Mass Effect 2 - Review Flood

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Mass Effect 2 - Review Flood

Post by Shir'le E. Illios »

With Mass Effect 2 released yesterday it should come as no surprise that the new has since been flooded with reviews and a variety of other articles. I’ll list a lot of reviews here, though I’m sure that I’ll miss a lot of them as well. After a while though new reviews rarely add anything new and you’ll have heard it all before. There are also a load of new videos released and a number of other things as well that might be of interest.

One word of warning however, a lot of these are likely to contain spoilers, particularly to the early parts of the game. Though it’ll be near miraculous if you’ve missed the spoilers from the opening sequence of the game, they are mentioned in a lot of places here (to the point of even being the headline in a few cases such as the name of one of the DLC). If you want to avoid spoilers then, with the game out or nearly out, I’d suggest pretty much skipping most things here.


[b:1wn0qasa]Reviews[/b:1wn0qasa]

I’ll start with a number of the reviews that have been posted since last time.

[b:1wn0qasa][UPDATE][/b:1wn0qasa]

Instead of making a new post for it I'll just edit this in here, and at the top because I think it might be important to read. I just came across the only negative review that I've seen so far, and though I haven't played the game yet it may be making some very fair points (thus important to read so that you can decide for yourself how much that might impact your enjoyment).

Over at fidgit Tom Chick posts an article titled "[url=http://fidgit.com/archives/2010/01/ten_ ... ":1wn0qasa]Ten Things Gone Terribly Wrong in Mass Effect 2[/url:1wn0qasa]". Even more interesting sicne the writer really liked Dragon Age: Origins (despite all the raving reviews I suspect that I won't enjoy ME2 more than I did DAO). The review is entirely spoiler-free. Here's an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa][u:1wn0qasa]9) It's mostly a shooter[/u:1wn0qasa]
The core gameplay in [i:1wn0qasa]Mass Effect 2[/i:1wn0qasa] is a cover-based shooter, built around a narrow set of resistance/attack types. There are also exploding barrels. Oh, and ammo is called "thermal clips" for some reason. Bioware occasionally tries to vary the action by adding gimmicks, generally involving a timer bar or limitations on where you can stand. It's decent enough, I suppose. There's nothing inherently wrong with a cover-based shooter. But when you make the core gameplay so simple, it has a ripple effect through the rest of the game world. Everything in [i:1wn0qasa]Mass Effect 2[/i:1wn0qasa] has to be related to an anemic shooter.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
Don't get me wrong, it's probably still one of the best games to come out this year, but it can be good to go into it knowing that it isn't all roses and sunshine and that there are definitely some problems with the game as well.

[b:1wn0qasa][/UPDATE][/b:1wn0qasa]

The [strike:1wn0qasa]first[/strike:1wn0qasa] second review comes from [url=http://kotaku.com/5456089/mass-effect-2 ... h:1wn0qasa]Kotaku[/url:1wn0qasa]. As usual they don’t give a score and they give lists of what they loved and what they hated instead. Specifically they list a massive seven likes (voice actors, combat, characters, choice, streamlined, world and exploration) and only two dislikes (main story and predictable formula). The article does contain some of those spoilers I talked about though.

Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa][b:1wn0qasa]It's Emotionally Engaging!:[/b:1wn0qasa] If Mass Effect 2 had failed to play on the player's emotions, BioWare CEO Dr. Ray Muzyka would look rather silly right about now. Fortunately for him, BioWare once again succeeds at drawing you into the lives of your companions. Each new member of your crew has a distinct personality and problems that, while fitting with the setting, reflect on issues that you and I can relate to. One needs to discover his roots. One wishes to reconnect with his son after being gone far too long. Some seek revenge; others, redemption. Even the most comical alien figures have a human side to them that helps bring the character closer.

