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    Mass Effect

    Game » consists of 21 releases. Released Nov 20, 2007

    Humanity is still a newcomer on the futuristic galactic stage, and it's up to the charismatic Commander Shepard to investigate the actions of a rogue agent while under threat from a dangerous synthetic race known as the Geth.

    Just finished mass effect.

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    IIChristian89II

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    #1  Edited By IIChristian89II

    I finished up mass effect about 10 minutes ago after buying it about a week ago. 
     
    It was amazing!! im feeling pretty stupid for not playing this sooner! I love the characters, the story just everything :) 
    Im glad i got a copy of ME2 at the same time so i could jump right in =P Pretty excited to carry on with the same character and everything too :) 

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    natetodamax

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    #2  Edited By natetodamax

    Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter.

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    FancySoapsMan

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    #3  Edited By FancySoapsMan

    I liked Mass Effect 1 better than ME2.
     
    but I liked KOTOR the best of all.

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    IIChristian89II

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    #4  Edited By IIChristian89II

    Im just installing ME2 now. 
     
    Hoping i get as into it as i was with the first one!

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    phrosnite

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    #5  Edited By phrosnite

    I finished my 4th Mass Effect playthrough yesterday. Mass Effect 2 is a fantastic RPG and I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as you did the first.

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    IIChristian89II

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    #6  Edited By IIChristian89II
    @phrosnite: wow 4th! nice! im gonna play through again at some point as a renegade. id like to see how different it all is
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    RE_Player1

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    #7  Edited By RE_Player1
    @FancySoapsMan said:
    " I liked Mass Effect 1 better than ME2.  but I liked KOTOR the best of all. "
    I played Mass Effect 1 8 times on PC and loved it.... but I played Kotor 20 times so I also love it more :)
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    wolf_blitzer85

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    #8  Edited By wolf_blitzer85
    @IIChristian89II said:
    " @phrosnite: wow 4th! nice! im gonna play through again at some point as a renegade. id like to see how different it all is "
    I just started a renegade run-through actually.  I created a male Shepard, and made him look like as much of an asshole as possible. So far the effect has been astounding.
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    Azteck

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    #9  Edited By Azteck
    @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.
     
    It's a shame it's true.
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    phrosnite

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    #10  Edited By phrosnite
    @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG.
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    deactivated-5bce12b22bc03

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    Just thinking about the last hour or so of that game makes me want to play it all over again. If you didn't play as the female Shepard, I'd strongly recommend you do so because she acts like an absolute bitch when you choose renegade :P. It's worth it, honestly.

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    natetodamax

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    #12  Edited By natetodamax
    @phrosnite said:
    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Mass Effect 2 is almost entirely devoid of RPG elements.
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    Sooty

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    #13  Edited By Sooty

    Indeed a great game, the second plays a lot better - enjoy. 
     
    My favourite moment in 2 is "You're working too hard *stab*"  
     
    Renegade Shepard kicks so much ass. I'm on my second playthrough of 2 now on Insanity, almost a year later and I barely remember a lot of it so I'm having a blast. 

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    Jeust

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    #14  Edited By Jeust

     I though it was pretty meh all around.  
     
    The story has been better realized in previous Bioware games (KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire).  
     
    The action was ok, but nothing to right home about.   
     
    The interaction between the team-mates was formulaic, and the same since KOTOR.
     
    The mako sections were interesting.  
     
    The characters, most were bland and uninteresting.     

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    Doctorchimp

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    #15  Edited By Doctorchimp
    @phrosnite said:
    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Don't worry I'm sure he's gonna pipe in with some JRPG grind fest that strings you along the whole game. 
     
    Because FFXIII is more of a true RPG than Mass Effect 2.
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    phrosnite

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    #16  Edited By phrosnite
    @natetodamax said:

    " @phrosnite said:

    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Mass Effect 2 is almost entirely devoid of RPG elements. "
    Most of its RPG elements are streamlined but the thing that makes a game RPG is still there. You are probably one of those who think that stats, skill trees and loot make a game RPG.
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    Azteck

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    #17  Edited By Azteck
    @phrosnite said:
    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    I do. I just felt pretty let down in the RPG-department after just having finished ME1 for like the 5th time before heading into ME2.
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    Metric_Outlaw

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    #18  Edited By Metric_Outlaw
    @phrosnite said:
    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Mass Effect 2 has about as much RPG as about a Modern Warfare at this point.
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    TaliciaDragonsong

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    Good to see you enjoyed it, now enjoy it sequel!

