Mass Effect 2 premise isn't exactly original, Dune, Star Trek and Star Wars have tackled what the future looks like, or in the case of Star Wars what the past looks like. However, Mass Effect 2 remains highly compelling, complex and engaging. Because the territory isn't particularly unfamiliar players will find themselves easily immersed in the experience.
The Mass Effect Universe is filled with politics, alien species, and fancy space ships capable of light speed travel using devices known as Mass Relays. The Mass Relays are giant structures in space that allows light-speed travel to be possible.
Aliens and humans coexist. But because humans are the pestilence that they are, human colonies have emerged in the fringes of the galaxy. These human colonies are not approved of by the Alliance, the governing body of the future's version of the UN. Slowly each one of these human colonies disappear without a trace of how and why. Super pro-human centric mysterious organization Cerberus enlist the help of Commander Shepard to find out what is happening.
Commander Shepard can be male or female depending on player choice. Shepard can look like anything the player chooses Shepard to look like. A face editor allows players to control virtually every detail of Shepard's face. An in game a dialogue tree system is employed. Players choose what Shepard says and what Shepard does. Players are able to select their reaction, questions or statements when in conversation with another character. From a non-gamer perspective, it appears very much like an interactive film. The camera moves and the animation for characters are lifelike.
The number of characters the player is able to interact with is quite monumental. Set in outer space, the various alien races makes the player feels that all characters are different. Their voices are as varied as their appearance making it feel like Mass Effect 2 is filled with a galaxy of depth.
All of the voice acting is very well done. Notable celebrity voice work include Martin Sheen, Carrie Ann Moss and Michael Dorn famous for portraying Star Trek's Worf. Hearing Michael Dorn's familiar voice in a science fiction setting is worth the price of admission alone.
Mass Effect 2 can be best described as an RPG-Shooter. It blurs the genres together well. Mass Effect 2 does a lot of things very well.
The combat is utterly satisfying. The game consists of 70% combat and 30% role playing. Of course the role playing aspect is divided in sub categories like character development, space exploration and player choices. All of this is done seamlessly. The remarkable thing about the game is that the Mass Effect Universe is highly cohesive. Every aspect of the game fits together organically. In terms of politics Mass Effect 2 is highly political.
The game task the player to assemble a team of scientist, soldiers, and biotics. One of these recruitable characters is responsible for an alien atrocity. However, for all this fantastically shocking truth, the player understands the motivations of that particular character.
Mass Effect 2 is indeed about understanding. The game emphasizes the in game relationships and politics. The personal trauma of Shepard's crew, the personal role of saving the galaxy from emerging threats real or imagined. For a video game to be highly personal, and show high levels of personality this is amazing.
Mass Effect 2 isn't a movie, and cannot be done as a movie. The reason why Mass Effect 2 succeeds is its adherence to being a video game. It is immersive and visually spectacular. The production values of the game is top notch, and perhaps one of the most graphically potent video games this generation. From Illium to Omega, each world that the player is able to explore is designed differently. Each locale is populated with various alien species, and the player is able to interact with various members of the population on a multitude of levels.
As Commander Shepard, players will solve crimes, unite families and save the galaxy. Mass Effect 2 task the players with choices involving morality and questions what the heroic ideal means.
Mass Effect 2 is about loyalty as much as it is about saving the lives of millions. The questions and answers of Mass Effect revolves around loyalty to the galaxy and loyalty to your crew. The choices that are made will effect both equally in ways that cannot be comprehended without playing it yourself.
Mass Effect 2 is a video game from developers Bioware. It is only available for PC and Xbox 360. It is available now.
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