Mass Effect 2 blasts on to Playstation

Originally an Xbox 360 exclusive, Mass Effect 2 was heralded as an immersive epic with rich characters and riveting gameplay. Now released on the PlayStation 3, which includes new mission packs, a whole new group of gamers can revel in this instant classic, dripping with darker tones, phenomenal though inconsistent graphics and the pinnacle of well-paced, morality-driven plot.

The pacing in Mass Effect 2 is far better than the first, with a greater emphasis on action and combat. Plot events churn quickly and unit-based commands, weapon change-outs and biotic powers all working seamlessly in unison. In Mass Effect 2, you won’t find the lengthy elevator rides that plagued the first Mass Effect, though the spirit is still intact.

Load screens, not elevators, now draw the player away from being a part of a single, sprawling storyline. Also on the chopping block are containers. Instead, most caches you find simply contain money and, like getting cash at Christmas, some of the magic of discovery is lost. In Mass Effect 2, there aren’t as many tangible rewards for exploration. In fact, the game’s focus on a more immediately gratifying pace means even exploration is snipped.

Sadly, you can no longer land on every planet like you could in the first Mass Effect. Sure this keeps the pace poised on the 30-plus hours of missions, but being able to drive across and experience planets first-hand gave the universe a pulse, pulling players further and further into the realism of the galaxy. Now you simply scan planets for resources and land on a select few.

Not to say that the gameplay experience has become linear. Mass Effect 2 follows the tried and true Bioware recipe of a deeply emotional story with morality interwoven into every facet. The game is geared to have you play the good guy but because you are working for a less reputable organization this time around, the morality is much more vivid. The layering of emotional choices, both in the characters and the cosmos itself, blends together to create a uniquely satisfying, engaging experience rarely seen in a game.

The icing on this virtual cake is the profundity of the personas. Setting Bioware apart from any other developer, the characters are the final piece in a riveting, emotional puzzle, drawing you in and tucking you seamlessly into the tempo of a story thousands of light years wide. In Mass Effect 2, characterization goes well beyond the mere look of the characters, which most developers can’t get right anyway. The subtle, almost imperceptible movements of face and body work in unison to complement the richly written personalities, from the spiritually-driven Thane to the havoc-spewing Jack. And while the characters of Mass Effect 2 have a depth and realism rarely seen, their greatness is stinted at times by glaring graphical issues.

There's an interesting, albeit ironic duality in the visual blemishes: it's only because the graphics are so perfect at times that the imperfections become so glaring. Moments of awe are hindered by frequent frame rate stutters and occasional texture delays, even on the theoretically upgraded PlayStation 3 version. Still, the main characters, apparel and equipment of Mass Effect 2 are quite simply the best looking of any game.

With the writing talents of Edmonton-born Drew Karpyshyn guiding the darker storyline and with the likes of Martin Sheen, Seth Green and Alan Baldwin giving voice to the already profound and visually dynamic characterization, Bioware has once again created cinematic excellence. Though it lacks some of the subtle immersive qualities of the first, Mass Effect 2 feels tighter and faster, more operative than operatic. Mass Effect 2continues the cadence of the original while carving out an identity of its own.

When he’s not teaching junior high, St. Albert Catholic High School alumnus Derek Mitchell spends his free time connected to a video game console.