The official Mass Effect 2 Thread
 

No

I heard it will be 6 months later as the Reavers begin to arrive. There are some books coming out that serve as filler.

I thought it was Reapers? Either way, I hope it has a better inventory system.

Never beat the first one.

Yeah Reavers is from Firefly/Serenity.

You stop the One Reaper, but the rest are "On the way!!!!!"

You stop them from getting summoned to that space station, but they are going to just take the long route across the galaxy

Yeah, basically what MAH said. All you did was lock up the relay so they couldn't pop into the Citadel system. They have to fly in the normal way now through all those outer galaxies, probably towards the mu relay.

Basically, I want to Mouth fuck this game when it comes out. I am so ready.

This was a good game, set in a trilogy, unlike Too Human, which is like they only shipped 1/3 of a game. Fuckers.

I'm ready. I got my second playthrough on hold right now.

Dont hold your breathe, this shit is like 2 years out

i assume you all downloaded the extra mission thru the marketplace? it was short but worth the money. cant wait for this to come out.

Gotta love the Stargate reference, intentional or otherwise.

I downloaded it during their "EP" special on Marketplace. Haven't played it yet. Too many good games came otu at once.

Lol KK, what was my reference? I dont know anything about Stargate, but I guess it fits in this thread, so I should have just shut my mouth and rolled with it.

it is only 1 new planet and you basically have to prevent an asteroid from hitting an inhabitated planet. you also meet a new race of alien with 3 eyes.

Those are the Baratarians, right? I think they were originally touched on in the ME novel that was designed to tease the game.

I know it's only like 90 minutes of gameplay, but especially with the reduced asking price, I figured why the fuck not.

yup batararians and it turns out they actually have 4 eyes. i think if you took your time and explored everything you still wouldnt stretch the mission to 90 minutes. i think it took me about 45 and i felt i gave the planet a thorough review.

IGN:

February 3, 2009 - On its financial earnings conference call Electronic Arts announced that Mass Effect 2 will release sometime in the 2010 calendar year (barring any delays from BioWare).

This news is hot on the heels that BioWare's other RPG, Dragon Age: Origins on PC, has been pushed back to the last half of 2009. Stay tuned to IGN's GDC coverage in March when we expect to get our first look at Mass Effect 2.

sucks, i was hoping it was going to be Q4 2009.

I'm doing my third play through on Hardcore at the moment, i would kill puppies for a second game right now. Initially I wanted them to do something different, i have since changed my mind and would love to beat the Reavers down big style.

Bioware has a lot on their plate right now, so it doesn't surprise me that any of these are being pushed back. They've got Dragon Age, which looks nice, Mass Effect 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is a HUGE undertaking. I'd be surprised if Dragon Age isn't pushed back to first quarter of 2010, tbh.

BioWare are kings right now. I can wait for Mass Effect 2, because I know it is going to be legendary.

Its going to be epic on the biggest of epic scales there is!! Cant wait to get it, but obviously I would like to hear sometime soon a few teasers on what the plot actually is from BioWare.

Did anyone else think it was weird though that the badguys were reapers and on the assault rifles you collected was also called a reaper? Seems like they got a bit stuck for ideas there! :p

I am playing through the first for the first time right now.

It is amazing. I had played it several times, but never owned a 360.. so I'm playing it on PC right now. Great game.

Bioware has released the the first teaser trailer. I suggest you all take a look cause the end just sent shivers down my spine.

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/57349

holy fuck

This has to be some kind of a Cerberus propaganda piece.

Seriously.

Shit.

Well, if you go to bioware.com and go to the Mass Effect 2 page, they got set up like you're viewing from a Cerberus terminal of some sorts. You ain't far off.

So, you'll be playing as a new character?

According to a bit I just read, yes. But Bioware has said a few times already to hold on to your saved games. Cause whatever you did there, is gonna carry over.

Guess I better beat the first one then. :shifty:

Kinda sucks that I'll have to keep my save files for this until then, but I suppose it will be worth it. The first one is freaking amazing right now. They fixed a lot of the technical issues on the PC version. A lot of the graphical glitches are gone (dynamic shadows are glitched, but I haven't seen a game do dynamic shadows properly yet). They streamlined the UI. It brings up squad commands, weapon switches, and powers all at once split on each side for your party members, with your own in the bottom center. Very quick and easy to use, as well as 1-9 hotkeys you can set to keep things going quicker.. though I still like to pause and direct my abilities that way.