Mass Effect caught a lot of flak for allowing the player's character to sleep with one of their companions, and that ability still exists in Mass Effect 2, though this time around I felt less inclined to form a bond with a character I thought was attractive, instead leaning more towards the characters I related to the fullest. I suppose that's what Dr. Ray meant by emotional engagement. Mission accomplished.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
[url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mass- ... w:1wn0qasa]Eurogamer[/url:1wn0qasa] also has a review for Mass Effect 2, giving it a 10/10 (which is quite high for the site; they weirdly gave Dragon Age: Origins only a 6/10). So no surprise then that it’s an extremely positive review, though it too contains those spoilers (and quite a bit of them on the first page). Either way, here’s an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa]While your crew will come to be stocked by mostly new faces, the game isn't coy about thrusting old friends and enemies back to the fore and showing you how the past two years have affected them, nor about allowing some of them to disappoint you. If you played the first game, your decisions will be evident, and those who explored the troubled but adorable fringe worlds of the first Mass Effect thoroughly will spot more than a few familiar names and faces in different roles, almost any of which would be a shame to spoil.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
The review at [url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3177714:1wn0qasa]1UP[/url:1wn0qasa] gives the game an A-. It’s mostly very positive, but it does list a couple of quibles that it has with the game. Though they tend to do a fairly good job of it without noting any real spoilers (as I recall, though it does contain a spoiler for Mass Effect 1). The review also contains a movie of a few 1UP guys discussing the game, but I’ll refrain from embedding that here. Here’s an excerpt from the text:

[quote:1wn0qasa]Where the story of ME2 shines, though, the actual game portions are slightly tarnished. The original ME threw a lot of players for a loop, because it looked like a third-person shooter but still placed a heavy reliance on invisible RPG mechanics. It boasted a significant experience system, myriad stats to customize, and tons of inventory to juggle. BioWare based the design of the sequel on player feedback (especially their complaints about that dire inventory system), but they may have gone too far in cleaning up the action; where ME was an RPG that looked like a shooter, ME2 is more of a shooter that has vestigial RPG components. The crunchy role-playing underpinnings of the original are almost entirely gone, replaced by a squad-based shooter that happens to have character classes and a lot of player-driven dialogue.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
I already listed the general IGN review (plus video review) last time, but [url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/106/10635 ... l:1wn0qasa]IGN UK[/url:1wn0qasa] also has its own review up. They give the game a 9.2 and do so mostly without spoilers that I recall. It does list some slight problems they have with it, but is overall quite positive. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa]Forming the middle part of a proposed trilogy, Mass Effect 2 sets up a tale set in the ways of The Empire Strikes Back, full of desperation, loss and struggle. Mass Effect 2's first substantial location Omega underlines the game's moody credentials, a space station ridden with disease and permanently bathed in a grim and seedy red light. It's the antithesis of the clean sterility of Mass Effect's prime location, The Citadel, foreshadowing what promises to be a more sombre experience than the sci-fi fancy of the first game.

It only really delivers this in half measures, and when the end credits roll the story arc reveals itself in hindsight to be simple and overly generic – but when you're in the midst of it unravelling it feels like one of the most engrossing yarns that gaming has ever told. Like other BioWare games, the real marvel isn't where the story takes you but how it gets you there; through the impact you make, the power you wield and the meaningful choices presented to you at every turn.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
[url=http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/ ... l:1wn0qasa]IGN AU[/url:1wn0qasa] also has their review up, giving the game a 9.3 (somewhat surprisingly as AU tends to give lower scores than UK I’ve noticed). With already two IGN reviews under my belt though I haven’t read this one yet so can’t advice on spoilers. Either way, here’s an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa]After a smashing introduction, either after importing your previous saved game or starting anew, you're back in control of Commander Shepard; hero of the people or wild-eyed renegade with a sour attitude and some gnarly facial scarring that reminded us of Too Human's Baldur. Tasked with assembling a crew by the mysterious 'Illusive Man' (voiced by a deliciously scene-chewing Martin Sheen) and ultimately reporting to his somewhat controversial faction, the path is laid out in front of you –and how you get there is a terrific blend of linear progression and freeform role-playing that was established in the first game.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
[url=http://www.gametrailers.com/video/revie ... 5:1wn0qasa]GameTrailers[/url:1wn0qasa] has a video review (including spoilers) and end up giving the game a 9.7.

