Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playingvideo game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in 2010, and for PlayStation 3 in 2011. Mass Effect 2 is the second installment of the Mass Effect series and a sequel to the original Mass Effect. The game takes place within the Milky Way galaxy during the 22nd century, where humanity is threatened by an insectoid species known as the Collectors. The player assumes the role of Commander Shepard, an elite human soldier who must construct and gain the loyalty of a diverse team and stop the enemy in a suicide mission. With the use of a completed saved game of its predecessor, the player can impact the story of the game in numerous ways.
For the game, BioWare changed several gameplay elements and put further emphasis on third-person shooter aspects, including limited ammunition and regenerable health. In contrast to the exclusive focus on the main story of the original Mass Effect, the developers opted to create a plot where optional missions had as much intensity as the main mission. Mass Effect composer Jack Wall returned to compose Mass Effect 2's music, aiming for a darker and more mature sound to match the mood of the game. Mass Effect 2 also supports a variety of downloadable content packs, ranging from single in-game character outfits to entirely new plot-related missions. Notable packs include Kasumi â Stolen Memory, Overlord, Lair of the Shadow Broker, and Arrival.
Mass Effect 2 was a commercial success and received critical acclaim from video game publications, with the Xbox 360 version holding a score of 96 out of 100 at the review aggregate website Metacritic. Critics praised multiple aspects of the game, including its interactive storytelling, characterization, and combat. In contrast, some reviewers expressed concerns about the game's simplified gameplay compared to the previous game in the series. The game received numerous year-end awards, including Game of the Year at the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, and Best Game at the 2011 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards. The game is frequently cited as one of the greatest video games of all time. A sequel, Mass Effect 3, was released in 2012.
Gameplay[edit]
Mass Effect 2 is a single-playeraction role-playing game in which the player takes the role of Commander Shepard from a third-person perspective. Shepard's gender, appearance, military background, combat-training and first name are determined by the player before the game begins.[1] The player may choose to import a character from a completed saved game of the original Mass Effect or start the game with a new character.[2] Importing an old character allows several decisions the player made in the original game to impact the story of Mass Effect 2 and grants the player a set of starting bonuses.[2][3] The game features six different character classes for the player to choose from.[4] Each class is proficient in a different set of powers and weapon types.[1] For example, the Vanguard class is specialized in close-range combat and shotguns, while the Infiltrator class relies on stealth combat and the use of sniper rifles.[1]
The game's overworld is a galaxy map that the player can explore to find and complete quests.[1] Most quests consist of combat missions, but some involve the player interacting with non-player characters during visits to settlements.[5] As the player progresses throughout the game, different locations and new squad members become available.[1]Experience points are gained by completing quests.[6] Each time a sufficient amount of experience is obtained, the player 'levels up' and is awarded Squad Points that can be used to develop powers for both Shepard and the members of the squad.[7] Powers provide enhanced combat capabilities, with each power having four ranks that can be unlocked.[1] Each rank costs the same number of Squad Points as its rank. For example, unlocking the first rank of a power requires one point, but unlocking all four ranks of a single power requires a total of ten points. Upon raising a power to its fourth rank, the player must evolve the power into one of two given forms.[7]
Modern combat 5 online hack. Game apps for Modern Combat 5 are available for Android, iOS, Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8.1.
The player's primary mode of transportation is a starship which serves as Shepard's base of operations. Aboard the ship, the player can interact with the squad members, customize the player's armor, travel to numerous planetary systems, and scan planets for mineral resources.[8] These resources allow the player to research numerous in-game upgrades that are found in the missions, providing benefits such as increasing weapon damage, fortifying the player's health, or extending the ship's fuel capacity, among others.[9] Scanning requires the player to move a reticle over a planet and launch a probe when an oscilloscope warns of near resources.[5] Additional upgrades, equipment, and non-essential items such as magazines and decorations for the ship can be purchased from merchants in settlements.[1]
Combat[edit]
In combat, the player can pause the action to calmly target enemies and select different powers for the squad members to use. The enemy's life bars are shown in a frame at the top of the screen.
Combat in Mass Effect 2 is squad-based and a maximum of two squad members may accompany the player on the battlefield. The player has direct control of Shepard while the squad members are controlled by the game's artificial intelligence.[1] Battles take place in real-time, but the player can pause the action at any time to calmly target enemies and select different powers for the squad members to use.[7] The game uses an over the shoulder perspective akin to a third-person shooter, and places a strong emphasis on using cover to avoid taking damage while fighting enemy forces.[5] The player may also issue commands to the squad members, such as sending them to take cover behind a manually picked object or focus their fire on a designated target.[1]
Unlike the original Mass Effect, where weapons overheat if fired continuously for prolonged periods, the weapons of Mass Effect 2 have a finite magazine and must be reloaded after a certain number of shots.[10] Shepard and the squad members are protected by a damage-absorbing shield. When the shield is fully depleted, further damage reduces the hit points of a secondary health meter. Both the shield bar and health meter automatically regenerate when not taking fire for a brief period.[5] The player can revive fallen squad members with the use of the Unity power.[6] However, if Shepard dies, the player must start the game again from the last saved point.[1]
All enemies are protected by health, shields, armor, barriers, or a combination thereof.[1] Each type of protection has its own vulnerabilities. For example, armor is usually vulnerable to powers such as Incinerate, which burns enemies over time, and to weapons with a low rate of fire such as sniper rifles and heavy pistols. In contrast, shields are vulnerable to powers such as Overload and to rapid-firing weapons like submachine guns and assault rifles.[1] Barriers are typically used by boss-type enemies and are vulnerable to certain weapons and powers.[1] When the shields, armor, or barriers of an enemy have all been depleted, the player can use status-effect powers such as Pull, which temporarily levitates targets into the air, incapacitating them.[1] Other powers may temporarily benefit the player; for instance, Adrenaline Rush puts the player in bullet time. Powers do not require any sort of expendable resource; they only have a global refresh time period.[1]
Dialogue and morality[edit]
During conversations with characters, Mass Effect 2 employs a radial command menu, called Dialogue Wheel, where the player's dialogue options depend on wheel direction.[4] The left side of the wheel is normally reserved for options that will continue the conversation in depth, while options on the right side tend to move the conversation towards completion. Responses at the top are generally more polite and selfless, while those at the bottom are more aggressive and hostile.[7] The game also introduces a context-sensitive interrupt system, allowing players to interrupt the conversation with direct actions at certain times.[4] Dialogue choices impact how others react to Shepard, the rewards for completing missions, possible discounts from merchants, romances and, most importantly, the Commander's morality.[1]
