Mass Effect 2

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3743 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,340 out of 3743
  2. Mixed: 161 out of 3743
  3. Negative: 242 out of 3743
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  1. MikaG.
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    Mass Effect 2, to me, is more than just a great game. It is an incredibly innovative, imaginative game that now sets the standard for story telling and structure for RPGs. I have been playing this for five hours now and have come across no bugs, or glitches so far, and to be honest no other game has enthralled me so much as Mass Effect. Mass Effect has done something that games like fable Mass Effect 2, to me, is more than just a great game. It is an incredibly innovative, imaginative game that now sets the standard for story telling and structure for RPGs. I have been playing this for five hours now and have come across no bugs, or glitches so far, and to be honest no other game has enthralled me so much as Mass Effect. Mass Effect has done something that games like fable have been clawing to do right for almost ten years, and thats just how personal this game is. For everyone i know who has played the first, they all have a different story and experience to tell and now with the second installment that is taken to an, until now, unreachable summit. So for me a game of this quality and magnitude deserves to be in the annoles of true legend. A game that has achieved something that no other game has. For me i give it a 10, despite its few flaws i have never experienced a game that i actually cared about, a story that truly moves me. And eveyone who plays this has their own unique experience, their own world effected by their own choices. Tell me another game that truly pulls that off, i can wait.… Expand
  2. GeoffreyH
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    Ever played a game that was so good that you didn't want it to end? This is Mass Effect 2, the game feels meticulously crafted, everything is polished from the original. This is what a sequel is meant to be. Never before has a sequel to an rpg made you feel like you accomplished something from the original. From the service records screen, to the pop quiz on your accomplishments from Ever played a game that was so good that you didn't want it to end? This is Mass Effect 2, the game feels meticulously crafted, everything is polished from the original. This is what a sequel is meant to be. Never before has a sequel to an rpg made you feel like you accomplished something from the original. From the service records screen, to the pop quiz on your accomplishments from the first game, to test your memory, to finding old friends and foes, this game grabs you and never lets go. The narrative has a way of making you care for the characters. They aren't static and plastic as in traditional rpg's but feel like they are fully fledged out and developed beings. Not much can be said about this without going into the story, what i can say is that the dialogue and voice acting is brilliant. The characters brilliant, the narrative brilliant. This is the pinnacle of digital story telling narrative. No other game can come close to mass effect in breadth of achievement. It's its own genre. It feels wonderful to play an understandable well thought out and concise story. I've read a site say this is gears of war meets final fantasy. Final fantasy's stories have always bordered on nonsensical, people just play them for their sugar-rush coccain induced summon spells. ME2 is not that its something special. Pick it up.… Expand
  3. JamesH.
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    Where to begin? Perhaps I should begin at the point where I sat back in my chair, lit up a cigarette, and contemplated for 7 minutes whether I should turn down the advances of Miranda Lawson in the hopes that Ashley Williams will come back at the end of the game, or whether I should go ahead and move on -as Ashley somewhat had. Perhaps the only other time I was faced with a similar Where to begin? Perhaps I should begin at the point where I sat back in my chair, lit up a cigarette, and contemplated for 7 minutes whether I should turn down the advances of Miranda Lawson in the hopes that Ashley Williams will come back at the end of the game, or whether I should go ahead and move on -as Ashley somewhat had. Perhaps the only other time I was faced with a similar pause-cigarette-decide scenario was in the first Mass Effect. Point is, that is what happens when a game becomes part of your life. When you cannot wait to leave your -possibly exciting- job to go home and spend 10 hours scanning planets for resources and getting to know your crew. This game will implant hooks into your every thought, until you are done with it, and until you play it again with different attitudes and answers.… Expand
  4. SebC.
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    I loved this game....it was absolutly amazing....i dont think there was anything wrong with this game.....after a mere 20 minutes of playing mass effect 2 i was simply addicted! every aspect of this game was brilliant. the story line was very well thought and and the ending of the game was EPIC!!! i loved how you could travel to different systems of the universe and send probes to planets I loved this game....it was absolutly amazing....i dont think there was anything wrong with this game.....after a mere 20 minutes of playing mass effect 2 i was simply addicted! every aspect of this game was brilliant. the story line was very well thought and and the ending of the game was EPIC!!! i loved how you could travel to different systems of the universe and send probes to planets to get iridium and stuff.....honestly, i was upset when the game ended i just wanted it to continue! i have never played the mass effect 1 but i will be looking forward to purchasing and playing it and i can bet that it will be just as good as the mass effect 2! i love how you could interact with alot of people in the game and but upgrades and what not. the game was absolutely amazing.....i cant wait for Mass Effect 3 to come out!!!!!… Expand
  5. CraigC.
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    OK Let Me start off saying F**K YES THIS GAME IS WORTH IT the game play is much better then the first much much better, characters are much more dark than in the first Mass Effect namely the famous Vigilante Archangel who is by far (besides Grunt) is the best character in the game graphics are much better with only minor glitches and bugs the AI is much smart this time around not that OK Let Me start off saying F**K YES THIS GAME IS WORTH IT the game play is much better then the first much much better, characters are much more dark than in the first Mass Effect namely the famous Vigilante Archangel who is by far (besides Grunt) is the best character in the game graphics are much better with only minor glitches and bugs the AI is much smart this time around not that smart but still smart enough to kill your enemies which i might are more strong and more of a pain to kill perticulary the biotic enemies and ill end this by saying IF YOU DID NOT SEE THE ENDING YET IT IS THE MAJOR WTF MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF SHOOTERS 10/10 it is worth the 60 dollar price tag i also strongly recommend before playing ME2 if you did not play Mass Effect 1 you are not going to under stand wtf is going on.… Expand
  6. JonattanM.
    Mar 1, 2010
    10
    I'll begin this review by saying that I'm primarily a MMO-RPGer (EQ2). I occasionally play console shooters and PC RTS games. Even when I'm playing EQ2 though, I largely ignore the story lines behind the quests and the game overall. Having said all of that, I was totally drawn into ME2. The plot line is amazing, and I totally enjoyed the interactions with the other I'll begin this review by saying that I'm primarily a MMO-RPGer (EQ2). I occasionally play console shooters and PC RTS games. Even when I'm playing EQ2 though, I largely ignore the story lines behind the quests and the game overall. Having said all of that, I was totally drawn into ME2. The plot line is amazing, and I totally enjoyed the interactions with the other characters. My advice is to save often before interactions so that you can go back and play them another way. Combat is challenging enough without being frustrating (on "normal) for someone who is only an occasional console gamer. Hardcore console gamers might find the combat a little too easy but then again I haven't attempted it on the "extreme" setting so I'm guessing. I just finished it last night, and I'm probably going to play it again. It also prompted me to buy the first game. So, this is probably one of the only games I'll ever rate a 10, but ME2 deserves it!… Expand
  7. gnapoug
    Feb 26, 2010
    10
    Interactive movie. Why not... But the main problem is that Heavy Rain, is just a interactive BAD movie. With the "brownish" color palette, Heavy Rain could intrigue with the David Fincher's Zodiac look, but the Story telling is amateurish, the acting is bad. Characters have nothing to rely on emotionnaly. Heavy Rain gave the player the feeling that David Cage is too busy watching Interactive movie. Why not... But the main problem is that Heavy Rain, is just a interactive BAD movie. With the "brownish" color palette, Heavy Rain could intrigue with the David Fincher's Zodiac look, but the Story telling is amateurish, the acting is bad. Characters have nothing to rely on emotionnaly. Heavy Rain gave the player the feeling that David Cage is too busy watching himself "creating" instead of offering the player, at least, a satisfying movie to watch. Heavy Rain is not even as interesting as a non-interactive benchmark demo. You want a interactive-cinematic experience? Get Uncharted 2. You'll have the thrill, the emotional and charismatic characters, without the pretention.… Expand
  8. williamb
    Feb 26, 2010
    10
    Please disregard the sub 9 scores, they are just sony fanboys who cant cime to grips that this is the game of the year, and is better than anything ever released on a sony system. I have all consoles including a pc...you have no concept of what a stunning game me2 is. Going back to the days of the 2600 to now, it is the single greatest game I have ever played, and if you asked 100 Please disregard the sub 9 scores, they are just sony fanboys who cant cime to grips that this is the game of the year, and is better than anything ever released on a sony system. I have all consoles including a pc...you have no concept of what a stunning game me2 is. Going back to the days of the 2600 to now, it is the single greatest game I have ever played, and if you asked 100 different people how thei game played out, who lived who died, it would be a different story from each of them. Its your movie playing out, its your decisions playing out, its your shepard! Greatest game of all time!… Expand
  9. KeithY
    Feb 26, 2010
    10
    Mass Effect 2 made me go back and replay Mass Effect 1 over 2 years later...just so I could play through Mass Effect 2 with a different character with different choices from Mass Effect 1. Any game that gives 80 hours of gameplay in its first month of release and leaves me wanting to play it MORE deserves a 10.