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[url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/article ... 2:1wn0qasa]The Escapist[/url:1wn0qasa] is fairly early (for their doing) with the usual text review with video supplement (which I’ll refrain from embedding here). This review doesn’t contain any real spoilers (that I recall) and is quite good and balanced; mostly positive but with some small problems (they particularly don’t like the planet scanning minigame). Their final advice: if you can play the first Mass Effect first end then play this one. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa]Normally, I'd begin my review by giving you a brief overview of the game's plot, but I'm not going to do that here. The story of [i:1wn0qasa]Mass Effect 2[/i:1wn0qasa] is, I think, best experienced completely fresh, and I don't want to ruin it by telling you too much about what to expect. I will say that once again, you're in command of the Normandy, and you need to assemble a team of specialists to help you on a mission to save humanity. Things have changed since you last saw Shepard; new crew members take the place of old friends, and the universe isn't quite how you left it. Hard days lie ahead of you and your team.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
GameSpot has both a [url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... l:1wn0qasa]text review[/url:1wn0qasa] and a [url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... w:1wn0qasa]video review[/url:1wn0qasa], giving the game a 9.0. I haven’t really read the text review yet (is about the time where I got tired of reading reviews as they didn’t really seem to add anything anymore), but I do think that it includes some spoilers (and I don’t recall if the video did or not). Here’s an excerpt from the text followed by the video:

[quote:1wn0qasa] The main plot is conventional science fiction that draws to a predictable close, so the narrative wonders don't exist within the sturdy-but-safe central story; rather, they gild its periphery. Each recruit offers a quest of his or her own to undertake, and these missions give you a lot of insight into your crew members--even those, like Jacob, that seem rather boring initially. Not all of these missions involve combat, which doesn't always work in the game's favor; one in which you follow your target from a walkway overhead is one of Mass Effect 2's weaker moments. But even the rare missions that are light on thrills are still heavy on character development. Writing and dialogue are top notch, keeping each teammate from being a simple sci-fi cliche. The game may come with an M rating, but it doesn't flaunt its adult motifs. Profanity and sexual themes are handled maturely, and their use has purpose and poignancy. There's nary a weak link in the tremendous voice cast, so each line sounds heartfelt, and great facial animations (especially among the nonhuman members of your crew) and physical gestures make it easy to connect with your cohorts.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
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Another review that I haven’t read yet is the one at [url=http://pc-mmo.nowgamer.com/reviews/pc-m ... 2:1wn0qasa]NowGamer[/url:1wn0qasa], which gives the game a 9.5 over a 4-page review. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa]Unpause, place the EA-branded master review disc one into the tray, install and play. Most wouldn’t jump into the second book of a trilogy without reading the first, and if you want a full appreciation of Mass Effect 2 then we’d advise playing the original game and reading both Revelations and Ascension, which form a fascinating periphery to the science fiction BioWare has created. But even if this is your first time playing Commander Shepard, the path leading into Mass Effect 2’s snaking plot is easily trod. References are made to Saren, the Geth and the Reaper ship Sovereign from the opening cinematic onwards, but while having first-hand experience of dealing with the Reaper threat is a more absorbing context, there’s no tangible gameplay advantage to having it.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
There are a lot more reviews out there, but instead of listing them all I’ll just point you to MetaCritic (for [url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platfor ... 2:1wn0qasa]the PC version[/url:1wn0qasa] and [url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platfor ... 2:1wn0qasa]the Xbox360 version[/url:1wn0qasa]).Or you could just read Gamasutra's [url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/2696 ... p:1wn0qasa]Critical Reception[/url:1wn0qasa] article which looks at a couple of reviews and pulls out the highlights (though they don't seem to do much more with it than that).


[b:1wn0qasa]Videos[/b:1wn0qasa]

A lot of new videos, mostly showing various gameplay, have been released as well. Though here too the warning of spoilers must be made. In fact I haven’t seen a lot of these videos yet myself as it’s starting to get rather ridiculous how many of them there are and at this point it feels that the only truly new thing that they could show me are spoilers, which I’d rather experience from the game itself.

