You'll be more than willing to bid your free time goodbye…
Released On: Xbox 360, PC (Gamescom Update - coming to PS3 January, 2011)
Sceptical? Here are six reasons explaining why Mass Effect 2 should be in your game library.
1: Some seriously sophisticated combat.
Having successfully turned the gangly, uncomfortable teen of the first game into the muscular sophomore of this latest title, Bioware’s cutting-edge effort easily rivals many top-end shooters for sheer clout and quality; best described as the unholy love-child of Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter and Gears of War (complete with its own cover system and tactical command), it proves to be a tight, engaging and - more importantly - entertaining system that expertly juggles finely balanced foes, weapons and combat styles with a brilliantly varied and dynamic set of missions that are thankfully bereft of the usually drab, tired trappings of your typical (and statistical) RPG. It even manages to snag some rather surprisingly intelligent A.I, too, making comparisons with Epic’s monster I.P even more justified.
Unlike those afore-mentioned and ridiculously popular gunners, however, Mass Effect 2 also sports a massive sense of depth; throw in all the various unlockable abilities, ammo, armaments and class-types - ranging from the magical and immensely agreeable ‘Biotics’ to the more traditional, gung-ho jar-heads - and there’s plenty to be had from this mammoth adventure beyond planting a bullet in the middle of someone’s gooey, prosthetic face. Yes, yes, I won’t deny that there are a few issues here and there - there isn’t nearly enough diversity in the gun and armour loadouts for a start and the addition of a ‘mission summary’ screen at the end of each operation is as hideously out of place as it is unnecessary - but it’s still a great package that stands out for all the right reasons.
2: An unbelievably epic story that sets the bar and raises the stakes.
While nothing particularly original, this tale pretty well dominates due to a fantastically atmospheric plot dripping with tension and a script that is tangibly and positively buzzing with a nervous friction as you edge ever closer to the game’s utterly, brilliantly hysterical finale; bursting with creativity and great ideas, the outcome is simply mesmerising, made more so after a particularly deep and somewhat touching journey with a multi-layered and exquisitely relatable cast. Nonetheless, the biggest draw of all (and one of the biggest reasons for trying this new sci-fi odyssey) is the simple fact that the Mass Effect story is your story: every decision you make and every choice you follow can change not only the course of events in this game, but in the final instalment of the trilogy as well. And that’s not all; if you played the first title then you can expect the consequence of you previous actions to come back and snap at your heels as well. How cool is that?
However, be warned; if you haven’t played the first in the series then you may be a bit lost at sea here as far as story is concerned, because Mass Effect 2 hits the ground running and doesn’t look back. While this keeps the pace nice and energetic and the tale doesn’t get bogged down with a lot of unnecessary retrospective, the end-result makes about as much sense as the average game of Monopoly or a speech read by Mr. Boris Johnson for new-comers.
3: It’ll probably be the only time in your life that you can honestly say you owned a spaceship, and went on safari to the moon.
One big, nasty (and very true) criticism of the first game was that the locality could be more than a little dull throughout; fortunately, there’s none of that unpleasantness this time around as the environs you’ll find yourself in are - by and large - beautiful, evocative and memorable. There’s plenty to do in them as well, for the numerous missions, trips and side-quests that will bring you here are as brilliantly written as you could wish for while still managing to remain wonderfully imaginative despite a hefty run time of well over thirty hours.
As you would expect this is partly down to some great design, fine detail, graphical capability and scripting (the ‘loyalty' missions available later on in the campaign are particularly humbling), but the real reason behind the success would be the fact that each one of these tenants is performed to the very highest standard indeed; in fact, the team have polished and buffed this game until it positively shines, and because Mass Effect 2 also sees the return of an impressively slick ‘conversation wheel’ scheme (a system where particular on-screen emotional options - angry, neutral, happy, etc - will define your response) and the re-emergence of the more traditional mini-game - such as planet scanning for recourses and quests or computer hacking - we’re left with a brilliantly refined, varied and meaty package that has a hell of a lot to offer.
Mass Effect 2 is rarely content with being just ‘alright’.
4: Treat yourself - without the glitches and bugs.
Gotcha - sorry. The most irritating (and, admittedly, largest) problems with this title stem from some particularly troublesome malfunctions; not only are the traditional and all too familiar Bermuda-Triangle moments present (becoming stuck in the environment every now and then or falling through the floor are still firm favourites), but you’ll also be subjected to cringing moments when the soundtrack and voice-overs of particular cinematics are hideously out of sync with the action playing up on screen. Not only is this hugely distracting, it’s also a thorough pain in the proverbial backside when it remains a steadfast problem throughout the entire game. Shame on you, Bioware, shame on you.
