Mass Effect 2 Reviews
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GameShark start us off with a score of "A-":
It's rare for a single developer to put out two large budget-AAA games in the span of a few months. It's rarer still that both games be so incredibly good, but with Mass Effect 2 Bioware has again re-affirmed its status as the premiere developer of games whose main assets have little to do with swords or assault rifles, but the stories and characters that bring games to life.
AssociatedContent doesn't give it a score:
When the history for video games is written, there will be a few games that will be used as milestones in the growth of the industry and medium. The Mass Effect series will have a place in that history. Mass Effect 2 is the best game of its kind. The game has beautiful visuals, responsive game play, top-notch voice acting, and riveting storytelling. Mass Effect 2 is an experience that all gamers should have.
Aeropause Games gives it a perfect score of 5/5:
Mass Effect 2 has set the bar high for all other gaming epics that might follow in its footsteps. With it, Bioware has shown the way that decision making and arcing storylines should be done in the future. Each decision and choice has impact and meaning on the universe, including your own survival. With so much going on in a huge title like Mass Effect 2, it would be easy for a developer to phone it in, but the game delivers on so many levels. Sure there are a few things that could use some tightening up here and there, but overall, Mass Effect 2 is one of the best games of 2010, if not in the past decade of gaming. You would be remiss if you decided to pass on this title.
ApertureGames gives it a score of 9/10:
But to compare the gameplay of Mass Effect 2 to a film seems cheap. Games have been trying to capture the emotion and magic of Hollywood ever since CDs allowed us to capture live action within games. More than any other recent effort, Mass Effect 2 reminds us that not only can games easily match Hollywood in terms of immersion, entertainment and storyline they can go a long way beyond that, too.
DualShockers gives it a perfect score of 5/5:
For those who know me, I'm a huge RPG fan and an advocate of the tried and true JRPG, yet this game, which I personally don't even consider an RPG, is likely to be in my top 10 list of favorite games ever. I felt that the first Mass Effect was excellent, and I believe this one surpassed it in just about every way. There is little to complain about here, and the switch in game play focus to more of a shooter than an RPG isn't a travesty, but a blessing. Bioware once again goes outside the box and proves that a game can have a cinema-like feel, well written characters and an intricate, involving story that will entice you and draw you in so that everything else around you fades away. It is yet early in the year, but Bioware has what could be (Game of the Year) material here, starting off the new decade with a bang. I highly recommend playing this game to everyone whether you enjoy RPGs, shooters, action/adventure titles or whatever else. The experience itself is well worth the time and effort spent to traverse one of the best designed games I've played in a long time. You won't regret it and you'll fall under a spell from which you may not want to be released.
GayGamer gives it a score of 9/10:
There's no way not to recommend Mass Effect 2 to any gamer who enjoys science fiction or RPGs - I milked every possible moment out of the game and clocked in at just over 40 hours, and the dual DLC distro pipeline of the Cerberus Network and the regular marketplace promise a lot more to follow. Even if you don't want to slap down the cash, this game is worth a rental over a long weekend. Just be prepared not to leave your couch.
The Reticule doesn't give it a score:
The very moment I finished ME2, after 30 odd hours of play, I was so desperate for ME3, so keen to experience more of the world that I started the game again immediately. Mass Effect 2 is the blockbuster that gaming always deserved. Bring on the Reapers, the third game's going to be something special.
The Review Busters gives it a score of 9.75/10:
I never got to experience the first Mass Effect properly but now I am ready to go back and play it again and then play Mass Effect 2 all over again. This sci-fi adventure will grab your attention from the very start and it will do its best to never make you shut the game off. Mass Effect 2 is going to be a hard game to beat in 2010 because this is one of the best titles, almost comparable to Uncharted 2.
My360 gives it a score of 9.8/10:
Mass Effect 2 is an early candidate for GOTY. It is a masterpiece RPG cinematic experience, blending wonderful and engaging storytelling with compelling characters, great combat and accessible RPG elements. It's not as bumpy a ride as the first one, with BioWare ironing out some small issues that plagued the first adventure. This will be one of the most personal experiences you ever have with a video game, forcing you to make important decisions that could have massive influences on the plot and characters. Mass Effect 2 is a compelling adventure: a tale that is told differently in every lounge room, with the same touching and amazing conclusion.
Bright Hub gives it a perfect score of 5/5:
Mass Effect 2 is a masterpiece. It solves the problems of the original game without introducing any new ones and expands upon the original's story by delving deeper into the consequences of a Reaper invasion and by adding a huge variety of new and interesting characters.
Extreme Gamer gives it a score of 9.9/10:
For those RPG fans that think the game may have been toned them down too much, let me assure you that the lore in this game is extremely rich. There are tons of side quests and storylines to explore and there is also a codex, which allows you to dig even deeper into the back-story of the various races, technology, and factions in the ME2 universe. If you don't have this game already, run to the store right now and pick it up, and slap yourself in the face for not doing so earlier. In my humble opinion, this is the best game ever released for the Xbox 360.
Twin Galaxies gives it a perfect score of 10/10:
What is there left to say? Mass Effect 2 is a game that should not be missed by anyone. It is a perfect mix of gameplay elements that play out in an epic storyline that has the perfect pacing of non-stop action along with all of the exploration and customization that any action, shooter or RPG fan will love. As a whole BioWare has improved on what was already a fantastic game with Mass Effect 2, with gameplay that lasts 25+ hours and a personalized experience for those who played the first Mass Effect, you have a gameplay experience that cannot be matched. If you couldn't tell yet, you need to go play this game.
GamePeople doesn't give it a score:
There are many thousands of words that I could continue to expel as to the virtues of Mass Effect 2. It is a tremendously emotional experience and one of the more powerful games I've played in recent months. It's unfortunate that it does suffer from being the middle game in a trilogy, making for some heavily retreaded storytelling at times. However, despite this, it still makes for a highly emotive experience and a title that makes me excited for the third in the series already.
Original Gamer gives it a score of 9.6/10:
So did Bioware succeed in surpassing Mass Effect 1 with its sequel? Without any doubt. Outdoing the previous installment of a game series in its technical aspects is an easy task with newer technologies. It's the non-technical parts that are difficult to overcome. Mass Effect 2 has the kind of story that could outshine any big-budget movie, but unlike many games that have well-made plots, ME2 also has a cast that makes everything come together. When playing this game, I am sure that some players will think that Bioware cannot get it any better than this. If future games continue this level of excellencefor the Mass Effect series, it will be remembered as one of the series that are considered the best that videogames have to offer.
Brutal Gamer doesn't give it a score:
Overall, though, this game is incredible. You are given a huge galaxy with an insane amount of detail which still reacts to your choices very well. The main game is short, but as a plus, this also means there are very few missions you actually must do, leaving you to be free to do pretty much anything you want, or not do anything you don't want. The choice is yours, which seems to be the core idea Bioware was going for when they made this one. VERY well done!
And Techtree gives it a score of 4.5/5:
All said and done, Mass Effect 2 is a masterpiece with hardly any major flaws. It is a must-play for all action RPG fans, irrespective of whether you have played the first installment or not. My personal advice would be to finish the first and then move on to the second. It is worth the effort. Mass Effect is said to be a trilogy and I hope Bioware better have a kickass concept for the third chapter, as it is going to be one hell of a challenge to better this one. But that is Bioware's headache. Till then with Mass Effect 2 and its side missions, you have a great role to play.