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    Azteck

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    #20  Edited By Azteck
    @Doctorchimp:@phrosnite: It's nice to see that your ability to assume things, and be a dick to people at the same time is intact. Now I'll just resign from this conversation because I can tell already that you will not accept my opinion as it is, but will try to enforce your own opinions on me instead.
     
    Cheers.
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    natetodamax

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    #21  Edited By natetodamax
    @phrosnite said:

    " @natetodamax said:

    " @phrosnite said:

    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Mass Effect 2 is almost entirely devoid of RPG elements. "
    Most of its RPG elements are streamlined but the thing that makes a game RPG is still there. You are probably one of those who think that stats, skill trees and loot make a game RPG. "
    Technically, every video game out there could be considered a role playing game. Therefore, your definition of RPG probably differs from mine. I really liked the RPG elements in Mass Effect 1 because there were so many skills and different aspects of your character that you could put points into. In ME2, each character just had a couple of meaningless and frankly boring skills that I didn't feel like upgrading because I was never going to use them.
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    Doctorchimp

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    #22  Edited By Doctorchimp
    @Azteck said:
    " @Doctorchimp:@phrosnite: It's nice to see that your ability to assume things, and be a dick to people at the same time is intact. Now I'll just resign from this conversation because I can tell already that you will not accept my opinion as it is, but will try to enforce your own opinions on me instead.  Cheers. "
    Just saying it's nice to see the internet try to label and exclude things, when other games get by just fine with even less RPG elements. 
     
    Do I hope Mass Effect 3 has better loot, customization, and leveling? Yes. Am I alright with the game Mass Effect 2 came to be? Yes, very much so. Now that people have been suckered into the Mass Effect universe that would be put off by the first game I hope Bioware traps them into a more elaborate system for the third game....but we'll see what EA lets them do.
     
    Just let it go from now on and stop shooting Mass Effect 2 down as "BAH HUMBUG IT'S JUST ANOTHER SHOOTER NOW" is all I'm saying. 
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    Doctorchimp

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    #23  Edited By Doctorchimp
    @natetodamax said:
    " @phrosnite said:

    " @natetodamax said:

    " @phrosnite said:

    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Mass Effect 2 is almost entirely devoid of RPG elements. "
    Most of its RPG elements are streamlined but the thing that makes a game RPG is still there. You are probably one of those who think that stats, skill trees and loot make a game RPG. "
    Technically, every video game out there could be considered a role playing game. Therefore, your definition of RPG probably differs from mine. I really liked the RPG elements in Mass Effect 1 because there were so many skills and different aspects of your character that you could put points into. In ME2, each character just had a couple of meaningless and frankly boring skills that I didn't feel like upgrading because I was never going to use them. "
    Whoa.... 
     
    Did you just play as a Soldier? 
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    haggis

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    #24  Edited By haggis
    @natetodamax:  Skill trees, character classes, leveling. Totally devoid? Bull. What it lacks is loot and inventory control. That's it. Oh, and it lacks grinding too, but most of us think that's a feature, not a bug. The idea that ME2 is "devoid" of RPG elements is too silly to take very seriously.
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    Azteck

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    #25  Edited By Azteck
    @Doctorchimp: I wasn't saying that at all. I was saying that it lacked in the RPG department, not that it was completely non-existent. That would be ridiculous.
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    Doctorchimp

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    #26  Edited By Doctorchimp
    @Azteck: In that case we agree. 
     
    I was actually responding to Natetodamax...and if you've been seeing his posts he claims exactly that. 
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    spazmaster666

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    #27  Edited By spazmaster666

    I think it's a shame that what many people remember the most about Mass Effect 1 isn't the great characters, storyline, or setting but rather the crappy vehicle sequences. Personally, I probably sunk more time into Mass Effect 1 than Mass Effect 2.

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    Skytylz

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    #28  Edited By Skytylz
    @FancySoapsMan said:
    " I liked Mass Effect 1 better than ME2.  but I liked KOTOR the best of all. "
    Sums up my thoughts on Bioware RPGs.  Never played Jade and Dragon Age feels like work to me so I quit playing it.
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    artelinarose

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    #29  Edited By artelinarose

     

    @spazmaster666

    said:

    " I think it's a shame that what many people remember the most about Mass Effect 1 isn't the great characters, storyline, or setting but rather the crappy vehicle sequences. Personally, I probably sunk more time into Mass Effect 1 than Mass Effect 2. "

    I've played Mass Effect 1 more than I've played Mass Effect 2, but I enjoyed my time with 2 a lot more. 
     
