Hey everyone,
Well, it finally arrived, a game I’ve been waiting over a year to get my hands on: Mass Effect 2, and it’s brilliant.
Though I’ve only been playing for about an hour and a half, I can tell you now that the sequel more than eclipses the original in just about every way, but as I haven’t yet written a review I can’t say too much without spoiling it for any future Commander Shepherds out there, so instead, here’s my top three improvements Mass Effect 2 has over its predecessor:
Number 3: Combat
While Mass Effect is primarily a space RPG, the combat forms a large part of the experience. While the first game was decent, as combat goes, your squad’s AI was terrible, headshots didn’t work and the variety of weapons on offer was limited at best.
It’s lucky then that Bioware were careful to ramp up the combat for ME2, being sure to add more weapons, more powers and biotic abilities, smarter AI for your squadmates and, most importantly, a cover system which actually works- no more hiding behind half a crate for me.
With a smoothness which belies its RPG origins, ME2’s combat is a stellar improvement on the last game, and since I’m one for the Adept’s advanced biotic skills, here’s a little taster:
Number 2: Elevators
There was nothing worse in Mass Effect than battling through an epic shootout, blowing away Geth after Geth and saving the galaxy…and then having to stand in an elevator for ages as the next section of the game loads.
Thankfully the elevators have now bitten the dust, though the long loading times remain. Now, however, the time wasted waiting for the creaking Xbox hardware to build the scene is instead filled with interesting ‘Star Trek-’style datascreens, making those long waits a little more interesting, if not any shorter.
This cartoon really captures the whole ‘Mass Effect Elevator’ experience…
Number 1: The Normandy SR2
Anyone who has ever played an RPG can attest to this- Isn’t it the most incredible feeling when you are given your own mode of transportation, to do with as you wish.
Yes, be it Final Fantasy 7’s Highwind or Mass Effect’s Normandy, having your own ship kicks ass. Even more so when your latest model is a ramped up killing machine. So we come to the Normandy SR2.
Twice the size of the SR1, this new Normandy has more decks, more crew, more guns and more…moaning chefs in the galley. It’s also done away with the incredibly nimble Mako APC, instead replacing it with a nifty shuttle, and can even scan planets from orbit- so no more silly recon missions on rent-a-clone green-hued planetoids.
Add to that the ability to upgrade your own ship, take on loads of new crew and buy a pet ’space hamster’ for your quarters, and you’ve got a four-engined piece of awesome at your command.