Morality is measured by Paragon (charm) and Renegade (intimidate) points. These points affect the availability of new special Paragon and Renegade dialogue options with significant impact in the game.[1] For example, the game features some missions to gain the loyalty of the squad. What the player does during one of these missions will determine whether they gain the loyalty of a squad member, which in turn will unlock a special power and also help in the final battle. Endings range from the entire team surviving to the entire team being killed, Shepard included, and everything in between.[4] Upon completing the game, a New Game Plus option is unlocked, allowing players to replay the game using the same character with which they finished it.[11]
Synopsis[edit]Setting and characters[edit]
Mass Effect 2 is set within the Milky Way galaxy during the 22nd century where interstellar travel is possible through the use of mass transit devices called Mass Relays, a technology believed to have been built by an extinct alien race known as the Protheans.[12] A conglomerate body of governments known as the Citadel Council controls a large percentage of the galaxy and is responsible for maintaining law and order among races of the galactic community.[13] Races that belong to the Citadel Council include humans, asari, salarians and turians. Other alien races seen in the game include the reptilian krogan and drell, the environmental suited quarians, and a hostile race of networked artificial intelligences called geth.[14] During the events of the original Mass Effect, a geth army attempted to open a portal for the Reapers, a highly advanced machine race of synthetic-organic starships that are believed to eradicate all organic civilization every 50,000 years.[15] The galactic community has since lived in fear of another possible invasion. Meanwhile, a human supremacist organization called Cerberus believes that humans deserve a greater role in the galactic community and supports the principle that any methods of advancing humanity's ascension are entirely justified, including illegal experimentation and terrorist activities.[16]
The protagonist of the game is Commander Shepard (voiced by Mark Meer or Jennifer Hale), an elite human soldier who is the Commanding Officer of the SSV Normandy and Normandy SR-2 starships. Shepard's squad members include human Cerberus operative Jacob Taylor (Adam Lazarre-White), human Cerberus officer Miranda Lawson (Yvonne Strahovski), salarian scientist Mordin Solus (Michael Beattie), turian vigilante Garrus Vakarian (Brandon Keener), human criminal Jack (Courtenay Taylor), genetically engineered krogan super soldier Grunt (Steve Blum), quarian engineer Tali'Zorah (Liz Sroka), drell assassin Thane Krios (Keythe Farley), asari Justicar Samara (Maggie Baird) or Samara's serial killer daughter Morinth (Natalia Cigliuti), and geth mobile platform Legion (D. C. Douglas). Other characters include the Normandy's pilot Jeff 'Joker' Moreau (Seth Green), Cerberus leader the Illusive Man (Martin Sheen), and the Normandy SR-2's enhanced defense intelligence, also known as EDI (Tricia Helfer).[17]
Plot[edit]
In 2183, shortly after the events of the first game, the SSV Normandy, while patrolling for geth resistance, is attacked by an unknown vessel, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Shepard pushes Joker into the final escape pod before being blasted into space. After a suit breach, Shepard dies via asphyxiation as his/her body is pulled into the orbit of a nearby planet.[18] The body is recovered by Cerberus, who begins the 'Lazarus Project' with the sole purpose of bringing Shepard back to life. Two years later, Shepard is revived on an operating table and escapes a research station under attack by its own security mechs alongside Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson. Shepard is brought to meet the Illusive Man, who reveals that entire populations of human colonies have been disappearing all over the galaxy. Now working for Cerberus, Shepard is sent to investigate a recently attacked colony, where he/she finds clues suggesting that the Reapers are working by proxy through an insectoid species called the Collectors.[19]
The Illusive Man explains that the Collectors reside beyond the Omega-4 Relay, a place from which no ship has ever returned, and tasks Shepard with assembling a team to stop them. Shepard is also given command of a new starship, the Normandy SR-2, piloted once again by Joker and equipped with an onboard AI named EDI. Shepard recruits Mordin Solus, former squad member Garrus Vakarian, Jack, and (optionally) Grunt, before the Illusive Man informs him/her that another human colony is under attack. With the help of Mordin's studies on Collector biology, Shepard defends the colony, but is unable to stop a large portion of the population from being captured. Shepard can then recruit former squad member Tali'Zorah, Thane Krios, and Samara (later optionally replaced by Morinth), before being sent to explore a supposedly disabled Collector ship. There, Shepard learns that the Collectors were originally Protheans that were turned into slaves of the Reapers. With EDI's help, Shepard also finds out how to bypass the Omega-4 Relay before being ambushed by the Collectors. Although Shepard's squad escapes, his/her relationship with the Illusive Man is strained due to his prior knowledge of the trap.[19]
Shepard visits a derelict Reaper and acquires an IFF necessary to safely travel through the Omega-4 Relay. Shepard also acquires a disabled geth that, if activated, joins the squad as Legion. While Shepard and the squad leave in a shuttle, the Normandy SR-2 integrates the IFF into her systems. During their absence, the Collectors board the Normandy SR-2. Only Joker avoids capture and, with EDI's help, is able to extract the Normandy SR-2 to safety. When Shepard's squad returns, the team uses the Omega-4 Relay to reach the Collector base, located in the Galactic Center. The team rescues any surviving crew members and fights their way to the central chamber. Squad members will either survive or perish depending on the upgrades made to the Normandy SR-2, their loyalty to Shepard, and the tasks they are assigned in battle.[19]
In the central chamber, Shepard discovers that the Collectors have been constructing a new Human-Reaper made from the genetic material of the abducted colonists. Shepard destroys the machine powering it and prepares to destroy the Collector base. However, the Illusive Man proposes sterilizing the base instead with a timed radiation pulse so that it can be used against the Reapers. After deciding the fate of the base, Shepard destroys the awakened Human-Reaper and escapes with the surviving squad members. If no squad members survive, Shepard fails to escape and dies. Back on the Normandy SR-2, after speaking with the Illusive Man one last time, Shepard meets the survivors in the cargo bay. There, Joker gives him/her schematics of a Reaper. The final scene shows the Reapers awakening in dark space and descending upon the galaxy.[19]
Development[edit]Game design[edit]
Lead gameplay designer Christina Norman at the 2010 Game Developers Conference
Mass Effect 2 was developed by BioWare and directed by Casey Hudson, who previously led the production of the first Mass Effect game.[20] Before actual production began, BioWare created a list of goals to work towards based on feedback from fans, reviewers, and internal people.[21] The company's main goal was to 'create an experience that was less about being a game and more about being an experience.'[22] In contrast to the exclusive focus on the main story of the original Mass Effect, Hudson explained that BioWare was interested in a plot where optional stories had as much intensity as the main story and decided that the idea of recruiting people and making them loyal to the player so that they could survive a suicide mission allowed to explore these possibilities.[22] He noted, 'the funny thing is that people will say 'other than gathering your crew and building your team and getting ready for this mission, there's not much story there.' But that is the story.'[22]
