Product ReviewsMass Effect 2 (Microsoft Xbox 360, 2010)

Not as good as the first.

ME2 was a great game in many ways. It has great voice acting, an engrossing story, and beautiful graphics but there was just something about the game that felt off the entire time I was playing.
r>Pros:

-Great story: follows the first one very well and has some truly heart wrenching moments.

-Fantastic characters: All of the characters stories are just so well done it is unbelievable. (Great voice acting)

-Beautiful graphics: The scenery is really something to admire in this game. Everything from the cities to Shepard's animations are really just done so well.

Cons:

-Way too Linear: Sure when your not in a mission you can do whatever you want, but as soon as you enter a mission you have to follow one straight path. There is no exploration and it really took away from the game.

-The little things- ME2 was dumbed down to gain a wider audience. The series quickly went from the new standard of rpg's in ME1 to a shooter with rpg elements. Many of the problems with the first game weren't fixed, they were simply removed.

1-10 (1 being worst and 10 the best)
Fun Factor- 9 (Still a very fun game to play)
Graphics - 9
Longevity/Replay Value - 8 (The classes aren't as fun to play. There's really no reason to choose anything outside of a soldier.)
Audio - 10
DLC - 7 (DLC Adds a lot to this game, but the cost is heavy for every download, and much of it is insignificant with little to now replay.)Read full review...

Good, not excellent but Good

Similar games: Fallout 3, Oblivion, Borderlands, Bioshock

I've played through the first Mass Effect game, enjoyed it enough after I played it that I went through many playthroughs to get the achievements and afterward bought all the released DLC's because I liked it.

There are many changes in Mass Effect 2, for me it was leveling up, you dont get credit for shooting things; only upon mission completion, to me that sucks, at least I can max my Renegade stat.
The aiming feature is improved, its not as wobbly or shaky. The interactive scenes are good and so are the cut scenes. The studio should consider doing an animated film for this game.

If you played and enjoyed the first game, this game is definitely what I call a game better than the one before it, the DLC's are out and I think, the DLC with Liara in it (I have a thing for blue women since the last game) titled "Shadow Broker" is one of the best DLC's I've played.

There was a lot of tweaking of earlier stuff from the first game and a lot of things were taken out of the first game which I thought were helpful, a lot of things added that are helpful too. If your a COD4, Halo or MOH Player, this game will be a hit or miss with you, if your an Oblivion or Fallout 3 player, this game might perk some interest.Read full review...

Great all around game

Great all around game. Difficult to read what the words on the TV screen say most of the time even after switching TV's. But the game play is very addicting. Something about how the controller vibrates when you put a bullet in someones body or incinerating (setting them on fire) is very satisfying. And the whole saving the galaxy 1 mission and side quest at a time is very appealing. Granted this game is more adult friendly and not really for young children. But under watchful responsible parenting/guardianing this game can be lots of fun for the entire family. I'm playing it right now. Already on disc 2. I spend at least 5 to 7 hours daily on it off and on. LOOOOOOOVE Mass Effect 2 (ME 2) and would strongly recommend it if you like RPG/exploration/multiple choice type games as this has all of it mixed. Even has romance option if you wish to earn some extra things.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: nwjaks

One of the best video game franchises ever!

Compelling storyline with innovative gameplay. This game was years ahead of its time and has outlasted its peers in terms of longevity. Still one of the best games ever mad to date.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: mikenew02

The saga continues in this AAA title

The galaxy of Mass Effect has been masterfully expanded upon albeit with the game play being streamlined. Having played through the original title years ago I was skeptical if BioWare could really follow through with all that was promised. I've waited to purchase till it was in the budget title range. I played the 1st hour not signed in with autosave off (as if I hadn't played Mass Effect 1) just to see what the base story had to offer.
I have to say I sure am glad I keep that old save file on my cloud. Importing my Mass Effect 1 character into Mass Effect 2 was seamless. The differences in the story abound many of those morality choices matter & it was thoroughly satisfying, although you keep your face; collectible items from the original are all lost: every weapon, all that armor, all those credits lost, even the XP & Paragon/Renegade points. ME2 attempts to make up for this translating your prior status into stats that are compatible with the new interface.

Graphics: Exceed contemporary standards for Q1 2010.

GamePlay: Fast paced & still level up RPG rooted.
Errors: None of the glitching textures from the original.

Learning Curve: The game has a basic control scheme and appropriate scaling of difficulty levels.

