I finally finished Mass Effect 2 the other day. Never, in my entire life, have I felt so emotionally connected to a a video game. The storyline and characters are what makes Mass Effect 2 the greatest game of all-time.
I never thought that a game could displace The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time from the number 1 spot on my all-time favorite games list. Mass Effect 2 has done just that. When I finished playing the game, I could not stop thinking about it. I annoyed my friends, excitedly reiterating intriguing parts of the story. I scoured the internet for other opinions on the game, shaking my head in disappointment whenever I saw a dissenting one.
Bioware is my favorite developer. ME2 is definitive evidence of this company's capacity to craft profound, adult stories that immerse players in believable worlds with characters who evoke strong emotional responses from players. As a huge advocate of further integrating gaming into mainstream entertainment, I would argue that the Mass Effect series tells one of the best science fiction stories ever -- I would even argue that it reaches the level of George Lucas's Star Wars films. The fact that you, as a player, are able to control the outcome of this story through your decision-making (which, by the way, does not boil down to simple good vs. evil choices, but also involves moral gray areas), augments the experience by adding layers of complexity that movies or books simply cannot do. Mass Effect 2 made me care about my virtual crew. I wanted to ensure that all of my crew mates survived throughout the story, and this is another great thing about the game -- it makes you feel as if something is at stake. You really want to see the mission through, while at the same time, making sure that your trusted crew members live to see another day.
I haven't even mentioned the immersive graphics and sound effects that complete the Mass Effect experience. Particle and lighting effects are breathtaking. The locales that you travel to throughout the galaxy are varied and intricate. Remember the cantina from Star Wars? The world of Omega pays homage to that famous scene from Star Wars, albeit with a darker and more mature spin. Beautiful garden worlds entice gamers while foreshadowing hidden dangers that linger beneath their innocuous surfaces. The entire game world lives and breathes, and you really feel like you are part of something big -- a mission that will determine the fate of an entire galaxy.
Just in case I haven't made it clear already, Mass Effect 2 is a transcendent experience -- it is a once in a generation game that not only must be played, but must be owned. ME2 is an absolute treasure, one that will hold a permanent spot in my collection.
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Story: 10/10
Overall Score: 10/10 Not only the best game of this console generation, the best game of all-time.
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