Mass Effect 2

SERIOUS BSNS
Developer(s)	BioWare
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Designer(s)	Casey Hudson (director)
Writer(s)	Mac Walters (lead writer) Drew Karpyshyn
Composer(s)	Jack Wall Sam Hulick David Kates Jimmy Hinson
Series	Mass Effect
Engine	Unreal Engine 3, Mass Effect 3 engine (PS3)
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Release	Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 PlayStation 3
Genre(s)	Action RPG Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player

Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. The game is a sequel to Mass Effect, and the second game of the series. The game was released on PC and Xbox 360 in January 2010, and on PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011.

After the events of the original game, Commander Shepard is killed in an ambush by a mysterious alien species called the Collectors. Shepard is revived two years after the attack by a pro-human extremist organization called Cerberus, and is tasked with finding out more about the Collectors and why they are abducting entire human colonies. Shepard must recruit and gain the loyalty of a diverse team in order to accomplish what seems to be a suicide mission. Many elements and locations from Mass Effect return, in addition to ones new to the series.

A critical and commercial success, Mass Effect 2 had shipped over two million copies worldwide within a week of release, and has also received highly favorable reviews. It is ranked third on the Xbox 360 according to GameRankings, and is, overall, the fourteenth best reviewed game of all time. The game holds over 30 perfect scores and has an average of 94 and 96 for the PC and Xbox 360 on Metacritic respectively.

Gameplay

File:Mass effect 2 screenshot.jpg

Gameplay screenshot

New features

A "Prelude to E3" developer diary was released on May 15, 2009. The developers confirmed that the combat system has been upgraded, with everything from the feel of the combat to the A.I. being improved, including realistic damage modeling and downed enemies still continuing to crawl and fight. New to the series is a heavy weapons system that will allow players to "kill [somebody] a thousand times" over.

Mass Effect 2 also features regenerating health as its primary health mechanic, instead of the ability to heal with "medi-gel" as in the first game. However, "medi-gel" is still used to revive downed allies. In addition, weapons now use ammunition and no longer rely on the overheat system of the first game. This system is functionally identical to the ammunition systems of other third-person shooters, but instead of having differing ammunition types for different weapons, the heat sinks used are universal across most standard weapons.

The characters in Mass Effect 2 are more detailed not only graphically, but technically. In the original Mass Effect, Commander Shepard only had 20 animations for cover, while in Mass Effect 2, the character has over 200. The world is also more in-depth in this installment; uncharted worlds, which the player could explore for "cheap thrills" in the first game, are now smaller but much more detailed.

The camera positioning for conversations with A.I. characters has also been improved; the previously static camera now moves around to provide "a much needed cinematic touch." Another new feature during conversations is a context-sensitive interrupt system: in addition to Renegade and Paragon dialogue options, Shepard is able to interrupt the dialogue when prompted to do so with on-screen controls, again along Paragon or Renegade paths.

The M35 Mako is not included for planetary exploration in Mass Effect 2. Instead, a Kodiak drop shuttle, which the player cannot directly pilot, transports the player to areas of immediate interest. A new pilotable vehicle called the Hammerhead was later released via downloadable content pack and is stated by project director Casey Hudson to be more user-friendly.

Slow moving elevators, which disguised loading times in the first game, have been removed entirely, replaced by loading screens.

Unlike Mass Effect, in which there were dozens of different weapons grouped into four weapon types, there are now nineteen different weapons divided into 6 types. The grenades from the first game do not make a reappearance, but have been replaced by the new heavy weapons. Sub-machine guns make up another new weapon class. Characters are now able to use any weapon their class is trained for at full effect, meaning the player is no longer required or able to invest in weapon skills. However, it is possible to research damage upgrades, increased ammo capacity, accuracy, and other upgrades, which differ by weapon type. Armor skills have also been removed and there are no longer class restrictions on armor. Instead, armor is controlled through purchases of upgrades or individual components and is applied piecemeal, with different armor components providing different bonuses to damage, health, and other skills.

Transferring save-files

Project director for BioWare, Casey Hudson, and BioWare co-founder, Greg Zeschuk, as well as other developers of Mass Effect, have stated that players should keep their Mass Effect save-files because decisions made by the player in the first game carry over to the second and have influences on his/her character in the sequel. Hudson also stated that characters from the previous game make a return, provided that they were not killed. In order for the saved file to be recognized in Mass Effect 2, the player has to wait until the end of the credits in Mass Effect so that an autosave file may be created with the completed game data. Each save file is viewable by the player when deciding which to import into Mass Effect 2, and a summary of some of the key decisions made during that game is shown to help the player make sure the right save file is imported.

Players who have not played the first Mass Effect start a new character in Mass Effect 2, and are brought up to speed on the story elements that have taken place thus far in the series.

When transferring a file from Mass Effect, players have the option to change their class to a different one. For example, if the player wanted to play as an Engineer instead of an Infiltrator, the player may change his/her character's class while still importing the choices made during the first game. There is a story explanation as to how the character's abilities have changed since the first game. In addition, transferred characters may also have their appearance changed if the player so desires, although this has no effect on the story.

