Alright, so here’s the deal: Before the jump, I’m not going to spoil anything. After the jump, I will try to avoid direct story spoilers but discuss what Arrival means in terms of Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3. It’s a hard topic to avoid when talking about this DLC pack, and needs to be addressed. Capiche? Capiche.

At Silicon Sasquatch, we love ourselves some Mass Effect. I’ve played through Mass Effect 1 and 2 twice each, bought and played through all of the ME2 DLC, and earned almost all the achievements in both…and I’m the person on staff who is the least hardcore about the game! Put simply, we enjoy the game’s mechanics and universe so much that the opportunity to dive back into ME2 one last time and get a nice bridge between it and the highly anticipated Mass Effect 3 is very, very hard to avoid.

That said, I enjoyed it but as a DLC package for Mass Effect 2, I find it hard to put Arrival ahead of some other extra missions Commander Shepard has gone on. It’s not quite as interesting from a gameplay standpoint as the Overlord or Kasumi: Stolen Memory missions were, and I don’t think the storyline was handled as well as The Lair of the Shadow Broker. There are times in Arrival where I felt like the level design was a touch convoluted. I think Arrival also relies a bit too much on combat — one of the new achievements in this DLC is tied directly to a specific combat sequence, and I can’t for the life of me think how you could get it the first time around. Hell, the second half of the mission has an almost-bewildering amount of shooting dudes given the context of the situation.

That said, Arrival does tell the story that bridges Mass Effect 2 and 3. And it does provide additional context and, above all, gets you excited for Mass Effect 3 to get here NOW. So, it has that going for it. Lastly, it provides you another chance to go back into the game — and even with some issues, more Mass Effect 2 is always a good thing. It may be a bit fanboy-ish, but when the topic of ME comes up, it’s hard to be completely subjective. The game series has proved itself to be that good.

So dig in. Whether now, to avoid as many spoilers as possible, or as an appetizer to get back into the mood for Mass Effect 3, this deserves to be played, for better or worse. It’s a shame that the hook of being the gap between Mass Effect 2 and 3 can be used to get fans to struggle through an average experience.

The break-in sequence in ME2: Arrival is actually pretty fun, but the level design is a little janky.

So let’s discuss the impact of this DLC on the storyline of the game. I don’t think it really adds much to the game that we didn’t already know — and if you’ve played through Arrival, I think you’d agree. The conclusion it provides isn’t terribly interesting or, really, all that new; what is, however, is the context it provides. To put things vaguely, we knew what would happen, but not when, and Arrival answers that second question. It’s not something I was expecting to happen so quickly within the Mass Effect universe, but it does make sense; what you have to do in the DLC also leaves a believable impact.

The other storyline facet Arrival provides relates to the consequences of that event and its impact. That Commander Shepard may have to go explain his actions back on Earth, and that players may have the chance to role play these choices, is going to tumble around in my mind for a good, long time leading up to ME3.

Otherwise, though, the frustrating part of Arrival for me is how the combat curve snaps the tension built by the setting and circumstances. There is a time and place for lots ‘o combat, but what should be a time-sensitive instance in a laboratory is NOT one of those for me. Why the hell is a laboratory that well-staffed with security flunkies, anyways? Especially when this is supposedly an unbelievably top secret operation — hell, you have to play the DLC without teammates because Admiral Hackett wants you to go it alone. That said, the ability to play the first segment of Arrival in a stealthy way was interesting, as were a couple things in the second half of the pack. One little moment in particular was really cool, if a bit throwaway.

I am going to be very interested to see how BioWare resolves storyline consistency issues now, too. There are now a lot of permutations of how to play and what content to tackle in ME2 — between the different endings, the resolving of Lair of the Shadow Broker, and whether or not you played Arrival, that’s a LOT of different things to try and explain. I’m sure BioWare can handle the problem, but they can’t bring Commander Shepard back from the dead again, so seeing how this happens will be an intriguing aspect of Mass Effect 3.

