Mass Effect 2

[captmorgan72]

I am so loving this game. Taking my time with it. Still have to recruit two more to fill my team roster. I picked it up on release day and I think I am half way through it. Don't want it to end.

Spoiler

The elusive man wants me to board a collector ship. So is this half way or more?

[GhostMachine]

I am so loving this game. Taking my time with it. Still have to recruit two more to fill my team roster. I picked it up on release day and I think I am half way through it. Don't want it to end.

Spoiler

The elusive man wants me to board a collector ship. So is this half way or more?

Spoiler

Its the last storyline mission before going after the Reaper IFF and the suicide mission; you'll just have loyalty missions and sidequests to do before those. DO NOT do the Reaper IFF mission until you're prepared to do the final mission, because something bad happens if you don't do the suicide mission right after the Reaper IFF mission. (Actually, you can do Legion's loyalty mission after the Reaper IFF mission, but that's it - no doing side missions or anything - its Reaper IFF, Legion's loyalty (if you choose to keep him), then suicide mission, or something bad happens on the suicide mission)

Warning about the Collector ship that will save you a lot of hassle:

Spoiler

You know that pain in the butt Praetorian boss mob you fought on Horizon? Well, you fight another one on the Collector ship, and its a bit harder to hide from. So you'll want to pick an appropriate heavy weapon (though there is an opportunity to change your weapons on the ship before you get to that fight). Definitely take someone who can use Incinerate or Incendiary Ammo with you to deal with its armor, if you don't have either of those powers.

Good thing about the Collector ship is you get to learn a new weapon or pick up an upgraded weapon. (I'm playing through as an Engineer this time and learned to use Assault Rifles; last game I ran an Infiltrator and chose a better sniper rifle that holds a lot of ammo instead of learning a new weapon)

[Talavar]

New free DLC coming later today. Should be up 12:00pm Mountain Time (which is....2:00pm EST?). A new shotgun and Cerberus Assault Armor. (I'm guessing the armor will be like the various bonus armors in that it can't be recolored and the helmet can't be removed, but it looks cool)

Word is that there's eventually going to be a new character released

Spoiler

Named Kasumi, and will be found on the Citadel

, but there's no idea when. There's still no word on when the Hammerhead will be released, but since it will also require new missions (unless they do something crappy and just make it replace the shuttle for landings), I'm betting it won't be any time soon.

The Hammerhead has got to come with some new missions - otherwise it's just pointless, since there's nowhere to currently use it.

I hope it also comes with quests that tell you where to go, because post end-game my character has very little money and no way to get more, so wasting a lot of fuel or probes looking for random planet missions would be difficult.

Here's hoping whatever quests may come with the mystery new NPC are also completable after the conclusion of the main plot.

[Podmark]

New free DLC coming later today. Should be up 12:00pm Mountain Time (which is....2:00pm EST?). A new shotgun and Cerberus Assault Armor. (I'm guessing the armor will be like the various bonus armors in that it can't be recolored and the helmet can't be removed, but it looks cool)

That's cool. Hadn't heard about that one. I did hear about the new squad member rumour. I have my doubts that she'll be free. I originally heard the Hammerhead would be free but I'm starting to doubt it.

I'm progressing slowly through the game due to lack of time.

Spoiler

I just recruited Thane. I've got Tali so i still need to go get Samara. I've done Jacob's and Zaeed's loyalty missions, probably going to do Miranda's next. Wondering if Legion is optional or mandatory.

[Talavar]

New free DLC coming later today. Should be up 12:00pm Mountain Time (which is....2:00pm EST?). A new shotgun and Cerberus Assault Armor. (I'm guessing the armor will be like the various bonus armors in that it can't be recolored and the helmet can't be removed, but it looks cool)

That's cool. Hadn't heard about that one. I did hear about the new squad member rumour. I have my doubts that she'll be free. I originally heard the Hammerhead would be free but I'm starting to doubt it.

I'm progressing slowly through the game due to lack of time.

Spoiler

I just recruited Thane. I've got Tali so i still need to go get Samara. I've done Jacob's and Zaeed's loyalty missions, probably going to do Miranda's next. Wondering if Legion is optional or mandatory.

Legion is...

Spoiler

fairly optional - you have to do the mission where you get him, but I'm not certain you have to actually take him with you, or ever reactivate him.

[Marmeille]

Finished this game a few days ago and I loved it, gonna finish Dragon Age at least once now before I do another run of ME2. I really like the improved fighting system, kinda confusing at first though to really get a sense of what power or ammo to use to deal with barriers, shield and armor of ennemies, but once you get the jist of it you can deal with anything thrown your way and combining biotic powers is pretty cool.

