Commander Shepard is becoming something of an icon, a figure that stands out in the galaxy, one person that elicits hate or love from every species in space.
And he isn’t even real.
Mass Effect 2 was released last Tuesday, and I haven’t been able to put it down since it came in my home. The epic sequel to the first Mass Effect from Bio Ware delivered on many fronts, and failed on very few. Again you control the iconic Shepard, already a hero for the defeat he handed the Reapers in the first episode whilst also dispelling the geth and rogue Spectre Agent Saren. Perhaps the most interesting feature about ME2 is it’s ability (and highly recommended) feature allowing you to import your career from the original Mass Effect into the second installment, bringing your perks, a bonus for character level, and appearance with it. It also alters the way NPC’s interact with you and shapes the progression of the game greatly. In the first few hours of play I could already tell my decision to let the Council die so the Citadel could survive in the first game was not perceived well by some of the other alien races walking around.
If you played the first game, you probably crossed paths with the human supremacy group Cerberus, in fact, if you followed the way of the Paragon you most likely mowed down many of their associates in a few different missions; so you can imagine how you feel when Shepard wakes up on a Cerberus operating table after his body was uncovered following the wreck of the Normandy. You will have to learn to love Cerberus; they saved your life and now the association, along with their cryptic leader the Illusive Man (Voiced by Martin Sheen,) enlists your assistance to quell another brewing Reaper threat that the Council seems to be turning a blind eye to.
Already you’re hooked, I can tell. The game did get a bit more difficult as far as the play goes, the firefights are much more intense and ME2 relies heavily on squad combat, almost forcing you to place your team strategically before the fighting starts if you wish to survive. The graphics are better, your controlled character runs faster, and there is much more story to sift through and people to talk to; there better be, the game takes up two discs.
All in all, it is a great game. The user interfaces and upgrading procedures have been all but been killed off, and this is where my complaint list begins. Fans of the RPG aspect of the first game will be sorely disappointed, as the point allocation system for your character has been severely cut back. Also limited, the weapon customization and allocation itself; all your troops use the same gun and you have to find it in the world to upgrade to it. No more finding the right gun, armor or upgrade in the universe by looting, keeping your stash and selling back the trash. In fact, there is no more recovery of goods, period. You don’t have a backpack, and can’t switch weapons unless there is a load-out crate nearby; it almost seems as though by trying to simplify the game, Bio Ware horribly limited the uniqueness of what made ME1 great to begin with. Customization has been revoked in a game where customization is key. (They do allow you to change the color of your armor now, however.)
In the two years that Shepard was missing in action, the universe realized it would be a good time to take a step backwards in technology and go back to using clips of ammo in weapons, making you have to reload often. Frequently I found myself having to use a gun I shouldn’t be simply because you run out of ammo during every fight. There are also no more ambushes or nearly as much exploring. You’re either fighting an epic, repetitious battle or you’re talking to someone in a hallway.
This game could have been amazing. It could have broken boundaries. It could have been one of the greatest games ever made, and that may even be an understatement. Taking the time to make so many improvements, yet at the same time destroying what made the game great is quite disappointing. Its incredibly hard to give this game a rating for that reason; if it was the first game in a series it would be a solid 9, no questions asked (and if you have read my other reviews, that is beyond amazing.) But failing to deliver on what made the franchise great in large quantities has crushed this game.
In memory of the original Mass Effect, I am all but forced to drop this game down quite a bit, I would say around a seven. Imagine Elder Scrolls, or Knights of the Old Republic (another Bio Ware creation) without treasure chests or enemy drops. Great advances were made with this title, but it came with too great a cost. I’m not mad at you, Bio Ware; just very disappointed.
