Mass Effect 2

[Benstamania]

I just want to know what happens if this ends up being a crappy port? What if it's full of lag, or other glitches....then what? Will the PS3 see ME3? If reviews aren't as good as the 360's reviews....and if sales are low (I know a few of my PS3 only friends say they won't touch this game until they play the first) I would imagine that could end up being the case.

The only reason I ask that question is because Mass Effect 2 is a fantastic game...and I don't want EA ruining it with a bad port job...which they've done before...

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It'd be a real shame, but at the end of the day, I've got my copy on 360 and it'll always be excellent, so it's no skin off my back.

 

[Benstamania]

Pretty much everything you mentioned isn't essential at all.
About the only thing close to being essential is the reapers, which gets explained through the game anyway regardless of playing the original.

It really HELPS the game though, seriously.

It would be like watching The Empire Strikes Back without ever seeing A New Hope. You don't HAVE to see A New Hope to enjoy Empire...but it helps.

 

[Erzengel]

Pretty much everything you mentioned isn't essential at all.
About the only thing close to being essential is the reapers, which gets explained through the game anyway regardless of playing the original.

Yeah all that stuff may be side notes or filler but that's what makes Mass Effect such a great series.

This is one of the first games I've played that takes decisions you made in a previous game and transfers it over.

Wrex to live or die. Kaiden or Ashley. Who's chosen as the Human representative. Yes not integral to the main plot of the second game but it just heightens the gaming experience by immersing you more into the Mass Effect universe.

You're practically saying, PS3 owners aren't really missing out but if you are a fan of the series, you really are.

 

[Benstamania]

^Agreed.

 

[Soapy]

Pretty much everything you mentioned isn't essential at all.
About the only thing close to being essential is the reapers, which gets explained through the game anyway regardless of playing the original.

kez I'm sorry, but you couldn't be more wrong. If you think that Mass Effect is solely about Commander Shepard and his quest to stop the Reapers, then you've missed the point of the series entirely.

Mass Effect is about letting you take the reins on your own sci-fi adventure. It's about being recognized by characters you've met previously. It's about letting the Council die, and then seeing how bitter the other races become towards humanity. It's about treating one of your fans like ****, and then finding them on another planet impersonating you. It's about choosing not to upgrade your ship at the cost of your squadmate's lives.

Without these threads of continuity running throughout the games, insignificant as they may seem to you, Mass Effect becomes a lesser and much emptier experience.

 

[Fading]

Just heard this news, awesome. The more time passed the more I saw the ME to PS3 comments as jokes. Hell, when I first saw this news posted elsewhere, part of me thought, "April 1st?" for a second, then the other part of me slapped myself for being stupid lol.

As far as ME2 and not 1, I'd say wait for it. Just because it's not announced yet doesn't mean it won't be. We really don't know why. Maybe ME 1 has some timed exclusitivity deal that lasted longer than 2's and they still need to wait for it to time out. Maybe it's because 2 is the newer game and they wanted the big news to be 2 coming out to set the net on fire, and then announce 1 at a later date before 2 is released to keep the momentum going.

MS has horrible 1st party support due to their lack of 1st party studios and franchises. They really dont have many so exclusives on their end is weak. They focused on using their money to drop millions getting 3rd party exclusives early on, while Sony instead chose to pour their money into their own studios and beef up their own IPs. As a result MS had the early advantage but things are turning expecially since many of those 3rd party deals have run out and they are making their way to the PS3, which is more attractive now that its cheaper and has a larger install base

Yeah, IMO MS's plan is backfiring. Earlier this gen it was a lot of wow, PS3 owners took a real beating early on from Xbox owners. "OMG we get exclusive GTA content, we get FFXIII and MG, you guys can keep wishing for your ME while playing your no games on your $600 paperweight!!!". Now...kinda the opposite. PS3 (according to Sony and MS's official numbers pre-Slim 360) is now about 3 million or so of the 360's sales despite the year gap. Sony has tons of first party exclusives coming out left and right. All of the exclusive 360 things are going multiplat (the GTA content, makers of Halo going multi plat, Ninja Gaiden, ME, ect.), and less and less AAA exclusive 3rd party stuff is going to them.

I think MS went with the shock & awe tactic early on to try and get a quick one up on Sony, where Sony dug in for the long haul knowing they'd take a hit early on to get Blu-Ray out. However come next gen Sony is going to go into it with tons of new exclusive franchises, while MS is going to leave this gen with less. Kinect, IMO, is even more vital to MS now than ever.