Frankly, again, I feel that the Lair of the Shadow Broker, Overlord, and even the Kasumi DLC packs were more fun to play; however, only Shadow Broker can even come close in terms of story importance in the Mass Effect universe. The gameplay may leave a little to be desired, but as a prologue to Mass Effect 3, it’s a requirement.

Recommended for:

• Its impact on the Mass Effect universe — as the bridge between ME2 and ME3, it is vital for fans
• Providing context to the events to come in Mass Effect 3

Arrival is a downloadable add-on for Mass Effect 2, available on Xbox Live Marketplace for $6.99/560Microsoft Points and PC and PlayStation 3 for $6.99. The reviewer purchased the downloadable content and completed it on the normal difficulty setting, earning one of three achievements.

Read our policy on reviews here.

There’s been no shortage of Mass Effect-themed entertainment this year. Beginning with Mass Effect 2, the praiseworthy sequel to the series’ 2007  debut, developer BioWare has put out a steady stream of downloadable mission packs, optional weapons and equipment, additional characters and story-related add-ons that all bolster the core Mass Effect experience with varying degrees of success.

While there have been some high and low points in Commander Shepard’s extracurricular activities, this latest supplement, The Lair of the Shadow Broker, is the first add-on that delivers the same level of quality in role-playing, exploration and combat that made Mass Effect 2 such a standout game.

Liara T'Soni returns as your squadmate for the first time since the original Mass Effect

As with any game where story is paramount to the overall experience, it’d be a shame if I spoiled the plot of Lair of the Shadow Broker. To put things simply, this is an add-on that has the player once again assuming control of Commander Shepard in order to assist Liara T’Soni, your former Mass Effect squad-mate and potential love interest, in pursuing and confronting the Shadow Broker, an information dealer central to both games in the series. Although Mass Effect 2 veterans will be familiar enough with the dangerous game Liara is playing in her pursuit of the inscrutable Shadow Broker, BioWare included some clever callbacks within Lair of the Shadow Broker that incorporate events from the first Mass Effect game and the comic book series, Redemption.

Fans of the original Mass Effect will be glad to hear that Liara joins your squad in earnest for the duration of the add-on content. That means you can issue commands to her, equip her with your preferred set of weapons and allocate her skill points — including her controversial Stasis ability, which makes an enormous difference when playing on higher difficulty levels.

From Shadow Broker’s inciting incident to its surprising conclusion, you’re looking at about two hours of top-notch combat and role-playing. With the possible exception of a prolonged battle atop a large spacecraft, each enemy and boss encounter is built to require smart squad management and a good amount of thinking on one’s feet. In other words, it’s up there with the best missions within Mass Effect 2 proper.

Once the core sequence of events has reached its conclusion, there’s still plenty left to do. A series of terminals open up to Shepard, enabling the player to purchase tips for high-value mining targets or to reassign skill points to each party member. But perhaps the most valuable reward is the terminal that includes background information on all the major characters in the Mass Effect universe. The facts unearthed in that terminal range from simply humorous to downright revelatory, but for a die-hard Mass Effect fan they’re a practical goldmine.

Perhaps the highest compliment that can be paid to Lair of the Shadow Broker is that it feels like an essential component of the greater Mass Effect experience. It easily rivals the best moments of the Mass Effect series with its fast pace, meaningful narrative and engaging, challenging combat. Fans of the series shouldn’t hesitate to give this add-on a go.

Recommended for:

• Sharp writing, strong acting, and a surprisingly significant contribution to the Mass Effect mythology
• An expert balance between role-playing decisions and some of the best tactical combat the series has ever seen
• Everybody who played and enjoyed Mass Effect 2; Lair of the Shadow Broker should be considered required reading

The Lair of the Shadow Broker is a downloadable add-on for Mass Effect 2, available on Xbox Live Marketplace for $9.99/800 Microsoft Points. The reviewer purchased the downloadable content and completed it on the second-hardest difficulty setting, earning all five possible achievements.

