Just finished Mass Effect 2 on my first play through (yeah, I know I'm a little late. I'm poor what do you expect?), and i gatta say ... Jizzed in my freaking pants!! While the game is far from perfect, the experience and immersive story more than make you forget about its flaws(scanning ... scanning ... scanning).
(Spoiler Alert) So when i started the game, no surprise, the customizable protagonist: Commander Shepperd dies . . . thus allowing him to be cloned and start an new epic tale. This time though its not about you. In Mass Effect 1 the game leaned on what will "you" do?or how do "you" effect the galaxy? This time well over half of the game focuses on your team mates. This allows you get a greater sense of connection or familiarity with "your crew". And when team members die . . . you mourn their loss. This moral ambiguity is one of the defining moments of ME2. You can be Superman or an Ass-Hole! both sides are neither punished nore rewarded, just different paths to a similar goal. It's beautiful. My complaints about the plot are thus: I want my Sci-Fi to be a bit more . . . . dirty. And i don't mean Terinteno blood-baths, Post-Apocalyptic nihilism or God of War sex scenes( . . . although I wouldn't complain). I mean every thing just seemed vanilla. The worlds best vanilla ever! But still vanilla. Million dollar vanilla. Jack and Moridin spiced it up a bit . . . but everyone else was about what I expected. No surprises.
Now the Gameplay. While not the focus of the game, it holds it's own with many other 3PS's and RPG's out there. It's a "Gears-clone", cover based shooter with powers, techniques and equipment to spare. Universal ammunition replaces the "over heat system" and new "heavy Weapons" replace the boring grenades. The Level Up and Upgrade systems have both been overhauled to be simple and to the point. Get in, level up, grab your gear and go shoot something. Biotics and Tech powers are freaking sick <) and combining powers is simple and satisfying (melee attacks are still pussy-fied). But the Gameplay harbors most of the games issues. While Combat drives the game forward, the only enjoyable reprieve is the Interactive dialogue. Puzzles are easy and repetitive. Adventuring consists of moving forward on a different planet. And the 800lb gorilla in the middle of the room: Resource gathering. "Excuse me, Waiter? there's a RTS in my 3PS". Over one third of my gameplay was harvesting minerals so i could upgrade my equipment. To overcome these issues, I think they need to take a page out of Resident Evil handbook and step away from the "gatta catch em'all" mentality.
Puzzles: I'm sorry, but hacking computers doesn't have to be the same thing over and over. It can be fun (ala Shadowrun PnP)! Each computer hack should be innovative or at very least a variant of another puzzle. RE4s puzzles are what hooked me on that game. Now consider the over the top puzzles in Zelda. Why can a hobbit do things my astronaut/commando cant?
Adventuring: while larger areas were fun, they were still claustrophobic and completely linear. level diversity would be greatly appreciated, not just "wheres the next cover" or huge set pieces. actual exploration. Give me an environment that re-spawns enemies and has locked doors that i cant get till later. Give me an area where half the fun i seeing everything there is to see and giving me a reason to do it (not an incentive, rather a reward)
Don't get me wrong. I loved this game. Its defiantly made my top 20 games ever list. But when you love something, you tell it how you really feel. there's a degree of devotion and trust involved. i love Mass Effect 2, and that is why i criticize it so. Cause in real life, my last few girlfriends didn't take criticism to well and didn't look this good in (out of rather) a space suite
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