Mass Effect

[David Hingtgen]

I seem to be the only person who ever picked Thane for something. My final party choices where they all survived:

Tali in the vents

Miranda as first party leader

Thane to escort the crew

Morinth for the biotic shield

Jacob as the second party leader

Morinth and Miranda for the final battle.

[Duke Togo]

There is a study of your choices on the official forums. Who works and who doesn't in what roles. If you don't do the loyalty quests and you don't pick the right people for the right jobs,

you're going to have some dead folks.

Something else to keep in mind, if you do more than one quest

(for instance, Legion's loytalty quest)

before you go through the Omega 4 Relay,

Normandy crewmen will die in the tanks on the Collector base.

The more quests you do,

the more who will die.

[-Snowblind-]

I seem to be the only person who ever picked Thane for something. My final party choices where they all survived:

...No, I made the same choice for him.

[David Hingtgen]

You know, I've been waiting for a HARD choice for a while. Always imagined it'd be "save your love interest, or the galaxy". Maybe they're waiting for ME 3 before having that. ME 1 had more/better choices IMHO. In ME 2, the only choice I really had to think about was on an N7 mission (the one with the missiles).

In ME 1, the hardest/best choice they gave was the Rachni, IMHO. That one can really go either way. (the council choice is simply are you going to be good or evil, it's pretty clear-cut)

[eugimon]

You know, I've been waiting for a HARD choice for a while. Always imagined it'd be "save your love interest, or the galaxy". Maybe they're waiting for ME 3 before having that. ME 1 had more/better choices IMHO. In ME 2, the only choice I really had to think about was on an N7 mission (the one with the missiles).

In ME 1, the hardest/best choice they gave was the Rachni, IMHO. That one can really go either way. (the council choice is simply are you going to be good or evil, it's pretty clear-cut)

I dunno, I thought both decisions regarding whether or not to send the quarians to war and brainwashing the geth were pretty much in line with the rachni decision. Actually, I think the they're even more morally ambiguous because you're just straight up using them this time around while the rachni queen just says she's going to go away and rebuild in peace

And as for Tali, I had her leveled up and did her loyalty quest and she still died. I wonder if the person who leads the 2nd team actually affects whether or not the hacker survives.

[David Hingtgen]

Some people have said that what outfit they wear makes a difference.

Anyways---August is way too long to wait for the action figures to come out. And they better offer Samara/Morinth in wave 2.

eugi--As for the

geth

choice I guess I did think about that one for a bit, mainly as it was pretty obvious that could have decent repurcussions for ME 3, as well as affecting the outcome of the other choice you mentioned. In the end, I just went 'renegade', mainly so my "paragon" play through is as different as possible. I'm the type of player that plays more to the extremes, so I can see as much as possible of the game, rather than doing "what I really think", as otherwise each play/character would be fairly similar. A few exceptions of course, as if you go 100% renegade, that just eliminates whole characters/missions/options. My renegade Shep is like 85% renegade. Plus I have a standing rule for ME (based on ME 1, the novels, the ME 1 DLC, etc):

I hate batarians, and like quarians. Regardless of how I'm playing, the batarians die, and the quarians (not just Tali) get help.

[mikeszekely]

I hate batarians, and like quarians. Regardless of how I'm playing, the batarians die, and the quarians (not just Tali) get help.

Ditto.

After courting Miranda a bit, I even dumped her for Tali. Shepard takes her mask off and she goes to town on him, but the player doesn't get to see jack.

As for my choices,

I did absolutely every quest I could get before going through the Omega 4 relay. I used Legion for my hacker, Jacob as the alt team leader both times, and Thane for my biotic shield. I had Zaeed lead the Normandy crew back. My teammates were Mordin and Garrus for the first two segments, then Mordin and Thane for the big boss. If what you wear affects anything, I used the Blood Dragon armor the entire game, and I switched the rest of the crew to their alt uniforms once I'd finished their loyalty quests. Garrus got carried off by the swarm, and for non-player crew Chambers definitely died and Chakwas definitely lived, but I didn't notice anyone else specifically.

based on ME 1, the novels

Ah, I'm not the only one reading the novels then. You might be interested to know that the third one comes out in July, if you weren't already aware.