But I’ll start with a couple of videos which might be interesting and which are spoiler-free.

The first one is another “Fight for the Lost” video, this time showing the alien scientist Mordin:

[center:1wn0qasa][youtube:1wn0qasa]B0xxosDi8g8[/youtube:1wn0qasa][/center:1wn0qasa]
The second video is an introduction video for the character included in the launch-day DLC; the human bounty hunter Zaeed:

[center:1wn0qasa][youtube:1wn0qasa]ttUIElxyzw8[/youtube:1wn0qasa][/center:1wn0qasa]
The two next videos also relate to DLC as they show [url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]the pre-order weapons[/url:1wn0qasa] and [url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]the pre-order armors[/url:1wn0qasa] respectively:

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<br /><br />
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Another video that could be useful is IGN's "[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]Class Guide[/url:1wn0qasa]" video. What this video basically does is that in a few minutes it names all six classes, what roughly their abilities are and give an idea or two on who might like to play such a class.

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Beyond that we’re squarely going into spoiler territory so I won’t embed them here. Besides, there are a [i:1wn0qasa]lot[/i:1wn0qasa] of them; it would take forever to do so. So instead I’ll just leave them to the list of links at the bottom of the post (under the heading “Spoiler Videos”). Maybe some are fairly innocent gameplay movies, but I’m not taking any chances. Besides, even just gameplay can ‘spoil’ things like what locations you might visit.


[b:1wn0qasa]DLC[/b:1wn0qasa]

Unfortunately it seems that BioWare isn't having much luck with downloadable content. Next to the delays and issues with the DLC for Dragon Age: Origins they now also seem to have some issues with the (free) DLC for Mass Effect 2. To start with some of it was leaked early on Xbox Live. And secondly one of the DLC, the new squadmate Zaeed, had to be delayed a little, as [url=http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/mass- ... /:1wn0qasa]Joystiq reports[/url:1wn0qasa]:
[quote:1wn0qasa]It seems there's a slight clog in Mass Effect 2's Cerberus Network DLC pipeline. Though the promised bonus mission is still available, the deadly, rugged and elaborately scarred mercenary Zaeed has been held up until tomorrow or Thursday on the Xbox 360, according to a BioWare spokesman writing on the company's official forums.

You could spend time being sad about the delay or you could spend time playing Mass Effect 2. We think the choice should be pretty clear. Just pretend his space luggage got lost or something.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
Reports say that the DLC is available now on both PC and Xbox360 though.

But that's not the only issue; it seems that a lot of people are having a variety of issues with the Cerberus Network and/or with DLC. So much so that the developers made a [url=http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... 7:1wn0qasa]post on the forum[/url:1wn0qasa] to answer some of the more common issues.

[quote="Chris Priestly":1wn0qasa]Hello Mass Effect 2 fans.

We are aware of issues players are experiencing and are continuing to listen and work on these issues. When we have more information we will provide updates and let you know.

[b:1wn0qasa]How can you tell if you are Cerberus Enabled:[/b:1wn0qasa]
When you start Mass Effect 2, there are two computers on the main menu. The computer on the right hand side of the screen should be open. If it is not then check to see that you’ve entered your Cerberus Code in the account creation screens located in game.

[b:1wn0qasa]PC Collector's Edition Issues:[/b:1wn0qasa]
We’re aware that some PC Collectors’ Edition Cerberus Codes are not working. If you have the number 1688108 on the bottom right of your Cerberus Network card and have not associated it to your EA Online account at 4:00 PM PST your codes will be fully functional. If you already have associated it to your EA Online account at 6:00 PM PST you can restart the game and your Cerberus Account will be available automatically!

[b:1wn0qasa]Zaeed:[/b:1wn0qasa]
Some of you may be looking for Zaeed as a way to check your Cerberus Account. Zaeed is being propagated to Xbox Live as we speak and will be available mid day tomorrow (MST).

