Mass Effect 2 Review

Released in 2007, Mass Effect was a science fiction story like no other. Sure it had aliens, space ships, the looming threat of an ancient race manifested to wipe out all life in the universe, but it was so much more than that. It let players actually become a part of the world, provided some very intense consequences for each action taken and above all else offered the opportunity to be drawn into a very vibrant and detailed world. So naturally it is no surprise that Bioware made Mass Effect 2 to build upon the strong foundation that its predecessor left, while at the same time smoothing over the rougher edges for a little more refinement. How well does it do?

Picking up right where the last game left off, Mass Effect 2 wastes no time in delivering the action. Players are given the chance to select either a character from the previous game's save date, or creating a brand new character - and the impressive part is how much of a difference this makes in the games experience. From cutscenes to in-game options, to dialogue, Mass Effect 2 is a game heavily affected by choice. While a completely new character submits to a default storyline, not being able to see the culminated effects of Shepard's work is like missing an experience in itself.