During the first stages of development, the designers' priority was purely on streamlining and polishing the shooting aspects; RPG elements were not added until this process was complete.[20] According to lead designer Christina Norman, 'we wanted more satisfying combat and a big part of that is making weapons more accurate and powerful at level oneâbasically saying 'let's take the RPG out of the shooter.'[20] Since BioWare had no experience with shooter games, the team spent roughly three months tuning how combat would work using the original Mass Effect as a basis.[20] The camera was improved to offer a more precise aiming that included body-specific targeting like headshots.[23] Norman explained that they wanted the weapons to have their own identity, noting that the final build of the game has 19 weapons with 108 tuning variables.[24] The inclusion of limited ammunition was initially not part of the game design and was simply implemented for some early playtesting.[20] However, the developers ultimately felt it improved the tension and pacing of combat.[20]
Real-time gameplay with an emphasis on weapons and cover was a preference because the team felt that the constant pausing to select powers interrupts the intensity of the combat.[24] As a result, more options to assign different abilities to the user interface for use in real-time were added.[24] Developers also decided to introduce regenerating health because it prevented players from playing erratically and relying on health kits.[24] Norman remarked that it was important not to oversimplify the RPG elements but to still make them easier to use.[24] She explained that the original Mass Effect offered 'too many choices that weren't particularly representative of how they would impact the game. In Mass Effect 2, the leveling options were pared down and made more descriptive.'[24] For the character classes, the developers wanted to create very different play styles, 'even if it meant cutting some of the possible choices.'[24] The powers were balanced with a unified refresh time period since the earlier system, where powers could be used sequentially, was considered 'ridiculous and endgame easy.'[20]
Keeping track of the enemies' strengths and weaknesses was made more consistent with different types of health bars so that players did not have to estimate what types of challenges they were facing when fighting new enemies.[24] The game's HUD was revised eight times during development.[25] As the inventory management of the original Mass Effect received criticism, designing a new inventory system for Mass Effect 2 was one of the main concerns during development.[26] Ideally, the inventory needed to be able to handle a large number of characters with simplicity.[26] Norman spent time examining various inventory systems from other RPG games, but none could be applied to support the game's large number of characters.[26] Ultimately, the team opted to replace it with a set of different systems that provide the same functionality without any sort of management.[27] This concept allowed a character to use a weapon without taking it away from someone else.[26]
The planetary exploration of the original Mass Effect was completely revamped. Instead of having large barren landscapes, the designers opted to build distinct and interesting places. The goal was to encourage players to keep exploring the galaxy by changing their expectations about what they could find.[28] Originally, developers experimented with the idea of having a vehicle that could be used to navigate the planetary terrain in a more flexible way than in the original title. However, the vehicle was ultimately removed from the final build of the game.[27] The context-sensitive interrupt system, which was originally meant to be a feature in the original Mass Effect, was introduced in Mass Effect 2 to help blend the dialogue better with the rest of the action.[29] The pacing of the story was also improved because developers wanted to get players into the action faster.[30]
Production[edit]
Since the Mass Effect series was envisioned as a trilogy from its inception, work on Mass Effect 2 started shortly before the original Mass Effect was released.[30] The game was initially developed exclusively for the Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 platforms with the same level of dedication.[21] As a result, each version of the game features different user interfaces and controls.[21] Like its predecessor, Mass Effect 2 was built using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 in conjunction with a framework that BioWare specifically developed for the Mass Effect games.[23] As most of these Mass Effect technologies were already developed in the first game, the development team focused on adding a lot of new content and perfecting new features rather than creating them from scratch.[30] Technical improvements included better memory management, greater textures, a higher frame rate, and better lighting scenarios.[23] According to Hudson, 'I actually can't think of an aspect of the game that we haven't overhauled and made 100% better.'[30]
Mass Effect 2 contains voices from 90 voice actors who play 546 characters and speak over 25,000 lines of dialogue.[25] Voice recording for the game took twice as long as the original Mass Effect.[31] The Unreal Engine 3's Matinee tool, which allows developers to animate characters during cinematics, was integrated into BioWare's own technology for digital acting and conversation.[23] As Hudson explained, 'Our writers write into a dialogue editor and that becomes fused with the way that you end up seeing many different pieces of Matinee play out in combination when you have a conversation with characters.'[23] Another Unreal Engine 3 technology, Kismet, was used for scripting how levels or enemies would respond to a certain action.[23] As the game's programmers were already familiar with the Unreal Engine 3 after using it on the first Mass Effect game, they did not feel the need to constantly communicate with Epic Games for support.[23]
Although Mass Effect 2 was primarily developed at BioWare's Edmonton studio, a new team of 30 people was set to work at EA Montreal in March 2009 to supplement the teams already working on the game.[32] The new team was composed of a number of people who worked on the original game, but the majority was new hires.[32] Overall, Mass Effect 2 was developed over the course of roughly two years and more than 150 people worked on the game.[23] Hudson mentioned two significant challenges that interfered with the development: the 2008â2012 global recession limited the game's budget, and the team had to get through it without impacting their ambitious goals.[33] Additionally, due to the 2009 flu pandemic, a significant part of the team was ill during the last months of development, resulting in a loss of a man-year of time.[33] Despite these factors, Hudson described the development of Mass Effect 2 as successful 'on time, on budget, and exceeding quality goals.'[33]
Initially, BioWare denied that a PlayStation 3 version was in the works.[34] Despite this, it was reported that the Microsoft Windows version of the game featured lines of code referencing the PlayStation 3.[35] BioWare responded that the Unreal Engine 3 is cross-platform, which is the reason why it includes PlayStation 3 code.[35] Eventually, a PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 was released a year later than the Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 versions of the game. The PlayStation 3 version uses a modified version of the Unreal Engine 3 called Mass Effect 3 engine; the same engine BioWare used for the then-upcoming Mass Effect 3.[36] In this newer version, character models were slightly improved and controls were updated to support the PlayStation 3 controller. An option which allowed to switch back to the Xbox 360 controls layout was also added.[36]
Music[edit]
Jack Wall returned to compose Mass Effect 2's music, aiming for a darker and more mature sound to match the mood of the game.
