01.27
So I finished Mass Effect 2 and frankly I’m very dissappointed…
(Wait for it!!!)…
Very dissappointed because I REALLY wanted it to be at least 10 times longer…
(*blub*, *sob*, *whimper*, *gnashing of teeth*)…
Having said that, it contains soooo much replayability value so I’m just gonna be straight back on it! Yay!
Anyone who knows me knows it takes a lot to make me play a game twice all the way through… there’s just so many games out there! I want to play a new one, not replay an old “one”! So the fact I’ll be getting back in to it says a lot.
Anyway, let’s get to it, was it any good? Well, yes, and not only was it good, it was a whole new type of good, it threw “good” out of the window and created a whole new “good” which is much more like “this game is %$#£&@!^# amazing”.
This game has something for everyone and I thought it picked up the mantle of such seminal games as; “System Shock 2”, “DeusEx”, “KOTOR” & “BioShock” and ran off with it into a whole new world of awesome. Yes it keeps things simple in terms of equipment choice. Yes it’s skill progression & choice is limited. Yes it’s weapon choice is limited & simple. But NONE of these things negatively impacts the game, infact these things serve the experience by ensuring that all out time can be spent on what the game does best which is… “the experince”. Put all you preconceptions aside (I am a huge fan of ME1 BTW) and you will LOVE this game. “The experience” is slick. For the very first time I really felt like I was in a movie and, without spoilers, let’s just say I felt like I was part of events that developed, rather than the ultimate being doing my thing while the universe waited for me to decide what would happen to it. Yes I had control, but it is so cleverly done it’s breathtaking! The whole game screams quality, nothing is done badly.
Anyway, enough stream of conciousness, not helpful, let’s talk specifics;
Gameplay: Perfect. yes, you heard me! Sliding into cover is a delight, poping up to shoot is a delight (particularily dodging a heavy weapon or power / skill at the last second as you duck back into cover after firing… if only there was a button mapped to “snigger”…), skill use is well… a delight (throw ’em, burn ’em, warp ’em, slam ’em, freeze ’em, lift ’em, turn ’em on each other… and the list goes on!!!) Fights don’t drag on, but are almost always a challenge (and often in very different & clever ways! “Sorry? What? My shields don’t work? Erm… bother… *puts shotgun away*”)
Story, Script & Dialog: Beautifully done. Definately better than any recent film. Interrupts are a fantastic idea / addition. Every companion feels unique, interesting & complete. Absorbing. Theres also no unnecessarily long diatribes or “fluff” in either story or dialog. It’s direct, gritty, witty and engrossing. The acting is top draw too, which a a bonus, and a very welcome one.
Graphics, Sound & Atmoshpere: Flawless. Live the movie people, live the movie! Trust me, just play it!
Variety & Replayability: Amazing. Just when you were going to get bored the game puts a spin on missions, dialog or combat, gives you access to a new skill or companion option or hits you with a major plot development and it’s all exciting and fresh again (and again! and AGAIN!!) Yay!!!
GREAT:
- Erm, everything! (seriously, I’m not listing it, it would be pages & pages)
NOT-SO-GREAT:
- Hacking mini-game: Seriously, it’s very nearly an embarassment.
- Equipment choice: It works, but it is the absolute most basic systems they could get away with.
Gameplay Hints & Tips;
- Powers / Skills recharge (& VERY fast when you level them later in the game), ammo never does.
- Headshots. Headshots. Headshots.
- Tough fight? Send your team into fire infront of you (using the “position” system) & then enter the fray yourself afterwards, the opposing “mobs” will be focused on attacking them, oh and you can ressurect your companions if they go down, but game over when you go down.
- If you are a reasonable FPS player then play on “Veteran” difficulty. It’s just too easy otherwise.
- If you are a good / very good FPS player then play on “Hardcore”.
- Don’t be afraid to pause & micro manage your team if things get tough.
- Warp Ammo.
- Extra Shields is NEVER a bad choice.
How to make ME3 Perfect:
- Keep everything from ME2 as it is but;
- Completely re-do the hacking game. It’s not difficult to make a good one (See Covert Action‘s “Electronics” (from 1990!) or BioShock‘s version, both HUGELY better!) Oh and make sure hacking difficulty scales with rewards.
- Bring drops back, defeating adverseries & not having them drop ANYTHING is silly and breaks immersion.
- Bring full equipment variety (weapons, armour, ammo & amps) back. Having to choose which combination of damage, accuracy or cooldown you want and / or deciding if damage reductions suits your play style better than extra shields is a very rewarding, even if it has little actual effect on gameplay!!
- Make research more complex & developed. Multi-resource requirements and a tech-tree style interface would be much better, also more complex pre-requisites would help (See the X-Com series (from 1994!) for how to do research properly)
- Add co-op mode.
- Add true “flight” & ship to ship space combat. (See X-Wing (from 1993!) for how to do this perfectly) . Or at least have a “gunnery” type mini-game in it’s place if not possible!
- Oh and make sure that flying the ship uses fuel whenever it moves, the current setup is just wrong! 🙂
So, please, PLEASE, if you have ANY money, go now and buy Mass Effect 2, now… please!!! Go!