Mass Effect 2

 PC
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5738 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5,081 out of 5738
  2. Mixed: 426 out of 5738
  3. Negative: 231 out of 5738
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. TheMaximalist
    Sep 28, 2011
    9
    From Bioware comes the next installment in their sci fi shooter Mass Effect 2. Things begin right after Mass Effect 1's ending and the Normandy and it's crew are sent to investigate the Terminus System where ships have dissapeared. Once again you can play as Shepard who is violently killed when the Normandy is attacked then the organization Cerberus rebuilds you and you have to find outFrom Bioware comes the next installment in their sci fi shooter Mass Effect 2. Things begin right after Mass Effect 1's ending and the Normandy and it's crew are sent to investigate the Terminus System where ships have dissapeared. Once again you can play as Shepard who is violently killed when the Normandy is attacked then the organization Cerberus rebuilds you and you have to find out what is happening and stop it. Instead of being bossed around by the alliance you are bossed around by the Illusive Man voiced by Martin Sheen. The Game looks beautiful and the sound of plasma rushing past your head is great too. The combat is similar to Mass Effect 1 there is some new powers it is lighter on the RPG side but I did not mind that because the devs put extra detail into the battles. This time you have ammo instead of guns heating up which is great. You go to different planets in the game and gather up a crew to fight the enemy. There are little side missions to gain the crews loyalty too to increse the survivability on the final mission and if you suck bad on the final mission you can even get Shepard killed. I didn't make any sexy relationships this time over all that I did was have a girl over for dinner though but then she died. The game is great I have played through it 15 times since i got it ill give it a 9.5 this review will be on my blog also at http://www.maximalistgtg.blogspot.com/… Expand
  2. Tata
    Sep 20, 2011
    8
    I don't know what others see in this game. Yes,it is good, no, It isn't great. Story is kind of a mixed bag; good, but feels extremely unrealistic (yes, I know this is a sci-fi game). The combat part of the game is the worst. I don't know if the console ports have this, but you can shoot from behind a wall even though you don't flat to the wall and companion abilities are done from yourI don't know what others see in this game. Yes,it is good, no, It isn't great. Story is kind of a mixed bag; good, but feels extremely unrealistic (yes, I know this is a sci-fi game). The combat part of the game is the worst. I don't know if the console ports have this, but you can shoot from behind a wall even though you don't flat to the wall and companion abilities are done from your perspective not the one who uses it. These things weren't present in the original game. Insanity difficulty is challenging, despite these irritations/bugs. The other problem is the inventory. You can't change companion armors and when you have to choose yours the stat display feels very misplaced. Character development is great, dialogue is the same. After 3 play-through I can say this game is good, but not great like the original.… Expand
  3. MrPav
    Sep 20, 2011
    10
    You know, it's really hard to say something about Mass Effect 2. Speaking of myself, i was shocked by it.,really. It was such an amazing experience playing it (and BTW, no' i haven't played ME1 by that time) that it's really hard to write a review on this game. Still, i'll try.
    Well, what are the positive features of the game? First of all-amazing graphics. Trust me, you won't see anything    You know, it's really hard to say something about Mass Effect 2. Speaking of myself, i was shocked by it.,really. It was such an amazing experience playing it (and BTW, no' i haven't played ME1 by that time) that it's really hard to write a review on this game. Still, i'll try.
    Well, what are the positive features of the game? First of all-amazing graphics. Trust me, you won't see anything like this in any RPG. Definitely. Secondly, the conversations. The style of them, the decisions you make by them-it's all outstanding. The characters themselves are one of the best characters created in the gaming industry. Each one of them is absolutely different from the other, has his own history, personality. And it's really interesting to discover all this.
    The only negative part of ME2 (i don't think it's bad, but some people do) is that Mass Effect Franchise isn't an RPG anymore. It's all about shooting, which is completely different from the first game, and this may dissapoint some people. I think it's more of a good thing, because it makes the game more breath-taking, but some people may not agree.
    So, finally, what can i say about Mass Effect 2? Awesome. Breathtaking. Amazing. And made me buy the First game ;)    … Expand
  4. laxleonidas
    Sep 16, 2011
    8
    I was impressed by ME1 and when i see the first reviews of ME2 i was sure it will get 10 from me. Unfortunately, reality was brutal. Why BioWare removed sightseeing the planets and substitiuted this dull minigame? Why there's no many weapons and armors? For me, ME2 is a step back.
  5. Sepoquro
    Sep 10, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. *SOME MINOR SPOILERS*
    I really liked the story, but the combat sometimes gets a little repetitive and the RPG element is just too weak, maybe even weaker than the original Mass Effect.