Mass Effect save files may be transferred to the third installment in a similar manner, though there does exist at least one ending which will not be transferable. In this case, players must either choose to replay Mass Effect 2 for a better ending or begin with a new character in Mass Effect 3.

Players receive bonuses for importing save games such as extra credits, resources, Paragon and Renegade points, and starting Mass Effect 2 at a higher level. Additionally, although the achievement "Long Service Medal" requires the player to beat the game twice, the player may get the achievement by completing the game once with an imported Shepard.

Character death

The first teaser trailer for the game gave the impression that Commander Shepard had been killed in action, but it was later confirmed that Shepard would be brought back to life by Cerberus, providing the player with a chance to alter his/her character's appearance and class. Players themselves dictate whether or not Shepard will die at the end of the game based on choices that they make throughout the game. While exploration in the first game had little relevance to the main story, in Mass Effect 2, the player is able to gather enemy intelligence and resources to purchase various upgrades for the Normandy during exploration that will have an effect on the final mission. BioWare Executive Producer Casey Hudson explained, "If you do die in the ending of Mass Effect 2, it will not come as a surprise, nor will it be random. It will be pretty obvious that you headed into the final mission knowing that Shepard probably wouldn’t make it out alive." Hudson also confirmed that team members would be affected by the player's decisions during the final mission: "You might have an ending where Shepard’s entire team survives, or where the entire mission is a bloodbath and everyone (including Shepard) is killed, or anything in between." The ending in which Shepard is killed represents a permanent death for the character in terms of the story, rather than a death in which the player may simply reload from a previously saved game after making a mistake in combat. In that scenario, the character from that play-through cannot be imported into Mass Effect 3; players would have to either use a different save file in which Shepard survived or start a brand new Commander Shepard.

Synopsis

Plot

Mass Effect 2 begins in 2183, weeks after the ending of Mass Effect. On patrol to locate and destroy any remaining geth, the Normandy and its commanding officer, Commander Shepard, are attacked by an unknown starship. The ship inflicts heavy damage on the Normandy and the crew is forced to evacuate. After rescuing Joker from the bridge, Shepard is killed whilst entering a nearby planet's atmosphere.

With the help of Liara T'Soni, Shepard's corpse is retrieved by Cerberus, a clandestine pro-human organization, and Shepard is resurrected via the Lazarus Project. Shepard awakens aboard a Cerberus space station that is under attack. After Shepard aids Cerberus agents Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson, Shepard is granted an audience with the Illusive Man, who explains that Shepard was revived and 'upgraded' so that the Commander could investigate and combat a new threat. Entire populations of human colonies are disappearing. The Illusive Man believes this is the work of Shepard's old enemies, the Reapers, a race of sentient machines that periodically harvest all intelligent life in the galaxy once civilization reaches a certain point.

Shepard, along with Jacob and Miranda, is sent to investigate a recently attacked colony known as Freedom's Progress. While exploring, they encounter Shepard's former squadmate, Tali, and discover that a mysterious insect-like species known as Collectors are behind the human colony abductions, working as proxies for the Reapers. The Collectors live beyond the Omega-4 Relay, a passageway through which no regular ship has ever returned. The Illusive Man places Shepard in command of the Normandy SR-2, a more advanced frigate modeled after the original Normandy equipped with an onboard A.I. known as EDI (Enhanced Defense Intelligence). With the Illusive Man's guidance, Shepard sets out to recruit a team of highly trained specialists for what is assumed to be a suicide mission.

The Illusive Man initially provides Shepard with dossiers regarding potential recruits: a salarian scientist (Dr. Mordin Solus), a mysterious vigilante named Archangel, later revealed to be former squad member Garrus Vakarian, a krogan warlord, and a powerful but unstable biotic named Jack. The krogan warlord Okeer is killed by Blue Suns mercenaries, but he leaves his creation, Grunt, in Shepard's care. If the player has purchased the relevant downloadable content, The Illusive Man will also have dossiers on Zaeed Massani, a veteran mercenary, and Kasumi Goto, a master thief, which Shepard picks up on Omega and the Citadel respectively.

The Illusive Man reveals that the human colony Horizon is under Collector attack, and dispatches the team to save the colony. He notes that one of Shepard's surviving crew members, either Kaidan Alenko or Ashley Williams, is stationed at the colony. The Commander stops the Collector attack by re-activating the colony's defense batteries and forcing the Collectors to flee on their ship, saving half of the colony. However, Shepard's reunion with the former squad member turns sour due to his/her alliance with Cerberus.

It is later revealed on the Normandy that the Illusive Man leaked a tip about Shepard being alive to the Alliance and that the Collectors intercepted this message indicating that the Collectors have a personal interest in Shepard. Shepard is also provided with additional dossiers on more potential recruits: an asari Justicar named Samara, a drell assassin named Thane Krios, and Tali.

The Illusive Man contacts Shepard again after intercepting a turian emergency transmission, claiming a turian battle group engaged and disabled a Collector ship. Inside the ship, Shepard learns that the Collectors were originally captured Protheans that were indoctrinated and genetically altered to become slaves of the Reapers. The Collectors that Shepard has encountered are under the direct control of a Reaper named Harbinger. With EDI's help, Shepard locates information on how to bypass the Omega-4 relay, but are attacked by Collectors. In the aftermath of the mission, relations between Shepard and the Illusive Man are strained after Shepard finds out that the Illusive Man knowingly sent the Normandy crew into a trap.

