Mass Effect 2

[Warseth]

So far so good...minus I die A LOT...vs DragonAge. Since I never played part 1 ..all these references to the past game are confusing me ....

Anyone further in the game can recommend any place to go to get better guns?

[Vasan]

The only good replacement weapons I've found so far have both been heavy weapons found on the main storyline. Not a fan of any of the prototype research weapons, heavy or otherwise so far. Now if I could personally use the krogan shotgun, mabbe. You really don't seem to need to mine much either, element zero aside.

The new version of the assault rifle you get right at the start is awful.

The first, easy weapon mods to purchase I found to be on the Cit and Omega. Found alot of sniper upgrades, and submachines upgrades so far, along with some decent armor, health and tech ones.

I like the downloadable character alot so far, much more than Shale. Plus he is quite easy to make loyal and thus gain his extra ability.

I don't die often, since I seek cover, use the soldier lessen damage ability and am playing on medium (not hard). Still died a few times to heavy mechs and op heavy weapons when I am being too aggressive. Next run through on a higher difficult level, going to try to tech armor or tactical cloak abilties for sure mixed in with overload or warp.

Mass Effect One is quite different, but well worth a purchase. Much more of a storyline, much better planet exploring and a fun transport to run around in. Combat is vastly improved in two though.

[Warseth]

I am finding Squad controlling very cumbersome...using powers while holding Shift.... The video shows multi targeting while shift is held...I have to target...Hold shift...use member powers... let go move xhairs...hold shift then use member powers....

Got any pointers on Squad combat controlling I am missing.....

[Vasan]

Not really, besides binding one of each members powers to my x-box right and left directional control I don't often use powers.

Same deal with Dragon Age, don't like to pause the game at all.

[Drakhon]

You definitely should have played ME1 first. While ME2 would still have been good without having done so, it makes a lot more sense when you're seeing it as a continuation of a previous story line (especially if you import a ME1 character). I did notice quite a few "huh?"-type dialog options to expand upon things that happened in the previous game for those that didn't play it or haven't in a while, however. ME1 is far more about loot though (hundreds of weapons and armor) and more typical stats like damage and accuracy on the weapons.

While you will get some new weapons as you progress through ME2 (mostly on the team member acquisition/loyalty missions), the upgrades that you buy/research and the ammo powers are where your progression is. Most upgrades apply to the entire team, too, though there are a few that are limited to a specific member or Shepard. As an Infiltrator, I put special focus on sniper rifles (though I was only missing a few upgrades for anything else). By the end, I had +50% damage from 5/5, +50% damage to armor and +50% headshot damage from upgrades. Add to that +60% damage to shields/synthetics from Heavy Disruptor Ammo, +75% from Tactical Cloak, +9% from Agent, +10% headshot damage from a my visor and ~+7% from other pieces of armor and there's a lot of progression there - they shifted it from the gear to the "character" in the form of upgrades. With the Widow rifle, I could kill almost any non-boss/YMIR with one headshot.

I found that I rarely had to do any team member control. Just a few isolated situations where I wanted them in different positions or to use a specific ability on a specific enemy. They're effective at it, you just need to have auto power use turned on in the options to allow them to do so.

Mass Effect One is quite different, but well worth a purchase. Much more of a storyline, much better planet exploring and a fun transport to run around in. Combat is vastly improved in two though.

Definitely worth a purchase. I got it for $5 from the Steam holiday sale, but I'd seen it at the same price on a weekend deal previously, so you may be able to get it on the extra cheap again.

I disagree with your second point, though. Most of the storyline of ME2 is building your team, thus that's what most of your play time will encompass. It's less linear overall because of how many team members you can go after or try to acquire the loyalty of at a given time, but I don't think that gives it "less" of a storyline.

Also, the Mako was cool for a few missions, but eventually "ok, we've landed, now drive for 5 minutes to get to the combat or also for 20 minutes to get the various bits laying around!" got kinda boring after a while. They apparently also got a lot of complaints about how it handled. That said, they'll be adding the Hammerhead hovertank in a DLC package within a few weeks.

[Broggle]

Mass Effect 1 was excellent imo definitely worth the purchase even at 10 or 15 bucks imo

[Vasan]

Having the story line primarily involve picking up more team members, doing missions for them, then doing that again and again just seemed like starter filter. Until I realized that is the storyline.

I vastly prefer a storyline that advances the plot through lengthy missions/quests, prehaps with a few twists and turns aka ME 1 or Dragon Age. On the plus side they can make any number of new mass effect games based on the get more team members, do their missions, over and over sorta of story.

Still minor quibble/personal preference, would have preferred less team building and more plot based lengthy missions, still a great game with a new upgrade system that I quite enjoyed. And frankly amazed at how well they set up a world and made ME1 and ME2 flow rather seemlessly despite the fact they are two very different games.

I'll should really hold off for now on final story judgements, since I am not done with the game, but am hoping ME3's story is abit more... distinct. Less unconnected adventures in the mass effect world and more plot driven mission based overall story arc.

[Drakhon]

I suppose I see what you mean, but realize that this format allows for far more character development in your team members. ME1 only really saw this in some dialog between missions and some limited chatter during those missions. To some extent, you can say they replaced the repetitive Mako content with character development. Presumably ME3 won't include a straight team wipe like ME2, so this is very important in the larger story of the trilogy

Do note that how you handle your team is the primary determiner of how the final mission goes down. You can go anywhere from everybody surviving to everybody (including Shepard) dying while still achieving the victory conditions. Interestingly, this means that Shepard will be unavailable if you import the save into ME3, so it'll be neat to see where they go with the design of that game.

[Warseth]

OK problem. My planet scans used to allow me to go left to right and move all around with the target ring... it is now screwed up no matter what I do.

It is not flat on the planet...but turned to where its half way in the planet and half of it is sticking out hte surface....so I can only go Vertical with the scanning with mouse...I have to use my arrow key to make the planet spin more between scans.

This is pissing me off...Cause I can't scan as fast as I used to when it was flat against the planet....I even bought the upgrade to scans ....sure it moves faster vertical.....but i still cant move it around the planet surface freely like I did when I first played the game.

Also problem 2; Where the hell is Element Zero! I can not find any and I have gone all over the place ..

The only good thing is I have enough stuff to upgrade everything..minus element zero things.... I had just picked up Veteran, Krog, Jack, Scientist guy and garus on Omega. I just picked up that chick on the planet that fries your shields in the sun....that is where I left off last night.

[Isak]

The scanning thing sounds like a bug. I have the upgrade and it works in both the x and y directions over the planet surface (I have the PC version). Element Zero is kind of a pain to find, usually the flavor text before you do the scanning will give you some idea whats on the planet, but otherwise keep searching planets.