by Hurricane
Commander Shepard returns in the sequel to the 2007 hit 3rd person shooter RPG from Bioware and it defiantly lives up to the hype bringing beautiful graphics and solid gameplay that pulls you in right from the get go. And with the ability to bring over the choices you made in the original mass effect it will make you want to if you have not already get the first game and see the different effects that your choices do to the game
Graphics. The graphics in the game are beautifully done each character is very detailed and each environment is unique. It seems that they really spent a lot of time getting the lighting effects down each level is a beautiful mix of light and shadow greatly reflects the undertones to the story.
Control. The control is very comfortable and is really easy to understand RT to shoot and LT to aim down the scopes. You change your weapons and use abilities with the LB and RB respectively. And you dive into nearby cover with the A button. Getting into and effectively using cover is very fluid making combat run smooth. Menus run smoothly and don’t get too complicated allowing you to do what you need to quickly and get out and back to the shooting. The old text wheel is back during conversations allowing you to choose the way the conversations go. But they added something new as well at times you will be able to do instant paragon or renegade actions using the LT and RT at points during the conversation such as destroying a young kids gun to keep him out of a raid or shooting a gas tank under an enemy mid monolog of their actions.
Sound. The sounds throughout the whole game are exactly what you would expect the sounds to be while you are on a ship in space you can hear the sounds of the machines doing there thing. Enemies make realistic sounds from the movement of the giant mechs to the communications between members of your enemies. This also brings me to the voice acting which is very well done the characters that return from the last game have the same voice actors and new ones match up very well.
Gameplay. The gameplay is just what you would expect from a third person shooter. Weapon and cover mechanics are very well done. The enemy AI is very will done, enemies will use cover just like you and try to flank you during combat. Using your abilities is easy and when you bring up the screen for it the game pauses giving you a chance to plan out how to get through this group of enemies. The level up system has been changed a bit. Each character aside from Shepard starts with 3 ability lines and a 4th that is added when you gain their trust. Shortening the amount of time you spend in the menus.
Where as in the last game you could for the most part do the missions at your leisure this time around you are kind of on a time frame. It seems that you can only do so many side and recruitment missions between story missions, and in some cases doing side missions will affect the outcome of your crew in the end. The only real problem I have with the game though is the mining you have to do on planets. This can eat up a LOT of time and credits searching planets and buying more probes.
But it is necessary in order to upgrade your weapons and abilities. The biotics and techs have changed sense the first game biotics consist mainly of push pull and shockwave types of abilities. And tech consists of boosting your shields, creating drones, and turning your enemies on one another. Though they have changed a bit they are just as impressive as the last game. Soldiers don’t seem to have that hard a time as in the first game any more as well with there ammo abilities that make them just as effective as the other classes. And each ability in the game has the ability to evolve to either be able to hit multiple targets or have a greater effect on one.
Overall. In the end Mass Effect 2 is an amazing game lot of fun to play with a great story, defiantly another piece of Bioware gold. And with the different paths you can take in the story that all works its way to multiple types of endings that will get you to want everything to come out just perfect as I’m sure they will greatly affect Mass Effect 3.