[b:1wn0qasa]Timeouts:[/b:1wn0qasa]
Some users are reporting timeouts or connection drops to Cerberus Network. We are actively pursuing a fix to this and will update everyone once it is fixed on the server-side.

[b:1wn0qasa]General Cerberus Issues:[/b:1wn0qasa]
If you’ve entered your Cerberus Activation Code through the web interface and have played other EA Games with EA Online accounts but are not seeing the Cerberus Mission Computer open on the main menu. You’ll need to contact EA’s Customer service line to ensure that the Gamer Tag in Xbox Live is associated with your EA Online account you’ve used to activate Cerberus.

[b:1wn0qasa]Code Redemption Clarification[/b:1wn0qasa] [b:1wn0qasa]and Important information about your Social.bioware.com and Xbox Live account[/b:1wn0qasa]

****Make sure that your account that you are using on social.bioware.com is linked to your gamertag****

[b:1wn0qasa]How to Redeem and activate Cerberus[/b:1wn0qasa]

Xbox In-Game Redemption:
o Start the game
o Cerberus Connection will automatically prompt
o Sign in with your existing account or create a new account
o When prompted enter Cerberus code
o The Cerberus laptop will open on screen and display the available downloads

Xbox Online Redemption
o Go to the Code Redemption page here: [url:1wn0qasa]http://social.bioware.com/redeem/[/url:1wn0qasa]
o Sign in with your existing account or create a new account (make sure to sign in using the exact same account on your xbox)
o Enter the Cerberus code
o Upon successful redemption restart your console and load the game

PC Online Redemption
o Go to the Code Redemption page here: [url:1wn0qasa]http://social.bioware.com/redeem/[/url:1wn0qasa]
o Sign in with your existing account or create a new account (make sure to sign in using the exact same account that you used on social.bioware.com)
o Enter the Cerberus code
o Upon successful redemption load the game and login

[b:1wn0qasa]How to Redeem and activate Gamestop Terminus Armor code[/b:1wn0qasa]

Xbox Online Redemption
o Go to the Code Redemption page here: [url:1wn0qasa]http://social.bioware.com/redeem/[/url:1wn0qasa]
o Sign in with your existing account or create a new account (make sure to sign in using the exact same account on your xbox)
o Enter the [b:1wn0qasa]Terminus[/b:1wn0qasa] code
o Upon successful redemption restart your console and load the game

PC Online Redemption
o Go to the Code Redemption page here: [url:1wn0qasa]http://social.bioware.com/redeem/[/url:1wn0qasa]
o Sign in with your existing account or create a new account (make sure to sign in using the exact same account that you used on social.bioware.com)
o Enter the Cerberus code
o Upon successful redemption load the game and login
o Upon successful redemption right-click on the download link and save to your computer
o Install file
o Restart game

How to enable Mass Effect Galaxy dialog

Xbox
- You must play and finish the Mass Effect Galaxy iPhone game and log into your EA account to upload the unlock
- When playing Mass Effect 2 you must have Miranda and Jacob in your party to witness dialog

PC
- You must play and finish the Mass Effect Galaxy iPhone game and log into your EA account to upload the unlock
- When playing Mass Effect 2 you must have Miranda and Jacob in your party to witness dialog
As mentioned previously, when we have more information for you on these or other issues, we will let you know.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
And even that isn't everything. Though in comparison it might be minor (though still good to know and something that I hope they'll fix), [url=http://kotaku.com/5457584/mass-effect-2 ... s:1wn0qasa]Kotaku reports[/url:1wn0qasa] that for the DLC armor you apparently can't remove the helmet. Which might not seem like a big deal until you realize that in every conversation your Shepard will keep his/her helmet on, which just looks ridiculous.

[quote:1wn0qasa]One issue brought to our attention is not addressed in the forum topic, mainly because there isn't much that can be done about it. Some fans are outraged over the fact that the special armors in the game do not feature removable helmets. The situation is getting particularly heated in [url=http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... 1:1wn0qasa]this forum thread, sent to us by Kotakuite Dorikin[/url:1wn0qasa], in which players call for the termination of whoever made the decision to not include a helmet toggle feature.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
Short version; probably best to just not wear the DLC armor as it kind of ruins some of the cinematic moments.