  10. ms
    Feb 25, 2010
    6
    Whoa. A lot of 10's here. A lot of 0's. I'm not in the love it or hate it camp. I appreciate what they tried to do. I enjoyed it more than the first one, but less than just about every other game I've played in the past year or so. It just feels outdated. The story is linear, the levels are boring, the combat--while much improved from the first--is a quite boring Whoa. A lot of 10's here. A lot of 0's. I'm not in the love it or hate it camp. I appreciate what they tried to do. I enjoyed it more than the first one, but less than just about every other game I've played in the past year or so. It just feels outdated. The story is linear, the levels are boring, the combat--while much improved from the first--is a quite boring compared to almost every other TPS or RPG out there. (You always know when a battle is about to break out, because suddenly the room is filled with perfectly shaped things to take cover behind.) The graphics and cinematics are nice but not groundbreaking. The only thing that distinguished Mass Effect was the branching dialogue trees and story consequences, but many games do that now, and most of them do it better. ME-2 is ambitious, but ends up just a slightly above average game. They need to take more combat tips from MW, RPG tips from FF and graphics tips from Uncharted. I doubt I'll play ME-3.… Expand
  11. MichaelH
    Feb 24, 2010
    10
    Those who are giving this game a 6 or below, would you really like to discourage future gaming companies to make anything along the lines of this? a 3 is insinuating that the game is nearly broken, i mean come on everyone stop acting so immature, this game at least deserves a little respect... i personally think it's the best game ever made, and i think it deserves a lot more Those who are giving this game a 6 or below, would you really like to discourage future gaming companies to make anything along the lines of this? a 3 is insinuating that the game is nearly broken, i mean come on everyone stop acting so immature, this game at least deserves a little respect... i personally think it's the best game ever made, and i think it deserves a lot more reviewer respect than grandtheftauto4 (i don't get whats so cool about that game) yet, because of how controversial mass effect 2 is, it will not get the score it truly deserves from many.… Expand
  12. CLive
    Feb 22, 2010
    10
    Mass Effect 2 improves on the old formula from Mass Effect 1 in many ways while still falling prey to some of the follies. This past weekend I replayed all of ME1 to get what I wanted as an outcome and then continued onto play ME2 with that character. Playing them back to back gives a good perspective on how the graphics have advanced and how much the gameplay (aside from the little Mass Effect 2 improves on the old formula from Mass Effect 1 in many ways while still falling prey to some of the follies. This past weekend I replayed all of ME1 to get what I wanted as an outcome and then continued onto play ME2 with that character. Playing them back to back gives a good perspective on how the graphics have advanced and how much the gameplay (aside from the little minigames) has changed. Firing and shooting (aside from the drastic universe change to a clip based system) is greatly improved. being able to map several powers to the keys instead of halting the action makes for a much more enjoyable game. The minigames break up the action and story a bit, scanning planets, hacking and such are tedious and distract from the story and action. The story, here is my only real complaint, what story? If you've played the HALO series start to finish then you know that HALO 2 is just a setup for HALO 3. There is some plot, the gameplay is fun, overall a good experience but it just doesn't have the umph that the first one did. In ME2 we find the same thing. with a total of 3 or 4 actual plot missions the majority of the game is made up of recruiting your team and earning their loyalty. While these missions are fun there seems to be little in the way of main story plot, we don't really know what is going on until the end (which is a good thing) but when we find out all we realize is that there is a big battle coming. We kinda figured that from the first one. I know this review is long but one last thing. The BEST THING about ME2 is the characters you get on your side. Their personalities are great (for the most part) and talking to Mordin was one of the most rewarding experiences in the game. I suggest you do pick up ME2 and give it a shot. Best of luck on Insanity.… Expand
  13. WillG
    Feb 21, 2010
    3
    Bioware are slipping down the slope, no thanks to EA I suspect. Absolutely HORRIFIED at what Bioware have done with Mass Effect. Fans of the first game stay away. They have taken what could have been THE best RPG world/game series and utterly stripped/dumbed it down to appeal to the masses. This is a 3rd person shooter that would appeal to 10 year olds. Its seems the acquisition of Bioware are slipping down the slope, no thanks to EA I suspect. Absolutely HORRIFIED at what Bioware have done with Mass Effect. Fans of the first game stay away. They have taken what could have been THE best RPG world/game series and utterly stripped/dumbed it down to appeal to the masses. This is a 3rd person shooter that would appeal to 10 year olds. Its seems the acquisition of Bioware by EA has taken all of the sophistication from the company. Really cannot express how disappointing Mass Effect 2 is. Has totally ruined what was my favourite game franchise/gaming world.… Expand
  14. soumavac
    Feb 21, 2010
    9
    No game's perfect so there is no way i can give it a 10 but it's really close. With ME1, Bioware literally created a whole universe (if you actually bothered to read every codex entry). pretty impressive. ME1 fell short mostly due to the annoying texture mapping and side missions and the elevators. ME2 got rid of these things and put everything in place and added much, much No game's perfect so there is no way i can give it a 10 but it's really close. With ME1, Bioware literally created a whole universe (if you actually bothered to read every codex entry). pretty impressive. ME1 fell short mostly due to the annoying texture mapping and side missions and the elevators. ME2 got rid of these things and put everything in place and added much, much more. You won't get a kick out of the story, i mean it's pretty much what you'd expect but i doubt that there's any other game out there that tells it better than ME2 does. What i mean to say is that it is still pretty darn compelling. it's darker and you feel that ur choices actually mean something. the firefights are all the more epic and not short lived (like in ME1) thank God. all in all, another great game by Bioware, certainly living up to its hype. and to anyone who's reading all the user ratings, don't listen to k.… Expand
  15. ZaneB
    Feb 21, 2010
    10
    Definitely a great game! The story is highly rewarding and the characters are very interesting. Despite ME2 being one of the best games ever, I still wish Bioware would have focused more on RPG elements. The experience kind of felt like KOTOR(favorite game ever), except with less, engrossing RPG combat, leveling and equipment.
  16. DannyC
    Feb 21, 2010
    8
    I really enjoyed this game; the shooting mechanics are a lot more polished than they were in the original Mass Effect. The RPG elements such as picking up loot, exp for killing enemies and general weapon stats are gone which means shooting damage is not decided by hidden multipliers, in a slasher RPG they work in a shooter they are less effective. And the story is high quality They also I really enjoyed this game; the shooting mechanics are a lot more polished than they were in the original Mass Effect. The RPG elements such as picking up loot, exp for killing enemies and general weapon stats are gone which means shooting damage is not decided by hidden multipliers, in a slasher RPG they work in a shooter they are less effective. And the story is high quality They also seriously toned down the exploration which I believe was a serious design mistake, DLC is however apparently being released to make this optional. (Remember this was done as so many bitched about the copy and pasted Mako areas and the controls for this, rightly so). However instead of improving these areas their gone which was a stupid and VERY lazy cop out on Biowares account. The gameplay is quite simply FUN and at the end of the bitching due to a lack of RPG elements this is what actually matters. The shooting simply massacres Fallout 3 which is the best shooter RPG I had played, the actual shooting in fallout was bad and feels random, VATS saved fallout from being used as a football many times :}. Also the upgrade system is excellent and really streamlines the RPG element out, I hope this system becomes standard practice the differences they make are easily noticeable. The environments generally look very good on 360 (I have played on PC and they look stunning) most areas outside of Omega and collector areas look sterile and kind of star trekie, there… Expand
  17. Ridge
    Feb 21, 2010
    8
    Mass Effect 2, simply, overrated. I love the Mass Effect series as a whole, I do, but people are making it seem so perfect when it's really not. Yes, the combat is better and of course the graphics but that's all you really here about that has improved because that's all that pretty much has. Hacking is much less annoying and a little less repetitive. The genre is Action, Mass Effect 2, simply, overrated. I love the Mass Effect series as a whole, I do, but people are making it seem so perfect when it's really not. Yes, the combat is better and of course the graphics but that's all you really here about that has improved because that's all that pretty much has. Hacking is much less annoying and a little less repetitive. The genre is Action, Role-Playing Game, but even a game like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 seems to have more RPG elements than this. Woo! I can change the kind of bullets I want to shoot! Really, that's all? Too much shooter, not enough RPG! Need I remind you again that's what the game is. The story telling is good, even though the Collector's don't seem as much as a threat as Sovereign did in the first. Another issue, I don't understand how a Universe could go from having practically infinite ammo to using some cheap thermo clips. It's like the technology actually Devolved. I don't think I found an explanation in the game for it either. Personally I hate ducking and covering all the time, there are so many games the same "Shoot, Take Damage, Restore Health, Repeat" system that the first one didn't rely on. It also seems almost impossible to only get all renegade or all paragon the entire game. I'm usually always half and half. I do enjoy the team mates way more in Mass Effect 2. Most of them have some interesting back story that you actually want to learn. Bioware if you ever read this, thank you soooo much for getting rid of the long elevator rides! They were dreadful. In Mass Effect 3, can there just be a happy medium, please? Oh, and deeper RPG elements and raise the level cap higher without DLC.… Expand
  18. LeonS
    Feb 20, 2010
    6
    ME2 suffer from the same problem from many sequels. The Devs trying to fix what isn't broken. While they have made some superficial improvements from the original game like better graphics and smoother combat., they removed many fun elements from the first game like exploration and many of the RPG aspects of the game. The story also isn't so good as the first one, the whole game ME2 suffer from the same problem from many sequels. The Devs trying to fix what isn't broken. While they have made some superficial improvements from the original game like better graphics and smoother combat., they removed many fun elements from the first game like exploration and many of the RPG aspects of the game. The story also isn't so good as the first one, the whole game is about collecting squadmates, like pokemon, the mainplot is about 4 missions long. The squadmates which were supose to be the focus of this game were very apathetic on the ship, never leaving their places and each one has only about 4 diferent dialogues. Besides, they have only 4 powers, and you can't change their armors. I hope Bioware reevaluate their priorities in ME3, and bring back all the positive qualities from the first game.… Expand
  19. Brandon
    Feb 19, 2010
    9
    Excellent. I highly recommend this game to Shooter and RPG fans alike. Excellent streamlined combat system that feels smooth and fast paced. Beautiful graphics missing the dreaded pop-ins from the first game. My favorite part of the game, though, is the characters. Amazingly developed characters voiced by some familiar faces. These characters can all be emotional and dramatic, and they Excellent. I highly recommend this game to Shooter and RPG fans alike. Excellent streamlined combat system that feels smooth and fast paced. Beautiful graphics missing the dreaded pop-ins from the first game. My favorite part of the game, though, is the characters. Amazingly developed characters voiced by some familiar faces. These characters can all be emotional and dramatic, and they can even stir some emotion up in you. The only reason I didn't give this game a full 10 was because the mining mini-game was tedious, although that's minor. I also miss some of the armor and weapon variety, as the weapons have died down to three of each weapon type, and armor is just a few customization pieces.… Expand
  20. JasonK
    Feb 19, 2010
    7
    Actually this game was kind of meh IMO. Yeah the combat is a huge improvement, (not half as good as most proper FPS though) and the cinematic conversations are still kind of cool, and yeah the graphics look slightly more sparkly than before (although they do seem to have a touch less style and feel more generic this time around). All in all, it
  21. ScottF
    Feb 19, 2010
    5
    I really don't see why so many people think this is the "game of the year." So many flaws with this game that are easily fixed if Bioware had just spent the time to fix them instead of releasing it ASAP. Glitchy graphics, dumb as hell A.I., sometimes the characters will yell something in battle and it will sound like they're saying it in slow-mo for no reason, i dunno if its I really don't see why so many people think this is the "game of the year." So many flaws with this game that are easily fixed if Bioware had just spent the time to fix them instead of releasing it ASAP. Glitchy graphics, dumb as hell A.I., sometimes the characters will yell something in battle and it will sound like they're saying it in slow-mo for no reason, i dunno if its just me but i think shepard is looking at the ground whenever he's running and sometimes not even looking forward, the character modeling of shepard and some of the other characters is terrible (move like robots, sound like robots), the loading screens are way to long even for a Bioware game... I could probably go on for a long time about all the small things that pissed me off about this game, but i won't. And those were just the SMALL things that should've been fixed at the last minute had they actually wanted to make a GOOD game and not just a sequel that they knew would sell cause it had the title Mass Effect on it. Seriously, this is not the Mass Effect I know and love. I am fine with getting rid of the tedious RPG aspects, but they tried to make it like a TPS. This would've been fine, but AI is terrible, especially on Insanity difficulty. Let me describe a situtation i had yesterday... We run into some Blue Sun's Mercs and my partners take cover (so far so good) but then, they decide "hey, i don't like being safe behind this box where the enemy can't shoot me so i'm gonna jump over it and get shot at and die in 2 seconds." seriously, the AI is that bad. either that will happen or they will stand up while behind cover in an attempt to shoot an enemy, but won't go back down when getting shot at, thus leading to instant death on Insanity difficulty. Once again, small gripes I guess, but this game got pecked to death by the small stuff which kept it from being even a DECENT game IMO. The reason i say that is the plot is what i was really dissapointed in. The game consists of one mission: Destroy the Collectors. And that's fine, but you would think there would be more to it then just that with a Bioware game. Nope. That's it. They somehow thought making the storyline consist of finding all ELEVEN allies so you can go on a "suicide" mission (which it is if playing on Insanity with the dumb AI) was a good idea. That's all there is to the story. Really. I wouldn't lie. The actual "story" you could finish in maybe 10 or so hours. All in all, i'm extremely dissapointed in both this game and in the gaming community for giving such a piece of blatant trash good review just cause it's a sequel to such a great game. Thanks Bioware, you have shaken my faith in video games.… Expand
  22. Mickus
    Feb 18, 2010
    10
    Mass Effect 2 gets my vote because i just love to come home and sit down and play this game for a few hours because it effortless. This game for me is just great fun deep story. This game has Great graphic Great game play and a really Great story. if you don't already have it get to the store NOW and buy it!!!!!
  23. SamM
    Feb 18, 2010
    9
    This game is a tecnological marvel with a stunning story that draws you in further than any game I've played so far. Combat can be excellent, if a little one dimensional, but the improvements from the previous chaper are massive, especially the galaxy map, character back stories and exploration of other planets. Very highly recommended, but play the original first.