I find it odd people have problems with PSN, I never do. I always by my multiplats on PS3, because of one simple thing, I don't want a third X-Box to RROD on me. So I try to turn it on only for true exclusives like Halo Reach.

And Exclusives will still be there, they have to be. Or companies will not be able to get others to want to buy theirs over others. It's just business.

I believe Corp and Pat that they do have horrible times with it, they're honest guys, but I honestly don't get it either. I've never, never had anything I was donwloading cut out on me. In fact I've never had the download stream go below a megabyte a second either, so while not blazing fast, it's not slow either. I don't get dropped out of games due to lag, in fact with games like Warhawk I've never even seen a hiccup or lag stutter. The only times I've EVER had problems with the PSN is when it's system wide problems, as in everyone else is affected to (well outside of game specific ones, or like in a fighting game like SF4 where I willing join someones game where it shows they have bad lag). Now my internet is stable and fast, and I'm using a wired connection, so that could be it and maybe Live would work even better than I've seen PSN work, but PSN works great for me as well. I guess it's an individually based deal, because I honestly haven't had problems with it like I've seen other say they have.

 

[Fading]

Haha, not really. Halo and Gears basically out sell every PS3 exclusive combined. But i know what ya mean. Looking at my games collection, every PS3 title i own is an exclusive, but i only have 2 or 3 MS exclusives, which, by the way, id trade for any of the PS3 exclusives.

I can't really argue this point, but at the same time it's not a bad thing on Sony's part either. The Playstation brand is about diversity, much more so than Xbox. While Halo 3 may sell 10 million, 3 other quality exclusives like an JRPG, Alan Wake, and 2025 may bomb. Meanwhile Sony may not have a 10 million seller yet, but they may have 10 titles that all sold over 1-5 million. I think that speaks to the game developers who want to make off beat titles, or just non FPS or online element games in general, that the PS3 fanbase is more diverse and may be more willing to buy titles like Heavy Rain.

As far as that Halo vs. PS3 franchise comparison, IMO MS was just being infantile and playing console war (PS they also left MGS4 off that list which did half of Halo 3's sales alone, and if you add GT Prologue just those 2 titles alone = Halo 3's sales). They compared their top selling game period, their mascot, released very early this gen, to a bunch of new franchises just created this gen, some that had only been out months. I mean it's not like you see Nintendo go, "Hey! Mario outsells Alan Wake, 2025, Forza, Fable, blah, blah, and blah all put together. I'm sure Sony was happy earlier this year when title after title was releasing within weeks of eachother and getting 1 million+ sales each. The only title that'll be a fair comparison would be Sony's best selling franchise vs. Halo, which would be Gran Tourismo, which hasn't had a full release this gen yet. I think it'll have a good chance of doing 10 million considering it's the first full GT, and considering that the PS2 didn't have almost 40 million console out when they released GT3, and it still sold 15 million.


(Just wanted to add that I'm not trying to start fanboy war stuff in this thread, or derail it. Just wanted to respond to the comments I quoted. Sorry for not talking ME. Which I plan to be doing once it nears release and I start getting more hyped for it lol).

 

[Erzengel]

I stopped believing what Game Developers have been saying ever since the whole Fallout 3 DLC (360 exclusive, for a time) but I've read some of the statements from the Bioware boss and if they really are going to eventually bring in Mass Effect 1 to PS3 why go through all the efforts to do the following:

“We’re making sure there’s a really seamless introduction to the world of Mass Effect, for players that haven’t experienced it before,” he said.


“So even though it’s Mass Effect 2 specifically, we’re making sure there’s a nice introduction experience, that provides the back-story and the things that have happened up to that point in the universe, and makes it a really seamless introduction.”

 

[Cmill216]

It's like trying to summarize the entire plot of Episode I, and then saying, "Okay. Now go watch Attack of the Clones."

Could you physically be able to watch it and follow the basics? Probably. Would you be missing 95% of what makes the story interesting? Absolutely.

 

[Erzengel]

Wasn't there a teaser of the Illusive Man giving a synopsis of everything that's happened in the first game? They could just be doing that.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

Without these threads of continuity running throughout the games, insignificant as they may seem to you, Mass Effect becomes a lesser and much emptier experience.

