Mass Effect 2 Plot Issues **Spoilers**

[GammaZord]

**MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD**

Don't read ahead if you haven't finished ME2/don't care

Anyway, I felt that the plot in ME2 didn't really go anywhere. What I mean is, by the end of ME1 you've stopped the Reapers' indoctrination of the Geth/Saren, and the issue (presumably left for ME2) becomes what to do about the Reapers specifically.

But, in ME2 the Reapers indoctrinate a new species (The Collectors via the Protheans) and basically the entire game is spent stopping that problem without really advancing the more important (and IMO more interesting) issue of the Reapers. Of course, you learn that the Reapers were using the Collectors to harvest humans so they can build a Human-Reaper (lolwut?). But I don't remember it being answered why they built a Human-Reaper( maybe someone else does).

Basically, I think the Human-Reaper was supposed to be the big plot-draw of the game, but I thought it was kinda silly and unsatisfying. And, at the end of ME2 you're essentially in the same place you were at the end of ME1: prevented a Reaper-indoctrination threat and developing a plan for the Reapers themselves.

I know this is a trilogy and I wasn't expecting an all-out war with the Reapers, but I would have liked a little bit more development of the Reapers and the overall senteient-life threatening issues presented in the 1st game.

Anyway, did anyone else feel similarly afterwards, or did they like the plot, or whatever?

and,it's more than likely that I missed some important developments too.

 

[dommyuk]

I liked the plot and it's pacing, I think it set up the third game well. My only problem with the game is that most of it was spent recruiting members and then earning thier respect/trust or whatever it was.

 

[DarthLurtz]

Well, they can't really attack the Reapers, as they are waaayy outside the galaxy. I guess if the Collectors had finished the Human Reaper, it would have tried to open the giant Relay again.

Really, without having the capability to go outside the galaxy and fight the Reapers, all they can do is prepare and stop their plans to invade faster.

 

[zfactor]

Well, the Protheans were genetically reperposed by the reapers, not indocrinated...

And the human reaper thing was their meathod of reproduction, take organic DNA and fuse it with their technology to make more reapers (which is why all of them look about the same, like Prothean heads). (If you take screenshots of Shepard's vision, you can see some humanoids with tentacle faces)

And you managed to unite the krogan and the rachni pledge to help you (if you spared them in ME1).

Did you watch the final cutscene? I'd call the ENTIRE reaper fleet "overall senteient-life threatening issues."

 

[XMark]

I think that part of the reasons the Reapers are harvesting intelligent life is to create more Reapers. The events of Mass Effect 1 alerted the Reapers to the potential of the human race. They saw the human race as the most promising species to use for the next batch of Reapers, which was why they changed the collectors' goals to focus specifically on human colonies after Mass Effect 1.

The Human-Reaper, if built to completion, could have launched its own attack on the Citadel, more prepared to cut through the Citadel defenses and open up the way for the Reapers to jump into the galaxy en masse. But Shepard took out the Human-Reaper before it could be deployed so they're stuck flying into the galaxy the old-fashioned way. Which may end up still being a shorter travel time than would be necessary for the galaxy's races to prepare themselves for a Reaper invasion...

 

[kurupt87]

Setups for the final game from ME2:
Legion and the True Geth - ally?
Tali and the Quarian Migrant Fleet - ally?
Wrex and the Krogan - ally?
TIM, Cerberus and Collector base - ally? info?
No more Collectors to help the Reapers
Dark Energy from that star

Spoiler: Here's some chat that explains my thoughts.

The trouble with ME2 is that before it (end of ME1 in other words) the collector threat didn't exist and now at the end of it it doesn't exist. So it doesn't really affect the overall story at all that much.

Another problem with the game is that there are only actually four missions that deal with the collectors, that further the plot of the saga in other words. The rest of the entire game is spent recruiting peole and earning their loyalty. The fact that they can all die means that their contribution to the final game can't be all that huge, otherwise the story wouldn't function.

The dark energy or whatever it is will no doubt be a very important part of the ME3 story.

Blowing up the Collector base, or keeping it, should have a big impact on the third game and its story.

The rest of the allies though (Legion and the Geth, Tali and the Quarians etc) they are all important things that'd affect the story. Like I said though, because all of them involve a character that can die they can't be pivotal points, just things that help (a great deal). The other squaddies from ME2 will probably pop up at some point if alive and offering help in whatever way they can too.

Setups that have nothing to do with ME2:
The rachni setup has nothing to do with ME2, that is purely ME1 - I thought at the time in ME1 that if I spare the Queen it'll benefit me in some way in the future, ME2 just confirms it.
You also have Liara and her information contacts as well as Ashley/Kaiden and Anderson and their, as well as your old, connections to the Alliance military.
Your (possibly old) Spectre status should grant backup from the Citadel races and their military resources.

