Mass Effect 2 game

Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. The game is a sequel to Mass Effect, and the second game of the series. The game was released on PC and Xbox 360 in North America, Europe and India on January 26, 2010, Australia on January 28, and New Zealand on January 29.

After the events of the original game, Commander Shepard is killed in an ambush by a mysterious alien species called the Collectors. Shepard is revived two years after the attack by an enigmatic organization called Cerberus, and is tasked with finding out more about the Collectors and why they are abducting entire human colonies. Shepard must build a team in order to accomplish what seems to be a suicide mission. Many elements and locations from Mass Effect return, in addition to ones new to the series.

A critical and commercial success, Mass Effect 2 had shipped over two million copies worldwide within a week of release,[11] and has also received highly favorable reviews.[12] It is ranked third on the Xbox 360 according to GameRankings, and is, overall, the fourteenth best reviewed game of all time.[13] The game holds over 30 perfect scores and has an average of 94 and 96 for the PC and Xbox 360 on Metacritic respectively.[14][15]
Contents
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1 Gameplay
1.1 New features
1.2 Transferring save-files
1.3 Character death
2 Plot
2.1 Characters
3 Development
3.1 Audio
4 Marketing
4.1 In-game bonuses
4.2 Collector's Edition
4.3 Cerberus Network card
5 Soundtrack
6 Downloadable content
6.1 List of downloadable content
7 Reception
8 Technical issues
9 Sales
10 References
11 External links

Gameplay
New features

A "Prelude to E3" developer diary was released on May 15, 2009. The developers confirmed that the combat system has been upgraded, with everything from the feel of the combat to the A.I. being improved, including realistic damage modeling and downed enemies still continuing to crawl and fight. New to the series is a heavy weapons system that will allow players to "kill [somebody] a thousand times" over. The tone of the game is similar to that of the Wild West, featuring warlords and crime gangs.[16]

Mass Effect 2 also features regenerating health as its primary health mechanic, instead of the ability to heal with "medi-gel" as in the first game. However, "medi-gel" is still used to revive downed allies.[17] In addition, weapons now use ammunition and no longer rely on the overheat system of the first game.[18] This system is functionally identical to the ammunition systems of other third-person shooters, but instead of having differing ammunition types for different weapons, the heat sinks used are universal across most standard weapons.[19]

The characters in Mass Effect 2 are more detailed not only graphically, but technically. In the original Mass Effect, Commander Shepard only had 20 animations for cover, while in Mass Effect 2, the character has over 200. The world is also more in-depth in this installment; uncharted worlds, which the player could explore for "cheap thrills" in the first game, are now smaller but much more detailed.[20]

The camera positioning for conversations with A.I. characters has also been improved; the previously static camera now moves around to provide "a much needed cinematic touch."[21] Another new feature during conversations is a context-sensitive interrupt system: in addition to Renegade and Paragon dialogue options, Shepard is able to interrupt the dialogue when prompted to do so with on-screen controls, again along Paragon or Renegade paths.[22]

The M35 Mako is not included for planetary exploration in Mass Effect 2 with improved gameplay sections from in the first game.[23] Instead, a Kodiak drop shuttle, which the player cannot directly pilot, transports the player to areas of immediate interest.[24] A new pilotable vehicle called the Hammerhead was recently released via downloadable content file [25] and is stated by project director Casey Hudson to be more user-friendly.[26]

Slow moving elevators, which disguised loading times in the first game, have been removed entirely, replaced by loading screens.[27]

Unlike Mass Effect, in which there were dozens of different weapons grouped into four weapon types, there are now nineteen different weapons divided into 6 types.[28] The grenades from the first game do not make a reappearance, but have been replaced by the new heavy weapons.[29] Sub-machine guns make up another new weapon class. Characters are now able to use any weapon their class is trained for at full effect, meaning the player is no longer required or able to invest in weapon skills. However, it is possible to research damage upgrades, increased ammo capacity, accuracy, and other upgrades, which differ by weapon type. Armor skills have also been removed and there are no longer class restrictions on armor.[30] Instead, armor is controlled through purchases of upgrades or individual components and is applied piecemeal, with different armor components providing different bonuses to damage, health, and other skills.
Transferring save-files

Project director for BioWare, Casey Hudson, and BioWare co-founder, Greg Zeschuk, as well as other developers of Mass Effect, have stated that players should keep their Mass Effect save-files[31][32] because decisions made by the player in the first game carry over to the second and have influences on his/her character in the sequel.[33] Hudson also stated that characters from the previous game make a return, provided that they were not killed.[31] In order for the saved file to be recognized in Mass Effect 2, the player has to wait until the end of the credits in Mass Effect so that an autosave file may be created with the completed game data. Each save file is viewable by the player when deciding which to import into Mass Effect 2, and a summary of some of the key decisions made during that game is shown to help the player make sure the right save file is imported.[34]

Players who have not played the first Mass Effect start a new character in Mass Effect 2, and are brought up to speed on the story elements that have taken place thus far in the series.

