Why Mass Effect 2 Is One of the Best Games Ever Made!

Posted on March 01, 2019

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“I’m Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel!”

9 years ago, one of the best games ever, in my opinion at least, was released. That game is Mass Effect 2. Now, I am about a month off from the 9 year anniversary, but better late than never? Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing video game developed by Bioware and published by Electronic Arts in January 2010.

Why Mass Effect 2 is One of the Best Games Ever Made!

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The game tells the story of Commander Shepard, immediately after the events of the first game (no worries if you haven’t played the first one, they do a pretty good job of telling you what happened. I still have never played it). In the beginning of Mass Effect 2 (will be known as ME2 from now on), your character is blasted into space and dies after a breach in their suit. They are soon picked up by Cerberus, who begins the Lazarus Project on Shepard. This is the part of the game where you get to choose your gender, appearance, background, name and character class. After this, you are thrust into the game, where you have to escape with the help of two Cerberus agents, Jacob Taylor, and Miranda Lawson.

Why Mass Effect 2 is One of the Best Games Ever Made!

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After escaping, you are sent to meet the Illusive Man, who has you investigate a recently attacked colony, where you then find clues that the Reapers are working through an insectoid group known as the Collectors. You then return to the Illusive Man and he informs you the Reapers are working in the Omega-4 Relay, somewhere no ship has ever returned from. He tasks you with building a team, to go thru the Omega-4 Relay, and fight the Collectors. Building your team is not easy, but he does give you a list to help out. Shepard is also given command of the new Normandy ship, similar to the one in ME1, equipped with their same pilot, Joker, and a new AI feature named EDI. Shepard recruits a Salarian doctor, Mordin Solus, old squad member, Garrus Vakarian, ex-con Jack, and (optionally, but why wouldn’t you?) a Krogan named Grunt. After recruiting these squad members, the Illusive Man informs you that another colony is under attack. After dealing with this, you can recruit former squad member and Quarian Tali’Zorah, Drell assassin Thane Krios and Asari justicar, Samara. After the squad is formed you are sent to disable a Collector ship, with this, however, you find some information you aren’t quite so happy with (no spoilers here!), and later visit a derelict Reaper ship, where you acquire the item you will need to safely pass through the Omega-4 Relay. After this, this is your final chance to do any major side missions you have not done, as the final “Suicide Mission” is about to occur. I won’t give too many spoilers on the final mission, but you get to fight some Collectors/Reapers, and your choices from earlier in the game, are reflected on this moment, and finally…(I’m going to end the summary here with no spoilers so for those who haven’t played it, can have the same experience everyone had when they first played it).

Why Mass Effect 2 is One of the Best Games Ever Made!

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If you couldn’t already tell, ME2 takes place in space, or more specifically the Milky Way galaxy. You can control (to an extent) where your ship goes, and even mine for resources on planets you don’t get to travel too. With missions, you get to select two squad members of your choosing to bring along, and juggling them around is always a good idea (except i never did this. I literally brought Jack and Jacob to every mission in my whole play through, except for missions where I couldn’t). You also have companion missions for your squad members, that are recommend, so they have more loyalty, so their fate is less grim at the end of the game. These missions are fun, as you can learn more about your squad members, and even see how the interact with each other as well. With Bioware, romance is an option. Both Male!Shep and Fem!Shep have their own straight romances, but there are also squad members that are bi, and can be romanced by either gender of Shepard. There are a series of steps that must be taken, including missions, with a final cut scene before the end of the game, to cement the relationship. (Don’t judge, but I love romances in games?). The music is gorgeous and adds to the atmosphere of the game, especially during tense moments. There is also a morality meter within the game. You can either be nice, in the middle, or rude to people, and will get different perks based on which one you choose. (I’m always nice in video games, because i’m nice in real life, and don’t want to hurt a characters feelings, except the Illusive Man, i’ll hurt his feelings). You also don’t have to be nice all the time, or mean all the time, it can depend on the character too (*ahem* Illusive Man *ahem*). The graphics in this game aren’t bad for 2010, and the story and game play is fun. You’ll fall in love with the characters in your squad, and will want to protect them like your own. This game is one of my favorites for that reason, and for many others.

Why Mass Effect 2 is One of the Best Games Ever Made!

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This game also has DLC, that will give you a few more companions, and extra missions is you so wish to purchase it, but it’s not necessary, as I didn’t and still had a great game experience! You can travel to different planets, and even go (space) shopping, but it’s not required as you collect items from fallen aliens you kill. You can also level up, and purchase enhancements throughout the game, which helps out a lot during the tough boss battles. These are just some of the more technical aspects that add to an already great game!

Why Mass Effect 2 is One of the Best Games Ever Made!

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So, if you like space games, and games with great stories that you get to shoot aliens in, then this game is for you! And if you haven’t played Mass Effect 2 yet, then what are you waiting for? Go and pick up a copy today!!!!

“This is Commander Shepard, signing off” (This is from the third game, but it’s still one of my favorite quotes).

Rating: 9.5/10

(Only 9.5 because there are some missions that just irk me so much…)

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