EPTGiven how amazing the game is gonna be, I'm a bit surprised that there isn't a thread up about Mass Effect 2 yet, although I suppose it is because it is about a month left untill it's released. But for me, that isn't a long time, it's an extremely short time, and I'm hyped atm more than ever before for any game. (No kidding) ME2 might be the best game yet. (Well, it will be released before SC2 and D3, so
, but even then it might compete with them I think)During the year 2007, I began seeing footage of a little game called Mass Effect. I thought it looked pretty cool, and knowing that Bioware had a tendency of creating epic RPG's (Baldur's Gate ftw) I was a bit curious. However, I had plenty of other games to play at the time, after all, it was a hell of a lot of good games in '07, so ME slipped by me. And so it remained untill early 2009 when I got curious again, and decided to buy it for my PC, and I was just amazed by how awesome it was, especially given that it was 2 years old at the time.
Not long after, rumors talked about an upcoming sequel, ME2, as well as that ME was a trilogy so yet another one would eventually follow. Over the past 8 months or so, I've constantly been following Bioware's process with the game, and now it's final that the game will be out January 26th 2010 in North America, and January 29th 2010 in Europe. (The rest of the world I'm not sure, but I think it's the 29th as well) And to give myself, and the rest of you a lovely christmas present, today the Mass Effect 2 official Cinematic Trailer has been released, and let me tell you: IT IS AWESOME!!!
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/cinematic-trailer-mass-effect/60053
After watching something like that, I just don't know what to say other than "wow". The game itself might be a month late for Christmas, but does it really matter when it looks as awesome as this?
Anyway, let's move on. As far as I know, the same classes that existed in the original will take place here, but instead of having like 10 or so different skills, here you only have like 6, but they are WAY more specialized, and look ridiculously cool at times. They've also changed the firing system. Instead of having a cooldown-based ammo system, you now have the more traditional limited ammo system. Personally, I don't really understand why. With the new Heavy Weapons it makes sense of course, but for smaller firearms, they should have almost limitless ammo. Check the Codex in ME1 and you'll see why.
Moving on, for those of you who don't know there are three groups within the classes in ME: Combat, Tech and Biotic. The Soldier is 100% Combat, the Engineer is 100% Tech, and the Adept is 100% Biotic. In addition to this, the Infiltrator is 50% Combat/50% Tech, the Sentinel is 50% Biotic/50% Tech, and finally the Vanguard is 50% Combat/ 50% Biotic.
This system makes a very good attempt at enabling you to create your personal favourite very exactly. As far as I can say about the classes in ME1, the more Combat based classes made for a simpler, and overall easier gameplay, while the Tech and especially Biotic made for a more advanced, more time-demanding gameplay. However, you died a lot less as a Biotic and it was a hell of a lot more fun. Personally, I think the Sentinel was easily the funniest to play. Going around on Insanity is not exactly easy at times, but it really helps when you can steer the enemies any which way you like. As far as ME2 goes, well I'm not sure whether or not you can change class or not after you've imported a character from the original, but it won't really matter to me, because I'll probably play as Sentinel again anyway. Not sure if it's the best choice, but I think it's the most fun, and a little extra challenge is never wrong, right? Ok, sometimes maybe but that's beside the point. Anyway, which are your favourite classes and what do you think of ME2 in general?
Poll: Favourite Class in ME1?
(Vote): Soldier
(Vote): Engineer
(Vote): Adept
(Vote): Infiltrator
(Vote): Sentinel
(Vote): Vanguard
About the Classes in ME2, here are the preview videos of all the Classes. (At the time, the Soldier is the only one which haven't recieved an official preview, but given that it is the simplest Class, and you get to see it in a lot of other videos as well, you can probably figure out sort of what it will be. I'll add its video to the OP if it gets released. The Infiltrator got its video today.)
Edit: The Vanguard now has 2 videos:
Edit 2: All classes now have their respective walkthroughs:
Soldier: + Show Spoiler +
Engineer: + Show Spoiler +
Adept: + Show Spoiler +
Infiltrator: + Show Spoiler +
Sentinel: + Show Spoiler +
Vanguard: + Show Spoiler +
Poll: Favorite Class in ME2? (You think)
(Vote): Soldier
(Vote): Engineer
(Vote): Adept
(Vote): Infiltrator
(Vote): Sentinel
(Vote): Vanguard
About the companions in the original, they were really deep. You could get in touch with your partners like never before and really understand them. So far, only Tali and Garrus have been confirmed to exist in ME2, the others... tbh, I don't think so. Why? Well: + Show Spoiler +
Ashley/Kaidan couldn't really be in the game given that one of them has to die at the end of ME1. I don't really see how Bioware intend to add or remove a character completly from the beginning of the game. It might be possible, but I highly doubt it. Liara would be a logical asset to the team, but they've already confirmed Samara as one of your squadmates, and somehow I don't think you will have 2 Asari in your squad. A shame really, I really liked Li'. Although... Samara has bigger bewbies o.0 Finally, Wrex couldn't possibly be in the game. First of all, just as with Liara, there already is another person confirmed of the same species; in this case Krogan in the form of Grunt. And most importantly, if you're clumsy and arrogant, there is a chance you might actually get into a fight with Wrex in the original while on Virmire where he'll get killed either by yourself or Ashley. Thus, just like with the Ashley/Kaidan scenario, I don't think Bioware will remove a character fully just because of a mistake you made, while others will get him all along.
