Mass Effect 2 Trailer, Screenshots, and Interview

IGN has conjured up quite a bit of new Mass Effect 2 content, including the GamesCom trailer, five new screenshots, and a two-page interview with lead designer Casey Hudson. Apparently that second DLC pack for the original Mass Effect is still forthcoming:

IGN: Will any upcoming Mass Effect 1 downloadable add-ons bridge the gap between the two stories?

Casey Hudson: No. Our upcoming PRC for the original Mass Effect will be a standalone story, and after that we’ll be focusing strictly on Mass Effect 2 content. The novel Mass Effect: Ascension introduces some of the key people and places in Mass Effect 2, and there will be a Dark Horse comic that leads directly into the beginning of Mass Effect 2’s storyline.

…

IGN: Several hardcore RPG fans I’ve spoken to are worried that the streamlining of item management and skills will water down character customization too much for their liking. What would you say to them?

Casey Hudson: Not to worry – we’re not really streamlining or simplifying. What we actually did was we rebuilt the entire inventory system so that it could do more, while being easier to use. The previous system tried to handle all the equipping, customizing, and managing of your entire squad’s armor, weapons, and gear in a single screen. The main difference in ME2 is we’ve separated these functions into different activities, so that each one can offer deeper customization while being more fun and easy to use. An example is the armor personalization system which goes far beyond what players could do in the first game (and that’s an understatement), but because it’s on its own screen you can manage the deeper level of options more easily.

If the equipment and skill systems have more depth (more than zero, anyway), then the sequel is already a better game in my eyes.