Game Review: Mass Effect 2

OK, I know this is a little overdue, but I just thought I'd pop it up here. When it comes to video games, I prefer those with a good story. The same qualifications I have for most of my movie preferences. When I first played Mass Effect, I found it to be a very enjoyable game with a good story, nice game mechanics and great graphics. The fact that the story changes due to your choices and classes (I haven't fully played with that) is a definite plus. Replay of the game was just as good as the first time, as you get to become more powerful and you can play with that "different choices" thing. Yes

Then came Mass Effect 2 and I was, well maybe not "excited" but close enough. Sure enough, the story was excellent and added on to the original. Your character's development didn't really seem to have anything to do with the development of your character in ME1, like Baldur's Gate 2 built on BG1, but other than that, it was good.

Then I met the replay.

I was disappointed.

Not only do they cap the experience at level 30 (which is like 3 levels higher than achievable in the first run through), but you don't get chances to add more weapons like you do in the first run through (unless you buy the downloads online which I have). For instance, there is a place in the game where you get to increase your A: Assault Rifle, B: Your Shotgun or C: your Sniper Rifle. In the first run through I chose the Assault Rifle. I got to keep this new weapon in the replay, but when I got to the place, I did not get the choices again. Which meant that re-playing the game really had no purpose, other than simply to play the game and then you might as well create a new character. They even TELL you that you should replay before importing into ME3. Why? Either I'm missing something or BioWare dropped the ball on this.

Another problem is your "squad." They really have few powers and are bulky to control. They have a bad tendency to run forward practically forcing you to get too close to be effective (at least forcing ME to).

On a side note, I'm currently P**Sed because I have the game on the hardest setting and get get past the fight shortly after the weapons choice thing.

Still, if you like first person shooters and you like to take a little control of the character, the ME line is an excellent line of games. I recommend it, but then I recommend a lot of stupid stuff, so there you go.

Peace up

Charles

Gott spielt nicht verful mit dem Universum. A.E.