  24. Henryb
    Feb 18, 2010
    10
    Just wanna point out that the review that "K" guy gave this game is the most ridiculus review I have ever read. Not once did the guy ever make a statement that made sense and he basically just babbled about how much he hated the game. Pointless review and an obvious PS3 fanboy. Gave barely any reasons as to why he didn't like the game except by saying it was horrible a million times. Just wanna point out that the review that "K" guy gave this game is the most ridiculus review I have ever read. Not once did the guy ever make a statement that made sense and he basically just babbled about how much he hated the game. Pointless review and an obvious PS3 fanboy. Gave barely any reasons as to why he didn't like the game except by saying it was horrible a million times. Anyway, this game is absolutely amazing. Buy this if you love a great story with a great world and great characters. You will love this if your into any form of game. It's sooo good.… Expand
  25. ChrisR
    Feb 15, 2010
    9
    When I play a game, I usually play it for the storyline...hoping that I can actually become enthralled in the characters and submersed into a world completely unknown to me. This is exactly what happened with Mass Effect and subsequently, Mass Effect 2. The characters are all likable and the loyalty missions prove to be a great asset for insight into each character. When I happened to When I play a game, I usually play it for the storyline...hoping that I can actually become enthralled in the characters and submersed into a world completely unknown to me. This is exactly what happened with Mass Effect and subsequently, Mass Effect 2. The characters are all likable and the loyalty missions prove to be a great asset for insight into each character. When I happened to make a choice that backfired, I actually felt genuinely sorry for doing it. If you like games with deep storylines and a rich setting then this game is for you. Definitely one of my favorite games I have ever played.… Expand
  26. AdamO.
    Feb 15, 2010
    10
    Love the game. I would have preferred some things to be carried over from Mass Effect (1) like the weapons/armor choices and talent point allocation. But these are minor compared to the story and experience of the ME2. I have played through twice now as Paragon and Renegade and with each play through I would totally loose track of time as I get sucked in to the story and adventure. Love the game. I would have preferred some things to be carried over from Mass Effect (1) like the weapons/armor choices and talent point allocation. But these are minor compared to the story and experience of the ME2. I have played through twice now as Paragon and Renegade and with each play through I would totally loose track of time as I get sucked in to the story and adventure. Because of the lake of RPG elements I would give the game a 9.5 but I will round it to a 10. A 9 would not be doing the game justice as this is probably one of my favorite games of all time.… Expand
  27. AnthonyF
    Feb 15, 2010
    10
    This was one of the best games I've ever played. Everything about it is fantastic, and any fan of science fiction should love the story which pulls from just about every famous piece there is, from Firefly to Babylon 5. It's well worth your money, as you'll want to repeat the 30+ hour campaign over and over again, not only to try out the different classes, but to see all This was one of the best games I've ever played. Everything about it is fantastic, and any fan of science fiction should love the story which pulls from just about every famous piece there is, from Firefly to Babylon 5. It's well worth your money, as you'll want to repeat the 30+ hour campaign over and over again, not only to try out the different classes, but to see all the dialogue and different paths you can take. I don't give games perfect scores lightly, but Mass Effect 2 fully deserves one.… Expand
  28. SamF
    Feb 15, 2010
    10
    Superb game, well worth the marks it is currently getting and worth far more than the ridiculous gamecritics score, which is blatantly after the naysayer's attention award for stupid scoring. I loved the first Mass Effect despite its flaws, I love Mass Effect 2 even more as it has almost no flaws. Other than some still awkward AI in combat scenes and what some would describe as Superb game, well worth the marks it is currently getting and worth far more than the ridiculous gamecritics score, which is blatantly after the naysayer's attention award for stupid scoring. I loved the first Mass Effect despite its flaws, I love Mass Effect 2 even more as it has almost no flaws. Other than some still awkward AI in combat scenes and what some would describe as overblown dialogue it is pretty much flawless in every respect. The only down side for me is the length of the story... before you know it, the game is over. As long as the DLC that will be coming fits well with the story, then this is a truly epic game worthy of any gamer's attention.… Expand
  29. WesG.
    Feb 15, 2010
    4
    I can not explain why but after only 5 hours of gameplay this game bored me so much. left to take the dust.graphically is ok but this game is nothing more than a usual tps with rpg style decision making.
  30. PatrickB
    Feb 14, 2010
    10
    Action? Check. Drama? Check. Phenomenal Graphics and Gameplay? Check and Check. I could go on and on but that really is my opinion of Mass Effect 2 in a nutshell. It's intense, engaging and non-stop deep adventure with nearly limitless re-playability as all of your decisions from Mass Effect 1 and 2 shape the future of not only your Commander Shepard, but of the entire franchise Action? Check. Drama? Check. Phenomenal Graphics and Gameplay? Check and Check. I could go on and on but that really is my opinion of Mass Effect 2 in a nutshell. It's intense, engaging and non-stop deep adventure with nearly limitless re-playability as all of your decisions from Mass Effect 1 and 2 shape the future of not only your Commander Shepard, but of the entire franchise itself. The game is out there, ready to pull you in and never let go.… Expand
  31. EddieB.
    Feb 14, 2010
    10
    When I played Mass Effect, I had believed it to be one of the best games I had ever played. When I played Mass Effect 2, it turned out to be the best game I've ever played. Contrary to what most people are calling a "dumbed down system," Mass Effect 2 offers much more of a challenge to returning players. Shepard actually seems mortal in this game and cannot run out into gunfights and When I played Mass Effect, I had believed it to be one of the best games I had ever played. When I played Mass Effect 2, it turned out to be the best game I've ever played. Contrary to what most people are calling a "dumbed down system," Mass Effect 2 offers much more of a challenge to returning players. Shepard actually seems mortal in this game and cannot run out into gunfights and spam unlimited bullets, as he must take tactical cover in areas as well as navigate his squad to tactical cover. The power wheel is also much improved seeing as how a global cooldown came into play making the game much more difficult and requires much more planning. Yes, there are fewer RPG elements as far as character customization goes, but it also eliminates the unnecessary inventory system that was in Mass Effect. I could literally go on for pages on what has been upgraded in this game and how it is not "dumbed down," but I do not have that much space. Mass Effect 2's choices, consequences, flow, locales, and most importantly, characters are what make the game amazing. It is quite simply the best game I've ever played.… Expand
  32. Aegis
    Feb 13, 2010
    10
    This is probably the best game I've played since Silent Hill 2. Everything that bogged down the first game is either gone, or streamlined. No more elevator rides that seem to take forever, no more generic planets to explore with wonkey tank controls. Everything new fits perfectly, and everything that's gone, well, I just don't miss it. I'm also of the opinion that RPGs This is probably the best game I've played since Silent Hill 2. Everything that bogged down the first game is either gone, or streamlined. No more elevator rides that seem to take forever, no more generic planets to explore with wonkey tank controls. Everything new fits perfectly, and everything that's gone, well, I just don't miss it. I'm also of the opinion that RPGs and action just don't mix too. To me, the idea that I'm going to have trouble with an enemy because I'm not "leveled" enough is stupid. I'm just as capable of a headshot at level one as level fifty, so why do my bullets do less damage? Are they waiting to give me the real ones or something? Granted, you can still level up some skills and abilities, but not nearly as many as before. It isn't unfair, or a huge cut; it's streamlined. I just really can't see what people are so upset about. Even as a huge fan of mass effect I still see this as a massive improvement over the original. Anyway the game is a shooter yes, but it's deep too. Deep in story, deep in dialog. If you don't like long cutscenes or the occasional log entry to read, you might want to roll with something else or rent it first. Same as if you hate shooting and fast paced combat. I really can't say anything that the other excellent reviews haven't already said, perhaps with this exception: The PC version is by far the best of the two in my opinion. Combat flows so much smoother with the mouse and keyboard than the 360 controller. And it's fairly low profile in terms of system requirements too. STALKER: shadow of Chernobyl puts more strain on my PC than ME2 even. So don't worry if your card is listed as below minimum requirements, just be prepared to view it at a lower resolution.… Expand
  33. MikeM
    Feb 13, 2010
    5
    The game play itself has 2 major problems: -The companions are constantly stupid; they either jump in front of your gun, or run back around the previous corner and don't fight, or stand there and blink while you fight. -The cover system's controls are moronic; the commands for taking cover, and for hurdling your cover and jumping into the crossfire are practically the same. The The game play itself has 2 major problems: -The companions are constantly stupid; they either jump in front of your gun, or run back around the previous corner and don't fight, or stand there and blink while you fight. -The cover system's controls are moronic; the commands for taking cover, and for hurdling your cover and jumping into the crossfire are practically the same. The game's details and production values are good, but this doesn't merit A reviews when the gameplay is C-. If you love ME1, this game is enjoyable enough. There is no way in hell it deserves its score. I've seen other player-reviewers giving this and other games a 0 because the critics and players give 10s to games that deserve a 7. I agree entirely. I'll add a few points: -Bioware's trend is to make well-polished garbage, and somehow get great reviews. -Game reviewing cannot be taken seriously. Either they're crooked or stupid or both. -Player-reviewers must be reviewing games the day they buy them, and biased toward approving of what they've spent their hard earned money on. When a play-through of a modern game is 40-80 hours, you cannot review it even 10 hours in. No one wants to read a movie review of the first 15 minutes.… Expand
  34. AndrewG
    Feb 12, 2010
    10
    I am in absolute love with this game. From the revamped combat to the ability to carry over your character and even an amazing story and cast, this game lives up to the hype. Mass Effect 2 leaps bounds over the original when it comes to the game play, graphics, and well... everything! I do miss the looting and leveling up when I kill people though. However, these are only a few negative I am in absolute love with this game. From the revamped combat to the ability to carry over your character and even an amazing story and cast, this game lives up to the hype. Mass Effect 2 leaps bounds over the original when it comes to the game play, graphics, and well... everything! I do miss the looting and leveling up when I kill people though. However, these are only a few negative aspects against a mountain of amazing qualities. Every PC and 360 owner owes themselves to play this game.… Expand
  35. TrevorG.
    Feb 12, 2010
    10
    This game is as close to perfection for an RPG as can be. Amazing grfx, music, much improved shooter action and team control and more streamlined inventory management. This is a must play for any RPG enthusiast.
  36. icecream
    Feb 12, 2010
    10
    This game is a 15 out of 10. Maybe some will give it a 12 out of 10 or even a 10 out of 10 but anything less than that is insulting. You should be smacked in the face and your gaming license revoked. There is not a game that comes close to the incredible star power voice acting, the incredible graphics, characters, and engaging story. If you dont give it a 10 out of 10 ask yourself why do This game is a 15 out of 10. Maybe some will give it a 12 out of 10 or even a 10 out of 10 but anything less than that is insulting. You should be smacked in the face and your gaming license revoked. There is not a game that comes close to the incredible star power voice acting, the incredible graphics, characters, and engaging story. If you dont give it a 10 out of 10 ask yourself why do I own a video game machine? Is it time to find a new hobby? Because its not the game ITS YOU.… Expand
  37. Christinem
    Feb 12, 2010
    9
    Amazing game and all the naysayers have no idea what mass effect is supposed to be about. Someone said it's not as ground breaking as fallout... really? fallout 3 was oblivion with guns. Mass effect 2 is a great continuation, it has characters you find yourself seriously invested in and caring for... big decisions that affect your story, it carries over the history of your old Amazing game and all the naysayers have no idea what mass effect is supposed to be about. Someone said it's not as ground breaking as fallout... really? fallout 3 was oblivion with guns. Mass effect 2 is a great continuation, it has characters you find yourself seriously invested in and caring for... big decisions that affect your story, it carries over the history of your old Shepard from 1 just beautifully. Sure, i miss having loot in 1, and more guns in general. and i do feel the combat has been simplified a bit. But it improves on many other things, the story telling, the connection to characters, cover system that actually WORKS, and fixes many major glitches. And side quests are way more unique instead of traversing the same building layouts. It's an amazing game, in my top ten of all time for sure. The whiners just want to stand out, or i bet havnt even played the game.… Expand
  38. JaceN.
    Feb 11, 2010
    6
    An ineresting story...but thats about it! Fewer areas to explore, spasmic over excitable combat akin to "juggling ten plates on poles while fist-fighting a bear", excellent upgrade system from ME1 replaced with "you used some resources you found to make everyones stuff betterer...now go away", disc swapping thanks to outdated "Bink" video cutscenes chewing up easily 12Gigs of disc space, An ineresting story...but thats about it! Fewer areas to explore, spasmic over excitable combat akin to "juggling ten plates on poles while fist-fighting a bear", excellent upgrade system from ME1 replaced with "you used some resources you found to make everyones stuff betterer...now go away", disc swapping thanks to outdated "Bink" video cutscenes chewing up easily 12Gigs of disc space, voice actors phoning it in and almost no stuff to buy in shops. Keep up this trend and ME3 will be thinner than EA's 1991 space RPG "Starflight".… Expand
  39. SteveH.
    Feb 11, 2010
    10
    This game is great. The RPG elements from the first ME have been toned down but I still felt satisfied the way BioWare handled it. The games cover system is great, it works very similarly to gears of war. The story is very enticing and the characters on your squad are very cool. Watch some of the gameplay videos for rent this game if you are on the fence, otherwise buy this game!