When transferring a file from Mass Effect, players have the option to change their class to a different one. For example, if the player wanted to play as an Engineer instead of an Infiltrator, the player may change his/her character's class while still importing the choices made during the first game. There is a story explanation as to how the character's abilities have changed since the first game.[30] In addition, transferred characters may also have their appearance changed if the player so desires although, this has no effect on the story.

Mass Effect save files may be transferred to the third installment in a similar manner, though there does exist at least one ending which will not be transferable. In this case, players must either choose to replay Mass Effect 2 for a better ending or begin with a new character in Mass Effect 3.[35]

Players receive bonuses for importing save games such as extra credits, resources, Paragon and Renegade points, and starting Mass Effect 2 at a higher level. Additionally, although the achievement "Long Service Medal" requires the player to beat the game twice, the player may get the achievement by completing the game once with an imported Shepard.[36]
Character death

The first teaser trailer for the game gave the impression that Commander Shepard had been killed in action,[37] but it was later confirmed that Shepard would be brought back to life by Cerberus, providing the player with a chance to alter his/her character's appearance and class.[38] Players themselves dictate whether or not Shepard will die at the end of the game based on choices that they make throughout the game. While exploration in the first game had little relevance to the main story, in Mass Effect 2, the player is able to gather enemy intelligence and resources to purchase various upgrades for the Normandy during exploration that will have an effect on the final mission.[21] BioWare Executive Producer Casey Hudson explained, "If you do die in the ending of Mass Effect 2, it will not come as a surprise, nor will it be random. It will be pretty obvious that you headed into the final mission knowing that Shepard probably wouldn’t make it out alive." Hudson also confirmed that team members would be affected by the player's decisions during the final mission: "You might have an ending where Shepard’s entire team survives, or where the entire mission is a bloodbath and everyone (including Shepard) is killed, or anything in between."[39] The ending in which Shepard is killed represents a permanent death for the character in terms of the story, rather than a death in which the player may simply reload from a previously saved game after making a mistake in combat. In that scenario, the character from that play-through cannot be imported into Mass Effect 3; players would have to either use a different save file in which Shepard survived or start a brand new Commander Shepard.[40]
Plot
This plot summary describes a non-linear game. The chronology of major events may differ.

Mass Effect 2 begins in 2183, weeks after the ending of Mass Effect. On patrol to locate and destroy any remaining geth, the Normandy and its commanding officer, Commander Shepard, are attacked by an unknown starship. The ship inflicts heavy damage on the Normandy and the crew is forced to evacuate. Joker, the helmsman of the ship, continues piloting and Shepard is forced to rescue him. Before Shepard can board an escape pod with Joker, another attack by the enemy ship separates Shepard from the pod, forcing the Commander to launch the escape pod to save Joker. A subsequent explosion blows Shepard away from the ship and debris slices through Shepard's suit, causing the Commander to die in the vacuum whilst entering a nearby planet's atmosphere.

With the help of Liara T'Soni, one of Shepard's former associates who survived the attack on the Normandy, Shepard's corpse is retrieved by Cerberus, an extremist pro-human organization. Over the course of two years, attempts are made to bring Shepard back to life via the Lazarus Project. Shepard awakens in 2185 aboard a Cerberus space station that is under attack. After Shepard aids Cerberus agents Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson, Shepard is granted an audience with the Illusive Man, who explains that Shepard was revived and 'upgraded' so that the Commander could investigate and combat a new threat. Human colonies are being attacked, and their colonists are disappearing. The Illusive Man believes this is the work of Shepard's old enemies, the Reapers, a race of sentient machines that periodically harvest all intelligent life in the galaxy once civilization reaches a certain point.

Shepard, along with Jacob and Miranada, is sent to investigate a recently attacked colony known as Freedom's Progress. While exploring the colony, they encounter Tali, one of Shepard's former squad members, and discover that a mysterious insect-like species known as Collectors were behind the attack and are responsible for abductions at other human colonies. The Collectors live beyond the Omega-4 Relay, a treacherous mass relay with a grim history; no non-Collector ship that has ever passed through the Omega-4 Relay has ever returned. The Illusive Man places Shepard in command of the Normandy SR-2, a more advanced and upgraded frigate modeled after the original Normandy equipped with an onboard A.I. known as EDI (Enhanced Defence Intelligence). With the Illusive Man's guidance, Shepard sets out to recruit a team of highly trained specialists for what is assumed to be a suicide mission.

The Illusive Man initially provides Shepard with dossiers regarding potential recruits: a salarian scientist, a mysterious vigilante named Archangel, a krogan warlord, and a powerful but unstable biotic. The salarian, Dr. Mordin Solus, is found on Omega, working to stop a plague engineered by the Collectors and spread by gangs of Vorcha. Archangel is also found on Omega, and is discovered to be Garrus Vakarian, one of Shepard's previous squad members. The krogan warlord, Okeer, is found attempting to create the perfect krogan through unethical genetic research. Okeer is killed by attacking Blue Suns mercenaries, but he leaves his creation, Grunt, in Shepard's care. The biotic, Jack, is revealed to be a woman also known as "Subject Zero." Cerberus arranges for her to be purchased from the prison holding her; Shepard travels to the prison ship, but is betrayed by the warden, who attempts to capture Shepard for a bounty. Shepard escapes and rescues Jack, who joins the team. If the player has purchased the relevant downloadable content, The Illusive Man will also have dossiers on Zaeed Massani, a veteran mercenary, and Kasumi Goto, a master thief, which Shepard picks up on Omega and the Citadel respectively.

The Illusive Man reveals that a human colony known as Horizon, is under Collector attack, and dispatches the team to save the colony. He notes that one of Shepard's surviving crew members, either Kaidan Alenko or Ashley Williams depending on who the player sacrificed on Virmire in the first game, is stationed at the colony. Shepard arrives and battles the Collectors in an attempt to save the colony. The Commander stops the Collector attack by re-activating the colony's defense batteries forcing the Collectors to flee on their ship. However, Shepard is unable to save all the colonists and one-third of the colonists are abducted by the Collectors. Shepard then reunites with their former team member, who leaves feeling betrayed by Shepard working for Cerberus.

It is later revealed on the Normandy that the Illusive Man leaked a tip about Shepard being alive to the Alliance and that the Collectors intercepted this message indicating that the Collectors have a personal interest in Shepard. Shepard is also provided with additional dossiers on more potential recruits: an asari Justicar, a drell assassin, and Tali. The Justicar, Samara, joins the team after Shepard investigates the Eclipse mercenary group and its involvement in a murder. The drell assassin, Thane Krios is in the midst of an assassination mission. Learning of Thane's next target, Shepard finds Thane, who dispatches his target and joins the team. Tali is found in the outer rim of the galaxy, running a scientific survey that comes under geth attack. After she is rescued from an immense geth force, Tali joins Shepard.

The Illusive Man contacts Shepard again after intercepting a turian emergency transmission, claiming a turian battle group engaged and disabled a Collector ship before being destroyed. Believing valuable information could be learned from the Collector ship, Shepard and his team locate the ship. Inside the ship, Shepard learns that the Collectors were originally captured Protheans that were indoctrinated and genetically altered to become slaves of the Reapers. The Collectors that Shepard has encountered are under the direct control of a Reaper named Harbinger. With EDI's help, Shepard locates information on how to bypass the Omega-4 relay, but the derelict ship turns out to be a Collector trap, and Shepard and his team are forced to battle back to the shuttle and escape before the Collectors can destroy the Normandy. EDI also determines that the Illusive Man knew the signal was a trap but dispatched Shepard to the collector ship in order to gain more information about them. When questioned about this, the Illusive Man argues the deception was necessary in order for the Collectors to believe they had the upper hand and that alerting Shepard to this could have tipped off the Collectors.

Later on the Normandy, the Illusive Man reveals that the Omega-4 relay - beyond which lies the Collector base - requires Reaper technology for the Normandy to safely navigate through it. Cerberus has located a derelict Reaper, disabled millions of years beforehand, and has sent a science team to recover the device - an IFF transponder. Upon boarding the ship, the derelict vessel puts up kinetic barriers preventing the team from departing the ship. Shepard later discovers that the Cerberus science team members have been killed and transformed into Husks. While battling through swarms of husks, Shepard encounters a friendly geth that saves Shepard from an ambush by several husks. Shepard later recovers the IFF and salvages the geth which is attacked and disabled by the husks. In order to escape the ship, Shepard destroys the reaper's Mass Effect core taking down the kinetic barriers but also destroying the ship. Shepard may turn the geth over to Cerberus or activate it. If activated, the geth adopts the name Legion and joins the team.

Shepard departs with the recruited members on a shuttle towards their next mission as the Normandy prepares the IFF for testing. However, after the IFF is activated, it emits a tracking signal and the Collectors are able to locate and board the Normandy. Joker is forced to give control of the ship to EDI - a potentially dangerous move. Gaining control of the ship, EDI pilots the Normandy away from the Collectors and rids the ship of all enemies, but the entire crew barring Joker is taken by the Collectors. Shepard's hand is forced - Shepard can either complete secondary missions and sacrifice the Normandy's crew, or immediately go through the Omega-4 relay to rescue them.

After traveling through the relay, the game may proceed in different ways. Depending on whether Shepard enters the Omega-4 relay quickly, has upgraded parts of the Normandy, and has earned the loyalty of team members, any combination of crew and team may survive the final mission, which ultimately influences Shepard's fate. After entering the relay, the Normandy enters a massive debris field littered with the wrecks of ancient starships that tried to navigate the Omega-4 relay. After a fight with the debris field's automated defenses, the Normandy encounters and ultimately destroys the Collector cruiser. The shockwave from the explosion, disables the Normandy and forces the ship to crash land on the Collector station. After boarding the station, Shepard and the team fight their way towards the center of the base eventually encountering the Normandy crew and the abducted human colonists. If Shepard delayed entering the Omega-4 relay, the Normandy crew will be harvested by the Collectors and Shepard will only manage to save a few of the human colonists. After rescuing the colonists and crew, Shepard continues to proceed to the large central chamber in the middle of the base and discovers that the Collectors have been constructing a new Reaper, made from the genetic material of the abducted humans and fused with the advanced technology of the Reapers. EDI postulates that the Reapers may be facilitating the Reaper equivalent of reproduction but remains unsure as to the Reapers' true motives. Shepard targets the weak points of the machine, which is in the early stages of construction, and it falls deep into the station core.

The Illusive Man then contacts the team and suggests keeping the station intact insisting that any information garnered will be valuable in the coming war against the Reapers and may provide new insight into their motives and capabilities. Shepard may choose to destroy the station completely by overloading its reactor, or use a radiation pulse to kill the remaining Collectors while leaving the station intact thus allowing Cerberus to take control of the station. Regardless of the choice, Shepard orders the team to evacuate to the Normandy. However, before Shepard can escape, the Human-Reaper larva manages to climb back up from the depths of the station and attempts to stop Shepard from destroying the station. However, the Commander manages to destroy the Reaper after a tense battle. As Shepard escapes the station, Harbinger claims that the team has only delayed the inevitable and that humanity now has the full attention of the Reapers. Shepard is then assisted onto the Normandy by any surviving team members. If all team members are killed, Shepard will attempt to reach the Normandy but before Shepard can climb onto the ship, the Collectors open fire and he will only have Joker to hold him. In this event, he will tell Joker to warn the Illusive Man before letting go of Joker's hand falling to his/her death. Depending on whether Shepard destroyed or preserved the Collector base, the Illusive Man will be pleased or displeased with Shepard's actions with Shepard having the opportunity to cut the Illusive Man off and vowing to find a way to stop the reapers with or without the Illusive Man's help. Later, while the ship is being repaired Shepard or Joker is seen standing over the caskets of the dead team members. In dark space, a Reaper (presumably Harbinger) is seen awakening from hibernation. As it awakens, the dark void surrounding the Reaper is illuminated by hundreds or thousands of Reapers. The final scene shows the Reaper fleet descending upon the Milky Way galaxy, setting the stage for Mass Effect 3.
Characters
Main article: List of characters in the Mass Effect universe

Commander Shepard - The main protagonist of the first game, Shepard is killed during the opening sequences of Mass Effect 2 and is later resurrected by the pro-human organization, Cerberus. Shepard is sent on a mission to hunt down the Collectors, who have been abducting whole human colonies and are suspected to be working for the Reapers.

Illusive Man - The ruthless and mysterious leader of the Cerberus organization, the Illusive Man is responsible for the funding of Project Lazarus - the revival of Commander Shepard. Little is known about the Illusive Man, except that he is apparently extremely wealthy. He forms an alliance with Shepard, providing guidance throughout the game as Shepard investigates the disappearance of several human colonies.

Grunt - A prototype krogan super-soldier, he is the brainchild of the krogan Warlord, Okeer. Bred and programmed with the memories and skills of various powerful krogan and having undergone extensive genetic engineering, Grunt is considered the most "perfect" example of the krogan species. However, he has no clan and little knowledge of krogan customs and tradition, leaving nothing to act upon except his instincts to fight.

Mordin Solus - A brilliant salarian scientist, yet also a competent soldier due to his membership in the Salarian Special Tasks Group earlier in his life, Mordin Solus is found on Omega and possesses a hyperactive and eccentric personality. Mordin believes in acting in the best interests of the galaxy; his scientific work is governed by strong moral standards and unquestionable respect for all forms of life.

Samara - An asari Justicar, Samara is highly skilled in her use of biotics. A member of a highly respected and feared monastic order, Samara has forsworn all possessions and family to fight for absolute justice. She is on a quest to track down her elusive daughter Morinth, who has been killing innocents for hundreds of years by burning out their nervous systems through sexual intercourse.

Jacob Taylor - Jacob Taylor is a former Alliance soldier with biotic abilities. He joined Cerberus after viewing the bureaucracy of the Alliance as hampering the ability of humanity to survive. Taylor is highly respectful of Shepard due to their shared background in the military. Thirteen years before, he had cut ties with his father, who was a First Officer of a lost spaceship, the Hugo Gernsback.

Miranda Lawson - Genetically modified to perfection by her father, Miranda Lawson is the top Cerberus agent on board the Normandy and Shepard's second in command. Driven and devoted to the Cerberus cause, she is often viewed as cold and callous by other Cerberus agents. Providing military and tactical support, Lawson also acts as the liaison for the Illusive Man.

Thane Krios - A drell assassin who is dying of a lung disease exclusive to his species, Thane Krios joins the team in an attempt to provide a purpose to his life and atone for his past actions. An expert assassin, he also possesses powerful close-combat biotics. His wife was murdered many years ago by batarians in an attempt to trap him. This forced him to withdraw from his son, Kolyat, an event that still haunts him.

Jack/Subject Zero - The product of a Cerberus experiment to enhance human biotic ability, Jack carries a hostile personality that is the result of the torture and captivity she endured while she was imprisoned at a remote Cerberus outpost during her childhood. She later escaped and became involved in crime, murder, and religious cults, all in an attempt to gain an identity. She was later captured and imprisoned aboard the prison station Purgatory, where Shepard recruits her upon escaping captivity.

Tali'Zorah vas Neema/Normandy - Tali'Zorah vas Neema returns to the Normandy after a scientific study goes horribly awry and most of her team is taken out by geth. She joins Shepard once he rescues her from the assaulting geth force. She was later charged with treason by the quarian Admiralty Board for smuggling active geth for her father.

Garrus Vakarian - After the Normandy was destroyed, Garrus Vakarian went on to pursue a life of vigilantism. He made his way to the Omega space station, which is riddled with criminal syndicates, and earned the alias Archangel after sabotaging various criminal organizations. When Shepard finds him, Garrus is holed up in his base as three crime syndicates send waves of mercenaries to kill him. During the final onslaught he is injured by an attack from a gunship, leaving him with facial scars and damaged armor.[41]

Legion - During a mission to recover an IFF transponder aboard a derelict Reaper, Shepard encounters a lone and damaged geth. This geth assists Shepard by eliminating several enemies and allowing Shepard to access the core of the ship, but is knocked inactive by several husks shortly afterwards. Upon destroying the Reaper core, Shepard brings the inactive geth to the Normandy with the option of sending the geth to Cerberus for research or reactivating it. If reactivated, the geth claims to be the first pure geth that Shepard has encountered, stating that all previous geth were "heretics" who supported the Reapers. As the Geth is not an individual persona and has a physical body that contains multiple runtimes, it identifies itself simply as geth until EDI decides to give it the name, Legion.

Zaeed Massani - One of two downloadable content party members, Zaeed Massani is considered to be the most ruthless and prolific bounty hunter in the known galaxy. He joins the Normandy's crew for the large payment in credits he would be receiving from the Illusive Man. Massani is secretly the co-founder of the Blue Suns mercenary organization, betrayed by his partner twenty years ago.

Kasumi Goto - The best thief in the galaxy, Kasumi Goto joins Shepard's team in return for his assistance in stealing a "graybox" - a hard drive encrypted through use of one's memories - that belonged to her former partner and lover. She is the second downloadable party member, sold separately from the game for $7 USD.
Development
[show]System requirements

Electronic Arts CEO, John Riccitiello, confirmed during a conference call with investors that Mass Effect 2 would be released on January 26, 2010 on "multiple platforms."[4][43][44]

On March 2, 2009, BioWare and Electronic Arts announced a new development team for Mass Effect 2, set to work at the EA Montreal studio.[45] The new team's main task was to supplement the teams already working on Mass Effect 2, with around half of the team having worked on the original Mass Effect alongside other new hires.[46] BioWare co-founder and CEO Ray Muzyka said the team was "really excited about it, and we think it's going to be a huge opportunity to tap into the talent base in Montreal while supplementing our existing teams in Edmonton and Austin, which are doing some great stuff on all the other projects BioWare's working on."[46]

Mass Effect 2 spans two discs. Although it had previously been announced that only one disc change would be required on Xbox 360, BioWare later revealed that a second disc change is required during the final levels of the game.[10][47]

For Windows users, both discs are required for game installation, but only the first disc is needed for gameplay. Following the example of Dragon Age: Origins, the PC version of Mass Effect 2 does not use SecuRom digital rights management software, but instead opts for a standard disc check.[48]
Audio

Mass Effect 2 contains 90 voice actors who play 546 characters and speak over 25,000 lines of dialogue.[49] Mark Meer, the voice actor for the male Commander Shepard, suggested that voice recording for the second game was so extensive that it took double the amount of time recording than that of the first game.[50]

Actors Martin Sheen (as the Illusive Man),[51] Jennifer Hale (as Female Commander Shepard), Adam Lazaar-White (as Jacob Taylor), Michael Dorn (as Gatatog Uvenk), Carrie-Anne Moss (as Aria T'Loak), Yvonne Strahovski (as Miranda Lawson), Tricia Helfer (as EDI), Liz Sroka (as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy), Shohreh Aghdashloo (as Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay), Adam Baldwin (as Kal'Reegar), Simon Templeman (as Admiral Han'Gerrel and Dr. Gavin Archer), Michael Beattie (as Mordin Solus), Claudia Black (as Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh), Michael Hogan (as Captain Bailey), and Courtenay Taylor (as Jack/Subject Zero)[52] voice characters in the game. Keith David and Seth Green continue their roles in the series as David Anderson and Jeff "Joker" Moreau respectively.[53] Voice actor D.C. Douglas, who voiced Albert Wesker in Resident Evil 5, confirmed that he would be voicing Legion, a "naturally-evolved" Geth who is obsessed with Commander Shepard for unknown reasons.[54][55] The bounty hunter Zaeed Massani, who may be acquired as downloadable content, is voiced by Robin Sachs.
Marketing

BioWare project manager Corey Andruko and lead technical designer Dusty Everman led a 60-minute lecture on level design for Mass Effect 2 at the 2009 Game Developers Conference. The session gave attendees insight into the new approach BioWare was taking in designing levels for Mass Effect, one that maximizes iteration for quality while minimizing rework and cost.[56]

A promotional trailer was released on February 20, 2009. The trailer pans across a close-up view of a set of armor, with captions listing Commander Shepard's achievements and known alien allies. At the end of the trailer, Shepard's current status is given as "killed in action." The camera then pans upwards to show the head of a Geth with armor bearing the N7 logo on it.[37] In a development blog, Casey Hudson, BioWare's executive producer, commented on the rumors of Shepard's "KIA" status, stating, "Better not be. We had a lot of big plans made, so if someone's gone and killed Shepard then things are going to take an unexpected turn…"[57]

On December 29, 2009 the cinematic trailer for Mass Effect 2 was released.[58] Additionally, in the months leading up to the game's launch, BioWare released six Mass Effect class walkthroughs narrated by the lead gameplay designer, Christina Norman.[59]
Cover art for the European version of the Collector's Edition of Mass Effect 2

On May 29, 2009, BioWare released the first full trailer for the game.[60] It revealed little information that was not already known or hinted at by the previous trailer and developer diary. This trailer confirmed that Shepard would be alive for the events of Mass Effect 2 and not dead prior to the game as the teaser trailer seemed to indicate. BioWare later confirmed that Shepard would not die in the game's storyline until the choices made by the player decided Shepard's fate.[39]
In-game bonuses

Purchasing a specially marked Dr. Pepper product gives a code that may be used to download 1 of 3 special pieces of headgear, each granting a different bonus when worn. One of these items, the Sentry Interface, can be redeemed using the product code purchased at any retail store. The other two items, the Recon Hood and Umbra Visor can only be redeemed with product codes purchased exclusively from 7-Eleven convenience stores.[61] Mass Effect 2 includes several bonus items for those who pre-ordered a copy of the game or purchased Dragon Age: Origins. If the game was pre-ordered at GameStop or Play.com, players receive the Terminus Armor, which grants an increased running speed and stronger shields, and the M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon, a weapon that creates a miniature black hole. If the game is pre-ordered at other retailers, players receive the Inferno Armor, which grants a negotiation bonus, increased running speed, and boosted effectiveness of combat powers.[6] For purchasing and registering a new copy of Dragon Age: Origins, players obtain the Blood Dragon Armor, which was also a bonus item in Dragon Age: Origins.[62] Buyers of the Collector's Edition of Mass Effect 2 receive the Collector Armor, which increases a character's maximum health, health regeneration, and running speed, and the Collector Assault Rifle, which quickly depletes enemy shields. These in-game bonuses are unavailable to those who do not link their gamertag to the EA website. Because of an error, the linking process is unavailable and has to be handled by an EA support worker.[63]
Collector's Edition

Mass Effect 2 was also released in a Collector's Edition, with the game contained in a Steelbook case. The Collector's Edition included the full version of the game, The Art of Mass Effect 2 48-page hard cover art book, first issue of the Mass Effect Redemption comic book, and a bonus DVD with exclusive behind-the-scenes "Making of" videos of the game and various desktop wallpapers. Also included is the code for the Collector Armor and Assault Rifle and a Cerberus Network card.

It is possible to buy the Digital Deluxe Edition from EA's online store; the product is downloaded via the EA download manager and contains digital versions of the art book, comic book, and official soundtrack of the game.[64] The Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for purchase through the Impulse[65] and Steam[66] platforms, owned by Stardock and Valve, respectively.
Cerberus Network card

A Cerberus Network card with a unique access code is included with all new copies of Mass Effect 2. It enables the player to download several DLC packs free of cost. As this code works only once, buyers of used copies have to purchase access to the Cerberus Network for US$15 or 1200 MS/BioWare points.[67]
Soundtrack
Mass Effect 2: Original Videogame Score
Soundtrack by Jack Wall, Sam Hulick, David Kates, Jimmy Hinson
Released
January 19, 2010
Genre Video game soundtrack
Length 115:43
Producer Jack Wall

Mass Effect 2: Original Videogame Score is composed and produced by Wall of Sound inc., consisting of lead composer Jack Wall, as well as Sam Hulick, David Kates, and Jimmy Hinson with additional editing and in-game implementation by Brian DiDomenico.[68][69] The soundtrack was released on January 19, 2010, and published by Electronic Arts. It features 27 tracks on two discs.[2]
[show]Mass Effect 2: Original Videogame Score (115:43)
Downloadable content

BioWare plans to continue to support Mass Effect 2 with additional downloadable content for the game following its release. This content will range between individually sold weapons and armor, small side-missions, full-sized quests, and large expansion packs. Similar to Dragon Age: Origins, downloadable content was available immediately upon the release of Mass Effect 2, some for free.[70][71] The first downloadable content available with the game's release includes a new recruitable character, a mercenary named Zaeed Massani, and adds new missions and in-game items. Also available is the Normandy Crash Pack add-on that allows Shepard to investigate the remains of the Normandy SR-1. On February 9, 2010, another free download was made available through the Cerberus Network, featuring a new armor set, the Cerberus Assault Armor, and the M-22a Eviscerator Shotgun.[72]

A fourth piece of DLC, Firewalker, was released on March 23, 2010, featuring 5 new missions, weapons, alternate costumes, and a hovering tank known as the Hammerhead.[73]

On January 25, 2010, a significant amount of downloadable content, including pre-order and Collector's Edition benefits, was accidentally released onto the Xbox Live Marketplace. People were able to download many exclusive items free of charge before the error was corrected.

On February 19, 2010, new Mass Effect 2 DLC was shown off at the Game Developer Conference taking place from March 9–13.[74]

On March 12, 2010, Kasumi Goto, a new character complete with a mission, loyalty power, and sub-machine gun was made available for download on April 6, 2010, for 560 Microsoft Points on Xbox 360 and 560 BioWare Points on PC.[75] On April 6, Kasumi's Stolen Memory was released after a delay of several hours due to unspecified server issues. The 'Premium' DLC featured an additional achievement worth 15G and was released to a favorable reception.[76]

On April 29, 2010, BioWare stated that early the following week there would be news on upcoming DLC. The content was the Equalizer Pack, consisting of the Inferno Armor, previously a pre-order only bonus, the Capacitor Helmet and the Archon Visor. The pack was released on May 4, 2010, for 160 Microsoft Points on Xbox 360 and 160 BioWare Points on PC.[77]

Two weeks thereafter, Bioware announced that Overlord, which offers two hours or more of gameplay, introduces a new villain, 5 missions, a new planet to explore, and 2 new achievements[77], would be released on June 15, retailing for 560 MS points.[78]
List of downloadable content

[79]
Title of DLC Content Release Date Price
Inferno Armor Armor Set Pre-order Free with pre-order from Amazon,
now included in Equalizer Pack
Terminus Armor and Weapon Armor Set and Heavy Weapon Pre-order Free with pre-order GameStop and Play.com
Sentry Interface Helmet January 26, 2010 Dr. Pepper/7-Eleven Promotional Item
Recon Hood Helmet January 26, 2010 Dr. Pepper/7-Eleven Promotional Item
Umbra Visor Helmet January 26, 2010 Dr. Pepper/7-Eleven Promotional Item
Incisor Sniper Rifle Sniper Rifle January 26, 2010 Free with purchase of Digital Deluxe Edition,
now included in Aegis Pack
Collectors' Weapon and Armor Armor Set and Assault Rifle January 26, 2010 Free with purchase of Collectors' Edition
Blood Dragon Armor Armor Set January 26, 2010 Free with purchase of Dragon Age: Origins
Normandy Crash Site Mission January 26, 2010 Free[a]
Zaeed - The Price of Revenge New Character, Loyalty Mission, and Heavy Weapon January 28, 2010 Free[a]
Cerberus Weapon and Armor Armor Set and Shotgun February 9, 2010 Free[a]
Cerberus Arc Projector Heavy Weapon March 9, 2010 Free[a]
Firewalker Pack New Vehicle and 5 Missions March 23, 2010 Free[a]
Alternate Appearance Pack #1 3 Alternate Squadmate Outfits March 23, 2010 160 MS/BioWare Points
Kasumi - Stolen Memory[80] New Character, Loyalty Mission, and Submachine Gun April 6, 2010 560 MS/BioWare Points
Equalizer Pack[81] Armor Set May 4, 2010 160 MS/BioWare Points
Overlord Mission pack June 15, 2010 560 MS/BioWare Points
Aegis Pack Armor Set and Sniper Rifle July 7, 2010 160 MS/BioWare Points

^[a] Requires the Cerberus Network, which is included with all new copies of the game or can be purchased separately for 1200 MS/Bioware Points or US$15.
Reception
[hide] Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings 95.74%[82]
Metacritic PC: 94 (53 reviews) [15]
Xbox 360: 96 (96 reviews)[14]
Review scores
Publication Score
1UP.com A-
Eurogamer 10/10[83]
Game Informer 9.75/10
GameSpot 9/10[84]
GamesTM 10/10
GameTrailers 9.7/10[85]
GameZone 9.25/10
IGN 9.6/10(US), 9.2/10 (UK), 9.3/10 (AU)[12]
Official Xbox Magazine 9.5/10 (UK 10/10)
PC Gamer UK 90%
PC Gamer US 90%[86]
PC PowerPlay 10/10
X-Play 5/5
bit-tech.net 10/10[87]
Hardcore Gamer 5/5[88]

Mass Effect 2 received universal critical acclaim, garnering more than 30 perfect scores. In particular, its characters, storyline, voice acting and gameplay received very high praise. Official Xbox Magazine gave the game a 9.5/10, praising the combat as flexible and the environments as gorgeous. The magazine also liked the "enveloping universe" and the new characters.

Mass Effect 2 received a 10/10 from both Xbox 360 Magazine UK and gamesTM. [citation needed] PC Gamer UK awarded the game 90%. [citation needed] NowGamer awarded it 9.8/10 calling it a "gorgeous experience and a staggering achievement".[89]

Hardcore Gamer awarded Mass Effect 2 with a 5 out of 5. The review praised the advances in gameplay and content, stating that "Mass Effect 2 is simply an amazing game from start to finish, regardless of the decisions you choose to make. There are few games that are as gripping, and even fewer still that put so much effort behind creating memorable characters that the player actually cares about, set against a believable world."[88]

IGN gave Mass Effect 2 a 9.6/10, calling it one of the most personal games ever made and "the first Game of the Year Nominee for 2010." The cinematic direction, tight gameplay, compelling characters, storyline, and choices available were given considerable praise. However, the game was criticized as being overly referential to the first installment in the series, as well as for minor problems players may experience such as becoming stuck in certain environments and having the sound cut out, although not nearly enough to ruin the overall experience. IGN UK gave the game a 9.2/10 while IGN AU gave it a 9.3/10.[12]

Mass Effect 2 received a 9/10 from GameSpot. It praised the game's dialogue and voice cast, as well as the "fantastic" art design, along with the level design and shooting mechanics. However, it cited some problems regarding looking for planets and some bugs which were also present in the original Mass Effect.[84]

Mufaddal Fakhruddin from MEGamers gave it an 9.5/10 saying that "the combat, the writing, voice acting, visuals, score and direction comes together to create an unmatchable experience, and we fear it will be a while before we see one of this quality and standard."

GameZone's Dakota Grabowski gave Mass Effect 2 a 9.5/10, stating that "Mass Effect 2 is everything what people have wanted for the past two-and-a-half years and more. Mass Effect 2 is truly the equivalent of The Empire Strikes Back."[90]

Time featured Mass Effect 2 on "The Short List of Things to Do", and described it as "the Avatar of video games — except it's better written."[91]

RPG Site's Alex Donaldson also reviewed Mass Effect 2, giving it a score of 95. The review stated that the game was "A Testament to Bioware's status as one of the most important developers today, and a testament to what the RPG genre can still do." The review also suggests that Mass Effect 2 will go on to be one of the most memorable and important RPGs in recent history.[92]

RPGFan's Ashton Liu gave Mass Effect 2 a 98%, stating that "Bioware has delivered everything they have promised with Mass Effect 2, and then some."[93]

RPG Land's Michael Wayland gave Mass Effect 2 a final rating of "Excellent", mentioning how "Mass Effect 2 in total was a compelling game, an improvement upon its elder, and an exciting setup for the franchise's next act."[94]

GamingExcellence's Daniel Acaba rated it a 9.7/10, acknowledging that the changes made to the core gameplay might not be to everyones tastes, but continued "it's hard to argue with the successes of the games storytelling and atmosphere." and that "Everything truly feels like it’s slowly building to a head with only the crew of the Normandy to stand between the destruction of all sentient life in the universe."[95]

CouchCampus' Editor-in-Chief Brian Young noted the game as "Bioware's most ambitious and spectacular game to date." [96]

Mass Effect 2 currently holds a rating of 94 (PC)[15] and 96 (Xbox 360)[14] on Metacritic as well as one of 94.24% (PC) and 95.74% (Xbox 360) on GameRankings, making it the third highest-rated Xbox 360 game to date, fourth of all-time on PC, and overall 18th of all-time.[97]
Technical issues

There have been complaints that the game's font-size has been formatted in such a way as to make in game text indecipherable on standard definition televisions.[98] Representatives from BioWare stated that the issue was "a design choice, not a bug" and not to "expect any decisions or a fix in the near future."[98] After investigating the complaints further BioWare released a statement acknowledging that "on some standard definition TVs the smallest text in Mass Effect 2 can be difficult to read." [99] BioWare's final statement about the issue is that:

After investigating potential solutions, we have determined that while this issue does affect a small portion of SDTV owners, we are unable to resolve it for Mass Effect 2 through a title update. However, we have taken note of this issue and will take it into consideration as we plan future games in the Mass Effect franchise.[99]

Mark Barlet, president of the website AbleGamers (which advocates for making games more accessible to the disabled), said that "It's not just the size of the text of Mass Effect 2 that is the problem, it's the coloring of the text" that is the problem.[100]

There were also issues with regards to crashes, video hitching and long loadtimes on single core machines but these were later addressed in a patch.[101]
Sales

Mass Effect 2 made its debut as number one on the UK all-formats charts.[102] On the first day of its release, the game sold half a million copies. BioWare revealed that by the end of the first week, two million copies had been shipped worldwide. NPD Group reported that, for the Xbox 360, 572,100 copies of the game had been sold in the United States alone by the end of January.[citation needed] As of March 31, the sales had reached 1.6 million copies.[103]