Replay Value: Exponentially change your character; switching your gender or class, changing morality choices, do you have the endurance to rifle through the marathon of content on INSANITY an excess for 40HRS or do you plan to run through on easy in 8HRS just to see what happens.

Sound Design: EPIC USE OF DOLBY DIGITAL SURROUND SOUND & the voice acting is second to none.

Downloadable Content: The majority of which is not value adding (like paying for more outfits) and getting this game on XBOX 360 we get screwed as some of this content is included in the PS3 release( Kasumi: Stolen Memories, Overlord, and Lair of the Shadow Broker)... keep your eye out for an XBOX LIVE Deal of the Day perhaps you can get it on the low.

Progression: This game make strides not just as a sequel to the series; but for the genre as well cinematic quality detail, action & excitement, along with solid story telling are becoming the new standard in the lexicon of RPGs. It's no longer simply: turn based attack, flashy non-engine cut-scene, then more cave trolling for loot.

WildCard: If you enjoy Sci-Fi you can envision this as a near future depiction of Star Trek meeting Star Wars in this Rated "M" for mature environment.

*Mass Effect Trilogy vs Skyrim... get em both!Read full review...

The best of the trilogy

This game is the best of the trilogy. i already have all 3 on the ps3 and i liked it so much that now i have the trilogy on the 360. it's a great story, great graphics. Bioware hit it out of the park with this trilogy (except the ending of the 3rd one. everybody needs to get this trilogy if you don't have it yet.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: oldsportstore

Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360)

I was blown away by the first Mass Effect, and had high expectations for the sequel. I can't recall ever anticipating a game more than I did this one. Mass Effect 2 lived up to all expectations. The story is amazing, and the ability to import your character from Mass Effect 1 really draws you in, as you feel like this is really your story. You begin to see small ripples from your choices in the first game, ripples that are sure to become huge in Mass Effect 3. You don't have to import a character to start a new game, but I highly recommend that you do. The characters are believable and feel like real people, even the alien ones. You will fall in love with them if you take the time to talk to them. Character customization is even better, as you can customize not only your character's face, but their armor, as well as decorate your room on board your ship.

Gameplay is much improved from the first one, the different types of weapons in each class now all feel distinct from each other. The addition of special unique abilities for each character class makes playing as each of them a totally different experience and adds to the replay value. Loved charging at your foes as a vanguard but want to try something different? Play as an infiltrator with the tactical cloak ability, go invisible, and cause chaos. Or slow down time with the soldier's adrenaline rush. Or use the sentinel's tech armor to become the most durable combatant on the battlefield. Spawn a singularity as an adept to cause enemies to become helpless(as well as easy targets) or summon a combat drone with the engineer. I would say more but I don't want to spoil the game.

You don't need to have played the 1st one to enjoy this game but its worth going back and getting it if you haven't.
A must buy for RPG players and Sci-Fi buffs.Read full review...

A game that you want to play again and again. . .

For anyone who has played ME1, they sort of know what to expect when it comes to ME2.
Gone are the specific weapon upgrades that you would have to collect during ME1.
ME2 uses a weapon power system where specific powers such as armor piercing, cold, incendiary or others could be "placed" on weapons if the player's character had such powers.
As always, it is fun and you always look forward to the next battle. Maybe this is in part because of all the RPG type running around you do talking to people and completing missions. The varied skills always seem to bring in a new way to take on a situation.
I played this game all the way through six times myself. The endings and situations change with many of your decisions. I even went back to ME1 to make changes that effected the ME2 storyline. There is a ton of options for the differing endings and story changes and that is one of the major reasons why this game is so much fun, and so different from your average story based shooter or RPG.
The game never seemed to lock up or glitch during my playthroughs. Graphics were nice and the game overall had a story that you actually cared about.
The only part of this game I didn't like was the goofy planet scanning minigame where you would spend what seemed like hours on end running a target reticle over the surface of planet after planet searching for minerals.
After the first playthrough however, you quickly realize that you don't need all of those minerals, and just give the planets a quick check for any signals or new missions.
I really liked the game, even today I'm sitting here thinking about playing it again even though I've probably completed it with every possible different scenario and ending possible.
Its a fun game if you like a game you can put some time into, but it isn'[t so long that you get bored and never finish.Read full review...

