[martok2112]

Well, I loved the first Mass Effect. It was a great game with a cool and divergent science fiction story behind it.

ME2 takes all that, and ups the ante.

It even has exploration of sorts....for those who are more Star Trek inclined. You can take your warship, The SVR Normandy, and go to unexplored planets and scan them for minerals and even distress or radio signals.

The scanning of a planet is pretty interesting. You orbit a planet with a 0% or low numbered "percentage explored" rating. You can then run your scanner manually over a planet (you can be as quick or as methodical as you choose). On your scanner HUD (that's Heads Up Display for those who aren't military or video game minded), you see the planet with a reticule (that's a targetter) on it. To the right of the planet is a graphic readout representing the four major minerals in the game (Element Zero, Iridium, Platinum, and Palladium). As you run your reticule over the planet, you can watch the graphic analysis. When you start seeing an increase in one of the four elements on the GA, you can maneuver the reticule to try and get a hotter reading. If the reading is really hot, the controller will vibrate. You try to move the reticule to get the strongest possible reading, and then launch a probe to collect the minerals. (These minerals go towards mass effect, ship and weapons upgrade research.) If you see a big white blip in the center of your reticule, that means it's a radio or distress signal, for which you can opt to land a shuttle on the planet to seek out the source of the signal.

This is just one small aspect of a VERY epic game with lots of combat, but I figure it's one that might appeal to the Trekkie in all of us.

It also has diplomacy of sorts, as when you view conversations between your on-screen character and whomever they are talking to, you can choose different responses. Such responses can prove beneficial, or detrimental, or indifferent, depending on what you choose.

There are also opportunities during some cutscenes where you can either commit a "renegade" action (perhaps killing the subject of the cutscene) or a "paragon" action (helping that subject out somehow).

Folks, if you love good, interactive science fiction, it truly doesn't get much better than the Mass Effect games.

[jla1987]

Don't have a 360 anymore and my PC can't run it...

I absolutely hated the vehicle in the little bit I played of the first one.

[martok2112]

Aw, man, I loved the MAKO. Explore the planet on wheels, and it had a killer cannon to deal with ground threats. The jump jets on the MAKO were fun too.

[jla1987]

Originally Posted by martok2112

Aw, man, I loved the MAKO. Explore the planet on wheels, and it had a killer cannon to deal with ground threats. The jump jets on the MAKO were fun too.

Just couldn't stand the controls. Is it any better in the second one?

[martok2112]

I don't think there's a MAKO in ME2....I have not driven one yet. There are allusions to some kind of vehicle called "Hammerhead", but I have yet to see what it is, or what it does.

[jla1987]

Originally Posted by martok2112

I don't think there's a MAKO in ME2....I have not driven one yet. There are allusions to some kind of vehicle called "Hammerhead", but I have yet to see what it is, or what it does.

If I had a better processor, I could get it for PC...but alas, I cannot afford it at this time.

I would like to get the first one for PC eventually and give it another (better) go. According to what I've read, it should run on my PC.

[Saquist]

The Game ...sux really.
And I don't think I'm being as harsh.
It's not as imaginative it's just captializing on the sucess of the first...It's like...watchin Rush Hour 2...their rehashing all the same jokes and people....nothing new.

[martok2112]

But that's what a good sequel does...capitalize on what made the first so successful...and I think in many ways it does improve on those. The game play seems a lot faster.

But I love the little "scan the planet" diversion. It's a good relaxer and time-killer. Also, it builds up your stores for when you want to upgrade your weapons, armor, ship, and prototypes.

I miss my MAKO though!!!!

[Lady Vaako]

I have a PS3 (bought it mainly because of the Blu-ray component) and my PC doesn't have the juice required to play that kind of game so I'll have to wait till I get a laptop... probably in a couple of years...

*cries*

I remember seeing a TV ad for Mass Effect when the first one came out and I thought it looked like such a cool game. And apparently the new one is even better! We need some real sci-fi games for the PS3...

[martok2112]

BioWare (the company that made Mass Effect/2 for the 360) made a fantasy game called "Dragon Age" for the PS3. They said that there is another title in the works for PS3, but no idea about the genre or the actual title.

Speculations abound that ME3 might make it to the PS3...and if that's the case, they need to go ahead and port over the other two....the PS3 certainly can handle them.