Mass Effect 2 - Overrated @ Fidgit

[Lurking Grue]

I agree with Tom Chick on most of his points (http://fidgit.com/archives/2010/01/ten_things_gone_terribly_wrong.php), but not so much on his point about DA or his comment about the ending, I thought it was terrible (giant space terminator skeleton... ). ME2 was a disappointment to me and it is an extremely overrated game. Sure it has it's moments, like some of the side/loyalty missions, but as a whole it's neither a good third-person shooter nor a good CRPG (don't get me started on the "streamlining of the RPG elements"). I would have loved a good sci-fi CRPG, alas ME2 is not it.

 

[DArtagnan]

Reminds me of how sad I am that the Aliens CRPG got canned

 

[DeepO]

its not the second coming of Christ

It´s the second coming of Shepard. Christ would be redundant anyway.

 

[Relayer]

It IS pretty good, but not as an ME sequel - and certainly not as a satisfying CRPG.

In my mind

That would make ME2 pretty lousy then.

I'm currently playing the first game and while it's had a bunch of good moments (a few boss fights and plot points), overall the game isn't that great. Those Mako vehicle levels were horrible, combat wasn't so bad but the the skills system was dull and simplistic, and those elevator rides were annoying. The writing is ok but the story and gameworld aren't all that interesting.

It's a good game, just not a great one and definitely not a great RPG. I keep reading about the 2nd one being much better so I'll check it out eventually but not in any hurry to do so.

 

[Thrasher]

My impression is that ME2 was "improved" over ME1 by removing some annoying elements (like the elevators and the inventory), not by any gameplay innovation or adding greater depth or scope...

 

[lumiapina]

Well I'd say the feel of the combat is pretty different. Depending on one's preferences, it's for the better or worse. For me, I'd say it worked better in ME2, tho I enjoyed both.

 

[Brumbek]

Tom's totally right, and good for him for saying so. There seems to be only a very small minority of us who realize ME2 was a big step backwards. I loved ME1, sure it's no complex RPG, but it was great for what it was. But ME2 is truly an "anemic shooter" with zero inspiration in the gameplay department. Plus they removed the exploration and replaced it with a map. Plus they removed physically driving to your destination and replaced it with loading screens. Plus they removed the inventory and replaced it with … nothing. Maybe to some removing content equals innovation, but to me it's just less value. And the story was the cliched "save the galaxy from evil soulless aliens" tripe…

And so IGN gives ME2 most innovative gameplay…that's truly the most absurd decision ever. It should be getting the dubious award of most uninspired gameplay since it's nothing more than a cover-based shooter clone (although a very well-polished clone with amazing production values).

 

[NFLed]

As a counterpoint to many of the posts in here, in my view Mass Effect 2 is one of the greatest games of all time along with my other favorites of PST (very different type of game, of course), BG2, etc. I've been very lucky that my enjoyment of RPGs has translated into even newer games which are less "hardcore", I didn't think I would be able to greatly enjoy an RPG which was not hardcore.

 

[Edgarstrong]

Who is Tom Chick?