Mass Effect 2 *spoilers around pg 29/30*

[Lakov_Sanite]

Really, the couldn't have designed casual outfits like that besides the four flavors of bland they give you with the game?

You don't realize it but you're already getting intentionally held-back games(in terms of available content and quality) which for a little extra...you can supersize into something better.

[LK]

You don't realize it but you're already getting intentionally held-back games(in terms of available content and quality) which for a little extra...you can supersize into something better.

I actually agree with EA's tactic of having a small percentage of the game, maybe 5%, be locked or unavailable if you purchase a game used. EA has my vote there. Only people pissed about it is those looking to save 5 bucks buying a used game and end up needing to pay 15 more for the missing DLC content.

What I have an issue with is DLC that comes out months later that adds to a narrative that for most is already complete and non-recyclable. Adding new maps to a multiplayer experience, good. Adding a side story that contributes very little to the plot, bad. The Kasumi download is LIKELY not the former in its entirety, but the extra costumes on characters is like horse armor. Fluff that has no impact outside the scope of a game I don't plan to play.

[caladein]

I genuinely don't have a problem getting upsold a new character or some alternate models when I feel a) I got a lot of value out of the base product and b) the game doesn't seem locked down simply to make for lazier upselling.

Would I prefer to get what I've spent $69 on (so far) for $50, of course, but if I thought I was getting gouged, I wouldn't buy it.

Kasumi's mission is not quite worth $7 and if I was done with Mass Effect 2 I probably wouldn't have bought it.  When I wrote up a sort-of review this morning I said off the bat that I found it a good spend of money (Day 1) only because I'd been itching to do another playthrough for a while now.  (And that I'm a completely sucker for spy/thief-type fiction.)

Also, like Lorekeep I see the Cerberus Network/Shale anti-used-game-sales stuff as different from "additional content" DLC like the Alternate Appearances and Kasumi.

[LK]

I'm going to be disappointed if you can't have a child with your SO in ME3. At least, if you're compatible. That'd be a powerful way to end the series or at least add extra drama to your role in the galaxy by doing it for your family.

[MournelitheCalix]

Really, the couldn't have designed casual outfits like that besides the four flavors of bland they give you with the game?

You don't realize it but you're already getting intentionally held-back games(in terms of available content and quality) which for a little extra...you can supersize into something better.

Your probably right in this regard.  In fact I believe your completely right.  I however haven't felt too terribly ripped off by what Bioware has released as premium DLC yet.  I think for the most part both the Dragon Age Origins and Mass Effect DLC has been of a pretty high quality.

That could change in the future mind you in fact it could easily change if I think I am getting EA'd Content but for now I am happy still.

[rk47]

I'm going to be disappointed if you can't have a child with your SO in ME3. At least, if you're compatible. That'd be a powerful way to end the series or at least add extra drama to your role in the galaxy by doing it for your family.

Shepard: Why can't you follow me now as you did before?

SO: Shepard, I'm....pregnant.

 

[LK]

Or if FEMALE Shepard is pregnant. Imagine that mindjob.

"Yeah, you were conceived while I was fucking saving the galaxy. Live up to that one, son."

And then in conversations you get two dialog choices: one for Shepard and one for the baby. Thrilling subtext on when life begins!

[tmp]

I think i prefer the idea of Asari Mind Herpes. Less gender-dependent and equal potential for drama.

[Shrike]

Or if FEMALE Shepard is pregnant. Imagine that mindjob.

"Yeah, you were conceived while I was fucking saving the galaxy. Live up to that one, son."

And then in conversations you get two dialog choices: one for Shepard and one for the baby. Thrilling subtext on when life begins!

Priceless. I'd pay $7 for that.

[LK]

Played through the new DLC. I want Kasumi Goto in Mass Effect 3, though what was "implied" could be anything. I felt a little funny paying $7 for 1 hour of content (2, played through twice). The submachine gun is a beast and better than any Assault Rifle from what I can tell. However, these are all benefits that have the most value if you get this DLC from the start rather than at the end. Otherwise it's just 1 - 2 hours of content for $7 that they spent 2 months making.

Kasumi as romance option!

[Velorath]

I felt a little funny paying $7 for 1 hour of content (2, played through twice).

It's for an hour of content plus a new character that will be with you for the rest of the game.  The value of that may differ for people who don't have any interest in going through the whole game again, or wouldn't use her much in their party anyway but I think it's an important distinction to make that it's not just $7 for an hour long quest.

