Mass Effect 2 Reviews

  • merciful84merciful842,169,658
    29 Sep 2014
    3 1 0
    This game and series definately goes down on my all time favorites list. I'm totally captivated by the amount detail and mood that this game is able to capture.

    Beginning with the first Mass Effect gave me a much deeper appreciation for this game and can't imagine playing it any other way. From the very start of ME 2, eye brow raising events unfold before your eyes. What drew me in the most with this game and to series in general is the contrast its story has with the first game's. If you read my previous review for Mass Effect then you may remember describing as having complex characters that fill cliche' roles. While some characters were a bit more edgier than others (or even yourself depending oh how you choose to play the game), there was still a feeling of being on the side of good. Mass Effect 2 shakes all of that up. Unless you played the first game and completed the majority of the side quest, the name Cerberus will mean nothing to you outside of greek mythology. However, for those that did, will automatically recognize them a villianous shadow organization/terrorist group.

    **POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT**

    While trying not to give away any major plot details, players of the first game may feel the overall difference right away. Shepard joins Cerberus...not a different Cerberus and there's no big revelation about them that really changes their image.

    **END POTENTIAL SPOILER**

    One can reasonably begin to question if Commander Shepard has sold his soul to the devil for the greater good of the galaxy. Outside of a few familiar faces, your squad mates are amongst the galaxies most dangerous individuals. Upon meeting many of them, it become evident that if the circumstances were any different, your new found partners would very easily be your enemies. Let's take a look:

    - An ex-alliance soldier who defected to Cerberus: CHECK!

    - A genetically modified super agent designed to be the perfect human: CHECK!

    - The special ops trained salarian scientist primarily responsible for the creation of the genophage biological weapon: CHECK!

    - A genetically modified super soldier designed to be the perfect krogan: CHECK!

    - A biotic test subject with a life long felony record: CHECK!

    - An asari vigilante who's code of honor allows her make up her own rules as she goes: CHECK!

    - The galaxy's most feared assassin who just so happens to be deeply religious: CHECK!

    - The founder of the galaxy's most notorious mercenary groups: CHECK!

    - The galaxy's best thief: CHECK!

    **HUGE SPOILER**

    - A FREAKING GETH!!! : CHECK!

    **END HUGE SPOILER**

    At first these individuals are as dark as their background and throughout the game's story, you as the player have to peel back the layers to find out what the actual person is like. While you do get the sense that Shepard has crossed over to the darkside, you do eventually find that a few over in the darkside aren't necessarily all that they appear to be. The lines between "good" and "bad" become a bit blurred once you begin to understand everyone you're working with. The primary cast of characters have just as much depth as your original team did and the game also dives a bit deeper into the history and personality of returning characters. At the end of the day, you begin to realize that the overall magnitude of the Reaper threat is so vast that it has everyone for every moral spectrum uniting to overcome it. In addition to the Reapers, Mass Effect 2 introduces a new enemy in the form of the mysterious Collectors. There is a major twist to their origins which also ellaborates a lot more on the Reapers' wicked MO.

    The gameplay plays much differently than the original game. While the first Mass Effect felt like a RPG with shooter qualities, in ME 2 its the exact opposite. It's definately more of a third person cover shooter in the classic sense. Instead of being able to fire your weapons until they overheat, you now collect ammo for them in the form of thermal clips. Your arsenal isn't nearly as large as it was in the first game and only have a handful of options in each weapon category in comparison. Also, omni-gel has been completely removed and you either have to flip switches or hack locked doorways. Speaking of hacking: its now just limited to doors or computer consoles and the mini game to do so is a bit different (but no more difficult) than before. This basically the only thing that stops this game from being a solid "10" for me. Little things that made the first game feel grand where either taken out or condense in ME 2. For instance, you scan planets now for your resources and mission locations instead of just landing on them and finding everything with the Mako (which has btw been replaced by a hovercraft). It just added a greater sense of exploration before and I suppose it all goes back to flipping of genres. You do still have just as many side quests availible on this game btw. Other little things are the removal of being scanned when entering or leaving the Normandy and enemies/situations which were regularly encountered in Mass Effect are now boss battles. I remember saying to myself a bunch of time, I remember fighting 2 or 3 of these things at once...if this was Mass Effect all I would have to do is...". While these things did bother me, they became easy to get over in time. One thing that I definately don't miss and am glad that Bioware removed are those gosh awfully long elevator rides!

    You have quite a bit more options as far as love interest in Mass Effect 2 and can even successfully whoo more than one lover at a time. All the same job classes are availible and skills have been slightly altered a bit but nothing really major. The Engineer class can now use a friendly drone to assist in battle. The best overall way to go (especially on Insanity mode) is the Infiltrator class. Using the cloaking skill in conjuction with sniping is a solid strategy that will get through the majority of the battles in the game especially the more you upgrade the cloaking skill and sniper gun.

    Another reason I'm glad that I started from the first Mass Effect is how rewarding the experience of the second game is if you transfer your own Shepard over. You will get begin the game will several bonuses based on trophies/achievements earned in the first game. The results from certian plot related events, side quests, and even your love interest will have a direct effect on what you encounter in ME 2. Even down to little references that you would get unless you played the first game are pretty cool.

    To say that the visuals are a major leap over the first Mass Effect would be an understatement. I think Bioware (especially when it comes to character models) has continued to set bar when it comes to their work on this series. The music still sets and fits the right mode and the sound effect still give the same "space opera" feeling.

    My Breakdown:


    What's Good:

    - Very well developed and engaging story
    - Introduces new enemies and many unforseen twists to the original story
    - Deep, interesting, and life-like cast of characters
    - Rewarding returning players of the original game
    - Plenty of side quests to get lost in
    - Very good selection of DLC
    - Sets the bar visually
    - Additional downloadable characters were well done and integrated into the main game

    What's Not-So-Good:

    - Personally, I just enjoyed the gameplay of the first Mass Effect a bit more but that's just my preference.

    - ^ A few of the things Bioware condensed did bother me a little

    What's Bad:

    - Nothing...absolutely nothing! :-)

    In all, Mass Effect 2 is one of the best games I have played and so it story is just as phenominal. I cannot wait to move on the next game which unfortunately concludes Command Shepards journey to stop the Reapers at all costs.
    4.5
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