Read our policy on reviews here.

Mass Effect 2 is the greatest game BioWare has created in its 15 years as a developer. Its prolific development schedule seems all but impossible: to release one fantastic blockbuster in November (Dragon Age: Origins) and then, two months later, hurdle over the quality of that game with the launch of another — while simultaneously crafting a massively multiplayer online game set in the Star Wars universe, due out in 2011. It’s an enormous accomplishment, satellite studios or not, for a developer already respected for its history of producing top-tier software.

Yet greatness doesn’t always imply perfection, and the second title in the Mass Effect trilogy stumbles on occasion during an otherwise impressive stride. But with those minor problems in mind, Mass Effect 2 is still among the most satisfying games I’ve ever played. It deserves the praise and the hype.

Science-fiction space operas don’t appeal to every gamer, but I sincerely doubt that BioWare’s recent opus, with its intelligent gameplay, diverse characters and compelling plot, is incapable of attracting both role-playing game skeptics and shooter scoffers alike. This truly is the best of both worlds.

As the Normandy explodes around him, Commander Shepard rushes to save his iPad

Mass Effect 2 is a hybridized experience; it’s the pulse-pounding union of statistical role-playing sensibilities and precise shooter mechanics. The sequel shares only the most basic traits with its predecessor, and it’s much better for the changes.

Ordering the squad around is no longer akin to babysitting questionably intelligent intergalactic children. When you’re not inputting skill points into a trimmed down character screen for Shepard and his or her companions, you’ll be deftly moving from cover to cover and tossing a mixture of biotic, tech and weapon abilities at foes faster than what was ever seen in Mass Effect 1. Ability cooldowns, though still present, are quick enough to no longer act as a stopgap for executing stylish attacks — BioWare realized the old combat, though functional, was punishing players through its reliance on shooting mechanics that weren’t always satisfying, or accurate.

At its core Mass Effect 2 is a role-playing cover-based shooter. Firing from cover and moving to multiple different positions is more important than before, and even on lower-level difficulties strategic thinking is instrumental in overcoming the various enemies who flank and storm Shepard to no avail. Forget those combat habits developed from the first game. Prepare to adapt. The initial fights are potentially taxing for Mass Effect 1 players, who are used to a certain way of doing things. While I now prefer the revamped combat, I had to tell myself to stick with it during some frustrating sequences.

Mass Effect 2 incorporates three new defensive layers available to the good and bad guys of the galaxy. Shields make a return, keeping their blue coloration and weakness to tech abilities. New to the series are a yellow armor bar and a purple biotic barrier bar, each of which requires distinct weapons and powers to whittle down. Tougher foes will have up to two layers of protection before their health will fall. It’s now imperative to think about the team’s weaknesses before charging into battle. Coming toe-to-toe with a 20-foot tall LOKI mech without any armor-reduction capacity will likely result in a Critical Mission Failure screen, followed by the urge to cry under a pile of dryer-warm blankets.

The game’s interface receives a substantial overhaul as well. Information on your squad members’ current condition and shield strength are placed alongside tiny headshot icons in the bottom center of the screen. It’s a bit hard to read at first, which bar correlates to what action, but after a couple of hours it stands out as a wonderful alternative to the first Mass Effect and its unappealing blue-hued graphics cluttering the corners of the screen. Shepard’s status is, like before, easy to ascertain from the numerous audio and visual cues bombarding the player during critical moments. Shields fizzle out and explode when depleted; Shepard will also tell his squad that much in case no one was paying attention. Bloodshot eye veins will creep in from off screen to remind players that Shepard’s fairly close to kicking the galactic bucket. The remaining screen real estate is given to the currently equipped weapon, which sports an orange color palette that dominates the entirety of Mass Effect 2′s graphic style. The first game’s interfaces were predominately blue. The sequel favors an all-orange look. Will Mass Effect 3 go all-out with an interface composed of varying shades of pink? Hopefully.

