Why Mass Effect 2 is a better game than Mass Effect

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**BrookM**

Amaya wrote:
Manchu wrote:ME2 is only a "good game" when compared to other RPGs (specifically, the bad ones).

We get it. You hate Mass Effect 2. Thanks for the input.

Are you by any chance an EA plant put here to generate a rabid love for ME3?

**Lord Scythican**

@Manchu: I really didn't get to read that post of yours (the one after mine). You are such a negative nancy that it is hard to read most of the stuff you write. If the game was as bad as you make it out to be, then it would not have gotten the ratings or sales that it did. I enjoyed the game quite a bit and your opinions are wasted on me. Maybe if you threw in a few positives then I could read your opinions. I almost feel like you have a grudge against the game like you caught your girlfriend sleeping with it or something.

**Amaya**

VermGho5t wrote:I prefer ME of ME2. Much of the critical major plot areas of gameplay felt as if they went on much too long. I honestly prefer the Mako after having playing the Firewalker DLC last week. I found FW interesting, and the vehicle was neat, but the task involved in it was seriously less intense than the Mako on Ilos. I liked the inventory customization of ME, but it got tedious and felt like to detracted from the overall gameplay as, for me, it would be a bit of an interruption when finding a new weapon or upgrade and wanting to get it set up asap during a battle.

As far as character development, I think they could have worked much much more on this aspect in ME2. Many of the team's side missions for loyalty felt thrown together and/or too short. I felt that way about Shadow Broker, which was good, but think they could have included a bit more with it.

The ME series to me is more of a hybridization of gametypes that uses the space opera as the mechanism to drive the game. ME2 definately did feel much shorter than ME, but maybe that was because of all the inventory fiddling.

I agree with some of the points Manchu states, but really find the premise of this post fanboy-ish.

Amaya, did you play these games on console or PC?

I played it on PC.

**Manchu**

Lord Scythican wrote:@Manchu: I really didn't get to read that post of yours (the one after mine). You are such a negative nancy that it is hard to read most of the stuff you write. If the game was as bad as you make it out to be, then it would not have gotten the ratings or sales that it did. I enjoyed the game quite a bit and your opinions are wasted on me. Maybe if you threw in a few positives then I could read your opinions. I almost feel like you have a grudge against the game like you caught your girlfriend sleeping with it or something.

What you have just posted is pretty funny. How can you respond to something you haven't even read? This is why the internet has such a bad reputation for invincible ignorance. Well, try again and you'll find that I have quite a few positive things to say about the ME series and ME2 specifically.

**Lord Scythican**

It was supposed to be funny. I am glad you noticed. I went back and reread your post. Seems slightly more positive. Did you edit it or something?

**halonachos**

BrookM wrote:
Tyyr wrote:ME1 is a classic space opera, it just is. As a space opera its going to appear derivative of pretty much any other space opera you'd like to pick. It's meant to be that way. It's the classic space opera done right. The story isn't trying to be wildly new and exciting. It's taking the classic and putting it back together again after all the deconstruction.
Yessss. Let me kiss you. ME1 is just that, a bleeding brilliant Space Opera. ME2 in comparison feels like the action sequel. Just compare the box art of the two.

Yep, the box art helps.

Just look at the box art for all of the CoD games. Black Ops is the worst of the series because its boring, I mean the guy on the cover is just sitting ther after all.

**BrookM**

halonachos wrote:
BrookM wrote:
Tyyr wrote:ME1 is a classic space opera, it just is. As a space opera its going to appear derivative of pretty much any other space opera you'd like to pick. It's meant to be that way. It's the classic space opera done right. The story isn't trying to be wildly new and exciting. It's taking the classic and putting it back together again after all the deconstruction.
Yessss. Let me kiss you. ME1 is just that, a bleeding brilliant Space Opera. ME2 in comparison feels like the action sequel. Just compare the box art of the two.

Yep, the box art helps.

Just look at the box art for all of the CoD games. Black Ops is the worst of the series because its boring, I mean the guy on the cover is just sitting ther after all.

I'm not usually one to judge content by its cover, but ME2 has boring art. Black Ops does as well, though I personally believe it to be better than MW2, which isn't saying a lot of course, seeing as that guy was also just standing there, clueless to the gak going on around him. The ME1 art reminds me of the old Star Wars poster art, that airbrushed and beautifully painted stuff by Drew Struzan. ME2 is the photoshop crap of the other trilogy.