The music of Mass Effect 2 was primarily composed by Jack Wall.[37] His previous work with BioWare was as the main composer for Jade Empire and the original Mass Effect.[37][38] The score also features some pieces by Sam Hulick, David Kates, and Jimmy Hinson (better known as Big Giant Circles), with additional editing and in-game implementation by Brian DiDomenico.[39] Unlike with the original Mass Effect, the composers aimed for a darker and more mature sound to match the mood of the game.[39] The music incorporates both orchestral and classic sci-fi arrangements which were inspired by the soundtrack of the 1982 film Blade Runner and music by German electronic group Tangerine Dream.[39] The harmonic structure of Wendy Carlos's Tron soundtrack also represented significant influences.[39] To complement each character, the composers gave them their own theme song to convey their personalities and backgrounds.[39] According to Kates, 'it was one of our mandates to create a dynamic score that expressed a wide range of emotions.'[39]
Overall, around 180 minutes of music were composed for Mass Effect 2, which totalled more than 700 assets.[40] The song 'Callista' by video game music composer Saki Kaskas, who wrote the music for five Need for Speed games,[41] was used as the game's Afterlife Club theme.[42] Music from the game has been released in several albums.[43][44][45] BioWare released the main soundtrack album, Mass Effect 2: Original Videogame Score, on January 19, 2010. The soundtrack spans two discs and 27 tracks, covering a duration of 1:55:43.[43]Mass Effect 2's score was nominated for Best Original Music at the 2011 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards,[46] and Best Soundtrack Album at the 9th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.[47][48] In 2012, Legacy, an album composed mostly of tracks written for Mass Effect 2 but not used in the game was released by Big Giant Circles.[49]
Marketing and release[edit]
Mass Effect 2 was formally unveiled at the Game Developers Conference on March 17, 2009, accompanied by a teaser trailer which declared Shepard to be 'killed in action'.[50] The announcement confirmed that the game would be released for both Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360.[51] In June 2009, the game was presented at the Electronic Entertainment Expo,[52] where it was confirmed that Shepard would be alive and playable in Mass Effect 2, but the character could die at the end of the game.[52] If the game was pre-ordered at certain retailers, players could receive new in-game armors and weapons.[53] Players could also redeem codes on specially marked Dr Pepper products for one of three pieces of headgear,[54] and on registered copies of Dragon Age: Origins for a new armor.[55] In the months leading up to the game's release, BioWare released a final cinematic trailer and launched six class trailers narrated by Norman.[56][57]
Mass Effect 2 was initially released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010, in North America and January 29, 2010, in Europe.[53] Alongside the standard edition, a digital deluxe edition and a collector's edition were made available for purchase.[58] The collector's edition featured a different packaging, an artbook, bonus in-game content, a behind-the-scenes DVD, and one issue from the Mass Effect: Redemption comic series.[58] Electronic Arts sold-in more than two million copies of the game to worldwide retailers in its first week of release.[59] Although Mass Effect 2 was released at the end of the month, it became the second best-selling game of January 2010 with 572,100 units sold, behind Nintendo's New Super Mario Bros. Wii.[60]
At Gamescom 2010, BioWare announced that a PlayStation 3 version of the game was in development.[61] Microsoft responded to the announcement that, despite losing the game's exclusivity, the Xbox 360 was still the most appropriate console to play the game due to the game's compatibility with the original Mass Effect, which was only available on the Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 systems at the time.[62] The PlayStation 3 version was released on January 18, 2011, in North America and January 21, 2011, in Europe.[63] The PlayStation Network version accounted for more than 10% of the game's overall sales on PlayStation 3.[64] As of April 2011, it was reported that both the original Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 combined have sold more than seven million units worldwide.[65] In 2012, a compilation featuring the three main games of the series, titled Mass Effect Trilogy, was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.[66] In 2016, Mass Effect 2 was added to the list of backward compatible Xbox 360 games on Xbox One.[67]
Suavi aydn takn tr tarihi pdf. New purchases of the game are provided with a one-time use card granting access code that unlocks the game's Cerberus Network, an online downloadable content and news service that enables bonus content for the game.[68] However, users who bought the game used would have to pay for the Cerberus Network separately if they wanted access to the new content.[68] This policy allows publishers to combat the used-game market; companies like GameStop have allowed costumers to sell used games back to the retailer so that the company can resell them at a small discount to other customers, but the publisher does not make a profit.[68] BioWare online development director Fernando Melo revealed that 11% of all Mass Effect 2's downloadable content revenue came from the Cerberus Network.[69] The policy attracted criticism from some of the fan community, who have criticized downloadable content as being overpriced and an incentive for developers to leave items out of the initial release.[70]
Technical issues[edit]
Shortly after the game's release, it was reported that the game's font-size had been formatted in such a way as to make in-game text difficult to read on standard definition televisions.[71] Representatives from BioWare stated that the issue was a design choice instead of a bug.[71] Mark Barlet, president of the website AbleGamers, which advocates for making games more accessible to the disabled, observed 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.[72] 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', and concluded that they were unable to resolve it through a title update. However, they stated that they would take it into consideration for future games.[73]
