Mass Effect 2 Review

Bioware were masters of the RPG genre in the 90s and “Noughties”. Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights and their various expansions all cemented their role as the PC RPG kings. They then jumped over to the consoles with KOTOR and Jade Empire, but these were generally very niche titles. Then, Mass Effect arrived on the Xbox 360 in 2007, and a great franchise was born.

Mixing 3rd person shooting with RPG elements and a fantastic open-ended universe, Bioware had finally broken the console market for good. Now, almost 3 years later, Mass Effect 2 has docked on the Xbox 360 and PC. Is this one small step back for man, or one giant leap for the franchise?

The story follows on from the first game. Veterans of the series, if you still possess a ME save file, you can export your original character, complete with level and equipment, giving you a headstart. Newcomers to the series can create a new character from scratch, but it is undoubted that exporting your previous character gives you an edge at first. In the beginning cut scene, we see the Normandy get destroyed by a mysterious ship, and while Ashley and Joker and the crew escape… Shepherd is blown into space, seemingly killed. Cue the reconstruction of Shepherd’s battered and destroyed body by the human guerilla faction Cerberus. Cerberus knows the Geth is no longer the real threat to humanity, the Reapers are. And as the Council has turned it’s back on the human cause, it is up to Cerberus to save the remaining human colonies. Familiar faces from the first game make fleeting appearances throughout the game universe. Within an hour of beginning the game, you will already have bumped into Tali’Zorah nar Rayya, and Joker. The latter is one of the best reunions i have seen in a game. I was genuinely pleased to see him again.

Gameplay-wise, there have been a few tweaks to improve on the already fantastic first game. Regenerating health has now been integrated as the main way of restoring health, instead of the annoyance of having to find Medi-Gel. That’s not to say Medi-Gel has been eradicated from the game, as it is still used to revive fallen team members. The Combat system has been revamped to include improved A.I and realistic damage modelling. The ammunition system has been changed from the overheating system of the first to a more traditional ammunition-based heatclip system, which is used for all weapons in the game. All of these tweaks seek to not radicalise the gameplay, simply to reinforce it, and it works a treat. The Morality system has also been revamped, with the player able to interrupt with certain Paragon or Renegade prompts, alongside the conversation options.

Shepherd’s arsenal has also been modified. Instead of the 4 weapon types in the first game, there are now 19 different types, giving the game more of a 3rd person shooter feel than the original, but the aforementioned tweaks make sure you never feel like it’s Gears of War, but in space. The often hit and miss M35 Mako has been removed, so there will be no more endless terrain trawling, not a necessarily bad thing. Instead, you have an AI controlled Kodiak drop shuttle which scans a planet’s terrain for you, transporting you immediately to places of interest. Those who are upset about the lack of pilotable vehicles, have no fear: future DLC shall include a pilotable Hammerhead. The often annoying Armour skills have been scrapped, and there are no longer class restrictions on Armour. Instead, Armour can be manipulated by purchases of upgrades and individual components, with different components providing different bonuses to health, damage and other skills.

With a killer soundtrack, and fantastic graphics, this game has an atmosphere to behold. Every planet is unique and you really feel as if you’re out there, peeking over Shepherds Shoulder. However, The Cerberus Network required for the game DLC does make the experience a little bitter. Each new copy comes with a unique code for the Network, which is registered to your EA account. Once used, that’s it. If you buy a used copy, to get the DLC, you have to pay £15 for a new code. This is clearly an effort to dissuade people from buying used copies, but it could make the experience a sour one for those who usually buy preowned.

All in all, Mass Effect 2 is a fantastic addition to what is now bearing the crown that Baldurs Gate once held- The greatest rpg series. And long may it continue. If you thought they couldn’t built upon the first game, they have. and I will be playing this for years to come

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