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People play games for many different reasons. Some enjoy driving a
car in a circle, while others prefer jumping around collecting shiny
baubles. Then there are the miscreants who love nothing more than
pointing and clicking on whatever they want to die. These are all
admirable pastimes, and the games industry has become expert at
packaging such experiences into a package best described as
"cinematic." But as games have become more "cinematic," a key feature
of the cinema is often left behind. Storytelling in games is usually a
crude byproduct of game design necessity, an afterthought shoehorned
crudely between the ice world and the sewer level. It's natural that
games should look to film for help in developing meaningful narratives,
but it is often the case that film's narrative devices feel overly
contrived in a dynamic, interactive setting in which the player should
be calling the shots. 



Canadian developer BioWare has always met the challenges and
opportunities of interactive storytelling head-on, drawing inspiration
from film techniques, but masterfully building upon them and
integrating them into interactive experiences that propel the art of
storytelling to new levels.

Mass Effect 2 is BioWare's most fully realized work to date. The
hybrid shooter/RPG leaves the player feeling like they are interacting
not only with polygons and physics, but with heady philosophical
concepts and the very fabric of the narrative itself. It's a breath of
fresh air in an industry where character development usually goes
pistol, shotgun, rocket launcher. It's a rare thing for a game to build
such a strong rapport with story and characters, but Mass Effect 2's
unparalleled writing, sparkling graphics and top-notch voice talent
make it easy to get pulled in. 

Another unique concept that pushes the narrative envelope, Mass
Effect 2 allows you to import your character from the first game.  At
import you can alter your appearance and class to your liking, but all
your decisions remain intact. A surprising amount of unexpected baggage
comes along with you. Throughout Mass Effect 2, you're accosted by a
motley gaggle of minor characters whose lives you affected in the first
game. You'll struggle to remember some of them, and others you'll
recall after a bit of conversation. Some offer thanks, others entreat
you to entertain a side-quest. In any case, you come away feeling like
you've made a lasting impression on the world, something few games can
actually pull off. If you haven't played through the first game, we
highly recommend it as importing your character adds immensely to the
enjoyment of Mass Effect 2. It isn't a prerequisite, though, as there's
plenty for new players to like.



The main story arc of Mass Effect 2 revolves around attacks on
several human colonies whose inhabitants have vanished without a trace.
You're recruited by the pro-human splinter group Cerberus to
investigate the mysterious disappearances. Along the way you recruit a
team of elite operatives to take the fight to the bad guys in what
increasingly looks like a suicide mission. 

 

Can games make you cry?


Mass Effect 2 has been described as the dark second chapter of the
trilogy, the series' "Empire Strikes Back," if you will. Nowhere is
this more apparent than in your squadmates' personal missions. Each new
recruit has a personal quest you can tackle before setting out on the
final mission. Completing a personal quest unlocks a new power and
costume, and cements that character's loyalty to Shepard and the
mission. Though technically optional, these diversions are the
strongest part of the game and you're missing out if you don't play
through all of them. They invariably contain a shocking reversal, a
moral quandary of some description, and variations on gameplay that go
beyond simple combat. One personal quest consists primarily of
espionage and tailing a target, while another requires you to seduce
your quarry in a nightclub. Be prepared to grapple with topics ranging
from broken families and inhumane experimentation to robots' rights and
the ethics of genetically neutering an entire race. These personal
missions bring both the individual characters and the larger universe
to life in a much more satisfying way than your typical RPG
fetch-quests. The darkly-tinged scenarios resonate on an emotional
level as you guide your squadmates through the conflict to resolution.


Above: Emo game is sad