Mass Effect 2 comes on two discs

By Oli Welsh Published 4 December, 2009

"You cannot fit this much awesome on one".

BioWare has confirmed that Mass Effect 2 will ship on two game discs when it's released for PC and Xbox 360 early next year.

For PC gamers this simply means a two-disc install, but 360 owners will need to swap discs once during play.

"Even though there is a disc swap, it occurs at a carefully planned place in the game (that does not interfere with gameplay) and is done once," said community co-ordinator Chris Priestly on the game's forum (via Kotaku). "You do not swap back and forth. One swap and then done."

"Why two discs? Answer: Because you cannot fit this much awesome on one disc," he bragged.

The hot space RPG is out on 29th January. Plenty more at the Mass Effect 2 gamepage.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (139) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Killdare #1 2 years ago

    *cough* Blu-ray *cough* Sorry, I'll just be moving along

  • Hermiod #2 2 years ago

    Or just let players install the second disc on to their hard disks if they choose. No swap necessary.

  • Valland #3 2 years ago

    "Why two discs? Answer: Because you cannot fit this much awesome on one disc".

    Yes you can, it's called Blu-Ray.

  • CaptainQuint #4 2 years ago

    I used to have to constantly swap ELEVEN discs to play The Secret Of Monkey Island 2 back on the Amiga 500. It didn't bother me. This won't bother me either, funnily enough.

  • darkmorgado #5 2 years ago

    @ Killdare

    Yeah, because having to get off your arse once during an epic RPG to change a disc really destroys the experience doesn't it? Moron.

  • GamerG #6 2 years ago

    ahhhh blu ray where because of shitty load and seek times pretty much every game has an install anyway!!!

  • darkmorgado #7 2 years ago

    Besides, I would rather play this on my 360 and know I'm getting the developer's full vision, than play it on my dusty PS3 and suffer low-res textures, the jaggies and compromised frame rates.

    EDIT: Why the negs? It's widely accepted that PS3 versions of games are technically inferior to 360 in the vast majority of cases. Look at bayonetta. It's why my PS3 gathers dust and only gets used for exclusives, while my 360 is used for everything else (apart from the quirky games I get for my Wii).
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 08:46

  • Distributor #8 2 years ago

    Why spin the disc, when an install is available? Blue-ray or not, who cares...just install it.
    Almost everyone nowadays has a HD in their machine. Not a biggie.

  • back2funk #9 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado - I believe killdare was having a laugh... touched a nerve has he?

    I do believe you can fit almost 5 times as much awsomeness on one disk

  • darkmorgado #10 2 years ago

    @Distributor, they can't make install compulsory with Xbox because they can't guarantee everyone will have a HDD. Would be nice if they include the option though. But if it only happens once during the game at a prescribed point (I am guessing at some point you travel to a different sector of space and can't return to previous areas, which is the only way I can imagine they can do it) then it's no biggie either way.

  • darkmorgado #11 2 years ago

    @back2funk,

    No he didn't touch a nerve - I own all current-gen consoles and 15 consoles in total. It just annoys me when people pop into a forum to make a stupid fanboy comment and suggest that a game is shit simply because it's not on their platform of choice.

  • Distributor #12 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado Ofc they cant make it compulsory. But you get my point....most/majority have storage space on their X360 that is more than the default on the MoBo. A lot of people have upgraded their arcade machines to 20/60/120gigs and the further we go in the current gen lifecycle the less of an issue storage space becomes. Roll out 250gig HD's.

  • back2funk #13 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado
    He didn't suggest it was shit, it looks like he was having a laugh. Come on, lighten up... It's Friday!!!

  • Zomoniac #14 2 years ago

    Or just let players install the second disc on to their hard disks if they choose. No swap necessary.

    This. Forza 3 did it just fine, install the second before play and never need to take out disc 1.

  • gnrlstuart #15 2 years ago

    oh nice, fanboys making fun of a game with two discs, that dosent even appear on thier system, that you can install anyway so that you wont have to swap the disc anyway.

  • darkmorgado #16 2 years ago

    @back2funk

    Yeah it's Friday, but it's not 9am yet, I've only had one coffee and 2 cigs, so I'm still a bit cranky.

    Plus, every day is friday atm because my contract with my former employer ended last week. At least I'm finally managing to catch up on all the amazing games that have come out recently

  • StooMonster #17 2 years ago

    Planning to buy the PC version, and (hopefully) download from Steam. No optical discs! Unlimited capacity!

  • Goodfella #18 2 years ago

    ahhhh blu ray where because of shitty load and seek times pretty much every game has an install anyway!!!

    That's funny because these days hardly any games require an install.

  • GordonJ #19 2 years ago

    @gnrlstuart

    You still have to swap discs, even with it installed

  • the_sas_man #20 2 years ago

    Most annoying disc swaps has to be watching the Lord of the Rings special editions.

    Mordor and Frodo have little time to wait for my Technika cheapo DVD.

  • back2funk #21 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado - Wait a minute!!!!! You're not at work yet you are not playing on your console of choice!!!! What's with that. Every minute should be used wisely as you'll be back at work before you know it :)

  • dfunked #22 2 years ago

    Ugh... As soon as I saw this article I just knew half of the comments would be from Sony fanbois mentioning blu-ray...
    Bitter much?

