Multiplat Mass Effect 2

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I never seem to have enough for the ship upgrades. Am I doing it right?

 

[bighit006]

Just finished it. Great game, definitely more polished than the first one but I think I enjoyed the story of the first one far more.

Spoiler

I rekon it really suffers from the lack of any real villian, in the first one you had both Saren and Sovreign who kinda made you want to defeat them, and the bit were you met Sovreign was a great twist. Whereas with ME2 theres virtually no villian at all, I kept thinking you would meet the collector general and he would become the main bad guy, especially seeing as he refers to you by name. But you dont. And then in the last few moments of the game you find out hes actually just under the control of the Harbinger reaper. So why didnt they reveal or at least give us some clues about Harbinger?

and even with the human reaper...it just sorta happens, there no hints or real build up.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Another question

Spoiler

At the end where you find Kelly in one of those tubes you only see her for a moment where she bangs on the glass before she melts or whatever, but there's a YouTube video of that scene going much longer. How do I get the longer cutscene?

 

[Noppo]

I never seem to have enough for the ship upgrades. Am I doing it right?

You just need to keep scanning planets to gain resources. Make sure when you start scanning that it's a Rich planet and any spike less than 4 bars isn't worth the probe. You should also purchase the Star Charts that are available on Illium since you get an extra 4 or 5 (can't remember exactly) clusters that have plenty of rich planets along with a few side missions too.

Another question

Spoiler

At the end where you find Kelly in one of those tubes you only see her for a moment where she bangs on the glass before she melts or whatever, but there's a YouTube video of that scene going much longer. How do I get the longer cutscene?

Spoiler

If you do any mission whatsoever after the Joker mission, whether you land on a planet or a side quest on the citadel, then you trigger the scene where Kelly dies because you've triggered a "timed" event where you took your time to enter the Omega-4 Relay. This excludes scanning planets and visiting a planet such as the Citadel, Illium or Tuchanka to purchase supplies. If you don't do any side missions then you trigger the longer cutscene where Lilith, the colonist chick from Horizon, dies and you save all the members of your crew.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Thanks guys,

Spoiler

managed to upgrade the ship and get the entire crew to the Reaper ship and then got them all back to the Normandy Only thing I can't do is save Kelly unless I play the game over, but I'll probably do that eventually.

Amazing stuff!!

 

[Mancey]

Cool guys don't look at explosions

[YOUTUBE]3i7GlU62zkk[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Ant_]

Started playing it about 4 yesterday, finished up about 2am. Wow this game gets addictive, have just scratched the surface. Going with my full paragon Soldier from ME1.

 

[RequiemBlade]

Just finished it. Great game, definitely more polished than the first one but I think I enjoyed the story of the first one far more.

Spoiler

I rekon it really suffers from the lack of any real villian, in the first one you had both Saren and Sovreign who kinda made you want to defeat them, and the bit were you met Sovreign was a great twist. Whereas with ME2 theres virtually no villian at all, I kept thinking you would meet the collector general and he would become the main bad guy, especially seeing as he refers to you by name. But you dont. And then in the last few moments of the game you find out hes actually just under the control of the Harbinger reaper. So why didnt they reveal or at least give us some clues about Harbinger?

and even with the human reaper...it just sorta happens, there no hints or real build up.

Spoiler

I think that the whole aim of #2 was to set up the reapers for #3 and to give them a reason to hop over from wherever they are to "here". The only link to the reapers was through the collectors so they had to pursue them through the relay to their base and the final "boss" and revelation that harbinger was controlling the general was just another way to build up the story for #3. So i think #2 was more about getting to the end, with all the side missions and loyalty quests rather than having to fight an epic boss at the end.

With regards to the human reaper, there were snippets throughout the game that revealed that the reapers tend to base their designs or looks on the previous generation's most powerful species, thats why some of the reapers look similar to collectors (as i imagine that collectors would look something like the protheans). While i missed it in the end, my brother pointed out to me that among the masses of reapers shown at the end, he saw lots of them that looked nothing like collectors so this indicates that it is true. The reapers just consume life and use it to become stronger.

 

[Noppo]

Spoiler

I think that the whole aim of #2 was to set up the reapers for #3 and to give them a reason to hop over from wherever they are to "here". The only link to the reapers was through the collectors so they had to pursue them through the relay to their base and the final "boss" and revelation that harbinger was controlling the general was just another way to build up the story for #3. So i think #2 was more about getting to the end, with all the side missions and loyalty quests rather than having to fight an epic boss at the end.

