Honorable and Dishonorable Mentions

[SonicWaffle]

I felt that the guild challenges and new weapons were negligible. They certainly make gameplay different, but I don't think that they really affect it in any major way.

I suppose it depends on how you play. I'm a big fan of not getting stabbed, so for me the crossbow was a godsend; not as noisy as the pistol but more deadly than the throwing knives. I probably wound up using it more than any other weapon, especially for stealth sections. As for the guild challenges, they simply added more depth to the game rather than revolutionized gameplay, but that's still a positive thing. It had me trying out various things I ordinarily never would have done (or in some cases, even realised I could do - jumping from a horse to a beam, for example) and the rewards were a pleasant little addition.

Similarly, the platforming felt exactly the same as the last game to me

Now that I don't understand. This time around, rather than fairly bland 'get from point A to point B' platforming, we had sections of mixed combat/platforming thrown in, and my personal favourite - the stealth platforming sections that lead up to the War Machines. Using your surroundings to navigate around a fort without being seen, silently assassinating guards, was more fun for me than simply climbing.

I will concede that the assassin recruits was an interesting addition, but I don't think it changed that much

Again, this is just my experience, but I felt that it made some pretty big changes to combat. The ability to eliminate guards from a distance or kill an entire street of enemies at once came in very handy a few times, particularly towards the end when

Spoiler

you have the Apple, and can't use your weapons, but have to kill a bunch of soldiers in the Colosseum. The Apple being as shit as it was, if I hadn't had my recruits that fight would have taken hours

Not to mention that I found the mission management minigame to be rather fun, though ridiculously easy when you had a few top-level assassins.

I will admit that multiplayer was a really good addition though. I was sceptical at first, but I think that by making it so very different to other multiplayer the developers have made it great

Yeah, it took me by surprise too. I'm not a multiplayer person, but AC:B is such fun I can't resist.

 

[TyrunnAlberyn]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

The problem I noticed is the whole universe revolves around Commander Shepard everything they say is "Oh commander shepard you saved the world" "I love you commander shepard I want your babies" and "I'll turn gay for you commander shepard". The part where most of the love interests would change their sexual orientation just for shepard was where it seemed odd for me.

At the risk of being redundant, because with that comment it seems highly unlikely you have actually played either of the games, but there are exactly -zero- bisexual or homosexual love interests in ME2, and only one bisexual love interest in ME1. Sure, Shepard is a huge Mary Sue in the sense that the universe -does- seem crafted just to revolve around him or her, but blaming them for making the NPCs you can have as love interests of being so shallow that they just change on a whim is plain wrong.

 

[SiskoBlue]

It's funny all the differences in opinions on games, it's almost as if people have a subjective view point and experience things differently based on their tastes? Who would have thought.

I picked Mass Effect 2 for my GOTY for the same reason Yahztee picked his. I kept coming back to it. The combat isn't as tight as an FPS but it felt serviceable but the main reason to come back was to try a different class. I played the same battles over and over but the difference between playing as an adept, or solider, or the stealthy one, made it interesting to me.

There's a bit of the uncanny valley and the acting/script/story has a touch of B grade movie about it but let's be honest, how many games come even close to passable in the "telling the story" department. The Renegade dialogue and female shephard (Jennifer Hale) was much better written and acted. My biggest complaint with ME2 was that for all the options it doesn't really change what happens in the game. You'll still fight the same battles, have the same overall story.

My honourable mention goes to Alpha Protocol. Yes it had out-dated combat, yes it was imbalanced, and yes the voice acting was a bit bland but I haven't played a game that rich in content, or continuity so carefully constructed in years. The problem is the only way to see how well they did it is to play through 3 times. But for me it was fun, deep and varied, just like ME2.

As I said, it's all about taste and Yahztee clearly loves his random violence sandboxes. Dead Rising 2, Just Cause 2 and Saints Row 2. What he DOESN'T like is Quick Time Events, hence his dislike of Heavy Rain, not because it's cutscenes but because the entire game IS Quick Time Events. Learn your ZP history people.

 

[GeneticallyModifiedDucks]

IT'S DIFFERENT SO IT SUCKS

I loved ME2. I felt they did just about everything perfectly, and I am absolutely guarenteed to buy 3.

Glad you understood my post, though.

RPG elements you'd have a hard time spotting with a magnifying glass

Did you honestly miss all of the dialogue? The bit where your choose how your character acts and responds to the world around them? While most of your criticisms are perfectly fair opinions, this one is just silly.

OT: I liked how honest you were in your top 5s about playing them recreationally. I'm a little disappointed more reviewers aren't so upfront.

I was talking about the RPG elements as far as combat goes, because ME2 plays like a typical third person shooter. Should have been more specific. The dialogue trees are fine.

