Convince me to buy Mass Effect 2

The point of this thread is: should I shell out $50 for this piece of software?

I apologize ahead of time if this thread seems a little petty, but I'm really not sure if I should buy it now or wait and buy later or skip the title altogether. For context, I just got fired on Tuesday (for no legitimate reason), so I may be short on funds in a couple months, but I am certainly not short on free time.

The obvious response is to say, "Go read the reviews, Histidine! Duh!", but I don't trust the reviews. Why? Because all the reviewers, to a man, were fans of the first Mass effect. I wasn't big on it. Mind, I still played through it twice. But it wasn't a revolution in my world.

I know many people practically worship Bioware. I used to be a fan myself, but I'm beginning to wonder if we're growing apart. My favorite Bioware game ever is probably Baldur's Gate 2, followed by KotOR. Jade Empire and NWN were also lots of fun. I felt that Dragon Age was actually a bit of a letdown - the story was cliche and linear, and sidequests were boring, although roleplaying was still lots of fun (probably the best roleplaying since BG2). I only ever got through the game once, as a mage.

My biggest gripe with Bioware games is the bothersome time between loquacious conversations and suspenseful story advancements: the combat. It tends to be boring and repetitive. Even with different martial arts styles, combat in Jade Empire tended to feel mundane and repetitive. Melee combat in DA:O is the reason I never finished my second run-through as a dwarf warrior. And in Mass Effect 1, it was the most insulting - enemy AI was boring and predictable, the guns were not fun to shoot, the enemies were not fun to shoot at, and all the while it pretended to be a third-person shooter. We already have shooters, and many of them are quite fun to play. The varied guns pack a punch, the enemy reels from the impact of bullets, and there's headshots. Mass Effect missed the point entirely.

Boring combat isn't always a dealbreaker. In Baldur's Gate, combat was strategic enough. In NWN, there were spells and abilities to play off. In KotOR, maybe it was just that dark-side lightning looked so evil and did such wicked damage, or just the sight of a Jedi Guardian dual-wielding orange and blue 'sabers, but I didn't mind the combat at all.

I'm not sure what to expect with ME2. Bioware is, incidentally, not known for their sequels. ME2 is the first sequel they've done since BG2. Obsidian took over on NWN2 and KotOR2, and I think they did an admirable job with the titles. So I have no idea what to expect when Bioware keeps its own franchise going.

Should I buy this game? Is the combat fun? Or is the story/dialog/roleplaying just so much fun that it's worth wading through emotionless cardboard enemies to get to it?

Convince me.

 

I hate this threads

The "convince me" threads, when really only you can decide whether you want the game or not.

None of us can force you to get a game. I mean what can we answer when we don't know for sure what exactly is your scale of fun?

We can't tell you that this isn't a Bioware game and that it doesn't have conversations and story as a heavy element, that is what makes Bioware Bioware.

Wait till a price drop or something.

 

I got a better idea; how about we dont convince you, and continue to talk about how good the game is while you sit there and miss out

 

Yeah, the "personal taste" issue comes up, but my real gripe is why the hell would we care whether someone plays a single player game or not?

I mean, the resources are out there - every gaming site has a review out, which all practically say the same thing. There are already 2 (or more) threads on the game here. What would you like us to do? Come to your place and give you a lobotomy? If so, you know where to find me.

 

Yup im not employed by EA, or Bioware.

 

Well, for starters you (the OP) have already said no. My general suggestion to these kind of questions are: did you liked the 1st one?
-> Yes. Go for it.
-> So-so. Go for it later (when its $20 or so)
-> No. Don't get it.

 

Whoah, didn't expect this much negative response!

The problem is, I can't decide whether I'll like it or not before playing it. If there was a demo, that would be helpful.

I'm just seeing if there are any helpful folks on this forum who can talk me through the decision. There are enough fans of the game on this forum, certainly, I hoped maybe some could stop by to articulate why they like the game, and what its strengths and weaknesses are.

People can ask what notebooks they should buy on this forum, why can't they ask what game they should buy?

 

Just stop by the review thread or threads talking about the game, or read the IGN review. There should be enough info for you to make the appropriate decision.

 

Buying Mass Effect 2 will score you all the ladies you want.
There, that should be enough.

 

This is pure win.

 

And the gents too.

 

If you regard games as just a 'piece of software' then you should not be gaming.

Do not get Mass Effect 2. It's a pretty crappy game. It will not be considered 2010's Game of the Year even though it's only January and lot's of review sites (which you don't trust anyway) and podcasts are already proclaiming it is.

