E309: Joystiq's MASS EFFECT 2 Impressions

Before I say anything else I just wanted to say that I was just playing Mass Effect and I just wanted to say that I hope they fix the planetary exploration, what with surveying deposits and picking up Salarian ID tags, things can get a little tedious.

I just finished reading these Mass Effect 2 impressions that the Joystiq staff were so nice to put up for me the internet and all of its users.

Who are we kidding it took a lot of will power to not just go, "Mass Effect post here, Mass Effect post there, Mass Effect tweet said this, this guy from Bioware said that about Mass Effect," I mean come on give credit where credit is due.

So I am going to hit on the highlights of the Joystiq impressions:

• Combat looks and feels more fluid while still keeping the feel of an RPG. Cover works better and Bioware is adding location damage, new weapons, and more importantly a heavy weapons system that can end a battle in seconds. All of these new improvements sound/look great. Fluid controls to me mean I am going to feel like a more badass Spectre.
• There is a quick button press interrupt option in conversations that allow the player to take these conversations in a different direction provided that one's finger is quick enough. Translation: I can punch someone in the face if they are not giving me the information I want fast enough or how I want it.
• You can play past the credits with downloadable missions and the like provided of course that you... survive? You are dead, you aren't dead, you can die, you can save yourself, all of this sounds quite dark and brooding. Does it make anyone else itch with anticipation?
• Casey Hudson (project lead) is touting a new planetary scouting mode but that is all he is saying. See above for why this excites me.

So the new features for ME2 are looking to fulfill on fixing a lot of the gripes some folks had with the original. Sounds like a sequel to Mass Effect and the only question I have left is, "Can early 2010 come soon enough?"