Mass Effect 2 will see you recruiting, training, and possibly shagging a brand new team of allies, in very much the same way you did with the original game. However, project director Casey Hudson has warned players that if they make certain decisions during the course of Mass Effect 2, it could have dire and bloody consequences for your friends.
"At the beginning of the game, you start to get an idea of something really scary, really dangerous, that you’re going to have to do at the very end of the game," explains Hudson. "To get ready for that you’re going to have to build up your crew, build the best team that you can, build up your ship, and then when you think you’re ready you’re gonna go in and do it.
"If you don’t do a lot of the stuff, or make the right kind of choices, the ending will be a bloodbath, and the people that you brought with you will die, and it’ll be a great ending, but it’ll be that kind of ending."
Hudson also stated that the squad you pick up this time around will be much larger than in the original Mass Effect, with some characters coming from races that previously hadn't alligned with Shepherd. You also won't be teaming up with previous squadmates, although the characters will be returning in a passive role.
It is not yet confirmed whether or not the ridiculous bouncy rubber cars will be making their own glorious return.
[Thanks to Arsonsjustafelony]
Contest:
6:00 PM on 06.13.2009
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That wouldn't have been much of a problem between 1 and 2, since we're looking at more or less a brand new supporting cast. But if it's possible everyone can die, Sheppard included, can we assume it's likely the 3rd would have a completely new protagonist? Otherwise, they would have to record dialogue/possibly tweak story aspects to fit not just Sheppard, if he lived, but a completely different character in the event that Sheppard is pushing up space daisies at the end of ME2.
Unless of course they are cowards and either say one of the two endings in ME2 is "cannon," or make it irrelevant how the last one ended, ala KOTOR2. That is the one thing I hate with binary endings in game series. They just play hell with the continuity, usually making your decisions in past games either just canonically wrong or irrelevant from the standpoint of the narrative.
...Or just the option to sacrifice your team to ensure you win. That'll do nicely, option wise.
They've (ie the Doctors) mentioned that if you end up with the ending where Shephard dies, you won't be able to continue your save in to ME3. That kind of sucks but at the same time, they'd practically have to build two games to give you that option so it's understandable.
Also, I can't fucking wait for this. I've been replaying the first game (mostly because my save was deleted) and I've started reading the second book and I'm still enjoying it.
Also... build up your ship? Please let there be space battles!
Cynical Translation: "If you don't spend the full 30 hours of padded grinding you're going to have a very difficult time. So really, either way, you're going to be frustrated. I'd like to thank you for your money, now watch me ride my solid-gold jetski in an ocean of your tears."
That being said I loved Mass Effect.
I thought I had read something to that effect. I just hope they follow through. If it were anyone besides Bioware, I might already be calling bull, since it will more or less require them to craft two + different sets of dialog for the same game(male/female Sheppard & male/female non-Sheppard).
Otherwise it will be a profoundly generic experience in either case, which would be a real shame to cap the trilogy off that way, if the first game is any indication of what two expect. It was flawed, but I found the first game thoroughly enjoyable . I have high hopes for the second, and the third if it's not whored out to another studio like Obsidian.
I must buy the first one ASAP
Anyways...SPOILER much? How about we just find out what happens when we play the game.
But I'll buy it no matter what.
Actually maybe if they keep the crappy squadmembers this supposed 'bloodbath' ending will be all the more satisfying...
Am SO excited about ME2. Despite finding the characters annoying ME just got better and better with each replay. And I like that your decisions seem to affect the game to greater extent in ME2...
The difference between living and dying in ME2 will not be whether or not you did a "grind". I can't go into what it will be, but it will make sense while you're playing.
Thanks for chiming in. Glad to hear the ending is indeed not level related, as that would be disappointing and contrived from a studio of Bioware's caliber.
Can you say if the endings "alignment" neutral? Just hoping that we're not being offered a set of false choices, where only either the heroic Sheppard lives, and a prick Sheppard dies, or vice-versa.
ME2 sounds cool.