Jedted:

DeMoNxDaVe:

Styx223:
Anyone who hasn't played the game, and still intends to, might not want to read my question.

What was your opinion of Shepard dying at the beginning of the game, followed by his subsequent resurrection by Cerberus? Was it an excellent hook, a soft-science nightmare, or just a convenient tool used to get rid of most of the characters from the first game in order to start anew?

Convenient tool.

Same. It's a conveniant way to get rid of the old characters but it's also not a bad hook for new players(those who haven't played ME1). The first Mass Effect had that big, epic opening which explained some of the history of the universe as well as what type of person Shepard is, ME2 just jumps right into the story with very little exposition.

Yeah there are much more intelligent things the collectors could have done . . . although most of them would kinda screw up the whole game LOL

Yahtzee, I respect you, but maybe you could just try playing the game instead of getting laid in it. Some people actually like the Mass Effect games for the gameplay (except for the vehicle sections, hooray for theming) instead of the sex.

Well, we can say this much: at least the game is trying to improve upon itself instead of just repeating what they did last time. That's a plus, right?

Does it still take a just kill yourself amount of time to go up an elevator? Yes "kill your self" is in fact a unit of time. I haven't played the game yet, but I plan to if the loading screens are.... eh. better. Anyone recommend this?

nice review.

Good points here: good writing (well, as regards dialogue, anyway) but failed mechanics, dumbed down from ME1. I don't see why it's rated M: because of the lingerie or the interspecies snuggling? Give me a break, Bioware, how about treating your audience like adults, not prebubescent children. Why everyone gave the game scores above a 9 I do not know.

ManiacRaccoon:
... Can anyone tell me how the resources effect the end of the game without spoilers or is it tied into the plot? I didn't finish the game when I rented it but I got to the "suicide mission," and I've been trying to figure out why 3 characters died right away despite me completing everyone's side missions that made them "loyal." If it spoils things nevermind, I'll find out next time I play...

Okay, I just want to confirm what I found. Is it true you have to acquire all upgrades, play all the loyalty missions and assign the right tasks to the right people at the end to get the best ending? Only I'm trying to avoid looking up Walkthroughs and stuff because they tend to contain spoilers. You don't have to tell me who to assign where, I just want to know if I'm right.

If that does turn out to be the case, I have another question: Why don't games tell you these things anymore? I've become increasingly frustrated with all the information that gets left out of hints and tutorials that would actually be useful. Considering the loading screen hints are all too common these days it would be really easy to put useful information there, but more often than not it's information you are already told in the tutorial level and instruction booklet. Considering I didn't read the instruction booklet on the basis that it would contain the same information (that and I wanted to see why all my crew disappeared at the beginning right away) and that most people probably don't read it either, putting more information in there might be a bad idea. My problem is that, while games are quick to remind me that mining resources using their terrible probe minigame is a great way to make new gadgets, I don't see the point of doing so when I'm eager to finish the game and capable of doing so without much mining at all. In fact, were it not for the internet, I might not have discovered the "true" ending until I got bored enough with the story options, and since I still haven't even gone through all the options I wanted to in Mass Effect 1, this may not have happened until the next 2 Mass Effect games had come out already. There are plenty of other games guilty of this, and it is really getting old. All I'm asking is that they at the very least make their hints a little less vaguely helpful and a little more actually useful, i.e. "Mining resources is a good idea, a great way to upgrade stuff and jolly good fun" becomes "While blowing stuff up is great, don't forget to grab some resources too, it provides more way to blow stuff up, affects the story in some scenes and is eventually worth the monotony." Actually, even "Psst. Hey, mine stuff, okay? It's totally going to help you somehow in the story. Wink wink. Nudge nudge. Just do it, okay?" would've done better than what they have.

Michael Akitson Molests Dogs
Best Part

Played it through and it feels sort of rushed, like they couldn't bother expanding on the planet exploration part. Yeah sure for resources have it in its current form, but there wasn't enough meat on the bones in the exploration part of the game.

Excellent review and spot-on. The mining is *dull*. You can tell players to ignore it if they don't like it, but then what's the point of having it if it's only enjoyed by some? I don't want to spend 50 bucks on a game that's only 80% fun. I miss the planet exploration; as the view from the ground provided an interesting perspective on many of the planets, and I appreciated BioWare's creativity in coming up with varied terrains and atmospheres in the first ME--I especially loved the planet with the moon (or, dual planet, maybe) that was shearing its atmosphere. Instead of fixing the Mako--maybe with a jetpack, per Yahtzee's suggestion--BW instead substituted mining, which got tiresome. That was my only real complaint, that the lack of planet exploration made ME2 seem confined; I believe Yahtzee picked up on this as well, so I'm glad it wasn't just my own gripe.

Can't complain about the game, otherwise, and it's obvious that ZP loved it and was really reaching for anything to complain about; yet, it came off as entertaining as always.