    Also, thus far (before Mass Effect 3 may reveal some things), the story seemed a little pointless (not saying its not good; it's just mostly irrelevant to ME1). I mean in Mass Effect 1 you discovered about the Reaper threat, and you would have expected that the Reapers show up en masse in ME2, but instead the only thing you find in ME2 that helps with the story long term is what happened to the Protheans and all those before them.

    So really, it is like:
    ME1: Reapers are coming!
    ME2: What, Reapers?
    ME3: Reapers are here!

    Mass Effect 2 could be cut out and the story on the long term is still going to be fine and I doubt anyone would notice it if the new characters are cut out in ME3.    … Expand
  6. HighwayUK
    Sep 5, 2011
    7
    Expands the story very well, although heavily spoilt by amount of DLCs that you have to buy to make the game even halfway decent in length. Paid DLCs is a ripoff no matter how it's marketed, the game is VERY short even with them all.
  7. Doublecross
    Sep 3, 2011
    10
    OMG BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!! Love love love love it!!!! I really like what they have done with this new installment, I mean i love the whole franchise but, it really just gets better everytime i play it lol.
  8. toxoid
    Aug 29, 2011
    10
    Easily in my all time top 3. People are so afraid to be interested in a game that is not labeled rpg if they have already established themselves as hardcore gamers. Some games that are not role playing, or strategy games are actually good. Believe me when I say its okay to like a couple of shooters. Whether mass effect 2 is a shooter or an rpg, well the definition for rpg can be found allEasily in my all time top 3. People are so afraid to be interested in a game that is not labeled rpg if they have already established themselves as hardcore gamers. Some games that are not role playing, or strategy games are actually good. Believe me when I say its okay to like a couple of shooters. Whether mass effect 2 is a shooter or an rpg, well the definition for rpg can be found all over the internet. It is really sad that before jumping into an amazing game some gamer still have to convince themselves that it is an rpg, seriously guys you're not a gamer if that is all you are interested in. rpg players enjoy story line right?… Expand
  9. zupergozer
    Aug 24, 2011
    10
    this game is really story focused...just the way I like it. the story is fun and well written, gameplay is average but the game also has vehicle sections with horrible controls but you get used at the controls ( to bad that is at the last level) overall one of the best RPGs i have played and i mean in which other game can you bang aliens in space!
  10. auberonh
    Aug 23, 2011
    10
    A true Sci-Fi epic and the best game I have played. With top notch visuals, music, writng, voice acting, and gameplay, a diverse cast of characters, a dark and mysterious plot, this is the current high bar. Plus, it remembers everything you did in the previous game.
  11. Daematune
    Aug 15, 2011
    8
    Despite the fact that nearly all of the RPG content was removed.. Mass Effect 2 still brought in one hell of a game. I seriously wish the main plot line was larger though, you'll easily spend most of this game completing sub quests and building your squad. However, all those dull sounding moments turn out to be truly spectacular.
  12. AWarGuy
    Aug 14, 2011
    10
    Best game I have ever played in my life.
    The soundtrack, voice acting, gameplay. exploring and an open world game. Clocked this game 3 times and I intend to play more of it!