Practically every character with a major role in the game is newly introduced barring to my mind, three, which are explained fully and clearly as to there current situation, as well as being optional. Every quest is newly introduced. I seriously doubt a player can't quite happily enjoy not only the main campaign but practically every side quest available without having touched the first game. What you mentioned above such as the fan and the council, are simply little references, no massive infringement on the comprehension of the game. Even Liara one of the love interests of the previous game was nothing more than a minor cameo, likewise with David Anderson. It's seems to me more along the lines of extended DVD material than something that changes the entire dichotomy. Why would they? Bioware are constantly wanting to expand there audience and were probably fully aware there were people out there who never played the first game when they originally designed it.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It's like trying to summarize the entire plot of Episode I, and then saying, "Okay. Now go watch Attack of the Clones."

Could you physically be able to watch it and follow the basics? Probably. Would you be missing 95% of what makes the story interesting? Absolutely.

I'd go back in time and make myself miss Episode I if I could.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

As far as that Halo vs. PS3 franchise comparison, IMO MS was just being infantile and playing console war (PS they also left MGS4 off that list which did half of Halo 3's sales alone, and if you add GT Prologue just those 2 titles alone = Halo 3's sales).

Thats exactly what MS was talking about, it takes 2 or more of Sony's best selling titles to just even out with MS's one. But i get what you were saying about the diversity, which i agree with. But Sony would rather have that bottom line than the "diversity". Also i think your numbers are off. Together GT and MGS4 did like 9-10 mill, Halo has done 11-12.

Im just waiting of the "year of the PS3" comments to start popping up. The poor ps3 only users have been stating that for the last 3 years and aren't any closer to it being true and Mass Effect 2 going multiplat wont help much. I'd be willing to wager that ME2 will not sell that well on the PS3 anyway.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

I'd go back in time and make myself miss Episode I if I could.

haha i loved the prequels, but i would of used Empire and Return for that analogy.

 

[Fading]

No. Its about making money. If you don't think Sony would trade Uncharted 1 and 2 and Heavy Rain for a franchise that will sell 11 million units each outing(IE Halo) then you are delusional. As for the second statement, thats exactly what they were talking about, it takes 2 or more of Sony's best selling titles to just even out with MS's one.

I think I'll just have to disagree. Halo is Microsoft's best selling franchise period, and Microsoft was being an ass and saying, "Let's compare new franchises and games that have been on the market for 2 months with Halo 3 which has been out for years publicly....but leave out the PS3's best selling games!". It's not a fair comparison. There's no taking away Halo's status, it's a juggernaut, I applaud it, but you can't honestly be trashing on Heavy Rain for not being a 10 million seller....

I highly doubt Sony is setting around kicking themselves because a niche title that most thought would bomb sold 1.5 million. I highly doubt Sony is hating themselves because their new, highly rated and loved, GOTY winning, to be translated into a film franchise, Uncharted didn't sell as well as the 360's biggest and highest selling franchise. I don't think it's a bad thing in any way that MGS4 (again a game not for everyone) and a demo (GT Prologue) combined sold as much as Microsoft's biggest franchise. A more fair comparison will be biggest franchise vs. biggest franchise, Halo Reach vs. Gran Tourismo 5. I mean if we're playing that game, the first 3 GT games have easily outsold the entire Halo series, and Mario makes both of those series look like a joke put together. Yet I don't think MS or Sony are depressed about Halo and GT's sales.

In the end it's all just a pointless pissing contest. 2 combined Sony games sell 10 million, 1 Microsoft game sells 10 million...and Sony's supposed to feel bad? No way, both did great, both got a lot of money, and the gamers win with great games.

Im just waiting of the "year of the PS3" comments to start popping up. The poor ps3 only users have been stating that for the last 3 years and aren't any closer to it being true and Mass Effect 2 going multiplat wont help much. I'd be willing to wager that ME2 will not sell that well on the PS3 anyway.

This I just don't get..."poor ps3 only users", "not any closer to it being true"....You're a good and level headed poster, but you sound pretty anti-PS3 about this. Isn't ME2 coming to PS3 good for all gamers? Why's it have to be a console war reigniter? As for the year of the PS3 comments, it's not like Xbox owners haven't done it this entire gen. Heck, when this gen started a group of Xbox owners hacked and brought down PS3 and Blu-Ray sites (it was talked about in the Blu-Ray thread early on, where they hacked the sites and changed everything to say Xbox rules), they tried to make PS3 owners constantly explain why they bought a PS3, they constantly insulted every other console owner, they were outright awful about rubbing any and everything pro-360 in PS3 owners faces. The first 2.5 years or so of this gen were horrible for PS3 owners lol, no small thanks to 360 fanboys. It's not like PS3 owners are the only fanboys, or even the worst. 360 fanboys have been pretty bad this gen, trust me, if Uncharted 2 were somehow announced for the 360 instead of ME2 to PS3, the uproar on the net would probably be even worse than it is now.

