ME2 is a wonderful, addictive and mostly-seamless continuation of the original game.
PROS:
- Beautiful graphics that run smoothly on a Phenom X4, 8 GB RAM, Radeon HD4870 X2 system. Settings scale well for lesser systems.
- Combat has been improved. It is now more visceral and includes the ability to take cover and leap over obstacles. The pause feature from the original game is still intact and works well. A new thermal clip mechanic effectively serves as your reload, which I think is much better than the weapon overheating in the previous game. Fights are also more interesting now that you can run out of "ammo."
- Conducting research with collected resources and buying upgrades streamlines the process relative to the original game.
- Absolutely wonderful dialogue and voice acting. The characters are interesting and believable, and decisions you make regarding your companions can have a significant impact on the story.
- Speaking of the story, it is remarkably simple but works well in the context of the game. The ending already has me wanting to play Mass Effect 3.
- A streamlined economy eliminates the inventory clutter that persisted throughout the first game.
- So far, EA/BioWare have provided two free DLC packs for Cerberus Network members, with another slated for release in March 2010.
- If you import your save file(s) from the original Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 wonderfully reflects decisions you made in the first game. For example, if Wrex died on Virmire, no Wrex in ME2. This serves as great motivation to play through more than once, with different characters.
CONS:
- Turning off the game music also kills music in clubs, so dancers are dancing to silence. This is annoying. I don't mind music when music should be heard; I just don't want to hear it in battle.
- Some of the quests for companions seem too simple, and the main storyline itself is definitely too short. I think the game overall could have done with more missions and side missions, but maybe I'm just greedy.
- Visceral combat isn't visceral enough. It isn't logical for your weapons to blow metal robots apart, but organic enemies magically keep their heads and limbs when shot with the same weapons. C'mon BioWare --- the game is already rated M. Show us the gore, and give people who don't have the stomach an option to turn it off.
- The economy, while streamlined, actually seems to have been stripped down too much. You can no longer sell items. Also, your selection of weapons and armor has been reduced significantly. Rather, you spend most of the game upgrading the same ol' weapons. Armor can be customized reasonably for your character, but not for your companions. Something in between the clutter of the first game and the nerfed economy of ME2 is probably ideal.
- No more Mako or open planet exploration. Rather, most of your exploring is done from an "overland" Galaxy Map, and you launch probes onto planets to gather resources. This mechanic is interesting the first four or five times you do it, but it quickly gets tedious and boring. Sadly, it is required if you want to perform research and upgrades. There is good news, however. The Firewalker DLC slated for release in March 2010 is supposed to include the Hammerhead, a "hover tank" that might alleviate the woes of some of us who miss driving around in the Mako.
- No editor. I've wanted a Mass Effect editor since my first run through the original game. Alas, it is probably a pipe dream.
- I've encountered a few bugs, such as unlocked powers not being accessible by companions and Shepard getting stuck in place for no apparent reason. All in all, though, the game is pretty clean.
SUMMARY:
Buy Mass Effect 2. From fun combat, to engaging conversations, to decisions that actually matter, it's hard to go wrong with this game.