Space Ace- Mass Effect 2 Review

Editor’s Note: This review is spoiler-free. It was written to avoid any specific discussion of the game’s narrative events.

A console’s legacy is forged not by the technological capability of the hardware, but by the handful of truly exemplary games that are available for the system. Mention the merits of the original Playstation, and the conversation will inevitably converge upon Final Fantasy VII and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. While the Xbox 360 has had its share of titles that may warrant a place within the gaming pantheon, undoubtedly Mass Effect 2 will be one of those hallmark games that the system will be remembered for.

The title succeeds in a multitude of manners. As a sequel, Mass Effect 2 corrects nearly every blemish of the first game. For action fans uncomfortable with the loquaciousness of a role-playing game, or turn-based aficionados who have an aversion for real-time conflict, the title amalgamates the two divergent genres flawlessly. As a story-driven affair, Mass Effect 2’s plotline is undeniable compelling. From ethnic genocide to a doctor who kills a few to improve the wellbeing of many, the game’s representation of morality is deliciously thorny.

As a majority of games have shown us, conversations can be a difficult fire to stoke. Mass Effect 2 displays some of the intricacies of dialog amazingly well. Not only does the camera frame each exchange with fluid ease, but characters move around realistically. Each response from the player is offered from a wheel displaying a range of parsed responses. Intermittently, the player can interrupt the conversation with a diplomatic or aggressive action, adding a dynamic vibe to selected exchanges.

Mass Effect 2’s combat system has been refined, offering a number of skillful changes since the last excursion aboard the Normandy. Gone are the original game’s grenades- replaced by an arsenal of potent heavy weapons that are certain to remove the shield off the most resilient foe. Bioware mercifully removed the class restrictions on armaments, allowing psychokinetic-oriented Biotics to enjoy the game’s most robust hardware. Overheating systems have also been nixed, replaced by universal cooling cores, which work in any stock weapon. At first glance the game’s inventory, skills systems, and research options appear abridged; as the game’s progresses they become gratifyingly replete.

Yet, these are only superficial alterations made to the game’s intensely satisfying combat mechanic. Warfare in the first game seemed to favor statistics over and kind of joystick proficiency. Now, figures and finesse are amalgamated, making each fracas feel taut and torrid. Battles recall the adrenaline-fueled firefights of Gears of War, as players dash to each cover point, periodically peering around an obstacle to empty a clip into an encroaching foe. Adding to the satisfaction of each skirmish is a lush variety of enemy hit animations- now opponents may crumble over due to a crippling blow, or fall lifelessly over scaffoldings. Even those turned off by the archetypal grind of turn-based combat will enjoy Mass Effect 2’s visceral conflicts, while the role-player will find just enough tactical elements to appease their passion for number-crunching.

Whereas Mass Effect often struggled to construct a visual backdrop that matched the vibrancy of its characterization, the sequel’s visuals are near idyllic. The game’s assortment of species is impressive, with each extraterrestrial dexterously rendered with detailed textures. Sporadically, a character would offer a glance or subtle gesture that was eerily lifelike; for a brief second they fool the mind into thinking they are actor, not CG characters. The game’s framerate constantly remains above the 30 FPS threshold, even during the most sumptuous displays of pyrotechnics. Most importantly, there is a notable absence of visual blemishes to detract from the game’s sumptuous presentation of lens-flares, future-minimalism, and celestial fauna. Soundwise, the title’s evocative voiceover work and moody synth score complement the game impeccably.