I was amazed how much better this game looks compared to the first one, everything looks better yet familiar, and all the environments look unique which is really good. The paragon/renegade interaction interupt (or whatever it's called) during dialogue cut scenes is a real nice touch.

Oh and haha, if you guys haven't done it yet, you really have to go scan and use probes on Uranus... seriously 

[GhostMachine]

New free DLC coming later today. Should be up 12:00pm Mountain Time (which is....2:00pm EST?). A new shotgun and Cerberus Assault Armor. (I'm guessing the armor will be like the various bonus armors in that it can't be recolored and the helmet can't be removed, but it looks cool)

That's cool. Hadn't heard about that one. I did hear about the new squad member rumour. I have my doubts that she'll be free. I originally heard the Hammerhead would be free but I'm starting to doubt it.

I'm progressing slowly through the game due to lack of time.

Spoiler

I just recruited Thane. I've got Tali so i still need to go get Samara. I've done Jacob's and Zaeed's loyalty missions, probably going to do Miranda's next. Wondering if Legion is optional or mandatory.

Legion is...

Spoiler

fairly optional - you have to do the mission where you get him, but I'm not certain you have to actually take him with you, or ever reactivate him.

Well....

Spoiler

You can choose to send Legion to Cerberus to examine instead of activating him, and you get a big amount of money for doing it, if I remember right.

However, Legion's loyalty mission will have a HUGE effect on the Geth in ME3 if you do it, and it is safe to do it before the suicide mission; you just can't do anything else besides Legion's loyalty mission between Reaper IFF and the suicide mission without risking something bad happening.

[Mr. Hamrick]

ok, i've been somewhat following this thread.  Just started playing the first Mass Effect. 

Any suggestions of major choices to make in ME (or not make) that I might (or might not) suggest in ME2?  I ask because I get the impression that I will have to play through ME twice already to get Shepperd up to level 60 and perhaps more of his crew.

How much stuff actually carry over to ME2?

[GhostMachine]

ok, i've been somewhat following this thread.  Just started playing the first Mass Effect. 

Any suggestions of major choices to make in ME (or not make) that I might (or might not) suggest in ME2?  I ask because I get the impression that I will have to play through ME twice already to get Shepperd up to level 60 and perhaps more of his crew.

How much stuff actually carry over to ME2?

A lot of decisions carry over into ME2, and some lead into new side missions in ME2. For instance, if you help Parasini arrest the crooked admin on Noveria, she shows up on Illium in ME2 and asks for your help with something there. Some things just lead to appearances by or messages from characters you helped. (Emily Wong and Helena Blake, for instance - they are in ME2 if you helped them, but they don't give you new missions)

One big thing:

Spoiler

At some point in ME Wrex turns out to be a problem and you could end up having to kill him if you haven't helped him get back the family armor or your paragon/renegade isn't high enough so you can calm him down. If you manage to avoid it, he's an NPC in ME2. If you killed him, you end up running into a different NPC fulfilling the same role in ME2, and they're not as cool.

One thing in ME won't have consequences until ME3. When you get the choice to either kill or free the Rachni Queen, I'd advise freeing her. I could be wrong, but I think the Rachni are going to show up on Shepard's side in ME3 if you freed her. And believe me, he'll need it!

And its a given that you should choose Anderson when asked to pick between him and Udina. Udina is a world class jackass.

The one thing I hate about ME2 is that if you don't import a character from ME and start one from scratch, it picks the worst choices from ME. Basically, as if you played Shepard as a total Renegade. Wrex is dead, Udina is on the Council, etc.

Oh, and

Spoiler

If you deal with Conrad Verner properly (the fan), he shows up in ME2, and I highly advise picking the option to shoot him in the foot.

[Talavar]

In regards to decision carry-overs...

Spoiler

the rachni do get a couple of brief mentions if you let the queen live: a story on the news about their ships being spotted, and an asari comes to give you a message from the queen on Illium.

I've beat it once with an imported character, and have now started a new character, and I'm surprised at how much worse the in-game situation is. 

Spoiler

You can't regain your Spectre status, humanity is extra-hated for basically pulling off a coup of the council, others.

I'm surprised by some of the 'default decisions' Bioware chose for freshly created characters in ME2.

[JeyNyce]

Just Finished Mass Effect and Going to start playing Mass Effect 2 tonight.  From what I was told, it's better to play ME1 and carry your character over.

[Mr. Hamrick]

Any preferences on which relationship?  I know you get to choose between Ashley and Liara and ...

Spoiler

either Ashley or that human male die.

so... does it make a big difference?

