Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360)

 After anxiously awaiting Mass Effect 2 for well over two years (and this being the game I’ve MOST been looking forward to in that span of time), I’m pleased to report that this one doesn’t disappoint. ME 2, as with the original, was developed by Bioware and published by Electronic Arts.

Picking up two years after the original, this is a powerhouse of story. Practically every decision you made, every character you interacted with, comes back to either haunt you or benefit you, provided you have a save game from this one’s predecessor. This is the Lord Of The Rings of RPGs. An immense, epic plot that will leave you anticipating Mass Effect 3. Once again, you, as Commander Shepard, are called upon to save the galaxy from an unseen evil. Get ready, because it ain’t gonna be easy.

I only have one complaint about this game, but it’s a huge one. This is in the top 3 of the glitchiest games I’ve ever played. Bioware games always have little hiccups – how can they not, given how huge they all are – but this is… bad. However, all said, the rest of the game is so amazing, I found myself not caring too much. Bioware has done a fantastic job making the game feel like the original, but with about 10 million improvements and changes. Everything is fresh. Very fresh. ME was very action heavy, more of an action RPG than a traditional Baldur’s Gate experience, and this is even heavier with action. In such a good way!

The thing that lured me into the first one so much was the music. Basically, it felt like a reworked soundtrack to Blade Runner. Now, they’ve somewhat abandoned that audial feel to go for a more grand, sweeping orchestral score, so I wasn’t as thrilled with the music as with ME. It isn’t bad at all, though. It’s phenomenal. Where Mass Effect looked great with some weird facial issues on some characters, this game looks as gorgeous as a 10 million dollar hooker. It’s beautiful, one of the best-looking video games I’ve ever seen.

Mass Effect 2 is a game that I could not put down. I wound up not eating, drinking, or using the bathroom until I was in pain because of how engrossed I was. And believe me, I’m not that type of gamer. I know to take breaks. There is an endless amount of replay value here. Especially if you have multiple saves from Mass Effect. The game easily earns a perfect 10 out of 10. If you own a PC capable of handling it, or an Xbox 360, buy it. Buy ten copies of it. Give it to people. Spread the love. It’s the game of the year for sure.

And check out the expertly done launch trailer here.