  • Widge #23 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado

    this is Bioware though, and didn't they do a rather good job at Dragon Age. MMMM?

  • Xerx3s #24 2 years ago

    Is it technically impossible to have people install both discs and then just let them use the first one?

  • andywilkie35 #25 2 years ago

    Why are people bothered about it coming on two discs? That to me is great news, I love multi disc RPGs. There was nothing quite like the feeling of progress in a Final Fantasy game on the PSOne when it came up with the screen "Please insert disc 2" etc

  • darkmorgado #26 2 years ago

    @Widge, Dragon Age is awesome! On PC anyway, I don't know about the console versions but what I've seen suggests the game was compromised on console. I was only ever going to get it for PC for the modding tools and the fact that those sorts of RPGs are always best played using keyboard and mouse.

  • patch #27 2 years ago

    I just knew half of the comments would be from Sony fanbois mentioning blu-ray...

    Or could be from 360 owners wondering why Microsoft hasn't provided an upgrade path to a new optical storage medium, or sold all 360 versions with a hard drive so games can have a mandatory install. No, it's definitely all Sony fanboys. I'll go back to blindly licking Steve Ballmer's' shoes rather than having the temerity to question the mighty Microsoft.

  • originaljohn #28 2 years ago

    i'd be really happy if mass effect was released on ps3. aw well

  • darkmorgado #29 2 years ago

    @back2funk

    Well I am currently printing off a load of CVs and writing a letter for an ongoing legal case against a former employer, but don't worry! I still have 42 feathers left to find in Assassin's Creed, a few levels left on Rabbids Go Home, and plenty of life left in Dragon Age, not to mention the dozen or so other games I've bought in the last couple months, so at least 3 of my consoles will get some use later today :-)

  • Freek #30 2 years ago

    One disc swap? That's all? Pff , FF7 came on 4 discs if I remember correctly, to say nothing of those old school FMV adventure games on the PC, 8 CDs was entirely possible.

  • darkmorgado #31 2 years ago

    @Freek,

    FF7 was on 3 discs ;-)

  • Freek #32 2 years ago

    3,4,5 what ever, you know what I mean. :p

  • mcbi4kh2 #33 2 years ago

    How does an RPG work on two discs that only need swapping once? What happends if you go back?

  • JimWest #34 2 years ago

    One of Microsofts rules for devs making games is that any xbox360 owner can play the game, hard drive or not. So to say "just make people install it to Hard Drive." goes against this rule.

  • darkmorgado #35 2 years ago

    @mcbi4kh2

    I'm assuming there is a point of no return halfway through. Like getting catapulted across the galaxy or something and having the ME drive on the ship fail. So there will be something like 2 "hubs", and the transition will be where the swap occurs. That's an assumption on my part, but it's the most logical conclusion I can think of.

  • darkmorgado #36 2 years ago

    @Jimwest,

    Yeha but they could make it an option like with Forza, as has been pointed out.
    Anyway, I am getting this on launch. Loved the first one but it felt way too short and the planetary side-missions were shite. Apparently they have rectified the sidemissions for the sequel and the 2-disc thing allays my fears of another brief experience, so BRING IT ON

  • B0MBJ4CK #37 2 years ago

    Not bothered in the slightest that its on more than one disc. More discs means more ME goodness.
    Hopefully ME3 will be on 3 discs
    Its the best IP Ive enjoyed for a long, long time...bring it! ;-)

  • Xerx3s #38 2 years ago

    patch: Considering how poorly the BRD streams information and the fact that many games on the ps3 have a mandatory install because of it, there is no need to wonder why ms hasn't opted for it, the answers are quite obvious.

  • Xerx3s #39 2 years ago

    "i'd be really happy if mass effect was released on ps3. aw well "

    I think that you will be enjoying the game before long, there are good signs that bioware is doing something along the lines.

  • JimWest #40 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado

    Good point forgot about Forza 3.

    Though a cynic might say it could have something to do with it being a Microsoft Game Studios game! The rules do seem to change for that studio. Odd that.

    Anyway, don't care as I can't wait for this. More Bioware games please!

  • Killdare #41 2 years ago

    Well ... that was fun! And FWIW, I've been gaming long enough to have swapped tonnes of disks (FFVII anyone?) and @darkmorgado is quite right in ... er ... gently suggesting that it's not exactly the end of the world.

    More seriously, much as I love Bioware, it seems odd when companies boast about the number of discs they're taking up (rather like when they boast about the vast amounts of text/speech) - it can end up feeling a bit "never mind the quality, feel the width". Though not as odd as the idea that PS3s should be purchased because you don't have to swap discs ... which is what I was kind of mocking/trolling in the post. To make it clear I've owned both Xbox 360 and PS3 (and Xbox, and PS2, and PS and Dreamcast and SNES and Wii .... look I'm a geek, okay) - they're both lovely in their own ways. Is that alright now?

  • darkmorgado #42 2 years ago

    @kildare

    "never mind the quality, feel the width".

