My personal favorite in the series.
While Mass Effect was a great game, I never thought it as a fantastic game. Sure it has it's moments but also quite a bit of problems. Yet considering it was probably the first third person shooter/RPG you can forgive those issues because the rest of the package is so good.
This game, is a true sequel and improved on everything and avoided the pitfalls of the first game.
The graphics are a step up and beautiful in every way. Don't get me wrong, I loved the art direction of the first game but this game really polishes it. Everything is so accurately detailed and everything fits in the series. The FMV's are also fantastic, including the ending sequences.
The story is the best part of the experience. It is a personal story and it focuses on rallying a team of specialists. Everything you do in the game determines how the final mission plays out and some if not all of your squad members can die in the final mission. It really makes every decision count and is a breath of fresh air. It is one of my personal favorite video game stories.
The sound is fantastic. The voice acting is perfect and so is the music.
The gameplay is vastly improved. The shooting feels sharper and the cover system is much better. The inventory and leveling is more stream lined which adds less confusion and less tedium. The only thing I didn't like was scanning for planets. That got boring. There are also quite a few glitches in the game that prevents this game from being perfect.
All and all Mass Effect 2 is a fantastic game and in my opinion, the best in the series.
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Story: 10/10
Gameplay: 8.5/10
Final Score: 9.5/10