With regards to the human reaper, there were snippets throughout the game that revealed that the reapers tend to base their designs or looks on the previous generation's most powerful species, thats why some of the reapers look similar to collectors (as i imagine that collectors would look something like the protheans). While i missed it in the end, my brother pointed out to me that among the masses of reapers shown at the end, he saw lots of them that looked nothing like collectors so this indicates that it is true. The reapers just consume life and use it to become stronger.

Spoiler

You're quite right in everything you're saying, but from my perspective, I tend to see the entire final mission as a "boss fight" since you're doing everything you can the whole time to prepare for this one mission and depending on your choices can have a lot of different outcomes.

The reapers take the form of a particular race to reproduce and therefore some of the Reapers in the ending cinematic look quite different to Harbinger or Sovereign if you look at them closely. That isn't to say that only Harbinger is THE true Reaper, it's just that each race has different characteristics and those are used together with Reaper technology to create them.

 

[bighit006]

Spoiler

I think that the whole aim of #2 was to set up the reapers for #3 and to give them a reason to hop over from wherever they are to "here". The only link to the reapers was through the collectors so they had to pursue them through the relay to their base and the final "boss" and revelation that harbinger was controlling the general was just another way to build up the story for #3. So i think #2 was more about getting to the end, with all the side missions and loyalty quests rather than having to fight an epic boss at the end.

With regards to the human reaper, there were snippets throughout the game that revealed that the reapers tend to base their designs or looks on the previous generation's most powerful species, thats why some of the reapers look similar to collectors (as i imagine that collectors would look something like the protheans). While i missed it in the end, my brother pointed out to me that among the masses of reapers shown at the end, he saw lots of them that looked nothing like collectors so this indicates that it is true. The reapers just consume life and use it to become stronger.

Spoiler

Yea I definitely get that it, like most middle parts in a trilogy, seemed to be more about setting up the third rather than resolving any of the plot points or twists. But I dont see why they couldn't have maybe fleshed out the collector general a little more and had him a similar type of character to Saren in the first. I also think had that been the case, the twist of having harbinger control the collectors would've meant a little more as well. To me the collectors just seemed a little hollow without a real villian leading them, which kinda made the main plot far less interesting than the first one.

A middle ground between ME1 and ME2 would be perfect as far as story and combat goes.

 

[hawks_time]

This thread is the most tempting thread in my life, but I mustn't highlight these secret passages!

 

[RequiemBlade]

Spoiler

I can definitely see the whole suicide mission as being the "final boss". I also agree with bighit that having the collector general as an epic boss would make the harbinger-control revelation a whole lot more meaningful. However, to me, the general just seems like one of those dweeb characters who sits behind his screen and controls everything.

One thing that does interest me is the husks/scions. I'm guessing that the reapers are trying to indoctrinate or change humans so that they can do their bidding. What I don't get is why they've turned humans into (seemingly) unthinkable drones while they turned the protheans into collectors who seem to have a purpose. Although that may change now with harbinger saying that the collectors have failed them and that they would have to find another way. I've got no idea how the 3rd game will play out, with so many reapers on the way I can't even begin to think how Sheppard will go about destroying all of them.

Edit: hahaha yeah hawks_time, half this thread is white space and "highlight to reveal". It's amazing that a video game can generate this much discussion though

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

It's not just a game, it's a way of life.

 

[rick James]

My prediction for Mass Effect 3

Spoiler

its going to be all about raising an army from the races you've been involved with since ME1 - the following will happen:

1. Rachni might help depending on what you did with them in ME1
2. The Geth might help depending on what you did with them in ME2
3. Quarians - same deal, if Tali was exiled you might not get a chance to ahve them at your back in ME3
4. Krogans - depending on if you killed Wrex or not

Also the Illusive man has the same machine eye thing that Saren did in the first one - I reckon he's already controlled by Harbinger.

 

[Jono B]

Highlight to reveal- Although there was no direct nemesis the presence of the Illusive man does probably take the place of a nemesis as you never quite know what he is planning. Personally I would not be surprised if he turns into a fully fledged nemesis in the 3rd one.

 

[Mancey]

Spoiler

Yeah the illusive man is dodgy as ****. Gotta be behind the whole thing somehow or at least a big part of it.

