Mass Effect 2
In the future we will live among aliens, forming relationships will be as easy as using a TV remote and bathroom doors will open so widely and suddenly that any sense of privacy we once had will be non-existent, or at least that is what Mass Effect would lead one to believe. Mass Effect 2 for those who don't know is Bioware's Sci-fi epic on the scale of Star Wars. Bioware opted to throw out much of the RPG tedium of the first title, that split the reaction of the mass audience in the original title, and instead have made something far more stream lined and cinematic, something I very much enjoyed.
Mass Effect 2 should be commended for its excellent pacing, and in an oddity for the medium it is the conversations in Mass Effect 2 that are the most enjoyable aspect of the game. Despite the fact the dialogue isn't quite as clever as Uncharted or as intellectually rich as Bioshock, rather Mass Effect 2's conversations are instantly engaging through the use of a simple yet versatile conversation system, the player is consistently engaged in the conversation in a way that is not clumsy in the way older Role Playing Game were. The writing in Mass Effect 2 is also exceptional, in pure mass and effectiveness. Mass Effect 2 successfully builds upon the strong fiction of the previous game, and creates a satisfying narrative arch, that left me salivating at the thought of the sequel. Mass Effect 2 proves that an action game built upon the foundation of strong characters creates a far more enjoyable experience then one built upon set pieces alone. That is not to say that Mass Effect 2's actions segments are sub-par, the cover-based/squad-tactic/biotic-casting dynamic creates an experience that is equal parts tactical and exhilarating. Mass Effect 2's combat situations are open for experimentation, and combat is varied enough that 'shoot first' is not always the best coarse of action.
Choice, is at the core of the Mass Effect 2 experience, from settling disputes amongst crew members, to deciding whether or not the worth of 'free will' is greater that the worth of existence. Other than a few choices where the mechanical underpinnings were glaringly obvious, Mass Effect 2 handles the concept of choice in manner greater than any video-game to come before it, by making the choices have impact on your character, the world and the other games in the series. However it is still far from perfect, to re-iterate on something I stated in a previous post;
Mass Effect brings up a unique issue in that everything about the dialogue and the choices were so well crafted, so subtly nuanced and at times incredibly clever that I never felt the need for a shoe horned karma system. ... it makes an otherwise emotional and intellectual decision a more mechanical and reward based one. The (+2 Paragon Points) that pop up on the screen every time I successfully get my "Jesus on" makes all the excellent work that had gone into the previous scenario rather meaningless. Mass Effect 2 actually pulls the karma system off far better than most but it doesn't excuse the fact that it's still there, simply hiding the information would have made the game more meaningful and interesting.Following along a similar thread to that of the choice system Mass Effect 2 also incorporates a relationship system, and like the karma system is another case of "better than most games but far from perfect". Mass Effect 2's relationships really boil down to "do something for me" followed by "be nice to me" and is then rewarded with a romantic scene between your character and the character of your choice. The relationship system felt incredibly unnatural, obtusely mechanical and a mere step above Harvest Moon's "Wow you gave me flowers, I love flowers, I Love you!". Not to mention the fact that the entire ship seems to be watching your relationship adventure like a middle aged women watches a soap opera, because apart from your character and your lover of choice, no other characters engage in any sort of romantic interaction amongst each other from the point of view of your character. In fact it would have been nice to see a little more crew interaction because apart from a few stand out moments (Jack and Miranda, Tali and Legion and Edi and Joker) your crew mates seem to function as if they were not aware of the other crew members existence.
Complaints aside Mass Effect 2 is an incredible experience, a game unlike any I've played previously, many of the complaints I lodge against Mass Effect in fact are complaints I would launch against the entire medium as a whole. Mass Effect 2 is a step in the right direction, it is so well crafted that its shortcoming seem almost disappointing rather than aggravating. I fully recommend Mass Effect 2, and I am left extremely excited for a sequel.
