Bioware has been the best RPG developer for a long time now... so it's Mass Effect 2 for me

I'd like to hear an argument for that. 

They've done only two games so far.  KotOR 2 was basically a copy/paste of most of KotOR 1's cast and plot.  NWN2 was basically more of the same which, while nothing to complain about, is nothing to really brag about either.  A lot of what NWN2 offered was being offered in the NWN PRC and then some.  So far all Obsidian has demonstrated is the ability to follow in Bioware's footsteps.  I'm fine with that.  If they're going to be Bioware Jr. then I wish them the best because Bioware makes great games.  In fact, the game industry could use a few more Bioware clones.

However, I don't see anything in their current portfolio to suggest that they're better than Bioware.

I'd argue that KotOR2 was a stronger game than KotOR in every sense except for the technical one and th "hey you guys have eight months to make this game" sense.

Copy/paste of the cast and plot? Most of KotOR's cast is either dead or MIA in KotOR2. The plot couldn't be more divergent for an umber of reasons, unless you want to boil it down to "Hey guys we're Jedi and we gonna fight us some Sith."

The chief respect in which Obsidian kicks the hsit out of BioWare would be in the strength of their writing: I still hold up KotOR2 as being the best-written game I've ever played, particularly in the case of a character you hate. Chris Avellone is probably one of the top three writers in the business (only ones I'd compare to him would be Itoi and Matsuno), and it is by his strength if by no other that Obsidian is the place to go to for well-written games.

Of course, you may know Obisidian better by the name of the company that preceded it.

Id pick FF XIII.

I'll pass on the opportunity to debate specifics on KotOR with you until I've had the chance to replay them.  It's been far too long since I played them to argue plot specifics.

I will say that Bioware's writing in Baldur's Gate 2 easily crushes most other video games.  Jon Irenicus is still one of the greatest video game villains to date.  Most side characters from Keldorn to Minsc to Jan Jansen were more memorable than other games' entire casts.  The only problem with Baldur's Gate 2 was that it's really hard to go anywhere but down after a work like that.

As for Black Isle... it was a great studio with a firm grasp on good storytelling (if not so much on player interaction).  It actually seemed like they started going backwards at one point.  I own the Fallout games, PST, and the Icewind Dale games and it seemed like their storytelling improved with Icewind Dale but the overall quality of the interaction and experience went down.  Never got a chance to play their last game though, the Diablo-clone/Baldur's Gate game for the PS2.

well...I already got the FFXIII PS3 bundle on preorder and ME2 on preorder but if I could only have one, then I'd probably go with ME2. I really really liked the first mass effect, and I'm generally not a fan of Tetsuya Nomura or the FFX team. The only reason I even decided to jump on XIII right away is because I actually did enjoy the demo.

ME 2 no doubt.

I would say go for FF13 since ME2 is going to be more borderline esque according to the developer (More akin to FPS with RPG trappings).

I have to say after seeing how ramses01 got banned I have to say these forums are boring too pc. You cant say hardly anything b4 u get banned. For shame.

He got banned for that? Hmm, I didn't exactly break down in tears or anything and didn't report him either. Seems they're getting a tad more strict around here, might be a good thing, I don't see any reason to call people names for any reason online or otherwise.
But I won't wail any more about it, I don't think its fair to address someone who can't answer.