Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Mass Effect 2 tips - things the game doesn't tell you

I'll add to this as I go along, but in essence these are the things that the game doesn't show you in the 'tutorial' section. They may appear in the tips during the loading screens, but those are random; or they'll simply something I noticed while playing the game.

  1. Ignore the convoluted back story for it; ammunition comes in two types - normal and heavy.
  2. The figure shown on the weapon wheel is the total amount of ammo you have for that weapon.
  3. Picked up ammunition will be distributed to a weapon's reserves. Despite having a half-loaded weapon if your reserves are full you will not pick up any more ammo. Reload every weapon at the end of every skirmish before you round up more ammo.
  4. Normal Ammunition will be re-stocked at the start of every mission or when a weapons locker is used.
  5. Heavy weapons ammo will not be re-stocked.
  6. Medi-gel will not be re-stocked
  7. Re-spawning ammo and medi-gel will disappear after the current mission section ends.
  8. Once you start a mission you can't leave it, you can only restart it; create a save prior to the start.
  9. You can't change your squad during a mission.
  10. You can't change your weapons during a mission except at a weapons locker.
  11. Weapons lockers list from least to most damage within a type.
  12. The most damaging weapons tend to have the lowest ammo count, or are short range etc.
  13. You can't read the ammo count or try the weapon out except during a mission.
  14. The weapons assignment on the weapon wheel runs: Pistol, shotgun, rifle, sniper, heavy.
  15. Picking up a new weapon replaces the previous weapon of that type (see also 10)
  16. A picked up weapon is assigned to the far right of the weapon wheel.
  17. Dying or use of a weapons locker will reset the weapon wheel order.
  18. Ammo powers apply to the weapon not the character.
  19. Ammo powers will be removed after a weapons locker is used.
  20. Armour bonuses apply from the base statistics. Two +10% pieces equals one +20% piece.
  21. Storm Speed is sprinting.
  22. You can't see the effects armour has without leaving the armour locker.
  23. You can't change your squad's armour
  24. Once assigned you can change Shepherd's Skills/Powers point distribution, but only half-way through the game and at a cost.
  25. Once assigned you can't change any of your Squad's Skills/Powers point distribution at any time
  26. It's possible to level up and assign points during a mission
  27. You can only take cover when you're facing it.
  28. You will always take cover when running towards it.
  29. You will break cover if you move away from it either back or away from the edge
  30. You can still get shot at while in cover.
  31. Some cover you can shoot from some cover you can't.
  32. Headshots do make a difference
  33. Use Warp on Purple Biotic shields
  34. Use Incinerate on Red Organics or Yellow Armour
  35. Use Disruption and Overload on Blue Shields or Red Inorganics
  36. Use Cryo on Red Organics or Inorganics
  37. Use of any character's power/skill will prevent the activation of any other skill by that character. Effects already in-play will remain active.
  38. For the main character the cooldown period is indicated on screen by two half-circles converging on the weapon cursor.
  39. For a squad member their cooldown is indicated by the grey level beneath that character's portrait.
  40. A squad member taking damage will have their character portrait flash red.
  41. The health of a squad member can not be read.
  42. A 'dead' squad member will show a grey character portrait.
  43. 'Dead' squad members will be revived after all enemies are cleared from a section.
  44. If a 'dead' squad member is required to perform in a cut-scene they will be revived.
  45. Use of medi-gel requires an action that can be disrupted.
  46. Display of either the weapon wheel or power wheel will pause the game.
  47. On the consoles left or right d-pad will instruct that squad member to that position or to attack that enemy.
  48. On the consoles up on the d-pad will instruct all squad members to attack the enemy indicated.
  49. On the consoles down on the d-pad will recall all squad members to you.
  50. The d-pad instructions can be used while the weapon or power wheel is on-screen.
  51. Once you start to hack a console breaking off for any reason will result in that console being non-hackable.
  52. In the code-match hacking avoid the red zones, simply highlighting it will result in a lost attempt.
  53. The reward for hacking is displayed top right. If no reward is listed it is either to open or start something or is an upgrade.
  54. On the conversation wheel, subjects showing at the top tend to lead to Paragon points; items on the bottom to Renegade points.
  55. On the conversation wheel, subjects to the left tend to keep you in the conversation, those to the right tend to exit it.
  56. It is possible to skip conversations, however if the wheel is shown when you press the skip button the default subject is used, which often exits the conversation.
  57. It is possible to skip past Paragon or Renegade subjects.
  58. It is not possible to skip past Paragon or Renegade actions.
  59. The [X] Specialist Trophy/Achievements requires that the damage that removes the armour/shield be caused by that type of damage not by damage that may be caused by a bullet.
  60. The Tactician Trophy/Achievement requires you to combine multiple biotic affects. An effect has to be 'in action' before the second one is applied. Using two at the same time doesn't count towards this total.
  61. It is not possible to save while enemies are around.
  62. The Insanity level of difficulty lives up to its name.
  63. A new game will start a new "Career" with its own saves and auto-saves.
  64. It is possible to switch "careers" via the load menu.
  65. Planets' mineral resources classify as: Depleted, Poor, Moderate, Good, Rich.
  66. On consoles a high spike combined with a vibration yields more than just a high spike.
  67. It is possible to mine some planets that you can also land on.
  68. To save money on probes only mine for minerals you need to complete a research project.
  69. Travelling at full throttle between systems uses the same amount of fuel as coasting.
  70. Don't forget to Probe Uranus.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just started playing this awesome game and really appreciate your list. One of the things I kept hitting my head on was what Storm Speed was.

FlipC said...

Nice to know it helped. Yes reading the armour types stating how it affected Storm Speed would have been much more useful if the game explained what Storm Speed actually was :-)

Karmaa said...

No. 70 - mega LOL, props to including a bit of humour in the list :)

Anonymous said...

I read a blurb about mass effect series once, it said this about class, be soldier, using spells and changing stuff and getting killled for not having high health sucks.
If you get teammates with biotics you can use the same spells, but if you don't want to cast it the ai will do it automaticly.for you....