Most of us should feel honored to have such a fantastic video game this early in the year. Mass Effect 2 review is simply that – a gem of a video game, with more firepower, features, and fun than the prequel. The gameplay is nothing but amazing, and if you love RPG’s, Mass Effect should be right at the top of your list. The original Mass Effect was merely one of our favorite video games of the past decade.

It seamlessly combined fun, action, adventure, combat, emotional characters, and planetary exploration on a scale that was unprecedented. While the first Mass Effect did have a few quirks, especially on the Xbox360, most if not all of these issues were addressed in the release of Mass Effect 2 which has left us with an almost perfect Role-Playing Game.

Many of us have probably seen the Mass Effect 2 advertisements popping up all over our TV, our internet browsers, and our e-mails as BioWare went pretty heavy on the advertising for the game. Mass Effect 2 has also been a trendy topic of discussion on forums and boards across the internet, clearly portraying it’s following by hundreds of thousands of fellow gamers. In a world filled with dozens of races, planets, political alliances and rivalries, it will most definitely be hard to put down the controller at times. The world of Mass Effect sucks you in, and there is no other video game like it.

An interesting feature, Mass Effect 2 lets you continue your save from the original Mass Effect, granted that your game saves are on the same hard-drive (Xbox 360 or PC). Choices and decisions that players made during the initial run of Mass Effect will have clear implications for the world in Mass Effect 2. When transferring your game, you are given the ability to choose which save you want to use, and the consequences of using it.

For those who are new to the world of Mass Effect, you can of course just start a new game and customize your character accordingly. The beginning gameplay will bring you up to speed, and let you know what you missed in the prequel. Mass Effect 2 is so customizable, you can choose everything from your characters facial features, to their combat style. An event early in the game will help explain all of this in some logical context so that you will not feel confused or let down.

As aforementioned, most if not all of the quirks in the original Mass Effect were corrected in the release of the sequel. Thank you, BioWare for listening to us gamers! It often boggles us that the video game manufacturers do not often read critics and gamers reviews to help to fix and make the appropriate corrections.

BioWare has, and events such as never-ending elevator rides, the receiving and hoarding of dozens of useless weapons and armor, and the uncontrollable driving of the Mako (your terrain exploration/combat vehicle) have all been corrected in some way, shape or form. We don’t want to give away any spoilers, but the inventory management system, planetary exploration systems, and elevator rides are a bit different than the original Mass Effect gamers may be used to.

All for the better, as these were most notably the biggest three complaints from the previous game. On another note, we were also a little disappointed with the fact that Mass Effect 2 is simply a one-player game. It would have been nice if some multi-player gameplay mode or battle mode was entrenched within the match.

Mass Effect was powerfully built around the relationships of the world it was set in. From love triangles to political alliances, to earth-shattering enemies, Mass Effect had it all. As with the prequel, you will be spending a lot of your time in dialogue with your crew members and other members of the Mass Effect world. We must stress that it is pretty imperative within the game to ensure that you have supportive relationships with your crew members.

We know that sometimes it can get pretty extensive, but you really should spend the time to talk to each character and person especially in between game missions. This game may not be for those who just like to battle it out and shoot them up, please remember that this is a Role-Playing Game, and you must spend a good amount of your time talking to other characters, exploring other worlds, and hunting around for secrets and easter eggs – not just shooting up the bad guys.

Each of the in-game characters and NPC’s have their distinct backgrounds, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. It is interesting to explore each one and see the pros and cons that come along with each. Certain characters may not talk to you or give you different responses depending on whom is in your party. Sometimes your teammates may quarrel, and as the leading Commander, you are going to have to step in and do what’s right (or wrong).

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Mass Effect 2 isn’t for the light-hearted and the younger aged children. The content has been rated Mature by the ESRB. There is plenty of graphic violence in combat, drug references, sexual content, and strong language used. With that said, the average teenager gamer and above will probably enjoy this game immensely due to its galactic realness. Any and all Star Wars and especially Star Trek fans will love this game, as it is strongly reminiscent in many ways of the Star Trek legacy.

With the enhancements made in the release of Mass Effect 2, the gameplay modes have strongly adapted towards a ‘shooter’ game, instead of strictly being an RPG. Yes, Mass Effect 2 is classified as an RPG game, but the slightly enhanced gameplay mode does make you feel like you are playing an FPS game. When you shoot an enemy with one of your many weapons, body parts may fly off, blood may spatter, but after some time, the bodies do disappear such as they did in the first Mass Effect.

As with most RPG games, you will be able to pause the game anytime mid-battle to make inventory, weapon and ability changes. Shot accuracy also plays an important role as it does in most games, with headshots inflicting the greatest damage while body parts will inflict less damage. Cutscenes also often depict significant events within the beginning, end or middle of a mission, overall adding to the cinematic effects of the game which is truly outstanding.

In conclusion, the Mass Effect world is nothing but ordinary, and with the launch of the sequel, Mass Effect 2, gamers will be undoubtedly happy with almost every element of the game. The graphics are nothing but incredible, the soundtrack nothing but enthralling, and the combat and gameplay mode have been enhanced enormously to add not only more realism but more dramatic and coercive elements to the gameplay.

The following for Mass Effect has been so huge that comics and novels are even now in production which will further iterate stories and scenarios that will go beyond the video game. One thing is for sure is that the dynamics of Mass Effect combine for an outstanding gameplay experience for all. Make sure you pick up a copy of Mass Effect as soon as humanly (no pun intended) possible. Your friends and family may not see you for the next few weeks, but hey, it’s definitely worth the $59.