Just one month into this new decade, video game mogul Bioware famous for such classic titles as "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" (2003), "Baldur's Gate" (1998) and "Neverwinter Nights" (2002) has already released a game that will form the standard against which future games will be judged. "Mass Effect 2," the highly anticipated action-based role-playing game, builds upon the strong foundations of the original "Mass Effect" (2007) surpassing its predecessor in almost every way and creating a deep, engaging playing experience.
"Mass Effect 2," released for PC and Xbox 360 on Jan. 26, is the second game in a planned trilogy. While the original enjoyed moderate financial success, the sequel is a bona-fide blockbuster "Mass Effect 2" sold over two million Xbox copies in its first week, as many as the original has sold to date.
The game uses the same characters and general storyline as the first, making the game less accessible for newcomers to the series, because knowledge of the first game's events makes the second game much more powerful. Further, players have the option of importing saved data from the first game. Thus, game-altering decisions made by players in "Mass Effect" are carried over into "Mass Effect 2," resulting in several different starting scenarios for the sequel.
This gives "Mass Effect 2" an intensely personal feel, making it a world shaped by individual players. With Bioware guaranteeing a "Mass Effect 3," and the decisions made in playing both its predecessors carrying over to the final installment, one player's experience with the trilogy likely will not match up with another's.
"Mass Effect 2" opens with a bang. Most of "Mass Effect 2" takes place two years after the first installment in the series: The Reapers, a race of sentient machines introduced in the original, are intent on destroying all life in the galaxy. To make matters worse, a mysterious group known as the Collectors have begun abducting entire human populations and disappearing into unknown regions of space. The player is given the seemingly impossible task the game constantly refers to the quest as a "suicide mission" of stopping the Collectors and thwarting the Reapers.
"Mass Effect 2" features a supporting cast of 12 characters a ragtag group of assassins and scientists, soldiers and mercenaries. These characters are the heart of the game and serve as the most compelling reason to play to the end. Each character has a deep and well-developed back story. Engaging compatriots in conversation opens up new quests, upgrades and even possible romances. The way players interact with their crewmates determines many elements of the game, including whether the main character lives or dies in the final "suicide mission."
Conversations with crewmates are enhanced by Mass Effect's critically acclaimed dialogue system. Instead of choosing from a long list of pre-determined dialogue choices, players have the option of selecting a general emotional response that usually falls into the category of good ("paragon") or evil ("renegade"). The use of general responses gives the game a more fluid, cinematic feel.
This setup also contributes to the game's multiple outcomes depending on the choice of paragon or renegade dialogue options, the world and characters will change. Missions always have multiple endings, and a paragon path to victory will not yield the same results as a renegade one. As a result, playing "Mass Effect 2" just once is not enough.
The mechanics of "Mass Effect 2" mark an infinite improvement over those found in the original. Gone are the infamously long elevator rides and frustrating side excursions. Instead, the sequel's side missions are extremely fun and provide a refreshing break from the main story line. My favorite: racing to find a distress beacon in a crashed ship that is moments away from careening off a cliff. Additionally, the Byzantine inventory system in the original "Mass Effect" has been mercifully replaced with a scheme that allows you to choose your weapons before each mission, simplifying game play and keeping players immersed.
"Mass Effect 2" is visually stunning. With a high-end video card, the graphics are crisp and about as realistic as video game graphics get. The designers at Bioware held nothing back in their quest to create the perfect sci-fi world. Whether exploring a city built into the side of an asteroid or fighting your way through a jungle teeming with hostile mercenaries, the world of "Mass Effect 2" truly feels alive.
But "Mass Effect 2" isn't perfect. Gathering resources to upgrade your ship and weapons can be a boring affair, and there are a few technical glitches here and there. These faults, however, are entirely nit-picky and do nothing to distract from the magnum opus that is "Mass Effect 2." The game is notable for more than its mechanics it is a concrete example of the trend towards the integration of film and gaming.