Other issues with regards to crashes, temporary freezes and long load times were found on single core computers, but these were ultimately addressed in a patch.[74] A second patch, which reduced the amount of mining time required to acquire upgrades, fixed some saved game loading issues, and addressed other minor bugs, was also released.[75] On PlayStation 3, a concerning number of players reported that their save files can become corrupted if the game crashes unexpectedly.[76] After community chief Chris Priestly of BioWare asked affected players to provide details about the issue, BioWare released a PlayStation 3 patch designed to combat save bugs and crashes experienced.[77]
Downloadable content[edit]
Mass Effect 2 supports additional in-game content in the form of downloadable content packs that were released from January 2010 to May 2011. The downloadable content ranges from single in-game character outfits to entirely new plot-related missions. Major packs include Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival, which are vital to the series' plot. In Lair of the Shadow Broker, Shepard helps former squad member Liara T'Soni to find an information dealer known as the Shadow Broker.[78] In Arrival, Shepard investigates evidence of a Reaper invasion, leading to events that bridge to Mass Effect 3.[79] Other plot-related downloadable content packs include the loyalty missions Zaeed â The Price of Revenge and Kasumi â Stolen Memory, and Overlord, which adds five new missions to the game.[80][81][82]
Unlike the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows versions of the game, the PlayStation 3 version includes the Kasumi â Stolen Memory, Overlord, and Lair of the Shadow Broker packs.[83] Since the first Mass Effect game was originally not released on PlayStation 3, BioWare released Genesis, a downloadable content pack which allows the player to impact the story of the game with several major plot decisions of the first game. These decisions are made through a digital interactive comic which appears at the beginning of the game.[84]Genesis was eventually released on May 17, 2011, for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 users.[85] The game's downloadable content was generally well received by critics and some packs were nominated for Best DLC (downloadable content) at the Spike Video Game Awards.[86][87]
Reception[edit]Critical response[edit]
Upon release, Mass Effect 2 received universal critical acclaim from video game publications.[103] Substantial praise was given to the game's diverse characters, interactive storytelling, voice acting and art design.[2]IGN reviewer Erik Brudvig called Mass Effect 2 a very personal game, with a lot of emotion involved.[2] He praised the option of importing a character, stating that the overall experience changes as different saved games from the previous game are used.[2] Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer highlighted positively the weight of social interaction on the outcome of events and that players feel actual pressure for their decisions.[90] Further praise was given to the game's characters. Edge credited them for their complex personalities and great characterization,[89] while Game Revolution pointed out that the loyalty missions 'reach deep enough into their characters to make you empathize with all of them'.[6]
The game's visuals and atmosphere received similar praise. GameSpot reviewer Kevin VanOrd remarked that Mass Effect 2 is more detailed and darker than its predecessor.[5] He wrote that 'deep reds and glowing indigos saturate certain scenes, making them richer and more sinister; eerie fog limits your vision in one side mission, while rain pours down upon you in another. Subtle, moody lighting gives certain interactions great impact.'[5] Reviewer Adriaan den Ouden of RPGamer credited the conversations and cutscenes for featuring better cinematography than the first game, stating that 'it's hard to imagine them becoming much better in Mass Effect 3'.[100] Critics also gave high marks to the game's extensive cast of voices, in particular Martin Sheen's performance of the Illusive Man, which was singled out for 'steal[ing] the show'.[2] Andrew Reiner, writing for Game Informer, opined that the music 'flows beautifully' in both the story and action sequences.[10] The game's presentation and direction were considered 'miles ahead of the competition'.[2]
Numerous publications declared the gameplay was an improvement over the original.[2][5][90][96] John Davison of GamePro wrote 'BioWare has done a spectacular job moving the role playing genre forward, and blending disparate gameplay styles into genuinely exciting sci-fi epic.'[94] VanOrd praised Mass Effect 2 for possessing an identity, which was something that its predecessor lacked.[5] He noted that the shooting is 'more immediate and satisfying, which keeps the pace moving and intensifies the violence of each encounter'.[5] Similarly, GameSpy's Gerald Villoria observed that, while the original Mass Effect 'walked the line between RPG and shooter [..] Mass Effect 2 has become a much more focused shooter experience'.[96] Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com credited the combat for being more balanced, stating that the game encourages players to use different weapon classes and squad abilities when the situation requires it.[88] Some publications, however, expressed concerns about the game's simplified RPG elements, calling it 'stripped-down' and with a 'dumbed-down feeling'.[99][100] The game's slow planet scanning was also criticized.[5][6][99] Game Revolution felt it was a 'chore, mandatory if you want upgrades and boring because there is no tension or challenge', but ultimately concluded that the game as a whole 'does more than enough to live up to its predecessor'.[6]
Reception for the PlayStation 3 version was similar. Colin Moriarty of IGN described it as 'the best, most complete version of the game available' due to the upgraded game engine and the extra downloadable content packs.[98] In contrast, VanOrd criticized the inclusion of the character Kasumi Goto from the Kasumi â Stolen Memory pack, stating that 'she never fits in with her more fully developed cohorts.'[95] He also remarked that the PlayStation 3 version suffers from technical issues such as frame rate inconsistencies, graphical glitches, and other minor bugs, which are mostly present in the downloadable content sections of the game.[95]Game Informer reviewer Joe Juba reacted negatively to the lack of save importation from the original Mass Effect, which was originally not released on PlayStation 3, and pointed out that the decisions made in the Genesis comic 'have practically no context'.[93] Despite the criticism, he stated that the game itself is equally as good on PlayStation 3 as it is on Xbox 360.[93]