**Amaya**

I've discussed my OP on a couple of other sites and the general consensus is that ME2 is better game. I see a lot of people saying ME1 was a better experience, which I can understand, even though I certainly don't agree with that. It looks like I'm one of the few people who really liked the paragon/renegade quicktime events.

**Manchu**

I like the distinction between game and experience there. I could go with ME2 being an over all better game -- in terms of the game's mechanics. I think it's better suited to the kind of stories that BioWare wants to tell in the ME universe.

**The Kilted Samurai**

I like both for different reasons but they are both, along with Red Dead Redemption, probably my favorite games of all time. So I like them both equally. I think Mass Effect 1 is clunkier and more frustrating from a controls standpoint (makos *shudders*) but it's a better RPG and the story was more interesting from a Science fiction standpoint for me. Mass Effect 2 however had better controls, better overall gameplay, and maybe a slightly more epic last mission but the RPG aspect went down a bit imo and the stroy wasn't as good. Still though can't go wrong with either and you can't get the full experience without playing the 1st so in many ways Mass Effect 1&2, and soon to be 3, are one game so I think they are both equal once again imo.

**Ruckdog**

For me personally, I think ME2 is better than ME1, and the best console game I've played in a while...I liked it a lot better than Modern Warfare 2, and a bit better than FO3.

Now, I must qualify that by saying that I don't have the time to play a lot of games; the ME series are the only Bioware games I've ever played, and I've never played some fo the other games mentioned such as Red Dead Redemption. However, I'm finding it hard to see how ME2 doesn't stack up against other major titles out there.

**GalacticDefender**

The Kilted Samurai wrote:I like both for different reasons but they are both, along with Red Dead Redemption, probably my favorite games of all time. So I like them both equally. I think Mass Effect 1 is clunkier and more frustrating from a controls standpoint (makos *shudders*) but it's a better RPG and the story was more interesting from a Science fiction standpoint for me. Mass Effect 2 however had better controls, better overall gameplay, and maybe a slightly more epic last mission but the RPG aspect went down a bit imo and the stroy wasn't as good. Still though can't go wrong with either and you can't get the full experience without playing the 1st so in many ways Mass Effect 1&2, and soon to be 3, are one game so I think they are both equal once again imo.

Why was the Mako so fething hard to drive? Is it just something the internet likes to make fun of or what? I had no problems whatsoever with that vehicle, and to this day it remains one of my all time favorite vehicle in any game. The only problem with it is that the planets you landed on didn't have much to do on them. I almost didn't buy Mass Effect 2 because of the lack of Mako, and I only just now bought it, since it is now less than $20. Makos FTW!!! I really hope they bring something like it back in ME 3.

**Amaya**

GalacticDefender wrote:
The Kilted Samurai wrote:I like both for different reasons but they are both, along with Red Dead Redemption, probably my favorite games of all time. So I like them both equally. I think Mass Effect 1 is clunkier and more frustrating from a controls standpoint (makos *shudders*) but it's a better RPG and the story was more interesting from a Science fiction standpoint for me. Mass Effect 2 however had better controls, better overall gameplay, and maybe a slightly more epic last mission but the RPG aspect went down a bit imo and the stroy wasn't as good. Still though can't go wrong with either and you can't get the full experience without playing the 1st so in many ways Mass Effect 1&2, and soon to be 3, are one game so I think they are both equal once again imo.

Why was the Mako so fething hard to drive? Is it just something the internet likes to make fun of or what? I had no problems whatsoever with that vehicle, and to this day it remains one of my all time favorite vehicle in any game. The only problem with it is that the planets you landed on didn't have much to do on them. I almost didn't buy Mass Effect 2 because of the lack of Mako, and I only just now bought it, since it is now less than $20. Makos FTW!!! I really hope they bring something like it back in ME 3.

You've never had the Mako randomly go from a 10 degree turn to a 90 degree turn?

And then there's the fact that it sucks on Insanity.

Having a vehicle is fine, forcing people to use it for the mainquest is silly.