Edited February 3, 2010 by mikeszekely

[eugimon]

So, for those of you who successfully pursued a relationship, did your shep stop to look at the picture of your significant other from ME1 in the captain's cabin before the final mission?

[BeyondTheGrave]

Ditto.

After courting Miranda a bit, I even dumped her for Tali. Shepard takes her mask off and she goes to town on him, but the player doesn't get to see jack.

As for my choices,

I did absolutely every quest I could get before going through the Omega 4 relay. I used Legion for my hacker, Jacob as the alt team leader both times, and Thane for my biotic shield. I had Zaeed lead the Normandy crew back. My teammates were Mordin and Garrus for the first two segments, then Mordin and Thane for the big boss. If what you wear affects anything, I used the Blood Dragon armor the entire game, and I switched the rest of the crew to their alt uniforms once I'd finished their loyalty quests. Garrus got carried off by the swarm, and for non-player crew Chambers definitely died and Chakwas definitely lived, but I didn't notice anyone else specifically.

Ah, I'm not the only one reading the novels then. You might be interested to know that the third one comes out in July, if you weren't already aware.

Thane is not strong enough to keep the barrier up. Chances are by the time he made it to the door he was crawling on the ground. That what happened when I used miranda

[mikeszekely]

So, for those of you who successfully pursued a relationship, did your shep stop to look at the picture of your significant other from ME1 in the captain's cabin before the final mission?

Nope. But that might have had something to do with the fact that I was playing without importing a save. I guess canon Shep didn't have a relationship?

Something else I just realized... the game let me set key configurations for a vehicle, but I never drove any vehicle. Did any of you?

[eugimon]

Thane is not strong enough to keep the barrier up. Chances are by the time he made it to the door he was crawling on the ground. That what happened when I used miranda

miranda gives a hint at the beginning of the game, she tells you she's a strong biotic, for a human

[David Hingtgen]

Yeah, but that's nothing compared to an asari that's a strong biotic even for an asari.

Samara's old and experienced even for a matriarch, spent the last 600 years hunting people down and fighting. And Morinth is just as powerful, as every person she kills makes her stronger, and she's a match for her mother now despite being so much younger

mike---the Mako replacement seems very likely to be the first big (and free I think) DLC for ME 2.

[mikeszekely]

mike---the Mako replacement seems very likely to be the first big (and free I think) DLC for ME 2.

That's cool. I'm hoping that the DLC will be better than what was offered for the first ME or Dragon Age. I got Bringing Down the Sky when I picked up ME for PC, and I got The Stone Prisoner for DA because it was free, but I've yet to actually pay for any DLC for either game because it just doesn't seem worth it.

[David Hingtgen]

Well, I'm going through ME 1 again to set up a female paragon Shep for importation. Annoyingly, I deleted disc 2 of ME 2 off the HDD to make room for ME 1---but it's not enough, I have to play off the disc, or delete ALL of ME 2. (If MS would just make a 40 or 60GB HDD available, I'd buy it in a second---but I won't pay big bucks for an HDD far larger than needed----I just need room for ME 2 and my DLC---but ME 2 is so big nothing else fits on the 20GB HDD)

Man, missions go REALLY fast when you're level 60 on casual. 3 shots and they're down, and that's with a pistol...

Then I'll probably do my paragon male Shep in ME 2 so I can get Tali, then hopefully there'll be some new armor/DLC for ME 2 to do another FemShep run.

[Duke Togo]

mike---the Mako replacement seems very likely to be the first big (and free I think) DLC for ME 2.

Yup, the Hammerhead. I believe its a hover tank that looks a little bit like the old Mako. Cerberus Armor is coming, too.

[David Hingtgen]

I just want the ME1-style armor they have in the opening--it's already in the game even! (I think the one Liara/Ash/etc wears in the opening is the PC-only armor from ME 1)

If you can't remove the helmet, Cerberus armor will be as pointless as the others.

