Mass Effect 2: Gaming's Empire strikes back

Mass Effect 2, is the second instalment of an epic sci-fi trilogy.

Creating an equally rewarding sequel to a highly successful game is a difficult challenge – but Bioware has nailed it with its highly engrossing Mass Effect 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC).

Its seasoned veteran character returns with a polished, visually appealing graphics engine similar to the original and with a compelling story and a strong mix of shooter and RPG elements.

Those who played the first Mass Effect will be impressed with how the much-promised combat improvements have been delivered and the inventory system sorted.

Most expensive-production games these days get points for quality voice acting, cinematics and graphics - but in the end, it's about a decent story.
That's where Bioware gets it. It's the story writing that puts the Mass Effect titles in a class of their own.
You may wish to import your characters from the last game. I didn't, but that doesn't take away from the fun.

Mass Effect 2 is based around colonies where the humans have disappeared and you're recruited by the Cerberos Group to find out what's going on.

But this time around, it's a darker plot and is reflected by some seriously damaging weapons and biotic effects.

It is a shade darker than the first and some have talked about it being like The Empire Strikes Back, as it is the second instalment of a trilogy.

The only tedious time was scouring the planets for minerals, but overall, this is hard to fault and has so much going for it, whether you're new to the story or not. It's an intense sci-fi shooter that will keep you hooked for 30 hours or so.

MadGamer Rating: 9.5 / 10