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Given that one of our subsiduary peices is going to be a review, It was helpful when a project for an interview turned out to be 'Write a review on a game of your choice' which has now given me some practice of writng an review:
MASS EFFECT 2
Console: XBOX 360/ PC
Mass Effect 2 is the much anticipated sequel to Mass Effect and it certainly delivers on several fronts. Continuing the rolling story from the first game, you once again step into the shoes of Commander Sheppard, who now must assemble a universe beating squad to deal with the new threat of the mysterious Collectors. Bioware have done a complete overhaul of the combat system from the previous Mass Effect, taking pointers from Gears of War, in that transitions to and from areas of cover are fluent. The shooting and weaponry are much more potent, with the ‘overheating’ system replaced with traditional magazines and Heavy weapons are now included in Sheppard’s arsenal.
The Graphical style remains largely the same, providing substantial and awe inspiring scenery. From the pristine skywalk of Illium, to the much more dark and seedy underbelly of Omega, it is likely to be the finest sci-fi universe to be created in a game. It is this, however that proves a slight disappointment for those looking for a similarly expansive experience to the first game when it comes to the large cities. The cities are slightly more downscaled in Mass Effect 2, with emphasis being placed on action segments of the game. These may seem very conventional at the beginning ; kill dozens of enemies before dealing with a ‘boss’ type character. The inclusion of heavy weapons at points make these battles seem too easy. That said, there are moments where it pays to use your head over your gun. These are in the form of the Interruption conversation feature. At points it will allow you to interrupt dialogue in either a renegade way (often involving blunt force trauma) or in a paragon way. This is an interesting feature that can save you trouble at points, much like persuasion. However it is done in such a way that is almost like twisting a scene from a movie, but for your own benefit.
For fans of the first game, there are a few surprises in store, especially if characters are imported from Mass Effect 1. Key decisions that were made make their ripples known in your travels. It is at points like this that the game becomes something unique. Using intertextuality from characters own exploits is something that is rarely done in games, but has been executed finely in Mass Effect 2. It is also a feature that is likely to continue into the 3rd game. In doing this, Bioware has ensured that players will become hooked in a gripping story that they are continually shaping. Not only that, but because of the potency of your decisions, and deepness of character back stories, it will be a game that will continually be revisited to explore various outcomes. With a good 20 hours in a singular play through, it ensures that Mass Effect 2 will become a classic piece of storytelling for RPG and action/adventure fans alike. Mass Effect wasn’t broken, but somehow Bioware and EA have fixed it.
9.1/ 10
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