You will not be missing the 'loquacious conversations and suspenseful story advancements' that make ME a visceral experience to play. The 'emotionless cardboard enemies' will certainly not be missing you.

I however am glad I picked up the CE for well over the $50 in chump change. I am currently surrounded by hawt ladies and I'm finding it difficult to type. Bye!

 

But the problem with the official reviews, or the review thread, is that the people doing the reviews already loved the first one. I just thought it was mediocre, bland, and run-of-the-mill. I know combat got a few do-overs, and surely the characters and the story are different... so I want to know how much better or worse they are. Someone's got to have an opinion on it one way or the other!

See, this is the kind of response I'm talking about! Well, almost . At least it was fun to read .

 

try a demo.

 

if you buy mass effect 2 then i'll buy you a notebook to game on it with.

 

People asking for suggestions as to what notebook they should buy for their uses are much different from you telling us to convince you to buy a game that you clearly dont want to buy.

OT: Why did you pick an EAA for your user name?

 

The title of this thread should be "convince me not to buy Mass Effect 2" and my answer will be because it will consume you. I've spoken to my loved ones in one word answers since it came out, and I'm nowhere near done. I've already plotted out which class and powers I'm going to use on my *second* run through it, since I already know I'll be playing it again in attempt to do the next run "better".

Do not buy it if you have anything of importance to do other than bask in the glow of your monitor.

Don't expect too much activity in this thread however, because the people that could convince you of anything are already playing it and much too involved to answer you. I'm just taking a break because my mouse fingers have cramps. They feel better, so, I'll have to check on this thread later.

 

I WANT to buy it, I'm just skeptical about how much I'll like it.

OT: Histidine is my favorite amino acid. Plus I'm a biochemist.

Haha. So I've heard that the character-building is "dumbed down" since the previous ME (not that ME1 had particularly brilliant character-building to begin with). Do the different classes/powers really have a big effect on how you play through the game? I mean, are the dynamics of combat totally different, or does it feel somewhat same-y?

 

I actually like ME2 more than the first one. The missions are much more interesting, the story is more involved, there are no lame planets to drive around on, and there are more choices to make. I don't like some of the new gameplay mechanics (less RPG stuff), but I'm grown used to it and the excellent story so far has made me not think about it much.

I definitely recommend buying ME2. But, in the end you have to decide for yourself. Read some reviews, watch some gameplay videos, listen to people's thoughts here, etc.

PS If this thread gets too OT, I'll close it so please keep your comments on topic. Thanks.

 

did you play ME1?

if yes then you don't need convincing.

if no then go buy it first.

 

Hey how about I answer the OP's question?

The combat in this game is amazingly improved over the first game. First off, there's no more loot spam. Every weapon you pickk up has a totally different feel, and the feedback feels good when you fire them. The enemy AI is levels above ME1's, and firefights have a much more action movie feel to them.

The story scenarios you're thrown into are more cinematic, and leave no room for boredom.

The game is beyond good, it's amazing. All of your gripes with ME1 have been fixed, trust me.

 

Too bad you enjoyed the first one or else he would have been convinced!

 

Ah, now THIS is exactly what I was looking for! Honestly, I was kind of hoping you'd drop by this thread . I'm just about convinced. Maybe later today I'll swap in a faster HDD and start downloading.

Thanks!

 

we won't have to. if you're not satisfied, go back to gamestop and ask for your money back

 

The further I get into the story, the more epic it gets. ME2 blows the first game out of the water.

It's a definite buy.

 

well u missed some of the free dlc on release day. Great game though. Different classes definitely have a different feel. I've played as a soldier and infiltrator (sniper) and even felt that there is a definitive difference between the classes. I'm probably going to try biotics now, then vanguard and sentinel when I get the chance.

 

Right on. I'm going to clone my HDD this evening, and unless I have a strange change of heart, I'll start downloading tomorrow .

Thanks for being civil, Kevin Jack!

To everyone else: Sorry I pissed you off so bad, but I got exactly what I wanted out of this thread, thanks to a small handful of people who were legitimately helpful!

 

^Grats on seeing the error of your ways in asking the original question. Methinks you shan't be disappointed in your entertainment purchase decision. Remember, ME2 is not as much a piece of software as it is a journey into visceral epicness.

Anytime you have a moment of indecisiveness give us a holler.

Thanks for the rep as well.

