Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 is a single-player action role-playing game in which the player takes the role of Commander Shepard from a third-person perspective. Before the game begins, the player determines Shepard's gender, appearance, military background, combat training, and first name. The player may choose to import a character from a completed saved game of the original Mass Effect or start the game with a new character. Importing an old character allows several decisions the player made in the original game to impact the story of Mass Effect 2 and grants the player a set of starting bonuses.

The game features six different character classes for the player to choose from. Each class is proficient in a different set of powers and weapon types. For example, the Vanguard class specializes in close-range combat and shotguns, while the Infiltrator class relies on stealth combat and sniper rifles.

Mass Effect 2 is set within the Milky Way galaxy during the 22nd century, where interstellar travel is possible through mass transit devices called Mass Relays, a technology believed to have been built by an extinct alien race known as the Protheans. A conglomerate body of governments known as the Citadel Council controls a large percentage of the galaxy and is responsible for maintaining law and order among races of the galactic community. Races that belong to the Citadel Council include humans, asari, salarians, and turians. Other alien races in the game include the reptilian krogan and drell, the environmental-suited quarians, and a hostile race of networked artificial intelligence called geth.

During the events of the original Mass Effect, a geth army attempted to open a portal for the Reapers, a highly advanced machine race of synthetic-organic starships that are believed to eradicate all organic civilization every 50,000 years. The galactic community has since lived in fear of another possible invasion. Meanwhile, a human supremacist organization called Cerberus believes that humans deserve a greater role in the galactic community and supports the principle that any methods of advancing humanity's ascension are entirely justified, including illegal experimentation and terrorist activities.

Mass Effect 2 was developed by BioWare and directed by Casey Hudson, who previously led the production of the first Mass Effect game. Before actual production began, BioWare created a list of goals to work towards based on feedback from fans, reviewers, and internal staff members. The company's main goal was to "create an experience that was less about being a game and more about being an experience." In contrast to the exclusive focus on the main story of the original Mass Effect, Hudson explained that BioWare was interested in a plot where optional stories had as much intensity as the main story and decided that the idea of recruiting people and making them loyal to the player so that they could survive a suicide mission allowed to explore these possibilities.

He noted, "the funny thing is that people will say 'other than gathering your crew and building your team and getting ready for this mission, there's not much story there.' But that is the story."

Upon release, Mass Effect 2 received critical acclaim from video game publications. Substantial praise was given to the game's diverse characters, interactive storytelling, voice acting and art design. IGN reviewer Erik Brudvig called Mass Effect 2 a personal game with much emotion. He praised the option of importing a character, stating that the overall experience changes as different saved games from the previous game are used.

Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer positively highlighted the weight of social interaction on the outcome of events and that players feel actual pressure for their decisions. Further praise was given to the game's characters. Edge credited them for their complex personalities and great characterization, while GameRevolution pointed out that the loyalty missions "reach deep enough into their characters to make you empathize with all of them".

Mass Effect 2 continued to receive attention years after its release. GamesRadar editor Hollander Cooper explained that the game improved the technical issues of its predecessor significantly while at the same time "expanding the already-impressive universe without sacrificing what made the series special." He went so far as to call the game The Empire Strikes Back of video games, stating that "few sequels have trumped the original as handily as Mass Effect 2." The game's focus on characters and their deeper stresses and internal conflicts was highly praised.

The way the game lets non-player characters carry the weight of the narrative progression has also attracted scholarly interest. Eurogamer editor Rick Lane described Mass Effect 2 as a darker, warmer, and overall more human game than its predecessor, noting that it is the player's responsibility to make sure these characters are prepared for the final mission, or they will die. He explained that Mass Effect 2 is a long quest that "works towards an epic climax", and when it arrives there, "it doesn't disappoint." A decade after the game was released, Eurogamer considered the game's finale "some of BioWare's best ever work" due to its choice complexity.