Mass Effect 2

Yes I know, this post could be considered somewhat late. The main reason for this delay is in my wish to give the game some time to grow on me.
It has not really managed to do so, but I gave it a fair shot.

For starters I'm not amused with the attitude bioware/EA has towards the complaints about text readability on the 360 in combination with certain screens. The good old buy a bigger TV argument is cheap and a tad insulting.(It's not new, fable 2 is unreadable on SD and Star ocean 4 is worse. The half trick is setting it to wide screen on a 4:3 TV, losing some edges but getting bigger text.)

RANT ALERT!

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Let me argue against this: CRT and small TFT screens are fine. Not everyone wants, can afford or has room for a monster power sucking screen.
For me it is also a practical problem: most TV screens are designed for a viewing distance based on common sofa distance. As a nearly blind bat I have to sit close to the screen to see what is going on. These panels have quite poor image quality at this range. (Blurry is quite common.) Viewing angles, lighting and some other factors also come into play.
I myself have yet to find a single good affordable TV that meets my needs.(Oled looks great, but the price isn't even funny.) Some computer screen do come close, and that would be why I watch almost everything on one of those whenever I can.

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Back on topic:

Even on the PC things are in no way perfect with the reduced zoom/aim on weapons. Since this game is far more action oriented that makes it harder for us low vision people.
Worse is that a bioware game feels like a poor PC port. Double clicking in a menu does not work as it should on PC. There are no default key bindings to your journal/codex etc.

The cover system suffers from sticky wall syndrome. I have nothing against cover, but I do dislike not being able to move/shoot/aim due to the fact my character does not feel like parting with a wall/ledge.And who assigned several actions to the same keys by default? Hold/press/tap is something you do on a console with limited keys. My keyboard+mouse has tons of keys, please let me use them.

There is no link between this game and the social.bioware.com site. Since this portal was created/plugged for Dragon Age and ME2 that feels strange. If I'm going to have an online profile, and earn achievements in game I want to see them! ;-P

The game itself lacks some depth, there are far fewer rpg elements and even less side quests. There is no trade, you can buy things but not sell. There is no real exploring to be done, and loot is limited. Inventory? nope we do not need one. Large number of skills per class with story based prestige classes, nah.

Some reviews say the galaxy was made more lively, but the number of ports/cities is more or less the same. The background conversations are also mainly loops. Some change based on in game events, but the majority keeps repeating the same thing over and over. BIoware did better in Dragon Age:Origins.

I'll give some examples of what I would have liked to see: Being able to visit earth, or at the least jump zero. A trip to more inhabited worlds. Either force helmets on/off depending on plot, or change some lines of text based on this variable. I have the CE and pre order Armour. It makes no sense what so ever that people could recognise me (sometimes from a huge distance) while wearing these full sets.

The ammo system does not work for me. It was mildly annoying as a soldier, but it got very tedious as infiltrator. For me the cool down system worked better, it also made more sense based on the story and gameplay. Here is a question: Why would an alien species you have never met, with completely other tech use the exact same ammo clips as you?

Even judged purely as a shooter it is somewhat bland and linear: Gather your team, do their loyalty mission and do your thing. There are side quests, however most do not seem to matter. Sure you get some cash and the like, but what I want in this sort of game is more story. ME1 had multi part side quests that filled in back story, that's what I want rather than some cash.

Mini games are also worth mentioning. With certain items the hack and bypass games are doable. With good eyesight it might be a lot easier. The hacking game might also be hard for the colourblind.
Most reviewers (and even fans on the bioware forums) agree that the planet scanning should be written off.(Who could have thought running your cursor over a virtual globe would be fun?)

What really ticked me off several times is a bug that gets your character stuck in mid air/walls/floors. The 1.01 patch has not fixed it, and we can only hope for a new patch soon.

In the end it cannot be called a bad game. There is still a good story there, even if the move towards a darker/badass universe is not really my thing. What annoyed me a bit is that paragon in this game is quite often equal to idiot. In one situation a renegade event would let me kill some merc giving a tactical advantage in the upcoming fight. Yet there was no paragon option. Knocking him out for example.

Yet even while playing this light side my character was a lot more badass. I cannot say for sure, but it feels like bioware geared this one more towards renegade players.