Storywise I am loving this. The sheer amount of voice dialogue is mind-blowing. None of it is campy or cheesy.. it's just all really well done.

I just beat it.



I can't wait to see what they're doing with the second one. There is so much left to follow up on, and so many differences they'll have to work with. If they pull it off as well as the first, I will be in awe of the genius that is Bioware.

Easily the best RPG I've ever played, and if it weren't for technical issues, and the vehicle combat, I'd dare add it to the top of my list. Even so, it's probably one of the top 5 games I've ever played.

Obviously, or I wouldn't have said "I beat the game" :p

So the boys at BioWare sent a new trailer over the web today. It's just a preview video with some team members at what you'll expect at E3.

However.....



<EMBED src=http://www.youtube.com/v/CCihMyLi5jU&hl=en&fs=1 width=560 height=340 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always">


Edit: Apparently gametrailers videos are a bitch to embed and view. Went and got one at youtube instead.
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CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS FUCKING GAME

sucks that it will probably be delayed again on PC though

So fucking pumped.

Working on beating the first one now. Then I'm gonna get that DLC for it.

Aren't we due for more dlc? I remember there was at least supposed to be 2 befoe the sequel.

Also, I like that the new one is darker and more action packed, as from a storyline perspective, the first had a distinct "calm before the storm" feel to it.

This far into it's life and with ME2 around the corner, I really doubt it. Would be nice, though.

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Did I miss something? Why would people think that Shepard was dead? I'm not talking about something we may see in ME2, but there have been all kinds of people saying he was dead.

I found this little bit of info on videogamesblogger.com. It's what you'll be reading in OXM magazine. I'll put it in spoilers so I won't catch flak.

Few more scenes than the other one.

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Mass Effect DLC to be announced soon

by Ludwig Kietzmann { 2 hours ago } http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.jo...001xbox001.png
While speaking to BioWare's leaders slash doctors, Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka, Joystiq managed to confirm that the second batch of DLC for Mass Effect (that's the first game!) would be announced and detailed soon. According to Muzyka, he was even playing it at the BioWare office slash fortress before departing for E3 2009.

Previously, it was suggested that the next Mass Effect DLC would include some sort of fight club or arena setup. So, lots of shooting in preparation for some real shooting, then.

Yeah was just about to post this. Great news.

Mass Effect 2 won't allow second playthrough by character for sake of continuity

by Alexander Sliwinski { 2 hours ago } http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.jo...001xbox001.png
Unlike the first Mass Effect, the sequel will not allow players to restart the campaign with all the skills Shepard gained throughout his (um, her!) second adventure. Mass Effect 2 Lead Designer Preston Watamaniuk notes on the BioWare forums that the team is working hard to "offer a smooth progression into ME3 from ME2." The reasoning is that they "have to have reasonable knowledge" of where a character could end up at the end of the game.

Of course, Mass Effect 2 players can feel free to create a new character and start over. So, it appears that if you're looking to start Mass Effect 3 with a jacked-up Shepard, make sure to explore every little nook and cranny of the galaxy before going into the sequel's final mission.

Mass Effect 2 presses reset on Shepard's abilities

by David Hinkle { 20 minutes ago } http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.jo...001xbox001.png
Things are getting crazy with this Mass Effect 2 video game from Bioware. First, we're led to believe Shepard is dead, then he (or she) is not. Then we find out all of our decisions in the first game will affect the sequel. Now, Computerworld (via The Escapist) informs us that the Shephard we know, love, and have spent so many hours grinding won't have all of his (or her) abilities in the second game. During an interview, producer Casey Hudson said, "There's something that's happening with the story that explains what happens with your abilities. It's something we can't go into detail about for obvious reasons."

It makes sense. If you're starting off an epic quest like the one we assume takes place in Mass Effect 2, it's not good design to have the player start as a jacked, unstoppable god of a man (or woman). It's not like this is Prototype or something ...

