[Official] Mass Effect 2


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Does anyone that Pre-ordered from Gamestop with the Terminus pack know if you can use the Code they send you to get the terminus armor on 2 profiles on the same machine?

I didn't even get a code for that. I pre ordered from Gamestop too. What do you mean by 2 profiles? As far as I know once you have redeemed the code you could use it as much as you want as long as you're logged into the same email address or whatever.

Was a brilliant game but kind of disappointed, felt like 30 hours of side missions recruiting and getting the crew loyal and 1-2 hours of the main story, the annoying thing is I was enjoying the game and I knew I'd get the final crew member and that would be it game over, also felt a bit cheap how they fixed the citadel up and decided to ignore the reapers, it felt like the first game only they changed sovereign to the collectors and alliance to cerberus. :unsure:

I did the main quests and the crew get loyal quests in 10 hours. So I doubt it was 1-2 hours main quest.

[...]

Do we really need to do spoilers now? The game is out!!

Yes, we do. It isn't released (yet) outside of North America and we can't assume that everyone played the game, even after the release date.

Anyway, I'm loving it for the most part. I don't know if this is considered a spoiler but I won't risk it:

I don't like how they changed up the weapons and armour. Back in ME1, you would find better weapons/armour and equip it accordingly. Now, you stick with the same stuff for awhile. It isn't until you find something new, which doesn't happen that often. And what happened to the flexibility of ammo types? This cryo/incendiary/disruptor ammo-type levelling this makes the game feel more like an oldschool RPG. Now, that's not a bad thing but it's not good either because of how it was handled in ME1.

Other than that, it's awesome.

< snip >

...

Do we really need to do spoilers now? The game is out!!

Only in NA, others are still waiting (29th for EU, 28th for AU). My copy should arrive today but I won't get to play it till tonight (at work right now) damn :pinch: :p

Just to add to the conversation, undeniably without any doubt please continue using spoilers. For starters, the game is not out everywhere, but not only that, you have to be mindful of the fact some people may take quite some time to beat the game itself. Especially when dealing with major plot reveals, key moments, and it should go without saying the ending, spoilers are an absolute necessity for a decent amount of time.

Yes, we do. It isn't released (yet) outside of North America and we can't assume that everyone played the game, even after the release date.

Anyway, I'm loving it for the most part. I don't know if this is considered a spoiler but I won't risk it:

I don't like how they changed up the weapons and armour. Back in ME1, you would find better weapons/armour and equip it accordingly. Now, you stick with the same stuff for awhile. It isn't until you find something new, which doesn't happen that often. And what happened to the flexibility of ammo types? This cryo/incendiary/disruptor ammo-type levelling this makes the game feel more like an oldschool RPG. Now, that's not a bad thing but it's not good either because of how it was handled in ME1.

Other than that, it's awesome.

I do, I hated having to stop in the middle of a fight and look at the stats to see which gun to drop, they could have done with maybe a few more weapons maybe offering them in the shops but I'm glad their not everywhere like the first btw if you level your teammates ammo up you can make it so all the team receives it.

I didn't even get a code for that. I pre ordered from Gamestop too. What do you mean by 2 profiles? As far as I know once you have redeemed the code you could use it as much as you want as long as you're logged into the same email address or whatever.

I've got 2 profiles on my 360, mine and my roommates, we each have our own EA accounts

and the code is emailed to you when it ships, i got my code today

I find it annoying running out of ammo all the time.

which is why the level where you go onto the collector ship (i think it was a collector ship) where you destroy the core, there is a crap ton of ammo laying around. Was quite easy.

]

Ive only found like 2 new ARs, 1 sniper, 1 SMG, 1 pistol and a shotgun throghout the whole game.. also the geth sniper and the krogan shotgun...

Kinda sucks how you only have a small amount of guns available

those were the same type of guns you got in the first one they just changed the colour .

I do, I hated having to stop in the middle of a fight and look at the stats to see which gun to drop, they could have done with maybe a few more weapons maybe offering them in the shops but I'm glad their not everywhere like the first btw if you level your teammates ammo up you can make it so all the team receives it.

I guess the first one was a tad bit overwhelming, but at least it gave you choices. In Mass Effect 2, it feels like my squad has the same weapons. And you can't check weapon stats (damage, accuracy rating, etc).

I find it annoying running out of ammo all the time.

Wow, so not unlimited like it was in ME1? is there any explanation to why all of the sudden the weapons have finite ammo? (as it was explained in ME1 why it was [nearly] unlimited) I'm curious.