Artist's rendition of the on-screen character headshots in Mass Effect 2

While the second Mass Effect takes great strides in improving the overall experience through its trimming of numerous features, this same mentality ends up causing problems over the course of the 30-hour experience. Character classes are more defined than ever before, and each has strengths and weaknesses the original classes did not. Unfortunately without some type of qualifying marker for the classes it’s possible players will pick a role based on its coolness factor, and later find the play style is too difficult for their first attempt. I encountered this problem during my time as a Vanguard. Although I did finish the game on Veteran, the up-close-and-personal tactics of the class did not provide an appropriate introduction to the new combat style. This issue could have been rectified by adding a color-coding system based on difficulty. For example: The class selection screen could color the roles in green (beginner), yellow (intermediate) or red (advanced). As far as the classes are concerned, the streamlining comes off as schizophrenic, and BioWare’s motivations become suspect. Was the series’ revamp completed with the intention of attracting a more diverse population of gamers, or was it to satisfy the complaints of Mass Effect veterans?

Regrettably for some, the infamous power wheel makes a lackluster return. Holding the left bumper still accesses the squad’s weapons while the right bumper presents the various special abilities. Three powers can now be mapped to the Y button and the left and right bumpers respectively, reducing the time spent browsing the power wheel. The system works, but considering the numerous other changes to the core experience it seems strange that the wheel system remains largely untouched. Whereas the rest of Mass Effect 2 is trimmed down and speedy, the power wheel introduces awkward and lengthy gaps into the flow of combat. However, what has drastically changed from Mass Effect 1 is inventory management — or the lack thereof.

It stands to reason that years of misspelled emails and grammatically horrific forum posts played some small part in BioWare’s decision to scrap the traditional inventory altogether. Following the “less is more” philosophy prevalent throughout Mass Effect 2 there are only a small handful of different weapons in each category, including the new classes of sub machine guns and heavy weapons. Instead of spending hours managing a bulging inventory, players will select their equipment before a mission (and sometimes during one if a weapon station is available) so the focus is entirely on fighting enemies. Customization takes a bit of a backseat as squad members only have two costumes to choose from, although Shepard can purchase many different armor components, and players can color the commander’s armor as they see fit.

What makes the most sense in the new system is how the original’s various ammo types are handled. Doing away with a full inventory made incendiary ammo and others become actual abilities accessible via the power wheel, and once upgraded they can be applied to the entire squad. Unfortunately that means some classes (like the sentinel and adept) are locked out of ammo powers until the squad members that have one of the various powers is leveled up enough to permit entire squad usage.

One outstanding gripe is the game’s addition of finite ammunition. Mass Effect 1 had unlimited ammo, but Mass Effect 2 uses “thermal clips.” With the addition of heavy weapons — which vary from functional to disappointing in their usefulness — it can be reasoned that the developers didn’t want unlimited ammo to make the experience easier. Still, the change is an interesting one. Making Mass Effect into a shooter must have been quite important to BioWare.

Apparently, LOKI mechs are filled with gold foil confetti

Yet all of the design-focused improvements in the world wouldn’t make a difference if the developers couldn’t scribe another space-faring story filled with danger, adventure and plot twists. Being the middle child of a trilogy, the potential for Mass Effect 2 to falter in its weaving of the series’ most essential plot threads is fairly high. Fortunately, the game never finds an opportunity to disappoint — either because there’s always something happening, or because it’s just a damn good story. It’s likely a combination of both.

Mass Effect 2′s writing is much more coherent due to its driving focus on building a team to face the Reaper threat in one all-out suicide mission. From the revival of Shepard’s body in the first 15 minutes to the epic confrontation with the Collectors — who look like the aliens from Independence Day — in the core of the Milky Way galaxy, the game flows at a lightning pace. Its style, charm and wit lends the experience well to an “Ocean’s 11 in space” comparison — assemble the crew and complete the high-stakes job. Shepard’s motivation is to find the best and most dangerous beings in the known galaxy. His goal: amass the badass. During the course of the game, a slow crescendo builds in the periphery. It’s fairly easy to lose sight of the end goal when preoccupations like side quests and loyalty missions keep filling the journal, but by the end the darker tone pays off.