Finally beat the first one.

about time we got more DLC, i beat the take down the sky campaign in less than an hour.

Yeah, it totally wasn't worth the $5. Good thing my copy came with it.

Gotta be getting close. BioWare released the final boxart.

So what are the guys who killed off Wrex supposed to do when they see this?

http://www.cheatcc.com/images/news/m...2boxart360.jpg

Can't really tell for sure but it might not be Wrex. Could be Thane.

I didn't even know Wrex could have died.

It was Kaiden for me.

Spoilered just in case I guess

Is that fine chick Ashley? Wow

What if you go through the first time and don't kill Wrex, but the second time you do?

If you've overwritten the first game save then you'll only have one to use :?:

I thought I explained that already.

But if you killed him, he ain't showing up in the second.

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...30124_640w.jpg

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...27999_640w.jpg

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...21968_640w.jpg

Wish you could rename the characters. Cause that right there looks like a Kermit kind of guy to me.

Is that Shepard?! So he's alive?!




Seriously, looks good.

Thane. Mass Effect's equvilent to HK-47 in Knights of the Old Republic.

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/i...5/UPmJTdk=.jpgUndisputed 50 http://www.xbox360achievements.org/images/site/gp-g.jpg
Complete Ahern's survival mission

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/i...5/UP3LXrM=.jpgNew Sheriff in Town 50 http://www.xbox360achievements.org/images/site/gp-g.jpg
Take first place in any combat scenario on Pinnacle Station

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/i...5/UP-qVwY=.jpgBest of the Best 50 http://www.xbox360achievements.org/images/site/gp-g.jpg
Take first place in 12 combat scenarios on Pinnacle Station


New ME1 DLC

Heh, I downloaded Bring Down the Sky a long time ago but still haven't played it.

Pinnacle Station DLC for the first Mass Effect has been released. Cost ya 800 points.

It's just this training simulator thing. Pretty lame.

You get some cool stuff out of it though.

Meet Subject Zero.

<EMBED src=http://www.youtube.com/v/B6m3OXndMpA&hl=en&fs=1& width=560 height=340 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always">


*does catcall whistle*
</EMBED>

hot

Also, that blood dragon armor looks sweet.

IGN: Mass Effect 2: New Details Revealed
 

Mass Effect 2: New Details Revealed

We go hands-on with new content and chat with BioWare about making the series' Empire Strikes Back.
by Chris Stead<NOBR>, IGN AU</NOBR>
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<NOBR>Australia, October 8, 2009 - </NOBR>
<NOBR>BioWare is a studio that impresses. Its game-ography reads like the </NOBR>
<NOBR>evolutionary pathway of the western RPG: from top-down to third-person, </NOBR>
<NOBR>from D&D-based combat to real-time action, from narrative linearity to </NOBR>
<NOBR>open-ended emancipation and – dare we say it – from PC to console, the </NOBR>
<NOBR>developer has never failed to boldly take the RPG where no RPG has gone </NOBR>
<NOBR>before. Its latest project is arguably its most ambitious yet: an epic space</NOBR>
<NOBR>opera which spans across three games and plays like a shooter, yet remains </NOBR>
<NOBR>very much a role-playing experience. This week Greg Zeschuk, the co-founder </NOBR>
<NOBR>of BioWare, dropped by Sydney to show off a brand new level ahead of Mass</NOBR>
<NOBR>Effect 2's (ME2) early 2010 launch. And as the middle child, it's designed to be </NOBR>
<NOBR>the trilogy's Empire Strikes Back. </NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>"Yeah we have definitely designed it in that fashion," he told us. "If you recall, </NOBR>
<NOBR>Empire Strikes Back was the darker chapter and that is how we designed the ME2 </NOBR>
<NOBR>story and experience: to try and make the player reflect on the challenges of the character. </NOBR>
<NOBR>If you put ME2 next to the original it is definitely a darker, harder game." </NOBR>
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<NOBR>http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...8042758112.jpg</NOBR>
<NOBR>Grunt goes hunting some wabbits. Sorry, biomechanical zombie things.