    Excellent. I am SO using that line on my next sexual partner
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 10:01

  • MyAfroAndMe #43 2 years ago

    Q. Who cares that its on 2 disks? A. A tit.

  • udat #44 2 years ago

    I'm happy that this is on two discs if it means that there will be more than one map for all ship/planet/mine/outpost encounters.

    The real mystery in the Mass Effect universe is the constant deja-vu whenever you go somewhere "new" ;)

  • onyxbox #45 2 years ago

    Let's face it, when this does eventualy arrive on PS3 they can probably get all three games of awsomeness on one disk.

  • andromeda #46 2 years ago

    "this much awesome" ?

    Speak english you jerkoff.

    Jesus , is the US really just a bunch of irritating Jack Blacks?

  • miiiguel #47 2 years ago

    "Why two discs? Answer: Because you cannot fit this much awesome on one disc".

    Yes you can, it's called Blu-Ray.

    I'm glad you remind me of that I'm going to buy it for the PS3. Oh wait...

    Point being, I don't givr a fuck where the data comes I just want to play the game. See?
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 10:26

  • Toothball #48 2 years ago

    I've swapped discs before. I reckon I can handle it again.

  • jambo74 #49 2 years ago

    Now if it had a Blue Ray.....

    Note: I have both 360 & PS3
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 10:31

  • man.the.king #50 2 years ago

    @GamerG

    "ahhhh blu ray where because of shitty load and seek times pretty much every game has an install anyway!!! "

    Except for Uncharted 2, the best-looking console game yet this generation, which apparently does NOT need an install :)

    So much for your "expert opinion"

    EDIT: Looks like even replying in a vein that does not blindly praise everything MS offends some 360 fanboys. Touched a nerve, have I?

    Excellent ratings system, btw!
    Edited by 3 at 04/12/09 @ 10:45

  • ziggy_played_guitar #51 2 years ago

    This is out on Blue Ray too?

  • man.the.king #52 2 years ago

    @Xerx3s

    "Is it technically impossible to have people install both discs and then just let them use the first one? "

    I don't think it's impossible. It's probably just something that BioWare did not consider owing to the lack of HDD as standard. For my money, they should have allowed the complete game to be installed on the HDD though.

  • Rorsch #53 2 years ago

    Missed the games with more than one disk, like Shenmue for example. They almost served as a physical mark stone, and when I got to the next disk, I felt accomplished :)

  • ziggy_played_guitar #54 2 years ago

    Don't understand all this talk about the blue ray if it's not an option for anyone who actualy wants to play the game. Is it some sort of rethorical, innocuous, leading nowhere dispute?

  • Distributor #55 2 years ago

    People trying to justify their comments by stating which consoles they "own" is childish and has weight as much as me saying I have playboy model for a wife and 40cm cock hence i can call all people ugly and dickless. Get over it. This news is in no way a big deal to 99% of people and the 1% are handicapped and/or have a major problem. Guess thats me.

  • ziggy_played_guitar #56 2 years ago

    @man.the.king : tbh, the other guy is right, pretty much every PS3 game needs an install, not that that's a problem (yet again it seems to fall under that fight you seem to be enjoyig). The fact that U2 does not, doesn't change it, it is an exception.
    Now, now, carry on... I have better things to do like having a nice cup of coffee.

  • RexRunti #57 2 years ago

    Just because the discs are seperate doesn't mean you won't necessarily be able to return top previous areas. Blue Dragon came on 3 discs and on disc 3 you could still return to any level in the game.

  • man.the.king #58 2 years ago

    @ziggy_played_guitar

    "The fact that U2 does not, doesn't change it, it is an exception. "

    And yet the last several games I've played, I do not recall needing to install ANY of them: Uncharted 2, MW2, GOW collection, Ratchet & Clank ACIT, Fallout 3 GOTY, and a few others. Just because some devs haven't figured out how to get a game working properly on the PS3 without an install doesn't mean it isn't possible.

    "Now, now, carry on... I have better things to do like having a nice cup of coffee. "

    Mate, if that was an effort at being patronizing, I have to say your wad fell quite short of the mark.

    I'll let you get back to your coffee now...

  • Darren #59 2 years ago

    I'm getting the PC version anyway but I don't see a problem with it coming on two discs on the 360 if the game only requires you to swap once during the game and there is no backtracking to locations on the first disc. Better than they've adopted this approach than cut the game down in size or tried to overcompress the data to fit onto a single disc. You still have to take the disc out of the case to play it so a disc swap isn't really an inconvenience beyond switching discs 1 and 2 around in the case.

  • patch #60 2 years ago

    @xerx3s: When you say the word "blu-ray" people automatically assume you mean a 2x PS3 blu-ray drive. Current fastest commercial blu-ray drive I believe is around 12x. Don't even start mentioning constant linear velocity, or constant angular velocity. Or that double layering slows down DVD read times.

  • bad09 #61 2 years ago

    Er...what are these "disc" things you are all talking about?

    / hugs Steam/EA store/D2D ;)

  • onyxbox #62 2 years ago

    "*cough* Blu-ray *cough* Sorry, I'll just be moving along "

    @Killdare

    I would seem that (at this point) that comment is at -35.... jeez did people have a personality transplant or something?
    Marking down a funny comment like that just shows how touchy some people are about this.

    Lighten up people.