Also, something else that I was wondering:

Supposedly the Xbox360 achievements give you bonuses to abilities.  Is this only in the "new game +" thing?  or does that apply to new characters started from scratch?  I was wondering because I am currently playing through with the default Shepherd just to get the hang of things.  Was hoping I could play through a second time from scratch with the bonus stats THEN transfer that character over instead of the default one.  Was pondering playing through as something different than a soldier too.  Anyone have any idea?

[JeyNyce]

I don't know about the 360 version, but on the PC version you can switch between different games (careers/characters) at any time .  You can also carry them all over to Mass Effect 2.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

One thing in ME won't have consequences until ME3. When you get the choice to either kill or free the Rachni Queen, I'd advise freeing her. I could be wrong, but I think the Rachni are going to show up on Shepard's side in ME3 if you freed her. And believe me, he'll need it!

I suspect the same thing.  I expect that the third game will focus on the protagonist, whoever it ends up being (almost certainly not Shepherd) gathering a bit alliance of races together and that the Rachni will join in if the Queen was freed way back in ME1.

[Talavar]

One thing in ME won't have consequences until ME3. When you get the choice to either kill or free the Rachni Queen, I'd advise freeing her. I could be wrong, but I think the Rachni are going to show up on Shepard's side in ME3 if you freed her. And believe me, he'll need it!

I suspect the same thing.  I expect that the third game will focus on the protagonist, whoever it ends up being (almost certainly not Shepherd) gathering a bit alliance of races together and that the Rachni will join in if the Queen was freed way back in ME1.

What makes you think the protagonist won't be Shepherd?  Everything Bioware has said on the topic is that the Mass Effect story is Shepherd's story...

Spoiler

and if your Shepherd dies in ME2, there'll still be a Shepherd in ME3 - you just can't import yours.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

because they've already said

Spoiler

That if Shephard dies in ME2 , he or she, WILL NOT appear in ME3, because he'll be dead.  Permanently.

EDIT:  Okay, turns out the information I got has incorrectly read additional stuff into a quote by the developers that was not intended.  You are apparently correct, which in a way, I find less interesting.  In fact, it makes the prospect of a third game less appealing.

[GhostMachine]

Any preferences on which relationship?  I know you get to choose between Ashley and Liara and ...

Spoiler

either Ashley or that human male die.

so... does it make a big difference?

Also, something else that I was wondering:

Supposedly the Xbox360 achievements give you bonuses to abilities.  Is this only in the "new game +" thing?  or does that apply to new characters started from scratch?  I was wondering because I am currently playing through with the default Shepherd just to get the hang of things.  Was hoping I could play through a second time from scratch with the bonus stats THEN transfer that character over instead of the default one.  Was pondering playing through as something different than a soldier too.  Anyone have any idea?

Honestly, the romantic relationship you had in ME really doesn't matter in ME2, and probably won't in ME3 either (the romance you have in ME2 probably will have an effect on ME3, though). But of the three possible romantic interests in ME, you have the most interaction with Liara in ME2.....not that it matters. My imported Vanguard romanced Williams in ME, and in ME2 I took the non-romance romance option (Kelly Chambers), hoping they make her a real romance in ME3. (Though I was sorely tempted to have him go after Tali....)

Achievement bonuses apply to ALL games in the PC version, so I'd assume they would in the 360 version as well.

If you want a character that will be really fun to play in ME2, go for an Infiltrator or an Adept. In ME2, Adepts get that killer Singularity power that Liara has, and Infiltrators have a cloaking device and a sniper rifle, so you can headshot a lot of enemies or sneak around to set them up for kills in other ways. I've played ME2 all the way through as a Vanguard (my only imported character), an Infiltrator and an Engineer and am now playing as an Adept. The Infiltrator was the most fun of the 3 playthroughs, but I'm really enjoying the Adept. Keep in mind they got rid of armor restrictions in ME2; all classes wear the same armor.) The Engineer was the least fun. And I have no desire to try playing a Sentinel at all.

I have a few complaints about unlocked outfits in ME2:

Spoiler

1. Miranda wears her original outfit in the romance payoff scene, even if you have her wearing her unlocked outfit. Lame.

2. Both of Garrus' outfits have the exact same battle damage, since the unlocked outfits are just pallette swaps. Would have been better if, once joining your crew after the recruitment mission, they had Garrus announce he had a spare armor or something and slapped his new head on his old body.

3. Samara and Thane's unlocked outfits are fairly ugly.

And regarding Shepard in ME3....