EDIT: I just realized I made a big assumption, do all weapons have finite ammo now? or the base ones still unlimited like they were in ME1 with the big weapons having limited ammo? (that would make more sense).

As someone who didnt play ME 1 and still has no intention of doing so, I love ME2 and look forward to 3.

No idea how some of you managed to loose so many people on the end mission??? I lost Jack because I didnt have a high enough score and had to pick Miranda over her. I mean come on, Miranda is where its at. Anyway Talia on the pipes (of course) Miranda leading the fire team. Samara on biotic shield, Garraus leading the distraction team. Sent jack to die getting to crew to the extraction point. Me, Grunt and Miranda saved the galaxy from the T1000. I did however save the base, seemingly the wrong move according to all the characters post-end battle.

how awesome is the lead in for 3 with all the ships at the end biggrin.gif [/spoilers]

THe mission where you control joker is lame as all hades but him and EDI going at it throughout the mission was funny "I enjoy the site of humans on their knees" and their relationship as such afterwards is a cracker

At conclusion I still think Charge is a completely suicidal power.

As someone who didnt play ME 1 and still has no intention of doing so, I love ME2 and look forward to 3.

...

< snip >

May I ask why not? ME1 is fantastic and is going cheap these days too. I admit it's very buggy and the PC version does have a 3 activation limit (it was changed from 5, but they removed the every 10 day activation check) but EA (finally) released a tool to manage that or you can always just get it on Steam or the 360. It's your choice if you don't want to get ME1, I just feel your missing out of a gem of a game :)

May I ask why not? ME1 is fantastic and is going cheap these days too. I admit it's very buggy and the PC version does have a 3 activation limit (it was changed from 5, but they removed the every 10 day activation check) but EA (finally) released a tool to manage that or you can always just get it on Steam or the 360. It's your choice if you don't want to get ME1, I just feel your missing out of a gem of a game smile.gif

Hey I just noted the location info came back by popular demand I guess my fellow Australian :D

Anyway it never appealed to me at the time and looking at it now the graphics just look outdated and I know the story and what happens anyway. I loved KoToR at the time but going back and replaying it now is painful, I suspect I would feel the same way about ME1. The point is I love where the story is at now and whats coming and I wouldnt have minded a bit more complexity to options and info but overall I think ME2 is great. It lacks the indepth dialogue and character builiding that DAO has but it also has more humour more characters and some cool stuff with the paragon/renegade options. Probably more so renegade.

Hey I just noted the location info came back by popular demand I guess my fellow Australian :D

Anyway it never appealed to me at the time and looking at it now the graphics just look outdated and I know the story and what happens anyway. I loved KoToR at the time but going back and replaying it now is painful, I suspect I would feel the same way about ME1. The point is I love where the story is at now and whats coming and I wouldnt have minded a bit more complexity to options and info but overall I think ME2 is great. It lacks the indepth dialogue and character builiding that DAO has but it also has more humour more characters and some cool stuff with the paragon/renegade options. Probably more so renegade.

Fair enough, although ME1 doesn't look that dated (the PC version in particular still holds up well in my humble opinion). I loved the story in the first one and looking forward to seeing how it pans out :) my copy of ME2 is at home waiting for me, just under 1 hour of work left *arg!* :p

My only irritation with the game is that my only completed save is on my 360 and I have the PC version. I'm glad they're doing same day PC releases this time though, so oh well.

Frickin awesome game so far. Though I can't say I identify with most of the characters so far, they're still cool.

You may have done her side quest but

if your paragon/renegade skill isnt high enough and you had to choose between her and the other, shes aint making it out alive.

what do you mean choose between her and the other? are you talking about miranda confrontation or something different? I never chose jack for anything or any mission really...

Please put spoiler tags on some of that since you are discussing the end part of the game. I unfortunately read the first sentence.

my bad, just thought it was one of countless possibilities so i figured I wasn't giving anything away that wasn't known in a game interview.