Soooo, I have probably missed some big points but those there are pretty big factors.

Also, yeah I kinda like this game/universe/story.

 

[Kelbear]

**MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD**

Don't read ahead if you haven't finished ME2/don't care

Anyway, I felt that the plot in ME2 didn't really go anywhere. What I mean is, by the end of ME1 you've stopped the Reapers' indoctrination of the Geth/Saren, and the issue (presumably left for ME2) becomes what to do about the Reapers specifically.

But, in ME2 the Reapers indoctrinate a new species (The Collectors via the Protheans) and basically the entire game is spent stopping that problem without really advancing the more important (and IMO more interesting) issue of the Reapers. Of course, you learn that the Reapers were using the Collectors to harvest humans so they can build a Human-Reaper (lolwut?). But I don't remember it being answered why they built a Human-Reaper( maybe someone else does).

Basically, I think the Human-Reaper was supposed to be the big plot-draw of the game, but I thought it was kinda silly and unsatisfying. And, at the end of ME2 you're essentially in the same place you were at the end of ME1: prevented a Reaper-indoctrination threat and developing a plan for the Reapers themselves.

I know this is a trilogy and I wasn't expecting an all-out war with the Reapers, but I would have liked a little bit more development of the Reapers and the overall senteient-life threatening issues presented in the 1st game.

Anyway, did anyone else feel similarly afterwards, or did they like the plot, or whatever?

and,it's more than likely that I missed some important developments too.

This is the typical "Second in a Trilogy" phenomenon. The second in a trilogy suffers for not being as new as the first, and lacking the punchy conclusiveness of the last.

Doesn't necessarily mean the second in a trilogy will always suck, it just has to work much harder to be special compared to the first and third.

 

[DustyDrB]

Think about all the allies you made during Mass Effect 2 (allies at least against the Reapers). Plus you stop a Collector/Reaper threat focused against humanity while learning new things about the Reapers. Bringing in the allies (Quarian, Geth, the mention of the Rachni, Cerberus, the Krogan) is a worthy enough plot and makes me extremely excited for the final chapter of the series.

 

[dududf]

In ME2, something that drove me effing bonkers was the bullet delay.


IT MAKES NO SENSE!

The idea is to propel something tiny tiny tiny at uber speeds. Now why the hell would there be a delay? You're moving something at near light speeds, and there's a DELAY?

*rips hair out of skull*

 

[Juzari]

This is the typical "Second in a Trilogy" phenomenon. The second in a trilogy suffers for not being as new as the first, and lacking the punchy conclusiveness of the last.

Doesn't necessarily mean the second in a trilogy will always suck, it just has to work much harder to be special compared to the first and third.

this, it suffers from being the middle episode, with no real beginning or end

But it did make alot of interesting threads for the finale

 

[Altorin]

It's implied that all of the Reapers were created by harvesting races.. so the idea of a "human reaper" isn't that silly when put into context.. Every reaper is basically a "*Some Race* Reaper"

 

[GammaZord]

Can somebody clear up the "dark energy" thing. Does it have to do with that star/thing on the other end of the omega 4 relay--or seomething totally different?

 

[arcticphoenix95]

It's implied that all of the Reapers were created by harvesting races.. so the idea of a "human reaper" isn't that silly when put into context.. Every reaper is basically a "*Some Race* Reaper"

how would it fly? It looked like it would take the form of a fully developed human........

 

[Baron Von Evil Satan]

Dear lord, I thought we were done with these...

*Sigh* FINE! It's the Empire Strikes Back of Mass Effect. It just sets stuff up for the Grand Finale...

 

[Crimsonsniper]

**MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD**

Don't read ahead if you haven't finished ME2/don't care

Anyway, I felt that the plot in ME2 didn't really go anywhere. What I mean is, by the end of ME1 you've stopped the Reapers' indoctrination of the Geth/Saren, and the issue (presumably left for ME2) becomes what to do about the Reapers specifically.

But, in ME2 the Reapers indoctrinate a new species (The Collectors via the Protheans) and basically the entire game is spent stopping that problem without really advancing the more important (and IMO more interesting) issue of the Reapers. Of course, you learn that the Reapers were using the Collectors to harvest humans so they can build a Human-Reaper (lolwut?). But I don't remember it being answered why they built a Human-Reaper( maybe someone else does).

Basically, I think the Human-Reaper was supposed to be the big plot-draw of the game, but I thought it was kinda silly and unsatisfying. And, at the end of ME2 you're essentially in the same place you were at the end of ME1: prevented a Reaper-indoctrination threat and developing a plan for the Reapers themselves.

I know this is a trilogy and I wasn't expecting an all-out war with the Reapers, but I would have liked a little bit more development of the Reapers and the overall senteient-life threatening issues presented in the 1st game.

