Written by: Alex

 

 

 

"Mass Effect 2" is the second instalment in Bioware’s space opera. Continuing the story of Commander Shepard’s quest to save the galaxy, it sets out to strip away many gripes of the original game.

 

Focusing less on a single story, your quest provides more of a frame to explore crew relationships to help you form the perfect squad for to complete final mission.

 

It is a game reliant on its setting and story. I will keep this spoiler free, but with that in mind forgive any hazy language.

 

 

Mass Effect 2 picks up two years after the first game. For a number of reasons the original crew of your craft, the Normandy, have disbanded and Commander Shepard is given the task of finding a new crack team of mercenaries to save the galaxy, again.

 

I say again, because if you played the first title, you are able to import your old Shepard to the second game. While stats and abilities do not carry over, any choices you made are reflected with in the world, with different characters appearing (or not) depending on the decision you made previously.

 

 

While the first Mass Effect focused on establishing the universe and the single mission that drove you through the game, the sequel focuses on your task of building a crew. Tracking down individuals through out the galaxy Shepard is forced to visit numerous world in order to enlist talented but volatile individuals for his team. Any new crew are not immediately loyal, and after joining the Normandy they require some persuasion to fully commit to your mission. This results with you netting a possible total of twelve crew, with the option of also completing twelve more loyalty quests to ensure their allegiance.

 

This more episodic mission structure serves to construct a more consumable and driven experience. In no way detracting from the satisfaction of the task hand the more serialised format help you bond with your squad. With each ‘episode’ focusing on a different member, it adds depth to their character as you help them prepare for the mission ahead, which creates far more investment in the squad a events unfold.

 

A good comparison of the narrative change would be the difference between a Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. Individual parts may seem more piece meal, but when you look back the experience as a whole it is no less impressive. This serialised consumption also makes everything feel more engrossing as you jump from one forty minute mission to another, causing you to lose hours before you even realise it.

 

 

At first glance the game seems very similar to the original, with aesthetics and radial menus for strategic combat carrying through. It remains the same clean-cut futuristic world, but the plot has you exploring more of its seedy underbelly. Darker corners, and more dilapidated settlements result in a grimier feel than the injection moulded plastic that was a series hallmark.

 

Beyond initial impressions the game is now far more elegant. Graphical fine-tuning under the hood sees Unreal Engine running far more effectively resulting in far less texture pop in. This combined with a more subtle (but optional) film grain effect, allows the games directed conversation scenes to feel more like a movie than graphical imperfections in the original ever allowed.

 

 

This cinematic feel is aided by more camera mobility. Previously static conversations are now framed from variety angles with tracking shots that add a surprising amount to game’s draw. Aiding this is the way in which conversation unfold. A variety of conversation option come in the form of fragment of your real response, give a general vibe of how your character will respond if selected. These choices and appear long before the other parties finishes their preset speeches. When done correctly allows conversations to flow naturally, rather than an artificial stop start that can be seen in similar dialogue heavy titles.

 

One completely new addition to the cinematic sequences is the new interrupt feature. Similar to an optional quick time event, on occasion an on screen prompt appears. There are two of these (red and blue) that correspond to the morality system of renegade or paragon (respectively). Obeying the onscreen cue results in a quick end to proceedings, through either more peaceful, or more violent means. A small addition, but one that adds another layer of control to scripted interactions.