Game Title: Mass Effect 2
Consoles: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Developer: Bioware
Release Date: January 26, 2010
Pregame:
Mass Effect 2, the sequel to Bioware's hugely successful space odyssey Mass Effect, brings players back to the sprawling Terminus System, where they will once again fight for humanity's survival alongside a team of various aliens, all with their own complex personalities and goals. The game is a customization-lover's dream, right down to choosing whether the protagonist is a man or woman. Since there simply aren't enough worthwhile female videogame characters out there, I decided to make my own. Besides, FemShep has been making her mark lately, despite there being a male Shepard on the game's cover.
Play-by-play:
Before things really gets underway here, it should be known that this review is being written by someone who didn't finish the first Mass Effect. I got past the lengthy Citadel section at the beginning and a little into space exploration beyond that, but the game seemed so... massive. It was easy to get lost and lose interest. That being said, after having played ME2, I wish I'd stuck with it.
ME2 once again puts players in the space boots of Commander Shepard, who is now a galactic hero after the events of the first game. If players still have their original save file, it will be imported, and players will pick up right where they left off. Actually, almost immediately where they left off. Since the first game had so many decisions to make, relationships to form, and enemies to defeat, that save file can make a huge difference in how the characters treat Shepard in ME2.
I happened to play the PS3 version with some fancy DLC packs included, what with the game being almost a year old when I bought it and all. One of the benefits was an "interactive comic" intro, which brought me up to speed on the events of the first game pretty effectively. It even let me make some of the hard choices, but, really, without knowing the characters, the choices weren't particularly hard.
Who should I date? Who should I kill? Who cares? I don't know these people. I'm sure these moments were emotionally gripping at the time, but in flashback mode, it's more of a random choice. Some choices are obviously Paragon (good) or Renegade (evil), but otherwise, it's a toss up.
After flashbacking-ly saving the galaxy, I was all revved up and ready to die. Wait, what? Yep, first thing that happens in this game is your famous ship, the Normandy, gets attacked and Shepard gets sucked out into the vacuum of space and dies. Well isn't that. Just. Peachy?
But wait, there's a handy way around that nowadays called, what else, the Lazarus Project. After being dead for two years (I'm assuming Earth years, here), Shepard wakes up to find out that she's been revived so she can be a symbol of hope to save humanity from the mysterious Collectors. These aliens have been targeting human colonies and it's up to Shepard and her new crew to find out why.
The crew members themselves are a very varied bunch. On one hand, you've got a wild-eyed criminal with a dark past, on the other, a thousand-year-old stoic Justicar, sworn to uphold the law at any price. These are people you'll want to get to know, and they'll let you know more about themselves as the game progresses. Before the end mission, they'll all have some unfinished business Shepard can help with, you know, in case they don't make it back.
On that note, as much as this game focuses on the crew and their backstories, you'd think this was a game about them, not about saving the galaxy. While collecting crew members (and completing their various personal missions), the plot does reappear from time to time, reminding the player that oh, hey, the Collectors are still out there.
The way the game appeared to me was this: go get all your crew members, then tackle the main story. That's the trouble, though, in the end. By the time you have all your crew members (even downloadable add-ons), the final mission appears. Literally right after getting the last crew member.
By that point, I'd already done all my other crew's sidequests and everything else in the game because it seemed like the story was building up a mission everyone was assuming is one-way, and it looked like I wouldn't be able to backtrack. By the way, for those of you who have yet to play this game, here's a pro tip: the last mission is actually called "The Suicide Mission," don't be afraid of passing the point of no return until you see those words.
Since ME2 so clearly wants to make this game about Shepard and her crew, it seems odd that it's possible to spend so little time with even one member of your team. These people are supposed to be your comrades in arms, your battlefield family, and one of them could know you for all of one mission before loyally risking his neck to follow you into your suicide mission.