Mass Effect Two

The world of Mass Effect is full of intrigue, excitement, random acts of kindness (or violence, depending on your disposition), and boring mind-numbing mini-games that will leave you scratching your head as to why they were allowed in the game in the first place. Playing Mass Effect (1) is a must as you can import your character from the first game, along with all the choices you made along the way, which lead to exciting, and interesting plot turns. Here is a list of Pros and Cons for Mass Effect Two:

Pros:
Improved combat - You no longer feel like a badass who can walk in and destroy a place without much effort. Even on Insanity (in Mass 1) you get to the point where you can pretty much walk in the open and destroy anything that comes at you.

Improved Graphics - Amazing visuals, much better than the first

Improved Dialogue - If you didn't think it was possible...well, it is. Relationships are expanded and you actually feel like you are getting to know the character as opposed to just hitting random dialogue choices.

Normandy - The Normandy (this time around) is a lot of fun to explore, there are loads of areas which you will actually use, as opposed to the first game where you only really ever use the Star Map

Cons:

BRING BACK THE MAKO! I cannot be the only person who enjoyed that little guy, I hate the planet scanning missions.

Loyalty missions - while bringing in wanted Achievement Points - really are a drag...most of them consist of "fetch this person, fight through this group of people to get to him, talk to him...make a decision whether to keep him/her alive, you're done"

Minigames- I hated the constant code snippet and hack minigames, so boring.

TOO SHORT - The overall mission took little to no time to complete, and had I not done all the loyalty missions I probably could have finished the game in less than 10 hrs.

Final Boss....wow...I don't even know what to say...I thought you were better than this Mass Effect, I thought you were better than this

Overall the game is amazing and I encourage everyone to give it a shot! Make sure you play the first one before ME2 though.Read full review...

Unbelievably better than I had expected!

I had purchased the original Mass Effect based on critical reviews. A fine game, especially at the time, but nonetheless I was a little nonplussed. I remember cranky inventory issues and somewhat clunky semi 'real time' combat. And to tell the truth by the time its sequel came around my grasp on story/character occurrences was a bit shaky. Despite this, just having a state of the art RPG that wasn't a Japanese sword n' sorcery reiteration was fresh air. A gritty and significantly more mature affair than the too often overtly corny Japanese style games. And a grand space opera at that.

I expected Mass Effect 2 to be a solid title. Bioware, the team that created it, has a history of well designed, polished, and successful games that has come to easily rival Square/Enix. And unlike the original, I wasn't the least bit disappointed with this offering. I had no idea just how vast and encompassing the universe of Mass Effect had become until well into the game. Nor can I stress just how much more frantically fun the combat is in the sequel.

I have read complaints about the manner in which Bioware distilled the original combat into its present form. No more clunky and constant inventory access. No items at all. Weapons and armor are bought at a few select shops in as few cities. You select your weapon loadout for your characters at the beginning of a mission and with only a handful of exceptions this is what you must use for the entirety of said mission. Purchased armor/accessories are applied via a loadout station located in your cabin aboard your ship, the Normandy. No longer are you circling the battlefield like a vulture to inspect each and every little drop from a vanquished foe. For the most part, the only pickups you collect are heatsink clips. Again, clips being another new addition allowing you to fire off your weapons as unceasingly as you like granted you have the extra clips as ammo.

Frankly, I found the new combat system an absolute blast to play. Much more often than not the combat feels on par with the best shooters such as Gears of War in style. With just a few intuitive button presses I can storm into a room, take evasive cover from oncoming fire and during a lull, leap over cover and bull rush my opponent with deadly effect. Biotic skills are varied, useful, and by and large very cool to use. Some such as Lift/Pull/Throw are limited only by imagination in the mayhem you can create. Biotic Shockwave launches a pounding stream of energy along the ground that makes quite a sight of flying bodies if it rams a grouping of enemies. Incinerate makes an inferno out of your opponent, Cryo Blast a slab of ice begging to be smashed into tiny bits. If it isn't obvious, biotics pass off as the 'magic' of these games and seem plausible in descriptions of use. Many weapons/personnel upgrades/ship upgrades are researchable aboard ship granted you have the mined materials that apply to them. Scanning and mining planets is perhaps the weakest link to Mass Effect 2, but even then it was strangely engaging in short sessions.

Alas, I haven't even touched upon the story. And story as much as the combat is fantastic. You and your team will make tough choices, moral and otherwise. And these choices can create subtle changes, major changes, or even death. But almost all it seemed did make a difference and that is a marvel of game design. It doesn't hurt that exploring teammates stories are often fascinating. I'm out of type, JUST BUY ITRead full review...