Mass Effect 2

[Chris]

Because I'm going to play it a shitload over the next couple of weeks, it deserves a thread!

Since my 360 is in my luggage right now and I won't actually be playing for a few days until I achievement whore up some more of the original - any tips on char creation/starting out in ME2?

* Chris is looking at you, vince and josh!

[Josh]

ME2 character creation is pretty simple. There are way fewer skills and abilities than in the first game, but they all share very short cooldowns so even as a low level Adept or Engineer you'll be flinging your powers around way more often. The inventory mess is much easier to deal with as there's basically no inventory beyond 2 or 3 different kinds of each class of weapon and some armor customization.

Instead of having a Charm/Intimidate score, it's directly based on your level of paragon/renegade. You'll have a leg up coming from the first game on that regard, and you'll also have a few extra levels over someone just starting out. Also, hacking and bypassing security no longer requires point investments; they just have minigames this time that are a little more complex than "durr hit the button as it lights up durr" in the first game.

The "Lift" biotic skill is just broken, kind of like how Singularity was pretty much broken in the previous game. You can also 'arc' biotic abilities around cover; if you've got someone targeted and move your reticle to the side then launch "Warp" or something, the effect will home in on your target and can get around cover that way.

I'm not a huge fan of the 'heat clip' system for 'ammo'; I wish it was sort of a hybrid of the first game's system and the second one's, in that if you fired slowly the clips would dissipate heat like in the first game but if you overheated you'd swap the clip out. Playing an Adept, I'm only allowed two guns and tend to run out of ammo for my Hand Cannon very quickly. Also, if this 'heat clip' system is universal, why the hell do I have specific ammo amounts for each gun, and can't just pull a few clips from my SMG to power the pocket-sized-sniper-rifle Hand Cannon?

[Chris]

Yeah, I read that there was ammo, and if I'm not mistaken, fuel as well, right? Not sure how I feel about that, but I liked that I didn't have to worry about either in ME1.

[Josh]

Yeah, the fuel bit is BS too. And scanning planets blows. I think I preferred the awfully-handling Mako

Also, I prefer the elevator loading times in the first game over the loading screens in the second. The elevators gave you funny dialogue and occaisonally quests and most importantly didn't break the seamless 'flow' of the game, whereas being kicked out to a loading screen breaks immersion.

[Vince]

Originally Posted by Josh

Yeah, the fuel bit is BS too. And scanning planets blows. I think I preferred the awfully-handling Mako

This.

I much prefer the mako from the first game. Get the faster scanner as soon as you can. You need to scan planets to have the different materials to make your weapon and ship upgrades, and scanning is not that much fun.

The fuel is no big deal. You can navigate the ship 'asteroids-style' around any solar system, but if you want to go to a different system in the same cluster, you'll need fuel. Scanning planets requires probes, which you have to buy as well. It's not too bad, just don't get stuck in the middle of a cluster with no fuel. One fill-up of fuel will usually get you from one solar system to another and back. Fuel depots are always located near mass relays.

Talk to everyone, there are some really funny things in this game like when a chef says this to you:

Spoiler

Have you ever tried Ramen? Back on Earth it's a delicacy!"

Oh, and if you pulled a gun in ME1 on Conrad (that dork who wanted your autograph) just wait to see what he becomes. Holy shit

As for character creation, I'm just using my male vanguard from the first game with the stock face. I made him a soldier this time. You don't have as much RPG-style quality to this game, your RPG core upgrades to your character when you level up are limited to about 5 different categories. As it's a BioWare game, I'm always going for persuade skills first and foremost, so I maxed out my Soldier skill early, and now my character is a Commando with a health boost and all kinds of bonuses.

Also keep your hands on your triggers when talking to people. Sometimes you'll get a quick 2 second flashing icon that tells you you can pull a paragon or renegade moment. These rule and are usually something really cool, so don't miss them.

[Josh]

Yeah, I only have a Paragon playthrough of ME1, so I'm not gonna get to see what happens to Conrad in that regard

Spoiler

I did find Helena Blake as a social worker though at Omega, that was hilarious!

[Josh]

Oh man! I just bought the Space Hamster... he makes the same "squeek" noise that Boo, Minsc's "space hamster" from Baldur's Gate I and II does!

[Naren]

I'm still waiting to get this game. Supposedly it shipped, but it isn't here yet.

Originally Posted by Vince

Talk to everyone, there are some really funny things in this game like when a chef says this to you:

Spoiler

Have you ever tried Ramen? Back on Earth it's a delicacy!"

Spoiler

If you actually have had real ramen before, that's not funny. If you're judging for 25 cent instant ramen, then it's not a delicacy. But if you're talking about a bowl of $10-$15 stuff like this:



then it is a delicacy. And I doubt that would change far into the future.

The instant stuff is just an imitation of the real thing, like the cheapest microwaveable frozen mini pizzas compared to an award-winning chicago style pizza or a gourmet pizzaria.

[ST2012]

If you like your character in the first ME then just import that character into the sequel. If you liked the first one then your in for a treat with the 2nd. I beat it once already and I already started another playthrough. So much fun...

[Mehtab]

Going to pick this up this week