    10/10
  13. Spartan111
    Aug 14, 2011
    9
    The game is very good and better than i expected. The pros: The game is very long especially compared to most games today although the actual main story alone is not very long, the graphics are excellent, good game play that combines 3rd person shooting with class powers that add a tactical element as well as simply making it more fun, there are some great RPG elements, the main being howThe game is very good and better than i expected. The pros: The game is very long especially compared to most games today although the actual main story alone is not very long, the graphics are excellent, good game play that combines 3rd person shooting with class powers that add a tactical element as well as simply making it more fun, there are some great RPG elements, the main being how you want to act and react as well as allow one to customize ones character very well, excellent story with believable, varied characters and world that keeps ones interest, excellent sound, music and especially voice acting.Neutral points that can be improved upon: the hacking and bypassing mini-games are fine but they are too simple and become tedious relatively fast, scanning planets for resources is okay at first but becomes boring quite quickly Cons: Short main story, feels repetitive at times, although the game allows one to customize ones character very well there are not many different weapons or armour available, the game does a good job of creating an illusion that it is a big game but in actual fact it is not. There are only four landable locations, the rest of the locations one only goes there once for a mission. Overall a excellent game that i enjoyed very much although there are a few things that can make it even better.Mass effect 3 just needs to build on the rpg elements and have a bit more variety as well as be a bigger game to surpass it's predecessor, lets hope it does .9/10… Expand
  14. Mystril
    Aug 10, 2011
    10
    10/10.

    I cannot believe that people actually WANT TO SPEND THEIR TIME managing a completely useless inventory, when they can go out and smack enemies about in ME2. I enjoyed the fact that there was no inventory to speak of in ME2, and it was one of the good points of DA II. I like getting new items, I really do, it is awesome to get new good loot. I fully understand that, but I don't    10/10.

    I cannot believe that people actually WANT TO SPEND THEIR TIME managing a completely useless inventory, when they can go out and smack enemies about in ME2. I enjoyed the fact that there was no inventory to speak of in ME2, and it was one of the good points of DA II. I like getting new items, I really do, it is awesome to get new good loot. I fully understand that, but I don't want to have to manage it in an inventory and I don't want to have to swap from Katana I to Katana II and III every damn time I kill an enemy and receive the new and upgraded weapon. Loot should be meaningful, and rewarded from something special (kill boss or complete difficult mission etc.).

    Mass Effect missed some things. It's combat wasn't all that good (ME2 improved on that), it's exploration "system" sucked (ME2 removed and got in planet scanning, imo just remove both), graphics (ME2 improved bigtime), immersion (I felt more inline with my shepard in ME2 than ME1).
    ME 2 did also miss out on some things. In essence, the main story, is rather shallow, it feels like the game is a big mix of side missions, rather than a big main story and some side missions. The storyline could use a little bit of work. In the end, though, I have enjoyed every minute with ME2 and I am super hyped for ME 3.
    I will give it a 9/10 because of the "little" miss on the storyline.    … Expand
  15. LeeVanCleef
    Aug 9, 2011
    10
    The perfect game, more than Mass Effect. Graphics, sound, combat system, story, cinematic animations, missions... all is wonderful. I think this is one of the best gaming experience in the history. Congratulations Bioware
  16. Sealreth
    Aug 8, 2011
    10
    Well I could Describe it in one sentence: One of the best kickassing brilliant si-fi addictive Bioware game ever released Bioware Really really impressed me with part one couldn't wait for 2 had to play it,
    And here it was they did it again, again they made me have tears in my eyes, the story in the mass effect sage is so good it will make you cry ^^

    ROCK on Bioware (and ea)

    Sealreth,
  17. Sangman
    Aug 5, 2011
    8
    To put things into perspective: I liked the first Mass Effect, however I will likely never be able to replay it again because some things in it annoyed me so much, the planet exploration being the biggest offender... Now on to Mass Effect 2, it plays like the first game, except the combat has been much improved and the most annoying things from the first game have been cut out (the tediousTo put things into perspective: I liked the first Mass Effect, however I will likely never be able to replay it again because some things in it annoyed me so much, the planet exploration being the biggest offender... Now on to Mass Effect 2, it plays like the first game, except the combat has been much improved and the most annoying things from the first game have been cut out (the tedious exploration being one of them). Fear not though, in most cases there is a... suitable replacement for those things, so it's not like things like exploration are gone entirely. It's just different, simpler - 'dumbed down' if you wish to call it that.

