Mass Effect 2 won't 'shy away from emotionally engaging moments'
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Apr 9th 2009 at 11:32AM } 
Before you start planning another crusade to tear some poor psychologist's new book's Amazon rating asunder, it's important to discern what the two men meant when they said "emotionally engaging moments." While deep space lovemakin' seems a safe bet, they could just as easily be referring to a quick-time event in which you must euthanize your trusty space-dog, who has contracted a serious case of space-rabies.
We're just kidding, of course. They're definitely talkin' 'bout bonin'.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rhamsey @ Apr 9th 2009 11:36AM
i can haz maor al3in bewbs plzzz?
BxGT @ Apr 9th 2009 11:43AM
Not without a license.
sony boy @ Apr 9th 2009 11:38AM
what's wrong with sex? you teach kids how you have sex in like 5th grade, no? so what's with the controversy. that's stupid. i understand gore and blood, tho.
BxGT @ Apr 9th 2009 11:42AM
America builds itself from controversy, don't get me wrong i love my country but for us to have porno as a billion dollar industry and then shun it is a little hypocritical if you ask me.
Zertoss @ Apr 9th 2009 11:43AM
But if kids watch the actual act taking place, they'll grow up to be sexual deviants like me!
LegendaryRedass @ Apr 9th 2009 12:40PM
What are talking about 5th grade? We've got jackasses pushing for sex-ed in kindergarten.
WRE @ Apr 9th 2009 12:41PM
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/study_children_exposed_to?utm_source=a-section
Enjoy!
Lord Negatron @ Apr 9th 2009 12:58PM
Sex Ed is for learning "about" sexual intercourse and things synonymous with it, not "how" to have sex.
Im 47 and i still don't know where to put it...
:P
Erluti @ Apr 9th 2009 1:58PM
THAT LINK IS NOT SAFE FOR WORK.
Wow, the onion has pushed the limits before, but that video has a clip of pornography in it.
Erluti @ Apr 9th 2009 2:03PM
There's nothing wrong with sex.
But for one thing, it's a private act. It shouldn't be paraded around so people can gawk at it.
And secondly, informing children about what sex is and showing them how "totally awesome it is!" are two different things. Some people think sex has a context and purpose in unifying a married couple. And those people don't want their kids exposed to a fictional world where humping around is the cool thing to do before the kid is old enough to contextualize everything appropriately.
Prof_Chaos @ Apr 9th 2009 4:03PM
@Erluti
I agree with you that I prefer sex in games and movies to be contextual and not something that is paraded around. That is clearly not the case with ME. The sex scene in ME is tasteful, contextual and really wouldn't have caused half the controversy it has had the option not been there for a lesbian act. That is a sad case, but it is true.
IMO Mass Effect's use of sex should be the model for other games that want to use sex to further a story.
John @ Apr 9th 2009 5:07PM
Plus you know, Mass Effect is rated M, so uh, maybe if you are uncomfortable with your kids seeing something you shouldn't give them a game that has an appropriate age listed right on the fucking box.
lasersanchez @ Apr 9th 2009 5:26PM
Why downvote WRE? That video is hilarious!
Tateru Nino @ Apr 9th 2009 11:39AM
I think I would have gone with the phrase "deeply, sadly, tragically dumb"
Markez @ Apr 9th 2009 11:41AM
I wish I could eMurder your Joystiq account for sassing ME2.
Tateru Nino @ Apr 9th 2009 11:44AM
*ahem* "In response to the _dumb, dumb_ controversy surrounding the original Mass Effect's thoroughly non-erotic, two-minute-long sex scene..."
See the phrase I was referring to? I've not a gram nor jot of sass for ME2
Markez @ Apr 9th 2009 11:49AM
I have grams and jots of shame, I'm sorry, I'm going to eKick myself in the crotch.
Tateru Nino @ Apr 9th 2009 12:13PM
All is forgiven. Making mistakes is the core of the human condition. Heck, I could have (and likely should have) made things more clear myself initially. So, no harm done :)
BxGT @ Apr 9th 2009 11:41AM
Not dumb controversy, it's a fox news top headline which shows you how pathetic fox news has gotten.
p.s.. remember what the doorman said!!!!
baby sea tuna @ Apr 9th 2009 12:54PM
Was it anything like what the doorMOUSE said?
BxGT @ Apr 9th 2009 1:47PM
Either we have fox news enthusiasts or people who don't know good music, why else would i be voted down.
Snowblind @ Apr 9th 2009 1:56PM
You were voted down because you got the lyrics of the song wrong.
coffins outside the door @ Apr 9th 2009 2:08PM
Actually, it's neither doorman nor doormouse but "dormouse."
I bid you gentlemen good day. *tips hat*
Vegnagun bwf @ Apr 9th 2009 2:45PM
I laughed at the Doorman.
BxGT @ Apr 9th 2009 2:48PM
Well sorry guys, i don't really like looking up lyrics.Amazing song none the less.
joeybeast @ Apr 9th 2009 11:47AM
I can see it now
SEXBOX STRIKES A SECOND TIME.
Markez @ Apr 9th 2009 11:48AM
I think it worked well the 1st time around simply because it was a game element that most are not accustomed to and haven't dealt with it before while playing what is already a very engaging and deep game. Just through your conversations with that Asari broad (or Ashley) you could 'sense' the potential that a romantic moment was possible, which compelled you to keep speaking with them outside out of your regular mission/campaign duties. Just because it worked, or was a worthwhile game element in the 1st one, doesn't necessarily mean it'll work as well in the 2nd. Hopefully it won't come off as an overused mechanic in ME2.
