Mass Effect 2 *spoilers around pg 29/30*

[LK]

That avatar, lorekeep.... wow.

I changed it quick. Did you mean Asari, For Real? It was a joke one, but I'm liking this one more. I plucked it from the Mass Effect forums.


Another gem:

[bhodi]

Yeah, I meant the Asari, for real.

[tmp]

Let's see... How about a setting a few years before ME1?

 - Play as young, idealistic C-Sec recruit Garrus Vakarian, fresh from the academy.
 - Use your special VI-enhanced visor to analyse evidence and connect to the Citadel databases.
 - Solve exciting cases such as the breaking of a organ harvesting ring, a series of ritually murdered hanar and the mysterious disappearance of the new human ambassador from his own shuttle.
 - And of course: Will you be good cop or bad cop in the end?

I'd pay good money for that.

Been thinking about it, and realized they already have all elements needed to make that game

- paragon interrupt/renegade interrupt interrogations
- hovercraft chases
- shootouts in warehouses
- endless scanning the planets for element zero clues and witnesses

 

[Morat20]

Yeah, I meant the Asari, for real.

Yeah, I'm tempted to change mine for that one. :)

[tmp]

Noooooooo. psyduck > all.

[LK]

SOMEONE HAS TO. FOR THE SAKE OF THE REST OF US.

[Morat20]

Noooooooo. psyduck > all.

My son gave me a psyduck stuff dolled as his first birthday present to me. (He was like 5 or 6). I love Psyduck. Not just because Pokemon is Japanese Cock Fighting. Not just because my son was a major Pokemon fan for years.

But because it's utterly useless until you've annoyed it, at which point it has a headache at you until you go away. It's ultimate ability is stress induced headaches from dealing with idiots.

He's the patron saint of anyone in the IT field.

[LK]

I just finished Lair of the Shadow Broker. It was fucking fantastic. I thought I'd have trouble getting used to the game again but all revisiting ME2 did was remind me how engaging and solid the action mechanics were.

Pro
- Long. Good levels. If you haven't played the game in awhile, you pick it up fast. I'm reminded that Mass Effect 2 had strong "action" elements and was very engaging. The Shadow Broker ship was beautiful.
- Liara relationship taken to such an extreme emotional level as to make all other relationships superficial and unimportant by comparison.
- The explanation for the Shadow Broker felt logical.
- Insight into characters from Data Files makes them more real and showcases Bioware's talent. Miranda is humorous yet tragic.
- REPORTER FALCON PUNCH!

Cons
- I needs me Mass Effect 3 now.

They did a masterful job with this one. My mind boggles at the writing talent on the project. I know Stormwaltz was talking about how the original Shadow Broker was an AI, but I can understand why they changed it and appreciate the steps they took to implement it. This really is the best DLC for the game and a must-play for anyone who plays Mass Effect 2, and DEFINITELY for people romantically involved with Liara.

[tmp]

Heh, a coincidence; i just finished it today too, bought it for myself yesterday  

Shadow Broker ship reminded me of one of these Minmatar cruisers (i think? can't remember) in EVE. And the Shadow Broker himself made a beautiful impression of 500-kg gorilla in a suit. (neither is supposed to be a complaint)

Similar impressions, overall. Well maybe minus the combat part. Reminded me how tiresome the "here's another corridor with convenient covers, guess what's about to happen" thing could quickly get.

- Insight into characters from Data Files makes them more real and showcases Bioware's talent. Miranda is humorous yet tragic.

-Installed suit application, Nerve-Stim Pro
...
-UnInstalled suit application, Nerve-Stim Pro
...
-Installed suit application, Nerve-Stim Pro

Fetish fuel for the talimancers. Legion's gamer file made me laugh the most, though.

[Shrike]

Shush on the Tali-slander. Besides, I think the last one was an upgrade to advanced nerve-stim pro.

It was an outstanding DLC. Since I just got a new TV, I had to fire up ME2 again for a vanguard playthrough, just to see it on the new panel. Still fun!

Looking forward to more bridge content, especially after the ME3 announcement.

[Muffled]

I'm romantically involved with Liara....  

I don't know why I never bought the Shadow Broker.  Thanks for reminding me of it, even though I have too many games going at once I need to find time to fit this one in.

[LK]

Yeah there were so many little touches added that really brings it above and beyond any DLC I've purchased. Legion's gamer file included (favorite class: sniper made me chortle).

