Content Mods

[hammerofthegods]

So I've more or less completed a vanilla playthrough, recommended content mods? Are there any like KOTOR where a fair bit of cut content was restored? Other recommended mods?

[IrationalFear]

Most of the content mods are for ME3, and it's mostly a case of obtuse modding tools rather than cut content.

A general mod installation order guide is available here (not a download); it is very important install any graphics mods after all other mods, the ME series file structure is weird like that:
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/353

The closest thing to restoring cut content like TSLRCM and it's kin would be:

Early Recruitment
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/384
During development of ME2, exact squad recruitment order was reorganized several times, and was eventually released in staggered form to accommodate consoles because of the finite amount of space on a disc (ME2 and ME3 released on two discs and you had to swap between them for the second half of the game). This mod restores the conditions to allow all recruitment except Tali and Legion to begin immediately, and allows Tali's recruitment after any two missions (Horizon begins after Recruiting Mordin and 3-4 missions including Mordin). This allows you to access Tali, Thane, and Samara's dialogue on the Act 1 recruitment missions and Tali's dialogue and flags on Horizon. Ilium and it's missions are available from game start for Liara fans and those interested in its specific store offerings.

Project Variety ME2
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/385
Provides bugfixes and adds lots of little ambiance to the game. It has a long list of its features available there.

On a related note, same gender romances were cut from ME1. There is a set of mods for each title in the series, both adding the options to the game it is installed to and adding compatibility for the mod installed in the previous game(s). ME2's is here, along with specific mods for Miranda or Jack. If used, remember to use the versions for ME1 and ME3 as well (not linked here).
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/171
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/266
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/320



As for new content, you could try:

Expanded Shepard Armory
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/291
Adds more modular armor sets, including the DLC armors.

New Armor Colors
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/251
Does exactly what it sounds like.

Modern Weapon Pack
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/202
Creates some new weapon variants and imports some of the weapons from ME3 (some with skins, others using older weapon models but with mechanics of new guns). Adds a lot more variety for any class, not just soldier.

Casual Hubs
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/319
Allows NPCs to use casual wear on the ship and in hubs instead going everywhere in combat armor (with obvious exceptions).

Remove Shared Cooldown
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/118
Makes all power cooldowns independent of each other, resembling ME1's gameplay. Obviously makes the game easier (as does Modern weapon Pack), consider playing on a higher difficulty or using one of the more difficult mods alongside (see below).

Combobulations
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/378
Adds the power-combo mechanic to ME2 (where normally only Warp as a detonator was available). Makes life much easier for every class except Soldier and allows for more interesting choices in squadmate selection.

Restored Powers
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/247
Adds 4 bonus power options, some outright new, some from ME1/ME3/multiplayer.

Advanced Enemy Factions
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/287
Removes some of the artificial nerfs that Bioware placed on enemies (i.e. in vanilla only Geth have a viable shield restoration). Enemies now have more viable protection, a better weapon arsenal, and much greater distinction from eachother (because vanilla merc factions take up more than half the game and aren't very different). Includes new enemy types. Pairs well with any of the 3 above combat benefit mods to balance out difficulty. Also includes a lore-fix for Jacob's loyalty mission regarding thermal clips.


Last and my personal favorite (used alongside Early Recruitment):
Risky Suicide Mission
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/346
Not only fundamentally changes the suicide mission, but also affects decisions starting at Horizon.
The previously loyalty+specialist pass/fail checks for the suicide mission are changed into just bonuses, that go along with a general "readiness" rating for each squadmate. This rating is based on:
-How many missions they were taken on against Collectors/Reapers (so your squad selection choice on missions is remembered)
-Your Paragon/Renegade net score when launching the mission (Paragon or Renegade Characters align with your for a bonus, but being neutral benefits the largest number of squadmates)
-If the squadmember is loyal. Being the right specialist is an unlisted bonus (Zaeed gets the leadership bonus that dialogue implies he should have had).
-If the squadmember is picked for a task for the suicide mission and survives (even if a failure, for bubble or first fireteam leader).
A disloyal squadmember is no longer an automatic death if they are used for anything. A non-specialist squadmember is no longer an automatic death. Thane can do the tunnel infiltration, Tali or Grunt can be fireteam leader, Miranda can manage the bubble (and animations for all scenes are included).
This is paired with no decision being a guaranteed success (with one exception, that being the survival of the Normandy crew if you go immediately, send a loyal escort, and didn't romance anyone prior to the suicide mission). This means playing you intended flawless run in vanilla is not a guarantee, and you are encouraged to try other characters and train them for their new roles.
You might look over the mod and get hung up on the "one ship upgrade will fail, although that upgrade fail might not kill anyone." I'd encourage you not to let that stop you from trying the mod, especially since the mods includes a "revive everyone who died on the mission" button after success (no save editor required, which is normally a concern in content-modded runs); if you feel the deaths were unfair, you can undo them and take everybody you recruited to ME3 without issue.

[hammerofthegods]

That is awesome - thank you

[IrationalFear]

BTW, there are also graphical improvement mods (including 4K movies/cutscenes).

ALOT (A lot of textures)
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/68

ALOV (A lot of videos)
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/245
(Ultrawide version) https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/315

MEIUTM2 (More textures, reflections, especially for squadmates, see the list of separate mods linked to it)
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect2/mods/331

[hammerofthegods]

Excellent, you've been a great help

[ModerNertum]

ME2Re (Mass Effect 2 Recalibrated as well). Its the unoficial patch for ME2

[IrationalFear]

ME2Recalibrated (and all but one of the author's mods) has recently been pulled over a dispute with NexusMods hosting and copyright policy regarding the Legendary Edition (Nexus doesn't provide any real recourse for some plagiarizing a mod for the original trilogy and remaking it for Legendary). You can only get the Recalibrated series of mods peer-to-peer.

There's no real alternative bug fix for ME1, so it would be good to find yourself a copy of Recalibrated for the first game. Fortunately, this is the lone mod the author has kept available.
https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect/mods/114

ME2Recalibrated does a lot besides patching, but nearly everything it does is covered between ME2 Project Variety and Early Recruitment (plus, this combo doesn't have the compatibility issues that Recalibrated has with one or two mods in ME2).

ME3Recalibrated is mostly a patch, but has serious compatibility issues with other mods (and ME3, unlike the previous games, actually has a lot of content mods). You'd really only use it to preserve game-logic that comes from a rare ME2Recalibrated save state (such as never recruiting Garrus or Jack; ME3 doesn't process this potential ME2Recalibrated option without ME3Recalibrated, and gives some odd results; nothing that'll break your save or crash, but be aware).

[ModerNertum]

I only use ME1Re personally (along with other DLC mods). I am a fan of DLC mods (mods that install as DLC and dont touch any game core files. Whch are basically most ME1 mods. This is because ME1 seems to be the easier game to mod of all 3 games in the trilogy. And saves work as if they had no mods so I can easily export and share them if I wanted and others use them even if they dont use mods