  • Darren #63 2 years ago

    @bad09 - Discs for PC games (which is obviously what you're talking about) = convenient backups, you know, to save you having to do your own backups or having to redownload hundreds of gigabytes of data again if your hard drive dies or corrupts. Oh and they're usually cheaper than buying digitally too and come in their own handy storage case. ;)

  • markymark22 #64 2 years ago

    Dear santa,
    Although i am extremely happy with my ps3 there is a few games that would convince me of re purchasing a 360. Please make mr gates release a slim xbox without a tacky disc tray,tonnes of reliability and doesn sound like a jumbo jet taking off so i can play class games like left for dead and mass effect!!

  • markymark22 #65 2 years ago

    Dear santa,
    Although i am extremely happy with my ps3 there is a few games that would convince me of re purchasing a 360. Please make mr gates release a slim xbox without a tacky disc tray,tonnes of reliability and doesn sound like a jumbo jet taking off so i can play class games like left for dead and mass effect!!

  • markymark22 #66 2 years ago

    Dear santa,
    Although i am extremely happy with my ps3 there is a few games that would convince me of re purchasing a 360. Please make mr gates release a slim xbox without a tacky disc tray,tonnes of reliability and doesn sound like a jumbo jet taking off so i can play class games like left for dead and mass effect!!

  • gjgjg #67 2 years ago

    swap a disc wow, hard life. i would hate to have been alive in the days of zx sectrums when the 'assumness' was on multiple audio tapes and the level skipping required you to set timer points and rewinding to find a gap in the lovely noise...
    wait that was me. 1 disc swap np.
    although asscreed2 hasnt been swapd in a while, even tho i have l4d2...maybe this will be a prob

  • MrWonderstuff #68 2 years ago

    I assume we could just install both discs onto the 360 harddrive and not worry.

  • Moribundman #69 2 years ago

    Seriously, when you can download what is essentially a DVD sized game (Shadow Complex) or even a bloody expansion (TLAD & TBoGT) why can't you install both discs and play off the first one? I assume they WILL allow this, and the 2 disc element will just be a fallback for people without HDD, but WTF?

    If Microsoft are really serious about making the point that Blu-Ray is non-essential, then shouldn't they draw a line in the sand, assume henceforth everyone who owns an Xbox is capable of installing a game (even with a 20GB HDD you can still uninstall and reinstall)? Of course if they DID do this they should f***ing well reduce the ridiculous price of their hard drives, but wouldn't that incentivise gamers to use more of their download services/Xbox arcade? A half arsed reduction of the Arcade/Core price and provision of 350MB internal memory for £20 less than the Elite will not really force people to use HDD.

    MS: Larger, cheaper HDD and more focus on using them please. Otherwise this will start to happen more with multi-format releases. Most gamers would upgrade if they don't already have HDD - if only you'd sell them at a realistic price.

    I personally don't mind swapping discs (the Monkey Island example being a damn good one - and didn't Fate of Atlantis come on 12?) but it's only an embarrassment when the "great white hope" for 360 exclusive games could be used as an argument in favour of Blu Ray.

  • TonyCocaCola #70 2 years ago

    Im surprised to see a multidisc game coming out on a 360 exclusive.

    Doesnt bother me though, im just interested to see how much bigger it is compared to the first.

  • des #71 2 years ago

    "Im surprised to see a multidisc game coming out on a 360 exclusive."

    You wouldn't be surprised if you had 360.
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 11:28

  • peteb #72 2 years ago

    Loving the Blu-ray comments. Thought that was great in Metal Gear Solid 4 when you had to install each level, taking much more time than it would to get up and put a disc in.

    Anyway sounds good, I do enjoy the feeling of a box with multiple DVDs in it, makes the game feel that much more value packed.
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 11:29

  • TonyCocaCola #73 2 years ago

    @Des

    I do have a 360

  • penhalion #74 2 years ago

    How about just letting us install both discs and then not swap at all on the 360?

    It can't be that hard to have the code check if you've got a genuine disc one in the drive and then simply read disc two from the hard drive when the moment comes. I'm betting that somehow such a trivial thing doesn't make it into the game for some lame excuse of a reason.

  • des #75 2 years ago

    "@Des

    I do have a 360 "

    Then you have noting to be surprised,every multi-disc 360 game is a 360 exclusive.

    SO4 and FFXIII will break that trend,but they have yet to be released(as multi-platform).
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 12:38

  • Alkeno #76 2 years ago

    Let's not get mad at the issue. I believe it is a fact that it would be nicer if X360 had larger optical media so that DVD swapping was not necessary in large games (doesn't matter whether Bluray, HDDVD or other tech). But Microsoft went for the DVD and, as time has proven, it was the wisest decision: Cheaper and faster than Bluray at the time, big enough for 95% of games.

    I have done quite a lot of disk swapping in my life and it hasn't bothered me much, but still it is something I just don't miss and would be very happy to forget about, I'm more into convenience this days (I rather have an achievement saying "Well done big man, you just finished 1/3 of the game!" than changing the disk as a milestone, I'm that lazy ;-).

    But Mass Effect is king. I'll be getting ME2 on day one regardless number of DVDs (albeit having to swap it just once on each playthrough s a great way to start). Don't disappoint, Bioware!

