Mass Effect 2 *spoilers around pg 29/30*

[UnSub]

ME runs screaming through the uncanny valley quite a bit with human characters, particularly when they try to have a character smile.

[cironian]

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!

Cerberus spent 22 million credits on a bunch of cosmetics labs to recreate that exact shade of lipstick. Because nothing disorients a Reaper like DEAR GOD WHATS WRONG WITH HER MOUTH!

[Khaldun]

I have a very clear idea about what my Sheps do and think but I'm not them. Dragon Age really varies depending on which variant I'm playing: vengeful human-hating female elf I had a clear idea about who she was a character but I didn't identify with her per se. Gentle male human noble was more a character I saw as "me". But neither of these games really has the avatar "openness" of a game like Fallout: New Vegas. Bioware's RPGs rise and fall to the extent to which the characters have interesting stories, including the main character.

[SnakeCharmer]

ME runs screaming through the uncanny valley quite a bit with human characters, particularly when they try to have a character smile.

It's the teeth.  They all look like meth addicts when they smile.

[Surlyboi]

ME runs screaming through the uncanny valley quite a bit with human characters, particularly when they try to have a character smile.

It's the teeth.  They all look like meth addicts when they smile.

"Red dust is a helluva drug."

[Sjofn]

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!

Cerberus spent 22 million credits on a bunch of cosmetics labs to recreate that exact shade of lipstick. Because nothing disorients a Reaper like DEAR GOD WHATS WRONG WITH HER MOUTH!

Clearly it was a comfort for her. "I may have been dead two years, my boyfriend just Carth'd all over me when he found out I was still alive, I'm working for a group I spent a lot of time shooting in the face during my previous adventures, but I still have my "drowned woman purple" lipstick! The universe hasn't COMPLETELY changed!"

[Lantyssa]

"Hi!  I'm Command Shepard, and this is my favorite shade of lipstick on the Citadel."

[UnSub]

"Hi!  I'm Command Shepard, and this is my favorite shade of lipstick on the Citadel."

I appreciated that turning into a two-faced promotions slut earned my manshep Paragon points. 

I don't really get into the character behind my Shepherds, mainly because I can't. It's 'pick the blue (or red, if I'm playing that way) speech option because that is the best way to go'. Picking any other option hurts your character in both the immediate situation and the long-term because there is obviously a right answer and that's the Paragon / Renegade one, plus you need those points to unlock future dialogue options.

I played ME with a xenophobic human isolationist (as best I could, anyway) but the game kept putting aliens on the ship regardless. Wrex was the only one who I could refuse entry; for every other character Arizona Shepherd was overruled and on board they came (although it was fun to crush Liana's life's work in the speech options).

At some point I may transfer Arizona to ME2 and play through with her, but already know that it'd be a brutal result - only human characters would get loyalty missions completed (and maybe not Jack, since she's anti-Cerebus) and I'm still forced to take some aliens on the ship. Are there no good human researchers that Cerebus could supply me with? No technicians? And then I'd also miss the upgrades (although hull is Jacob and weapons is Garrus from memory, so perhaps that's enough)...

I might give that character a shot in ME2, but I've also got Dead Rising 2 and Red Dead Redemption on the shelf that I haven't played yet...

[Sjofn]

See, I didn't find I HAD to be so focused on paragon to max my paragon points. I just picked what I thought was appropriate for the character and had paragon maxed easily, with a decent chunk of renegade to boot. Not that I don't think keeping a Prick Score hurts the natural flow of "what would Shepard do in this situation," because you ARE aware of the Score and you know it affects your game, but it's not really as rigid as I had been lead to believe - at least not when you've imported a character.


EDIT: Actually, it sort of had a funny side effect for MANSHEP in both ME1 and ME2 - once I maxed paragon, I started feeling freer to pick renegade options, so it's like he was getting more and more stressed and less and less patient with bullshit as things ramped up in the CRISIS. Ladyshep kept her cool, though. She even saved the council, even though they were annoying fuckheads.

[FatuousTwat]

EDIT: Actually, it sort of had a funny side effect for MANSHEP in both ME1 and ME2 - once I maxed paragon, I started feeling freer to pick renegade options, so it's like he was getting more and more stressed and less and less patient with bullshit as things ramped up in the CRISIS. Ladyshep kept her cool, though. She even saved the council, even though they were annoying fuckheads.

Same thing happened for me in both my playthroughs with dudeshep.

I play sheshep as a renegade. The voice actress just does Evil Bitch so well.

[Tebonas]

Now you've done it and I want to replay both games as Evil Sheshep. Hmm, what class to choose.

[UnSub]

She even saved the council, even though they were annoying fuckheads.

This is true.

[Soulflame]

I've just started playing ME2, and I have to say, I really like that the sniper rifle is usable from the word go.  No blasted inability to aim until you've put 5+ levels of points into a skill.