Later on the Normandy, the Illusive Man reveals that the Omega-4 relay - beyond which lies the Collector base - requires Reaper technology to activate safely. Cerberus has located a derelict Reaper, disabled millions of years beforehand, and has sent a science team to recover the device - an IFF transponder. Shepard recovers the IFF and saves a geth (Legion) which is attacked and disabled by the husks after assisting Shepard through the ship.

Shepard departs with the recruited members on a shuttle towards their next mission as the Normandy prepares the IFF for testing. However, after the IFF is activated, it emits a tracking signal and the Collectors are able to locate and board the Normandy. Joker is forced to "unchain" EDI - a potentially dangerous move as it gives EDI total control of the Normandy. Gaining control of the ship, EDI pilots the Normandy away from the Collectors and rids the ship of all enemies, but the entire crew barring Joker is taken by the Collectors. Shepard's hand is forced - Shepard can either complete secondary missions and sacrifice the Normandy's crew, or immediately go through the Omega-4 relay to rescue them.

After traveling through the relay, the game proceeds in different ways. Depending on whether Shepard enters the Omega-4 relay quickly, has upgraded parts of the Normandy, and has earned the loyalty of team members, any combination of crew and team may survive the final mission, which ultimately influences Shepard's fate. After entering the relay, the Normandy enters a massive debris field littered with the wrecks of ancient starships that tried to navigate the Omega-4 relay. The Normandy encounters and ultimately destroys the Collector cruiser. The shockwave from the explosion, disables the Normandy and forces the ship to crash land on the Collector station. After boarding the station, Shepard and the team fight their way towards the center of the base eventually encountering the Normandy crew and the abducted human colonists. After rescuing the colonists and crew, Shepard continues to proceed to the large central chamber in the middle of the base and discovers that the Collectors have been constructing a new Reaper, made from the genetic material of the abducted humans and fused with the advanced technology of the Reapers. EDI postulates that the Reapers may be facilitating the Reaper equivalent of reproduction but remains unsure as to the Reapers' true motives. Shepard targets the weak points of the machine, which is in the early stages of construction, and it falls deep into the station core.

The Illusive Man then contacts the team and suggests keeping the station intact insisting that any information garnered will be valuable in the coming war against the Reapers and may provide new insight into their motives and capabilities. Shepard may choose to destroy the station completely by overloading its reactor, or use a radiation pulse to kill the remaining Collectors while leaving the station intact, allowing Cerberus to take control of the station. Regardless of the choice, Shepard orders the team to evacuate to the Normandy. However, before Shepard can escape, the Human-Reaper reappears and attempts to stop Shepard from destroying the station, but is destroyed. As Shepard escapes the station, Harbinger claims that the team has only delayed the inevitable and that humanity now has the full attention of the Reapers. Shepard is then assisted onto the Normandy by any surviving team members. If all team members are killed, Shepard falls to his/her death while attempting to board the Normandy while telling Joker to warn the Illusive Man. Depending on whether Shepard destroyed or preserved the Collector base, the Illusive Man will be displeased or pleased, respectively, with Shepard's actions with Shepard having the opportunity to cut the Illusive Man off and vowing to find a way to stop the Reapers with or without the Illusive Man's help. Outside the far reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy, a large fleet of Reapers are seen flying towards the galaxy, setting the stage for Mass Effect 3.

Characters

Main article: Characters of the Mass Effect universe

• Commander Shepard (Mark Meer or Jennifer Hale) - The main protagonist of the first game, Shepard is killed during the opening sequences of Mass Effect 2 and is later resurrected by the pro-human organization, Cerberus. Shepard is sent on a mission to hunt down the Collectors, who have been abducting whole human colonies and are suspected to be working for the Reapers.

• The Illusive Man (Martin Sheen) - The ruthless and mysterious leader of the Cerberus organization, The Illusive Man is responsible for the funding of Project Lazarus - the revival of Commander Shepard. Little is known about The Illusive Man, except that he is apparently extremely wealthy. He forms an alliance with Shepard, providing guidance throughout the game as Shepard investigates the disappearance of several human colonies.

• Grunt (Steven Blum) - A prototype krogan super-soldier, he was bred and programmed by a krogan warlord, Okeer, to be the most "perfect" example of the krogan species. However, he has no clan and little knowledge of krogan customs and tradition, leaving nothing to act upon except his instincts to fight. His loyalty mission involves visiting the krogan homeworld, Tuchanka, and gaining acceptance amongst krogan society; if Urdnot Wrex survived the first game, he will offer Grunt a place in Clan Urdnot.

• Dr. Mordin Solus (Michael Beattie) - A brilliant salarian scientist, yet also a competent soldier due to his membership in the Salarian Special Tasks Group earlier in his life, Mordin Solus is found on Omega and possesses a hyperactive and eccentric personality. Mordin believes in acting in the best interests of the galaxy; his scientific work is governed by strong moral standards and unquestionable respect for all forms of life. His loyalty mission involves visiting Tuchanka and atoning for his participating in a project to revise and update the krogan genophage.