  • Murton #77 2 years ago

    @CaptainQuint: Monkey Island 2 on Amiga was 12 discs, not 11 :p

    On topic this isn't exactly big news. We all knew that sooner or later double-disc would have to become the standard for the 360 in order to get both high resolution graphics and decent gameplay times (most Bioware titles are 20-30 hours at least). This is something that was known by the vast majority of educated people when MS announced the 360's specs and we saw a standard DVD drive.

  • kendoji #78 2 years ago

    I'm simply happy to hear this, as it suggests there's lots of juicy content.

    I wish they'd done this for Dragon Age and packed in some better textures.

  • miiiguel #79 2 years ago

    Just because some devs haven't figured out how to get a game working properly on the PS3 without an install doesn't mean it isn't possible.

    Another thing I don't understand, this is like the "untapped power"... so the "idea" that it is possible and it's the lazy bum devs who can't do it improves your entertainment life? So it is possible, enjoy the, errr.. "possibility".

  • Widge #80 2 years ago

    The disk swapping on Monkey Island 2 was murder.

    My nutshell: I don't care about disk swapping, I don't care about installs. Its a bit sad if you get in a tizz about either.

  • HenryFitz #81 2 years ago

    When games start coming on 2 blu-ray discs, then I will be impressed.

    Load screens and disc-changes break the sense of immersion, but in a game of ME2's length, that's probably not so crucial. More important will be the design of each episode within the game. If you can play through them in one sitting, the narrative flows properly and you become embroiled in the game's depiction of reality. In the first game, I thought the Citadel section was a bit long, though every other episode in the main story was well-paced and designed. Virmire, in particular, was just the right length to keep you hooked without giving you bedsores.

  • Widge #82 2 years ago

    The Citadel almost put me off the game. Now I can happily sit through MGS and whatever it feeds me but the Citadel was almost TOO much.

    Although I have been playing through it again a 2nd time and have been alright with it. I do need to finish it off at some point.

  • mowgli #83 2 years ago

    awesome, I miss multiple discs. Last one I played was Lost Odyssey and before that I think it was FFVIII or IX.

  • mkreku #84 2 years ago

    I remember swapping between EIGHT discs to play Pool of Radiance on my Commodore 64 :/

  • FooAtari #85 2 years ago

    This thread going around in circles... Just the first 10 or so posts over and over and over...

  • Abscido #86 2 years ago

    Videogames.

  • dirk_aircool #87 2 years ago

    Didn't the C64 5.25" disk drive cost more than a 360 arcade does now ? you must have had money to burn as well.

  • Moribundman #88 2 years ago

    @Widge You do know (and *I* certainly know having palyed through this game about 10 times) that you CAN whiz through the Citadel... Talk to Udina, head to the tower, chase up Garrus and meet Wrex in the process, take Wrex, run down Fist, meet Tali, back to the tower, hello Mr/Ms Spectre, hit the Normandy...

    Anything else is just you getting sucked into the myriad sidequests on offer. True you don't necessarily know what you NEED to do to get out of the citadel first time round, and perhaps a lot more of the sidequests should only kick in AFTER the rest of the galaxy opens up, but you CAN complete the citadel in under an hour.

    I think this, like the lifts and the Mako, is something Bioware were made well aware of through feedback.

    EDIT: Um, yes. A statement that part of a game can be completed quickly, that doesn't even invalidate the point made by the person who it is responding to is definitely deserved of a sound marking down. What exactly is the problem here? People thinking I was having a go at Widge? People thinking I was saying the whole game should have been set in the f***ing Citadel? People randomly clicking pluses and minuses?
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 15:06

  • Moribundman #89 2 years ago

    @mr_writer Yeah, Xbox fans are REALLY defensive and over-sensitive. Unlike sony fanboys who are quite tolerant of people commenting on compulsory installs, slow Blu Ray load times, tearing, lower res textures, corner cutting, lack of cross game chat, dodgy servers, lag, fewer out-of-house platform exclusives and worse general cross-platform performance.

    And I've never heard a Sony fanboy take pot shots at paid subscriptions, lack of Blu Ray or "lazy devs"who won't learn their doubledutch alien platform inside out.

  • space_ace #90 2 years ago

    "lost odyssey" is on 4 discs, no big deal

  • VicViper #91 2 years ago

    Swapping discs, this I have no issue with. All this means is that there even more mass effect for me to play. I have no problem with this as long as their promise of where it happens is as non intrusive as it can be holds up.

    Case in point for where this is not the case is the first disc swap in Star Ocean 4 which happens as you move between zones in a world with no real reason as far as I can tell but they just paced it badly.

  • Eraysor #92 2 years ago

    The only people that say "Better on Blu-Ray" are the idiots that Sony's marketing has actually worked on.

  • Sulphur_Man #93 2 years ago

    If it's got the same cack-handed combatl system as the first one, it can come on 50 discs for all I care.

  • thefinn #94 2 years ago

    "i'll have to change disks once during 20-30 hours of awesome play.. what a massive pain in the ass that is.

    Having to wait whilst you install beforehand is superior how exactly?"

