into side characters from ME1 who brought up events from that game when you talked to them.

 

ME2 felt like a really big set-up for ME3, which I guess it is. Can't wait to see it all play out.

[IronMongeR]

I prefered ME2. Felt a lot more polished, less boring stuff and lots more action. I did enjoy ME1, but not as much as most people.

[liveinabin]

I liked the boring stuff. There's something about wandering around largely empty environments and spending time fiddling with inventory that just makes it more 'real'. Or maybe it just makes the action bits all the more epic.

[davepesc]

fiddling with inventory

 

Oh god, I had blocked that memory! Worst inventory system in any game ever.

[ianoid]

Is it worth buying this game new? Do the included codes make buying it new worthwhile? Or should I stick to my principle of never cracking sealed games (unless it's a have to play the week it came out title)? I am enjoying Mass Effect and I will probably want to mess with extra content.

[xg4bx]

Is it worth buying this game new? Do the included codes make buying it new worthwhile? Or should I stick to my principle of never cracking sealed games (unless it's a have to play the week it came out title)? I am enjoying Mass Effect and I will probably want to mess with extra content.

 

it comes with a code for a new character and some extra weapons/armor, otherwise it's 1200 points to download if you buy a used copy. i know gamestop currently has it new for $30 so it's a good deal to buy new.

 

i just finished my 2nd play through of me2 last night with my full paragon female shepherd. i just started another play through of the first game with a male shepherd who i'm gonna have be kind of a dick, i just can't commit to being full evil in games.

 

i like the first game, the story telling is great and all but the gameplay is just an absolute mess on almost every level.

[Tickled_Pink]

TBH I felt that way about the first game. Only finished it earlier this week after having it sat on my shelf for 2 years. I was surprised just how quickly you can complete it if you just stick to the main mission.

[Karyyk]

TBH I felt that way about the first game. Only finished it earlier this week after having it sat on my shelf for 2 years. I was surprised just how quickly you can complete it if you just stick to the main mission.

 

That strategy really won't work in the second game, unless you don't mind your character receiving a "permanent death." Not sure how permanent it is, but for the sake of keeping some of your team alive you're more or less forced to do at least some of the side quests (loyalty).

 

I have to say that I preferred the first game. ME2 is more streamlined and cinematic, but it also feels simplified and dumbed-down, if a bit more polished on the shooting side. The story elements are still there, and that's probably the most important thing (what keeps you playing), but other than that it's more of a CG movie held together with cover shooter segments.

[xg4bx]

i just read the other day that mass effect 3 will have 1000 story "triggers" from the first 2 games. obviously some will be bigger than others but i couldn't imagine the headache development is gonna be to keep it all straight.

Edited August 6, 2010 by xg4bx

[Ryanw]

Saw this game new for 20 bucks at Gamestop yesterday and just couldn't pass it up. Right now I'm about 5 hours in and I've got to say I'm extremely impressed with the game across the board: gameplay, graphics, presentation. I never played the first one but after the first hour it didn't really seem to matter. So far the game reminds me of Star Wars: KOTOR and that was my favorite Xbox game, so maybe by the end this will be my favorite 360 game

[JamesD]

I still haven't finished the first one. It had pretty graphics and you can talk to a lot of "people"... but the live action stuff just wasn't that great if you ask me. You have a lot of time consuming stuff broken up by short segments of action and it just didn't do it for me. #2 will have to be pretty cheap for me to try it.

[Ryanw]

I still haven't finished the first one. It had pretty graphics and you can talk to a lot of "people"... but the live action stuff just wasn't that great if you ask me. You have a lot of time consuming stuff broken up by short segments of action and it just didn't do it for me. #2 will have to be pretty cheap for me to try it.

 

Yeah I guess the second one though is more of a third person shooter, pretty similar to Gears of War if you ask me with the duck and cover stuff.