Mass Effect 2 takes place two years after the conclusion of Mass Effect. With the Reaper invasion stopped and Saren and the geth defeated, Commander Shepard learns that entire human colonies are mysteriously vanishing.
GenreRole-Playing
Platforms pc
DEVELOPER BioWare | PUBLISHER Codemasters | RELEASE DATE
Mass Effect 2 Reviews pc
thunderboltgames.com review
Mass Effect 2 is no longer an RPG. At least, it’s not an RPG in the sense that the first one was. There is now a simple skill tree system instead of a fully blown stat sheet, and the action now plays out like a third-person tactical shooter. What remains of Mass Effect is the excellent conversation system. The already impressive presentation has also gotten an upgrade, leaving the first Mass Effect behind in a trail of dust. It’s really quite bizarre to see a sequel to a game so well received to change so much.
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gamesradar.com review
Another innovative story mechanic in Mass Effect 2 is the ability to interrupt a conversation with an action. Don’t care for that Krogan’s long-winded rant about his clan’s schemes on galactic domination? Then shoot the exploding tank under his feet and get the action moving! These interrupts can push you more toward Paragon (good) or Renegade (evil) status, depending on context and are an exciting addition to Mass Effect 2’s already robust dialog options.
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gamedaily.com review
On top of that, Mass Effect 2 has an outstanding soundtrack that’s a great mix of thunderous orchestral tracks and stuff that seems ripped from 80s sci-fi flicks, including Aliens. Shepard’s ship, for example, has four decks, one of which is his personal quarters, and we spent some time just messing with the audio player and watching the stars slowly pass by his window. Don’t be surprised, of course, if you do similar things, whether it’s downloading free content and wandering through alien worlds, having a conversation with a member of the crew or catching up on the news.
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gamesaktuell.de review
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eurogamer.pt review
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gamereactor.se review
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darkzero.co.uk review
There’s a bunch of other stuff I could go on about – the brilliant class-specific abilities, the upgrade system, the moral choices you’re forced to make, the incredible variation in tone of the loyalty missions, the vastly-improved side-missions for you to stumble upon, and that Gilbert & Sullivan bit. Or, of course, the fact that it completely dominated my free time for several weeks, leading to a lot of other, ostensibly more important stuff not getting done. But it all boils down to the fact that you need to play this game. Because once this trilogy is done, we might well be looking at one of the greatest science-fiction works – in any medium – of all time. Mass Effect 2 is an utterly absorbing, satisfying and rewarding journey that you absolutely will not want to end, ever.
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everyeye.it review
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dpadmagazine.com review
Everything about the game – plots, combat, progression, characters – comes together in a tidy, satisfying package. I’m not going to mention anything about the story, either, other than that’s it’s all very exciting and ultimately left me desperate for the trilogy to be concluded in Mass Effect 3. I wouldn’t want to spoil any of it. Mass Effect 2 is probably the finest sequel in the history of videogames, and an excellent experience in its own right. It might just be one of the most significant works of sci-fi in the last thirty years.
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rpgamer.com review
The best part of Mass Effect 2 is its deep and rich story that will constantly surprise players and force them to make important choices. Extremely natural story sequences are interjected throughout combat and exploration, keeping the entire game fresh and engaging. Players must balance the needs of Shepard’s mission against his own morals and the needs of his crew, and sometimes it isn’t possible to satisfy all of them. Choice matters in Mass Effect 2, as certain player decisions can lead to huge changes in the future of Shepard’s squad.
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hardcoregamer.com review
The flow of combat has been changed drastically. While in the first game a character could use all weapons despite only having training in some of them, in Mass Effect 2 you are limited solely to those you have training in. This makes picking your squad have increased tactical weight as you try to find a balance of weaponry. Your ammunition supply is limited now as well in the form of the use and acquisition of heat sinks.
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gameinformer.com review
BioWare also rethought the control mapping, allowing players to assign biotics to buttons and view cool-down meters mid-battle – both of which remove the need to visit the pause screen. From a tactical standpoint, you are no longer shoehorned into relying specifically on Shepard’s class specialties. You can snipe from ridges, create biotic and firearm combos, and even use melee/shotgun-style assaults. All of these options feel great, and are balanced to create exciting battles.
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cheatcc.com review
The power-leveling tropes established in the thousands of classic RPGs out there have largely served to distract players from actually getting into their role, and BioWare has masterfully created branching dialogue and Paragon/Renegade interrupts that allow you to control the scene and shape the story. Moreover, the incredible, cinematic presentation brought to bear makes the whole experience riveting.
gamervision.com review
Mass Effect 2 is easily one of the best games of the generation, blowing away its predecessor in just about every way, and removing the “flawed” attachment to the “masterpiece” title. It is, at its core, an RPG experience, though the changes to the combat engine definitely make it play more like a traditional third-person shooter at times, and that isn’t at all a bad thing. The universe created in the original Mass Effect has been nearly perfected this time around, further propelling the series ahead of the pack, and setting a bar for interactive storytelling that will likely not be matched for years to come.
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gametrailers.com review
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ign.com review
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gamingexcellence.com review
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vandal.net review
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atomicgamer.com review
There’s also an arsenal of heavy weapons with limited ammo, exclusive abilities for each of the six playable classes, a regenerating health system that doesn’t force you to wait for medi-gel cooldowns, a solid list of upgrades for both Shepard and the squadmates, a unified cooldown for abilities, better AI for both friends and enemies, and guns that work great from the moment you pick them up – not just after you spend skill points on them. What all this adds up to is a much better combat experience that doesn’t take away from the rest of the game. But be warned that you have to enjoy role-playing as much as you do action if you’re going to get into Mass Effect 2, because for every room full of enemies to shoot, you’ll also find an equal number of characters to talk to, planets to explore, and non-violent solutions to Shepard’s problems.
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gamespot.com review
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cpugamer.com review
For a sequel that’s generally much more focused, Mass Effect 2 should last you around 30 hours if you devote your time to doing all the character quests. There’s a lot more substance to all its quests, which means you’re going to run into a lot more dialogue. You’ll be able to continue playing after finishing if you make it out alive, but really, there’s not a lot to which to go back. Unless your idea of choices and consequences is seeing what happens when Shepard chooses the jerk-wad response, don’t expect much that will truly impact the game’s world.
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computergames.ro review
Barring the ship improvements, you will also have research projects to improve various aspects of your equipment, either for yourself or the entire team. These can be bought or discovered throughout the missions and to research them you’ll need the help or Mordin Solus and resources which you’ll obtain by scanning the planets from the solar systems you explore or “borrowing†them from various containers.
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ag.ru review
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