Awards[edit]
Mass Effect 2 collected numerous year-end awards. At the 14th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, Mass Effect 2 won awards for Game of the Year, Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year, and Outstanding Achievement in Story.[104] At the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards, the game won for Best Xbox 360 Game and Best RPG;[105] BioWare was also recognized for its work on the game and was awarded Studio of the Year.[105] At the 2011 Canadian Videogame Awards, the game was awarded Game of the Year, Best Console Game, Best Game Design, and Best Writing.[106]Mass Effect 2 received several other notable awards, including Best Game at the 2011 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards,[107] Best Writing at the 2011 Game Developers Choice Awards,[108] and two Golden Joystick Awards: Best RPG of the Year and Ultimate Game of the Year.[109][110]
Retrospective attention[edit]
Mass Effect 2 continued to receive attention years after its release. GamesRadar editor Hollander Cooper explained that the game improved the technical issues of its predecessor significantly, while at the same time 'expanding the already-impressive universe without sacrificing what made the series special.'[111] He went so far as to call the game The Empire Strikes Back of video games, stating that 'few sequels have trumped the original as handily as Mass Effect 2.'[111] The game's focus on characters, along with their deeper stresses and internal conflicts, was highly praised.[111][112] Rick Lane of Eurogamer described Mass Effect 2 as a darker, warmer, and overall more human game than its predecessor, noting that it is the player's responsibility to make sure these characters are prepared for the final mission, otherwise they will die.[112] He explained that Mass Effect 2 is a long quest that 'works towards an epic climax', and when it arrives there, 'it doesn't disappoint.'[112]
Mass Effect 2 has been cited as one of the greatest video games of all time by multiple publications, including Slant Magazine in 2014,[113] IGN in 2015,[114]Polygon in 2017,[115] and Game Informer in 2018.[116] In 2011, the game was selected as one of 80 titles from the past 40 years to be placed in the Art of Video Games exhibit in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.[117] According to the museum, the exhibit explored 'the 40-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects and the creative use of new technologies.'[118]
Sequel[edit]
A sequel to the game, entitled Mass Effect 3, was released in 2012.[119] The sequel begins on Earth with Commander Shepard having been detained following the events in the Arrival downloadable content pack.[120] The story of the game is influenced by decisions the player made in the original Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.[121] However, if Shepard dies at the end of Mass Effect 2, the character cannot be imported into Mass Effect 3.[122] BioWare stated that Mass Effect 3 ends Shepard's story arc and that future games in the series would feature a different context.[123] Unlike its predecessors, Mass Effect 3 features a multiplayercooperative mode in addition to the single-player campaign.[121] Although the game received critical acclaim from video game publications,[124] its ending was poorly received by fans, who felt that it did not meet expectations.[125]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mass_Effect_2&oldid=904499510'
The most important thing for you to know about is that when you use Omega 4 relay to travel to Collector base you WON'T be allowed to return to the Milky Way until the mission has been completed. There's also a risk that the entire Normandy crew may die.
BEFORE you use Omega 4 relay you should:
1) Recruit ALL crew members. It's also crucial that you complete their personal missions in order to increase their loyalty towards Shepard. Don't forget that you can lose loyalty points if you make a decision which doesn't satisfy one of your followers. The problems I'm talking about are confrontations and you'll witness two of those during the course of the game - Miranda will have a problem with Jack and Tali with Legion. Choosing a standard response will result in losing loyalty points of the crew member you didn't support. Thankfully this can be avoided assuming you've spent enough points to develop paragon or renegade bars. You will have a chance to use a special paragon/renegade dialogue option and that will calm down both crew members.
2) Unlock all offensive and defensive upgrades of the Normandy. If you ignore this you'll start losing crew members after you've travelled through the Omega 4 relay. Here are the upgrades I'm talking about:
- Heavy ship armor (you must ask Jacob about his ideas on how to upgrade Normandy)
- Thanix cannon (you must ask Garrus about his ideas on how to upgrade Normandy)
- Cyclone shields (you must complete personal missions of your crew members)
As for the things which are NOT required, here's the list of them:
1) You don't have to purchase other Normandy upgrades, because they won't affect the ship's effectiveness in battle (taking more fuel, probes etc.). Same thing applies to standard technologies.
2) You don't have to scan all the planets in the Milky Way.
3) You don't have to buy all the items/upgrades from the vendors.
4) You don't have to complete all side missions.
All of these actions can be performed after your return from the final mission.
Once you feel you're ready for the final assignment open the galaxy map, return to Omega Nebula, fly over to Omega 4 relay and confirm that you want to use it. The next part of the campaign is described in Stop the Collectors - Finale: Part 1 section.
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Prequel bonuses
Mass Effect 2 Missed Upgrades
Have a saved game file from the original Mass Effect on your hard drive, and use that profile in Mass Effect 2 to get the following bonuses:
Use the following steps to get the bonus Dr. Pepper bonus items. Go to //www.drpepper.com/promotions/ea/signin/, and register for an account. Note: You can register three different accounts to redeem three different codes and get each bonus item. After creating an account, enter one of the following redemption codes, and select the 'No Purchase' option:
CBEEAAA41NWH
Select the 'Redeem' button to get a login for an EA account. Log in with your EA account information that is linked to Mass Effect 2. Select Mass Effect 2 from the game list, and choose the desired bonus item. Repeat the steps with a new drpepper.com account to get the other bonus items.