Thankfully it's not all bad news and from what I gather the DLC that peopel have been able to try out is generally enjoyed. IGN even has an [url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/106/10637 ... l:1wn0qasa]impressions article[/url:1wn0qasa] up, though I must warn that the name of the DLC in question and with it the title of the article there are a rather big spoiler for the start of Mass Effect 2. And though I'm already aware of the spoiler, I want to avoid any additional spoilers so I haven't read the article past the first paragraph, which I'll quote here (if edited to edit out said spoiler):

[quote:1wn0qasa]If there's one part of Mass Effect 2 that has polarized the IGN office, it's this mission. Some (like myself) find this free mission to be a somber, touching mission that's a fitting tribute to ((spoiler to the beginning of Mass Effect 2 removed)) in the beginning of Mass Effect 2. Others, specifically IGN Editor in Chief Hilary Goldstein, describe it as "the worst thing ever."[/quote:1wn0qasa]
Sounds intriguing. :)


[b:1wn0qasa]Various[/b:1wn0qasa]

There are a few more links to report on that don't neatly fall into the above categories.

To start there is an interview with Adrien Cho over at at Gamasutra titled "[url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4 ... p:1wn0qasa]Back In Space: BioWare On [i:1wn0qasa]Mass Effect 2[/i:1wn0qasa][/url:1wn0qasa]". The article talks about the evolution of Mass Effect and how they've tried to ensure that Mass Effect 2 is a top-notch product. I haven't read the article yet, but I'm fairly certain that it's spoiler-free (since I don't think it talks about Mass Effect 2 the game directly and more about the process of developing it). Here's an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa]Here, lead producer Adrien Cho, who was lead technical artist on the first game, talks about the process of learning from the original game in the series. The BioWare team took journalist and fan feedback, compiled it all, and made leads responsible for addressing it in the game. He also talks about how laying the foundation of the original title enabled growth and refinement for the developers' ideas as they launched into the sequel.
One aspect that BioWare and EA have been touting for the sequel is that the game plays more like a shooter, while still retaining the developer's stock-and-trade of strong RPG gameplay and intricate story mechanics.

Cho discusses this evolution, and the thinking behind boosting that aspect of the game -- and why the rise of the shooter and its meld with the RPG is an increasingly common occurrence.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
Something else that I haven't had the time to explore yet is a [url=http://uk.games.ign.com/articles/106/10 ... l:1wn0qasa]podcast over at IGN[/url:1wn0qasa]. In it they host a live Q&A with Mass Effect 2 producer Jesse Houston where listeners could send in questions that he then answered (questions and answers, see? ;) ). The podcast is about an hour long (hence why I haven't had time for it yet).

[center:1wn0qasa][url=http://retromovies.ign.com/games/audio/ ... 3:1wn0qasa]Download the podcast here[/url:1wn0qasa][/center:1wn0qasa]
Now we know that when you import your Mass Effect 1 character into Mass Effect 2 then all the decision you made get preserved. However, there are a lot of different combinations and such so if you don't have the time or inclination to play through the first game that often (or if you lost your old saves or such) then there's is a handy user-created website called [url=http://www.masseffectsaves.com/:1wn0qasa]Mass Effect Saves[/url:1wn0qasa] where users post their old Mass Effect savegames, listing some of the important decisions they made, for others to download. Can save one a fair amount of time if you just want to see how other choices impact things (though I'd still suggest playing Mass Effect 1 yourself if you've got the time and patience).

