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Hurtling through space at the speed of light, an advanced race of machines known as Reapers have begun their quest to eradicate all sentient life from the galaxy. Big and powerful, the Reapers pillage uncontested through the universe with no regard for the misery they cause. Once again the task of saving life as we know it falls upon Commander Shepard, victorious once in this epic struggle, to stop the mechanical nightmare. And  though considered suicide, this new mission challenges Shepard to take the fight to the enemy by recruiting the best and meanest mercs from around the galaxy. Thus the stage is set for Mass Effect 2, sequel to one of the most popular space-based RPG video games ever.

What makes this game so interesting is how Bioware has made Mass Effect 2 a true continuation of the first title in the franchise. If you played through to the end of the first game and kept your saved game, Mass Effect 2 will import that saved data, along with every character and decision made the first time around. While this doesn’t affect the main plot or storyline, how you reach and accomplish your goals and victory will be slightly different for everyone, making this game a truly unique experience for every gamer (as long as you kept your Mass Effect 2 saved game data!). And depending upon the decisions you made in the first title, some original characters will return while others remain dormant. As I said, this will not affect the central plot, but it does create differences in the way the storyline plays out. There can even be differences in the opening cutscenes.

Outpacing most of the competition, Mass Effect 2  brings many improvements to the excellent interactions options introduced in the first game. In Mass Effect 1, as you enter into conversations with game characters, you are given dialog choices via a conversation wheel allowing for some interesting and innovative cutscenes. In the latest version rather than choosing between actual dialog which can be cumbersome, you are given emotional response choices, ranging from honorable to renegade, each affecting the way the storyline plays out. This, in turn, gives you clever and engaging responses regardless of the emotional choice. Overall it allows for a quicker and less “bulky” way to interact with the game, and helps keep Mass Effect 2 ahead of the competition.

Taking into account player complaints from the first title, Bioware has made vast improvements in gameplay mechanics. The AI is much smarter greatly increasing the challenge. And the combat engine has been changed to that resembling a shooter (you place the target sights on the enemy and fire) rather than having firefight hits based on how many points you assign to characters at the beginning of the game. And the combat is more realistic, with severed limbs flying and bodies catapulted throught the air. The wounded will continue fight, oftentimes without legs. You will, also, have more control over your team, as you can issue orders and even have Shepard hang back in cover, letting the others take care of the dirty work. And Bioware, thankfully, has removed unlimited ammo, replaced with removable clips that must be changed when empty. Also added to the mix is that you can run out of clips, making for a much more calculated combat style reminiscent of classic shooters.

Mass Effect 2 is a tremendous game, keeping the elements that made first title so successful, while addressing those that didn’t quite work. It is truly the best game released so far this year, destined to be a hit with fans of any genre. Undeniably a must play game, whether you have played the first one or not, expect to see this one on best game lists come the end of the year.

Available on: Xbox 360, PC