Game Review: Mass Effect 2 – PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (Part 2)
After taking a general look at BioWare’s Mass Effect 2, along with performing an analysis of the various presentation features, the game seems to be extremely promising and way ahead of the pack in the genre. However, what still remains to be seen is whether
the sequel manages to deliver the same level of gameplay as its predecessor and which captivated the hearts of millions of hardcore and casual gamers around the world.
Gameplay
Even though the gameplay of the first Mass Effect was pretty neat, the game inevitably suffered from a few shortcomings. Fortunately, BioWare was listening and carried out some revisions and improvements in the gameplay to remove the kinks and make the experience
even more satisfying.
There have been a few tweaks in the control and combat mechanics, enabling the game to deliver something for both the hardcore role-playing games and shooter action games fans.
One of the most pleasing additions to the second Mass Effect game is the reworked classes. Each class now has a new variety of skills, offering its own set of exciting experience and making the combat intense and thrilling. This would indeed give the player
a reason to play the game over and over again, each time going through it with a different class. The replay value of the game has certainly been increased.
Another major improvement in Mass Effect 2 is the removed of the generic cut-and-paste quests, with the game putting new emphasis on exploration of the vast galaxy. While the major side-quests have been made more interesting with their own stories and unique
area to explore, there are also additional missions available for those who are obsessed with taking their ship to every corner of the galaxy to uncover its hidden secrets. Thanks to a new gameplay twist, the quests will never become stale.
While the technical improvements to Mass Effect 2 are great, it is the role-playing aspect of the game that makes it truly memorable and one-of-a-kind. The class and skill system allows the player to really personalise Command Shepherd, while the conversations
with the various galactic citizens and the option to make different decisions really helps them to make the game their own. It would definitely not be an overstatement to say that Mass Effect 2 comes closest to offering the ideal role-playing experience that
is both cinematic and unique to the individual. Each player will get something different out of it, which is indeed an incredible achievement by BioWare.
It would simply unrealistic to expect Mass Effect 2 to be free of all flaws despite the major improvements, both artistic and technical. It falls short of becoming perfectly posh due to issues such as getting stuck in environments and game crashes. However,
the encounter with these issues is so rare that they hardly have any effect on the overall experience.
Verdict
Mass Effect 2 truly walks in the footsteps of its predecessor as it continues to push the boundaries. The technical issues have been pretty much taken care of, while the game mechanics have been nearly perfected. The game turns out to be great in every aspect,
delivering in every way that really matters. The game is simply outstanding in terms of combat, voice acting, story-telling, replay value and its artistic style. The game adapts remarkably well to the player’s past actions in the previous Mass Effect as well
as the sequel, personalizing the experience and making it truly unique.
Yes, the game has a drawback of depriving the player of some of excitement of some really cool moments and revelations if he has not gone through the first part. However, that is just a small price to pay to feast on what is otherwise an epic game.
We give BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 a rating of 9.6 out of 10 for its excellent cinematic direction, tight gameplay and personal experience.
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