Especially given no one knows his past. Want to know what the reapers are doing with humans other than the unthinkable drone deal....look at the illusive man...

imo

btw, playing as an adept in playthrough 2. Best thing is, i need firepower so use zaeed all the time. Never get sick of his limey bad arse accent

 

[RequiemBlade]

Spoiler

Haha I just thought that TIM was so rich that he fancied some cybernetic eyes. But you make a good point there with TIM being a possible "servant" for harbinger or other reapers. I'm not gunna enjoy giving the collector base to him on my renegade playthrough I first thought that depending on how you ended #2, that you'd have to fight a war on two fronts, one against the reapers and one against cerberus/TIM, but i can see a connection between TIM and the reapers

Haven't had a chance to go through as an adept yet, atm I'm playing a soldier on insane and its....insane. I've died so many times and been frustrated as hell

 

[rick James]

I beat it as a Renegade Soldier first play through.

Playing as a Paragon Adept this time, much easier as Soldier imo and heaps more fun as a Renegade. All the Paragon choices just seem unnatural.

 

[Jono B]

- I doubt that TILM is working directly for the reapers I just assume he is going to try and use Sheppard to help Cerberus/mankind at the expense of the others. If Sheppard chooses to go against him I think he will gain support from his potential allies he gained in the first 2. I also think he might try to use the reaper technology to figure out a way to ensure his survival. I also think war between the quarians and the geth is ineviatable over the quarian homeworld.

 

[Mancey]

I beat it as a Renegade Soldier first play through.

Playing as a Paragon Adept this time, much easier as Soldier imo and heaps more fun as a Renegade. All the Paragon choices just seem unnatural.

Did the exact opposite mate Played as paragon soldier, now a renegade adept. It is more fun playing as a renegade, which is why i did the paragon first, makes the second playthrough a bit more alluring.

Not sure what is easier, the soldier or adept. I must say once you boost up singularity you tend to pwn pretty hard. Easy to kill guys that are floating around helpless

Having Zaeed as a squadmember when you play adept helps a lot. Download him if you haven't already, he's rad

 

[Jono B]

Did the exact opposite mate Played as paragon soldier, now a renegade adept. It is more fun playing as a renegade, which is why i did the paragon first, makes the second playthrough a bit more alluring.

Not sure what is easier, the soldier or adept. I must say once you boost up singularity you tend to pwn pretty hard. Easy to kill guys that are floating around helpless

Having Zaeed as a squadmember when you play adept helps a lot. Download him if you haven't already, he's rad

It was a bit disappointing that there was no recruit mission for Zaeed and there is no 2 way dialogue with him on the ship. I like him as a character but I just wished he was as involved as the other characters.

BTW what difficulty are you attempting it at the second time? I stepped it up from Veteran to Hardcore and you really notice the difference particularly when you notice creatures such as vorcha now have armor. Adept is a lot of fun and the singularity is very useful as it lasts for so long. One thing I have found with the adept is that it is important to choose an ammo boost as your special power as you can't get this otherwise.

 

[Mancey]

I'm playing Hardcore but sorta wishing i went straight to insanity. That said it's still pretty tough. The end of the zaeed mission with the flamethrowers and big mech took a few tries to get past.

I chose barrier as the special power. Saves you a lot

 

[Jono B]

I'm playing Hardcore but sorta wishing i went straight to insanity. That said it's still pretty tough. The end of the zaeed mission with the flamethrowers and big mech took a few tries to get past.

I chose barrier as the special power. Saves you a lot

Yeah, I could imagine. More health is always useful. The thinking with my tactic is that it is hard with the adept to burn through armor/shields as most of their powers are finishing powers and it is hard to combine warp with other powers due to its long cool down. That is why I use ammo powers as it helps me drop their defences quickly with gunfire and then I can use a move on them, plus I have my squad with high level incinerate/overload to enhance this.

 

[Mancey]

I always have miranda and Zaeed. Miranda has overload and warp, so i hit em with mirandas overload if they have shields, wait, then i singularity them, then detonate the singularity with Mirandas warp. C-c-c-c-combo!

Zaeeds inferno grenade very handy against armor

 

[Noppo]

Spoiler

I really doubt that The Illusive Man is in League with the Reapers. If he was then he wouldn't have brought you back to life, since he would have been indoctrinated/recognised the fact that you were too dangerous to be alive. Harbinger's comments during combat of capturing your dead body for study go against everything The Illusive Man has done "for you".

If anything he wants to get the Reaper technology, defeat the Reapers with it then take over the galaxy and establish "Human dominance".