**GalacticDefender**

No, I've never had it randomly go from a 10 degree turn to a 90 degree turn. And some other games require vehicles for certain missions, why shouldn't Mass Effect?

**Amaya**

GalacticDefender wrote:No, I've never had it randomly go from a 10 degree turn to a 90 degree turn. And some other games require vehicles for certain missions, why shouldn't Mass Effect?

And some other games feature extensive panty shots and a cast of effeminate male characters.

**GalacticDefender**

Amaya wrote:
GalacticDefender wrote:No, I've never had it randomly go from a 10 degree turn to a 90 degree turn. And some other games require vehicles for certain missions, why shouldn't Mass Effect?

And some other games feature extensive panty shots and a cast of effeminate male characters.

Anime sucks. That is my only response. Oh, and I meant't there are GOOD games that make you drive a vehicle for a bit.

**Amaya**

GalacticDefender wrote:
Amaya wrote:
GalacticDefender wrote:No, I've never had it randomly go from a 10 degree turn to a 90 degree turn. And some other games require vehicles for certain missions, why shouldn't Mass Effect?

And some other games feature extensive panty shots and a cast of effeminate male characters.

Anime sucks. That is my only response. Oh, and I meant't there are GOOD games that make you drive a vehicle for a bit.

And the vehicles in those games have better controls, are balanced better, and the game doesn't consist of you driving the vehicle around on barren world.

I thing a good example would be the swoops in Jedi Academy.

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

Finished Mass Effect last night at long last, great ending as far as I was concerned, got tactician as well for my first play through which I was chuffed with.

Then loaded up Mass Effect 2 just to install the game on my 360, nearly three hours later I managed to drag myself off to bed.
Played it for five hours today as well as the boys where at school and its my day off, and already I love it. Although I miss a couple of things, nearly everything has been improved.

Hacking the different things is so much more interesting than the quick fire round button press from mass effect one.
The mining is not as annoying as some folks have said it is on various sites and the interactions between characters are a step up again, even though they where lots of fun in the first anyway.

I love the fact I can pick my Normandy wear, colour my armour.. yay, Pink ftw and I'm a huge fan of the shift to a more fps feeling in the battle segments.

Basically after getting Archangel, the Professor and the Captive (was it captive.. Jack anyways) in my team I think I will prefer ME2 over the first.

Mass Effect 3 is looking like a shoe in for release day purchase now, if not collectors edition if I get a fancy in game item.

**Manchu**

I wonder why they went with giving DA a taboletop RPG over ME? I would be all over an official ME tabletop RPG, even if it was just a sourcebook for Traveller or Savage Worlds.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, MDS -- you and Amaya have convinced me to go through ME2 again. This time on PS3 with the new engine!

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

Same here Manchu.

If they could get the Paragon/Renegade system set up nicely I could see it easily being one of my fave Sci-fi tabletop rpgs.

**Manchu**

Hm, this may call for house rules. Quick, to the Large Scale sub-forum! ::Bat-music::

**Amaya**

Morathi's Darkest Sin wrote:Finished Mass Effect last night at long last, great ending as far as I was concerned, got tactician as well for my first play through which I was chuffed with.

Then loaded up Mass Effect 2 just to install the game on my 360, nearly three hours later I managed to drag myself off to bed.
Played it for five hours today as well as the boys where at school and its my day off, and already I love it. Although I miss a couple of things, nearly everything has been improved.

Hacking the different things is so much more interesting than the quick fire round button press from mass effect one.
The mining is not as annoying as some folks have said it is on various sites and the interactions between characters are a step up again, even though they where lots of fun in the first anyway.

I love the fact I can pick my Normandy wear, colour my armour.. yay, Pink ftw and I'm a huge fan of the shift to a more fps feeling in the battle segments.

Basically after getting Archangel, the Professor and the Captive (was it captive.. Jack anyways) in my team I think I will prefer ME2 over the first.

Mass Effect 3 is looking like a shoe in for release day purchase now, if not collectors edition if I get a fancy in game item.

The only things you need to research to avoid issues in the final mission are ship upgrades.

Don't read this spoiler until you're tasked to find the IFF. You'll know what I mean when you get there.

