Mass Effect 2 - May Contain Spoilers

Even the first game was never a harcore rpg. Mass effect is an rpg/shooter hybrid. It does what it intends to do very well. A very good game even if I still prefer dao due to it being the traditional rpg.
 
Even the first game was never a harcore rpg. Mass effect is an rpg/shooter hybrid. It does what it intends to do very well. A very good game even if I still prefer dao due to it being the traditional rpg.

If doa had the main character speaking his/her dialog i would love it more. That 1 fact really breaks me feeling anything for my character. Where as in ME2(and 1) and felt chocked up when my character died in the intro. If they fix that for dao 2 ill enjoy it more.
 
Even the first game was never a harcore rpg. Mass effect is an rpg/shooter hybrid. It does what it intends to do very well. A very good game even if I still prefer dao due to it being the traditional rpg.

Here's the thing, though - I've done a lot of thinking about this recently, since writing my Mass Effect 2 review for NAG. By "hardcore RPG", we pretty much mean "loads of stat management". Mass Effect 2 might've done away with most of the stat stuff, but the game still uses meaningful character interaction as a central plot device and driving force. Surely meaningful character interaction should be the focal point of any "true RPG", in the sense that, well, it's role playing? I mean, by reducing the stat management to a bare minimum, Mass Effect moves its play focus to dialogue, relationships, and choices with consequence.

I'm not convinced that characters comprised almost entirely of numbers should be somehow more "hardcore" than characters with...character.

I've done a lot of pen and paper RPGing over the years, and really, the most interesting games are those where people actually get into character. More often that not, this involves putting stat management in the background, and focussing instead on who your character is.

Something to think about. :)

[EDIT] Hmmm. I think there's an article in here somewhere.
 
be all this shit as it may, who gives a flying damn when the game is as good as it is? honestly. stop whining and play the damn game! :D
 
be all this shit as it may, who gives a flying damn when the game is as good as it is? honestly. stop whining and play the damn game! :D

So much truth in the post, so much.

Spoiler: show
Im busy with second play through now and ive notices something... when you chat to conrad verner, well in my frist playthrough i shoved a gun in his face and made his shit his pants, in the second 1 i didn't, i was nice and talked him into going home. However during both my play throughs in ME2 he says the same thing when i meet him. :confused: The same with that Chic from Zhu's Hope. In first play through i slaughtered the colonist, in the second 1 not, But both times in ME2 she said the same thing about me helping the colonists. Anybody else pic up something like this?
 
So much truth in the post, so much.

Spoiler: show
Im busy with second play through now and ive notices something... when you chat to conrad verner, well in my frist playthrough i shoved a gun in his face and made his shit his pants, in the second 1 i didn't, i was nice and talked him into going home. However during both my play throughs in ME2 he says the same thing when i meet him. :confused: The same with that Chic from Zhu's Hope. In first play through i slaughtered the colonist, in the second 1 not, But both times in ME2 she said the same thing about me helping the colonists. Anybody else pic up something like this?

same thing with that person Omega... i was like WTF! i didn't do that
 
If doa had the main character speaking his/her dialog i would love it more. That 1 fact really breaks me feeling anything for my character. Where as in ME2(and 1) and felt chocked up when my character died in the intro. If they fix that for dao 2 ill enjoy it more.

Well they are different games in that regard. Mass effect like the witcher has you playing the role of a specific character. You play commander shephard and you are a human while with dragon age there are a lot more aspects to how you can manage your character. In dao you are shaping your character while in mass effect you have less of an influence but still a big influence. If they were to fully voice the dao pc characters they would need at least 6 voice actors( 2 for each race and then different ones for male/female version) compare that the two needed for mass effect. As one bw developer said it was a choice between voiced pc's or cutting the content by half. Personally I rather have more content.

Here's the thing, though - I've done a lot of thinking about this recently, since writing my Mass Effect 2 review for NAG. By "hardcore RPG", we pretty much mean "loads of stat management". Mass Effect 2 might've done away with most of the stat stuff, but the game still uses meaningful character interaction as a central plot device and driving force. Surely meaningful character interaction should be the focal point of any "true RPG", in the sense that, well, it's role playing? I mean, by reducing the stat management to a bare minimum, Mass Effect moves its play focus to dialogue, relationships, and choices with consequence.

I'm not convinced that characters comprised almost entirely of numbers should be somehow more "hardcore" than characters with...character.

I've done a lot of pen and paper RPGing over the years, and really, the most interesting games are those where people actually get into character. More often that not, this involves putting stat management in the background, and focussing instead on who your character is.

Something to think about. :)

[EDIT] Hmmm. I think there's an article in here somewhere.

True but some of the best rpg's have both. Not saying mass effect isn't a true rpg just saying it lacks some of the traditional(properly a better word to use than hardcore) elements. I love both games but just prefer the more traditional dragon age approach to rpg's.
 
a bit of speculation on my part here bare with me quickly

Spoiler: show
ok so now that you are done and all, with ME 3 for a stats reset they can't go with the kill Shepard angle again, so based on who you helped in the end, blowing up or keeping the station, either the alliance or cerberus uses some kind of computer virus that mucks around with the cybernetics, screwing up the software and thereby stripping the skills and stats, what say ye?
Spoiler: show
 
a bit of speculation on my part here bare with me quickly

Spoiler: show
ok so now that you are done and all, with ME 3 for a stats reset they can't go with the kill Shepard angle again, so based on who you helped in the end, blowing up or keeping the station, either the alliance or cerberus uses some kind of computer virus that mucks around with the cybernetics, screwing up the software and thereby stripping the skills and stats, what say ye?
Spoiler: show
Spoiler: show
Spoiler: show


Spoiler: show
U know it wont surprise me if they actually let you keep your stats for 3. If you import your character. But then again with the streamlined stats system i dunno. Anything is possible. Its going to be a long 2 years to wait for ME3.
 
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