In a day and age of video games where over-the-top action and dazzling set pieces have begun to take precedence over plot and characters, BioWare has consistently been one of the few studios that has stuck strongly to its roots of delivering story driven games of the highest order. The original Mass Effect was remembered fondly for its compelling narrative and its lasting characters. Some of its core mechanics however kept it from attaining greatness. Two years later, BioWare returns in fine form. They listened to their fans, overhauled entire systems within the game and brought back everything we loved about the game’s predecessor. The result is a game that maximizes its potential in every possible way, and yet leaves us wanting more when the time comes for Mass Effect 3.
Before you start a new game, you have the option of importing your Mass Effect 1 saves. If you have played the first game we suggest that you spend a little while digging out those saves and using them, as they will personalize your adventure to a perceptible degree. Your likeness remains, every decision you made is permanent and people you lost will never return. All these factors work their way into the narrative time and again. The result is an adventure that you as a player feel that you have defined rather than experienced from the beginning. If you choose to start afresh, the game makes some important but immutable decisions for you regarding the past so new players can feel at ease and make informed decisions in the new game. Mass Effect 2 opens with an incredible set piece that is thrilling to experience, emotionally charged and will surprise you at the same time. What it also cleverly manages to do is introduce a logical time gap between the first game and the second game. The game starts off 2 years after we last saw Commander Shepard the game’s lead protagonist. You can choose one of six character classes, customize your appearance and also define your character’s history.
Once you wade into the action you realize how much better the combat simply feels. Using Biotic and Tech powers, either your own or your teammates’, between regular shooting feels more intuitive this time around. You never feel like you have to order your squad to do specific things. They just feel like a natural extension of the player abilities. Aiming is more precise and where you aim on the enemy’s body now counts. Your own special abilities are determined by the class you choose. As you level up you also have the option to max out a particular ability to obtain a specialized version of it. The game also reverts to some standard shooter conventions like regenerating health and reloading ammo clips. Convention here works for the better. The messy inventory system of the first game is gone. Weapon and armor upgrades are now simply purchased or researched on the ships lab and upgrades apply to the entire squad using that particular type of weapon. The result is a game that keeps its focus on the action aspect while subtly doing away with substantial RPG elements. This may disappoint purists but opens up the game to a whole new audience.
Your squad members are intelligent and you have the option of allowing them to use their biotic powers automatically while still having direct control of them. While you will need to pull them out and position them at times, on most occasions they will use cover wisely and help you out of tense situations by drawing fire away from you. Enemy AI is good and enemies may differ structurally and behaviorally, sufficiently when in the same group, such that you may have to employ different tactics to take them down. Still, wander heedlessly into the thick of battle and you will go down sooner than you might expect. Scout out enemy locations, use your squad members unique abilities wisely and you will always have a visceral and thoroughly satisfying battle experience.
Talking even a little about Mass Effect 2’s story risks delving into spoiler territory. To say the least you play again as Commander Shepard working on behalf of an organization called Cerberus. Human colonies are vanishing. You command a ship called the Normandy and travel to the very ends of space in the hope of assembling a team that will aid you in your quest to save humanity. Everything from your past works its way brilliantly through the dialog you engage in with characters as well as the paths available to you when moving forward. The branching dialog trees that worked so well in the first game return here as well. The lip synching and facial expressions remain as exceptional as they were. The script is top notch and voice acting for the entire cast complements perfectly their varying personalities. That said, the star of Mass Effect 2 is its cast of enigmatic characters. They have complicated relationships, tormented pasts and uncertain futures. They have intensely personal interactions with Shepard and you begin to care about them when they pour out their soul to you. All their stories are woven tightly into the fabric of the main story.
Helping them resolve their conflicts gains you the loyalty of these members and they acquire special abilities. These resolutions usually take the form of the outstanding side missions found in the game. Some old characters make triumphant returns and interacting with them feels akin to meeting old friends and you’re ever curious to learn what happened to them since you last saw them. The detailed characters are not just limited to your crew. Often on the worlds you visit, you will feel compelled to stop to hear ongoing conversations between people or try to talk to them. Every character spoken to, always had an interesting response and added depth and believability to the world. Mass Effect 2’s story covers culture clashes, political turmoil, hidden agendas and other issues that occur in our world even today. Only here it spans entire species and galaxies. It’s also a story that hinges so much on the critical choices you are allowed to make. Often you have only two choices that you know have deep repercussions and you yearn for the game to give you another less painful option. It’s a story that also makes you question your motives for actions you are about to take at every step of your mission. There are genuine moments of tenderness, happiness and melancholy peppered throughout the games narrative. It’s a plot full of twists and even when it all ends you know that Bioware still has a load of surprises to throw your way.
The Final Word: Technically Mass Effect 2 is still outstanding. While it might not set any technological benchmarks, it’s still an incredible-looking game and runs with no slowdown even on mid-range systems. In true BioWare tradition every character is carefully crafted and rendered with remarkable detail. Cutscenes are created with greater cinematic skill and the moody environments are always filled with interesting visual cues. Apart from the stellar voice acting, the soundtrack also contributes to the epic nature of the Mass Effect 2 experience. Mass Effect 2 is described by its cover as a mission to save mankind against impossible odds. In essence, it is a suicide mission, a concept that so many movies and games have tried to show us in the past. When your time with Mass Effect 2 comes to an end, there will be no more doubts as to what it truly means.
Presentation: 9/10.
Graphics: 8.5/10.
Sound: 9/10.
Gameplay: 9.5/10.
Lasting Appeal: 9.6/10.
Overall (not an average): 9.5/10.
- By SSP