Mass Effect 2 - Video Game Review (Xbox 360)

[cubanpete24]

1. Introduction Mass Effect is synonymous with one of the most celebrated sci-fi genre game of the decade. Developed by the renown Bioware and published by the infamous EA, the first Mass Effect Sold to rave reviews, and spectacular sales. So really, the question, was when? When could we await the sequel to possibly, the greatest shooter/rpg of all time? The answer, was about 2, very long years. And now that the game has been in my hands for quite some time now, for a good 3 months. It's time to see how well the sequel stands up to it's near-perfect predecessor. 2. Oh my god.....character development! Mass Effect is renowned for it's ability to make you care for characters. It's like they should call their characters......CARE-actors Puns aside, it brings tears to my eyes to see how well Bioware treats every squadmate. Even the most unlikeable character for me, Jack, seems to have me care, with her very interesting backstory. When she died on my third run of the suicide mission, I will admit, I was pretty saddened. And in one of gaming's most smartest moves, they brought Garrus back. One of my......."homies" if you will, in the first Mass Effect. While it was pretty predictable to an extent, I'm glad to see that they actually cared so much for their characters, to bring him back to the sequel, when most are either dead, or non-recruitable. Each Squad mate's recruitment mission, and loyalty mission had me on the edge of my seat. When you first see Legion, I shrieked, literally yelling "Shepard! GET DOWN!" off the top of my lungs because I honest to god thought He was an enemy geth. No matter how many times I see that cut-scene, my hands tighten for a few seconds. Squad mate interaction is a definite plus, You can feel Miranda and Shepard's tension right from they start, and you see how their friendship (Or in my case with benefits) grows. Same goes for Jack.....and........Tali............ Well if your into bald women and masked alien beings then take your pick! And with Joker and EDI, it's so apparent that Joker would kick EDI in the nuts if possible. But through exquisite development, you see their friendship grow. In either case, this is very similar to the original trilogy, you see that Luke and Han don't see ye yo eye, yet after they save each other from certain doom a couple times, you see how their friendship forms. If you saw that I compared this game to the Original trilogy, then you already know this game has a certain something to it in the character department. 3. Gears of War is cheating on Elder Scrolls I use the term "Gears of War gameplay with rpg elements" lightly. Because it's anything but. While yes, you can get behind cover and sprint and that sort, it's how you do it that makes this stand out. Will you go in guns blazing, or will you let your squad mates bait them, and then go in guns blazing. Or will you stay back, chipping their armor and health. waiting for them to reload so you can charge in and beat their faces in. So gameplay is a pretty good standpoint for this game, and what is a shooter/rpg without rpg elements? That's where this game truly stands out. There is a very in depth leveling up system in this game that is unmatched by competing games. With a small, but satisfying evolution system, this adds zest to an otherwise simple formula And to add bandages to a healed wound *wink wink* this game has what most rpg's strive for, Replayability. Ask anyone who owns Mass Effect 2, and the conversation will veer into "How many times have you beaten it?" over 3 times 4. Pronz Plox? Every gamer has come across something so small in gaming, yet always seems to explode in media You Tube You Tube "Look, taking something small, and blowing it out of proportion, doesn't make it more reasonable" --Game informer Words of wisdom. Likewise, relationships play a big part in this game. if you are Male, you can choose from a -You can choose from a suit sealed alien -A bald lesbian -A She MJ If your are a female, you can choose from -A Frog -A bird -A Black Person Kidding aside, these people feel very real. Which is very hard to pull of, believe me. I'm looking at you heavy Rain. #. In conclusion So I ask you, what makes a game, graphics, or gameplay? While games like Heavy Rain, boast amazing graphics, it lacked on gameplay. Mass Effect has not only near perfect graphics, but excellently implemented gameplay mechanics. I will edit this soon