Mass Effect 2

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Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing video 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 – 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.

Mass Effect 2 is a single-player action 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. 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..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.The game features six different character classes for the player to choose from.Each class is proficient in a different set of powers and weapon types.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.

The game's overworld is a galaxy map that the player can explore to find and complete quests.Most quests consist of combat missions, but some involve the player interacting with non-player characters during visits to settlements.As the player progresses throughout the game, different locations and new squad members become available. Experience points are gained by completing quests.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.Powers provide enhanced combat capabilities, with each power having four ranks that can be unlocked.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.

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.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.Scanning requires the player to move a reticle over a planet and launch a probe when an oscilloscope warns of near resources.Additional upgrades, equipment, and non-essential items such as magazines and decorations for the ship can be purchased from merchants in settlements.

Combat

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.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.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.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.

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.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.The player can revive fallen squad members with the use of the Unity power.However, if Shepard dies, the player must start the game again from the last saved point.

All enemies are protected by health, shields, armor, barriers, or a combination thereof.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.Barriers are typically used by boss-type enemies and are vulnerable to certain weapons and powers.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.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.

Dialogue and morality

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.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.The game also introduces a context-sensitive interrupt system, allowing players to interrupt the conversation with direct actions at certain times.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

Morality is measured by Paragon and Renegade points. These points affect the availability of new special Paragon and Renegade dialogue options with significant impact in the game.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.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.