    Indeed, the RPG elements from the first game have been simplified a bit. The inventory system is gone, the skill/level system has been edited (I don't like the changes to that), the weapon/armor mods are gone for the most part... I'm not too thrilled about all the changes, but it all makes sense in its own way. The inventory was very cumbersome to use in the first game, I felt. Improving it would have been a better idea rather than cutting it though.

    I guess you could say that Mass Effect 2 is now an action/adventure game with some light RPG elements but I'm not sure if that's fair. The dialogue things are still very in-depth and choices you make still affect the outcome of things (albeit sometimes in an unexpected or even nonsensical way) which is what makes an RPG in my eyes and not things like an inventory system.

    Now speaking of dialogue... this is my main pet peeve with Mass Effect 2: the story is not very interesting and most of the characters are just really unlikable. You meet most of the characters from the original game again (depending on choices you made in the first game, if you decide to import a save) but all of them have turned into complete bastards. I liked Garrus in the first game, he seemed like an honorable vigilante kind of guy who'd fight to do the right thing. Mass Effect 2 continues that idea but goes a bit overboard with it by turning Garrus into a bitter, violent guy who shoots criminals like there's no tomorrow. It might seem like an OK evolution of the character but I didn't like it. The same can be said for many other characters.

    There are a lot of other things I could say about Mass Effect 2 but what it boils down to for me is this: it's an excellent action/adventure game with RPG elements, lots of dialogue, an interesting story that **** itself inside out near the end, if you like long epic games you'll enjoy it. I spent 35 hours beating the game (this includes sidequests) and it was time well spent, despite the flaws. I'd say it's better than the first game.    … Expand
  18. gvazdas
    Aug 2, 2011
    10
    This game was really charming, beautiful and interesting.
    The plot twists were really though out, the story was very original and not a copycat from the first game.
    The characters were very developed and the action was improved over the last game. Mass Effect offered very great features and story while Mass Effect 2 improved over every aspect of the game. BioWare has made another great    This game was really charming, beautiful and interesting.
    The plot twists were really though out, the story was very original and not a copycat from the first game.
    The characters were very developed and the action was improved over the last game.
    Mass Effect offered very great features and story while Mass Effect 2 improved over every aspect of the game. BioWare has made another great game with interesting story.    … Expand
  19. sgt0pimienta
    Jul 20, 2011
    10
    Mass effect 2 is AMAZING...if you consider yourself a skilled pc gamer,who even past mass effect 1,with ALL its content it should give up to 40-50 gameplay hours,but remember this issn't to be counted as one game,but as a full story,including ME 1 you should have 80-90 hours,this game has an inmense replay value.

    it only has three issues: You have to play the first one if you wish to    Mass effect 2 is AMAZING...if you consider yourself a skilled pc gamer,who even past mass effect 1,with ALL its content it should give up to 40-50 gameplay hours,but remember this issn't to be counted as one game,but as a full story,including ME 1 you should have 80-90 hours,this game has an inmense replay value.

    it only has three issues:

    You have to play the first one if you wish to ully understand it
    you need a good system,most of the complaints about framerate are because they forgot to get an average video card.
    it has changed to satisfy the action players a bit more,but the rpg players a bit less.