Shacknews has a sort of [url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/62111:1wn0qasa]pre-review[/url:1wn0qasa] (as opposed to a preview) where they detail their first twenty hours with the game (with is, roughly estimated, about halfway/two-thirds in). It's spoiler free and fairly short; here's an excerpt:

[quote:1wn0qasa]Technical improvements and refinement of the combat to bring it up to shooter standards got the most attention during pre-release showings of the game and with good cause. Particularly on the Xbox 360 version the differences make playing the game a more comfortable experience than its predecessor. It's much easier to get caught up in the moment without the interruption caused by the action on the screen uncomfortably stuttering or graphical limitations causing pieces of the environment to pop into the scene.[/quote:1wn0qasa]
And finally the most important news, well for me anyway, is that the European version of Mass Effect 2 seems to have started preloading on Steam. I'm already 57% in. Yay, now all I need is for it to unlock Friday. :D


[b:1wn0qasa]Reviews[/b:1wn0qasa]
[b:1wn0qasa][UPDATE][/b:1wn0qasa] [[url=http://fidgit.com/archives/2010/01/ten_ ... p:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at fidgit.
[[url=http://kotaku.com/5456089/mass-effect-2 ... h:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at Kotaku.
[[url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mass- ... w:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at Eurogamer.
[[url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3177714:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at 1UP.
[[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/106/10635 ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at IGN UK.
[[url=http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at IGN AU.
[[url=http://www.gametrailers.com/video/revie ... 5:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to video review at GameTrailers.
[[url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/article ... 2:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at The Escapist.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at GameSpot.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... w:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to video review at GameSpot.
[[url=http://pc-mmo.nowgamer.com/reviews/pc-m ... 2:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to review at NowGamer.
[[url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platfor ... 2:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to PC reviews at MetaCritic.
[[url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platfor ... 2:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to Xbox360 reviews at MetaCritic.
[[url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/2696 ... p:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to "Critical Reception" at Gamasutra.

[b:1wn0qasa]Videos[/b:1wn0qasa]
[[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0xxosDi8g8:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to Mordin “Fight for the Lost” video at YouTube.
[[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttUIElxyzw8:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to Zaeed introduction video at YouTube.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to pre-order weapons video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to pre-order armors video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to class guide video at IGN.

[b:1wn0qasa]Spoiler Videos[/b:1wn0qasa]
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Women Like Bad Girls” video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Reconhoods Rock” video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Helpful Vader” video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Exploring the Crash Site” video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Collector Armor Does its Thing” video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Blood Dragon Armor in Action” video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Beer Googles” video at IGN.
[[url=http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/14235019/ ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “UK Reader First Look Event” video at IGN.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... 0:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Prison Break” video at GameSpot.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... 9:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Stopping Plague” video at GameSpot.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... 8:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Jittery Scientist” video at GameSpot.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... 7:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Locking Down a Base” video at GameSpot.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... 6:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Heavy Security Robot” video at GameSpot.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/masseffec ... 5:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to “Finding Archangel” video at GameSpot.

[b:1wn0qasa]DLC[/b:1wn0qasa]
[[url=http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/mass- ... /:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to Zaeed delay at Joystiq.
[[url=http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... 7:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to DLC issues post at BioWare.
[[url=http://kotaku.com/5457584/mass-effect-2 ... s:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to helmet issue at Kotaku.
[[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/106/10637 ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to spoiler DLC impressions at IGN.

[b:1wn0qasa]Various[/b:1wn0qasa]
[[url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4 ... p:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to interview with Adrien Cho at Gamasutra.
[[url=http://uk.games.ign.com/articles/106/10 ... l:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to podcast with Jesse Houston at IGN.
[[url=http://www.masseffectsaves.com/:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to Mass Effect Saves.
[[url=http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/62111:1wn0qasa]link[/url:1wn0qasa]] to pre-review at Shacknews.


Love -x-x-x-

Shir'le
Last edited by Shir'le E. Illios on Thu Jan 28, 2010 12:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
F'sarn natha tithaur wun l'su'aco.

-= Shir'le E. Illios =-
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Shir'le E. Illios
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Post by Shir'le E. Illios »

Updated with a link to the [url=http://fidgit.com/archives/2010/01/ten_ ... p:6hyh68zo]review at fidgit[/url:6hyh68zo] since it might be good to read and I didn't want to make a new news post for it.


Love -x-x-x-

Shir'le
F'sarn natha tithaur wun l'su'aco.

-= Shir'le E. Illios =-
Chosen of Eilistraee
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