Spoiler:

Manchu wrote:I wonder why they went with giving DA a taboletop RPG over ME? I would be all over an official ME tabletop RPG, even if it was just a sourcebook for Traveller or Savage Worlds.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, MDS -- you and Amaya have convinced me to go through ME2 again. This time on PS3 with the new engine!

If they can make a tabletop RPG for Firefly they can make one for ME.

Have you played ME2 on Hardcore or Insanity yet?

**Manchu**

No, only veteran. I was considering bumping it up for the next playthrough but haven't decided yet. I played ME1 on hardcore on my last (of three) playthroughs and ended up fighting Deanna Troi (whatever her ME character's name was called . . .) about thirty times. Ugh.

**Ma55ter_fett**

Tyyr said everything I would have said.

ME and ME2 are diffrent enough that one could like the first and dislike the second and have very solid reasons for doing so.

I disliked the second one, the biggest reason was the lack of equipment and the gears of war like reliance on cover.

**Lord Scythican**

Manchu wrote:Also, MDS -- you and Amaya have convinced me to go through ME2 again. This time on PS3 with the new engine!

Please let me know if you like it this time and your thoughts on the PS3 version. I am seriously tempted to buy it again.

**Manchu**

Aside from the thoughtful comments here, two factors made me go ahead. First, the PS3 release will be running on the ME3 engine rather than the ME one that the 360 release uses. Second, the PS3 release includes a lot of the DLC that I cannot access as someone who refuses to pay for Live.

**KamikazeCanuck**

As I said on that other ME thread I like them equally. I think the Pros and Cons even out.

@Manchu
You mentioned you didn't like the combat in ME2. For my first playthrough I had a "It's pretty good" reaction. However I turned up the difficulty next time around and it was way more fun. I strongly recommend playing on Hard (or harder). Suddenly I was playing a very intense game where I had to think very quickly (and make the right decision) about what powers I and my squad had to use. It became one of my favorite shooters with that slight alteration.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh,a nd you get more cooler stuff when you play on harder difficulties too!

**GalacticDefender**

Amaya wrote:
GalacticDefender wrote:
Amaya wrote:
GalacticDefender wrote:No, I've never had it randomly go from a 10 degree turn to a 90 degree turn. And some other games require vehicles for certain missions, why shouldn't Mass Effect?

And some other games feature extensive panty shots and a cast of effeminate male characters.

Anime sucks. That is my only response. Oh, and I meant't there are GOOD games that make you drive a vehicle for a bit.

And the vehicles in those games have better controls, are balanced better, and the game doesn't consist of you driving the vehicle around on barren world.

I thing a good example would be the swoops in Jedi Academy.

And I said that there should have been more to do on the planets. But I did not think they had bad controls at all, except when I first started driving it, but after around 5 minutes I figured it out. And it wasn't all that badly balanced, although they should have made it a bit weaker.

**ShumaGorath**

Poastin' in a highly trivial thread and answerin' you're quandries.

1) Mass Effect 2 is not an RPG

Wrong.

2) Mass Effect 2 has a weaker story

Correct.

3) Mass Effect 2 has weaker characters

Wrong.

4) Mass Effect 2 has less customization

Wrong.

5) Mass Effect 2 is a smaller and shorter game

Only insofar as much of its content was pioneered and pasted from the first game. Gameplay times are roughly equivalent and there are just as many environments.

6) Mass Effect 2 has bad gameplay

Matter of opinion and it's universally lauded as having superior gameplay to the first.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

GalacticDefender wrote:No, I've never had it randomly go from a 10 degree turn to a 90 degree turn. And some other games require vehicles for certain missions, why shouldn't Mass Effect?

Everyone else has, the driving physics of ME1 were well known to be fundamentally flawed while the environments were very poorly designed for vehicle movement (most of the vehicle explorable planets were generated by randomized algorithms and later had areas "customized" for story elements). That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the mako segments of the game and was sad to see them go. The Mako was "balanced" just fine in terms of gameplay power. In the vehicle segments you drive the vehicle. If you want to get out of your tank in a segment where you need the tank you can, and you'll die because you got out of your tank in a segment where you needed a tank. It's realistic that way.

**Manchu**

ShumaGorath wrote:Poastin' in a highly trivial thread

What was the point of this? Please review Rule Number One via the link in my signature, Shuma.