  40. RPG
    Feb 11, 2010
    7
    While a good game Mass Effect 2 is by no means a great game. The cinematic effects are very good and immersive but cannot hide the downside that many parts of the story are inconsistent or just incompetently designed. Faster in tempo than ME1, its predecessor, and somewhat more blend. Still a fun game.
  41. AlanT
    Feb 11, 2010
    10
    Gaming history in the making. Vastly improved on ME1 and not a dull moment. I know some people may find the resource mining a bit tedious, but it does not take long, and I liked how creative it was. The cut scenes and dialogue are amazing and it is not too shabby as a 3rd person shooter either. Easily the best game I've played on the 360.
  42. BrianK
    Feb 11, 2010
    10
    The few negative critics here (who oddly all seem to be Uncharted fanboys) have a few points in common, some of which are valid: A) The minigames are terrible--this is true; B) The mainstreamization of the ME franchise has stripped away all RPG elements--1] That is false. With an upgrade system and a sophisticated, expanding skill system, Bioware has cut the tedious elements out of the The few negative critics here (who oddly all seem to be Uncharted fanboys) have a few points in common, some of which are valid: A) The minigames are terrible--this is true; B) The mainstreamization of the ME franchise has stripped away all RPG elements--1] That is false. With an upgrade system and a sophisticated, expanding skill system, Bioware has cut the tedious elements out of the RPG experience and brought out the essential and enjoyable qualities. Ultimately, this leads to a more consistent and cinematic feel where you do not have to become a guru of esoteric systems in order to smartly and satisfyingly advance your character. 2] Even if ME were no longer an RPG, a game not being an RPG is simply not a valid point. Being an RPG is not a prerequisite for a game's high score chances. C) The story is linear, boring and rips-off of too many science-fiction franchises--1] Part of the focus is clearly placed on decisions and the effects of them. Simply not linear, and tends to be the most engaging part of any game. 2] The other main focus is on the experience and stories of your companions. This game is about your growth and your interactions with your companions in the context of intersteller events; not intersteller events with the side mission concerning your companions. This is a major distinction that places Mass Effect 2 squarely in the realm of the general fiction and not the specialized fantasy/science-fiction genres that most RPGs will find themselves; take that for what its worth. 3] You can't steal from multiple sources while both acknowledging them and bringing them together into a harmonious whole. That kind of work is simply called impressive.… Expand
  43. VictorR
    Feb 11, 2010
    6
    If Mass Effect 2 is an "RPG", then so is Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. They both only have 4 or 5 skills you can work on, they both use purchasable gear which modify stats, and in both the gear has no appreciable change on the game as a whole. In fact, I'd go so far as to say Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is more of an RPG than Mass Effect 2 simply because there's a much more robust loot If Mass Effect 2 is an "RPG", then so is Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. They both only have 4 or 5 skills you can work on, they both use purchasable gear which modify stats, and in both the gear has no appreciable change on the game as a whole. In fact, I'd go so far as to say Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is more of an RPG than Mass Effect 2 simply because there's a much more robust loot and skill system than Mass Effect 2's. The only "loot" in ME2 are Armor pieces that don't even matter.… Expand
  44. PeterC
    Feb 11, 2010
    5
    It's one third action, one third dialogue/cutscenes and one third planet scanning. The action is a poor copy of Gears of War, the cutscenes are interminable, and the scanning is like a real life minimum wage job except that you're paying them to do it. The plot is good but if that's what you care about, go watch a movie instead. The gameplay is mediocre at best.
  45. WarnieP
    Feb 11, 2010
    7
    Dave J is spot on with his comments. When I picked this title up, I expected a solid RPG with shooter elements. After all, this is Bioware, a company who built their gaming foundation on so-called western RPGs; this is the company that gave us Baldur's Gate, the original Mass Effect, Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age Origins. Sadly, Mass Effect 2 shares very little in common Dave J is spot on with his comments. When I picked this title up, I expected a solid RPG with shooter elements. After all, this is Bioware, a company who built their gaming foundation on so-called western RPGs; this is the company that gave us Baldur's Gate, the original Mass Effect, Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age Origins. Sadly, Mass Effect 2 shares very little in common with any of those titles and, at the end of the day, however, Mass Effect 2 is a glorified third person shooter with poor excuses for RPG elements. . The game itself is extremely linear with the game holding your hand to each and every mission. You'll "level up" just by following the linear path and by the time you get to the final mission you'll have, at least, 3 of 5 skills maxed out, with just as many skills maxed out for each of your crew. No thought required, no pros and cons of choosing your points. . The story elements are also linear and contrived and have little to no effect on the result of the game. There are some choices which do have an effect at the end, but they are very few. Paragon and Renegade have been stripped of all meaning as you could be a world class a-hole and your crew will still LOVE you. . I WANTED to play the original Mass Effect several times and I played it for a good two months after release. I played Mass Effect 2 twice, just to keep my two ME1 characters in step and haven't turned it back on one week after playing. I've seen everything there is to see, I have every weapon, every upgrade, both my Shepards are level 30 already and rolling in money and resources. There's no reason to go back and do anything in the game, especially since exploration, hacking/bypassing and loot have been completely gutted from the game and replaced with shells of their former selves. . I'm extremely disappointed in the path Bioware took. If I wanted to play a cover-based or squad command shooter, I'd pop in Rainbow Six or Gears of War. I can only hope ME3 takes the strengths of ME1 and the strengths of ME2 and fuses them together to make a much better concluding title.… Expand
  46. SamiL
    Feb 10, 2010
    5
    ME1 was a great game and now this... everything that was great in the first one is destroyed(okay, maybe plot and story telling is still fine). No more fine tuning characters armour, guns etc. And mission handling... nonono! Game feels so much more arcade than before. Sad sad thing.
  47. JoeConsumer
    Feb 10, 2010
    5
    What happened to the RPG? Bioware I'm a little more than disappointed in you. KOTOR was one of my favorite Xbox titles. Mass Effect 1 was one of my favorite Xbox 360 titles. What you've done IMO is stripped out the parts of ME1 that made it fun and individualized and turned it into a linear mundane TPS. This is not an RPG/TPS anymore. It's just an average TPS. It's not What happened to the RPG? Bioware I'm a little more than disappointed in you. KOTOR was one of my favorite Xbox titles. Mass Effect 1 was one of my favorite Xbox 360 titles. What you've done IMO is stripped out the parts of ME1 that made it fun and individualized and turned it into a linear mundane TPS. This is not an RPG/TPS anymore. It's just an average TPS. It's not a horrible game. It's just not what I had hoped for being a fan of bioware's previous achievements. I will say that it's long cut scenes without firing a shot, the lack of the RPG elements that made ME1 so enjoyable and the sometimes hinky cover system have turned this into a disappointing sequel.… Expand
  48. DavidD
    Feb 10, 2010
    10
    I do not say this lightly but this is in my top 3 games I have ever played! It was like watching a great movie that you are part of. Incredible story telling, great characters that i cared about (except for a couple). They also did a phenomenal job on improving a few small things. The planet side random missions were so much better done then first game. No two missions were exactly alike. I do not say this lightly but this is in my top 3 games I have ever played! It was like watching a great movie that you are part of. Incredible story telling, great characters that i cared about (except for a couple). They also did a phenomenal job on improving a few small things. The planet side random missions were so much better done then first game. No two missions were exactly alike. Even though the mining is tedious, I still liked the way they gave that option for you to get materials. Also, the developers made a bit easier for you to keep track of missions by letting you know where they are in the galaxy view. Overall, Bioware has done it again. Thank you Bioware for being one company that consistently brings us incredible games, Especially this one!! I can't wait till the 3rd one!… Expand
  49. HugoS
    Feb 10, 2010
    9
    Mass Effect 2 is a great game with some steps forward from the first but a couple of steps in the opposite direction. The voice acting, story, and graphics remain the same great thing as ever with some slight variations. The combat is one area where Bioware took a step forward. The fights feel soother and the powers are more accessible to use and are generally stronger. The leveling Mass Effect 2 is a great game with some steps forward from the first but a couple of steps in the opposite direction. The voice acting, story, and graphics remain the same great thing as ever with some slight variations. The combat is one area where Bioware took a step forward. The fights feel soother and the powers are more accessible to use and are generally stronger. The leveling system is pretty good. The experience gaining system on the other hand, is horrible. Instead of gaining exp from every individual enemy that you brutally murder, you only gain a net value at the end of every mission. This is extremely strange, in my opinion, because Bioware really focused on combat in this entry. Another thing that got on my nerves was how Bioware removed much of the role playing elements. There is hardly any equipping of items and the few you do find are minor visual variations and slightly different weapon damage. In its place is a rather empty upgrading system that really doesn't make the player that much more powerful. Bioware also made it necessary to gain paragon and renegade to upgrade your charm/intimidate skill. This makes it hard to chose the neutral path as you are losing and option to access bonuses and generally make the game more fun. But besides those annoying quips, Bioware still developed a great tittle that feels more like a shooter with some flimsy RPG elements than a true action RPG.… Expand
  50. AdolphusG
    Feb 10, 2010
    10
    This is probably the single best game I've played since KOTOR way back in '03. Anything Bioware touches is pure gold... Just about everything about this game is an improvement over the first. The quests are more entertaining instead of simple shoot'em ups, the dialogue more interseting, even the story is better than ME1, which is saying something. Even t0he graphics, an This is probably the single best game I've played since KOTOR way back in '03. Anything Bioware touches is pure gold... Just about everything about this game is an improvement over the first. The quests are more entertaining instead of simple shoot'em ups, the dialogue more interseting, even the story is better than ME1, which is saying something. Even t0he graphics, an area where Bioware is not always amazing, are off the charts. This game is so good, it feels like a personalized movie. I'm not saying this game is perfect. It definitely has some minor flaws but the good far,far,far outweighs the bad. In terms of a gaming experience, I'd give this game 10/10 which is the first 10 I've awarded since KOTOR. And coming from a guy who thought ME1 was dissapointing, this is amazing praise.… Expand
  51. WizartarP
    Feb 10, 2010
    8
    Very good game, awesome character development, but that's the problem. There's no plot, the games is just getting you're crew together and making them loyal for a short mission at the end. But that said, it also has one of the coolest characters in any game yet, Mordin. Plus all the characters are very interesting which helps distract you from the fact there's no plot. Very good game, awesome character development, but that's the problem. There's no plot, the games is just getting you're crew together and making them loyal for a short mission at the end. But that said, it also has one of the coolest characters in any game yet, Mordin. Plus all the characters are very interesting which helps distract you from the fact there's no plot. Also the new shops / power-up system feels broken to me. I had a "level 4" item which I couldn't research because I didn't have the "level 3" one. Also mining to do development is a complete pain is the ass and is only in the game to make it longer, should be completely removed.… Expand
  52. cleanupman
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    One of th best games ever made.took what mass effect 1 did and improved everything making this a true sequel. the story is compelling, the gameplay is perfected and the game is very technically sound.lots of stuff to do and makes me cant wait for mass effect 3. go out and buy the game you wont be disappointed.
