Zero Punctuation: Mass Effect 2

[Always_Remain]

Bioware writer: Lazers you say? Wolves you say? Hulk reference you say?

*5 minutes later*

Bioware writer: Here you go.

*gives you one of the best written scripts for a game ever*

Yahtzee: . . . *head explosion*

 

[Always_Remain]

Anyone who hasn't played the game, and still intends to, might not want to read my question.

What was your opinion of Shepard dying at the beginning of the game, followed by his subsequent resurrection by Cerberus? Was it an excellent hook, a soft-science nightmare, or just a convenient tool used to get rid of most of the characters from the first game in order to start anew?

Convenient tool.

 

[Jedted]

I wasn't gonna watch this be cause i love Mass Effect so much but it was pretty funny. The Capt. Picard/Dirty Harry analogy is a perfect way to describe Pargon/Renegade.

I think the combat in ME2 is a bit more challenging than the first game but maybe that's cause i played an Engineer. Bioware is always going on about improving their games and making the next one better than last, though it seems that people will always find SOMETHING to complain about. Take away the annoying vehical sequences and people will say how boring minning planets is.

 

[Jedted]

Anyone who hasn't played the game, and still intends to, might not want to read my question.

What was your opinion of Shepard dying at the beginning of the game, followed by his subsequent resurrection by Cerberus? Was it an excellent hook, a soft-science nightmare, or just a convenient tool used to get rid of most of the characters from the first game in order to start anew?

Convenient tool.

Same. It's a conveniant way to get rid of the old characters but it's also not a bad hook for new players(those who haven't played ME1). The first Mass Effect had that big, epic opening which explained some of the history of the universe as well as what type of person Shepard is, ME2 just jumps right into the story with very little exposition.

 

[Axquirix]

It's not the only game in the last decade to let you bring characters from previous games, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite lets you get hunters from Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (Both PSP). Speaking of which, MH 3 might be a good review. (At any rate, better than any other wii game Yahtzee's reviewed). Anyone know how I tell him that?

 

[bishop87]

Very funny video once again. I think the ideas presented are interesting, but I don't know if I necessarily agree. I suppose bringing back the more open world aspect would be fun if there was an entertaining means of transportation and fun variety to populate them. However, I do not know if such an aspect would be able to maintain a level of polish akin to that seen in the "shooting galleries" in Mass Effect 2. I found those a much tighter, and ultimately more enjoyable, experience than most open world games I've played. Also I enjoyed the sequences that weren't all shooting - few as they were - and involved some puzzle solving. I think introducing more gameplay options into the side quest galleries may be a more effective way of breaking up the gameplay and creating an entertaining experience.

Also is it fair to criticize difficulty when the game allows you to up the difficulty mid-game? You aren't locked into a setting from the start, so this seems to be an unfair criticism.

Well that's just another two-cents from another faceless internet jerk who didn't bother to read the rest of the comments to make sure he wasn't repeating anything.

 

[Always_Remain]

Anyone who hasn't played the game, and still intends to, might not want to read my question.

What was your opinion of Shepard dying at the beginning of the game, followed by his subsequent resurrection by Cerberus? Was it an excellent hook, a soft-science nightmare, or just a convenient tool used to get rid of most of the characters from the first game in order to start anew?

Convenient tool.

Same. It's a conveniant way to get rid of the old characters but it's also not a bad hook for new players(those who haven't played ME1). The first Mass Effect had that big, epic opening which explained some of the history of the universe as well as what type of person Shepard is, ME2 just jumps right into the story with very little exposition.

Yeah there are much more intelligent things the collectors could have done . . . although most of them would kinda screw up the whole game LOL

 

[shadoworc01]

Yahtzee, I respect you, but maybe you could just try playing the game instead of getting laid in it. Some people actually like the Mass Effect games for the gameplay (except for the vehicle sections, hooray for theming) instead of the sex.

 

[RJ Dalton]

Well, we can say this much: at least the game is trying to improve upon itself instead of just repeating what they did last time. That's a plus, right?

 

[lacktheknack]

nice one.
Still not going to buy Mass Effect though.
Overall funny

If he LIKES it, but you won't buy it, then what WOULD make you buy it?

 

[IWCAS]

Does it still take a just kill yourself amount of time to go up an elevator? Yes "kill your self" is in fact a unit of time. I haven't played the game yet, but I plan to if the loading screens are.... eh. better. Anyone recommend this?

 

[Oktanas]

nice review.

 

[ManiacRaccoon]

... Can anyone tell me how the resources effect the end of the game without spoilers or is it tied into the plot? I didn't finish the game when I rented it but I got to the "suicide mission," and I've been trying to figure out why 3 characters died right away despite me completing everyone's side missions that made them "loyal." If it spoils things nevermind, I'll find out next time I play...