    But overall,with an average to good video card this game shouldt present problems and everyone will enjoy it.    … Expand
  20. davenbettridge
    Jul 17, 2011
    9
    The surprising event to occur at the start of ME2 got me very intrigued on my first play through and as the story unfolded I became hooked in anticipation. ME2 is not a good game because it improves on the short comings of Mass Effect 1, its good because it has an interesting story and setting that has depth and things are at stake to care about, well designed characters aesthetically andThe surprising event to occur at the start of ME2 got me very intrigued on my first play through and as the story unfolded I became hooked in anticipation. ME2 is not a good game because it improves on the short comings of Mass Effect 1, its good because it has an interesting story and setting that has depth and things are at stake to care about, well designed characters aesthetically and with personality, the decision making is not only ambitious but is pulled off very well, brilliantly and originally designed environments, creatures, costume and armour, and technically performs well at least on my PC with game play that feels satisfyingly good. The characters are good and memorable, I actually felt dread when some of them die, if you dont fall in love with Garrus, Tali, Legion, and Thane by the end of ME2 you have problems, I even grew attached to the space ship. I also want to make a big shout out to the legendary soundtrack, everyone must download the track Suicide Mission from Itunes now, its freaken awesome. The lack of depth in the RPG at first seems like a good thing as the shooting mechanics are good but after playing the game for over 60 hours it starts to show is thin side and has you missing some of the lacking RPG of the first game. I also dont think the decisions a player can make are perfect, who in their right mine didnt save the alien counsel in ME1? Who didnt save Wrex? But overall ME2 is a remarkable achievement and a new benchmark for modern single player games!… Expand
  21. snowshreder
    Jul 5, 2011
    8
    I have to admit, this game was fun i enjoyed it quite a bit, Although I cant help but feel like this was meant to be a movie more than a game and i'm talking about a Sci-Fi Grade B movie. I still think the game is worth buying but doesn't deserve a 9.
  22. Brumbek
    Jul 2, 2011
    7
    First, ME2 has brilliant production values. The art design is amazing and the presentation is stellar, like most BioWare games. But strip away all that, and you have a very lacking game, sadly. Missions are greatly stripped down compared to ME1, and even character interaction is "streamlined" for the sake of "accessibility". Actual driving was replaced with a load screen...physicallyFirst, ME2 has brilliant production values. The art design is amazing and the presentation is stellar, like most BioWare games. But strip away all that, and you have a very lacking game, sadly. Missions are greatly stripped down compared to ME1, and even character interaction is "streamlined" for the sake of "accessibility". Actual driving was replaced with a load screen...physically finding minerals was replaced with the infamous mini-game...weapon customization was removed...how is this progress? But the biggest crime is the story...it's totally contrived. Nobody can explain why the bad guys did what they did...the end boss made no sense and was never explained. Where's Saren when you need him... So sorry to say but ME2 has suffered the BioWare effect where they take a great game and make the sequel vastly inferior in order to misguidedly appeal to the "masses". Well this "masses" effect is NOT making things better. ME2 is still a great game...just fatally flawed and is more of a tragicomedy than its developers realize. I score it a 3 compared to ME1, 8 or 9 compared to most games, and a 7 overall.… Expand
  23. rambostyrer
    Jun 26, 2011
    7
    Good game, But a weaker story, and the fact they cut out most of the roleplaying elements, makes it a weaker game than the first, witch is a shame, because what it does well it does really well. good action sequences, I thought the characters, were a lot more interesting this time, we got to see more of the galaxy, places like illium and the Krogan homeworld were interesting places. SoGood game, But a weaker story, and the fact they cut out most of the roleplaying elements, makes it a weaker game than the first, witch is a shame, because what it does well it does really well. good action sequences, I thought the characters, were a lot more interesting this time, we got to see more of the galaxy, places like illium and the Krogan homeworld were interesting places. So Bioware if you wanna make the third Mass effect a smash hit classic, you take a strong story and the roleplaying elements of the first game, and mix it with the action, and more interesting setting of the second.… Expand
  24. MrCinnamon
    Jun 21, 2011
    10
    First off, I want to point out the stupidity of Users giving low scores at the moment. Almost all are giving it a low score because they release DLC's. Thats like criticising an author for releasing each of his books individually over 5 years instead of putting them in a 1000 page omnibus. Mass Effect 2 is a masterpiece. A symphony of stunning graphics, sublime voice acting, innovativeFirst off, I want to point out the stupidity of Users giving low scores at the moment. Almost all are giving it a low score because they release DLC's. Thats like criticising an author for releasing each of his books individually over 5 years instead of putting them in a 1000 page omnibus. Mass Effect 2 is a masterpiece. A symphony of stunning graphics, sublime voice acting, innovative gameplay, incredibly gripping non-linear story and a rich sci-fi universe, brimming with lively characters. This will go down in the history of gaming. One of the greatest RPG trilogies that will ever be made.… Expand
  25. DrakkenPA
    Jun 9, 2011
    10
    Leading off with 10. Games are for fun, enjoyment diversion. ME2 delivered that to me in spades. The biggest gripe from others seems to stem from what an RPG is or isn't. For some the R stands for loot, inventory, tons of gear, options etc. For others the R is the characters, story and action. For me, the R is that latter. I really could care less about the drudgery of inventory andLeading off with 10. Games are for fun, enjoyment diversion. ME2 delivered that to me in spades. The biggest gripe from others seems to stem from what an RPG is or isn't. For some the R stands for loot, inventory, tons of gear, options etc. For others the R is the characters, story and action. For me, the R is that latter. I really could care less about the drudgery of inventory and looting that the original ME1 contained. For those that miss that, it's cool... to each their own. However to consider that "RPG Roots" reaches all the way back to pen and paper games, some of those were loot heavy gear fests and some where story, character and action driven. To claim that ME2 "oversimplifies the RPG genre", it really comes down to what you consider and RPG to be. It's a very individual choice... not an 'ending of the genre' as some might claim. My $0.02… Expand
  26. Powderkeg40
    Jun 5, 2011
    10
    I ended up playing through this one 3 times in full and part of me still feels the draw to have another go. Flat out amazing game one of the best of 2010 for sure and I'd probably rank it in the top 10 games I've played of all time. And I've been gaming since you could fit multiple games on a 5 & 1/4 floppy.
  27. srdrkrm
    Jun 4, 2011
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's been a while since I've played newer video games (as in, the last time was in highschool when I owned a N64), and this series seemed well-regarded. I tried to get into it, browsing through the books, comics, trying to get a sense of the whole expanded universe they tried to create. It's sad to be disappointed. Sure, I'll play the third one, just to see how they will tie it up, but I my hopes are not up.