  53. Martin
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    This is game of the year alright. It has such an amazing story for a videogame. The only other videogame stories that can compare to this game is legend of zelda and resident evil. If you like amazing games, do yourself a favor and get this astounding game.
  54. MadAgreement
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    I bought this game the day he was out in france and i finish it 3 days later. The story is so powerful and full of action... At the end of this game, it's like when you have finished to read and awesome book, you're depressed. Can't wait the third one. And for those who don't know if they want to try the one before, I can asure you that when you taste it, you fall I bought this game the day he was out in france and i finish it 3 days later. The story is so powerful and full of action... At the end of this game, it's like when you have finished to read and awesome book, you're depressed. Can't wait the third one. And for those who don't know if they want to try the one before, I can asure you that when you taste it, you fall totaly into it. The story is absolutly different from one player to another and that's make it more personnal. With this masterpiece, it will be diffucult for the other studios to make an attractive game. There's no doubt that's the game of the year.… Expand
  55. GabeM
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    Mass Effect 2 succeeds in creating a player-centric RPG/shooter experience that combines satisfying combat with an intensely personal story. No other RPG, or game in recent memory, has succeeded quite as brilliantly in practically every way worth mentioning. The game has room for improvement, especially with regard to the consequences of combat sequences and party chemistry, but the Mass Effect 2 succeeds in creating a player-centric RPG/shooter experience that combines satisfying combat with an intensely personal story. No other RPG, or game in recent memory, has succeeded quite as brilliantly in practically every way worth mentioning. The game has room for improvement, especially with regard to the consequences of combat sequences and party chemistry, but the overall experience is sublime. I can't recommend this game highly enough.… Expand
  56. Michael
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    Looking through all the user reviews for this game, I can only think that alot of people should be ashamed. I point that finger to you PS3 fanboys with agendas, and another finger to you, ignorant posters who have no basis to review... Moving on though. My Review is closer to 9.5, but in the sake of rounding up I'll make it a 10 Graphics are the best around in this game here. The Looking through all the user reviews for this game, I can only think that alot of people should be ashamed. I point that finger to you PS3 fanboys with agendas, and another finger to you, ignorant posters who have no basis to review... Moving on though. My Review is closer to 9.5, but in the sake of rounding up I'll make it a 10 Graphics are the best around in this game here. The story line is as indepth as it can be, if you take the time to look at it, character relationships are amazing, and gameplay is as solid as a Diamond. As for all the people that try to dismiss this game for lacking in the RPG elements, they must remember that Role Playing Game doesn't neccesarily mean tons of useless gear and attribute assigning, but can also mean a game where you "Role play" a character in a given situation using your choices... instead of predifined ones... and so this game is a gem in that department too... And yes... this is Definitely the game to beat this year for GOTY.… Expand
  57. LukaszC
    Feb 8, 2010
    9
    For me the first Mass Effect was a big dissapointment and back in the days i gave it a 7 . It had great graphics that could not hold a steady framerate for sh** , only 13 - 18 hours of gameplay (and yes i did some sidequests but when all sideplanets look the same you get bored preety fast) and the awful mako levels . Now i can say this is what ME 1 should have been . Graphics ? 30 fps For me the first Mass Effect was a big dissapointment and back in the days i gave it a 7 . It had great graphics that could not hold a steady framerate for sh** , only 13 - 18 hours of gameplay (and yes i did some sidequests but when all sideplanets look the same you get bored preety fast) and the awful mako levels . Now i can say this is what ME 1 should have been . Graphics ? 30 fps locked ... i had only one instance where the graphics went down for a second . Length ? 30 hours easliy if you play the loyalty missions which unlike the sidemissions in ME 1 are much better done . Mako ? GONE ... oh god how happy i am that its gone . Of course not everything is perfect though ,i liked the rpg elements of the first one but now its almost gone ,next time maybe do a compromise leave the system how it is(with the assigning points to power stuff) but give us loot and xp signs . Also the companions still are not perfect but they are a far cry better then in ME 1 . Also the heavy weapons are a little bit like a getaway card with cain beeing really a little bit too powerful ... i had it in the last fight and it raped the boss really hard . Still this game is great and a must buy for rpg fans that dont have fear of TPS games . But its not perfect how many 10 are saying . Its a 9 a solid 9.… Expand
  58. TStone
    Feb 8, 2010
    4
    I was really expecting to like it allot more but the game just seemed way to open , long and directionless for me. Also i thought the graphics would have been better. I guess they were counting more on the story.
  59. DomMC
    Feb 8, 2010
    10
    Great game, loved how all of my decisions from the first game were carried over. Each time I was forced into choosing what to do I felt hugely involved, not knowing what impact they would have. The character interaction was phenomenal, and this was the first time i've been able to really connect with characters in any kind of entertainment media. Bring on the sequel.
  60. MikeD
    Feb 8, 2010
    10
    In this game bioware has realized and presented science fiction better than any game has yet done. they created a world that is not only alive but moves and breathes with realistic characters and events. it also has done a fantastic job of melding genres and still delivering the high quality story we expect from bioware games. if you are a shooter fan, if you are an rpg fan, if you are a In this game bioware has realized and presented science fiction better than any game has yet done. they created a world that is not only alive but moves and breathes with realistic characters and events. it also has done a fantastic job of melding genres and still delivering the high quality story we expect from bioware games. if you are a shooter fan, if you are an rpg fan, if you are a GAME fan you will enjoy this game. this isn't only my favorite bioware game ever it's my favorite game ever. pick this game up and embrace the greatness, you owe it to yourself.… Expand
  61. JC
    Feb 8, 2010
    10
    Do not listen to any of the haters or ps3 clowns. This game is real deal. I played games for years and years. This is the best game I have ever played this generation of games. Probably one of my favourite games too. Incredible gameplay, excellent dialogue and story. This game is worthy and it will be an experience that you will be remembering for along time. It is crazy because my sister Do not listen to any of the haters or ps3 clowns. This game is real deal. I played games for years and years. This is the best game I have ever played this generation of games. Probably one of my favourite games too. Incredible gameplay, excellent dialogue and story. This game is worthy and it will be an experience that you will be remembering for along time. It is crazy because my sister doesn't play games but she is playing mass effect 2 just because she loves the story and the characters you meet play with in the game.… Expand
  62. EasyLayLay
    Feb 8, 2010
    8
    A good game, but not as good as I thought it was going to be. Yes, the combat is improved, yes there are more characters, but I miss my "sunday drives" in the mako; I miss driving up to bases and sniping them from afar. I miss picking up a better assault weapon and going in to the inventory screen to equip it. I miss the more detailed RPG choices of the first Mass Effect game. I miss A good game, but not as good as I thought it was going to be. Yes, the combat is improved, yes there are more characters, but I miss my "sunday drives" in the mako; I miss driving up to bases and sniping them from afar. I miss picking up a better assault weapon and going in to the inventory screen to equip it. I miss the more detailed RPG choices of the first Mass Effect game. I miss being on a mission that seemed important, rather than a covert mission nobody seems to know about and everyone other than the humans don't seem to care about. I miss a strong villain like Saren. I miss being able to use all my weapons whatever the class of character I am using. I have a big squad but there doesn't seem to be a compelling reason to choose one squad member over another, unlike the fist game where you had to juggle weapons/biotics/tech. I seem to be collecting squad members forever, but once I have recruited them they just spend the rest of the game sat in the hold. When you collect them they look like the most powerful being in the galaxy, but when you take them on quests they are rather ordinary. The graphical quality of the game seems to have not improved, and the citadel is now a wal-mart rather than the sprawling seat of intergalactic government it used to be. The planetary scanning is a boring flash game. Overall I am thankful of the improvements but they seem to have ripped out the troublesome parts of Mass Effect 1 (slow inventory, inconsistent UI) rather than improve them.… Expand
  63. JohnB
    Feb 7, 2010
    10
    What I love about the user review section of metacritic is that you don't actually have to know anything about objective criticism. It's really quite brilliant. Just harp on minutiae and your own butt-hurt feelings, regardless of how the game you are reviewing actually rates on the standard areas of critique, such as little things like gameplay, graphics, and originality. (Which What I love about the user review section of metacritic is that you don't actually have to know anything about objective criticism. It's really quite brilliant. Just harp on minutiae and your own butt-hurt feelings, regardless of how the game you are reviewing actually rates on the standard areas of critique, such as little things like gameplay, graphics, and originality. (Which Mass Effect 2 has in abundance, by the way.) I find it exceptional that someone could buy and play the first Mass Effect, determine that they hated it, and then buy into hype and purchase the second game thinking that they would suddenly reinvent the series. Why wouldn't they, I mean, they only planned a 3 game trilogy... why stick to a tried and true method for the sake of storytelling cohesion? The first game had its flaws, which have been covered over and over so I'll just leave that for the writers at 1Up to bring up, but, who would think that this game would NOT have any flaws? Of course they can make an absolutely perfect game with no bugs which everyone and their sister will love and which will cater to all preconceived notions and desires! Why couldn't they? Pushing the present limitations on a 6 year old gaming system with an incredibly large playing universe and a user reactionary story-arc simply is no reason to expect anything than utter perfection! Demand your money back people, you've been gypped. I'll start another Shepard character and save the universe.… Expand
  64. ConnorM
    Feb 7, 2010
    10
    Pulled a full forty hours out of this game. I wont say that they were the best hours of my life, but they were the best hours I've ever spent playing a video game. I've sampled very sci fi game out there and this was the best by far. The choices and interrupters were flawless. being able to load your old character personalized the game more than any other I have played. This is Pulled a full forty hours out of this game. I wont say that they were the best hours of my life, but they were the best hours I've ever spent playing a video game. I've sampled very sci fi game out there and this was the best by far. The choices and interrupters were flawless. being able to load your old character personalized the game more than any other I have played. This is the best game ever.… Expand
  65. AlexQ
    Feb 7, 2010
    10
    85/100 for a game this good would be harsh so GameCritics giving Mass Effect 2 a 75 is unacceptable! The game might not be perfect but it's one of the best games of this generation. The gameplay, the story, the graphics, the depth. BioWare has done a fantastic job with ME2, in fact, instead of reading this you should be playing it and if you don't have it you must go get it! You 85/100 for a game this good would be harsh so GameCritics giving Mass Effect 2 a 75 is unacceptable! The game might not be perfect but it's one of the best games of this generation. The gameplay, the story, the graphics, the depth. BioWare has done a fantastic job with ME2, in fact, instead of reading this you should be playing it and if you don't have it you must go get it! You won't regret it.… Expand
