Mass Effect 2 drags role-playing games kicking and screaming into the future.
The science fiction epic from Bioware, released Tuesday for PC and Xbox 360 (reviewed), is a glaring reminder that stats, loot and potions don’t have to be the end-all, be-all of RPGs. Mass Effect 2 effectively pushes all the fiddly little details to the back burner, emphasizing a grand story told not only by the designers, but by each individual player. The sequel delivers a captivating experience worthy of following the critically acclaimed original.
Once again, players slip into the skin of Commander Shepard (pictured), the only person in the galaxy equipped and motivated to stop an extra-dimensional invasion. From the outset, the player becomes part of the storytelling: You can customize not only Shepard’s sex, physical features and equipment, but also his (or her) personality.
The major triumph of the original Mass Effect, the game’s interactive conversation scenes, is also the strength of its successor. These conversations play out in real time, with the player making on-the-fly decisions that steer the chatter. Every time Shepard opens his mouth, the player has an opportunity to micromanage his sensibility. The writing and voice acting are stellar: In particular, Jennifer Hale ( Metal Gear Solid, Brütal Legend) as the female Commander Shepard does magnificent work, playing both sides of the space-faring protagonist’s personality with verve.
New in Mass Effect 2 are moments during the cut scenes where the player can steer the action. Depending on the circumstances, a squeeze of the left trigger will perform a heroic deed, the right a ballsy renegade move. Yes, these are essentially just optional Quick Time Events. But they’re potent — especially when you choose not to act.
In one scene as I played, Shepard got a chance to comfort a dying character. A flashing symbol popped up on the left of the screen, indicating that I could do something to help. But I was playing Shepard as uncaring and self-centered, so I refrained. I didn’t lift a finger. My inaction was a powerful, regrettable, memorable moment.
Bigger worlds, better gameplay
Mass Effect 2 melds galactic exploration and gunplay. The bulk of the game is spent assembling a team before embarking on a suicide mission: Players zip around a map of the galaxy, visiting alien worlds. The galaxy here is much less mundane than the dead planets and monotonous settings of the original Mass Effect. Each away mission feels like it takes place in a fresh new world. From the war-torn home world of the lizardlike krogans to a planet so wracked by radiation that stepping out of the shade will eat away at your shields, the galaxy feels more lovely, lurid and dangerous this time around.
Combat is much improved over the first game, modeled now after the third-person, stop-and-pop gunplay of Gears of War. But it isn’t just a shooter. Various magical “biotic” powers transform vanilla gunfights into interesting combat scenarios, tweaked dramatically by player decisions: Players can zap enemies with fire and ice, levitate and throw them in Jedi-like fashion or just pop caps in their alien asses.
The M-rated Mass Effect 2 makes it fun and rewarding to share the battlefield with each of your recruits. Each alien, rogue and assassin you team up with comes with a unique set of evolving skills and abilities. There’s much fun to be had finding the two partners best for each situation. On top of that, there are achievements tied to pulling off their particular attacks — encouraging the player to become more familiar with the rock-paper-scissors of your enemies’ protections and the spells you can use to circumvent them. Incinerate burns armor, warp dissolves barriers and guns — well, they kill everything.
There are also rewards for making each team member loyal. It’s not just about finding and signing up new recruits — it’s about exploring their stories. Each side-quest delves deeper into the lives of your allies. Most of them hinge on revenge, betrayal and retribution, further underlining why each feels motivated to join you on a mission from which they may not return. At the end of each journey, the bond between Shepard and his new sidekick cements, adding gameplay payoff: The new team members gain powers and costume options.
You also gain an emotional connection to the characters, which pays off in spades during the game’s climax. Everything comes to a head when you and your team finally take the fight to the aliens. The encounter is a doozy, one that can whittle your crew down to nothing. Few game finales feel this big, this portentous. And that’s all due to how deeply the game involves you in its branching, twisting story.
In Mass Effect 2, you’re not just pulling the trigger, you’re spinning the yarn.
WIRED Fast-paced action and story pushed to foreground; RPG busywork takes a back seat.
TIRED If you happen to like RPG busywork, you may come up unfulfilled.
$60, Electronic Arts
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