Spoiler

You pretty much have to be lazy or too stupid to be playing the game in the first place for Shepard to die, because from what I've heard the only way Shepard can die is a total party wipe on the suicide mission (ie, you didn't get the ship's upgrades and do the loyalty missions and/or made really bad choices for squad assigments during it). It *may* be possible for other team members to survive and Shepard still dies, but I've not heard of anyone having that happen yet.

[clownprince]

until i beat me2 i will not  read one spoiler not one   

[Ares_God_of_War]

I will have to fish for the link but they said that ME3 is the ME that Shepard's story will be "resolved one way or another"

[Talavar]

I'm hoping that the love interest choice in ME1 or ME2 will be equally relevant.  Liara appears to have some potential to come back to the team, and it's clear in ME2 if she was your love interest in 1, that she's still pretty attached to your character.

As to Shepherd-death...

Spoiler

You can watch it on YouTube.  To die in the endgame your whole team needs to be wiped out, which apparently can't even happen if you recruit everyone.  One or 2 characters can die before you even land if you don't have your ship upgraded enough, the tech specialist you send through the tunnels can die closing the doors if they're not good enough/loyal/you take too long; the first fire team leader can die if you pick someone with poor leadership skills and non-loyal; the person you have escort the Normandy crew back to the ship can die if they're non-loyal (assuming you're fast enough to save the Normandy crew); a member of your team can die randomly if you don't pick a strong enough biotic to screen you/they're non-loyal; the characters with you at the final fight can die if they're non-loyal/don't have enough upgrades.  If you have everyone possible recruited, that's still not enough character deaths to kill Shepherd - basically, he only dies if only Joker is left to catch him at the end.  

[Ares_God_of_War]

yeah Ashley let me have it in mine and then sent me an appology email

[Podmark]

If you kept to your romance option from ME1 it's supposed to have some kind of play in ME3.

[Tortuga]

Madam T bought me ME2 for Valentine's Day, so it looks like I'll need to plow through the end of ME a little than expected.  I'm done the Citadel and Noveria and I've rescued Liara, so I don't think I have very much to go main story-wise.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Only about halfway through, actually.  You'll also want to revisit the Citadel after each major mission.  New stuff keeps popping up there, some of which carries over into ME2.

[Viking]

I had some questions specifically for people who had gotten the PC version of Mass Effect 2.  (And if they had also gotten the original Mass Effect, even better.)

Back when the original Mass Effect came out, I had seen a substantial number of negative reviews and commentary on websites about the Digital Rights Management (DRM) tools that had been incorporated into the software.  I forget some of the specifics, but I vaguely recall some people claiming things like the game wouldn't run if you didn't have a live Internet connection, or it limited the number of times you could install the software on a computer.  Might any of the posters here be able to comment on any DRM tools present in Mass Effect 1 or 2 for the PC, and to what extent it affects your ability to play and enjoy the game?

[GhostMachine]

All I know is, if you don't want to worry about DRM get the first game off Steam. The second game doesn't use DRM; you just have to have the first disc in the drive in order for it to run. And you *can* transfer saves from a Steam version of ME to a non-Steam ME2. (I bought ME off Steam for $4.99 in December during the holiday sale but pre-ordered ME2 at Gamestop and picked it up on release day)

[detourne_me]

I had some questions specifically for people who had gotten the PC version of Mass Effect 2.  (And if they had also gotten the original Mass Effect, even better.)

Back when the original Mass Effect came out, I had seen a substantial number of negative reviews and commentary on websites about the Digital Rights Management (DRM) tools that had been incorporated into the software.  I forget some of the specifics, but I vaguely recall some people claiming things like the game wouldn't run if you didn't have a live Internet connection, or it limited the number of times you could install the software on a computer.  Might any of the posters here be able to comment on any DRM tools present in Mass Effect 1 or 2 for the PC, and to what extent it affects your ability to play and enjoy the game?

I'm not up on any DRM stuff, but the game does do a weird thing where you can't start playing until it connects to the cerebus network.  I haven't tried to play the game without being connected though, so im not sure what would happen.

[JeyNyce]

What EA is doing with DRM is that if you have a bootleg copy of the game you will not have access to the DLC stuff.  I don't know the whole story but they are doing this with Dragon Age and Mass Effect 2.  It was mention on the PC Gamer podcast about 2 weeks ago.  You also need a CD key to install the game.

[Podmark]

My understanding is that the problematic DRM from ME1 is gone in ME2.

[Tortuga]

I'm on the final battle...getting roasted by those rocket launching turrets.  Tali hacks one near the beginning which is handy, but I need to figure out how to get past the others.  In total playtime I'm at just over 20 hours...level 34 or so.