Let's get this straight. Mass Effect 2 is undoubtedly one of the best games you'll play this generation. It's a masterpiece.
I'd like to note before we go on that this isn't a review – I've not finished the game yet – so this is just a collection of impressions having played about 15 hours of the game, but you can certainly expect a review from the team soon.
I was a big fan of the first Mass Effect – I loved the setting and feeling of choice and the final scenes on the Citadel were simply epic. The pacing was off in parts though - the never-ending introductory section in the Presidium was dull and the main plot went AWOL for about a third of the game. Technical issues marred it somewhat too - the never-ending load times and distracting glitches. Getting stuck on the scenery just after a save point and having to go back to a much earlier manual save was a particular joy of mine.
From the open half hour though – which is easily one of the most cinematic experiences in gaming – to the slow expansion of your crew and abilities, to the amazing variety of the environments, it's clear that ME2 is not only a much improved sequel, but among the most polished games you can buy anywhere.
BioWare have taken a hard look at this game and stripped out everything non-essential to the experience. So stats and cumbersome inventories are out – apart from choosing the order to upgrade your skills there's very little character management. In place of these RPG elements though, BioWare have beefed up the exploration and variety of combat. People have said this is more of an exploration-action game than an RPG, and to a large extent that's true. However, only a fool could argue that the game is worse for it.
You have to commend BioWare – they could have simply delivered more of the same, but what they've actually done is thoughtfully refined the experience in almost every way.
This care extends to the presentation too - The character models are among the best on the 360. The lighting is gorgeous throughout and the quality of textures and effects throughout is mind blowing. The levels themselves have a great sense of scale – thanks largely to the almost painterly backgrounds and cinematic framing of the vistas. Every inch of the game looks like someone spent hours slaving over it. You will, without a doubt, say wow at least once during this game – more likely every time you discover a new location.
Interesting to note here, too, that this game is the perfect highlight of the difference between the PS3 and 360 – Mass Effect 2 see's a thirdparty studio getting the most out the console using an off the shelf engine (Unreal 3) and good artists. To get similar results from the PS3 you have to (thus far at least) be an internal Sony studio with access to a huge technical department and a ton of exotic engine technology.
Anyway I digress. The pacing of some of the levels is better than some entire games from other developers. One level sees you exploring a seemingly derelict ship – and the designers take you on a roller coaster ride from a spectacularly creepy start to a high octane finish. Awesome.
Character choice plays a bigger part in the experience than the usual RPG. Not just because you get different options depending on whether you are good or evil, but also depending on who is in your squad. In one mission I took the Krogan ally with me, his comments throughout the level and in a cutscene were suitably gruff and ballsy, giving the action a very gung-ho feel. However, I got my butt handed to me royally, so I decided to revert to a save and take a different squad. This time the Asari character had a much more serene and thoughtful take on the happenings of the mission – something that changed the feel of the mission in quite a profound way.
It's a bit of a cliché to say that two people can play an RPG and get a different experience, but in Mass Effect 2 that may very well be true.
BioWare have exceeded my (very high) expectations for this game in every way, and set new benchmarks for the Xbox 360 and the RPG genre in the process. Any self respecting gamer needs to play this. Now.
