Rating
5.0

The first hour of Mass Effect 2 will blow your face off. I tried to formulate a more articulate and elegant lead to this review, but “face blowing off” is all I can seem to muster. Unlike the original, where conversations and exposition dominate the first ten hours or so, ME2 starts off with a bang, building momentum that manages to maintain itself through the rest of the title. This shift in tone and pace from its predecessor is appropriate because it accurately reflects the radical changes ME2 presents to the established formula. By overhauling a few weak features in the original, Bioware has created a sequel that is practically flawless, and builds upon the original in nearly every way.

The original Mass Effect was one of my all time favorites, as evidenced by my four play-throughs. Despite my gushing love for this game, I recognize it had quite a few problems. The combat was serviceable, but the six different classes failed to change up the gameplay in any truly significant way. Exploring planets not related to the main quest was boring as all hell (in the future, apparently, all planets across the entire galaxy hire the same contractors and architects to build identical facilities). Worst of all were the elevators. It’s not healthy the amount of hatred I developed for these machines after having spent hours of idly standing in them while the next area loaded. Forget the Geth; I wanted to kill these elevators and set their families on fire.

Fortunately for gamers and the elevators’ loved ones, these problems were not ignored. In fact, every shortcoming has been addressed, and the solutions are inexorably tied to ability to choose. From the initial loading screen, the player is faced with decisions that will dictate the entire path their game will take, from choosing whether to carry over their save file from the original or not, to which of the improved classes they will master. Every class has undergone an alteration, which means that each deserves consideration.

For example, the biotics-exclusive Adept class in the original was severely underpowered, especially near the beginning; in ME2, this class is much more combat effective, as the cool-down for abilities has been greatly reduced, allowing for a more rapid employment. Bioware integrated similar improvements into the Engineer class, and the Soldier class focuses more heavily on weapons than ever before. Each class has undergone significant renovations, which boils down to more efficiency for every playing style, whether you are a “shoot first, ask questions later” Soldier or a methodical, strategic Engineer. I played as a Vanguard in one profile and a Soldier in another, and both of these classes offered radically different experiences from one another. The dichotomy between playing styles helps add to the depth of the title, and makes every play-through unique.

This specialization of the classes, along with a streamlined, shooter mentality, makes gameplay almost unrecognizable from the original. Players still control and shoot from a third-person perspective, where they are encouraged to take cover and fire in controlled bursts. However, the similarities pretty much end there. Between class-specific abilities, improved A.I., and host of new weapons (including devastating heavy weapons), combat becomes more strategic and fast-paced. Do you charge in with the shotgun and rely on Barrier to protect your fragile head, or pick off enemies from afar with Singularity and a sniper. Do you pause the action when employing biotic attacks to maximize strategy, or keep the fights running in real-time? ME2 implements choice into each and every battle, and the result is a combat system that plays fundamentally better than its predecessor. 

While the combat is solid, the strongest aspect of ME2 lies in the writing, dialogue, and vibrant characters. The protagonist, Commander Shepard, is tasked with recruiting the best from the galaxy for his mission, all of whom are flawed and fascinating. This cast of misfits adds another layer of complexity to the game, and some of the most enjoyable moments stem from conversations in which these characters’ histories and motivations are uncovered. Their highly developed personalities allow you to become deeply invested in the crew, making the choices involving them that much harder. ME2 incorporates a heavy amount of morality, but instead of operating with relatively clear shades of black and white like the original, Shepard is forced to make choices much more morally gray in nature. Sometimes, what seems like the correct decision has unforeseen consequences, and many decisions carry weight, including the loyalty, and even the lives, of your volatile party. This gravity contributes greatly to the experience, providing a heightened sense of intensity behind every action.

My complaints with the title are minimal, but worth mentioning. The first involves the mini-games. Mini-games are an essential aspect of ME2, as they lead to rewards ranging from weapons and armor to side-quests that help shed light on the story. However, the implementation of the games, for the most part, is poor, resulting in a repetitive tasks more akin to chores than fun. Mini-games are used to do a myriad of things, such as scan planets and perform research, and it’s a shame that Bioware didn’t follow BioShock’s example and introduce mini-games that are quick, efficient, and most importantly, any fun at all.

My second gripe is the load times, but I mention this only to inform you of what you in for. The endless elevators are gone, but you will still spend plenty of time staring at loading screens. In my opinion, however, long load times are a small price to pay for the lush environments and sheer amount of detail in every frame. It does not detract from the experience, but twitch gamers with low patience (and seven year olds) may want to steer clear.

These small gripes aside, it’s hard to believe how much gaming goodness Bioware managed to fit into ME2. I have spent almost a thousand words discussing important elements, but really, I have hardly scratched the surface of this unbelievably deep game. To say Mass Effect 2 trumps the recent Star Wars trilogy is an understatement (sorry, George); quite simply, ME2 provides one the best science fiction experiences out there, and raises the bar not just for gaming, but for the art of interactive storytelling.