[Shrike]

Now you've done it and I want to replay both games as Evil Sheshep. Hmm, what class to choose.

Try sentinal. It's perfect for a femShep with a bad attitude. Just make it a point to get the Locust early. It makes life a lot easier in the long run. The default SMG pretty much sucks, and you won't get the Tempest until Haestrom, which is at least a third of the way through the game. Unless you "tweek" a PC version...

Anyway, I never agonized too much over renegade/paragon. The two respective sides were easily maxed out before the IFF recovery, then you could do whatever you wanted. Regardless of whatever path I chose for Shepard, I always went paragon or renegade (more frequently) in certain missions...you know the ones. Giving Eclipse mercs flying lessons. A little flash fried krogan. Berating unlucky asari. Freeing the oppressed (sorta). Also, there were certain neutral conversations I always indulged in since they opened up dialog you wouln't otherwise see that I thought was appropriate.

[Sjofn]

I didn't kick that merc through the window and was rewarded by Garrus saying "He's lucky, anyone else would've killed him." Indeed, Garrus.

[Lantyssa]

Even my most Paragon of Paragons kicked him out the window.

[Shrike]

I didn't kick that merc through the window and was rewarded by Garrus saying "He's lucky, anyone else would've killed him." Indeed, Garrus.

Well, he did, you know...have it coming...

[Sjofn]

I was expecting it to be way more compelling to do after all the talk about it, but found it was not. Shooting the gas tank, on the other hand, I don't see myself ever not doing that.

[LK]

I think if Bioware was ever to make a commentary on what type of character they *expect* someone like Shepard to be, it would be the Interrupts. My plan for ME3, if the current ME2 system is in place, is to be a Paragon in dialog but take every interrupt opportunity, Paragon and Renegade.

[Sky]

I need to stop reading this thread before I start playing ME2 again and stop working through my steam backlog + Blood Bowl.

I mean, I still have Fallout New Vegas on the plate, ffs (which would be awesome with renegade interrupts!).

[Merusk]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing.  I never finished Renegade Shep in ME1 so this keeps tempting me to finish then move on to ME2.  Stoppit! 

[Lantyssa]

Yes, people!  Stop posting about ME2 in the ME2 thread!  How dare you!

[Mosesandstick]

Just finished ME2. I was steamrolling and ignoring all the side-missions and then ended up accidently activating the suicide mission. Didn't have a romance so I decided I'd prefer not to have Miss Chambers die, so reloaded and went and did all the extraneous shit. I actually liked the short side-missions this time around, finding them was definitely not fun though.

I preferred the length of ME2, but I really think it could've used 1 or 2 more collector missions after you finish your team. Otherwise it just seems like you're travelling around the universe solving personal problems and then you go and tackle the biggest known threat in the universe. With at least 4/5 upgrades & a fully loyal team had no problems with the Suicide mission (doesn't sound so appropriate if everybody lives  ). Chose to destroy the collector ship, but I think the choices and conversation jarred with what I was thinking of in my head.

I romanced Liara, so I'd like to go back and do the DLC, but I haven't decided whether or not I'm going to buy it yet. I think the worst thing is that the game (to me) feels incomplete without it just because I romanced Liara.

Oh yeah, Mordin's romance talk is awesome if you're not hitched.

[Reg]

The Liara DLC is worth the money.  And I'm not a big DLC fan by any means. 

[Morat20]

Ladyshep kept her cool, though. She even saved the council, even though they were annoying fuckheads.

I'm still a bit pissy about that ending. First time through, on my paragon, I told the Normandy and the Alliance fleet to focus on the Reaper, not divert to save the Council. Because, you know, preventing the Reapers from coming through and destroying everyone was a bad thing. And that got a mix of points.

I felt a little bit screwed that choosing the greater good there, even at the cost of dreadnought and the council, got me renegade points. They were replaceable, you know. Heck, the Salarians probably come and go every few years.

I get "Make Humanity Run the Galaxy, MUHAHAHAHA" and "Get Humanity a Seat on the Council, Good Job Nice Person!" but the whole "Don't let the galaxy end to save three politicians" bit irked me.

[ghost]

I romanced Liara, so I'd like to go back and do the DLC, but I haven't decided whether or not I'm going to buy it yet. I think the worst thing is that the game (to me) feels incomplete without it just because I romanced Liara.

I bought it.  I'm not sure that it's worth the money spent, to be honest. 

[Morat20]

I bought it.  I'm not sure that it's worth the money spent, to be honest. 

What was it, all told? Like 5 bucks? Much better than Pinnacle Station, for sure. :) Better than Kasumi, although that's almost worth it for access to that SMG so quickly.

I thought it was a really solid DLC. Only played through it the once, though, so can't speak to how it handles repeats.