• Samara (Maggie Baird) - An asari "Justicar," Samara is a member of a highly respected and feared monastic order. She has forsworn all possessions and family to fight for absolute and remorseless justice. Her loyalty mission involves her ongoing quest to track down her daughter Morinth (Natalia Cigliuti), who has a genetic condition which causes her to kill her lovers (essentially a form of sexual vampirism). During their confrontation, the player may choose to kill Samara and recruit Morinth instead.

• Jacob Taylor (Adam Lazarre-White) - Jacob Taylor is a former Alliance soldier with biotic abilities. He joined Cerberus for its lack of bureaucracy, which he believes hampers the ability of humanity to survive. Taylor is highly respectful of Shepard due to their shared background in the military. Thirteen years before, he had cut ties with his father, who was first officer of a lost spaceship, the Hugo Gernsback; his loyalty quest involves investigating the now-rediscovered wreck of the Gernsback, where it turns out his father is alive. He is a possible romance option for a female Shepard.

• Miranda Lawson (Yvonne Strahovski) - Genetically modified to perfection by her father, Miranda Lawson is the top Cerberus agent on board the Normandy and Shepard's second in command. She is devoted to Cerberus cause and personally loyal to The Illusive Man, and many other Cerberus agents perceive her as an ice queen. Her loyalty mission involves smuggling her younger sister, Oriana, away from their father; Oriana is genetically identical to Miranda, but was requisitioned at a later date, after it became clear that Miranda would not be the daughter their father wanted. This mission involves visiting the planet Illium, an asari business haven, where Liara T'Soni currently makes her home. Miranda can be romanced by a male Shepard.

• Thane Krios (Keythe Farley) - A drell assassin who is dying of a lung disease exclusive to his species, Thane Krios joins the team in an attempt to provide a purpose to his life and atone for his past actions. An expert assassin, he also possesses powerful close-combat biotics. His wife was murdered many years ago by batarians in an attempt to trap him. This forced him to withdraw from his son, Kolyat, an event that still haunts him, and his loyalty mission involves preventing Kolyat from falling into Thane's profession. He can be romanced by a female Shepard.

• Jack/Subject Zero (Courtenay Taylor) - The product of a Cerberus experiment to enhance human biotic ability, Jack buries memories of torture and captivity under a bitter and hostile demeanor. She later escaped and became involved in crime, murder, and religious cults, all in an attempt to gain an identity; Shepard recruits her from a prison ship where she had been incarcerated. Her loyalty mission involves visiting the Teltin facility where she spent her childhood and destroying it with a "huge bomb." She is a romance option for a male Shepard.

• Tali'Zorah vas Neema/Normandy (Liz Sroka) - Tali'Zorah vas Neema returns to the Normandy after a scientific study goes horribly awry and most of her team is taken out by geth. She joins Shepard once he rescues her from the assaulting geth force. Her loyalty mission involves being charged with treason by the quarian Admiralty Board for smuggling geth parts to her father, Admiral Rael'Zorah, who inadvertently activated them. The player may choose to: expose her father's actions, prompting the quarians to declare war on the geth; lie about her father, resulting in Tali's exile; or bluster through it, reminding the quarians that they are talking about exiling a girl who helped save the galaxy from Saren. She is a romance option for a male Shepard.

• Garrus Vakarian (Brandon Keener) - After the Normandy was destroyed, Garrus Vakarian went on to pursue a life of vigilantism. He made his way to the Omega space station, which is riddled with criminal syndicates, and formed a squad with which he sabotaged various criminal organizations. When Shepard finds him, Garrus is all that is left, holed up in his base as three crime syndicates send waves of mercenaries to kill him. During the final onslaught he is injured by an attack from a gunship, leaving him with facial scars and damaged armor. His loyalty mission involves tracking down Sidonis, a former member of his squad who betrayed them to their deaths; Sidonis appears remorseful, and Shepard can choose to encourage Garrus to let him go. He is also a romance option for a female Shepard.

• Legion (D.C. Douglas) - During the IFF-transponder mission, Shepard encounters a lone geth which speaks to him, a first for any geth. This geth assists Shepard by eliminating several enemies and allowing Shepard to access the core of the ship, but is knocked inactive by several husks shortly afterwards. Upon destroying the Reaper core, Shepard brings the inactive geth to the Normandy with the option of sending the geth to Cerberus for research or reactivating it. If reactivated, the geth claims to be the first pure geth that Shepard has encountered, stating that all previous geth were "heretics" who supported the Reapers. As the Geth is not an individual persona and has a physical body that contains multiple runtimes, it identifies itself simply as geth until EDI decides to give it the name, Legion, from the book of Mark in the Christian bible.

• Zaeed Massani (Robin Sachs) - One of two party members who is accessible only via downloadable content, Zaeed Massani is considered to be the most ruthless and prolific bounty hunter in the known galaxy. He joins the Normandy's crew for the large payment in credits he would be receiving from The Illusive Man. Massani is secretly the co-founder of the Blue Suns mercenary organization, betrayed by his partner twenty years ago.