    If you play through the game more than once, you'll have to switch every time you start anew, and every time you get to the switching point. Waiting for the game to install starts to look better when you take that into consideration. Also, I imagine some people have more than one playthrough going at once (not many, but some). For those people installing to HD would be a godsend.

    Also, you can do other stuff while the game installs. You don't have to stare at the progress bar (and doing so won't make it go faster either ;-)

  • Moribundman #95 2 years ago

    @thefinn Changing between 2 discs once per playthrough will really trouble you that much?

    Do you ever play different games? You do realise that "every time" you do that you are required to swap the disc over?

    Either you only ever, ever play one solitary game for months on end or you swap discs every day. God forbid you should ever play ME1 and ME2 back to back... Then you'd have to swap discs at the end of ME1 AND half way through ME2...

    I have to say also, I've played eight complete runs of ME1, and if I'd had to change discs ONCE in the middle of each it wouldn't have been an inconvenience unless I was flitting schitophrenically between two or three ongoing games...
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 14:21

  • ybfelix #96 2 years ago

    My guess: the data for open world quest/maps (i.e non-sequential) are on both discs and have duplicates, so you can access them, regardless whichever disc is in your tray, but "one-shot" datas, like voice overs etc for the linear part of main quests, are spanned on two discs.

  • HenryFitz #97 2 years ago

    The thing about the optional sidequests in the Citadel was that there was no way of knowing on the first playthrough whether you'd need to accumulate XP and money to be able to complete the game. If you didn't collect all the rewards on offer, it was possible that the next mission would be virtually impossible or at least significantly more difficult and frustrating. As immersion in a game only really matters on the first playthrough, I think it was a mistake to include so many optional quests so early on, when I wasn't sure if I needed to complete them.

  • captain_Carl #98 2 years ago

    Uh you do all realise that it can't be installed?

    "4 - The Xbox 360 does not have an install and does require disc swapping during play."

    [link url=http://meforums.bioware.com/forums /viewtopic.html?topic=711031&forum=144&sp=30
    ]http://me forums.bioware.com/forums/viewt...[/link]

  • ybfelix #99 2 years ago

    @captain_Carl : My take on that statement is that there is no "in-game" install, like Forza 3, where you install the second disc as a DLC would do. All 360 games discs (to date with one single exception) can be copied to HDD. Though without Forza 3 style install, even if you copy the discs to HDD, you still need to change the physical disc, even if the contents are actually read off the HDD.

  • Widge #100 2 years ago

    Plus if you just pelt through the Citadel without exploring, it kind of feels like you are missing the point of being in an RPG.

    As I said, the first time round I found it a grind, the second was a nicer experience. In fact I discovered a whole load of extra stuff I hadn't seen on the first time round. I think its a Bioware thing as I got the same experience from KOTOR too.

    I must go back to it as I was really getting into it before I put it down.

  • Moribundman #101 2 years ago

    @Widge I agree that the Citadel was unbalanced. And I wasn't disagreeing with you back there. Just pointing out that you *can* race through it if you want to.

    I doubt anyone playing through first time without a guide would only twig the plot essential missions and only play them. You DO need to do that and revisit the side quests after picking up the team member of choice to get the "ally" achievements, but I imagine anyone playing it for the first time would encounter the Elcor, the Turian general, the grieving husband, the keeper scanner, the AI skimmer, the consort, Conrad Verner...

    Racing through first time *would* miss the point of the RPG! In Dragon Age, one you hit Denherim you get a slew of side quests, but that's at least and HOUR OR TWO into the game! And you don't have to go there until much further into the game. Hopefully in ME2 you'll have a good mix of side quests and planet hopping.

  • ronuds #102 2 years ago

    @ captain_Carl

    Yeah, I saw that too. Fortunately they say you only have to swap discs once and then never again.

  • davisorle #103 2 years ago

    @Killdare
    I like when retards like you are stupid enough to keep bringing up BDs when it comes to gaming. tell me.. How do you like extra installations, worst loading times, worst graphics and also bugged crossplatforms so far? Is the BD paying off cause I seriously must have missed something. Sony had shoved down your throat the same fn passifier and you kept coughing it out up till now apparently "BDs are the future of gaming" and so far is what has kept Sony back and nothing more. Prisewise, problems, expences and lost titles from developers.. Really.

    I wont even *cough* in betewwn. Your ignorance is not a bliss. Its just sad.

    @darkmorgado
    Cause the PS3 squad was passing by fixxing things up with the voting. Always happens in this damn website.I dont care but it still irritates me. Im way too close to avoiding fully EG like a couple of buddies did for that matter. Its just stupid. And im not fromthose that will keep his mouth shut or be carefull with what he says in order to not get negative feedback. I cant give a fuck really..

    @andromeda
    And where are you from? To know where all the irritating fkfaces are gathered up.. You dont make a good name yourself, you know.
    Edited by 1 at 04/12/09 @ 15:52

  • AphoticCosmos #104 2 years ago

    Good - this means that they've probably actually added some content on unknown worlds.

  • FooAtari #105 2 years ago

    What a bunch of bloody fan boys on both side of the fence. Some of the arguments I'm seeing are bloody ridiculous.

