Here are a few new features we'll see in Mass Effect 2, I apologize in advance if a thread like this has been posted already:
General Improvements
Combat Improvements
Vehicles
Saved Games
The plot itself will also undergo a dramatic change; focusing on a general threat rather than a single foe and his army of goons, Ã la the original Mass Effect. This time around Shepard will be pitted against an unknown race of alien beings, dubbed "The Collectors," who abduct entire human colonies. The following a direct quotation from a Mass Effect 2 Wikipedia project and it provides some added detail:
I'm assuming Mass Effect: Redemption is a novel written within Mass Effect's universe. I've heard that Mass Effect has more than a handful of books out there, all of them canon, just in case a few of you nerds out there wanted to get a little more out of your Mass Effect experience.
Regarding the game's conclusion, if any of you were worried about whether or not you can continue your Mass Effect 2 game past the Mass Effect 2 ending, the ending itself may actually depend on the choices you make during the game. That's right, whether Commander Shepard dies or not at the end of Mass Effect 2 is all up to you the player, er-I mean, Commander Shepard. BioWare Executive Producer Casey Hudson explained that "If you do die in the ending of Mass Effect 2, it will not come as a surprise, nor will it be random. It will be pretty obvious that you headed into the final mission knowing that Shepard probably wouldn’t make it out alive." Hudson also confirmed that team members would be affected by the player's decisions during the final mission, "You might have an ending where Shepard’s entire team survives, or where the entire mission is a bloodbath and everyone (including Shepard) is killed, or anything in between."
Whatever the case, and whatever you choices, Mass Effect 2 is going to blow some minds in a few days, and I for one can't wait.
If anyone plans on getting this game in a few days or just has something they'd like to add to the thread, don't hesitate to share (NO SPOILERS, PLEASE).
General Improvements
- Camera positioning for conversations with NPCs will no longer remain static; the camera will now move for dramatic effect
- During conversations there will be context-sensitive controls; Shepard will now be able to interrupt and interact
- The world will also be more open-ended; uncharted worlds the player could only explore for "cheap thrills" will now be more detailed and have more to explore
Combat Improvements
- Interface overhaul
- Improved combat A.I.
- Heavy weapons
- Realistic damage modeling
- Regenerating health as primary health mechanic; no more medi-gel
- Over 200 cover animations (the original Mass Effect had 20)
- Nineteen different weapon types and classifications; for example the pistol has been broken up into the "heavy pistol" and "machine pistol" classifications
- Characters are now able to use any weapon their class is trained for at full effect, meaning the player is no longer required to or able to invest in weapon skills
- Armor skills have also been removed, and there are no longer class restrictions on armor
- Weapons no longer overheat; instead weapons now use "heat sinks," which is a form of universal ammunition
- Grenades have been removed and replaced with heavy weapons; grenade launchers a possibility
Vehicles
- The M35 Mako will be replaced with a new vehicle
- The Normandy will return, only to be replaced by the Normandy SR-2
Saved Games
- Decisions made by the player in the first game will continue to have influences on their character in the sequel
- Each completed game will be viewable by the player when deciding which save to import into Mass Effect 2, and a summary of some of the key decisions made during the game will be shown to help you make sure you import the save you want
- Players who have not played the first Mass Effect will start a new character in Mass Effect 2, and will be brought up to speed on the story elements that have taken place thus far in the series
- Characters from the previous game will come back, provided that they were not killed
- When transferring a file from the first Mass Effect, players have the option to change their class to a different one
The plot itself will also undergo a dramatic change; focusing on a general threat rather than a single foe and his army of goons, Ã la the original Mass Effect. This time around Shepard will be pitted against an unknown race of alien beings, dubbed "The Collectors," who abduct entire human colonies. The following a direct quotation from a Mass Effect 2 Wikipedia project and it provides some added detail:
I'm assuming Mass Effect: Redemption is a novel written within Mass Effect's universe. I've heard that Mass Effect has more than a handful of books out there, all of them canon, just in case a few of you nerds out there wanted to get a little more out of your Mass Effect experience.
Regarding the game's conclusion, if any of you were worried about whether or not you can continue your Mass Effect 2 game past the Mass Effect 2 ending, the ending itself may actually depend on the choices you make during the game. That's right, whether Commander Shepard dies or not at the end of Mass Effect 2 is all up to you the player, er-I mean, Commander Shepard. BioWare Executive Producer Casey Hudson explained that "If you do die in the ending of Mass Effect 2, it will not come as a surprise, nor will it be random. It will be pretty obvious that you headed into the final mission knowing that Shepard probably wouldn’t make it out alive." Hudson also confirmed that team members would be affected by the player's decisions during the final mission, "You might have an ending where Shepard’s entire team survives, or where the entire mission is a bloodbath and everyone (including Shepard) is killed, or anything in between."
Whatever the case, and whatever you choices, Mass Effect 2 is going to blow some minds in a few days, and I for one can't wait.
If anyone plans on getting this game in a few days or just has something they'd like to add to the thread, don't hesitate to share (NO SPOILERS, PLEASE).