  66. TreH.
    Feb 7, 2010
    9
    Man.. It's really irritating to see people compare this game to other Third Person Shooters. This game is a SHOOTER RPG, not a SHOOTER. Comparing ME2 to Gears of War is stupid, I love Gears, and they are two DIFFERENT GENRES. Comparing this game to Fallout 3 is a good comparison yes, but stick with the same genres please. Also, I remember when games were about gameplay, not having Man.. It's really irritating to see people compare this game to other Third Person Shooters. This game is a SHOOTER RPG, not a SHOOTER. Comparing ME2 to Gears of War is stupid, I love Gears, and they are two DIFFERENT GENRES. Comparing this game to Fallout 3 is a good comparison yes, but stick with the same genres please. Also, I remember when games were about gameplay, not having the best graphics. As for dimming down on the rpg element, I personally was irritated with the first game. As much as I loved how much customization there was, it was just too much to do. That game was 80% customization and 20% gameplay in my opinion. ME2 did a great job at keeping the story engaging, while the cover system, and combat were a bit itchy, I still give this game a 10 for good story, GREAT character builds, and an engaging experience.… Expand
  67. PeterR
    Feb 7, 2010
    5
    Mass Effect 2 is a great game, if you like to talk talk talk... and talk. Which just means selecting from a few predefined statements. I really felt lost sometimes and even worse... bored by the game. Sure: The universe created by Bioware and the graphics are quite nice and unique, but the gameplay can't back it up. The annoying planet-scans for resources and the mediocre combat made Mass Effect 2 is a great game, if you like to talk talk talk... and talk. Which just means selecting from a few predefined statements. I really felt lost sometimes and even worse... bored by the game. Sure: The universe created by Bioware and the graphics are quite nice and unique, but the gameplay can't back it up. The annoying planet-scans for resources and the mediocre combat made the game a hard pill to swallow.… Expand
  68. JonathanW
    Feb 6, 2010
    10
    Mass effect 2 is a solid improvement over the original which was an already stellar title. The upgraded combat, level up, and armor systems work smoothly and make it a faster less tedious experiance. My only complaints are that the Story is slightly less surprising than the original (though in no means bad) and the final boss looks very cheesey (though it does fit into the story very Mass effect 2 is a solid improvement over the original which was an already stellar title. The upgraded combat, level up, and armor systems work smoothly and make it a faster less tedious experiance. My only complaints are that the Story is slightly less surprising than the original (though in no means bad) and the final boss looks very cheesey (though it does fit into the story very well.) If you love third person shooters and or RPGs M.E.2 should be on the top of your list.… Expand
  69. ClaytonB
    Feb 6, 2010
    9
    For people that liked Mass Effect 1 and wanted the second to be the same will be disappointed. The change made the game less repetitive in this reviews eyes. One can still go around, plot, and deplete every planet for valuable resources while running into a mission. If you were to do everything in the game, your playtime would range from 30-35 hours. The most interesting part of Mass For people that liked Mass Effect 1 and wanted the second to be the same will be disappointed. The change made the game less repetitive in this reviews eyes. One can still go around, plot, and deplete every planet for valuable resources while running into a mission. If you were to do everything in the game, your playtime would range from 30-35 hours. The most interesting part of Mass Effect 2 is that the choices you made in the first mass effect follow into Mass effect 2 to make a different story Multiple and different playthroughs in the first one can make each playthrough different in ways. Its a game that is worth multiple paythroughs, new and old characters and will be in to help shepherd fight the good fight. More in depth romance subplots are a quirky and interesting part the the first one introduced. All around this game is set up better than the first and doesn't have the graphic pop that ailed the first one also. Not the best game i've ever played but warrants a purchase if you own an Xbox 360 or a pc. 9/10… Expand
  70. RussellA
    Feb 6, 2010
    10
    Mass Effect 2 is simply put one of the best games ever made. Mass Effect was an innovative breakthrough in creating a game that tied cinematic events and dialogue in with the choice to create your own adventure, but it was very flawed in many areas. mass Effect 2 smashed those flaws and creates the same cinematic epic storytelling you decide, but injects it with incredibly fun Gears of Mass Effect 2 is simply put one of the best games ever made. Mass Effect was an innovative breakthrough in creating a game that tied cinematic events and dialogue in with the choice to create your own adventure, but it was very flawed in many areas. mass Effect 2 smashed those flaws and creates the same cinematic epic storytelling you decide, but injects it with incredibly fun Gears of war like battles, level design to match epic firefights, as well as improved powers and graphics The glory in mass effect 2 lies in its npc's though. The bulk of the game and story, which is admittedly a slow burn, involves recruiting and gaining the loyalty of your team you take into the suicide mission, and they are all amazing. Every character by the end feels so real and amazing in their own way, that the decisions and ending have you pacing back and forth to see who made it out of the wreckage. Mass Effect 2 cut away the fat that mass effect 1 had, improved its characters and story telling, vastly crafted a terrific game play experience, and created one of the most epic end games ever played. Mass Effect 2 is not to be missed, ever. Not playing it will be missing out on of the greatest games ever made, with a story unique to each, with thousands of decisions and dialogue to choose. Mass Effect 2 will leave your jaw dropping.… Expand
  71. ChrisP
    Feb 6, 2010
    10
    Wow, the amount of zeros and under 9's is outstanding... Complaining that there is too much dialogue and not enough shooting; is like buying a book and crying that there is not enough pictures. Just because you are handicap doesnt mean you are right - and your mom needs the internet back.
  72. ChristianR
    Feb 5, 2010
    9
    This game is not a massive improvement over but is still quite better than ME1. The charm/intimidate option relies on your actual choices instead of just assigning points. The game was noticably more cinematic and had great character driven story. There were some hiccups though: the new leveling system takes getting used to, it makes way to many references to the first game via the This game is not a massive improvement over but is still quite better than ME1. The charm/intimidate option relies on your actual choices instead of just assigning points. The game was noticably more cinematic and had great character driven story. There were some hiccups though: the new leveling system takes getting used to, it makes way to many references to the first game via the private terminal, and the mining is the epitome of boredom. But these flaws are relatively minor in the face of a story that put most books and movies to shame, characters with great depth, and the revitalized and more strategic combat system. I wholly recommend this game.… Expand
  73. TimD
    Feb 5, 2010
    9
    EA is a greedy company that ruins video games by "stream lining" it, which is a euphemism for "dumbed down". This is not Mass Effect, it's Gears of War with dialog trees. On my First play through as a Vanguard on veteran difficulty, I felt that skills were such an after thought that all I ended up doing was shooting as if I were playing a cookie cutter TPS. Had I rated this game EA is a greedy company that ruins video games by "stream lining" it, which is a euphemism for "dumbed down". This is not Mass Effect, it's Gears of War with dialog trees. On my First play through as a Vanguard on veteran difficulty, I felt that skills were such an after thought that all I ended up doing was shooting as if I were playing a cookie cutter TPS. Had I rated this game after I beat it I probably would have given it a 7/10, but when I went back and played as a sentinel on insane difficulty, it finally felt more like an RPG with TPS elements, also known as Mass Effect. They promised that our decisions in the first would be significant in the 2nd, but WOW were they lieing. Like you would think the decision to let the council live or die would be a game changer, but no... only difference is 1 short cut-scene of the council and a few lines of text. It is like the WRPG hit an amazing peak with Fallout 3 and Mass Effect 1 and just now lost its soul. Thanks EA!… Expand
  74. Erik
    Feb 5, 2010
    10
    If this game was released last year it would have definatly been my game of the decade, if you have a PC able to run this game, or an Xbox 360.... pick up this game now! Epic story, great Soundtrack, love able cast, great Voice actors... this is my dream come true! Bioware... thank you!
  75. Wulfenstein
    Feb 5, 2010
    8
    Well what can I say another game with huge hype but nothing really when you get to play it. I didn't get to play the first one just heard from word of mouth really but didn't get interested in it and gee sex scenes in games there borig enough in movies let alone in games and it's a crappy selling point to push a product ooo thers's a sex scene or you see some actress Well what can I say another game with huge hype but nothing really when you get to play it. I didn't get to play the first one just heard from word of mouth really but didn't get interested in it and gee sex scenes in games there borig enough in movies let alone in games and it's a crappy selling point to push a product ooo thers's a sex scene or you see some actress naked whoopiee...Anyway I bought the ME2 yes I agree kinda kool having your own ship recruiting your own crew kinda remined me of the series Firefly, you get to fly every where kinda like KOTOR..The controls felt stiff like GRAW they should have used the movement like RB6 V2 or Rogue Trooper the chracter has flexability to move in the enviroment..The team controls or team AI dumb seen better on RB6 V2 and The conflict series games..No destructable enviroments seen so much of it lately to have a game with nothing in it kinda felt weird..Graphics could have been alot better after seeing GOW 2, COD MW 1,2, Dead Space...Weapons not much upgrading there and the sysstems is untidy rather than keep going back into upgrade everytime you should be able to select what you want or can afford then close the screen..Whats with the planet scanning and probe man truthfully I feel asleep and the only reason I woke up is because my game pad vibrated to tell me that it found something..If your gonna send probes out at least we could find a lost base or a crashed ship or something not boring mining whatever it is..Or you scan a planet and it glows in different areas what minerals are there and you just slect areas and send out multiprobes at once half the time and gets you back into the game..There no close combat weapons most of the time the enemy comes towards you wanna do more than buttstroke with your weapon you wanna goto to town with a energy sword or chainsaw and just hack and move on. Guess maybe they do better in number 3 see what happens.… Expand
  76. B.M
    Feb 4, 2010
    10
    Don't listen to all the haters, this is an amazing game that captivates from the start, Its not a lot different from the 1st one but it does not need to be because that game was close enough to perfection anyway. Some little things have been improved though like the covering system, It uses a similar one to Gears Of War. If you haven't played the first game my advise would be to Don't listen to all the haters, this is an amazing game that captivates from the start, Its not a lot different from the 1st one but it does not need to be because that game was close enough to perfection anyway. Some little things have been improved though like the covering system, It uses a similar one to Gears Of War. If you haven't played the first game my advise would be to play through it first then play this one as the story is an integral part of the experience, also you can import your saved game from the first title so the decisions you made affect the story of the second game. I can't recommend this game enough, It is easily one of the best games ever made, a must buy.… Expand
  77. OliverM
    Feb 4, 2010
    10
    One of the greatest games ever made to date! Has the best party of characters (both in usefulness and background story, dialogue etc.) in any game I've ever played. The dialogue, graphics pacing and mix of both 'casual' and 'hardcore' elements are sublime! Definetly a must play for anybody with even the slightest interest in Sci-Fi. This is the Star Wars of video gaming!
  78. SebastianS
    Feb 4, 2010
    4
    It is one of them good games, but I think Fable is simply som much better! I went on Metacritic and rated Fable a 10, this doesn't deserve nearly as good. Finding the buttons on the controller is really hard, that's really a lot of ease in Fable. Especially in Fable 2. Mass Effect 2 i close, but not good.