I think it was damn smart to use the Liara Relationship as an additional hook for this DLC. The writing on the other relationships, especially Miranda, seems to be more about getting space nookie than a healthy relationship. I also understand now why Samara and Shepard are wholly incompatible.

All of the quirks and issues of the characters are highlighted and fleshed out. The throwbacks to the past (Shepard and the hostage, for one) are amazing. I loved how the Shadow Broker also reacted to the companion I brought.

I know the level design could be simplistic but it works to emphasize the stronger tactical aspects of the game that blows, say, any Oblivion / Fallout game out of the water. The flow was tight as well. Pacing was great. The two mission structure fit in seamlessly. Everyone should be looking at that DLC of how just good additional chapters to a story can be.

[cironian]

I know Stormwaltz was talking about how the original Shadow Broker was an AI, but I can understand why they changed it and appreciate the steps they took to implement it.

After playing it, I got the feeling that the original idea was still retained in a hidden way. With that strangely acting drone and all kinds of terminals just throwing up information for whoever happens to be there, what if the organic inside the room is really just a front for the AI behind the curtain? If no one knows you even exist, no one will try to kill and replace you. It makes more sense to me than the drones explanation that the original broker just really liked to listen to tutorials all day.

[Reg]

That makes a lot sense considering that Shadow Brokers come and go but it's the actual spy network and and its associated computers that provide continuity.

[tmp]

After playing it, I got the feeling that the original idea was still retained in a hidden way. With that strangely acting drone and all kinds of terminals just throwing up information for whoever happens to be there, what if the organic inside the room is really just a front for the AI behind the curtain? If no one knows you even exist, no one will try to kill and replace you. It makes more sense to me than the drones explanation that the original broker just really liked to listen to tutorials all day.

I thought the terminals were something Liara set up for Shepard (she says as much) but the drone did give me a feeling there's more to it, plus the lack of any security systems on the access to the network work with this theory, too. Maybe they're saving the AI thing as excuse to cut you off from the Broker's net come ME3.

[TripleDES]

Probably a side-story where you have to rescue Liara from the Shadow Broker background AI gone mad. Since the romances from the first game can come to fruition in the third part,  there has to be a storyline which "frees" her from that job.

[Reg]

Sounds like a good job for the AI in the ship. Edi? Nah, then Joker would be sad and he deserves better.

[Surlyboi]

I'm romantically involved with Liara....  

I don't know why I never bought the Shadow Broker.  Thanks for reminding me of it, even though I have too many games going at once I need to find time to fit this one in.

[Sir T]

Personally, because of the sheer effort you have to go through to even see it, i find the 15-20 second afterthought cutscene you get when you DON'T have any romance at all to be uniquely rewarding. 

[Shrike]

Looks like the last hurrah for ME2 prior to ME3:

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/66992

Makes sense, since the Cerberus update has been particulary lame of late--what little I've seen of it. Regardless of that, the news that the big bridge DLC is coming is welcome. Been a real lack of info lately regarding Mass Effect of any sort. Personally, I was hoping for a bit more than this, but if it's of the quality of Shadowbroker, I won't complain.

[Kitsune]

I'm frankly amazed that nobody brought up the car chase from the Shadow broker DLC; the dialogue was utterly hilarious.  I was disappointed when it ended, and usually I despise vehicular minigames.

[LK]

I'm frankly surprised it was in there. It was one of the more unique segments in Mass Effect 2. Simple, elegant, and entertaining.

[TripleDES]

Hope that bridge DLC comes out rather sooner than later. With ME3 being slated end of year and all that.

[Shrike]

It's only January and barely that.

My guess would be summerish. That's when the ME3 hype will start to build and this would fit right into that leading into fall and the practically weekly trailer-spoilers that Bioware is so fond of.

[Sjofn]

So I'm doing my very first playthrough of Mass Effect 2, and I am completely in love with the asari matriarch bartender. 

[Shrike]

So I'm doing my very first playthrough of Mass Effect 2, and I am completely in love with the asari matriarch bartender. 

Naturally, she's voiced by Claudia Black. What's not to like?

Oh, and if you've played through Shadowbroker, make sure you examine those video files--and think about what Atheta has told you.

[TripleDES]

It's only January and barely that.

Just sayin', because Steam has news quotes about this dating back to March 2010.

[Sjofn]

So I'm doing my very first playthrough of Mass Effect 2, and I am completely in love with the asari matriarch bartender. 

Naturally, she's voiced by Claudia Black. What's not to like?