Beginning "soon after" the events in Mass Effect, Commander Shepard is scouring
the galaxy looking to recruit "up to a dozen of the galaxy's most dangerous operatives"
as a new threat begins to wipe human colonies from existence. In the new level on show,
we got to experience combat alongside two of these operatives. This included Grunt from
the burly Krogan race who is certainly a handy fighter to have on your side. "Grunt is good to
fight alongside. You would have seen the Krogan Rush where he just runs guys over - you could
make Wrex do it in the first game but Grunt will do it spontaneously which is interesting. It is
different than working with guys that have more traditional powers as Grunt has a much bigger
chance of surprising you."

And surprise you he does. Frequently during combat when confronted with close encounters,
Grunt would break into a run and wreck havoc. This new level was selected for the very purpose of
showing off this in-your-face combat. "We chose this level to show the range in what the player can do.
We had already shown in our PAX demo the long range combat, and now we wanted to reveal something
that was a lot more intimate. We can show off the melee combat, and the shotgun and the ammo types."

Combat has dramatically improved in ME2. As soon as you get it in your hands and begin running for cover
before snapping up your sights on oncoming enemies, you forget that you are even playing an RPG. It's all so fluid.
"Well combat was one of our big focuses. The original was the first time we had ever really tried a shooter, and just
getting the game done was a lot of work. So as time has rolled on we've just got a lot better at doing the combat. The
tradition of the RPG is a lot more like Dragon Age, whereas Mass Effect is more like a game with RPG features. I would
consider it more of a Shooter RPG. Especially after the changes we have made in this one: it is even more like a shooter.
It's very doable to make such a mix work; you just need to get practice with it."

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...8042755254.jpg
There may not be a machine gun/chainsaw combo or shotgun/battle-axe, but the combat is much improved.

And practice is something this particular team is not short on. "We've benefited greatly in that we've kept the same team,
and they learnt a lot of lessons from the first game. The one way to make sure you create great games is to have a consistent
development team. The team that made Mass Effect 1 was the same as that of the Knights of the Old Republic, and literally those
same guys, plus a few new additions, are making ME2. That's why things like the shooting have gotten better because all the decisions
on what to focus upon were a lot easier. You see that with a lot of the best games: they stuck with the same team from Uncharted 1 to Uncharted 2
and look what happened! The games get so much better."

The second character we got to play alongside was Thane from the Drell species, a race new to the Mass Effect mythology. "You can
see that he is a fish-like guy, but he is also a really effective assassin. His race is still a little unclear, as in, it is not broadly known throughout the
galaxy – all we really know is that guys like him are really efficient killers. He is perfect for stealth assassin modes and there are certain missions where
he will be particularly effective with what he brings to the table."

It must be fun being able to create a whole new race, right? "It is! From the beginning you need to decide the purpose that the race serves
and then that can lead into artistic visualisation. You know back on someone's desk or in digital files there are like 42 different fish men and slowly it
evolved into a look that was this kind of cool, kind of calculated, aquatic guy. Then in a fighter you need to decide what powers they will have and
then you put them all together in a way in which it can be executed and modelled. The focus with Thane is aquatic, so we made his skin texture look
iridescent so it looks a bit shiny and fish-like. Even with the voice, he has this kind of bubbly voice. All this culminates in a base character that you can
toy with so that every other individual from that race is a variation."

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...8042755832.jpg
Beware the fish! (That caption goes out to all the Gordon Korman fans out there!)

"You will notice a lot of that in ME2. For example you will remember the Salarians, which are kind of the traditional looking aliens: well we have new
Salarians in ME2 that are a little bit different from the originals but they are in that same zone. That's the neat thing! Once you have created a race
you don't want to stop using them. That is one of the really fun things about making Mass Effect : you get to watch these races take on a life of
their own."

But these are not the only things we learnt from our latest play session with this highly anticipated game. As Greg points out, the team "also wanted
to pick something that just looked cool." Despite being an enclosed level, the sense of scope and attention to detail is immediate: it feels like something
that is much bigger that what is immediately apparent. You can feel the weight of the galaxy around you. Indeed, in the course of the last two years
BioWare has managed to forge a much greater understanding of Unreal Engine 3 and make improvements towards a more enjoyable and poetic gaming
experience.