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    • Creative Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe review: your headphones will love it by Steven Parker If you have been reading Neowin for any length of time, you may remember that I reviewed the Sound Blaster Audigy FX Pro back in April. I found it to be an excellent budget sound card, even though it lacked support for formats such as DTS over the included SPDIF port. Anyway, Creative reached out to me again asking if I was interested in reviewing the Sound Blaster AE-X. It is a card mainly targeted at headphone wearers, which I'll get into a bit later. Before we get underway, here is a disclaimer: Creative Labs provided a free sample without any review pre-approval. Here are the full specs of it: Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Dimensions: 179 x 126 x 18 mm Weight: 263g / 9.28 oz Platform: PCI-e DAC: ESS ES9039Q2M Connectivity Options Side: Rear: 1 x HD Audio Front Panel Connector, 1 x ⅛“ Headphone port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Left) port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Right) port, 1 x Coaxial SPDIF-out port, 1 x ⅛“ Mic in/Line-in port, 1 x TOSLINK SPDIF-in port Surround: No DNR / SNR: THD+N: 0.0001% Dynamic Range 130 dB Recording Resolution: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Direct Mode: Line Out (Stereo): PCM up to 32-bit  384 kHz Coaxial SPDIF Out: PCM up to 24-bit 192.0 kHz Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 384kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 Output Impedance: 1Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 8–600Ω, IEM: 0.5Vrms, Low: 1.5Vrms, Mid: 3Vrms, High: 6Vrms, Maximum output power: 350mW @ 32Ω (High), Maximum output voltage: 6Vrms (High) Front Panel Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128 Output Impedance: 10Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 32–300Ω, Maximum output power: 40mW @ 32Ω, Maximum output voltage: 1.9Vrms ASIO: ASIO 2.3 Total Harmonic Distortion: THD+N: 0.0006% Dynamic Range: 114 dB Scout Mode: Yes EMI shielding: No (but it passed all the FCC emission tests) Operating temperature: 0–45°C Input Power: 12V⎓0.5A Warranty: 1 Year (MSRP) Price: $179.99 / £169.99 The Sound Blaster AE-X was announced at the end of May, and it becomes clear that it is mainly for headphone wearers. I should also note that the card does not support DDL/DTS encoding technology, but it is said to support decoding through the coaxial SPDIF port. I was able to test this working with the classic Windows Sound properties, but I could not get a DTS (decode) signal through my Logitech Z906, it defaulted to 3D sound whenever I played DTS content through Plex or Emby. In addition, this card only supports two channels (stereo) over the speakers. The surround support is limited to the Headphone Amp, so before I get underway, what we have here is a card mostly intended for headphone use, especially with its SPDIF In (Toslink) port where you could connect another device like a console. So what about the highlights of this card? The AE-X is powered by the ESS SABRE DAC (ES9039Q2M), which is capable of a 130 dB dynamic range. In addition, it supports 32-bit/384 kHz playback for deeper detail and clarity. The headphone amplifier delivers up to 350 mW @ 32Ω, which admittedly far surpasses standard onboard audio, offering support for studio-grade headphones. DSD256 and ASIO 2.3 are also supported. What doesn't it have? No support for What-U-Hear, Super X-Fi, or the SmartComms Kit No EMI shielding, but it passed all the FCC emission tests (from the FAQ) I also want to make it clear that I am no audiophile. For me, it's purely subjective and it should just "work" out of the box. First impressions As I said in the introduction, I was a bit sad to see that the AE-X only supports stereo output, meaning it would not be on par with my ALC1220 over my speakers, as I mentioned it seems like this card is marketed toward headphone users. Since I am not an avid gamer that would rule me out as a potential customer, but I can still test its capabilities! The card arrived in a nice-looking box, as shown above. It's quite a bit larger than the Audify FX Pro that I reviewed back in April, and at first I thought the covering meant that it was EMI shielded, but it isn't as mentioned above in the highlights section. What's in the box: 1 x Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe card 1 x 3.5 mm CTIA TRRS to Dual TRS Headset Splitter Cable 1 x Quick Start Guide Aside from the Quick Start Guide, which someone at my age (I guess) needs a magnifying glass to read thanks to the tiny fonts, Creative Labs also has the manual online, which first requires you to prove that you're human in order to access it (so I can't direct link it). Anyway, the box is mostly made up of cardboard, and the only plastic in it is the anti-static bag for the card itself. Design Top Bottom The card itself looks pretty cool and actually wouldn't look out of place in an all-white build. There's only one connector, and for some reason it is awkwardly placed on the side (front-facing) that is for the front panel audio connector, which will let you use the headphones through the front PC audio jack. Since the front panel Headphone Amp has fewer capabilities than the rear headphone port, I decided not to use it. Rear of card PCI-e interface The rear of the card is completely open and is normally where you would find the front panel connector. The PCIe interface side is completely covered, which