Mass Effect 2: More waxing goddamn nostalgic.

[Angles Morts]

I seem to always take the interrupts by reflex, despite whether I intend to or not. Flashing icons lead to button presses without any brain interaction.

Chardonnay Shepard is an impulsive kinda gal!

[Space Renegade Ulala]

Now *that* is a grand name for the hero of the galaxy.

Anyway, for anyone worried about the endgame option of

taking Legion to the Quarian Flotilla for Tali'Zorah's mission then doing his own mission at Heretic Station

I can confirm there is enough time to do things that way without any negative consequences in the final mission. Regarding an incident that takes place immediately after completing both,

you only need a paragon rating of roughly 50ish to amicably resolve the argument, though it appears at least 80 is required for the renegade equivalent for some bizarre reason.

[Rudi von Starnberg]

For the other incident of that kind, it's the other way around. It's much easier to solve the

Miranda-Jack spat

with renegade than paragon.

[Mogster]

Just finished it with my paragon Shepherd. The whole final sequence is brilliant, despite the last boss being dangerously close to being ridiculous. Everybody survived.

Concerning the choices on the last mission,

I felt that the "anybody could die" thing was really effective. Sure you were never forced to choose someone to die, like in the first game, but it still weighed heavily that each choice could be spending a life. I sent Tali through the ventilation shaft, figuring there'd be no-one better where tech's concerned, but as my Shep was "involved" with her it made for a tense battle to keep her in one piece.

Anyway, aside from the tedious planet scanning it was easily one of the best games I've ever played. I expected BioWare would have addressed the criticisms of the first game, but I never expected the combat to transform into something this enjoyable. Ditching the inventory was a brilliant move too. I just hope the upgrade system is streamlined for Mass Effect 3, as having to scrounge up the minerals required hurt the pacing, and needed no skill whatsoever. To be fair, it turned out that I could have scanned far less than I did, but I had no way of knowing that until late in the game!

[Mallet]

What platform did you play it on Mogster?

I didn't mind the scanning but it appears it's a lot faster on PC than 360 so I'm curious if the majority of the scanning hate is from console owners, I genuinely never thought it took away from the experience on PC. Maybe because I'd just played mass effect 1 and spent 15 minutes searching planets in the Mako I was a little more tolerant. I never spend more than 2 minutes scanning a planet after my first run where I scanned everything to depleted thinking I'd need it all

[Mogster]

What platform did you play it on Mogster?

I didn't mind the scanning but it appears it's a lot faster on PC than 360 so I'm curious if the majority of the scanning hate is from console owners, I genuinely never thought it took away from the experience on PC. Maybe because I'd just played mass effect 1 and spent 15 minutes searching planets in the Mako I was a little more tolerant. I never spend more than 2 minutes scanning a planet after my first run where I scanned everything to depleted thinking I'd need it all

I played it on the PC, and that was after a complete second run of the first game on the PC too, including all side missions.

Like I said, my issue was more with the process itself than the time it took. BioWare went to a lot of effort to make the combat more involving, and the hacking mini-games were a huge improvement on ME1's abstract counterparts, meaning the scanning was the only dull part of the game.

Still, I definitely didn't need to do as much of it as I did, which should make the next run a lot quicker.

[Steven]

About sixteen hours in and finding it to be a bit one-note, really. Talk, shoot corridors full of baddies, rinse, repeat. There are some decent side missions, but I've recruited everyone and I'm really ready to be done with this. I think I preferred the pace of the original (from what I remember of it), although the technical upgrade here is unquestionable.

[Takizawa]

Talk, shoot corridors full of baddies, rinse, repeat.

Sounds awesome to me, I think i'll buy a second copy!

[Mr Ben]

Now *that* is a grand name for the hero of the galaxy.

Anyway, for anyone worried about the endgame option of

taking Legion to the Quarian Flotilla for Tali'Zorah's mission then doing his own mission at Heretic Station

I can confirm there is enough time to do things that way without any negative consequences in the final mission. Regarding an incident that takes place immediately after completing both,

you only need a paragon rating of roughly 50ish to amicably resolve the argument, though it appears at least 80 is required for the renegade equivalent for some bizarre reason.

Glad you posted this, as am at the stage where its only those 2's loyalty missions left to do. Which should I do 1st to get the most character interaction?

[Colonel Panic]

So... Loyalty on one of the DLC missions...

I'm not that far into the main story but I'm helping Zaheed get revenge. I don't particularly like him so I've been a bit of a jerk to him, but get the impression that if I save the refinery and his nemesis gets away, he'll be pissed.

I notice that Paragon/Renegade moments are a bit less clear cut in these. I played things Paragon all the way in ME1, but Shepard has changed a bit I think and has a *BIT* of an edge.

So anyway, how much does loyalty stuff like this matter down the line?

[Space Renegade Ulala]

@Ben - Go to the flotilla first. You may as take the same pair on the final loyalty mission, they dovetail nicely and have suitable talents for them both anyway.

@Colonel - Loyalty is important, as are 'other' factors. It's better to ignore any advice. Just trust your instincts and see how you get on.

The most important thing in the entire game is to remember that

Thane is really good at sneaking and crawling around in vents, Zaeed is an experienced merc badass and Jacob's biotic powers are "THE GOOD STUFF".

Oh God, I'm going to hell, aren't I?

[Mogster]

So... Loyalty on one of the DLC missions...

I'm not that far into the main story but I'm helping Zaheed get revenge. I don't particularly like him so I've been a bit of a jerk to him, but get the impression that if I save the refinery and his nemesis gets away, he'll be pissed.

I notice that Paragon/Renegade moments are a bit less clear cut in these. I played things Paragon all the way in ME1, but Shepard has changed a bit I think and has a *BIT* of an edge.