  • TonyCocaCola #106 2 years ago

    What if microsoft brought out an xbox with 2 dvd drives?... that way they could make bigger games without converting to bluray

    edit: No room for humor? sorry
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/09 @ 09:47

  • TonyCocaCola #107 2 years ago

    I am being serious, i have sent them the blueprints. Why does no one share my vision? Multidrive consoles are the way forward guys

  • rayscoota #108 2 years ago

    As I remember the pc version came with 2 disc's for mass effect 1 anyway, so no difference there then..

  • messiahtj #109 2 years ago

    "Why two discs? Answer: Because you cannot fit this much awesome on one disc," he bragged.

    Blu ray discs say hi, asshole =)

  • Razzajazz #110 2 years ago

    @messiahtj

    Hiya, have you come in late? Did you miss the 116 other posts above yours?

  • Bigglesworth #111 2 years ago

    What a non-event. It's ridiculous that developers feel the need to justify something as trivial as this. Almost as ridiculous as the people who make an issue out of it.

  • Thedni #112 2 years ago

    For all I care it could come on 40,000 floppy discs. Cannot wait for this game, and I fear for what little social life I had left when it's released.

  • jag10 #113 2 years ago

    killzone 2 and uncharted 2 best looking games of this gen, no installs and 1 disc. uncharted 2 has no loading times either during gameplay. bye fuckers.

  • Razzajazz #114 2 years ago

    Just pre-ordered the collector's edition, I seriously cannot wait for this! I just can't decide whether to import my paragon or renegade first....

  • man.the.king #115 2 years ago

    @miiiguel

    "enjoy the, errr.. "possibility""

    Not just "possibility", there's proof out there now. Just because you choose to ignore it doesn't mean it's not there.
    Edited by 1 at 05/12/09 @ 09:18

  • dirk_aircool #116 2 years ago

    Is this over now ? how about an argument as to how long it takes for an xbox to switch on V a PS3 . not including plugging them in .and no sub arguments about the probability of either console working once switched on.

  • VMerken #117 2 years ago

    Scientific fact: while it's true Mass Effect 2 can probably fit on a single Blu-Ray disc, it's also true that in the real world, nobody except utter douchebags really give a flying shit about the amount of discs a video game comes on - as long as the game can be played and the game is good. If the game is worth it, the average non-utter douchebags should be able to live with the occasional disc swap, leave alone one.

    The PS3 is my favourite console but seriously, what would the sane person prefer: one physically challenging disc swap which breaks suspension of disbelief for about 30 seconds, or watching a (admittedly cool for a while) fullscreen Old Snake polygon virtually smoke multiple cigarette polygons for 15 minutes straight while Metal Gear Solid 4 installs itself from Blu-Ray to hard disk? Which then happens again a few times more after that? Seriously, would Uncharted 2 lose any of its splendour if it had come on two DVDs and required one measly disc swap? Oh noes, won't someone please think of teh immersion?!

    And oh noes again, what would happen the day a developer announces that its next killer PS3 game will come on two Blu-Rays? The PS3 utter douchebag camp puts on immense pressure with an internet petition? Millions of newborn Xbox 360 Nelson Muntzes rise from the fold and point at the PS3 Blu-Ray zealots: HA-HAH?

    Meanwhile, the rest of the world cares not as it is going to get even more awesome on its plate.
    Edited by 4 at 04/12/09 @ 22:51

  • XanderFish #118 2 years ago

    @jag10

    You're going on ignore, bye fucker!

  • Xerx3s #119 2 years ago

    "When you say the word "blu-ray" people automatically assume you mean a 2x PS3 blu-ray drive. Current fastest commercial blu-ray drive I believe is around 12x. Don't even start mentioning constant linear velocity, or constant angular velocity. Or that double layering slows down DVD read times."

    /taps nose

    And still it's a slowpoke mofo.

  • telboy007 #120 2 years ago

    I forgot about ignore, thanks for reminding me. :)

  • Ashcroft #121 2 years ago

    While I'm not particularly bothered by disc swapping, I hope it doesn't become a trend. I don't want to have to buy an Xbox 720 earlier because they decide they have to release something with a blu ray drive.

  • zedzee #122 2 years ago

    "Why two discs? Answer: Because you cannot fit this much awesome on one disc".

    That's true...if you don't have Blu-Ray.

    So, what can one do?

    1. Install whole/second game DVD on the HDD. Can work, but then again, it's a huge amount so will X360 owners have enough space?

    2. Install first DVD only - ask X360 gamers to have second in the console, before they start. I think this will work, considering most X360 owners would expect to insert a disc, before they start pretty much most games anyway, it would be the most acceptable answer in my opinion.

    3. Have most of game on one DVD and stream the rest from network or install it in background from the network, onto the local HDD, as the user progresses (?) Perhaps during some of the cut scenes?

    Anyway, just my thoughts...

  • man.the.king #123 2 years ago

    @notmyrealname

    "131 confessions of people who really need to get a life"

    Actually, with my latest post (post # 133), it is now 133 confessions of people who "need a life" :)

    Did you think your post wouldn't count?
    Edited by 1 at 05/12/09 @ 16:46

  • Lunatic4ever #124 2 years ago

    "You cannot fit this much awesome on one".
    he said that...and i DO fuckin believe him ! :D

  • Collymilad #125 2 years ago

    So much chaos over the fact a game comes on 2 discs?