initially made me think it was EMI shielded. I/O panel Side (front-facing) with Front panel connector On the outer rear bracket side we have the TOSLINK SPDIF in, Coaxial SPDIF out, RCA line out (Right), RCA line out (Left), Headphone out, and Mic/Line in ports. On the front facing portion of the card itself is the F-panel connector. Usage Test System Our test system consists of the following: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER (BIOS F12) Corsair RM1000x (2024) Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut (33x33x0,2mm) 2x 32GB Kingston Fury Beast RGB DDR5 6000MT/s CL36-38-38-80 T-Force Z540 2TB (PCIe Gen5) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition (NVIDIA) Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Windows 11 25H2 Pro I installed the card into the Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER which includes the RealTek ALC1220 onboard audio. For our subjective listening tests, I used the Coaxial SPDIF port to my Logitech Z906 speakers. For headphone tests I used the OneOdio Studio Max 2 Wireless DJ Headphones that I reviewed last month. After installing the audio driver, I installed Creative Nexus, which is a relatively new app designed for the latest Sound Blaster cards. Then I discovered the AE-X needed both a driver update from 1.00.15.0001 to 1.01.09.000 and a firmware update from 1.00.06.0000 to 1.00.06.0002, then I was set to go. It should be noted that the card did not work without the driver (not Plug and Play). As you can see above, you can manage the firmware, driver, and inputs via Advanced Settings on the Device tab. By default Nexus enabled "Direct Mode". Upon clicking on Acoustic Engine, the Equalizer can be enabled and set to four different presets, which are: Gaming Music Movies Footsteps Enhancer There's also a dedicated Scout Mode for gamers. I mainly used Tidal and Spotify in the past week to listen to some of my Liked Songs (which now total over 700) in Shuffle mode; there were no pops or interference that I could hear. I also found a 5.1 Surround Music playlist on Tidal that sounded really great over Studio Max 2 headphones. When I reviewed the Audigy FX Pro, I went out and purchased a Logitech Z906 set second-hand for €100 specifically to use with the card, but in this instance all I could get on the AE-X was the 3D output of surround sound through Coaxial SPDIF and although it still sounded great, it isn't quite as good as DTS Interactive via my onboard Realtek ALC1220. Conclusion So what have I learned? The AE-X lacks multi-channel support for 5.1/7.1 setups and drops support for modern surround technologies like Dolby or DTS, functioning strictly as a stereo output device. So to really benefit, you will need Studio-grade headphones to "hear" the benefits of this card. With that being said, I can imagine it will appeal to gamers who are switching between console and PC. By utilizing the SPDIF in port, you could just plug your headphones into the AE-X (front or rear port) and then switch between PC and Console without having to move the headphones to a different port. As I said in the Sound Blaster Audigy review, the EQ in the Creative Nexus app offers safe presets, which allows a user to further tweak the lows, mids, and highs for a personal listening experience. Of course it all depends on the headphones you hook up to it. Speaking of headphones, I kind of wish I had higher-quality Studio-grade headphones to really test this card with; I'm not usually wearing headphones in my day to day duties. The only time I will wear them is if I want to listen to music very late at night and I don't want to disturb my neighbors, so my rating (verdict) is based on this fact. Someone with a PC/Console setup and wears headphone religiously to game, and consume media will benefit much more than I from the high-quality Headphone Amps that are included in the AE-X. Once again, I do feel like Creative could have gone the extra mile to support the S/PDIF port a bit more. Why include it if you're not supporting the main popular digital formats? It seems like the decision was more of a legacy-based one, offering uncompressed 2-channel PCM audio, for users with high-fidelity audio systems and external DACs. Maybe I will be lucky enough to review a card that truly includes all these features in the future. I am sure readers with far more knowledge on audio systems than me will correct me in the comments below. I'll just say I am happy to learn what I don't know! Where to buy The Sound Blaster AE-X is available to purchase now in preorder for $179.99 on the U.S. Creative website, or for £169.99 on the Creative UK website and will start shipping to customers from June 25.
    • $80 or 90%, anything else would be financial suicide one way or another.
    • Or... just use Bitwarden. Free, and has on-prem option as well. Works both on desktop and mobile, wherever you are. The age of local password files is over.
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    • I actually got to use one of those so called "backup codes" once. It was for a customer, I choose the backup code option, and by the grace of god, they actually hade them printed out. Imagine my surprise, when after using the backup code, Google then told use we had to enter a code they just sent to the gmail address we currently did not have access to. I was not amused, Google backup codes should be the end all get out of jail free card, because you had to have access to the account to even get them.
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