[LK]

It's a new character, sure, and Kasumi has her uses (Shadow Strike is very good for getting at targets). I can't make a good value judgement without knowing what percentage of people who bought Mass Effect 2 have finished it, how well the DLC sold, and how many more people are going to buy Mass Effect 2 this far out from release.  From my perspective as someone who knows its a good game and got it already, this would have been great content to have at the start of a playthrough though it does provide some game-balance changing benefits, making the overall game much easier due to that Sub-Machine Gun's power.

[Velorath]

Really, the couldn't have designed casual outfits like that besides the four flavors of bland they give you with the game?

You don't realize it but you're already getting intentionally held-back games(in terms of available content and quality) which for a little extra...you can supersize into something better.

Your probably right in this regard.  In fact I believe your completely right.  I however haven't felt too terribly ripped off by what Bioware has released as premium DLC yet.  I think for the most part both the Dragon Age Origins and Mass Effect DLC has been of a pretty high quality.

That could change in the future mind you in fact it could easily change if I think I am getting EA'd Content but for now I am happy still.

I'd say EA seems to go about it the right way for the most part, or at least two of their studios (possibly more but I don't really pay a lot of attention) do with Criterion and Bioware.  Criterion gave away a ton of free content for Burnout Paradise after release just like Bioware has put out some free content for ME2.  The idea being that free extra content extends the life of a game and keeps people from trading it in (and in the case of some of ME2 and DA's content keeps people from buying the games used.

Ubisoft seems to be a bigger offender in that they blatantly lifted two "chapters" out of Assassin's Creed 2 to sell later as DLC so they could get the game out in time for the holidays.  They also had that somewhat less offensive Prince of Persia epilogue DLC pack for that last PoP game that picked up the story after the end of the main game.

[Lakov_Sanite]

What I want to know is not if they are witholding content so much as making some content intentionally sub-standard. Things such as your casual dress outfits, which may not be integral to the game but things people like.  Did they intentionally make these outfits limited in selection and bland with the idea of making better ones with dlc later?

[LK]

Maybe. You said it's not integral and probably not all that important to them either. The new option you did get wasn't very "military". It'd seem odd to have Shepard walking around the Normandy in a dress given the subject matter.

If they release a casual costume Normandy pack in the future, then I'd start wondering about that.

Edit: Also, Kasumi adds a bar to the Normandy.

[Lakov_Sanite]

A bar?! Oh fuck that.  This ain't no cruise ship, be nice if they gave an option to say yea/nay about that.

[LK]

It's been harped on that Normandy 2 was designed to include more comforts than a strict military ship. I remember there was a dialog at one point about installing a bar on the Normandy... with Jacob, I think. Jacob mentions drinking multiple times. I wonder if that'll develop into an alcohol subplot.

[Shrike]

Yeah, but Jacob said the Normandy needed a bar, and Shepard was totally in agreement. Kasumi brought a damned bar. Earned her the eternal respect and gratitude of a thirsty crew. We're assuming dextr-DNA hooch was included as well.

Aside from that, I personally find the new stuff keeps my interest in the game up. I've been through it four times now (mostly with different save variations from the first game). Kasumi's added stuff pretty much means a fifth and sixth run are now inevitable. A sentinal Shepard is now a necessity to play with the new SMG (before, the lousy weapon selection for this class had turned me off to it--I like to shoot). Also, it's pretty much a given now that I'll have to fire up ME1 again for a proper femShep playthrough. That save will mean at least two ME2 playthroughs, etc.

LIke I said, it keeps my interest up in a game I've thoroughly picked apart already. If the heavily rumored Liara DLC drops, then this'll start all over again. And again.

[LK]

I'd pick up Liara DLC but I was hoping they'd wrap up her for Mass Effect 3.

Edit: Huh. Just noticed they have an open Writer position at the Edmonton studio. Problem I see is... I'd probably want to only work on Mass Effect 3 and nothing Dragon Age.

[caladein]

Also, it's pretty much a given now that I'll have to fire up ME1 again for a proper femShep playthrough. That save will mean at least two ME2 playthroughs, etc.

Or you could just use one off of Mass Effect Saves.

[Velorath]

What I want to know is not if they are witholding content so much as making some content intentionally sub-standard. Things such as your casual dress outfits, which may not be integral to the game but things people like.  Did they intentionally make these outfits limited in selection and bland with the idea of making better ones with dlc later?

Considering the first game had zero casual dress options, I'm not sure how you can say having a limited amount in the second game is intentionally sub-standard.

[tmp]

Or you could just use one off of Mass Effect Saves.

The editor linked a few pages back also has option to flip the ME1-related switches in ME2 save any way one could want, if i remember right.

[Shrike]

Also, it's pretty much a given now that I'll have to fire up ME1 again for a proper femShep playthrough. That save will mean at least two ME2 playthroughs, etc.