  79. gonfreecs
    Feb 4, 2010
    10
    Excellent game,with superb characters and non stop action.This sequel is everything that ME1 should be.That's why ME2 has 96 points on Metacritic.com,which,by the way,is tied with another so called "perfect game" ,Uncharted 2. But while Uncharted 2 is just a mix between Tomb Raider and Gears of War. ME2 can offer more than gameplay...story. ME2 makes you feel under the skin of the Excellent game,with superb characters and non stop action.This sequel is everything that ME1 should be.That's why ME2 has 96 points on Metacritic.com,which,by the way,is tied with another so called "perfect game" ,Uncharted 2. But while Uncharted 2 is just a mix between Tomb Raider and Gears of War. ME2 can offer more than gameplay...story. ME2 makes you feel under the skin of the protagonist Shepard,your decisions will make the whole universe a worse or a better place.This game is not shallow and cinematic like Uncharted 2.This game has little details that,together,make this game an excellent experience. No one knew that ME2 would be so succesfull,and because of that Sony Fanboys like this guy named "K" are hating Bioware,just because a Xbox 360 game is good as a PS3 exclusive game...So,K and others Sony fanboys...Don't try to low ME2 score just for purpose,its childish and useless.Because everyone knows now that,without a doubt,Mass Effect 2 is the best game of the year 2010.… Expand
  80. MartinC
    Feb 4, 2010
    6
    Well... wasn't this game a dissappointment? Others here (of those with the red ratings) have commented on the lack of RPG-elements and boring 3rd person shooter gameplay. I just have one more example of how uninspired the developers must've been: I recently played through the The Ur-Quan Masters. (a port of the classic Star Control 2). An important part of this game is traveling Well... wasn't this game a dissappointment? Others here (of those with the red ratings) have commented on the lack of RPG-elements and boring 3rd person shooter gameplay. I just have one more example of how uninspired the developers must've been: I recently played through the The Ur-Quan Masters. (a port of the classic Star Control 2). An important part of this game is traveling to star systems and collecting resources. "Ah" you say. "That sounds like ME2!". Well, up to a point it is similar. The solar system is laid out in exactly the same way. You see the star, the planets, and their orbits. You move your ships between them to scan them and pick up resources. The thing is, though, that scanning the planets takes a few seconds in SC2, Then you launch a lander and drive around the planet (in 2-D view) shooting nasty aliens, dodging earthquakes, lightning and fire while picking up the resources. This entire process takes about as long as it takes to "loot" a planet in ME2. In ME2 the same process consists of scanning the planet (by holding down the left mouse button while slowly moving your mouse around) and collecting it's resources by clicking the right mouse button... Really. This is something you have to do quite a bit of in the game, and they couldn't come up with a system that was at least half as entertaining as what Accolade managed almost 18 years ago? Mass Effect 2 is a shadow of what it could've been.… Expand
  81. Chris
    Feb 3, 2010
    10
    I've seen people rating it low for running too slow, but you can actually sprint in the game, lolwut? Yeah, lrn2play people. Also the first ME1 wasn't nearly as great as ME2, ME1 was lagging, if you were to fight more than one person you'd lag everywhere, the DLCs in ME1 showed that. The Mako in ME1 was annoying, and if people are saying ME1 is better, they don't know I've seen people rating it low for running too slow, but you can actually sprint in the game, lolwut? Yeah, lrn2play people. Also the first ME1 wasn't nearly as great as ME2, ME1 was lagging, if you were to fight more than one person you'd lag everywhere, the DLCs in ME1 showed that. The Mako in ME1 was annoying, and if people are saying ME1 is better, they don't know anything. If you don't like the shooter type of gamestyle for those RPG fans, become an adept, use your powers to throw people, slam, or knock people over. People also complaining about audio level? Lol, learn to press start and go to options and make the music lower? And it's thermal clips so the gun can reload faster when it overheats. In ME1, when it overheated, it took forever to get it back to normal.… Expand
  82. HarveyB
    Feb 3, 2010
    10
    Mass Effect 2 is an exceptional game in which it surpasses the original in so many aspects. The graphics have taken a jump since Mass Effect. technical hiccups, such as the long elevator loading times have also been eliminated. The story is one of the greatest in Sci-Fi action gaming and can hold its own with the likes of Star Wars and Star Trek. as a Xbox 360 owner, do yourself the favor Mass Effect 2 is an exceptional game in which it surpasses the original in so many aspects. The graphics have taken a jump since Mass Effect. technical hiccups, such as the long elevator loading times have also been eliminated. The story is one of the greatest in Sci-Fi action gaming and can hold its own with the likes of Star Wars and Star Trek. as a Xbox 360 owner, do yourself the favor and get this game. It is an enriching space opera in which you, the player are the person who makes all the decisions and will ultimately, save the galaxy. Game of the year in January? most likely.… Expand
  83. stiana.
    Feb 3, 2010
    10
    I played the game, and I liked it. It made for a fun 32 Hour experience. At the end 7 hours went by without me noticing, I have a hard time focusing on a thing for long. I have not played the first game, and this intrigued me to check out the first game. Please, if you find the game to be average give it a average vote, IE 4-6. I think the 1up review (A-) gave a good and reflected run on I played the game, and I liked it. It made for a fun 32 Hour experience. At the end 7 hours went by without me noticing, I have a hard time focusing on a thing for long. I have not played the first game, and this intrigued me to check out the first game. Please, if you find the game to be average give it a average vote, IE 4-6. I think the 1up review (A-) gave a good and reflected run on the strengths, weaknesses and differences between the first and second. This is not an up-vote down-vote. Even thought i give it a clean hypocritical up-vote.… Expand
  84. DaveJ
    Feb 3, 2010
    7
    ME2 is a good shooter and a fun game, for what is is. The problem is that I wanted an RPG, not a shooter. I want depth, a non-linear structure, missions where I don't have to shoot stuff, character development, conversations that have an effect on the world and the characters in it. I want to explore and lose myself in an imaginary world, not just go down corridor after corridor ME2 is a good shooter and a fun game, for what is is. The problem is that I wanted an RPG, not a shooter. I want depth, a non-linear structure, missions where I don't have to shoot stuff, character development, conversations that have an effect on the world and the characters in it. I want to explore and lose myself in an imaginary world, not just go down corridor after corridor hiding behind conveniently-placed barriers shooting waves of aliens before flicking a switch and getting an end-of-level screen, like a 90s shooter. A good game for what it is, but a huge step backwards in every area (bar graphics) from the first game.… Expand
  85. LukeG
    Feb 3, 2010
    10
    This game is the one of the best story telling games iv played the last one to come up to this standed was Shenmue i can honestly say that i can find any fault thats worth not getting it for the only thing i will say is the loading screens take a long time but thats it really once you get over that little hitch you will feel the inbrace this game will have on you.
  86. joshD
    Feb 3, 2010
    10
    Ive gamed since the days of the atari 2600. No kidding, greatest game I've ever played. The low scores some of these people are posting in this area are a joke. They are either ps3 clowns, or they want the fast pace twitchy shooter. This game has everything, and every decision you make determines how the game plays out! Amazing amazing game!
  87. k
    Feb 2, 2010
    10
    I have never personally given a game a 10/10. But this game utterly deserves it. It's not perfect, though. Some would argue "if it's not perfect it's not a 10/10!" I disagree. The Normandy loading times are tedious and kill the immersion in one particular mission. There is not as much armor cust as I thought. But my biggest gripe is that the game ended. Yes, I'm I have never personally given a game a 10/10. But this game utterly deserves it. It's not perfect, though. Some would argue "if it's not perfect it's not a 10/10!" I disagree. The Normandy loading times are tedious and kill the immersion in one particular mission. There is not as much armor cust as I thought. But my biggest gripe is that the game ended. Yes, I'm serious. Slight spoiler No game has ever made me feel emotion for the characters. I hated Mordin when I first met him, then I was pissed off when he died in MY playthrough. Thane and Miranda's side quests were INCREDIBLE. I liked EVERYONE on my team, even Garrus and Tali, who I thought were boring and uninteresting in part 1. The combat, the scope, the graphics, the presentation, that's all expected in a great game. But what Mass EFfect has that others do not is the best characters to ever appear in a video game. That's what sets it apart and that's why it's the best game I've ever played. Genius.… Expand
  88. TerryG
    Feb 2, 2010
    9
    This game just set the gold standard for what an Xbox 360 game should look and play like. The story is intense, regardless of the doldrums in the middle of the game. This is also a great example of what a science fiction epic should feel like, a feeling not felt since your first trip through Star Wars. Yes there were some points where I begged the question "Why?" but for the most part the This game just set the gold standard for what an Xbox 360 game should look and play like. The story is intense, regardless of the doldrums in the middle of the game. This is also a great example of what a science fiction epic should feel like, a feeling not felt since your first trip through Star Wars. Yes there were some points where I begged the question "Why?" but for the most part the galaxy is expansive and with my first play through topping 30 hours I was not left feeling like I could have done more. Looking forward to ME3 and hoping they keep up the good work.… Expand
  89. Matt
    Feb 2, 2010
    10
    One of the best and most absorbing game experiences I've had in recent memory. The improvements to presentation and gameplay are stellar, but without making the original title obsolete. The level of engagement with the characters and story is on par with my adolescent obsession with Final Fantasy. This is an RPG for the maturing gamer, and a step forward for the genre. Unlike most One of the best and most absorbing game experiences I've had in recent memory. The improvements to presentation and gameplay are stellar, but without making the original title obsolete. The level of engagement with the characters and story is on par with my adolescent obsession with Final Fantasy. This is an RPG for the maturing gamer, and a step forward for the genre. Unlike most sequels, if the first one didn't do it for you, this one might just change your mind. Highly recommended.… Expand
  90. Shad0wCK
    Feb 2, 2010
    5
    Being a massive Mass Effect 1 fan, I was hyped for number 2. Mass Effect 2 IS good and I enjoyed the storyline, however there were many flaws I just couldn't overlook, like the not-so-amazing cover system, linear gameplay and, most annoying of all, the suprisingly average visuals. Like I said, this game is still a good RPG and I would recommend it to any ME1 fan, but it just seemed Being a massive Mass Effect 1 fan, I was hyped for number 2. Mass Effect 2 IS good and I enjoyed the storyline, however there were many flaws I just couldn't overlook, like the not-so-amazing cover system, linear gameplay and, most annoying of all, the suprisingly average visuals. Like I said, this game is still a good RPG and I would recommend it to any ME1 fan, but it just seemed to overhype and under-deliver to me. I would advise renting it.… Expand
  91. GaryK
    Feb 2, 2010
    10
    Put a lot of effort to get this running on windows through my Macbook Pro, and it was so worth it. It is very rare I can say this, but this is one of my favourite games ever made, up there with Crash Warped, MGS3, Uncharted 2 and perhaps Halo 2 (first main online game of mine).
