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Post by fredlc on Jul 15, 2020 16:24:02 GMT
Hello guys. I begun playing bioware games about a year after the release of Mass Effect 1, and played through the trilogy many, many times. But always on normal. Didn't use to be interested in arbitrarily difficult missions. Once I tried ME2, my favorite in the series, on veteran, but got stuck on the Mordin recruitment mission, and dialed it back to normal. Than, a few years later, I played witcher 3, bought on release, and after completing it immediately begun another playthrough. It was so easy, it was detrimental to the experience, so I decided to ramp up the difficulty, and I actually decided to up it to the max. I finished it on max difficult at least twice by now. If witcher 3 was possible, I figured inquisition also was. So I did it too. That led me to finish all Dragon Age games on nightmare, and I did at least one full trilogy playthrough that way. Encouraged, I decided to try ME2 on insanity as well, applying some of the same principles I learned on the DA trilogy (direct companion power inputs, ammunition power management, identifying priority targets, setting up proper combos, etc...). I went as far as the collectors ship halfway in the game, but it was a gruesome grind to get there, and there, I took several beatings and gave up. And that playthrough stood unfinished. A few years passed, and a couple months ago I learned of the plans for the trilogy remastered. So I decided to do a playthrough of all games to fresh up the stories in my head. So I Installed all games on my XONE (own the 360 versions). Starting ME1 on normal made it so easy, I bumped the difficulty all the way the game would allow, and still, it was a piece of cake. Than I tried ME2 on insanity again, and this time, finished the game and all DLCs, no problem, and this time, no grinding, the difficulty was just right. Than finally ME3, not on insanity, one difficulty below, just to go through faster, and again, I found it trivial, despite never having even tried it above normal before. I know I can finish it on insanity if I get so inclined... So, my question, regarding specially ME2... is there a lowered difficulty in recent builds of the game? Honestly, I don't see me doing anything terribly different now than I did around 2016, when I got stuck in the collectors ship. Despite that, it was a completely different experience, and I find it weird that I got better at a game after 4 years of NOT touching it. Didn't find any info online, so I figured this was the right place to ask about this. Regards  . |
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Post by AnDromedary on Jul 15, 2020 17:23:18 GMT
I don't think they updated any of the games in years, so I'd say no. Chances are you just got better with practice. I just find it funny because I never had many problems playing through all the ME games in insanity but I find the Dragon Age games challanging on normal. Maybe I am just too impatient.  But yea, ME2 is probably the hardest of the bunch, that's true as well.
I agree that Witcher 3 wasn't that hard even on Deathmarch, once you knew what you were doing. Anyway, good on you for beating all those games!  |
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ahglock
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Post by ahglock on Jul 18, 2020 4:51:51 GMT
These games haven't been updated in a long long time so I can;t see how the difficulty would actually change. My guess shooters aren't as intuitive to you as DAI or witcher style games, but experience eventually wins out.
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Post by capn233 on Jul 20, 2020 22:21:37 GMT
Sounds like you got better with more experience. They haven't changed any of them in a long time. The only thing that made ME2 easier would be DLC weapons and power (Stasis). For ME2, squad management and positioning can make the game a lot smoother, and some companions are better suited to certain player classes. Also the build order is somewhat important. |
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Post by Sonya on Jul 21, 2020 10:00:59 GMT
Agree with others - think experience and practice helped during last PT of ME2.
But there is one other thing - at least it was in my case as well - time. Even without practice and experience after some time during PT some other thoughts appear like "Why did I do this last time?"
The thing is: sometimes understanding of some events, results (even in real life), strategies comes with time without any experience at all. Simply last time one thought did not come to my mind, but it did later.
In DAT and MET DA2 and ME2 for me are the most difficult.
Playing DA2 on Nightmare with FF at first was a real probleme (without any DLC items). Only now, after 60 PTs have finished DA2 several times w/o a healer e.g. (first several encounters were unsual because of that but got used to it rather fast). And DA2 is a game where one should think of the build, team, tactics (one of the best things in DA2) . Without it it is really difficult to play and the healer, as I thought, is "must be". Turned out - no.
First - GC PT as a melee rogue, after with a warrior, but no healer and no great amount of health potions (as usual: sell some - will get them back during some encounter or looting).
In ME2 was the same: playing with not the best suitable team, without healing was difficult. Now it is fine.
Many words, but to sum up: practice, experience or simly time played their parts in your case to finish ME2 on insanity.
So, congrats with accomplishing this challenge.
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Post by sageoflife on Jul 26, 2020 4:29:02 GMT
I noticed the same thing in my latest trilogy playthrough, particularly the second game. I think we're both just using better tactics.
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Post by fredlc on Aug 14, 2020 22:39:40 GMT
Sounds like you got better with more experience. They haven't changed any of them in a long time. The only thing that made ME2 easier would be DLC weapons and power (Stasis). For ME2, squad management and positioning can make the game a lot smoother, and some companions are better suited to certain player classes. Also the build order is somewhat important. But that is just it; I got no new experience. Go figure!