    Yeah, it's less "RPG"(what the fuck does that even mean? Nobody seems to be able to decide) than the first, but it kept the game moving and kept it exciting. Replaying Mass Effect 1 now is like "oh fucking boy, I stockpiled 50 suits of worthless armor without realizing it, time to spend three minutes converting it all one by one to omni gel because money is meaningless."
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    shivermetimbers

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    #30  Edited By shivermetimbers

    I never played the first because my computer refused to make it play smoothly. I decided to buy the sequel anyway and hope for the best.
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    dagas

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    #31  Edited By dagas

    I don't really care what you call ME2, RPG, shooter, action-adventure. It's a fantastic game either way. It still har progression, skills etc like an RPG it's just streamlined and IMO much better than ME1 and I say that having been an RPG fan all my life. I think the story and dialog is what's important and that part is about the same as in ME1. That is what role playing means to me, being able to choose your responses, make meaningful choices and generally just pretend you are that person. I think Dragon Age is the best RPG in recent history when it comes to making choice and roleplaying, but ME2 is so much better when it comes to actually playing the game. It's really the only RPG where I find myself enjoying the combat, not because of loot or XP (which you don't even get in ME2), but because the combat itself is fun.
     
    I loved ME1 more than ME2, but ME2 is a far superior game. I tried playing ME1 again not long ago and the combat is not as good, the frame rate is crap and texture pop is a problem. I also find that I have no interest in all that lot. I don't need 100 different rifles, I'll only use the best one anyway so I think that was better in ME2 even though I hated all those changes when I first played ME2. 
     
    EDIT: That said I hope they don't make it even more into a shooter in ME3. While the combat is fun and great for an RPG, it's not the main reason I play the game. I would want more people to talk to, more choices, etc. I'd love for your choices to have more of an impact. IMO even your choice in casual wear should impact people's perception of you, just as an example. 
     
    side note: I used skills to a much greater extent in ME2 than ME1. On higher difficulties it's pretty much a must, but even on normal it makes things easier and it's easier because of the hot keys to do it than it was in ME1. Only thing I miss combat wise from ME1 are the grenades.

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    Doctorchimp

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    #32  Edited By Doctorchimp
    @spazmaster666 said:
    " I think it's a shame that what many people remember the most about Mass Effect 1 isn't the great characters, storyline, or setting but rather the crappy vehicle sequences. Personally, I probably sunk more time into Mass Effect 1 than Mass Effect 2. "
    I remember when I finally hit the level with my Adept in the middle of my Hardcore run that I was able to just use the Mako for travel and got out on foot to fight everything from the thresher maws to geth tanks the entire time. Instead of just for the last hit.
     
    Oh what a happy day.
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    spazmaster666

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    #33  Edited By spazmaster666
    @Artemesia said:
    I've played Mass Effect 1 more than I've played Mass Effect 2, but I enjoyed my time with 2 a lot more.   Yeah, it's less "RPG"(what the fuck does that even mean? Nobody seems to be able to decide) than the first, but it kept the game moving and kept it exciting. Replaying Mass Effect 1 now is like "oh fucking boy, I stockpiled 50 suits of worthless armor without realizing it, time to convert it all to omni gel because money is meaningless." "
    I definitely agree that ME2 is more enjoyable and much better polished than ME1 (not a surprise given that Bioware had two years to fix things) but I do miss some of the more expanded skill trees in ME1, especially for teammates. I didn't mind the simplified loot system or the increased emphasis on it being a third person shooter but I don't get why they dumbed down the skill tree to such a degree.
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    mazik765

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    #34  Edited By mazik765
    @natetodamax said:
    " @phrosnite said:

    " @natetodamax said:

    " @phrosnite said:

    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Mass Effect 2 is almost entirely devoid of RPG elements. "
    Most of its RPG elements are streamlined but the thing that makes a game RPG is still there. You are probably one of those who think that stats, skill trees and loot make a game RPG. "
    Technically, every video game out there could be considered a role playing game. Therefore, your definition of RPG probably differs from mine. I really liked the RPG elements in Mass Effect 1 because there were so many skills and different aspects of your character that you could put points into. In ME2, each character just had a couple of meaningless and frankly boring skills that I didn't feel like upgrading because I was never going to use them. "
    Play on Insanity...you'll use them.
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    natetodamax

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    #35  Edited By natetodamax
    @Doctorchimp said:
    " @Azteck: In that case we agree.  I was actually responding to Natetodamax...and if you've been seeing his posts he claims exactly that.  "
    I said they were almost non existent. I acknowledge that the skill trees exist. I also acknowledge that BioWare completed dumbed them down, which disappointed me because I liked the skill trees in ME1 better and the game had a much better sense of progression.
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    IIChristian89II

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    #36  Edited By IIChristian89II

    wow a lot of bickering going on haha :) 
     
    Just started mass effect 2 and i have to say it does feel quite different already. Not in a bad way or anything. Its just new to me :) 
    It definately feels more ''shootery'' than the first one but again thats not a bad thing. I still have dialogue trees and stuff to mess in! 
     