As I mentioned earlier, ME2 uses the Paragon and Renegade system to affect how the game plays out. It's hard to throw a rock and not hit at least a conversation option that lets you choose to be either a "bold" (read: jerk-ish) Renegade or a "heroic" (read: bleeding heart) Paragon. There are more obvious moments where, mid cut-scene, the player can press a button for a Paragon choice, perhaps steering a troubled youth off a violent path, or tap a different button for a Renegade choice, like punching out an obnoxious reporter.
As far as Bioware is concerned, they're both fine choices, nothing is "true" canon. However, if you want to have your crew's total loyalty, you'd better pick one and stay with it. There are moments in the game that you'll need the super Paragon or super Renegade conversation option, or you'll lose someone. Such is the trap of a game with a morality system, there is never any middle ground. I wanted to play a character like Mal Reynolds, but nooooo.
When looking at this game from an actual gameplay perspective, as opposed to examining at the plot, running and gunning seems somewhat secondary. That's not to say it's not fun, it's just not quite as important. Many FPS fans will tell you that the ME series just doesn't suit them. It seemed to me that the combat was less concerned about shooting and more focused on powers.
As the player progresses, new abilities and powers unlock, which can really turn the tide of a battle. Crew members have these too, so it's important to select the right one for the job. Personally, Mordin never left my side. He may be a mild-mannered scientist Salarian, but the guy can set people on fire at will. It's hard to top that.
Players can choose between different classes at the beginning of the game, each with it's own strengths. I went with Adept, because I wanted powers and it seemed fun to be able to force-pushepeople around. I ended up throwing small singularities at enemies and laughing as they floated helplessly in mid-air. Once I leveled my powers up enough, I used them just as much as ammo, often more.
Here's the thing with the ME games, though: one person's experience can be totally different from another's. Someone with totally opposite tastes from me could have picked a more gun-centered class, so powers weren't as important, maybe they took the high road and went Paragon, maybe they romanced one (or more) of their crew members, maybe the end of their game was drastically different from mine. Maybe we'll have two totally different galaxies when we boot up ME3, and you know what? That's okay. That's expected. That's what really makes this game great.
Didn't like how the game played out? Start a New Game+ with a ton of bonuses and try it all again. Pick a different class, pick a different alignment, kill a squadmate or two! There's so much to do and so many ways to do it, it's utterly staggering when you think of the sheer amount of writing that went into this game. Most games attempt to railroad the player from start to finish, but ME2 lets you behind the wheel.
Final Call:
This game may not be the best choice for the combat enthusiast, but if you're after a worthwhile story, this game is a must-have. It'll get you pretty invested. In my case, I'd never really cared about the series until I picked up ME2, and now I'm anxiously awaiting ME3, due out in early March.
Consoles: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Developer: Bioware
Release Date: January 26, 2010
Pregame:
Play-by-play:
Before things really gets underway here, it should be known that this review is being written by someone who didn't finish the first Mass Effect. I got past the lengthy Citadel section at the beginning and a little into space exploration beyond that, but the game seemed so... massive. It was easy to get lost and lose interest. That being said, after having played ME2, I wish I'd stuck with it.
ME2 once again puts players in the space boots of Commander Shepard, who is now a galactic hero after the events of the first game. If players still have their original save file, it will be imported, and players will pick up right where they left off. Actually, almost immediately where they left off. Since the first game had so many decisions to make, relationships to form, and enemies to defeat, that save file can make a huge difference in how the characters treat Shepard in ME2.
I happened to play the PS3 version with some fancy DLC packs included, what with the game being almost a year old when I bought it and all. One of the benefits was an "interactive comic" intro, which brought me up to speed on the events of the first game pretty effectively. It even let me make some of the hard choices, but, really, without knowing the characters, the choices weren't particularly hard.
After flashbacking-ly saving the galaxy, I was all revved up and ready to die. Wait, what? Yep, first thing that happens in this game is your famous ship, the Normandy, gets attacked and Shepard gets sucked out into the vacuum of space and dies. Well isn't that. Just. Peachy?
But wait, there's a handy way around that nowadays called, what else, the Lazarus Project. After being dead for two years (I'm assuming Earth years, here), Shepard wakes up to find out that she's been revived so she can be a symbol of hope to save humanity from the mysterious Collectors. These aliens have been targeting human colonies and it's up to Shepard and her new crew to find out why.