"We took three main steps to improving the engine. We put a lot of effort into both your team and the enemy's A.I. You'll see enemies do really smart
things like running from cover to cover and mounting or even jumping over obstacles properly. But we really focused on your team mates too, to make
sure they are pretty smart and their combat is really strong. In particular the way they use cover and their precision shooting. [Plus] we use a really
smart reticule. So if you are actually focused on an enemy you have different options you can [order your squad to] do: you can bring up set commands
on your hot buttons. If you point at the floor you can paint a 'go to' position on the ground, if you look at a power button they'll press the power button.
We really just wanted to make sure that no one was doing anything dumb: like walking into a corner.

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...8042757003.jpg
Mass Effect 2 - darker, less clear cut and with more heavily tattooed chicks.

"We also made a lot of technical changes to improve performance. After Mass Effect 1 we had
a really good idea of what levels worked well and worked fast but now we can do it with a frame
rate which is rock solid. Now there are no slow-downs at all: that was one of our main goals from
a technical standpoint. That and making sure that there was texture consistency throughout and
it was all super slick: that was really important to us."

And the third step? "Lighting: we actually worked a fair bit on the lighting as we wanted to refine
it and to make it a lot more dramatic. It's almost a harsher lighting system, where the blacks are
really black and there are a lot of hot spots which you'll see reflect off Shepard's armour. Those
were our three big focuses." We also noticed during our hands-on a much greater depth and
improved quality to the audio experience: this was not just related to the SFX, with seemingly
longer conversation trees that evolve beyond the already stellar system in the original to deliver
greater characterisation and even a bit of humour.

This new level also managed to give off some interesting titbits about the narrative: or at the very
least, the enemy we encountered posed some intriguing questions. "Obviously this level shows off a
new location, but the strangest thing is seeing the Husks again. Your team is questioning what the
Husks are doing there, as they had thought they were tied in with the Geth and were thus a vestige
of the first Mass Effect. Their appearance is designed to make you suspicious. I think you'll find it
interesting when you play ME2 trying to work out what is going on with the story. It is not nearly
as clear cut. In Mass Effect 1 there's an attack on a planet, you see the ship fly away and you think
"okay so that is the ship that caused the problem," it is pretty clear when you're there. ME2 is a lot
less defined. There is an enemy you need to defeat at the end of the game and you generally know
who it is, but you have no idea what they are up to and what sort of technology they are using.
We really tease out the details."

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...8042757581.jpg
Aww... it thinks it's people!

And what of Commander Shepard? Is he truly floating through space as a humanoid icicle?
Maybe not according to Aria, Queen of Omega – a mining station which is the "underground
equivalent to the Citadel." In a small level demonstration revealed to us before our hands-on
session we caught some conversation between her and Shepard in her Mos Eisley Cantina-inspired
club called the Afterlife. The phrase "you look good for a dead man" suggested a ruse has taken
place, but certainly didn't confirm it.

Indeed perhaps it was just a throwaway comment and a bi-product of a narrative decision
made earlier in the game, a feature that remains a massive part of ME2. "The way we have
designed the in-game designs is to have an indirect impact on the player. It's not like you
will have a completely different experience depending on what you do. It is more the flavouring
of the experience which is significantly affected: it's not like you can destroy the experience by
fooling around with your decisions. However, the people you interact with could make your power
base on a certain planet completely different. We do have to limit ourselves because if you have
too much variability the challenge of building new content becomes too high."

This must be especially true when dealing with DLC? "Definitely, although it is interesting dealing
with Microsoft and DLC, because the DLC has to be self-contained. You can still do a story, like
over three chapters or something, but you would need to build it in a way that you are able to play
the second one independently and not have to purchase the first one."

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More Mass Effect 2 News & Previews
But let's not get ahead ourselves. Despite Greg enthusing that there will be a lot more DLC this time
around and it will be a lot more user-friendly in the way it is integrated, we just want to purchase the
game itself first. But will it hit its early 2010 release window or slip like so many other games recently?
"I think the chances are very good. ME2 is certainly coming along very nicely and absolutely we're set
to hit our target window."