    Gotta say that the start of the game really caught my attention! :)

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    JoyfullOFrockets

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    #37  Edited By JoyfullOFrockets
    @IIChristian89II said:
    " I finished up mass effect about 10 minutes ago after buying it about a week ago.   It was amazing!! im feeling pretty stupid for not playing this sooner! I love the characters, the story just everything :)  Im glad i got a copy of ME2 at the same time so i could jump right in =P Pretty excited to carry on with the same character and everything too :)  "
    Then you are a better man than I, couldn't stand ME1 and took me a month to finish it. Now playing it on my Xbox it's even worse. The framerate goes down to like 10 FPS during firefights. It's almost staggering how much I fucking love ME2 and how I utterly despise ME1.
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    IIChristian89II

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    #38  Edited By IIChristian89II
    @JoyfullOFrockets: haha i just learned to put up with the frame drops...for the most part :P
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    JoyfullOFrockets

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    #39  Edited By JoyfullOFrockets
    @IIChristian89II said:
    " @JoyfullOFrockets: haha i just learned to put up with the frame drops...for the most part :P "
    Well you need not do it anymore. ME2 runs runs and looks as slick as butter. :p
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    MrWright

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    #40  Edited By MrWright

    I just finished my Insanity play through of 2 and finished it after 50 hours, forgot so many things and was almost completely different as lady Shepard .

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    xyzygy

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    #41  Edited By xyzygy

    If you like skill points and customization more than straight-up shooting, prepare to be disappointed in ME2. It can hardly be called an RPG.
     
    Also, prepare for almost every awesome thing that happened in the ME1 story to be made miniscule in ME2 in favor of a "recruit the party members" type story. What little story there is is absolutely useless because it does almost nothing to advance the universe and lore of Mass Effect. Looking at the story as a whole, it actually goes backwards. Oh yeah and be prepared for a shitty antagonist. In terms of the story of ME2 it can't hold a candle in front of ME1.
     
    If you haven't realized by now I think ME1 is the far better game :P

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    gamb1t

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    #42  Edited By gamb1t

    ahhhh yea! i just beat the 1st one on sunday and absolutely fucken loved it!
     
    starting number 2 !!

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    glorious_leader

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    #43  Edited By glorious_leader

    On the debate of ME2 being an RPG, it is an RPG in a literal sense.  As in the way it was used back in the 80's when pen and paper games were coming out left and right.  That is to say, it strongly immerses you into a fictional environment where you can assume the personality of a character who can develop in the direction you want them to, and to a great degree.  However, as far as the RPG elements that define the genre in gaming, a comparison of Mass Effect I and Mass Effect 2 will show you that the latter is most definitely less of an RPG than the former.
     
    The removal of loot was a large aspect of what made people feel like it is a third person shooter.  While the loot itself doesn't define an rpg, the act of taking time out of the action packed shooting to sort through inventory screens and customize or outfit your squad, compare equipment, etc. is largely removed from ME2.  This causes a change in the atmosphere, or flow of the gameplay.  Whenever you open a locker, where you once would sit there and analyze what you had just received, how it stacks up to what you have equipped, etc., you now are just tossed some cash and told to keep running and gunning.  This makes the rpg aspects at least "feel" absent, even if it is debateable how much of a difference loot makes.  Also, the removal of loot makes the characters feel much more static.  The inability to change the armor of characters, as well as the modifications in that armor, makes them feel about as personal as your squadmates in Rainbow Six: Vegas.  
     
    Yes.  The removal of loot killed a large part of the rpg aspects of Mass Effect 2.  Because with the removal of the loot system, a large portion of customization possibilities were removed as well.  And the customization possibilities were dealt a killing blow with the new level system.  The removal of a large quantity of possible stat allocation possibilities allowing maximum customization in each squadmate, and their subsequent replacement with a small, streamlined list of possible powers, makes it feel like the developers have already decided what each of your squadmates is going to be.  But for the sake of still calling the game an rpg, you have to level up to get access to their potential.  
     