[BeyondTheGrave]

I just want the ME1-style armor they have in the opening--it's already in the game even! (I think the one Liara/Ash/etc wears in the opening is the PC-only armor from ME 1)

If you can't remove the helmet, Cerberus armor will be as pointless as the others.

I'm behind the helmet thing. I'd like to be able to wear / equip a helmet and not have on the whole time. Mainly when its not needed.

You could always get the 250gb hdd from japan.

[eugimon]

I REALLY wish you could mix and match the DLC armor with the in-game armor. And yes, helmets should automatically come off during conversations.

[BeyondTheGrave]

But the Karas armor looks so sweet though.

[-Snowblind-]

The Collector armour is fugly, and I hate being stuck with the mask. Decent bonuses, though, I guess.

[David Hingtgen]

I kinda like the collector armor on a FemShep, gives off a very Guyver II vibe. Though it'd be way better without the helmet... (and if you could select colors)

[David Hingtgen]

Spoilers for the next big DLC, possibly, but seems likely:

In addition to the Hammerhead, you'll get Kasumi, the thief mentioned a few times in various news casts on various planets. This pic is said to be her, and it sure looks "ME2-ish"

http://i46.tinypic.com/dhbtyr.png

[Duke Togo]

Spoilers for the next big DLC, possibly, but seems likely:

In addition to the Hammerhead, you'll get Kasumi, the thief mentioned a few times in various news casts on various planets. This pic is said to be her, and it sure looks "ME2-ish"

http://i46.tinypic.com/dhbtyr.png

While the image might not be legitimate, the DLC in question certainly is. Count on paying for it, too.

[Scream Man]

In ME 1, the hardest/best choice they gave was the Rachni, IMHO. That one can really go either way. (the council choice is simply are you going to be good or evil, it's pretty clear-cut)

See, its been awehile since I made that choice in ME1, but wasnt it about saving the ship outside? And if u didnt, then the council died? Coz i let that go on my second playthoruhg, and i dontt hink it was an 'evil' choice. The dialogue choice was about staying on track for the bigger target; I did that because my shep is very goal oriented and not about stopping to pat puppies.

[BeyondTheGrave]

See, its been awehile since I made that choice in ME1, but wasnt it about saving the ship outside? And if u didnt, then the council died? Coz i let that go on my second playthoruhg, and i dontt hink it was an 'evil' choice. The dialogue choice was about staying on track for the bigger target; I did that because my shep is very goal oriented and not about stopping to pat puppies.

That was the last major decision in ME1 the Rachni one is mid-game

[David Hingtgen]

My point is that the rachni were the biggest threat ever seen (until the reapers)---even "good" characters on your team will argue for killing them, as will Admiral Hackett IIRC. (the council will bitch you out no matter what you do, ironically). Letting the rachni live is "not a smart thing" to many people, and isn't a clear-cut "good" choice. It's technically paragon, but it could so come back to bite you, and the entire galaxy, in the ass. Even in ME 2 there's a comment or two about how one of the worst things Cerberus ever did was help with the rachni rebirth project.

But with the council---there's really no reason to let them die. Doing so is just cut-and-dry evil (or at the very least, very selfish).

[kaiotheforsaken]

For my first playthrough I

Had Miranda lead the other team, Tali in the vent, and Grunt take the people back. Garrus and Legion were on my team for the whole mission with Samara doing the shield. No one died up until the final battle with the human reaper. Then during the cutscene after the battle Mordin was lying there dead...randomly. Not sure what I did wrong, everyone had their loyalty maxed and the ship was fully upgraded. If there is some randomness to it...that seems lame. The whole Normandy crew made it back though. As long as I can have everyone live in my Insanity playthrough Im good. I'll just save more in that final part.

Also on playthrough 2, which I'm currently doing. I was able to get Legion before I got Thane or Samara. It's awesome to be able to have him for so much time. Oh and has anyone found a civil way to be friends with Jack and not have her tell you to f off, cause it seems like it's either love interest or she hates you.

Edited February 4, 2010 by kaiotheforsaken

[bluemax151]

I refuse to pay for DLC by principle. I'll live vicariously through how good/bad you guys say it is. Unless they release a disc expansion like borderlands is doing.