• Kasumi Goto (Kym Lane) - The best thief in the galaxy, Kasumi Goto joins Shepard's team in return for his assistance in stealing a "graybox" - a hard drive encrypted through use of one's memories - that belonged to her former partner and lover. She is the second downloadable party member, sold separately from the game for $7 USD.

Development

System requirements

	Requirements
PC
Operating system	Windows XP with Service Pack 3, Windows Vista with Service Pack 1, or Windows 7
CPU	1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent AMD CPU	2.6+ GHz Core 2 Duo Intel or equivalent AMD CPU
Memory	1 GB (XP), 2 GB (Vista/Win 7)	2 GB
Free space	15 GB
Graphics hardware	NVIDIA GeForce 6800 or greater, ATI Radeon X1600 Pro or greater	ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT or greater
Network	Internet connection not required for activation. Required for one-time Cerberus Network activation and extra content download(s).

Electronic Arts CEO, John Riccitiello, confirmed during a conference call with investors that Mass Effect 2 would be released on January 26, 2010 on "multiple platforms."

On March 2, 2009, BioWare and Electronic Arts announced a new development team for Mass Effect 2, set to work at the EA Montreal studio. The new team's main task was to supplement the teams already working on Mass Effect 2, with around half of the team having worked on the original Mass Effect alongside other new hires. BioWare co-founder and CEO Ray Muzyka said the team was "really excited about it, and we think it's going to be a huge opportunity to tap into the talent base in Montreal while supplementing our existing teams in Edmonton and Austin, which are doing some great stuff on all the other projects BioWare's working on."

Mass Effect 2 spans two discs. Although it had previously been announced that only one disc change would be required on Xbox 360, BioWare later revealed that a second disc change is required during the final levels of the game.

For Windows users, both discs are required for game installation, but only the first disc is needed for gameplay. Following the example of Dragon Age: Origins, the PC version of Mass Effect 2 does not use SecuRom digital rights management software, but instead opts for a standard disc check.

The PlayStation 3 version uses the same engine the developers are using for Mass Effect 3, rather than the Windows and Xbox 360 version.

Because the original Mass Effect game will not be released for PS3, Bioware, in collaboration Dark Horse comics, has created the interactive comic, Mass Effect Genesis. Genesis will allow players to understand the plot and make six key decisions from the original game that will affect the player's game experience. Genesis will be available as a DLC through the Cerberus Network for all three platforms.

Audio

Mass Effect 2 contains 90 voice actors who play 546 characters and speak over 25,000 lines of dialogue. Mark Meer, the voice actor for the male Commander Shepard, suggested that voice recording for the second game was so extensive that it took double the amount of time recording than that of the first game.

Characters in the game are voiced by actors that include Martin Sheen (as the Illusive Man), Jennifer Hale (as Female Commander Shepard), Adam Lazaar-White (as Jacob Taylor), Michael Dorn (as Gatatog Uvenk), Carrie-Anne Moss (as Aria T'Loak), Yvonne Strahovski (as Miranda Lawson), Tricia Helfer (as EDI), Liz Sroka (as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy), Shohreh Aghdashloo (as Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay), Adam Baldwin (as Kal'Reegar), Simon Templeman (as Admiral Han'Gerrel and Dr. Gavin Archer), Michael Beattie (as Mordin Solus), Claudia Black (as Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh), Michael Hogan (as Captain Bailey), Courtenay Taylor (as Jack/Subject Zero), and Steven Blum (as Grunt). Keith David and Seth Green continue their roles in the series as David Anderson and Jeff "Joker" Moreau respectively. Voice actor D.C. Douglas, who voiced Albert Wesker in Resident Evil 5, confirmed that he would be voicing Legion, a "naturally-evolved" Geth who is obsessed with Commander Shepard for unknown reasons. The bounty hunter Zaeed Massani and Master Thief Kasumi Goto, who may be acquired as downloadable content, are voiced by Robin Sachs and Kym Lane (credited as Kym Hoy) respectively.

Marketing

BioWare project manager Corey Andruko and lead technical designer Dusty Everman led a 60-minute lecture on level design for Mass Effect 2 at the 2009 Game Developers Conference. The session gave attendees insight into the new approach BioWare was taking in designing levels for Mass Effect, one that maximizes iteration for quality while minimizing rework and cost.

A promotional trailer was released on February 20, 2009. The trailer pans across a close-up view of a set of armor, with captions listing Commander Shepard's achievements and known alien allies. At the end of the trailer, Shepard's current status is given as "killed in action." The camera then pans upwards to show the head of a Geth with armor bearing the N7 logo on it. In a development blog, Casey Hudson, BioWare's executive producer, commented on the rumors of Shepard's "KIA" status, stating, "Better not be. We had a lot of big plans made, so if someone's gone and killed Shepard then things are going to take an unexpected turn…"

On 29 December 2009 the cinematic trailer for Mass Effect 2 was released. Additionally, in the months leading up to the game's launch, BioWare released six Mass Effect class walkthroughs narrated by the lead gameplay designer, Christina Norman.