 

[brumley53]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

The problem I noticed is the whole universe revolves around Commander Shepard everything they say is "Oh commander shepard you saved the world" "I love you commander shepard I want your babies" and "I'll turn gay for you commander shepard". The part where most of the love interests would change their sexual orientation just for shepard was where it seemed odd for me.

At the risk of being redundant, because with that comment it seems highly unlikely you have actually played either of the games, but there are exactly -zero- bisexual or homosexual love interests in ME2, and only one bisexual love interest in ME1. Sure, Shepard is a huge Mary Sue in the sense that the universe -does- seem crafted just to revolve around him or her, but blaming them for making the NPCs you can have as love interests of being so shallow that they just change on a whim is plain wrong.

I have played both but only one playthrough in each, and I was wrong about the NPC's changing sexual orientation I just remember reading it somewhere and I thought it was true.

 

[Tim Latshaw]

"First of all, one rule I decided on early in the creation of my top 5 was that any expansion pack sequel (as in, a sequel that plays virtually identically to the previous game just with different levels and a few new mechanics) would be automatically disqualified, no matter how much fun they were. Because that fun belongs to the original game and the year that game came out."

..but still you picked Dead Rising 2? Not trying to nitpick but there seems to be a contradiction.

Yeah, I was intrigued by this, too. I unfortunately don't have enough experience with either game to make a sound judgment, but it's hard to imagine how Dead Rising 2 expanded over the original any more than Brotherhood did over the Assassin's Creed series. If anyone can explain why this wouldn't be the case, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[ChupathingyX]

Oh well New Vegas will always be the greatest game to come out in the past few years for me. The lore was delicious and the choices were done better than any other game I've ever played.

For me personally I ignored Dead Rising 2 for one huge reason...Dynasty Warriors 7.

 

[WaderiAAA]

I actually thought for a second during last weeks video that Super Mario Galaxy 2 would win, because you said there were only two games you felt like playing again, and I do think you used SMG2 as an example of a game you would like to play later in Extra Punctuation.

You know, I actually saw the Lizard Trial out of context and enjoyed it. I still don't have any motivation to play the actual game though.

 

[SickBritKid]

the only person in the room who actually does know the words to Auld Lang Syne

...*raises hand sheepishly*

*also raises hand*

We had to learn it as apart of our marching band show my Sophomore year of high school...

 

[Nomanslander]

I would not agree with you and that. But calling it the Avatar of video games is a insult to both the game and video gaming as a whole.

Why? Because Avatar is a bad movie? That's why I guess it's the highest grossing movie of all time.

Fact is I loved ME2, and it's probably on the top 5 games of all time list, but I do see what they did there. Nothing in the game or story is original, but everything is handled so well, you can't deny it's praise.

 

[Chesterfield Snapdragon McFisticuffs]

Mass Effect 2...bad voice acting..wut?
Did you hear Mordin Solace throughout that game?
The only stupid thing about Mass Effect was everyone in the universe speaking english.

 

[SickBritKid]

I must say, Yahtzee, I expected there to be an "honorable mention" of Mass Effect 2. Maybe it's because I really love the series to the point where Mass Effect 2 could quite possibly supplant Final Fantasy 7 as my favorite game of all time, but I thought that you really liked the game as well. Then again, you DID mention in your review that Bioware gets no points for spectacular storytelling.

I can see where you're coming from, though, in your commentary on how the game's graphics were eerily Uncanny Valley at times, as apparently there was some glitching in the game's rendering system that kept a lot of the motion capture for the faces getting through. Most glaringly was on Miranda, who was one of my favorite characters in the game. I only wish that Mass Effect 2's graphic were like the intro cinematic to the game or from the previews. When I first booted the game up and saw those beautiful graphics, I was like "FINALLY, something on the 360 to compare to the PS3's best", but then the ACTUAL game kicked in and I saw that it was merely a bit of a facelift and touch-up from Mass Effect's graphics.

I, however, have high hopes for Mass Effect 3. Bioware's said that they're gonna polish up a lot of what made ME2 great while also reintroducing and expanding a lot of the RPG elements that have been sorely missing from the first game. With luck, we'll at least get a decent inventory system this time around...

 

[ensouls]

I guess Yahtzee has my deep-seated fear of uncanny faces, because that seemed to be a major factor in the game selection.

 

[Cyberjester]

I would not agree with you and that. But calling it the Avatar of video games is a insult to both the game and video gaming as a whole.

Why? Because Avatar is a bad movie? That's why I guess it's the highest grossing movie of all time.

Fact is I loved ME2, and it's probably on the top 5 games of all time list, but I do see what they did there. Nothing in the game or story is original, but everything is handled so well, you can't deny it's praise.

Modern Warfare 2 was one of the highest grossing console games of all time, and that was terrible.

