They say it's a suicide mission. But don't worry, we think you can handle it.
I'll start with some of the story. Players can import their save files from the previous Mass Effect to influence the story elements of this game. I highly recommend this to get the best experience. If can't get the original or you're a PS3 player then you can download the recap comic off of Xbox Live or the PSN Network. If you don't then a predetermined storyline will play out and previous decisions made in the first game will either be decided for you or won't appear in the game at all. Either way the story is once again based on the morality system and it's up to you to decide whether your character is the ultimate hero or the ultimate badass. You start off with a recap of how the first game ended and are then moved to what's happening on the Normandy. It's been a few months since the last game but that won't last long as the Normandy is attacked by an unknown enemy, destroyed, and Shepard dies. That's kind of a bummer. But then Shepard is woken up by a female voice in an unknown facility under attack. That's just the start and things get even crazier from there. On a whole the story and characters you'll meet will be a rollercoaster ride and has all the action, romance, and comedy you can want.
Next, presentation. The game looks gorgeous as all the colors in the spectrum are used to best represent a diverse and vast galaxy. The menu's look cool and the character animations move and speak convincingly. There are many wow moments in the game where you're looking at some visually impressive places and what you see will have you feeling the atmosphere of any given place. The game depicts everything from the sprawling Citadel that makes me feel like I'm in the biggest city in the galaxy to a dirty slum like Omega that makes me feel like I'm going to get mugged any second.
The Gameplay has been revamped from the first game. While the combat system is still Third-Person shooter it's still done much better. Sticking to cover and popping in and out to shoot are much easier and smoother now. The ammo system has been changed. Previously you would fire your weapons and they would have a heat meter that shows how close you are to overheating. You would have to wait for the weapons to cool down before you could fire them. Now the ammo comes in clips that you can pick up and use to simply reload your weapon in a similar manner to standard shooters. Biotic, tech, and ammo powers are back as well and pretty much work in a similar manner as the first game. The classing system for your character is pretty much the same as well with the exception of certain powers that are only available to a single class (cloaking for infiltrators, adrenaline rush for soldiers etc.) These classes once again decide what powers and abilities your Shepard will have. The leveling up system is smaller and more streamlined as I only have 5 or 6 talent and power upgrades to choose from as opposed to 15+ from the previous game. The A.I is smart enough to keep you interested as they co-ordinate and fire at you from to keep you in cover and make you think twice about running and gunning. They also throw in the mix of powers to add to the difficulty (especially the boss-like enemies). There are occasional bugs and glitches in the system but not enough to take away from the overall experience. Onboard the Normandy you can engage in conversation, read your e-mails, and upgrade your weapons and powers in the science lab. To get resources though you have to play the planet scan mini-game which is a jarring note in the beautiful symphony in this game. I have to spend several hours of any playthrough just to get enough resources to get the upgrades I want and it's pretty boring on the whole. But it once again does not take away from the whole experience.
Finally, sound. The soundtrack for the game is epic and sets the mood for every location you go to. The Opening menu track is a good example of the quality you can expect for the rest of the game. The sounds you here will evoke emotions in you that will make you feel whatever the mood calls for and is just another way to lose yourself in this game. The In-game sounds also sound great as I can tell everything from a footstep in the Normandy's bridge to a heavy mech powering up. The weapons in particular sound convincing as a trained ear will be able to tell each one from the other and can be used to help plan your attack based on what kind of heat your enemies are packing.
Once again Mass Effect 2 is one of the best games of this generation is a game that any RPG fan could get into. It has the perfect blend of story, presentation, gameplay, and sound that makes me give it this perfect score.