Completion bonuses
Successfully complete the game. Then, start a new game with the cleared saved game file to start with the following bonuses: choose Loyalty Bonus Skill at the start; retain Skill Points from first playthrough; retain level and experience points from first playthrough; +25% experience bonus for all characters; 200,000 credits, 50,000 of each resource; Renegade and Paragon points reset to neutral; and your weapons and armor (but no upgrades) from first playthrough.
Loyalty mission bonuses
Successfully complete the indicated party member's Loyalty mission or task to unlock the corresponding skill for Shepard, alternate colors for their costumes, and increase the chance for surviving the suicide mission. Note: Successfully complete the Advanced Training research upgrade for your ship to be able to select the skills.
During conversations, look carefully for a prompt at the top left area of the screen. Quickly press LT when the wings appear for extra Paragon points. Quickly press RT when the star appears for extra Renegade points.
Easy max skills
Have at least four available skill points and a skill ready to be evolved to its fourth form. While evolving a skill from level 3 to level 4 at the squad menu, press A + X to regain all spent squad points and keep the skill evolution. This works best if you level a skill from 0 to 4 (10 points) at the same time. Repeat this process to fill every line of your and your crew's skill tree. Note: You cannot do this trick in the patched version of the game. You can delete all patches for the game by using the 'Clear hard drive cache' code for the Xbox 360. -From: tigernipp
Easy Paragon and Renegade points
Throughout the game you will unlock training to redistribute your skill points. Talent Mastery adds a certain percentage to your Paragon/Renegade. Respec and distribute them into your Mastery repeatedly until your Paragon and Renegade are full.
Easy materials
To find some easy mining planets, go to the Micah system in the Vallhallan Threshold, and look for the three planets hidden in the asteroids. They are all 'Rich' planets with a lot of materials on them to help with your upgrades. -From: Psychotic Elf
Easy skill points
Recruit Morinth to get the Dominate skill, and get a large amount of Element Zero. Buy the Advanced Training upgrade, and select Dominate. This will result in a bonus skill point, which is then used by the Retrain Powers upgrade. Repeat this process to get another skill point.
Quicker scanning for mining
While scanning a planet, do not hold LT. Instead, rapidly tap LT until you see a blip on the scanner. Then, go back over the area while holding LT to find the best location to send the probe.
Move the pointer to the left or right of the planet you want to scan. Press the Left Analog-stick and Right Analog-stick in the same direction to double the spin speed of the planet and allow you to locate resources on the grid line quickly.
Planet scanning
After scanning a planet and pressing Y, the planet information screen on the right reveals if the planet is 'Rich', 'Moderate', or 'Poor'. Rich planets give approximately 10+ good scan for ores. Ore yields vary from 1,500 to 3,000. Moderate planets give approximately 8+ good scans, but around 35% to 55% yield compared to rich planets. Poor planets give approximately 5+ scans with yields 5% to 25% compared to rich planets. Note: If there is an anomaly on the planet (typically a rich planet) and you land before you scan, usually the Star Map on the Normandy will put you in a strange location away from the anomaly planet. You must then go back and rescan to get your ores.
Easy Geth Pulse Rifle
Change the difficulty to Hardcore before you land on the planet. Successfully complete Tali'Zora's recruitment mission to find the Geth Pulse Rifle in the room where you find Tali. You can then change the difficulty back to its original setting.
Cryo Bomb
This trick requires any Biotic that lifts your enemy off the ground and the Cryo Bomb tech. Use the Biotic to lift the enemy off the ground, then hit him or her with the Cryo Bomb while they are still under the Biotic's effect. This will cause him or her to be stuck in a permanent falling state, where they are not capable of causing any damage. This is very helpful when trying to prevent the deployment of Harbinger, as once he enters the glitched body he cannot move. Thus, you can kill him at the end of a fight to prevent him from jumping into another body.
Rapid fire M-920 Cain
Shoot the M-920 Cain, and keep [Fire] held while pressing [Reload] after each shot. The shots will keep firing during the previous shots' explosions.
Getting Dominate ability and keeping Samara alive
Dominate is a very useful Biotic ability that allows you to control organic enemies and turn them into allies, similar to the Hack ability that controls synthetics. In order to get this ability as a Loyalty mission bonus to use for your character, you must help Morinth kill Samara during Samara's Loyalty mission. However, it is possible to keep Samara on your team but still get Morinth's Dominate ability by using the following trick. Play Samara's Loyalty mission up to the point where Samara confronts Morinth. Save the game immediately before the confrontation. When you must choose who to eliminate, choose the option that allows Morinth get the upper-hand on Samara and kill her. Create a separate saved game file. Go to the ship, and talk to Morinth. Load the previous saved game, then have Samara kill Morinth. You will now get to keep Samara as a squad mate and have Morinth's Dominate ability when you choose a bonus Loyalty power to add to your character in the prototype upgrade screen.
Romancing Yeoman Kelly Chambers
Talk with Yeoman Kelly Chambers often, and choose the kind responses. Invite her to dinner when you get the option. Do not let Kelly die during the final mission, and select a loyal escort for the crew in the final scene. After completing the game, talk to Kelly. You will get an e-mail from her. Go to your quarters, and invite her up using your console to get the romance scene.
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Ending with both Jack's and Miranda's loyalties
Do not play Miranda's loyalty mission at first. Instead, wait for Jack's mission to become available, and play it first. After the mission when they are fighting, support Jack. Miranda's loyalty will be low. Then, play her loyalty mission to get it back.
Anomaly locations
Scan the indicated planets to find anomalies (side quests): Sims 3 custom sims.
Search the indicated planets to find Element Zero:
The following armor pieces will become available for purchase after certain points in the game:
Helmets
Shoulders
Chest
Arms
Legs
Armor Sets
Go up to Legion in his quarters. Highlight him, but do not talk to him, and eventually he will do the 'Robot' dance.
Bizarre dialog with Legion
Go to the Local Cluster, and survey Uranus. Instead of the usual 'Probe Launched' response, the voice will instead make Uranus jokes such as 'Probing Uranus' or 'Really Commander?'
