Great sequel to the first mass effect hit! Loved the graphics and gameplay!
Commander Shepard is back and he's needed more than ever. Picking up where the first part left off, we find more about the Reapers and our imminent doom, and guys from Bio ware take us on another epic journey.
While on and expedition, Normandy is attacked and destroyed by a hostile vessel, hurdling Shepard into space.
A couple of years later, He wakes up in a lab, rebuilt, in the middle of a security breach. Making his way out he meets Jacob and Miranda, Cerberus operatives, who explain how they rebuilt him because his skill is needed. Cerberus is a human-survivalist paramilitary group with the mysterious Illusive Man on top. Having no other choice, Shepard accepts their offer. We are introduced to a new threat, the Collectors, ancient enigmatic creatures that are responsible for wiping out entire colonies, and along the way, we meet familiar faces, and make connections between Reapers and the Collectors. Shepard now must assemble a team of selected characters in order to complete his mission.
While it's less or more of the same, but with the continuation of the story, the gunplay is greatly improved and there are now six weapon classes. There are no more cool down times, guns now use thermal clips and the rigging just out right feels better. Every shot has weight and the cover system is tweaked for smoother movement in firefights. With more powers, previously called talents, grenades and ammo upgrades have been replaced as powers, allowing you to choose the desired ammo type on the go.
There are changes in the RPG element as well. Now, all dialogues have the interrupt, which are QuickTime events used to resolve some situations faster and boost your Paragon or Renegade rep. The leveling system now simplified, and the inventory is finally easier to navigate through. We're also introduced to the new upgrading system, where you spend your resources improving armor, weapons, ship parts, but resources are scarce.
While some available in the missions, to really replenish your Iridium, Palladium, Platinum and Element Zero reserves, you will need to scan and probe the planets. While planet scanning is simple and refreshing, it's not long until it becomes a chore, because you have to keep an eye on your stock of fuel and probes. The exploration takes place from the Galaxy map, you use Mass Relays to go move between solar systems, and manually fly from planet to planet to land or gather resources. While scanning planets some loyalty missions for certain characters can be accessed, and completing them has an impact later in the game. Some people responded negatively, while the majority salutes Mass Effect's lean toward action. The fact is, there is no need for big sections, and comparing the size of the citadel for the first part to the one from the second, it might seem like that at first glance, but there is a better variety of destinations available now.
We strongly recommend playing Mass Effect 2 with every DLC containing missions, because it further expands the story, and establishes links for the third installment. The Arrival DLC is the most dramatic story arc in the game, showing the Reaper's initial arrival in the Milky Way.
Pros:
• Story
• Content
• Different story lines
• Improved gameplay
Cons:
• Planet probing feels like a chore
• Too much DLC
If Mass Effect 2 is the first game in the franchise you'll play, you'll have no problem getting to speed with the story. It's a definitive improvement over the first game, but the amount of content the first game had to offer goes unmatched. This is sequel stands good on its own, we recommend it.
-Petar
GameNTrade Ltd.