    Does it really matter? Seems to me like it's a bunch of sour PS3 fanboys to be honest.

  • smoothn00dle #126 2 years ago

    but you can fit this much awesome on one blu-ray disc *v*
    suckers!!!

  • JamieR #127 2 years ago

    Final Fantasy 7, 8 and 9 had you changing 4 disks 3 in the case of 7 and they are still some of the best rpg games ever i very much fail to see any issue with 2 disks it would of been better had the 360 used blueray but I'm not gonna lose sleep over it I still haven't finished the first one i best get back to that O.O

  • actionfitz #128 2 years ago

    "Why two discs? Answer: Because you cannot fit this much awesome on one disc,"

    \o/

  • dirk_aircool #129 2 years ago

    notmyrealname ( I'd never have guessed)
    The +/- numbers are not a voting/Karma system. You use the numbers to filter out comments that other people have assessed as bollox.so it is sort of voting but I think most people have the wrong idea.your supposed to set the filter threshold yourself.unfortunatly it don't work 'cos some of the people posting can't stand other opposing views and take it as an opportunity to have pay-back in true sad-geek-looser style by giving a minus to someone elses opinion.the other method is to post spelling and grammar ' replies ' after taking 30 mins with a dictionary.
    Edited by 1 at 06/12/09 @ 10:41

  • Retroid #130 2 years ago

    Just to point out that not only does the Karma system allow filtering out comments as someone has already said, but several posters have already been banned because of the terrible amount of negative Karma.

    So there :)

  • Killerbee #131 2 years ago

    I'm also surprised that's there's quite so much to say about a 2-disk game. I remember when I were a lad buying Beneath a Steel Sky on my Amiga and that came on seventeen - 17! - floppy disks. You lot don't know you're born... :)

    Seriously though, if you want to see the very definition of annoying disk swaps, the PS3 has it won hands down with Singstar. Why oh why oh WHY won't Sony let me install the songs from all my Singstar disks onto the hard drive? Why can't I have all of them on the carousel at one time so my friends and I can pick from my entire collection of songs without me having to mess about swapping chuffing song disks, huh?

    (And I say that as a big PS3 fan - this is genuine gamer frustration, not a 360 fanboy rant. All right?)

    Mass Effect 2? I'll be buying it on PC, natch.

  • Retroid #132 2 years ago

    notmyrealname: "Do at least moderators look at what those downvoteds post before those people get banned or is it just an automatic threshold?"

    Yes we do and it's not automatic at all, it's a cumulative thing. If someone is a constant pain in the arse from trolling then they'd best be careful.

  • man.the.king #133 2 years ago

    @Retroid

    "Just to point out that not only does the Karma system allow filtering out comments as someone has already said, but several posters have already been banned because of the terrible amount of negative Karma."

    To be honest, that seems like a nonsensical basis upon which to ban somebody. Surely there might be instances in which somebody manages to say something which had nothing to do with trolling, but what is said doesn't happen to sit well with a particular group of people and they go to town voting down that post.Take this post of mine, for instance, where I was merely responding to someone's misguided opinion of the PS3's capabilities, or lack thereof, and see the amount of negative Karma I got for something which was nothing more than a more-or-less moderately toned response where I pointed out the negative effects of something non-critising of the PS3 platform. Please note that the EDIT section of that post was added after I saw that I was being down-voted, fast, for challenging a 360 gamer's criticism of the PS3 BR apparent disadvantages.

    You might want to watch the Karma rating for this post too :)

    EDIT: Just saw this post of yours. I was a little too late. Ah well, apologies...
    Edited by 3 at 07/12/09 @ 05:30

  • djed #134 2 years ago

    even mgs4 for ps3 had a disc swap.

  • dirk_aircool #135 2 years ago

    Killerbee.
    17 floppies..LUXURY!
    I remember twin cassette tape games and a plastic filter/prisim you had to peer through while said prisim was toutching your TV screen to decipher a word you then had to enter into the game .very effective copy protection,you could only play the game 1 time out of 20 loads,and only after your eyes stopped bleeding.

  • JamieR #136 2 years ago

    I think what he means about the mgs4 is that you keep having to do installs at certain parts of the game in fact id say its more annoying than disk swaps because it is a long wait

  • Bigglesworth #137 2 years ago

    @dirk_aircool: ...a plastic filter/prisim you had to peer through while said prisim was toutching your TV screen to decipher a word...

    What's the matter youngster? Too green to remember that was LENSLOK? - the device so cunningly implemented, it would only work on portable TV screens!

  • dirk_aircool #138 2 years ago

    lenlock.
    oh yeah. it must be the lack of brain-cells.They said gaming was bad for you.

  • Sunyavadin #139 2 years ago

    Let me look at my shelves.....

    Baldur's Gate.
    Planescape:Torment
    Final Fantasy 7
    Nomad Soul (PC version, I also have the DC version on 1 disc)
    Code Veronica
    Skies of Arcadia
    Lost Odyssey

    And those are just the ones I can see from my desk at a glance.
    Because of course, no good game spanniing multiple discs could ever be any good. You know what me and my mates always called games that span multiple CDs? VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY.