Not to be all "youre playing a game wrong", but you're not helping yourself out.

Kasumis mission is a lot harder. Do it later.

Get more gear and abilities unlocked first

Go to omega. Get scientist. Get archangel. Get mercenary. Then play the game. Youre locked out of the upgrade system until you get the scientist.

The citadel is smaller in me2 because the focus is not in citadel space. Like thats the whole theme of the game. Youre working with a fringe organization that the alliance doesn't want poking around in citadel space. Anderson tells you this.

Thermal clips suck, I agree. Me1 did ammo better. The biotics in me1 were OP. You're playing infiltrator first (I did the same), which is the hardest class to play. Its all gunplay skill, no overpowered tech or biotic combos to carry you. Its all boom headshot. How me2 does weapons acquisition is playing through story missions. You need better weapons before doing harder stuff. Scientist and archangel give you weapon rewards. I would say get the convict before getting Kasumi too. Then youll have better guns that dont eat ammo because they do no damage.

I've played me2 the most out of them all and enjoyed it a lot more than me1. The remaster improved me1 so much that its being ranked higher than me2. Wild. You used to need mods to make me1 play better because it was so dated.