File:Mass Effect 2 - Collector's Edition Cover.jpg

Cover art for the Collector's Edition of Mass Effect 2

On 29 May 2009, BioWare released the first full trailer for the game. It revealed little information that was not already known or hinted at by the previous trailer and developer diary. This trailer confirmed that Shepard would be alive for the events of Mass Effect 2 and not dead prior to the game as the teaser trailer seemed to indicate. BioWare later confirmed that Shepard would not die in the game's storyline until the choices made by the player decided Shepard's fate.

In-game bonuses

Purchasing a specially marked Dr Pepper product gives a code that may be used to download 1 of 3 special pieces of headgear, each granting a different bonus when worn. One of these items, the Sentry Interface, was redeemed using the product code purchased at any retail store. The other two items, the Recon Hood and Umbra Visor, could initially only be redeemed with product codes purchased exclusively from 7-Eleven convenience stores. They were later redeemable via any code. Mass Effect 2 includes several bonus items for those who pre-ordered a copy of the game or purchased Dragon Age: Origins. If the game was pre-ordered at GameStop or Play.com, players receive the Terminus Armor, which grants an increased running speed and stronger shields, and the M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon, a weapon that creates a miniature black hole. If the game is pre-ordered at other retailers, players receive the Inferno Armor, which grants a negotiation bonus, increased running speed, and boosted effectiveness of combat powers. For purchasing and registering a new copy of Dragon Age: Origins, players obtain the Blood Dragon Armor, which was also a bonus item in Dragon Age: Origins. Buyers of the Collector's Edition of Mass Effect 2 receive the Collector Armor, which increases a character's maximum health, health regeneration, and running speed, and the Collector Assault Rifle, which quickly depletes enemy shields. These in-game bonuses are unavailable to those who do not link their gamertag to the EA website.

Collector's Edition

Mass Effect 2 was also released in a Collector's Edition, with the game contained in a Steelbook case. The Collector's Edition included the full version of the game, The Art of Mass Effect 2 48-page hard cover art book, first issue of the Mass Effect Redemption comic book, and a bonus DVD with exclusive behind-the-scenes "Making of" videos of the game and various desktop wallpapers. Also included is the code for the Collector Armor and Assault Rifle and a Cerberus Network card.

It is possible to buy the Digital Deluxe Edition from EA's online store; the product is downloaded via the EA download manager and contains digital versions of the art book, comic book, and official soundtrack of the game. The Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for purchase through the Steam and Impulse platforms, owned by Valve and Stardock, respectively.

Cerberus Network card

A Cerberus Network card with a unique access code is included with all new copies of Mass Effect 2. It enables the player to download several DLC packs free of cost and provides access to the Cerberus Daily News service, which updates players with "current events in the Mass Effect universe." As this code works only once, buyers of used copies have to purchase access to the Cerberus Network for US$15 or 1200 MS/BioWare points.

Music

Main article: Music of the Mass Effect video game trilogy

Downloadable content

BioWare has continued supporting Mass Effect 2 with additional downloadable content (DLC), the latest of which is Lair of the Shadow Broker. The content ranges from individually sold weapons and armor and small side-missions, to full-sized quests, new characters and story expansion packs. Similar to Dragon Age: Origins, downloadable content was available immediately upon the release of Mass Effect 2, some for free. The retail PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 includes some of what was DLC for the Xbox 360 and PC versions and access to Cerberus Network content. It will not include exclusive content.

On January 24, Bioware announced that the Cerberus Daily News would discontinue updates, citing one year of service. It included the stipulation that new posts would resume several weeks prior to the release of Mass Effect 3, and for one week before the release of the forthcoming Arrival DLC.