5: Lots of (mostly) free downloadable content - in other words, more bang for your buck.
Mass Effect 2 more than delivers as far as longevity is concerned; despite being around sixty hours long at the maximum, a new purchase will get you two spangly missions and an additional companion for the entire game straight out of the box. You’ll also receive an ‘access-code’ to download all the free content released since the game’s launch, including a brand new driveable vehicle, lots of extra quests and a bunch of cool armour and weapons to use in-game. Ok, I’ll admit that you’ll have to fork out for some of the cooler stuff on offer and will have to pay to access the above freebies if you didn’t buy a brand-spankers copy of the game, but because Bioware have promised both free and priced DLC right up until the third game’s release sometime in 2011 this title will remain far from it’s sell-by date for quite a while anyway.
6: It has one of the most white-knuckle, nail-biting finales in all of gaming.
Yes, really - like most great tales it’s all about the build-up, and the mounting pressure throughout Mass Effect 2 is so palpable (and the price of failure is so huge) that it’s enough to set anyone’s heart racing as they edge ever closer to that bombastic finale. You see, every decision taken leading up to and during this moment can either save or damn you and your entire team in that final, trying hour, and while the weight of responsibility is a burden enough, if you or any of your crew are taken down during the end-game then death is also decidedly final. In short, this ensures that the slain (even you) will not come back for potential sequels if you choose to carry your story over into the third and last game of the trilogy, and (somewhat more vitally) because of the time you’ll have spent with them and due to the bond you’ll have undoubtedly built by this stage - no matter how small - it’s a bit heart-wrenching to see them ripped apart or dragged to their deaths as they fight for their very lives, often because of your own misstep. For once there’s a very real, tangible threat to be had here and like nothing else it puts your head and heart truly into the game, leading up to one of the most immersive and engaging experiences you’ll have seen for quite some time in any title.
The Bottom Line
Ok, let’s review; if you want tight combat, a decent story, brilliantly deep characters (not to mention awesome quests), a tide of upcoming DLC and a jaw-droopingly high level of epic scope usually reserved for the Hollywood blockbusters, then this is the game to go for this quarter. I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
Rating: 96%
(Phenomenal)
Released On: Xbox 360, PC (Gamescom Update - coming to PS3 January, 2011)
Sceptical? Here are six reasons explaining why Mass Effect 2 should be in your game library.
1: Some seriously sophisticated combat.
Having successfully turned the gangly, uncomfortable teen of the first game into the muscular sophomore of this latest title, Bioware’s cutting-edge effort easily rivals many top-end shooters for sheer clout and quality; best described as the unholy love-child of Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter and Gears of War (complete with its own cover system and tactical command), it proves to be a tight, engaging and - more importantly - entertaining system that expertly juggles finely balanced foes, weapons and combat styles with a brilliantly varied and dynamic set of missions that are thankfully bereft of the usually drab, tired trappings of your typical (and statistical) RPG. It even manages to snag some rather surprisingly intelligent A.I, too, making comparisons with Epic’s monster I.P even more justified.
Unlike those afore-mentioned and ridiculously popular gunners, however, Mass Effect 2 also sports a massive sense of depth; throw in all the various unlockable abilities, ammo, armaments and class-types - ranging from the magical and immensely agreeable ‘Biotics’ to the more traditional, gung-ho jar-heads - and there’s plenty to be had from this mammoth adventure beyond planting a bullet in the middle of someone’s gooey, prosthetic face. Yes, yes, I won’t deny that there are a few issues here and there - there isn’t nearly enough diversity in the gun and armour loadouts for a start and the addition of a ‘mission summary’ screen at the end of each operation is as hideously out of place as it is unnecessary - but it’s still a great package that stands out for all the right reasons.
2: An unbelievably epic story that sets the bar and raises the stakes.
While nothing particularly original, this tale pretty well dominates due to a fantastically atmospheric plot dripping with tension and a script that is tangibly and positively buzzing with a nervous friction as you edge ever closer to the game’s utterly, brilliantly hysterical finale; bursting with creativity and great ideas, the outcome is simply mesmerising, made more so after a particularly deep and somewhat touching journey with a multi-layered and exquisitely relatable cast. Nonetheless, the biggest draw of all (and one of the biggest reasons for trying this new sci-fi odyssey) is the simple fact that the Mass Effect story is your story: every decision you make and every choice you follow can change not only the course of events in this game, but in the final instalment of the trilogy as well. And that’s not all; if you played the first title then you can expect the consequence of you previous actions to come back and snap at your heels as well. How cool is that?