    The first Mass Effect was tedious, but had some charm; this game is really the same, though the source of both the tedium and it's charm is different.

    Really, the only thing I liked was the opening sequence and some of the writing, which was miles ahead of the really uninteresting story. The opening held some promise (the space you could see out of the top of the ship, the emergence of the secret group from the first game.), but quickly squandered it.
    I liked talking to Joker, but I hated going on with the story. Every possible dramatic moment (characters dying, etc.) is so obviously avoidable, it was tremendously boring. It was also kind of weird! how cold the relationship between Shepherd and characters from the previous game were, as in, they act cold around each other. Considering that many of the players of this game spent at least a bunch of hours with these characters in the last game, you'd think the developer would consider this. I also despised the way the worlds were divided into mission and non-mission areas: it's true, it was lame how almost every other bass in the first game was one of three designs, but taking dividing combat and "talking" areas is a really horrible idea that makes everything really boring. It takes out the element of surprise that a fight could break out any minute and makes it a much more uniform experience.

    Also, I know BioWare already acknowledged this, but I don't know how anybody during the conception of the game could think that the planet mining parts was permissible gameplay. Ugh.

    Sure somethings were better in this round: the fighting did feel a lot better, and the actual fighting levels I liked. Again, the actual writing was a bit better, though it was still in b-movie land. The worst part is, considering how singularly boring this plot is, there is no way I can trust any professional reviewer who has claimed that BioWare is the king of "epic storytelling" or something. You obviously have not read enough books, or movies, or music or anything to say such a thing. Unless you mean in video gaming, which means that video games still is a child primarily raised by meat-heads. Well, there goes my first video game review. Alas.    … Expand
  28. Balobam
    Jun 2, 2011
    5
    Let me start of by saying I don't hate the game, I enjoyed it, for about 4 hours, then I didn't.

    I'd heard a lot of good about this game, so I figured, I'll give it a shot, so I did, and I wasn't disappointed, it had shooting, RPG elements, and some fun psychic moves that let me throw people about, can't complain with that. And I played it, went into one room, hid behind a box and    Let me start of by saying I don't hate the game, I enjoyed it, for about 4 hours, then I didn't.