</NOBR>

Hot damn, I think that's ahead of schedule.

Pre-order goodies have been released. If you go through Gamestop, you get the Terminus Armor and M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon. Get through other "select" stores, you get the Inferno Armor.





In North America, pre-order bonuses include special-ops armor and weaponry that are designed to boost Commander Shepard's skills and abilities. At GameStop, Terminus Gear is available with pre-orders, which includes the powerful Terminus Assault Armor and the M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon:

• The Terminus Armor is designed for use in extreme planetary conditions, increasing run speed and personal shields, and augmenting weapons with an additional magazine of reserve ammo.
• The M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon generates a high-powered localized gravity well, accelerating particles to near-infinite mass, and ultimately expanding the selection of heavy weapons available to players when they gear up for combat missions in Mass Effect 2.

Players that pre-order Mass Effect 2 at other retail outlets in North America will receive the potent Inferno Armor, which is used by officers to monitor battlefield conditions by recognizing elevated heart rates, and regulates sub-systems with extreme efficiency to allow for greater response times - together these abilities translate in-game into a negotiation bonus for Commander Shepard and an increase in run speed and augmented damage from combat powers.

So looking forward to this game. The first Mass Effect has been my favourite Xbox 360 game so far, and BioWare always delivers. I mean, it seriously seems like each game they make is better than their last, somehow.

<embed src='http://videomedia.ign.com/ev/ev.swf' flashvars='object_ID=14235013&downloadURL=http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/video/article/104/1043014/masseffect2_garrusfightfull_flvlowwide.flv&allownetworking="all%"' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='433' height='360'></embed><div style='width:433;'><a href='http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/142/14235013.html'>More Mass Effect 2 Info</a></div>

<embed src='http://videomedia.ign.com/ev/ev.swf' flashvars='object_ID=14235013&downloadURL=http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/video/article/104/1043014/masseffect2_welcomeomega_11_flvlowwide.flv&allownetworking="all%"' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='433' height='360'></embed><div style='width:433;'><a href='http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/142/14235013.html'>More Mass Effect 2 News & Previews</a></div>

With a little more than month out from release, BioWare released the voice cast for the game.

Martin Sheen
Shohreh Aghdashloo
Seth Green
Yvonne Strahovski
Adam Baldwin
Keith David
Michael Dorn
Tricia Helfer
Michael Hogan
Carrie-Anne Moss

For those looking for more info, here's a bit from the official press release. Be aware, spoilers are in it. You've been warned.

"Esteemed actor Martin Sheen stars as the mysterious Illusive Man who commands Cerberus, a secretive paramilitary organization dedicated to protecting human interests in the galaxy. Yvonne Strahovski plays deadly Cerberus operative Miranda Lawson, who has been genetically engineered for superior mental and physical traits. Returning to the cast from the original Mass Effect is Seth Green as Joker and Keith David as Admiral David Anderson. And rounding out the vocal roster are Tricia Helfer as EDI, the voice of the new Normandy; Carrie-Anne Moss as Aria T'Loak, the crime lord who rules the planet Omega; Shohreh Aghdashloo as Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay; Michael Hogan as Captain Bailey; Adam Baldwin as Kal 'Reegar; and Michael Dorn as Gatatog Uvenk."

WORF!

Yeah so I am pretty pumped about this game. Got to see it first hand the other day and it looked incredible. Can't wait to play.

Just finished my last playthrough before ME2.

The story so far: *SPOILERS FOR ME1*

- Shepard is full paragon.
- Saved the rachnii
- Sacrificed Alenko
- Kept Wrex
- Romanced Ashley
- At the end, trolled everyone by letting the council die.

Planning to make my Shepard full Renegade in ME2, since I can use the whole "since he's rebuilt, he's corrupted now" thing. Think it will do nicely.

Minor gripe, but I'm gonna hate having to switch between "Disc 1" and "Disc 2" in ME2. Apparently when you get towards the end of the story, they bridged it by making it where you swap out Disc 1 for Disc 2, and then after a bit you go back and swap out Disc 2 for Disc 1.

Did you stiff the Shadow Broker, or give him the info you got from the Cerberus side mission?