  92. AndrewS
    Feb 2, 2010
    10
    I was disappointed at first due to the changes from ME1, but after spending sometime with ME2, it's an awesome achievement of storytelling and gameplay. I loved the way ME1 played (in the minority on that) and after sometime, I realized the brilliance of ME2. Bioware really listened to criticisms of the inventory system and side missions in ME1, not only making them better, but they I was disappointed at first due to the changes from ME1, but after spending sometime with ME2, it's an awesome achievement of storytelling and gameplay. I loved the way ME1 played (in the minority on that) and after sometime, I realized the brilliance of ME2. Bioware really listened to criticisms of the inventory system and side missions in ME1, not only making them better, but they added whole new great systems/features to replace them. Bravo.… Expand
  93. Ben
    Feb 2, 2010
    10
    I give it a 10 because it deserves it, in spite of the few issues i have with the game. In comparison with the first, which will be in my type 5 all-time forever, they increased the length and depth, which was my main complaint then. But i was rather disappointed to see weapons and gear in general basically go out the window, that is not really acceptable to me in an rpg. Not to mention I give it a 10 because it deserves it, in spite of the few issues i have with the game. In comparison with the first, which will be in my type 5 all-time forever, they increased the length and depth, which was my main complaint then. But i was rather disappointed to see weapons and gear in general basically go out the window, that is not really acceptable to me in an rpg. Not to mention you can only level up at the end of a "mission" and killing stuff gives no exp. this time around. They also removed some depth from the skills/level system in general which was also disappointing. In all, it is a monumental game, but I haven't gotten past these changes yet. People complained about the inventory screen in the first(which I had no issue with) and you got what you wanted, thanks. I guess I would have to give a 9.5 if I could.… Expand
  94. JacobK
    Feb 2, 2010
    10
    As a veteran gamer and lover of roleplaying games as well as a fan of Mass Effect 1 and of all Bioware games I am ecstatic to say that ME2 does not disappoint. By playing this game, one will immerse themselves in a beautifully crafted universe that takes place in the 23rd century. Bioware has created a fantasy world that is believable and rivals that of J.R.R. Tolkien's middle-earth. As a veteran gamer and lover of roleplaying games as well as a fan of Mass Effect 1 and of all Bioware games I am ecstatic to say that ME2 does not disappoint. By playing this game, one will immerse themselves in a beautifully crafted universe that takes place in the 23rd century. Bioware has created a fantasy world that is believable and rivals that of J.R.R. Tolkien's middle-earth. No RPG to date can rival ME2. Bioware took every aspect of the first game that players weren't satisfied with and revamped the entire ME game play. No more tedious, redundant world explorations but rather new unique experiences that are discovered by scanning worlds; no more pointless minerals, which are now used for upgrades; no more driving an all-too-boring mako; no more inventory mayhem, where instead there is no traditional inventory; no linear classes but instead class options that will provide a new experience each playthrough. These are just some examples of how ME2 outdoes its predecessor. Most notable though is how ME2 introduces characters in a fashion that is unrivaled by any game in existence today. With ME2, not only do you immerse yourself in a stupendous and fantastical universe but also plunge yourself into the depths of characters you meet in your travels; each character with a unique and realistic personality that encompasses and runs parallel with the ME universe. With such engrossing game play, grandiose storytelling, fantastically crafted universe and realistic NPC/squadmates that everyone can relate to ME2 does not leave much to criticize. But no game comes without criticism, and while ME2 has a poultry amount of criticisms compared to other games, some aspects of the game could be better. Mainly what got me included the minuscule amount of weapons at your disposal. For example, there are 2 assault riffles (one other that I don't count but isn't available to everyone), 2 submachine guns and 2 pistols, and while there are more types of weapons to choose from their are few versions in each category. Another aspect that can be looked down on is the strip of the inventory system to the few weapons and upgrades; in other words, the "loot" aspect of ME1 is not present. Furthermore, the mining of minerals is extremely boring and slow, where these minerals are needed for upgrades. As far as glitches go, ME2 has no more and maybe fewer than any game it might relate to upon release. Despite these very few criticisms that one can make for ME2, they are all irrelevant because of the overflow of entrainment and excitement the game brings to its players. Even if the player has not played ME1, this a game not to pass up on. Rent it, buy it, get all the achievements, import character from ME1, do whatever it is that will enable you to play this hell of a great game.… Expand
  95. AdrianM
    Feb 2, 2010
    10
    Mass Effect 2 is simply awe-inspiring. After having just completed the first installment, for the second time, the week before Mass Effect 2's release, I could easily note the numerous references to the first game. The storyline, graphics, and streamlined combat make this game a must-have and, in my humble opinion, the best Xbox 360 game to date. The whole Mass Effect universe has Mass Effect 2 is simply awe-inspiring. After having just completed the first installment, for the second time, the week before Mass Effect 2's release, I could easily note the numerous references to the first game. The storyline, graphics, and streamlined combat make this game a must-have and, in my humble opinion, the best Xbox 360 game to date. The whole Mass Effect universe has been solidified and expanded upon in this game, and BioWare definitely outdid themselves and have put the Mass Effect franchise on the top of many gamers' lists of favorites. The storyline is capturing, the characters are memorable (and you learn to love them), and all of the characters from the previous game are there albeit unavailable. Mass Effect fans will surely enjoy the game, and new players in the Mass Effect games will find themselves enjoying it anyway. I would, however, encourage people to buy or rent the first game before playing this game. Most RPG fans will love the detail in the storyline of the first game, and it will make Mass Effect 2 an even more enjoyable experience.… Expand
  96. MilesE
    Feb 1, 2010
    10
    This game has absolutely fantastic pacing, voice acting, animation, gunplay and a truly great blend of action and traditional RPG elements. BioWare has taken a step forward and dispensed with some of the more "useless" busywork that wouldn't contribute or make sense to the kind of series Mass Effect is striving to be. If you're a fan of fantastic story - play this game. If This game has absolutely fantastic pacing, voice acting, animation, gunplay and a truly great blend of action and traditional RPG elements. BioWare has taken a step forward and dispensed with some of the more "useless" busywork that wouldn't contribute or make sense to the kind of series Mass Effect is striving to be. If you're a fan of fantastic story - play this game. If you're a fan of diverse action - play this game. If you're a fan of science fiction - play this game. If you're a fan of games in general, you OWE it to yourself to play this game.… Expand
  97. OneDimension
    Feb 1, 2010
    0
    Utter drivel. All the RPG elements that made the first ME stand out from all other Shooters are gone. Its been dumb do..err I mean 'streamlined' to a point where it almost feels totally pointless choosing a class & lvling up. No weapon, armour skills, or class restrictions. You dont even get exp for killing enemies. Pathetic. You could literally just set levelling to auto and Utter drivel. All the RPG elements that made the first ME stand out from all other Shooters are gone. Its been dumb do..err I mean 'streamlined' to a point where it almost feels totally pointless choosing a class & lvling up. No weapon, armour skills, or class restrictions. You dont even get exp for killing enemies. Pathetic. You could literally just set levelling to auto and you wouldnt be missing out on anything. That none of this is being criticised is just beyond belief. I'm sorry but this IS garbage, anyone could of gone and made this. Looks like the once mighty Bioware has finally fallen from grace. Sad.… Expand
  98. WilliamD.
    Feb 1, 2010
    10
    Game was great. The devolpments in some of the events are truely touching. While I am a huge bioware fan this if the first game where the emotional choice actually made me care about them aside from which female am i pursueing this trip?
  99. polysix
    Feb 1, 2010
    0
    Ok it's not a ZERO, that is ridiculous. However, I for one am SICK of seeing every 'massive name game' getting 10/10 from the sheep players and the shilling reviewers. This has happened to almost all the big name games recently (ok.. for years) and I'll keep on giving zero to games that are getting 10s when they are worth '8' at best... on a good day, if you Ok it's not a ZERO, that is ridiculous. However, I for one am SICK of seeing every 'massive name game' getting 10/10 from the sheep players and the shilling reviewers. This has happened to almost all the big name games recently (ok.. for years) and I'll keep on giving zero to games that are getting 10s when they are worth '8' at best... on a good day, if you squint really hard. Now to the game. For all the hype and praise I was badly let down. I almost fell asleep during the first few hours play. The initial opening scene was nicely done, very good (if you want 'interactive movies' rather than games), it seemed to go downhill after that. When you compare this to the quality in for ex Uncharted 2, it shows so much lack of flair, lack of care, lack of finishing touches. The textures throughout the levels were bland, reminding me of 'poor man's FPS' from the past such as Chaser and all that crud from the early 2000s. Seriously the design is poor, lacking originality, lacking artistic direction and relying on the age old 'generic space theme'. Design was boxy, levels (so far) linear and poorly paced. It was like bioware tried to hybrid this game a bit too much and have ended up removing anything that was cool about it (the RPG depth) and making, frankly, a 2nd rate Third person shooter with clunky controls, poor interface and worst of all EXTREMELY BORING GAMEPLAY. If you play Gears of War or Uncharted 2... or even Resident Evil 4 on the GC.. THAT is how you do '3rd person' properly. This game and it's predecessor were obviously made by a team who don't truly understand how to make a tight addictive 'action' game, and instead rely on the so called 'depth' and vision of the story and concept. It doesn't wash with me. I honestly can't recall a time in recent years I've been this BORED while playing such a 'massive' game. I'm trading mine in asap while the price is still good (If I can) if not looks like I really should stop taking any review site seriously. Ask yourself, while playing this, are you genuinely feeling 'fun'? are you feeling that there is more to pull you through the game than some lame (though nicely scripted and pretty looking) cut scene? I certainly did not relish getting back to the so called 'action' (wooh more shooting with an underpowered and clunky set of weapons) I guess most of all I was astonished at the number of cliches this game spews over the player while being heralded as the second coming of gaming nirvana. I lost all connection with the game because of it's clinical delivery, it's 'by the numbers' action gameplay, and it's robotic characters. The female is annoying, often repeating her lines once too often during battle (it's 2010 people, I thought that kind of thing had been fixed in games these days?). Of course lots and lots of people are still going to buy this, just like the brainless sheep (even worse) who made Modern Warfare 2 the 'beacon' of a once proud industry. Nothing I say will damage Bioware's sales, or stop you from buying it if you are hyped up for it. For me however, it all felt like it was trying too hard to be 'something' it wasn't, with no clear, punchy definition of it's own. It's borrowed ideas and innovations from other games and mixed it up into something that lacks soul or reason to play (other than because the reviews said you should). Ahh just another game in a long line of stupidly overhyped AAA titles that are keeping the industry rich through collusion and payola with review sites. Next up? I guess we'll have Bioshock 2 being 'the greatest thing ever' according to the mags/sites... Just like they did with the first game (which was also overhyped and had terrible gameplay, as bad as I thought it's gameplay was it was actually ever so slightly more fun than ME2's gameplay so that's how bad ME2 is!). There are good 'hyped' games out there, Uncharted 2 is one of them, not perfect but it's solid, addictive and feels compelling. It's art direction and animation are worlds beyond the basic '1999 style' generic corridor shooter we see here. I know i'm picky, I can't help it... I can't help noticing things in ME2 like the lazy texturing (check out the ramps up to the outside buildings in the first levels, many have misaligned textures with no 'trimming' just stopping dead at the end of the mesh - even if it means the texture is cut in half)... that kind of thing was frowned upon way back in user created maps for games like unreal etc so why are pro devs getting away with this lazy 'mapping' and getting 10/10 for graphics/art? Ok a sum up of the bad points ( I won't list the good stuff as there's thousands of 10/10 reviews doing that if you care). .Linear to the point of boredom (Just 'working your way though cos you bought it not cos you are having a blast') .Generic level design .Bad texturing (sky/clouds even feature stretched and flat 'clouds' again say hello to 1999!) .Tiny/Bad UI - blocky and unintuitive .Abrupt level ending. No finesse, just 'map after map' with some cut scenes tacked on. Again check Uncharted2 for one example of how to do this right with 'flair' .Boring and unsympathetic characters. The complete opposite of the great work done in games like Half Life 2 (and again even U2). .Shine on everything, they like them shaders at bioware and they are using them on everything - some may think that makes for 'great graphics' but it doesn't. It looks stupid, it's still a boxy empty lifeless environment that is no pleasure to be in .Clinical to the point of feeling like numb .Ill defined gameplay - is it one thing or the other? neither, it's a mess in terms of gameplay. .Story? Hmm, probably it's strongest side but again it's nothing special, been done to death, they just changed the name of the 'baddies' ... yawn .Overhyped. When a game is overhyped such as this, it better be damned near perfect. Even with flaws it's ok but this is so lacklustre in so many areas it's a crime against videogaming to be calling this 'the best game of the year' so early. I for one hope we'll get more games on all formats this year that are at least 10x better than this. btw: IMO and YMMV. Thanks.… Expand
  100. QuinnS.
    Feb 1, 2010
    10
    Bioware did not make this game to suit a more casual crowd. The casual crowd is not going to put 20 plus hours for the bare bones run of the games story and expect it to appeal to Wii gamers. They made it more shooter to expand there market, sure, but thats not a bad thing, and its trying to fix what people criticized most about the first.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2010
2
#2 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
8
#8 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 98 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 98 out of 98
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 98
  3. Negative: 0 out of 98
  1. Official Xbox Magazine
    95
    Mass Effect 2 overcomes its few gameplay weaknesses with a fantastic weave of dynamic combat, lavish presentation, and engaging character and weapon customization. But for all the myriad improvements that make Mass Effect 2's visuals so appealing and its combat so exhilarating, it's ultimately the way it moves us that makes it so memorable. [Feb 2010, p.56]
  2. games(TM)
    100
    Despite all of the ways Mass Effect 2 is more engaging to play and explore, after 35 remarkable hours it was the characters that stayed with us… Game of the year in January? Oh, go on then. [Feb 2010, p.112]
  3. X-ONE Magazine UK
    100
    Both an astonishing RPG and confident shooter, Mass Effect 2 is daring, shocking and often awe-inspiring in its use of choice. This is the future of storytelling in videogames. [Issue#, p.85]
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