Sure, cinematic, but the locations were down from MW1, the difficulty was just MOAR ENEMIES!! And did you see how many times they did that 'jump to helicopter/building/etc, miss and dude grabs your hand'?! First time it was woah! But too bad that was in CoD4, not MW2. MW2 used it so often it became boring very, very quickly.

Avatar was Oooo, shiny. Then halfway through you realise that there's better movies with shiny AND story. I'd call MW2 the Avatar of video games, and mean it as.. Insult would be putting it mildly.

This is just a rant against Avatar, already called ME2 pretentious, any more insults that way and this post will be two rants.

J
(yes I know I suck, just trollin for the lulz)

"teh lulz" man, teh. If it's lulz then it's teh otherwise you spoil it with proper spelling.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Surprised he didn't make a mention of PoP-FoggySands

Went from: oo, platforming

to: shite ending

Too middling, I guess...

 

[The Cake Is Annoying]

As much as I enjoyed Mass Effect 2 it did feel like less of a game set in space and more of a game set in a subway.

A horrible subway with bombings and kidnappings in it, but a subway never the less. The walls of whatever I was in defined the feeling that outside them was this incredible big thing.

Perhaps a subway is the wrong word: the star map was like taking trains from one city to another, and the system maps was like taking the subway. Get out of the door. Walk to the train station. Stop at the shops. I almost expect to see ticket machines and people pulling screaming children and suitcases. Maybe the add on packs and DLC remedied that, but that's still closing the door after the horse has bolted.

I still love it to bits, the story is gripping and even the sum of frustrations in it don't deter me from wanting to play ME & ME2 through on PC. It just really doesn't feel like a space game, even compared to Elite.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

I would not agree with you and that. But calling it the Avatar of video games is a insult to both the game and video gaming as a whole.

Why? Because Avatar is a bad movie? That's why I guess it's the highest grossing movie of all time.

Fact is I loved ME2, and it's probably on the top 5 games of all time list, but I do see what they did there. Nothing in the game or story is original, but everything is handled so well, you can't deny it's praise.

Modern Warfare 2 was one of the highest grossing console games of all time, and that was terrible.

Sure, cinematic, but the locations were down from MW1, the difficulty was just MOAR ENEMIES!! And did you see how many times they did that 'jump to helicopter/building/etc, miss and dude grabs your hand'?! First time it was woah! But too bad that was in CoD4, not MW2. MW2 used it so often it became boring very, very quickly.

Avatar was Oooo, shiny. Then halfway through you realise that there's better movies with shiny AND story. I'd call MW2 the Avatar of video games, and mean it as.. Insult would be putting it mildly.

This is just a rant against Avatar, already called ME2 pretentious, any more insults that way and this post will be two rants.

J
(yes I know I suck, just trollin for the lulz)

"teh lulz" man, teh. If it's lulz then it's teh otherwise you spoil it with proper spelling.

I need more boot shine this turd is loseing its gloss!!!11
LOL
========

As far as good/bad crap sells well because of marketing and a lack of consumer rights and consumers in general being sheep uninterested in their own safety, anal or otherwise.

You don't need qaulity to sell these days thats just a fact, its also a reasonable fact that people in general do not care about qaulity what they want is lulz to kill time and or brain cells, this is why politics and visa v government is getting worse and worse , no one really cares so nothing worth while gets done.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

The problem I noticed is the whole universe revolves around Commander Shepard everything they say is "Oh commander shepard you saved the world" "I love you commander shepard I want your babies" and "I'll turn gay for you commander shepard". The part where most of the love interests would change their sexual orientation just for shepard was where it seemed odd for me.

Yea. I never went there but that does sound weird.
What are they trying to say: homosexuality is a choice.
As a heterosexual guy, I can't think of anything that would make me choose to sodomize another man or vice versa. I don't care how good a commander he is, it just wouldn't work if you know what I mean.

And I guess that's the best argument against the notion that homosexuality is a choice. If you're really heterosexual, you know there's nothing that will make you be able to do that without the help of drugs: viagra and/or serious hallucinogenics.

 

[brumley53]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

The problem I noticed is the whole universe revolves around Commander Shepard everything they say is "Oh commander shepard you saved the world" "I love you commander shepard I want your babies" and "I'll turn gay for you commander shepard". The part where most of the love interests would change their sexual orientation just for shepard was where it seemed odd for me.

Yea. I never went there but that does sound weird.
What are they trying to say: homosexuality is a choice.
As a heterosexual guy, I can't think of anything that would make me choose to sodomize another man or vice versa. I don't care how good a commander he is.

Actually I was wrong about that part, but everyone does seem to be obsessed with you throughout the entire game.

 

[Milenkov]

Wait a minute... I always thought your top/bottom 5 were of games you reviewed. I don't recall super meat boy being reviewed though, was that just one you tried on your downtime or something?