The crew members themselves are a very varied bunch. On one hand, you've got a wild-eyed criminal with a dark past, on the other, a thousand-year-old stoic Justicar, sworn to uphold the law at any price. These are people you'll want to get to know, and they'll let you know more about themselves as the game progresses. Before the end mission, they'll all have some unfinished business Shepard can help with, you know, in case they don't make it back.
On that note, as much as this game focuses on the crew and their backstories, you'd think this was a game about them, not about saving the galaxy. While collecting crew members (and completing their various personal missions), the plot does reappear from time to time, reminding the player that oh, hey, the Collectors are still out there.
The way the game appeared to me was this: go get all your crew members, then tackle the main story. That's the trouble, though, in the end. By the time you have all your crew members (even downloadable add-ons), the final mission appears. Literally right after getting the last crew member.
By that point, I'd already done all my other crew's sidequests and everything else in the game because it seemed like the story was building up a mission everyone was assuming is one-way, and it looked like I wouldn't be able to backtrack. By the way, for those of you who have yet to play this game, here's a pro tip: the last mission is actually called "The Suicide Mission," don't be afraid of passing the point of no return until you see those words.
Since ME2 so clearly wants to make this game about Shepard and her crew, it seems odd that it's possible to spend so little time with even one member of your team. These people are supposed to be your comrades in arms, your battlefield family, and one of them could know you for all of one mission before loyally risking his neck to follow you into your suicide mission.
As I mentioned earlier, ME2 uses the Paragon and Renegade system to affect how the game plays out. It's hard to throw a rock and not hit at least a conversation option that lets you choose to be either a "bold" (read: jerk-ish) Renegade or a "heroic" (read: bleeding heart) Paragon. There are more obvious moments where, mid cut-scene, the player can press a button for a Paragon choice, perhaps steering a troubled youth off a violent path, or tap a different button for a Renegade choice, like punching out an obnoxious reporter.
As far as Bioware is concerned, they're both fine choices, nothing is "true" canon. However, if you want to have your crew's total loyalty, you'd better pick one and stay with it. There are moments in the game that you'll need the super Paragon or super Renegade conversation option, or you'll lose someone. Such is the trap of a game with a morality system, there is never any middle ground. I wanted to play a character like Mal Reynolds, but nooooo.
When looking at this game from an actual gameplay perspective, as opposed to examining at the plot, running and gunning seems somewhat secondary. That's not to say it's not fun, it's just not quite as important. Many FPS fans will tell you that the ME series just doesn't suit them. It seemed to me that the combat was less concerned about shooting and more focused on powers.
Players can choose between different classes at the beginning of the game, each with it's own strengths. I went with Adept, because I wanted powers and it seemed fun to be able to force-pushepeople around. I ended up throwing small singularities at enemies and laughing as they floated helplessly in mid-air. Once I leveled my powers up enough, I used them just as much as ammo, often more.
Here's the thing with the ME games, though: one person's experience can be totally different from another's. Someone with totally opposite tastes from me could have picked a more gun-centered class, so powers weren't as important, maybe they took the high road and went Paragon, maybe they romanced one (or more) of their crew members, maybe the end of their game was drastically different from mine. Maybe we'll have two totally different galaxies when we boot up ME3, and you know what? That's okay. That's expected. That's what really makes this game great.
Didn't like how the game played out? Start a New Game+ with a ton of bonuses and try it all again. Pick a different class, pick a different alignment, kill a squadmate or two! There's so much to do and so many ways to do it, it's utterly staggering when you think of the sheer amount of writing that went into this game. Most games attempt to railroad the player from start to finish, but ME2 lets you behind the wheel.
Final Call:
This game may not be the best choice for the combat enthusiast, but if you're after a worthwhile story, this game is a must-have. It'll get you pretty invested. In my case, I'd never really cared about the series until I picked up ME2, and now I'm anxiously awaiting ME3, due out in early March.
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