List of downloadable content

Title of DLC	Content	Release Date	Price
Inferno Armor	Armor Set	*Pre-order	*Free with pre-order from Amazon, now included in Equalizer Pack
Terminus Armor and Weapon	Armor Set and Heavy Weapon	*Pre-order for Xbox 360 and PC users. Available via the PSN network for PlayStation Users	*Free with pre-order GameStop and Play.com. Free for PlayStation owners until 23 February 2011. Paid DLC after that.
Sentry Interface	Helmet	Template:Dts vgr2	*Dr. Pepper/7-Eleven Promotional Item
Recon Hood	Helmet	Template:Dts vgr2	*Dr. Pepper/7-Eleven Promotional Item
Umbra Visor	Helmet	Template:Dts vgr2	*Dr. Pepper/7-Eleven Promotional Item
Incisor Sniper Rifle	Sniper Rifle	Template:Dts vgr2	*Free with purchase of Digital Deluxe Edition, now included in Aegis Pack
Collectors' Weapon and Armor	Armor Set and Assault Rifle	Template:Dts vgr2	*Free with purchase of Collectors' Edition
Blood Dragon Armor	Armor Set	Template:Dts vgr2	*Free with purchase of Dragon Age: Origins
Normandy Crash Site	Mission	Template:Dts vgr2	&Free
Zaeed: The Price of Revenge	New Character, Loyalty Mission, and Heavy Weapon	Template:Dts vgr2	&Free
Cerberus Weapon and Armor	Armor Set and Shotgun	Template:Dts vgr2	&Free
Cerberus Arc Projector	Heavy Weapon	Template:Dts vgr2	&Free
Firewalker Pack	New Vehicle and 5 Missions	Template:Dts vgr2	&Free
Alternate Appearance Pack #1	3 Alternate Squadmate Outfits	Template:Dts vgr2	160 MS/BioWare Points
Kasumi's Stolen Memory	New Character, Loyalty Mission, and Submachine Gun	Template:Dts vgr2	560 MS/BioWare Points
Equalizer Pack	Armor Set	Template:Dts vgr2	160 MS/BioWare Points
Overlord	Mission Pack	Template:Dts vgr2	560 MS/BioWare Points
Aegis Pack	Armor Set and Sniper Rifle	Template:Dts vgr2	160 MS/BioWare Points
Firepower Pack	Weapon Set	Template:Dts vgr2	160 MS/BioWare Points
Lair of the Shadow Broker	Mission Pack	Template:Dts vgr2	800 MS/BioWare Points
Mass Effect: Genesis	Interactive Comic Book	Template:Dts vgr2 (for PS3, uncertain release PC and Xbox 360)	&Free
M-490 Blackstorm Projector Weapon	Heavy Weapon	Template:Dts vgr2 (for PS3)	*Free for PlayStation owners until 23 February 2011. Paid DLC after that. Available as a retail bonus item for PC and Xbox 360 upon game's original release, not as DLC.
Recon Operations Pack	Collector Armor Collector Assault Rifle Recon Hood Sentry Interface Umbra Visor	Template:Dts vgr2 (for PS3 only)	$1.99 USD
N7 Complete Arsenal Bundle	Alternate Appearance Pack 1 Equalizer Pack Aegis Pack Firepower Pack Terminus Weapon and Armor Recon Operations Pack	Template:Dts vgr2 (for PS3 only)	$7.99 USD
Alternate Appearance Pack #2	3 Alternate Squadmate Outfits	Template:Dts vgr2	160 MS/BioWare Points
Arrival	Mission Pack	Template:Dts vgr2	560 MS/BioWare Points (Xbox 360/PC), £5.49 (PS3)

Release

Mass Effect 2 was released in North America and Europe on 26 January 2010, and in Australia on January 28, 2010 on both the Xbox 360 and the PC. The game was planned to be exclusive to the Xbox 360 gaming console, "for at least a short period of time". At the Game Developers Conference in Europe on 17 August 2010, BioWare confirmed plans to release a port of Mass Effect 2 on the PlayStation 3, on 18 January 2011. Regarding whether or not the original Mass Effect would be released on the PlayStation 3 as well, Microsoft responded that "Xbox 360 [is] the only place to get the full Mass Effect experience."

Reception

Reception

Aggregate scores

Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	PC: 94.48% (30 reviews) X360: 95.66% (73 reviews) PS3: 94.36% (11 reviews)
Metacritic	PC: 94 (53 reviews) X360: 96 (96 reviews) PS3: 94 (53 reviews)

Review scores

Publication	Score
1Up.com	A-
Eurogamer	10/10
Game Informer	9.75/10
GameSpot	9/10
GamesTM	10/10
GameTrailers	9.7/10
GameZone	9.25/10
IGN	9.6/10(US), 9.2/10 (UK), 9.3/10 (AU)
Official Xbox Magazine (US)	9.5/10 (UK 10/10)
PC Gamer (UK)	90%
PC Gamer (US)	90%
PC PowerPlay	10/10
X-Play	5/5
bit-tech.net	10/10
Hardcore Gamer	5/5
PlayStation: The Official Magazine	10/10

Mass Effect 2 was a commercial and critical success, selling over two million copies within its first week of release and garnering more than 30 perfect scores in video game websites and magazines. In particular, its characters, storyline, voice acting and gameplay received very high praise.

Mass Effect 2 received a 10/10 from both Biodrone Magazine UK and gamesTM. PC Gamer UK awarded the game 90%. NowGamer awarded it 9.8/10 calling it a "gorgeous experience and a staggering achievement". Official Xbox Magazine gave the game a 9.5/10, praising the combat as flexible and the environments as gorgeous. The magazine also liked the "enveloping universe" and the new characters.

Hardcore Gamer awarded Mass Effect 2 with a 5 out of 5. The review praised the advances in gameplay and content, stating that "Mass Effect 2 is simply an amazing game from start to finish, regardless of the decisions you choose to make. There are few games that are as gripping, and even fewer still that put so much effort behind creating memorable characters that the player actually cares about, set against a believable world."

IGN gave Mass Effect 2 a 9.6/10, calling it one of the most personal games ever made and "the first Game of the Year Nominee for 2010." The cinematic direction, tight gameplay, compelling characters, storyline, and choices available were given considerable praise. However, the game was criticized as being overly referential to the first installment in the series, as well as for minor problems players may experience such as becoming stuck in certain environments and having the sound cut out, although not nearly enough to ruin the overall experience. IGN UK gave the game a 9.2/10 while IGN AU gave it a 9.3/10.

Mass Effect 2 received a 9/10 from GameSpot. It praised the game's dialogue and voice cast, as well as the "fantastic" art design, along with the level design and shooting mechanics. However, it cited some problems regarding looking for planets and some bugs which were also present in the original Mass Effect.

