Mass Effect 2
Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. ‘FUD’ to those in the know. From the mid 70′s onward, technology companies have been using FUD as a technique to retain customers, and discourage behaviors that are not preferred by users. From Microsoft spreading FUD about OS2′s instability, to Apple spreading FUD about how jailbroken iPhones have worse call quality. FUD works. It makes people who don’t understand the magic inside the box stick to the plan, and not take the risk. In Mass Effect 2, Bioware has woven a perfect scenario of FUD, which propels you forward in your quest to build a team, and tackle a completely unknown entity for the safety of the human species. Only after steeling your nerves, learning as much as you can, and having faith in your team, will you prevail. This is the essence of the full story arch of Mass Effect 2. One of the finest games to have graced my screen in many years.
To any normal gamer looking over the shelves, Mass Effect 2 may look like any other sci-fi action sequel. Dudes with space armor and guns, big number 2 on the front, an EA logo slathered over the corner. You know, a big budget game. Hopefully, the marketing machine has given you all a little hint that this is a bit more special. Sci-fi video games rarely advertise around huge sports events, and for good reason. This however, is the exception to the rule. Every dork in the world already knew this was coming.. but every jock in the world may finally put down their copy of Modern Warfare 2, and give this epic game a spin.
The gameplay in Mass Effect 2 blurs many genres. It’s at one time, a very competent 3rd person shooter, with the Gears of War style pop-n-shot action we’ve all come to love (tnx Cliffy). It’s also a dialog based game with amazing facial animation & mood. Easily comparing to the strongest competitor in any other story driven adventure game. It also takes a swing at the western RPG genre, allowing for classes, parties, inventory management, skill tree upgrades, and the like. There’s even a *tiny* throwback to turn based role-playing through the radial menus, which pause the action so you can direct your party to use their abilities on specific enemies. Toss in the seldom used squad combat tactics, ala Rainbow Six, and you drop ME2 firmly into the “busts all genres” category. Of course you have the ever-persistent Bioware “good-vs-bad” meters, but this time, they’re non-exclusive! You can been a good guy, with the occasional bad-ass moment, with little penalty.
ME2 improves on ME1 in virtually every category. The graphics are improved in all aspects. Fidelity, lighting, reduced pop-up and texture loading, bump mapping is crisper across the board, blur & special effects are dropped in the right spots. It’s a huge upgrade. But graphics are not where it ends. The pacing, levels of engagement with the party members, even the side missions are all improved. Anyone familiar with ME1 will recall the listless hours spent roaming a planet in the disaster of a buggy. That’s all now replaced with a very nice landing shuttle, and 100% unique random missions. Not once, did I feel like I was repeating something I had done before. This is a massive upgrade, and one that must have taken the time & commitment of literally hundreds of people working tirelessly for months on end. Even the dreaded elevators have been perfectly replaced with (over 20 by my count) contextual loading screens that fit exactly into the portion of the game & story that you’re moving into at that time. Stunning.
Now, back to FUD. The one thing that struck me as completely essential to the Mass Effect 2 game was the clear and constant looming threat of the endgame. Early on in ME2 you are tasked with taking on what appears to be a suicide mission. You can build up your team, equipment, and insights to prepare.. but regardless, at a certain point you have to take a deep breath, and set off on a mission that you simply cannot turn back from. The story arc planners use fear, uncertainty, and doubt to let you know just how serious this end game will be. You will take losses, you may not make it yourself. No one knows what lies on the other side of the Omega relay, but once you’ve grown a pair, you will.
This struck me like few games before it ever have. I spent literally *hours* exploring, scanning, buying gear, leveling up.. all because I saw that endgame right in front of me, and I was too afraid to start it. I was seriously looking for any good reason to NOT go in there. This impresses me beyond belief. Bioware have managed to create an environment where I can see the end of the game coming a mile away, but still I delay. Still I look for reasons to not fire up the Omega relay and test myself. Genius.
Finally, after gaining the loyalty of my entire team, securing my romantic pursuits, and fortifying my ship beyond any other in the known galaxy, I took the plunge. While I’ll refrain from details of the endgame, rest assured, every decision you’ve made, every friend you’ve helped, and every single person you’ve convinced to help you in your cause comes into play in an important and valuable way. Rarely do we as gamers get to see the repercussions of our actions from the hours before play out so elegantly on the screen during the final moments of a epic like this.
One Liner: Amazing breadth of exploration, great characters and a gripping endgame. Pure epic gaming.
Final Grade: [A+]