Otherwise it'll just be ME2: Boogie Nights, umm in Space, or something.
And emotionally engaging, how about when you get Wrex to stand down, can we get more intense stuff like that!? WOOT!
Descender @ Apr 9th 2009 11:53AM
Or having to actually shoot Wrex if he won't. Yeah, THAT was an emotionally engaging moment. I had to reload my save and do it different, 'cause I liked the guy too much.
Dirty @ Apr 9th 2009 11:58AM
You got Wrex to stand down? I just shot that mo fo in the face. Go breed now sucka foo!
Markez @ Apr 9th 2009 12:02PM
YOU BASTARD!
MowDownJoe @ Apr 9th 2009 12:03PM
I had Ashley shoot Wrex. I couldn't do it. I was also still hoping she'd maybe warm up to me... didn't happen, but oh, well.
Dirty @ Apr 9th 2009 12:06PM
I killed off that bitch too. After she wouldn't put out I went after the alien.
Markez @ Apr 9th 2009 12:08PM
YOU BASTARD! Dirty, stay away from the Hanar, eww dude.
Dirty @ Apr 9th 2009 12:09PM
What can I say, I love me some smuckers.
Tateru Nino @ Apr 9th 2009 12:14PM
There were some great pieces of writing, and some excellent scene-work, all made possible by strong characterization. Some good, tense, awkward, funny and memorable moments.
Obie (XBL: Obienator) @ Apr 9th 2009 12:16PM
Heck I tried for Tali'Zorah. All that black leather.....
Deeznuts420 @ Apr 9th 2009 1:44PM
Tali had back....AND front ;)
ChisatoOkaiLover @ Apr 9th 2009 11:48AM
Good to hear! I loved Mass Effect, the romance scenes add a ton of realism!
tenor77 @ Apr 9th 2009 11:59AM
I felt the scene was appropriate. Don't forget that ME is a homage to 70 and 80's sci-fi as well. Sex was apart of that. Anyone else remember the guys using their psych powers to undress Wilma? Ahh the days of my youth.....
MystileArmor @ Apr 9th 2009 3:48PM
Sex a part of sci fi?
What kind of crazy talk is that?
It wasn't like Captain Kirk tried to nail the alien chick at the ending of every episode of Star Trek......*rolls eyes*
Sheesh, I never knew buttcheeks could create such a stir.
Obie (XBL: Obienator) @ Apr 9th 2009 12:02PM
Bring Back Blue Bewbs!
Redeye @ Apr 9th 2009 12:18PM
It's not a 'dumb, dumb controversy.' Some people found it offensive and don't want that kind of stuff in their games. If nobody cared, there wouldn't have been a controversy.
IMHO, it's one more way the games industry seems to perpetually move toward catering to the lowest common denominator and exploiting and glorifying the basest parts of society.
My 2 cents.
Markez @ Apr 9th 2009 12:23PM
So do you find it offensive, then? If so, why?
If the same event occurred in a book or movie, would it be catering to the lowest common denominator, or glorifying some primal sexual instincts?
I felt it was done tastefully enough. It required groundwork and a concerted effort to develop an emotional bond in the game such that it wasn't as base as just 'getting laid' in the game. It also wasn't sexually explicit or graphic.
CannabisPrime @ Apr 9th 2009 12:24PM
Did you even play the game and see the scene? It didn't even come close to "catering to the lowest common denominator". It was tastefully done and I don't even remember seeing any "real" nudity. To be honest, GTA IV's date-sex scenes/hooker-sex scenes were far more graphic than this game's ONE sex scene.
It was an integral part of the story, and humanized the characters a little bit more. It seems to be more of a step in the direction of video games moving to the same level as film. Not "catering to the lowest common denominator".
FoxNews is that way --->
Dirty @ Apr 9th 2009 12:25PM
Markez is right, I couldn't even finish.
Obie (XBL: Obienator) @ Apr 9th 2009 12:30PM
Basest? Since when is a loving couple having consensual wrong?
I bet if that couple got chainsawed to pieces, that would be fine though right?
Gimme a break.
Ignatius @ Apr 9th 2009 12:41PM
Actually, there was two sex scenes in the game and both weren't even close to a Cinemax movie, I don't see what the big deal is.
hurricane @ Apr 9th 2009 1:11PM
Yeah, along with what Ignatious said...
There are tons of movies which are much much more graphic than all the violence/sex/etc in video games, but nobody ever brings up movies labeling them as such.
Also, notice how ESRB rated the game M with descriptors of "Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence"...
Erluti @ Apr 9th 2009 2:15PM
@obie
"Basest? Since when is a loving couple having consensual wrong?"
Well, I'm assuming you mean consensual sex, but many mainstream religions would say "if they aren't married." Because the idea of real love versus infatuation or passion is that true love expresses itself as a selfless commitment - which is marriage. That gives context for sex, the emotional bonding, and consequently context for a child to be conceived. Not to say sex must result in conception... it's just a potential side effect.
The Dark Wayne @ Apr 9th 2009 2:27PM
basest? It was 2 people (alien) having consensual and tasteful sex after spending the entire game developing a relationship. They werent fucking all out and showing everything because Shepard wanted some alien ass. Which is something I cannot even come close to saying for the film industry.