As far as ME2 goes, I think you will have 12 squadmates in total, twice as many as the original, although you still only have 2 + yourself at a time. (Like it should be imo, especially with the new squad-command system, which looks awesome btw.) The ones who are revealed are:
1. Samara
2. Subject Zero
3. Thane
4. Grunt
5. Tali'Zorah
6. Garrus
7. Miranda Lawson (Gorgeous imo)
(Post if I forgot anyone) There are also times where you can see other people in your squad which seem really shallow and quiet, so I suspect they are only temporary characters, just like Jenkins was in the original.
Poll: Favourite squadmate in ME1?
(Vote): Ashley Williams
(Vote): Kaidan Alenko
(Vote): Liara T'Soni
(Vote): Wrex Urdnot
(Vote): Garrus Vakarian
(Vote): Tali'Zoran Nar Rayya
Edit:Tali'Zorah*
I'll update the poll below if any new squadmate is revealed.
Poll: Favourite squadmate in ME2?
(Vote): Samara
(Vote): Subject Zero
(Vote): Thane
(Vote): Grunt
(Vote): Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya
(Vote): Garrus Vakarian
(Vote): Miranda Lawson
Another thing that's really cool about Mass Effect it the way your morality works. While it is true that many games have the possibility to play as both the good or evil side, in Mass Effect you always play on the good side, but not necessarilly in a good way. It's the so called Paragon/Renegade system, and it's awesome. Paragon points are earned by doing good deeds, and charming people, while Renegade points (and by that I do NOT mean points that's on the run o.0) are earned by being rude, impolite, ill-mannered, and downright threating people. Overall, I personally think Paragon is the better choice. First and formost; it's much more humane, and unless you're a sadist, it makes you feel as if you've done what you would have done irl. However, Renegade can be really funny at times, like when you are being interviewed by an anoying reporter, you can skip the whole conversation by punching her in the belly instead.
Poll: Favourite morality?
(Vote): Paragon
(Vote): Renegade
If anyone is interested, and is still playing ME1, or intends to replay it before the sequel comes out, I know of two points in the game where you can glitch the game in order to recieve infinte Paragon/Renegade points. + Show Spoiler +
The first one is during the UNC-assignment Lost Module, on the beautiful planet Eletania. Note: You can only get infinte Paragon points here. If you find the space-monkey carrying the data module in the mine WITHOUT killing any space-monkey during the entire quest you recieve 2 Paragon points for doing so. Immediately after grabbing the module, make a quick save, and then reload it. You can now pick up the data module again and recieve new Paragon points. Then you can repeat this endlessly. Note, for some reason you only have ro reload once. After that you can just spam the use-key on the space-monkey and you'll reciev points all the time. The second way works with both Paragon and Renegade, but you need lvl 5 Charm/Intimidate in order to do so. (At least I think it was lvl 5, could be 6 as well.) While on Noveria and convincing Lorik Qui'nn to testify against Anoleis you can do this:
1. Convince him to testify against Anoleis.
2. Talk to him again.
3. Choose Investigate, and then Matriarch Benezia.
4. Choose Another Question.
You can now convince him to testify again and again if you repeat this, and every time you do so, you recieve a HUGE bonus in Paragon/Renegade. 25 points I think it was.
1. Convince him to testify against Anoleis.
2. Talk to him again.
3. Choose Investigate, and then Matriarch Benezia.
4. Choose Another Question.
You can now convince him to testify again and again if you repeat this, and every time you do so, you recieve a HUGE bonus in Paragon/Renegade. 25 points I think it was.
ME2 promises to be one of, if not the best game I've ever seen. Just look at the cast! It's ridiculous!
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/the-stars-mass-effect/59910
Anyway, this thread is from now on officially TL's general discussion thread about Mass Effect 2.
Edit:
Poll: To what platform will you buy it?
(Vote): PC
(Vote): Xbox 360
(Vote): I won't, 'cause I'm retarded
but doesn't really apply as much when playing on normal-hardcore. Looking forward for ME2 tho looks like they are working on their weakness.. fucken elevators
