Mass Effect 2 Writing: Surprisingly Good

[Azarkon]

There are plenty of things wrong with Mass Effect 2 from a game mechanics perspective, but I must say, the writing, especially the character writing, is surprising well done. They (Bioware) have got this cinematic movie-speak style down, and once you accept that they aren't trying to avoid cliches for the sake of avoiding them, it becomes easy to appreciate how well the voice acting, the writing, and the camera play all mesh together.

I'd put it ahead of Dragon Age, in this respect. The themes are still a bit drab, but compared to the first game (which I didn't hate, unlike some people here), it's definitely a lot more interesting and affecting. Some of the character quests actually had me caring about the outcome, which is more than I can say for most RPGs these days.

Anyways, that's my take on it. Flame away.

 

[Zomg]

low content threadstarter, post excerpts?

"Good writing" is going to be a nebulous concept even with the most effort-intensive threadstarting BRO

 

[taplonaplo]

At least it runs better on my 4yr old comp than ME 1...

 

[Mogar]

I'd say that its much better then ME1. Here's an example for you, Zomg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujsI2_IyAW0

Obviously, it ain't Avellone, but it's better then almost anything being produced today.

 

[Azarkon]

low content threadstarter, post excerpts?

"Good writing" is going to be a nebulous concept even with the most effort-intensive threadstarting BRO

Wouldn't do the game justice. It's not made for reading - more like a screenplay meant to be acted out. I took a quick look at the youtube videos and it seems that most of the good scenes aren't out yet. I'll give an update later if I have time. For those who played the game, I thought the following were especially solid, script-wise:

- Illusive Man
- Thane
- Subject Zero
- The genophage quest with Mordin
- The trial quest with Tali
- Omega 4 (End Game)

 

[Zomg]

The Garrus thing linked was written by someone that has internalized Joss Whedon. Anyone like this stuff that doesn't also like the TV show he did with Animal Mother in it?

 

[entertainer]

so this is what it has come to

 

[MetalCraze]

and once you accept that they aren't trying to avoid cliches for the sake of avoiding them, it becomes easy to appreciate how well the voice acting, the writing, and the camera play all mesh together.

I've heard avatards protecting their shit like that.
So I've heard if you accept that shit tastes like shit it may even become sugar.

 

[Azarkon]

The Garrus thing linked was written by someone that has internalized Joss Whedon. Anyone like this stuff that doesn't also like the TV show he did with Animal Mother in it?

There's definitely a Joss Whedon vibe to ME 2 - which is good, because I enjoyed Firefly.

I've heard avatards protecting their shit like that.

The problem with Avatar is that it has been done too many times in the film industry (Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves, etc.)

Mass Effect 2 in the RPG industry - not so much.

 

[MetalCraze]

You mean a hero saving the world from ancient evil is a rare stuff?

 

[racofer]

I think he means blue alien interspecies seckz.

 

[Azarkon]

No, I mean the setting, the characters, and the way the story develops. Avatar is more or less a clone of previous films on the same subject, with only minor variations thereof. Mass Effect 2 isn't a clone of any game I can think of - it's not Gears of War with RPG elements, it's not Mass Effect 1, it's not KOTOR. It's just a different take on the archetype.

 

[Emotional Vampire]

Except Gears of War.

r00fles!

 

[Azarkon]

Uh, have you actually played Gears of War?

 

[Zomg]

If foreigners or tasteful people don't know who Joss Whedon is, he's a TV writer that writes dialog that makes people sound like precocious teens articulating their identities perfectly (like Juno in that movie if you saw that, although he didn't write that actually).

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Buffy the vampire slayer.

There.

 

[Black]

"Cinematic movie speak-style"
"Not trying to avoid cliches"
Sounds great.

Mass Effect 2 in the RPG industry

It's funny when even bioware calls it a shooter and yet Codexers claim it's an RPG.

Obviously, it ain't Avellone, but it's better then almost anything being produced today.

Zomg stop using this retarded argument. Just because shit is made today doesn't mean that everything that's not shit is instantly amazing.
Sometimes you people sound like you NEED to play another game and you'll even lower your standards if you can't get what you're used to.

 

[Zomg]

Actually, I guess I'm judging all the writing from watching 15 seconds of a youtube link, are there other obvious TV writing influences? A lot of the cutscene camera stuff I've seen looks like they got it from "floating astronaut with a shoulder camera zooming randomly" special effect cinematography from the recent Battlestar Galactica, how much of that writing do they crib? Being artsy fartsy with esoterica, clench-jaw/sobbing Acting, etc.

 

[Azarkon]

"Cinematic movie speak-style"
"Not trying to avoid cliches"
Sounds great.

If you didn't realize that's what Bioware makes by now, you're about ten years too late. Like I said with Dragon Age, if you have an intrinsic hate towards this type of game, then there's nothing more to say.

It's funny when even bioware calls it a shooter and yet Codexers claim it's an RPG.

It's a hybrid, which is what this entire genre is becoming. I'm not averse to calling it a shooter, but if so, it's a very unorthodox shooter, in which case Bioware = teh innovasion?

... I'll stick with action RPG.

 

[racofer]

Mang I feel like spamming the living shit out of this thread with flying cocks. What should I do?

 

[MetalCraze]

No, I mean the setting

I don't understand what's so special about ME setting. A generic space with "ships", hyperspace jumps and human-like aliens. It has been done countless times in games.

the characters

The characters are bland, they are just a filler for the sake of being there, not even cliches. You can instantly tell "oh this chick is there for the sake of Shepard fucking her". Well Shepard is a cliche on the other hand.

and the way the story develops

The story in ME doesn't develop, you just fight evil guys who threaten your race - that's all there is to it.
Even SMAC has a way better story development than ME which is more along the lines of quality sci-fi like Heinlein, Clarke and Bradbury and SMAC doesn't have that much of a story to begin with and it's 4X.

Avatar is more or less a clone of previous films on the same subject, with only minor variations thereof.

Which can be said about Bioware games. A story about cool hero saving something from someone is an overused cliche no matter in which setting you will put it and in which colours you will paint it. Finally it doesn't matter if it's a game or a movie or a book. Writing is still a writing.

If foreigners or tasteful people don't know who Joss Whedon is, he's a TV writer that writes dialog that makes people sound like precocious teens articulating their identities perfectly (like Juno in that movie if you saw that, although he didn't write that actually).

Firefly will own ME ass any day.

 

[Jaedar]

The ME universe is pretty original. It's not very well written( I personally can't stand that much exposure to BioWarian Dialogue), but the whole "Mass Effect" sci-fi bit is pretty cool imo. And ME doesn't have hyperspace, it has big arrays that reduce ship mass to zero allowing them to reach nigh infinite speeds.

I wish they could present this info better though, the codex sucks.

 

[MetalCraze]

The ME universe is pretty original.

What's so original about ME setting? Humanoid aliens and robots in Star-Wars-ian space is nothing original.

It's not very well written( I personally can't stand that much exposure to BioWarian Dialogue), but the whole "Mass Effect" sci-fi bit is pretty cool imo.

What's so cool about it?

And ME doesn't have hyperspace, it has big arrays that reduce ship mass to zero allowing them to reach nigh infinite speeds.

So basically it's your typical 'hyperspace'.

 

[Volourn]

"It's funny when even bioware calls it a shooter"

Wrong. They call it an Action RPG. And, they pimp thwe shooting with gunz to get the shooter crowd in.

The dilaogue is fine. It's on par with ME1, DA, or any BIO game. *shrug*

And,d efinitely better than most RPG writing including most of Avellone's.

 

[Phelot]

(Crush his throat)