[Ingmar]

Ladyshep kept her cool, though. She even saved the council, even though they were annoying fuckheads.

I'm still a bit pissy about that ending. First time through, on my paragon, I told the Normandy and the Alliance fleet to focus on the Reaper, not divert to save the Council. Because, you know, preventing the Reapers from coming through and destroying everyone was a bad thing. And that got a mix of points.

I felt a little bit screwed that choosing the greater good there, even at the cost of dreadnought and the council, got me renegade points. They were replaceable, you know. Heck, the Salarians probably come and go every few years.

I get "Make Humanity Run the Galaxy, MUHAHAHAHA" and "Get Humanity a Seat on the Council, Good Job Nice Person!" but the whole "Don't let the galaxy end to save three politicians" bit irked me.

That's not the choice you're making really, though, it is 'save council et. al. at cost of human lives' or not.

[bhodi]

It's been a while since I played it, but it was framed in my mind as "If you use any of your firepower to support the council's ship, we might not win this!". At that point, I deemed the council replaceable. I mean they were only elected politicians, rotated in every few years.

I think I went back and took the second branch and you ended up heroing through, both being able to save the council AND stop the ship. I was pretty disgusted, honestly.

[Sjofn]

Ladyshep kept her cool, though. She even saved the council, even though they were annoying fuckheads.

I'm still a bit pissy about that ending. First time through, on my paragon, I told the Normandy and the Alliance fleet to focus on the Reaper, not divert to save the Council. Because, you know, preventing the Reapers from coming through and destroying everyone was a bad thing. And that got a mix of points.

I felt a little bit screwed that choosing the greater good there, even at the cost of dreadnought and the council, got me renegade points. They were replaceable, you know. Heck, the Salarians probably come and go every few years.

I get "Make Humanity Run the Galaxy, MUHAHAHAHA" and "Get Humanity a Seat on the Council, Good Job Nice Person!" but the whole "Don't let the galaxy end to save three politicians" bit irked me.

Huh, that was the option my MANSHEP took ("focus on sovereign omg omg" rather than "fuck those council assholes") and he only got paragon points. I played it on PC, were you on zee xbox? It might've been different! Ladyshep elected to try and save them because she figured the symbolic cost of losing that ship and those useless tools would be really high. Plus how could she say I TOLD YOU SO if they're dead?

I do think it's a little weird that losing them is made such a big deal of. Like you said, the salarian probably gets replaced really often, and surely the other two have back-ups JUST IN CASE. If not, I guess they deserved to get human'd. And yeah, they should've made choosing to save the council a bit more "ffffffuuuu" human-cost-wise. Ultimately, though, deep down, what I wanted was some way just to get that cockbag turian council member killed. The other two were useless, but the turian was a gigantic asshole. Although I suppose that's what made it so satisfying to sass him.

[Ingmar]

There's always the potential that the human fleet is weaker in 3 and that means <some sort of consequence> if you saved the council.

I love Udina's MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA moment over seizing power if you let them get blown up though.

[Sjofn]

If it does end up coming into play in ME3, that would be cool!

Ambassador Jerkface was totally one of my favorite characters. I never picked him to be IN CHARGE because he screwed me over, but I loved that guy.

[UnSub]

Otherwise it just seems like you're travelling around the universe solving personal problems and then you go and tackle the biggest known threat in the universe.

It always jars me that ME puts you up against some big threat that is working to its own schedule, but then sends you saving people's cats from trees for the XP points.

That said, I lost part of my crew (including Chambers) because it was the first time the series actually penalised me for completing other missions ahead of my main objective. That came from having taught me that all the "OMG you must act now or the galaxy will DIE!" issues could be put on hold because I needed to drive around on some more undiscovered planets / probe for more minerals.

[Khaldun]

This is a basic RPG design problem. People want sidequests, and they want to be able to mess around at their leisure, rather than trigger something that starts a clock and gives you no options or freedom. But the setup also generally requires that the protagonist have something they need to do or accomplish, that there are stakes. Some RPGs accomplish this better than others: Fallout New Vegas is a good example of a plot that plausibly gets to maximum intensity right when you're ready for it to get to maximum intensity. It doesn't feel nearly as well balanced in any Bioware game, where the sidequests are always "I have an urgent mission upon which everything depends...oh, you need my help buying rare flowers so that you can make up with your wife after that bad fight you had last night? Ok".

[Tebonas]

Also, that little popup that Fallout New Vegas gives: This will be it, are you sure you are done fooling around?

Because immersion-breaking or not. I'd rather know when I'm about to go to a point of no return. Because at the end of the day it is still a game. And no, I don't believe in playing a game twice to see everything. Solve it, move on. Maybe play it again for Evil/Renegade play through after I forgot what the game was about.