Mass Effect 2 Critic Reviews

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.

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.

It's mature: not because of profanity or nudey bits, but because it tackles complicated themes without telling you what to think. Having already sunk a distressing number of hours into ME2, the second this sentence is finished we're firing it up and exploring the rest of the universe.

Mass Effect 2 is the perfect fusion of the shooter and RPG genres. When you're not playing it, you wish you were. When you are playing it, you can't imagine doing anything else. Engrossing, captivating, stunning. Roll on DLC, and Mass Effect 3.

Mass Effect 2 delivers the best experience of its kind in this generation-and considering I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished my initial 39-hour playthrough a few days ago, a lower score would feel disingenuous. From its mechanics to its writing to its presentation, Mass Effect 2 is the kind of game that justifies gushing clichés and superlatives. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Mass Effect 2 strikes a perfect balance between intense shooter action and gut-wrenching drama, set in a richly textured world on the brink of destruction. It's a must-own for science fiction fans, who will love exploring the depths of the galaxy and fighting to save humanity.

It's the way that Mass Effect 2 expands upon the narrative established in the first game that marks a true breakthrough for interactive storytelling.

The fluid systems -- the navigation, the combat, and the quick-fire missions -- combine to make Mass Effect 2 an RPG that challenges the genre conventions. The superb emphasis on character development, the gripping plot elements and big-budget presentation aren't too bad either.

My journey with Commander Shepherd opened up a new view of what this form of entertainment can do, and allowed me to emotionally connect (and care) with the virtual characters on my television screen. The dialogue, story progression, graphics, soundtrack, controls, and presentation are all well above what so many other games of this genre are offering these days... PlanetXbox360.com has never given a perfect score, until now.

We can't do anything but to celebrate another masterpiece from Bioware, a game that has never been so close to perfection. If you have not upgraded your PC yet, it's time to do it; if you you needed an excuse to buy an Xbox 360, now you have one. Not to play this game would be crazy.

Perhaps BioWare's greatest success in Mass Effect 2 has been taking a complex RPG and making it effortless to understand, play and enjoy on a constant basis, because it has done this in a manner that should prove utterly essential to veterans and newcomers alike, and more than enough to suggest Mass Effect 3 will be the most important game in BioWare's history.

Mass Effect not only is the best RPG of this generation, but also an excellent action game that will appeal a broader audience. It's one of those few titles that we'll still be talking about in many years to come.

If you liked Mass Effect 1 to any degree whatsoever, you’ll definitely love Mass Effect 2 with its improved combat and AI, and cinematics and storyline – sans the glitches we all know and hate from ME1.

Mass Effect 2 far exceeded our expectations and is without question one of the best games we've played. Use whatever positive description you'd like. System seller, potential game of the year, landmark achievement; just make sure you buy it immediately.

If you even remotely enjoy a good narrative, this game is a must buy. Fans of the original are in for a treat as everything that was wrong with the last game has been fixed. Mass Effect 2 truly is the definitive entry in the series, and quite possibly the best BioWare game to be released thus far.

Mass Effect 2 is an epic in every sense, not forgetting anything. It can hold us until the last second, and still allows us to go further.

The second part of the Mass Effect saga is nothing short of a milestone in game design. The technical issues present in the first game are now gone, a fact that's beautifully demonstrated by the improved graphics engine. There's a ton of worlds to explore, an amazing roster of characters to recruit and a great and engaging story. But Bioware's major feat is how all your decisions have a major impact on how the story, and thereby the trilogy, unfolds.

This is a series that deserves its own place in gaming history and while there will always be comparisons of where it originated from. It's nice to know that there can be a story told in space that is so epic, so intelligent, and so rewarding, that doesn't have to have the word "Star" in its title.

Mass Effect started with a huge stable of good ideas. Maybe the task of executing on all those ideas was too great for any one development team to accomplish in a single game, but BioWare has really gotten it right the second time around. They took those same ideas and figured out a better way to combine them into a more cohesive, more playable sequel that makes good on every bit of Mass Effect's potential and leaves me staring very grudgingly at the presumable two-year wait until my own Commander Shepard can continue his fight in the next game.

Mass Effect 2 is a superb adventure, a deep gameplay experience, action packed and stuffed full of amazing vistas, If you own an Xbox 360 you have to buy this game. It's every bit the the smart, sexy, thrilling, moving, funny, tense game we hoped it would be.