    Say what you will, but it's obvious that Mass Effect 2 is less of an rpg than the former title in the franchise.  The drastic improvement in character performance based on stats and equipment throughout the course of the game is a staple of rpg videogames that is absent from the latest installment.  While still fulfilling the rpg genre requirement of being immersive, the gameplay itself felt to me very much like Gears of War.  I hope this trend is counteracted in the series finale, as the blend of rpg and third person shooter found in the first game was an almost perfect, yet delicate balance in my opinion.
     
    And to those hating on the Mako, though my compulsive need to complete the maps of every uncharted planet led me to spend more time than I would've liked driving to the various mining points on the map, I still prefer the freedom to explore that the Mako gave the player over the crappy little dropship you're given in ME2 so you can drop into a linear level and gun your way through it without stumbling across any interesting background information on the ME universe or anything.  Plus, the Mako was well designed.  It handled in a very polished manner, and I thought it was an awesome addition to ME1.

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    TheSeductiveMoose

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    @xyzygy said:
    " If you like skill points and customization more than straight-up shooting, prepare to be disappointed in ME2. It can hardly be called an RPG.
     
    Also, prepare for almost every awesome thing that happened in the ME1 story to be made miniscule in ME2 in favor of a "recruit the party members" type story. What little story there is is absolutely useless because it does almost nothing to advance the universe and lore of Mass Effect. Looking at the story as a whole, it actually goes backwards. Oh yeah and be prepared for a shitty antagonist. In terms of the story of ME2 it can't hold a candle in front of ME1. If you haven't realized by now I think ME1 is the far better game :P "
    I agree with this.
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    napalm

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    #45  Edited By napalm
    @natetodamax said:

    " @phrosnite said:

    " @Azteck said:

    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Mass Effect 2 is almost entirely devoid of RPG elements. "
    Mass Effect 2 has min-max RPG elements, so it's basically not really an RPG. Phrosnite should get some roleplaying education before he spouts anymore retarded crap. 
     
    @JoyfullOFrockets said: 

    @IIChristian89II said: 

    " I finished up mass effect about 10 minutes ago after buying it about a week ago.   It was amazing!! im feeling pretty stupid for not playing this sooner! I love the characters, the story just everything :)  Im glad i got a copy of ME2 at the same time so i could jump right in =P Pretty excited to carry on with the same character and everything too :)  "
    Then you are a better man than I, couldn't stand ME1 and took me a month to finish it. Now playing it on my Xbox it's even worse. The framerate goes down to like 10 FPS during firefights. It's almost staggering how much I fucking love ME2 and how I utterly despise ME1. "

       Yeah, the framerate can be shoddy, and the load times are loooong. For some weird reason, it never really bothered me, though. I didn't have constant frame dips though, and it wasn't really an issue during battle expect for a small handful of times where it was negligible.
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    ajamafalous

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    #46  Edited By ajamafalous

    The reasons that Dave didn't like Mass Effect 2 are the same reasons I hated Mass Effect 2.

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    phrosnite

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    #47  Edited By phrosnite
    @Napalm: 
    Clearly I'm not the one who needs a "roleplaying education". Next time you play an RPG use your head for a change.
     
    P.S. - Don't reply. I can't be bothered to argue with every idiot on the internet anymore.  
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    TheDudeOfGaming

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    #48  Edited By TheDudeOfGaming
    @TimAllen624 said:
    " @phrosnite said:
    " @Azteck said:
    " @natetodamax said:
    " Congrats. Mass Effect 2 is a pretty awesome third person shooter. "
    Haha.  It's a shame it's true. "
    Then you don't know what defines an RPG. "
    Mass Effect 2 has about as much RPG as about a Modern Warfare at this point. "
    @TimAllen624: What this guy said, kudos to you sir!
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    sopachuco13

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    #49  Edited By sopachuco13
    @Smallerz said:
    "Just thinking about the last hour or so of that game makes me want to play it all over again. If you didn't play as the female Shepard, I'd strongly recommend you do so because she acts like an absolute bitch when you choose renegade :P. It's worth it, honestly. "

    That is good to know. I just started a playthrough with a female renegade. I just got to Eden Prime, so I am just putting my feet in. Also, in this playthrough I am going to 100% the game. There are going to be a lot of opporotunities to see her bitchiness.
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    louiedog

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    #50  Edited By louiedog
    @Smallerz said:
    " Just thinking about the last hour or so of that game makes me want to play it all over again. If you didn't play as the female Shepard, I'd strongly recommend you do so because she acts like an absolute bitch when you choose renegade :P. It's worth it, honestly. "
    I loved playing through that game as a renegade female Shepard. The voice acting is great. Also, I named my female Shepard Bitchcakes. Points to anyone who knows where that originated without looking it up.

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