Or you could just use one off of Mass Effect Saves.

360 version here, so that's a no go.

Not that I mind. I like the first game and another playthrough or two isn't a burden, other than simply finding the time for it. I still see stuff that's new to me even after several years. And stuff I've forgotten. And even better still, stuff that now means a lot more after you've seen what it leads to in ME2 (example: Tali's discussions with Shepard about her life on the fleet and her father. Pure foreshadowing of what happens to her in ME2).

[LK]

I do wish it was easy to explore certain situations, like walking up on Conrad Verner (because you didn't scare him off in #1) and, upon seeing him, shooting him in the foot. You don't get that opportunity until at least 10 hours into the game.

[Shrike]

Lot of stuff like that. It's fluff, but it adds a lot of interest to the game.

One I hadn't seen before showed up after I did my last paragon soldier Shepard without the more homicidal overtones my renegade saves had. Normally, I'd punch Rana's ticket on Vermire. This time I let her live. Running into her again on, ummm...well...Grunt's recruitment mission was hilarious. "I know you! I know how you work!!" Great stuff.

[Lantyssa]

Her whole conversation was great.  I'm looking forward to seeing her again in the next big problematic science experiment.

[Ollie]

Rana is a shoo-in for ME3. She seems to be the galaxy's go-to gal for morally dubious science endeavours.

[eldaec]

One problem I have with the whole ME structure is that I never feel comfortable killing anyone because I might be losing content in the next game.

[Ratman_tf]

One problem I have with the whole ME structure is that I never feel comfortable killing anyone because I might be losing content in the next game.

Two big complaints about ME type games, is that 1. You can miss out on content if you choose path A over path B. 2. For a choice to be meaningful, and not throwaway, they have to have at least two branches of content.

So the two being mutally exclusive, I personally don't mind missing content if it means my choices effect the game beyond a cameo or a throwaway piece of dialogue.

[tmp]

One problem I have with the whole ME structure is that I never feel comfortable killing anyone because I might be losing content in the next game.

In theory that might equally well gain you content -- if killing off someone creates power vacuum or plain pisses someone else off enough to act upon it.

[Shrike]

One problem I have with the whole ME structure is that I never feel comfortable killing anyone because I might be losing content in the next game.

This is why I have four complete playthroughs and two under way.

Yeah, you'll miss stuff. But you'll see different stuff. This is where the R of RPG starts to fit in. I try and keep a mindset uppermost in my own thoughts when I play a particular variant of Shepard. This Shepard will try and do things a certain way and I"ll stick with that as much as possible, considering the situations he finds himself in. Then you see what happens. A lot of replays will eat up a lot of time, but hell, it's a game. It's meant to pass the time. As long as I"m still having fun with it (and if I'm still finding new stuff, I'm probably having fun), I don't mind mulitple playthroughs.

[Special J]

Bought the Kasumi DLC since I'm searching out all the anomalies before going through the Omega relay.  Thought the mission was pretty good and Kasumi is pretty cool.  Her stealth attack is pretty deadly.

Worth getting if you haven't finished the game or on your next playthrough.

[eldaec]

One problem I have with the whole ME structure is that I never feel comfortable killing anyone because I might be losing content in the next game.

In theory that might equally well gain you content -- if killing off someone creates power vacuum or plain pisses someone else off enough to act upon it.

In theory yes, but has that ever happened?

If Bioware make either thing equally likely it wouldn't be so bad - at least that would no longer bias me. But really all the choices should make <SOMETHING_COOL_001> happen.

The nonsense where sacrifice endings always seem to fuck everything up is equally annoying.

[tmp]

In theory yes, but has that ever happened?

Not really, but then it's bound to happen eventually

I must say the "extra content" you gain by not killing off people is hardly anything worth writing home about, either, at least in my experience. Few more spam mails and couple random "oh hai i knows j00" bumps into people is mild flavour but calling it "content" is very generous. I think the likeliness of getting anything more than that is about equal to the possibility of getting something interesting as result of making the opposite choice -- about nil, since either case would make people bitch and moan they're missing out.

[PalmTrees]

Was playing through Tali's loyalty mission again last night and was reminded how sexy Shala Raan's (Tali's 'aunt') voice was. A little deep and scratchy with an accent, yum.

Kasumi's mission was ok. Would have been better if any gunplay before the vault resulted in a failure. Shooting guys just outside the window and balcony of the party and no one notices? It was immersion breaking. She has even less lines on ship than Zaed. At least give us a couple heist stories instead of ship gossip. Kasumi completes the slide to total fail when she reveals she has the hots for Jacob.