So anyway, how much does loyalty stuff like this matter down the line?

I got everyone loyal, so I can't say for certain, but I believe loyalty does make a difference towards the end. It also gets you a new outfit for each newly loyal companion.

You're right about the paragon/renegade thing too. I often found myself picking up a few renegade points without even intending to, often from a conversation that earned me a load of paragon points too.

[Colonel Panic]

@Colonel - Loyalty is important, as are 'other' factors. It's better to ignore any advice. Just trust your instincts though and see how you get on.

I'll keep this in mind!

[Swallow]

Finished!

Endgame:

I lost Mordin. I thought I'd done everything right, though I suppose having the weaker combatants with me would have made more sense, as then they wouldn't die. I think I'll reload for the Achievement but keep on playing without him for the rest of my time with the game. Proper kick in the nuts though.

[Gorf King]

I lost Mordin. I thought I'd done everything right, though I suppose having the weaker combatants with me would have made more sense, as then they wouldn't die. I think I'll reload for the Achievement but keep on playing without him for the rest of my time with the game. Proper kick in the nuts though.

Man, you're going to commit yourself to ME3 without him? I think you should maybe rethink that strategy.

[Mr Ben]

I'm with Gorf on this.

Did anyone else find the part where

Mordin sings

hilarious?

[Ren]

Adept is awesome seriously underrated class, you can get trough entire missions without firing a single shot good fun for anyone who's done the other classes.

Level 4 singularity to suck in 3-4 enemies + heavy warp = big splosions and lots of death

[Swallow]

You guys...

I feel like a fraud now.

[Gorf King]

Adept is awesome seriously underrated class, you can get trough entire missions without firing a single shot good fun for anyone who's done the other classes.

Level 4 singularity to suck in 3-4 enemies + heavy warp = big splosions and lots of death

Yeah, I always thought Adept was the most powerful class in ME1 in many ways. Having currently just finished Horizon on my ME2 playthrough as a Soldier - and struggling at every turn - I'm beginning to wish I hadn't tried my Insanity run with a NG+ and had tried a new Adept run instead. But that's probably just because I'm crap at shooting things.

[Space Renegade Ulala]

You guys...

I feel like a fraud now.

Nevermind, hon, happened to me as well. As it turns out, he's the most likely to buy the farm, according to the developers:

In addition to loyalty, choice of tasks and ship upgrades, the final bit where the bulk of the team stays behind while Shepard and her guys go on to the centre of the base has a certain 'badass' requirement in terms of holding the line. If you've got a full team you should be fine but if you're lacking some or some are disloyal, Mordin and Tali are the most likely to snuff it if you take, say, Garrus and Grunt with you and send Zaeed back with the crew. You need to have a good number of warrior types to hold the drones back, meaning guys like your tech specialists are at high risk if they're the ones left fending off the Collectors.

While I'll have several saves ready to take over buy the time the follow-up arrives, I think I'll stick with my original Mordin-free one. A touch of tragedy is always good, besides, the guy is ancient for a Salarian. Another few months and he'll probably die of old age anyway.

Dropped back down to Veteran for the 'perfect' run but unsurprisingly, it feels rather soft following Hardcore. If it weren't for the horrendous Horizon/flying platform ball-breaker spikes (fuck Harbinger, fuck Scions), I'd probably stick with Hardcore full time, it feels right now (and yes, I know you can just switch whenever but that's lame, maaaan).

[Mr Ben]

Just doing Tali's loyalty mission. Qwib Qwib

[mayor_mike_haggar]

Oh no, legion dead. Which frankly I couldn't care less about. I also let martin sheen have his wicked way at the end. It seems a slightly more interesting choice, and frankly I'd not mind humans being the dominant force in the galaxy. The asari are so fucking smug and irritating.

Ending was quite a damp squib, it was very much "oooh, look, I bet you can't wait until mass effect 3 when you get to do the shooting and the fighting." Lacked the scale of the first one. However it's still a completely fucking brilliant game, obv.

[mayor_mike_haggar]

also i bet that hardly anything that happens at the end of this game matters in the next one anyway. It would be a nightmare voice-acting wise if you had entire characters to record who then never turned up in the game at all.

[mikeb]

erm... spoilers?

[mayor_mike_haggar]

yes, i believe i spoilered my specific ending, using vague language. Imagine that.

[Rudi von Starnberg]

Don't be a dick about it.

[mayor_mike_haggar]

I wasn't, don't worry.

[mikeb]

No worries... just getting started on this and loving it so far (just found 'Archangel') - and keeping away from potential info I don't want to see in his thread has proven difficult.

My female shep from ME1 became probably my fave char ever in an RPG, somehow she turned out perfectly and compliments Jen Hale's voice brilliantly. Bloody brilliant seeing her kicking ass again in this

Also thought the Normandy DLC was a great little diversion - somewhat reminicent of the feel of the Mako exploration bits which I'm actually strangely missing for some odd reason. The dinky shuttle replacement thing and the new planet entry anim sequences are is not nearly as characterful as seeing that clunky Big Trak tank slam down on an alien planet surface somehow.

[Space Renegade Ulala]

There are 3835 posts in this thread. None are more true for me than this one here:

My female shep from ME1 became probably my fave char ever in an RPG, somehow she turned out perfectly and compliments Jen Hale's voice brilliantly. Bloody brilliant seeing her kicking ass again in this

Waiting for another game is bad enough but knowing it'll be the character's swan song is really quite vexing.

Also:

(linked for mid-game spoilers - it's the single hardest fight in the game on higher difficulties using arguably the class that has the toughest time of things on higher difficulties)

[kitten]

Jesus...

I've had some scary moments using Vanguard on Normal... cannot imagine taking this class through on Insanity.