Review: Mass Effect 2

Woah.

Mass Effect 2 can be viewed in one of two ways, a sequel, or a game that hits the right notes. I think if you've played Mass Effect 1, that choice is obvious, thus making this review, pointless. To that regard, know that Mass Effect 2 is meant to be a continuation of Mass Effect 1. If you haven't played the first, there is no point in purchasing this one.

To put it bluntly, if you played the first, 9.3 out of 10. If you didn't: Zero!

That being said...for those who have played the first. This game is amazing. All the issues of the first (Technical glitches, Cumbersome Inventory system, Dull side quests) have been fixed. The story telling is tighter; and the shooter gameplay is enhanced.

Shooting feels enhanced; I can't believe I'm saying this but compared to ME1 I WANT to play with the weapons. Story this time is comparable to The Dirty Dozen, is it a rip off? I'd say it's close to one, but who'll notice?

What makes this game lose .7 of a grade? I'll tell you: the story telling loses .4 points, and the suicide mission loses .3. The story, is dull. There's not much new and exciting; and the main twist is one that never resonates with the player. A lot of this story is about the interactions you make, but a story still needs elements of a traditional narrative, and sadly ME2 falls flat in that department, ultimately it feels like you're playing a bridge between one and two. Also, that suicide mission hyped throughout the whole dev cycle: it's kind of a letdown. You need to choose people for certain roles, the game never lets you confirm that those are the people you want, it assumes you chose something super carefully. This feels bad, I chose someone not loyal to me by accident, and as a result lost two party members.

Overall, good game, better in the gameplay department; more lacking in the story front.

9.3/10