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Post by fredlc on Aug 14, 2020 22:48:28 GMT
But there is one other thing - at least it was in my case as well - time. Even without practice and experience after some time during PT some other thoughts appear like "Why did I do this last time?" The thing is: sometimes understanding of some events, results (even in real life), strategies comes with time without any experience at all. Simply last time one thought did not come to my mind, but it did later. In DAT and MET DA2 and ME2 for me are the most difficult. Playing DA2 on Nightmare with FF at first was a real probleme (without any DLC items). Only now, after 60 PTs have finished DA2 several times w/o a healer e.g. (first several encounters were unsual because of that but got used to it rather fast). And DA2 is a game where one should think of the build, team, tactics (one of the best things in DA2) . Without it it is really difficult to play and the healer, as I thought, is "must be". Turned out - no. First - GC PT as a melee rogue, after with a warrior, but no healer and no great amount of health potions (as usual: sell some - will get them back during some encounter or looting). In ME2 was the same: playing with not the best suitable team, without healing was difficult. Now it is fine. Many words, but to sum up: practice, experience or simly time played their parts in your case to finish ME2 on insanity. So, congrats with accomplishing this challenge. That could be it, even though it not something as tangible as a new idea o how to approach the game. As I said, I've no clue what I did differently. Though obviously, I'm doing something different. I never tried to beat DA2 on nightmare without a healer. Actually, usually the creation tree is vital on at least one, if not two players. I had heal on my blood mage last time, because I needed Merril in my team as imterrupeter/disable specialist, and I never dreamed of playing without that skill. That said, I never picked spirit healer. So there's that! You must be really good there.
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Post by fredlc on Aug 14, 2020 22:50:47 GMT
I don't think they updated any of the games in years, so I'd say no. Chances are you just got better with practice. I just find it funny because I never had many problems playing through all the ME games in insanity but I find the Dragon Age games challanging on normal. Maybe I am just too impatient. But yea, ME2 is probably the hardest of the bunch, that's true as well.
I agree that Witcher 3 wasn't that hard even on Deathmarch, once you knew what you were doing. Anyway, good on you for beating all those games! I too think DA2 is the toughest I ever played, probably more than ME2. But I think that inquisition with FF and all challenges would kick its ass. Didn't play it, though.
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Post by Sonya on Aug 15, 2020 13:01:42 GMT
That could be it, even though it not something as tangible as a new idea o how to approach the game. As I said, I've no clue what I did differently. Though obviously, I'm doing something different. Self-reflection, conscious or subconscious, think you are right telling it can be actually tangible. The main thing - it happens and it helps. You must be really good there. Thanks, of course, for such words, but would not say that - still have reloads, the game can "cheat" etc. Simply wanted to try it (have many "try builds" in MET and DAT now with many characters) and with proper builds for each team member healer is not needed (pots are enough). Have just finished another GC rogue -no-healer-PT and found for myself a proper solid build for exactly such PT. Turned out it is perfect and could be used for PTs "just for fun". And at the same time have other Hawkes and try different builds, some were very bad, some just semi-interesting/semi-effective or semi/solid. Just enjoy finding what build is better. And DA2 is my favorite anyway, as well as DAO. Team-work with CCC - just need to find what is better. The same works for MET. And after - experience to try somethng else. But I think that inquisition with FF and all challenges would kick its ass. Yep, will kick ass for sure and at the same time will break game experience to the point will just start hating the game. Dangerous. Like those trials but some for several sec have to turn off to break some magic barrier or in some encounters where mages use MB whiping out my whole party (MB? Really? WTF is this?). Use only some, even they break the game though they are really good (e.g. enemies have more abilities, no pots). So useful and more interesting as the game itself is easy even on MN mode with FF, and those trials are just what is needed for challenge, but they break my "enjoy" part. Damn annoying.
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Post by sjsharp2010 on Aug 15, 2020 19:09:30 GMT
Sounds like you got better with more experience. They haven't changed any of them in a long time. The only thing that made ME2 easier would be DLC weapons and power (Stasis). For ME2, squad management and positioning can make the game a lot smoother, and some companions are better suited to certain player classes. Also the build order is somewhat important. Yeah I agre as no on ehas touched the trilog ygames in years. I think you just got better Sonya. Because presonally I fin dME2 is probabl yin m yexperienc ethe hardes tof the trilogy gameplay wise. I find i tqui teasy t oget blindsided a ton epoint or another at som epoin tand die in the game especviall yon tougher quests such as Garrus's recruitment mission.
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Post by fredlc on Aug 18, 2020 0:50:45 GMT
Aaaaannnd... finished ME3 on insanity as well.
I actually think it was slightly easier than ME2... but I was using fully upgraded mark X dlc weapons.with the ordinary arsenal of a first playthrough which I did on ME2 - I think it would actually be harder, but not because of the overall gameplay; because of some very arbitrary dificulty spikes, like the last fight of "citadel", and the last mission when the game throw banshees at you...
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Post by AnDromedary on Aug 18, 2020 15:14:53 GMT
Aaaaannnd... finished ME3 on insanity as well. I actually think it was slightly easier than ME2... but I was using fully upgraded mark X dlc weapons.with the ordinary arsenal of a first playthrough which I did on ME2 - I think it would actually be harder, but not because of the overall gameplay; because of some very arbitrary dificulty spikes, like the last fight of "citadel", and the last mission when the game throw banshees at you... Yea, that was exactly my impression of ME3 on insanity as well. I felt like going through the game without too much trouble. Then I got to the last hold out fight with the Bansheepocalypse. I basically was like pause ---- look around and figure out what to do next for about a minute (can't go right cause there is a banshee, can't go left cause there is the destroyer beam, can't go forward cause there are three marauders ... gotta go backwards but can't get cornered there)--- let the game run for 0.5 seconds and PAUSE!!! --- repeat that 300 times.  But once I got through it, it really felt like I just barely survived the most epic ground fight ever. That's why I like the final fight on any difficulty. And because you cannot outright win the fight, just end it by achieveing your objective and escaping, it really feels like the reapers could ahve just kept that pressure level up forever.
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