However, be warned; if you haven’t played the first in the series then you may be a bit lost at sea here as far as story is concerned, because Mass Effect 2 hits the ground running and doesn’t look back. While this keeps the pace nice and energetic and the tale doesn’t get bogged down with a lot of unnecessary retrospective, the end-result makes about as much sense as the average game of Monopoly or a speech read by Mr. Boris Johnson for new-comers.
3: It’ll probably be the only time in your life that you can honestly say you owned a spaceship, and went on safari to the moon.
One big, nasty (and very true) criticism of the first game was that the locality could be more than a little dull throughout; fortunately, there’s none of that unpleasantness this time around as the environs you’ll find yourself in are - by and large - beautiful, evocative and memorable. There’s plenty to do in them as well, for the numerous missions, trips and side-quests that will bring you here are as brilliantly written as you could wish for while still managing to remain wonderfully imaginative despite a hefty run time of well over thirty hours.
As you would expect this is partly down to some great design, fine detail, graphical capability and scripting (the ‘loyalty' missions available later on in the campaign are particularly humbling), but the real reason behind the success would be the fact that each one of these tenants is performed to the very highest standard indeed; in fact, the team have polished and buffed this game until it positively shines, and because Mass Effect 2 also sees the return of an impressively slick ‘conversation wheel’ scheme (a system where particular on-screen emotional options - angry, neutral, happy, etc - will define your response) and the re-emergence of the more traditional mini-game - such as planet scanning for recourses and quests or computer hacking - we’re left with a brilliantly refined, varied and meaty package that has a hell of a lot to offer.
Mass Effect 2 is rarely content with being just ‘alright’.
4: Treat yourself - without the glitches and bugs.
Gotcha - sorry. The most irritating (and, admittedly, largest) problems with this title stem from some particularly troublesome malfunctions; not only are the traditional and all too familiar Bermuda-Triangle moments present (becoming stuck in the environment every now and then or falling through the floor are still firm favourites), but you’ll also be subjected to cringing moments when the soundtrack and voice-overs of particular cinematics are hideously out of sync with the action playing up on screen. Not only is this hugely distracting, it’s also a thorough pain in the proverbial backside when it remains a steadfast problem throughout the entire game. Shame on you, Bioware, shame on you.
5: Lots of (mostly) free downloadable content - in other words, more bang for your buck.
Mass Effect 2 more than delivers as far as longevity is concerned; despite being around sixty hours long at the maximum, a new purchase will get you two spangly missions and an additional companion for the entire game straight out of the box. You’ll also receive an ‘access-code’ to download all the free content released since the game’s launch, including a brand new driveable vehicle, lots of extra quests and a bunch of cool armour and weapons to use in-game. Ok, I’ll admit that you’ll have to fork out for some of the cooler stuff on offer and will have to pay to access the above freebies if you didn’t buy a brand-spankers copy of the game, but because Bioware have promised both free and priced DLC right up until the third game’s release sometime in 2011 this title will remain far from it’s sell-by date for quite a while anyway.
6: It has one of the most white-knuckle, nail-biting finales in all of gaming.
Yes, really - like most great tales it’s all about the build-up, and the mounting pressure throughout Mass Effect 2 is so palpable (and the price of failure is so huge) that it’s enough to set anyone’s heart racing as they edge ever closer to that bombastic finale. You see, every decision taken leading up to and during this moment can either save or damn you and your entire team in that final, trying hour, and while the weight of responsibility is a burden enough, if you or any of your crew are taken down during the end-game then death is also decidedly final. In short, this ensures that the slain (even you) will not come back for potential sequels if you choose to carry your story over into the third and last game of the trilogy, and (somewhat more vitally) because of the time you’ll have spent with them and due to the bond you’ll have undoubtedly built by this stage - no matter how small - it’s a bit heart-wrenching to see them ripped apart or dragged to their deaths as they fight for their very lives, often because of your own misstep. For once there’s a very real, tangible threat to be had here and like nothing else it puts your head and heart truly into the game, leading up to one of the most immersive and engaging experiences you’ll have seen for quite some time in any title.
The Bottom Line
Ok, let’s review; if you want tight combat, a decent story, brilliantly deep characters (not to mention awesome quests), a tide of upcoming DLC and a jaw-droopingly high level of epic scope usually reserved for the Hollywood blockbusters, then this is the game to go for this quarter. I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
Rating: 96%
(Phenomenal)
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