Anyway, did anyone else feel similarly afterwards, or did they like the plot, or whatever?

and,it's more than likely that I missed some important developments too.

This is the typical "Second in a Trilogy" phenomenon. The second in a trilogy suffers for not being as new as the first, and lacking the punchy conclusiveness of the last.

Doesn't necessarily mean the second in a trilogy will always suck, it just has to work much harder to be special compared to the first and third.

If done right the second in a trilogy can be the best of them all. Look at Star Wars for example when people ask which was the best of the original movies most fans agree that "The Empire Strikes Back" is the one. In similar fashion to Mass Effect 2, we come from the original game(movie) off of a giant victory against a seemingly unstoppable force which is immediately reversed in a dramatic confrontation that leaves the heros in the very real position of losing. Many new characters are introduced, the past of some characters come back to cause new problems, and not everyone will make it out unharmed. Regardless the hero learns more of the enemy he is fighting as well as how both the protagonist and antagonist are related (Darth Vader is Luke's father "Join me", Shepard has become the prize and the future of the Reapers "We are your salvation"). The stage is set for a fitting conclusion to the trilogy in what will be the final game(movie) in which the hero must once more confront his now personal enemy and in which the last and greatest battle will occur. The worst thing a person can do is sell an important part of a trilogy short until the reader learns of how it will all end, only then can we appreciate what the second game has brought into play, and how important some seemingless events were.

 

[WayOutThere]

Anyway, did anyone else feel similarly afterwards, or did they like the plot, or whatever?

Absolutely yes, the main plot-line was an afterthought. This really dissapointed me because of how much I like the main plot-line from ME1.

 

[aaronmcc]

I bought on release day, played it a lot and enjoyed it alright but overall it was REALLY MEH compared to the first one.

 

[Keava]

My only real issue with ME2 plot was that die and and get reborn thing that seemed like camuflated deus ex machina thing to why we would need a new team and why we would work with Illusive Man.

Apart form that the story was supposed to be a bridge between the Sarens part in which we save the galaxy from impending doom to ME3 where, i suppose we will save the galaxy from impending doom properly.
Middle parts have tendecy to be more of a teaser for the climax point and so ME2 plotline can go through a lot of nitpicking...but frankly i enjoyed the game enough to not bother with such details, hopefully wont have to revise my views after ME3.

 

[Mekado]

**MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD**

Don't read ahead if you haven't finished ME2/don't care

Anyway, I felt that the plot in ME2 didn't really go anywhere. What I mean is, by the end of ME1 you've stopped the Reapers' indoctrination of the Geth/Saren, and the issue (presumably left for ME2) becomes what to do about the Reapers specifically.

But, in ME2 the Reapers indoctrinate a new species (The Collectors via the Protheans) and basically the entire game is spent stopping that problem without really advancing the more important (and IMO more interesting) issue of the Reapers. Of course, you learn that the Reapers were using the Collectors to harvest humans so they can build a Human-Reaper (lolwut?). But I don't remember it being answered why they built a Human-Reaper( maybe someone else does).

Basically, I think the Human-Reaper was supposed to be the big plot-draw of the game, but I thought it was kinda silly and unsatisfying. And, at the end of ME2 you're essentially in the same place you were at the end of ME1: prevented a Reaper-indoctrination threat and developing a plan for the Reapers themselves.

I know this is a trilogy and I wasn't expecting an all-out war with the Reapers, but I would have liked a little bit more development of the Reapers and the overall senteient-life threatening issues presented in the 1st game.

Anyway, did anyone else feel similarly afterwards, or did they like the plot, or whatever?

and,it's more than likely that I missed some important developments too.

You're right about the non-advancement of the final goal, worse than the first actually since in ME1 you actually kill one reaper.I sure hope they'll answer the "why would they build a human reaper?" question in ME3, and please, no cheap cop-out like "oh they were so impressed by you killing one of their own that they wanted to imitate you.It's obvious that they have nothing but disdain for any other race than their own.

 

[Janus Vesta]

You're right about the non-advancement of the final goal, worse than the first actually since in ME1 you actually kill one reaper.I sure hope they'll answer the "why would they build a human reaper?" question in ME3, and please, no cheap cop-out like "oh they were so impressed by you killing one of their own that they wanted to imitate you.It's obvious that they have nothing but disdain for any other race than their own.

The Reapers used Humans because (as Mordin pointed out constantly) Humans have a diverse range of genetics, there's a lot of variation from one Human to another makes for a good base code. Lots of junk DNA to write over. Junk DNA isn't great in an evolutionary perspective but for experiments and assimilation it makes subjects ideal (you can scrap most of the junk DNA as it doesn't change anything, making it do something you want it to).

And as for story, the main focus of the game was gathering allies to fight the Reapers in ME3.