I actually liked the vehicle bits from the first Mass Effect. Nothing more satisfying than smearing your enemy across the planet surface. Or ramming them off a cliff. Or shunting them into hot lava.

Anyway, I'm interested to see Yahtzee tear into Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. They almost make it too easy.

Seriously, did they think Dragon Age was too long to make Awakening part of the game, but then get too lazy to make an actual sequel?

Sandaime:

Anyway, I'm interested to see Yahtzee tear into Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. They almost make it too easy.

Seriously, did they think Dragon Age was too long to make Awakening part of the game, but then get too lazy to make an actual sequel?

Alright seriously, how many people do we have to tell this to, before the majority actually understands this. Bioware wasn't just lazy and not made the Awakening part, it's about the deadlines. Yes even companies like Bioware have deadlines, and they usually have to stay pretty close to them. Awakening, and any other DLC they put out, is stuff they wanted to put in the game, but ran out of time, because they have to polish the game so it isn't a buggy piece of shit.

Second of all, am I seeing gamers get even less tolerant? First it's "Oh DLC is a waste of time, compile it into a Expansion Pack." Bioware says alright and starts development on Awakening, which is an Expansion Pack. Now its, "Fuck the Expansion Packs, those lazy bastards should have every little idea they came up with in development and kept at the grindstone until an epic game that will keep me playing until I die is created. Grow up.

About the "Romancing Tali" issue aka "should or shouldn't you romance her?" ...

Of course you should! And don't forget to romance everything else there is to romance! In case you paid good money for this game, why wouldn't you want to try and discover everything it has to offer? Explore all the possibilities (non-romance as well)?

Sorry. The completist in me gets carried away sometimes.

Its not a bad game all told. In fact I'm starting to question what goes on in Yathzees mind. Apparently his idea of a good game is mindless slaughter and uncensored titties. I can't say this without sounding like a fanboy, but I enjoyed it and if you've enjoyed any other bioware RPG you will love this one.

??? He wasn't talking about the plot which really wasn't supposed to be focused on the reapers. I didn't see any giant plot holes either. What ME2 r u refering to?

I agree 100000000000000000000000000000000000000% of everything he said in this review.

also, if it wasn't obvious (it should have been) he was saying that bioware DOESNT have good writing.

Hahahahahaha!

"Space quantity surveyor"

Omfg I'm in tears!

Another good review totaly agree with the mining point your commander shepard for god sakes not Edward Hargraves lol

i lol'd at the gobblecoqe reference

Glad I waited until I had already played the game a bit before watching this, otherwise the fact that Shepherd dies in the beginning would have been spoiled. Lucky Break.

Mass Effect 2 is good stuff, but it does get me confused every now and then since I haven't played the first game. The first two hours were spent mostly on figuring out WTF is going on, who is who and what they do, occasionally it throws in some new dude(ette)s who you are apparently supposed to know, which makes some strange conversations since I'm not entirely sure how to talk to them.

But other than that, well worth the time. Plenty of talky talk, colorful characters, mostly enjoyable combat ( face it, smashing a warp blast right into someone's jaw IS satisfying ) and nice story.

+1 cookie from me.

very good review (I was just playing ME1 and was thinking about trying out ME2 once I'm done)
tho I feel lately he's been rushing to find the bad points, point them out...and that's it really
not saying that he's sacrificing humor for efficiency but...idk, been distracted by the mana bar and book? haha well best wishes to ya

Fairly true.... still a good game

He's not gonna be happy. at least they're not compulsary.

MaltesePigeon:
Nice "probe." I never thought I'd see someone throw a dildo at a planet.

You've obviously never been to Scandinavia o3o

If there is no cosmic radiation making you play this game, you must think it's realy good! :)
That aside, played it few times myself, had great fun except for two things - mining (ofcourse)
and how do you get spaced, fall towards a planet and you've got just all your bones broken and stuff. Ripping off from "The fifth element" would've been better.

I just finished this game and thought this it was completely awesome!

I do agree with Yahtzee about how easy it is to be a sniper. I was given the option to start using sniper rifles midway through the game and eventually I had to stop using it because the game wasn't much of a challenge afterwards...

I do agree that it's easy to be an infiltrator, but have you tried the difficulties beyound casual and normal.

"The writing was good but then again bioware doesn't get points for that anymore" I laughed so hard at that, cause its true, heck I still am falling in love with the dialogue in bioware games

YAHTZEE, YAHTZEE, his is Freaking Awesome

Ah, our Gareth from Tabula Rasa...

Great review, if there is anywhere I go to find a review that spots all the negative points of a game I like, this is the place.

hammerhead, easy to control. jump high. firepower. mako go boing! off into canyon.

they also removed the part where you can get such(?) good equipment that you were a god. :)
I personally couldn't stand the excavation, but how else do you get the needed resources? have only one called resource and make much more of it come out of boxes? It does seem that you need excessive amounts to upgrade your stuff.