Okay, I just want to confirm what I found. Is it true you have to acquire all upgrades, play all the loyalty missions and assign the right tasks to the right people at the end to get the best ending? Only I'm trying to avoid looking up Walkthroughs and stuff because they tend to contain spoilers. You don't have to tell me who to assign where, I just want to know if I'm right.

If that does turn out to be the case, I have another question: Why don't games tell you these things anymore? I've become increasingly frustrated with all the information that gets left out of hints and tutorials that would actually be useful. Considering the loading screen hints are all too common these days it would be really easy to put useful information there, but more often than not it's information you are already told in the tutorial level and instruction booklet. Considering I didn't read the instruction booklet on the basis that it would contain the same information (that and I wanted to see why all my crew disappeared at the beginning right away) and that most people probably don't read it either, putting more information in there might be a bad idea. My problem is that, while games are quick to remind me that mining resources using their terrible probe minigame is a great way to make new gadgets, I don't see the point of doing so when I'm eager to finish the game and capable of doing so without much mining at all. In fact, were it not for the internet, I might not have discovered the "true" ending until I got bored enough with the story options, and since I still haven't even gone through all the options I wanted to in Mass Effect 1, this may not have happened until the next 2 Mass Effect games had come out already. There are plenty of other games guilty of this, and it is really getting old. All I'm asking is that they at the very least make their hints a little less vaguely helpful and a little more actually useful, i.e. "Mining resources is a good idea, a great way to upgrade stuff and jolly good fun" becomes "While blowing stuff up is great, don't forget to grab some resources too, it provides more way to blow stuff up, affects the story in some scenes and is eventually worth the monotony." Actually, even "Psst. Hey, mine stuff, okay? It's totally going to help you somehow in the story. Wink wink. Nudge nudge. Just do it, okay?" would've done better than what they have.

 

[Osfacae]

Michael Akitson Molests Dogs
Best Part

 

[tman_au]

Played it through and it feels sort of rushed, like they couldn't bother expanding on the planet exploration part. Yeah sure for resources have it in its current form, but there wasn't enough meat on the bones in the exploration part of the game.

 

[buddycat]

Excellent review and spot-on. The mining is *dull*. You can tell players to ignore it if they don't like it, but then what's the point of having it if it's only enjoyed by some? I don't want to spend 50 bucks on a game that's only 80% fun. I miss the planet exploration; as the view from the ground provided an interesting perspective on many of the planets, and I appreciated BioWare's creativity in coming up with varied terrains and atmospheres in the first ME--I especially loved the planet with the moon (or, dual planet, maybe) that was shearing its atmosphere. Instead of fixing the Mako--maybe with a jetpack, per Yahtzee's suggestion--BW instead substituted mining, which got tiresome. That was my only real complaint, that the lack of planet exploration made ME2 seem confined; I believe Yahtzee picked up on this as well, so I'm glad it wasn't just my own gripe.

Can't complain about the game, otherwise, and it's obvious that ZP loved it and was really reaching for anything to complain about; yet, it came off as entertaining as always.

 

[Sandaime]

I actually liked the vehicle bits from the first Mass Effect. Nothing more satisfying than smearing your enemy across the planet surface. Or ramming them off a cliff. Or shunting them into hot lava.

Anyway, I'm interested to see Yahtzee tear into Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. They almost make it too easy.

Seriously, did they think Dragon Age was too long to make Awakening part of the game, but then get too lazy to make an actual sequel?

 

[Lost In The Void]

Anyway, I'm interested to see Yahtzee tear into Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. They almost make it too easy.

Seriously, did they think Dragon Age was too long to make Awakening part of the game, but then get too lazy to make an actual sequel?

Alright seriously, how many people do we have to tell this to, before the majority actually understands this. Bioware wasn't just lazy and not made the Awakening part, it's about the deadlines. Yes even companies like Bioware have deadlines, and they usually have to stay pretty close to them. Awakening, and any other DLC they put out, is stuff they wanted to put in the game, but ran out of time, because they have to polish the game so it isn't a buggy piece of shit.

Second of all, am I seeing gamers get even less tolerant? First it's "Oh DLC is a waste of time, compile it into a Expansion Pack." Bioware says alright and starts development on Awakening, which is an Expansion Pack. Now its, "Fuck the Expansion Packs, those lazy bastards should have every little idea they came up with in development and kept at the grindstone until an epic game that will keep me playing until I die is created. Grow up.

 

[VMerken]

About the "Romancing Tali" issue aka "should or shouldn't you romance her?" ...

Of course you should! And don't forget to romance everything else there is to romance! In case you paid good money for this game, why wouldn't you want to try and discover everything it has to offer? Explore all the possibilities (non-romance as well)?

Sorry. The completist in me gets carried away sometimes.

 

[ward0630]

Its not a bad game all told. In fact I'm starting to question what goes on in Yathzees mind. Apparently his idea of a good game is mindless slaughter and uncensored titties. I can't say this without sounding like a fanboy, but I enjoyed it and if you've enjoyed any other bioware RPG you will love this one.