 

[Havok83]

Im just waiting of the "year of the PS3" comments to start popping up. The poor ps3 only users have been stating that for the last 3 years and aren't any closer to it being true and Mass Effect 2 going multiplat wont help much. I'd be willing to wager that ME2 will not sell that well on the PS3 anyway.

Its an old game which PS3 owners dont have the same attachment to as 360 owners do....why would anyone expect it to be a big seller? Thats not really a surrpise. It would be more shocking if it did sell extremely well on the PS3

 

[Erzengel]

Practically every character with a major role in the game is newly introduced barring to my mind, three, which are explained fully and clearly as to there current situation, as well as being optional. Every quest is newly introduced. I seriously doubt a player can't quite happily enjoy not only the main campaign but practically every side quest available without having touched the first game. What you mentioned above such as the fan and the council, are simply little references, no massive infringement on the comprehension of the game.
Even Liara one of the love interests of the previous game was nothing more than a minor cameo, likewise with David Anderson. It's seems to me more along the lines of extended DVD material than something that changes the entire dichotomy. Why would they? Bioware are constantly wanting to expand there audience and were probably fully aware there were people out there who never played the first game when they originally designed it.

This isn't about 2, or 20 or even 200 choices that carry over from the first game.

According to Kotaku, BioWare’s lead cinematic designer Armando Troisi stated that over 700 of the player decisions were carried over to the sequel at GDC. I can imagine things getting a bit messy with Mass Effect 3, as the developers will not only have to carry over plot choices from the second game, but also the first.

Over 700.

And again, I don't think most people here are begrudging what EA or Bioware is doing. I'm guessing they are doing the best they can since Microsoft has the rights to the first game.

In the end, we are talking about a gaming experience. And if you are saying that a PS3 user isn't really missing out as opposed to a 360 user who played the first 2, I can't wrap my hands around that logic.

Can a PS3 player have fun with just Mass Effect 2? Sure. But if given the option, I don't see why someone unless if they only did have a PS3 wouldn't feel a little left out.

Personally I played through the first game multiple times and before Mass Effect 2 came out, I played it one more time to make sure that I transferred the best save I could on the decisions I liked.

To me this isn't about 360 vs. PS3. If there was some PS3 game that was similar and the 360 just got the sequel, I would say the same thing.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I'm kind of with Erzengel. I mean if you've only got a PS3 and you really want Mass Effect I'm sure Bioware/EA (whomever ends up doing the port) will do their best to ease users in gently, but a huge part of the marketing for this game was taking your Shepard across an entire trilogy. Without that, you're sort of missing a huge part of the emotional journey that Bioware wants the player to undergo seeing the world react and change to their actions even if it is only in a superficial way.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, by that same token, if you've got a PS3 and you really wanted Mass Effect, you could've probably afforded to buy a 360 at some point in the past, what, 4 years since ME came out?

 

[Erzengel]

I couldn't rationalize buying a system for 1 game.

I bought a 360 first. And when the PS3 came out, the game I wanted to play was Metal Gear Solid 4. Metal Gear was probably my favorite series for a long time. Before Mass Effect. I've played it since Metal Gear on the Nintendo.

I could never bring myself or anyone close to me for purchasing the system for that single game. 3 1/2 years later, I still couldn't until my friend gave me his old one. He bought a slim. If he hadn't I still probably wouldn't of bought one.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I wouldn't either, but it seems unlikely that Mass Effect would be literally the only game anyone would want to play on the 360. I bought a PS3 after a decent back catalog had built up, but it was primarily for Heavy Rain. I've since bought plenty of other games for it that I've enjoyed immensely. Still, one game can get you over the hump that is the consoles' exorbitant prices (which actually aren't that bad anymore since they've been out for half a decade) and be the catalyst for actually picking the system up, opening the door to all that other stuff. At least, it was for me.

 

[Erzengel]

Well since then I have picked up Uncharted 2 and God of War III.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Exactly. I got Uncharted with the PS3 I bought a little while before Heavy Rain and now I actually like the Uncharted series even more than Heavy Rain.

And again, my point was that if this hypothetical person who desperately wanted to play ME could afford a PS3, they could probably scrape together the money for a 360 too. It wouldn't necessarily be a taxing purchase for them.

 

[Erzengel]

Oh I agree.

I don't know why more people aren't 2 - 3 console gamers.

I mean you are always going to lean more on one than the other. I stopped caring what system got what now that I have the 2 major gaming systems.