Mass Effect 2 - Comments and Notes on Previews

Well i am quite amazed to finally hear Mass Effect 2 will be coming out in mid January next year, a whole month past Christmas, but i do know it will be so worth it. For those who don't know, Mass Effect 2 is the big hit squeal to the famed Mass Effect 1 for the 360 and PC, a game developed by Bioware (who are Canadian). For Mass Effect 2 (or Mass2), EA has teamed up to add some new goodies to the already "much anticipated" game. According to G4TV's website "BioWare returns to its planned epic, sci-fi trilogy with Mass Effect 2. Following the events of the first game, the title will read the gamer's save file from the first title, changing their gameplay experience in the sequel. With updated graphics and an improved combat system, Mass Effect 2 is sure to be a hit when it is finally released." In other words, how and what you did in the first game will reflect upon the second, so it gets quite exciting to see what will actually be put about. For me, I went as a Paragon (good) Infiltrator/Commando, so what i had done in the first game will most certainly affect me in the new one.

What i really am looking forward to is the cast, seeing some preview trailers, it has been announced that a lot of new faces will join you; An Assassin named Thane, another Asari biotic (a powerful one at that), and a new Krogan named Grunt, more mentally unstable than Wrex, joins you. There are some old Faces, Garris is back, a Sniper by trade, as well as Tali. It isn't sure of Ashley/Kaiden are still back depending on who you rescued, but that has yet to be noted, you do however find a few new humans as well as another Sentinel named Subject Zero, for an overall team of 10.

Graphic wise, according to trailer reviewers and commentary, the new game should have better graphics overall, cleaner look, and a lot less of that "faded" look seen in the first game. Put it like this, at some points when you either go into a cinematic or the squad menu, your character seems to have detail "faded" to a basic layer. This is probably going to be fixed in the second as well as a whole new feel. Game play wise, from the review noted above as well as the trailers, there is certainly going to be a new swath of weapons to make even Rachet and Clank green with envy, especially if there is one gun that fires a mini-nuke (as seen in another trailer).

Story...hmmm...well if i had to guess, I'd assume this would take place a few years after the first game, Humanity and the Citadel races have rebuilt and now are on the verge of war with the Reapers, the "mission" Shepard mentions in the trailer could revolve around stopping them, but since its noted for this game to be a "trilogy" i would imagine this would end in a cliff hanger. Suffice to say, im a rather excited gamer and really look forward to seeing Mass Effect 2 when it comes out.