Honestly the DLC for ME1 was beyond a joke and to me it's a pretty disappointing direction for gaming software to go. It's always going to come off as content that should have been in the game already that they're charging you more for regardless of the reality of the situation.

[kaiotheforsaken]

My point is that the rachni were the biggest threat ever seen (until the reapers)---even "good" characters on your team will argue for killing them, as will Admiral Hackett IIRC. (the council will bitch you out no matter what you do, ironically). Letting the rachni live is "not a smart thing" to many people, and isn't a clear-cut "good" choice. It's technically paragon, but it could so come back to bite you, and the entire galaxy, in the ass. Even in ME 2 there's a comment or two about how one of the worst things Cerberus ever did was help with the rachni rebirth project.

But with the council---there's really no reason to let them die. Doing so is just cut-and-dry evil (or at the very least, very selfish).

To be fair though, based on what you can potentially learn about the Rachni (if you saved them) in ME2, it really becomes evident that saving them was the right thing and may have quite a lot of benefit in ME3. I wont say more than that for those who don't know what's up.

[Duke Togo]

How about the choice about whether or not to save the council? Alot of people forget the middle option, "Concentrate on Sovereign." Focusing on saving the council could have seriously backfired and cost you the battle. But that's really besides the point, because we know it doesn't. But what if in ME3 the Sol System gets annihilated because Earth's fleet never fully covered from the Citadel fight (the losses incurred saving the Council, which are said to be heavy)? It could very well be entire systems are won or lost because of choices you've made over the first two games.

[bluemax151]

Well I'm not sure how large the human fleet(s) were originally but in ME2 the vessels my character referenced when the news reporter called me on putting alien lives before humans was less than ten. With human lives lost in the thousands if I remember correctly. That's pretty sad if that's the best humanity has to offer so far.

I guess it should be pretty obvious with the rampant piracy/merc activities and their success that the only real military/policing force is probably the Turians and they're not all too concerned with the problems of some humans.

[VF-19]

The more I play this, the more I like Dr. Solus.

Who knew he sang Gilbert and Sullivan?

Also, Grunt is downright cool. Like Worf, only more violent!

[CoryHolmes]

Also, Grunt is downright cool. Like Worf, only more violent!

I like Grunt because he's kinda like Wrex (who was awesome) but with a child-like outlook on the world. Wrex was old, beaten, world-weary, and had gotten every tshirt imaginable. Grunt brought a sense of wonderment and amusement to every situation. I especially love his finger quotes

[Duke Togo]

Found this tidbit, you can gain the three Dr Pepper DLC items for nothing:

As it turns out, I have good news. The keys provided in the promotion are completely static and reusable.

The codes are as follows:

CBEEAAAE4L9N

CBEEAAAFQG9J

CBEEAAAE98ZV

To apply these codes to your EA account and redeem the Mass Effect 2 DLC items, simply create an account on Dr Pepper’s Promotion website, fill in whatever fake details you please and simply use an @mailinator.com address for the e-mail field. The site will never ask you to confirm your e-mail address. Once you’ve logged in, simply enter the promotional code and pick “No Purchase” for each of the three fields.

When you’re done, just hit the button to redeem the DLC and log in with your real EA account details, select Mass Effect 2 from the list of games, and finalize your selection.

To redeem the remaining two items, simply repeat the process with a different code and e-mail address for your new DrPepper account, always logging back into your real EA account at the end to claim your item.

[kaiotheforsaken]

How about the choice about whether or not to save the council? Alot of people forget the middle option, "Concentrate on Sovereign." Focusing on saving the council could have seriously backfired and cost you the battle. But that's really besides the point, because we know it doesn't. But what if in ME3 the Sol System gets annihilated because Earth's fleet never fully covered from the Citadel fight (the losses incurred saving the Council, which are said to be heavy)? It could very well be entire systems are won or lost because of choices you've made over the first two games.

Indeed, but I imagine if you go Paragon for both games

You'll rally cured Krogan, Rachni, The Geth and many other powerful races to your cause. By going Renegade and putting humanity ahead of everyone you could very well be alone when it comes time to fight Reapers in ME3