    I'd heard a lot of good about this game, so I figured, I'll give it a shot, so I did, and I wasn't disappointed, it had shooting, RPG elements, and some fun psychic moves that let me throw people about, can't complain with that.

    And I played it, went into one room, hid behind a box and dispatched the enemies in numerous ways, changing cover now and then. Then the next room, I hid behind a crate and dispatched enemies in numerous ways, changing cover now and then. And again, and again. It never changed, it is at heart, a cover based shooter with some RPG elements, even so, the RPG elements are pretty black and white, "Will I shoot this hopeless orphan with my firey kitten gun? Or will I donate all my limbs to the children in need program? Or perhaps I shall remain in a state of permanent apathy and bypass all these mundane problems.".

    That's not good choice making, it's just saying to you, will you be a bad guy, good guy, or neutral? And it even blatantly tells you which is which, "Say this to appear as a rogue who does his own thing, or say this to appear as Jesus himself".

    I played it for several hours, about 10 I believe, before I realised the gameplay wasn't going anywhere and I was essentially playing Gears of War or Rainbow Six under pretence of an RPG in a 3rd person angle, which is my least favourite kind of shooter regardless, the only game I've played that has done it well is Resident Evil 4, even then I couldn't move whilst I shot.

    The story however did, for the 10 hours I played it, seem good, it may have got better, which wouldn't surprise me, it was honestly memorable and I can see why people enjoy it, but it tried to present itself as more than it was, like a dog that claims it can talk and ride a unicycle, whereas it can only ride a tricycle and has no speech mastery. Impressive for sure, but it's not what I was expecting, and there are other games that do it better.

    My last gripe with the game is Jack, I rescued her from prison where she completely breezed through hundreds of robots and guards alike with not a scratch on her, she was truly unstoppable and I couldn't wait to get her on my team, then when she WAS on my team, an aggressive looking shrub would be enough to subdue this once feared God of a woman. My point here is, don't sell me Wonder Woman and then give me a generic horror film girl who lasts about 3 minutes before deciding to "See what that masked figure wants to talk about".    … Expand
  29. karmasleeper
    May 30, 2011
    6
    ME2 PC

    Mass Effect trims many of the RPG elements of the first game resulting in a mostly third person shooter experience. One of my biggest gripes about the first Mass Effect was combat â
  30. Mofoso
    May 30, 2011
    9
    Game play and story line are phenomenal, extremely satisfying, fun and action packed story line with a interesting "Karma" system. Only cons are that the facial graphics and animation in some of the cut scenes are some times awkward and that the cover system is a little corky. Another con is that the lines that Commander Shepard says in some of the cut scenes on occasion are slightlyGame play and story line are phenomenal, extremely satisfying, fun and action packed story line with a interesting "Karma" system. Only cons are that the facial graphics and animation in some of the cut scenes are some times awkward and that the cover system is a little corky. Another con is that the lines that Commander Shepard says in some of the cut scenes on occasion are slightly cheesy. Overall great game with a few minor cons that in no way affect the game play experience but could still be improved.… Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2010
3
#3 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010
4
#4 Most Shared PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 55 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 55
  3. Negative: 0 out of 55
  1. Vandal
    96
    Mass Effect 2 resumes with pride the path opened by the first game. This sequel is a lesson of how things should be made.
    Read full review
  2. AtomicGamer
    96
    Mass Effect 2 delivers a story that's deeper than what many novelists are capable of, and its action is better than what most Hollywood directors are creating nowadays. It's an addictive, engrossing experience that many gamers will replay over and over while they hold their breath waiting for the third game.
    Read full review
  3. PC Games
    88
    A brilliant mix of shooter and role-playing, filled with great characters, excellent design, lots of action and clever dialogue. It's a shame though that Bioware did not improve the inventory and skill system of the first game, but actually reduced it even more. I really wished there were more customization options, more ways to develop and gear up my characters. But all these are merely small points of criticism, since there is so much to feel and experience in this game. Mass Effect 2 is a thrilling, emotional ride and ultimately every bit as good as its predecessor.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »