1 MASS EFFECT 2
Release year 2010 Last position 2
Ben Give me a sci-fi suit of armor, an assortment of alien pals, total command of my own spaceship, an arsenal of futuristic weapons, the face of a Dutch super model, and free rein to go wherever I want in the galaxy, and I’m happy. Honestly, it doesn’t take much.
Wes Mass Effect 2 dropped the deeply customizable weapon system I loved in Mass Effect. I also missed Mass Effect’s optimistic tone and wide-open, explorable galaxy. It’s a testament to Mass Effect 2’ s loyalty missions that I think it’s the best game in the series. By making characters the focus of the game, BioWare spent most of its time developing the Normandy’s crew into an amazing cast of characters I’m deeply attached to years later.
Evan This is BioWare character design at its best, but it’s hard to imagine ME2 without its captivating score. Jack Wall’s pounding synth (and ponderous electronica, out of combat) defines the aesthetic of the game for me as much as any character, chapter, or art asset.
Cory The loyalty missions gave me not only a stronger sense of each teammate’s strengths, but a window into their motivations. I want an entire game of Jack side-missions.
Chris I was almost heartbroken by this—I loved Mass Effect, and at first glance I worried that its sequel had become too slick. The repetitive structure of the companion missions; the last-minute sweeping changes made obvious by the abrupt shifts in focus imposed by the Illusive Man. But I also appreciate how important ME2 was to the series. BioWare stepped up the environmental design, the combat, and the performance of each character. The game hosts some of the best writing in the series despite being thematically limited (it’s a space adventure that is entirely about daddy issues). It’s probably the best game out of the three, but— overall—the least interesting.
Samuel Fuck you, Chris! This is a leaner, refined sequel that offered the most interesting narrative choices, with a fantastic, shocking intro. I didn’t mind the original’s cast but I never truly had an affinity for them—Thane, Miranda and Grunt were a different deal for me. The DLC was like an anthology of sci-fi stories featuring these characters, each with a killer ending, especially Overlord and Stolen Memory.
Andy This was the Captain Picard simulator I’ve always dreamed of. I’ll never forget that feeling of being on the CIC of the Normandy, my own spaceship, with a galaxy full of possibilities spinning in front of me. BioWare created a cast of characters with genuine personality, making the suicide mission at the end one of the most intense experiences I’ve ever had in a game. If someone died, that was it, and it made every decision weigh on you as much as they did Shepard.