With the second release of BioWare’s Epic Mass Effect, there was high anticipation with the visual effect and the tons of promised changes from the first one. BioWare promised major changes in all combat types, visuals and other aspects of the game to make it not only a better game but to bring in new people to the series that didn’t follow the first game. As BioWare has solidified their ability to not only make an extremely fun game, but also games with in depth story lines with multiple situations and resolutions on not only how the game goes, but how it ends. This list includes Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic series, Mass Effect 1 and the recently released Dragon Age: Origins.

With Mass Effect 2 BioWare keeps that tradition going, not only with one of the most beautiful and amazing looking games they’ve ever released. They also keep intact the deep storyline and relationship development that I consider to be more of an “Interactive Movie” than a video game. These traits and experiences not only keep you hooked on the game, but help immerse you in a universe where not only are you able to meet new and exciting people. It also continues exactly with the flow of the first one continuing and expanding on it in a realistic and emotional way.

Images courtesy BioWare.com

Mass Effect 2 start’s off aboard the SS Normandy where the crew becomes under attack by a very large unknown ship, which precedes to rip the Normandy in half. As Shepard works to save the crew of the Normandy your choices in Mass Effect 1 (If you have the save game) already work into affect. Depending on who you saved (Kaiden or Ashley) you start off helping one of them help move crew members to escape pods to flee the tremendous threat. Upon trying to save the crew the stubborn “Joker” (voiced by Seth Green) refuses to abandon his ship and you must make your way to the bridge to get him to safety. Upon trying to save Joker Shepard is ejected into space, worse as you are floating one of your air hoses breaks as you begin descent into the nearby planet’s atmosphere. This is the beginning of Mass Effect 2.

With Mass Effect 2, 2 years have gone by and Shepard is considered dead. A memorial has been built and everyone on your old crew has moved on with their lives. The story begins showing the reconstruction of a burnt corpse of a body under the influence of the corporation “Cerberus”. As the credits roll the charred body begins to reform and you then begin your life as the new and improved Commander Shepard.

In Mass Effect 2 the Reaper and Geth threat has been pretty much quelled but a new force has shown it’s face “The Collectors”. The Collectors have been stealing humans from colonies all along space coming out of the Omega IV Relay. The Cerberus group wants to figure out what has been happening to these humans and how to stop it. In Mass Effect 2 since your old crew has pretty much dispersed you are tasked with building a new crew of criminals, outcasts, and hard core murderers to bolster your ranks to take on this new impending threat.

From the beginning you are hooked in with an immense and vast storyline that grabs you in and takes you on a wild ride. With the astounding visual’s as well as the mass choice based storyline you can make Mass Effect however you want, by either being the angelic hero out to save everyone at any cost, or the look out for yourself hardcore badass that does what he wants when he wants.

As the gameplay goes the choice based interaction system is still intact, which I believe is great as it is the one thing that makes BioWare’s games on the top of the league. The combat system has changed from the old lock on style to a complete free form aiming system that makes the combat much more fluid and interactive to coincide with the rest of the game. The games visuals, gameplay, and solid acting voiced by well known actor’s makes Mass Effect not on the series of the year but quite possibly the series of the century.

Unfortunately BioWare forgot to introduce a screen shot hot key in Mass Effect 2 so I was unable to get any screens. Which is unfortunate as the game is amazing. But I can’t leave you with nothing so here is the Intro to Mass Effect 2….

~Tetra