Mufaddal Fakhruddin from MEGamers gave it an 9.5/10 saying that "the combat, the writing, voice acting, visuals, score and direction comes together to create an unmatchable experience, and we fear it will be a while before we see one of this quality and standard."

GameZone's Dakota Grabowski gave Mass Effect 2 a 9.5/10, stating that "Mass Effect 2 is everything what people have wanted for the past two-and-a-half years and more. Mass Effect 2 is truly the equivalent of The Empire Strikes Back."

Time featured Mass Effect 2 on "The Short List of Things to Do", and described it as "the Avatar of video games — except it's better written."

RPG Site's Alex Donaldson also reviewed Mass Effect 2, giving it a score of 95. The review stated that the game was "A Testament to Bioware's status as one of the most important developers today, and a testament to what the RPG genre can still do." The review also suggests that Mass Effect 2 will go on to be one of the most memorable and important RPGs in recent history.

RPGFan's Ashton Liu gave Mass Effect 2 a 98%, stating that "Bioware has delivered everything they have promised with Mass Effect 2, and then some."

RPG Land's Michael Wayland gave Mass Effect 2 a final rating of "Excellent", mentioning how "Mass Effect 2 in total was a compelling game, an improvement upon its elder, and an exciting setup for the franchise's next act."

GamingExcellence's Daniel Acaba rated it a 9.7/10, acknowledging that the changes made to the core gameplay might not be to everyones tastes, but continued "it's hard to argue with the successes of the games storytelling and atmosphere." and that "Everything truly feels like it’s slowly building to a head with only the crew of the Normandy to stand between the destruction of all sentient life in the universe."

CouchCampus' Editor-in-Chief Brian Young noted the game as "Bioware's most ambitious and spectacular game to date."

Mass Effect 2 currently holds a rating of 94 (PC) and 96 (Xbox 360) on Metacritic as well as one of 94.09% (PC) and 95.66% (Xbox 360) on GameRankings, making it the third highest-rated Xbox 360 game to date, fourth of all-time on PC, and overall 18th of all-time.

Awards

By the end of 2010, Mass Effect 2 won numerous awards from various video game journalists and outlets. G4 X-Play awarded it Game of the Year, along with Best writing and Best role-playing game. IGN awarded the game Xbox 360 game of the year, among Best Story, Best Character (for Thane Krios), Best Sci-Fi game and Best Blockbuster game, for the 360 category, while it also won Best Story, Best Soundtrack, Best Character (for the Illusive Man), Best Visuals and Best Sci-Fi game for the PC category. In their overall awards, they gave it Best Story, Best Sci-Fi Game, Best Blockbuster Game, and Overall Game of the Year for 2010.

During the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards, the game won the awards for "Best Xbox 360 Game", "Studio of the Year" (for its developer, BioWare), "Best RPG", and it was nominated for "Game of the Year", "Best PC Game", "Best Original Score", "Best Performance by a Human Male" (for Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man), "Best Performance by a Human Female" (for Jennifer Hale as Commander Shepard – female version, and Yvonne Strahovski as Miranda Lawson), "Best DLC" (for Lair of the Shadow Broker), and "Most Anticipated Game of 2010".

During its year-end series of awards, GameTrailers gave the game the awards for "Best RPG", "Best Story" and Game of the Year. Screw Attack ranked the game as top game of 2010 as voted for by users.

IGN Australia chose the game as the best game of 2010. Game Informer named the game the Best RPG of 2010.

The game also won 3 AIAS Interactive Achievement Awards including one for Overall Game of the Year.

Mass Effect 2 was awarded the BAFTA for "Best Game" of 2010.

Technical issues

There have been complaints that the game's font-size has been formatted in such a way as to make in game text indecipherable on standard definition televisions. Representatives from BioWare stated that the issue was "a design choice, not a bug" and not to "expect any decisions or a fix in the near future." After investigating the complaints further BioWare released a statement acknowledging that "on some standard definition TVs the smallest text in Mass Effect 2 can be difficult to read." BioWare's final statement about the issue is that:

After investigating potential solutions, we have determined that while this issue does affect a small portion of SDTV owners, we are unable to resolve it for Mass Effect 2 through a title update.

However, we have taken note of this issue and will take it into consideration as we plan future games in the Mass Effect franchise.

Mark Barlet, president of the website AbleGamers (which advocates for making games more accessible to the disabled), said that "It's not just the size of the text of Mass Effect 2 that is the problem, it's the coloring of the text" that is the problem.

There were also issues with regards to crashes, video hitching and long loadtimes on single core machines but these were later addressed in a patch.

A concerning number of Mass Effect 2 PS3 players reported that their save files have become corrupt. It appears the PS3 version of the game crashes unexpected, forcing you to restart the PS3, only to find that your save file has been corrupted and you're unable to continue. Community chief Chris Priestly of BioWare responded with:

Just to make it clear, we are aware of this issue and are working to understand what is [occurring] and how we can fix it. If you are encountering this issue, please provide details about your PS3 and your playthrough.

BioWare released the first details of the upcoming patch designed to combat save bugs and game freezes experienced. It was confirmed that the patch was delivered to Sony ASAP for verification and distribution. BioWare will announce as soon as the patch is available.

External links

• Official website
• The Mass Effect Wiki, an external wiki