Oh, and if you've played through Shadowbroker, make sure you examine those video files--and think about what Atheta has told you.

Pfft, I figured that out just from talking to her, I didn't need the Shadowbroker DLC to confirm my suspicions. ;)

I finished it, told Cerberus to go fuck themselves, managed to not get anyone killed. The whole suicide mission sequence was pretty awesome.

And, COMPLETELY out of character for me, my first playthrough was MANSHEP rather than Lady Shep. I romanced Tali because Jack is way, way too damaged to touch with a ten foot pole and the LEER CAM during the flirting with Miranda scenes squicked me out. Plus MANSHEP was a Mechanic (a class name that thoroughly delighted me), I figure he and Tali can pillowtalk about their little robot buddies or whatever.

[Reg]

My MANSHEP romanced Liara in the first game and remained faithful (if somewhat mopey) in the second.  So getting to do that paragon romance interrupt at the end of the DLC made it all worthwhile.

[Sjofn]

My MANSHEP was in the middle of romancing Ashley when he let her xenophobic ass bite it (he shed a manly tear, I assure you), so he had no carryover romance to trouble him. Just the SURVIVOR GUILT. It's good Tali didn't eat it during the suicide mission, it would've made him go all OH GOD EVERYONE I LOVE DIEEEEEEEEEEEES (as his background is parents killed by slavers/sole survivor). In my head, anyway.

I think part of the reason I played MANSHEP is because I do not feel connected to Shepard the way I feel connected to my Grey Warden(s). Shepard is Shepard, I'm just his little inside voice, rather than him being the vessel for my decisions or whatever. So I don't feel the need to really identify with him, exactly. And as laughably forced as all his romance lines were delivered, I actually like MANSHEP's voice over LADYSHEP's. She's a better actress in ME1 by far, but she sounds so bored in the opening sequence of ME2 (er, I guess the second sequence, when you're escaping the burny Cerberus facility, she WAS rad telling Carth to shut the fuck up and get his headachey ass in that escape pod when the Normandy was kerploding) that I was filled with "meh" and couldn't be bothered to sit through that excruciatingly long starter movie when she managed to get stuck on a desk before any autosave occurred. It's some intangible thing, maybe, as I know lots of people think MANSHEP is a giant sack of "meh" himself.

This is part of my objection to Dragon Age getting the Mass Effect treatment for its player character. Hawke is going to be some dude or lady that I act as the conscience for, rather than *my* character, and whether I like Hawke or not is going to depend a lot on if his/her voice actor is any good. I know I'm in the minority on that, though.

[Muffled]

.... I know I'm in the minority on that, though.

I'm not so sure, you summed up my feelings on the matter beautifully.

[Bunk]

Yea, I have to admit I'm the opposite - Dragon Age I just had very little connection to my character. It just throws me off when my character just stands there without reacting - I know the dialog is supposed to be coming from him/her, but when the only people reacting to anything are the NPCs, those are the people I'm paying attention to.

I like the idea that Shepard isn't me. Rather, I'm taking the role of that little voice on Shepard's shoulder, edging her on. Still haven't finished a male Shepard run, despite wanting to complete the Tali romance and enjoying the challenge of the Vanguard class, because I just find he sounds like such an utter douche.

[Sky]

I enjoyed my first manshep playthrough (havent done a femshep yet). The thing that really bothered me about the voiced PC was that while it fit my initial goody-two shoes white guy with blond/blue, it was totally fucking awful hearing the same voice coming out of my bad mother (shut yo mouth) Lamont Shepard (who's mission, and he chose to accept it, was to funk up the whooooole galaxy). But he sounds like a white guy.

There should at least be a couple options for a voiced PC when you can so radically change his appearance. Whereas if he was just text, I could imagine the lines in my head the way they're supposed to be said. Ah, well.

[Sjofn]

Yeah, that's another problem I have, once I've done a playthrough with a voice, that's it, the visual is locked in and any other look is "wrong." MANSHEP is the stupid default man head and Femshep is a nice black lady, period.

That reminds me, actually. My Femshep had purple lipstick I grew to hate, because the lighting during character creation made it less obvious than it can be in other situations. I wanted to change it in ME2, except for some reason the default black lady face I had used as my base in ME1 did not exist in ME2. It pissed me off!

[Sky]

I wish that was the problem I had with manshep. No, in many non-character-creator lighting situations, he has odd slopey downs-syndrome eyes. He just looks like a moron, and the voice is now tied to him in my mind, so I stick with my poor retarded saviour of the universe.