Humorous dialogue
Wander around the ship in-between missions to hear some funny quotes. Stand next to Jeff 'Joker' Moreau (the pilot) without interacting with him. You will hear him say things such as the following:
Stand near the two engineers near the Mass Effect Core to hear the following:
Space Hamster is available on Illium. Once you go into your cabin and select him, he will come out and do the same 'Squeek' that Boo did, who was Minsc's 'Intergalactic Space Hamster' from Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2.
Legion's gaming history ('The Lair Of The Shadow Broker' DLC)
At the end of the game in 'The Lair Of The Shadow Broker' bonus downloadable content, examine the terminal that has all your teammates' dossiers. Read Legion's dossier to find out that he is a gamer. It will list the games he has downloaded, his leaderboard scores, and other information about his gaming past.
Easy 'No One Left Behind' achievement
If you completed the game but someone died after landing on the Collector Ship, choose someone else. During the last part where you select someone for the final time, do not choose someone without loyalty (e.g. you lose it after you have completed their loyalty mission), as they will not survive. Instead, leave them with loyal company. For example, if you lose Tali's loyalty and take her through the last part of the mission and she dies, reload the game, and leave her with everyone else. You can then get the 'No One Left Behind' achievement.
Achievements
Accomplish the indicated achievement to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points:
The following achievement requires the 'Zaeed' bonus downloadable content:
The following achievement requires the 'Kasumi: Stolen Memory' bonus downloadable content:
The following achievements require the 'Overlord' bonus downloadable content:
The following achievements require 'The Lair Of The Shadow Broker' bonus downloadable content:
The following achievements require the 'Arrival' bonus downloadable content:
Use Your HeadWhile Mass Effect 2 throws aside many of the RPG conventions from the original game, it does include a new research system. Through research players can customize their experience and achieve upgrades they might have achieved through new weapons and armor in a traditional RPG mechanic, such as better weapon damage, new weapon types, and better shields. This guide lists all of the research possible in Mass Effect 2 so that you can decide which items youâd like to research during the game. Weapon UpgradesThe player can research weapons upgrades for every weapon type in the game. There are a few different categories of these upgrades. The first is damage upgrades. These range from level 1 to 5 and each upgrade increases damage by 10%. The upgrades are researched in succession and the player must have 'found' an upgrade in the game world first. The cost of these upgrades range between 2500 and 7500 resources. Assault Rifles use Iridium, Pistols use Palladium, Shotguns and Sniper Rifles use Platinum, and SMGs use Iridium. The second tier of research increases weapon damage against defenses. Assault Rifles can gain a +25% bonus against all forms of defense. Pistols and Sniper Rifles can gain +50% to armor. Shotguns and SMGs can gain +50% against shields and barriers. These upgrades cost 15000 resources each. There third tier of research has effects unique to each weapon. Assault Rifles can gain an accuracy bonus. Pistols will randomly do double damage. Shotguns and SMGs can gain twice the ammo capacity. Sniper rifles can gain 50% higher headshot damage. These upgrades cost 25000 resources each. Ship UpgradesThese upgrades are applied to the new Normandy. Some have practical effects during exploration, while others can change the outcome of the final mission.
A Note About Ship UpgradesMany players wonder what the ship upgrades actually do. The Thanix Cannon, Multi-Core Shielding, and Heavy Ship Armor never serve a purpose in the actual gameplay, so what do they really do? I wonât go to into detail because I donât want to spoil the game for anyone, but I will say they are important. As the game stressed multiple times, it is important to have everyone and everything at its best before you go through the Omega 4 relay. Failing to take the ship upgrades can lead to a situation where some characters might be killed. If it is important to you that everyone lives, you should take all three upgrades. Armor UpgradesAs with weapons, the player can research armor upgrades. The first tier includes the following. Each has five levels, just the same as the first tier weapon upgrades.
The second tier includes some more unique effects. They are as follows.
The third tier includes the following effects.
PrototypesThis category seems to be a catch-all for research projects that donât fit in the other categories. This includes new heavy weapons and personal upgrades which make Shepard tougher. Heavy Weapons
Heavy Armor
Squad Upgrades (These apply only to certain squad members)
Training
This post is part of the series: Mass Effect 2 Guide
In Mass Effect 2 youâll fight many opponents, from evil aliens to money-hungry mercenaries.This guide to Mass Effect 2 will help you gain an edge against them all.
Special Ingredients
Received from: Sergeant Gardner [Normandy SR-2 - Third deck]
Description: During your conversation with sergeant Gardner you can offer your help in finding the ingredients he's looking for. You will be allowed to continue this mission after arriving at the Citadel. Go to Zakera Cafe store located on the 27th level of [Citadel - Zakera ward], use the terminal and purchase the ingredients for 500 credits (first option from the list). You may now return to the Normandy and talk to Gardner to officially end this quest.
Serrice Ice Brandy
Received from: Doctor Chakwas [Normandy SR-2 - Third deck]
Description: During one of your conversations with doctor Chakwas you can offer your assistance in finding a serrice ice brandy. A bottle of this alcohol can be purchased during your visit to the Omega station. Go to the Afterlife club in [Omega - Market district]. Click on the bottle and confirm that you want to pay 1000 credits for it. You can now return to the Normandy and hand over the bottle. Notice that you'll be allowed to drink brandy with Chakwas and to make a toast. Completing this mission will also unlock a new research project.
FBA Couplings
Received from: Ken Donnelly and Gabby Daniels [Normandy SR-2 - Fourth deck]
Description: During your initial conversation with engineers Donnelly and Daniels you will be allowed to offer your help in finding parts needed to upgrade Normandy. The item you're looking for (Nashan Stellar Dynamics T6-FBA Couplings) can be found in Kenn's Salvage store in [Omega - Market district]. You shouldn't have any problems purchasing the couplings due to their low price. Return to the Normandy and talk to the engineers again. After you've handed over the couplings you can agree to take part in a friendly card game. Choosing a special paragon or renegade dialogue option will result in winning 500 credits and choosing a standard response will result in winning or losing 100 credits.
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