 

I finally finished it, after playing it for several days with no sleep. I won't convince you to buy it if you don't want to, but you should. It's KOTOR meets Aliens - the best a first and a second has to offer. You do yourself an injustice by not playing this one if you like shooters, RPGs, and games that tell a story. This is the only FPS game since the original Unreal that tells a story worth hearing as a shooter, as ME2 truly is, but it can play as an RPG without needing to twitch. It's a better story line than Halo.

This isn't just a game, this is a phenomenon that I regret I finished playing because I want more, dammit .

 

I played about an hour and a half of ME2 last night and it's just amazing. The combat is a million times better, the story is great, the graphics are awesome, the mechanics are fluid. I love everything about it, I wish I could spend all day playing it but I gotta study

 

I think I'll get it, I liked the concept of the first one but it bore me about half way through due to combat and repetitive side missions. Not to mention the dreaded elevator rides.

As a Biotic user that was probably why the first one was meh, I think had I got a more shooter like class it would have been easier to play and more fun.

With combat improved in the 2nd game I hope its more fun.

 

Me too. I am going back and playing the original now, becuase I didn't finish it either. I'd like to carry over my actions to the next game. I'm gonna be a major . Just likein real life. I just hate to go with a marine class and miss out on all the biotic stuff if that's what the game is about.

 

Luckily for you, there are no repetitive side missions in ME2, no elevator rides, and the combat is much more fluid in the second one.

Biotic powers in the first game really weren't that effective. In the second, they're very powerful. It actually makes it enjoyable to use a biotic character in ME2.

 

I got it today. The goosebumps just don't go away.

 

I dont think I can force myself to play through the first one again from start. I'll just make a new character in ME2 and stick with Biotics. I always liked the "mage" class in games.

There has been an official announcement that there is a patch in progress to support eyefinity for ME2 I'll wait until that is out before I get ME2. With the new setup I do not like to play games very often that do not support all 3 of my monitors, thats another reason I wont go back to play ME1.

 

There really is not a purpose to importing your chracter unless you want them to look the same. The decisions made in the first one don't have a huge bearing on the second one.

 

They don't have a huge impact, but it is neat to see things play out based on your decisions from the first game. There are a lot of references to ME1 in ME2, and many of them are based on the decisions you made.

 

True, personally that didn't matter to me too much, but to each their own

 

you get some good bonuses for importing an ME1 character though. If you're level 60 in ME1 then you get $300,000 and 60,000 of each resource to start off. Your paragon/renegade score also has a significant boost depending on which way you went in ME1. Some small stuff from ME1 carries over too (love interest, there's a picture of him/her in your cabin) and some side quest stuff.

BTW, check this site for ME1 saves, you don't need to replay ME1 and you get the ME2 bonuses...
http://www.annakie.com/me/

 

To answer the OP's question, I present the following valid argument:

Anyone who is convinced that they should do something should actually do that thing.
Anyone who asks to be convinced of something is already convinced of that thing.
The OP has asked to be convinced to buy Mass Effect 2.

Therefore, the OP should buy Mass Effect 2.

Hope that helped you solve your problem!

 

The game is just too good not to be played

It's that simple.

 

Valid, perhaps, but unsound on the basis of at least one of your premises being false.

I'm liking Mass Effect 2 so far, but I'm a little mixed on the minigames. They're a little more engaging than the button-pressing or frogger minigames in ME1, but they're also more time-consuming. I reckon they're going to start wearing reaaaaally thin by the time I get to the end of the game.

Ditto for the planet-scanning nonsense. Beats driving around in a Mako, though, for sure.

 

Here's a reason:

Hitler didn't buy Mass Effect 2, and you don't want to be like Hitler, do you?

 

Luckily you don't have to hack things very often in ME2. But I agree, the minigames are a bit more engaging than ME1.

Yea planet-scanning is really annoying, but agreed that it beats drinving the Mako though. That was annoying.

 

i thought it was really overpowering. they can disable entire hords of enemies. and warp is neccessary for higher difficulties.

 

You should buy ME2 cause you get to keep space fishes and space hamsters.

 

And you're also not accounting for the ways that it'll impact in ME3!

 

Played 8 hours to many.
It has nice eyecandy pre-renderd and shtuff but that's it.

Why are tehre so many games that stop gameply while in the weapons menu?

Ill be waiting for BC2 where you actually need to "think"..

 

C'mon man - you can't say that for ex. just few moments in Afterlife club on Omega didn't make you realize, that this game simply has depth and climate...

 

This......