Cerberus, a pro-human splinter group, plays an interesting role in the sequel. BioWare’s staff of writers and lore-keepers took a barely mentioned entity from the first game and turned it into the driving force behind the sequel. A paragon-focused Shepard will feud with the group’s leader, the Illusive Man, and the constant exchanges of intellect and morality provide hours of entertainment. The fact that this rogue paramilitary organization reconstructed Shepard’s charred body to keep him in the fight against the Reapers is a powerful simile for the importance of heroes and icons. So it’s that much more important to keep Shepard alive through the end of the game — remember, anyone, including the commander, can die in Mass Effect 2.

Carrie-Anne Moss puts in a brief but effective performance as crime boss Aria T'Loak

Mass Effect’s cast may have been top-notch, but Mass Effect 2′s is more dynamic, more complex and much more interesting. From the shadowy Illusive Man to the monk-like Samara, the introspective Thane and the high-strung Mordin, each character is unique. Jacob, the Cerberus soldier and the first squad member encountered in the game, is the only letdown. Even so, he’s well-written and fits the role of the loyal ex-Alliance troop admirably.

Making the most memorable debut is Legion, the only Geth in the universe who doesn’t want to put a hole in Shepard’s head. Donning salvaged N7 armor and addressing the protagonist as Shepard Commander, Legion manages to become an instant classic despite its lack of organic characteristics. Legion is reminiscent of HK-47 from that other BioWare game, Knights of the Old Republic. Legion and HK-47 are both humorous in their awkward adoption of humankind’s mores, and they are equally mysterious in their underlying motivations. The only difference is Legion doesn’t constantly tell people he would kill them if he had the chance.

Even the Normandy acquires a personality in Mass Effect 2, thanks to the vocal talents of Tricia Helfer, better known as Number Six from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series. A new ship is built by Cerberus and dubbed the Normandy SR-2 after the original Normandy is destroyed in the introductory sequence. Installed in the vessel is EDI, Helfer’s character and the ship’s artificial intelligence. The entire voice cast is brilliant, with big names like Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man and Carrie-Anne Moss as crime boss Aria T’Loak. The original voice cast returns as well, and favorites like Seth Green and Keith David give another set of wonderful performances. All in all, BioWare did a fantastic job directing its assemblage of vocal performances.

Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of Mass Effect 2 lies in its character-specific loyalty missions. At certain points throughout the game after Shepard begins recruiting his team, players will have the (optional) opportunity to undertake a personal mission for each member. Considering that there are 10 of these things to do (excluding the optional DLC characters Zaeed and Kasumi), it’s surprising that each mission is fantastic, largely because they offer intimate insights into the new team as well as the expanded universe; the Krogan home world of Tuchanka, a Geth base ship and the Quarian flotilla are just a few of the engaging locales Shepard can visit. However, the benefits don’t stop at the sight-seeing level. Loyalty missions will give the team a better chance of surviving the final suicide mission in addition to unlocking new outfits and special loyalty powers. Even the side quests for Mass Effect 1 veterans Garrus and Tali are fantastic.

Tali returns in the fight against the Reapers, and this time she and the male Shepard can get "physical." It's weird.

Galactic exploration, one of the more appealing aspects from Mass Effect 1, boasts more than a few alterations in the sequel. Thanks to an intelligently designed map, players can now tell exactly how much of a sector they’ve explored by percentages.

However, mineral acquisition is now a necessary evil. Do you want to equip the new Normandy with a better cannon for the inevitable confrontation with the primary antagonists, the Collectors? Make sure you’re probing the galaxy for resources before and after missions. This also applies to both squad upgrades and Shepard-specific upgrades.

It wouldn’t be a problem if finding minerals wasn’t an exercise in tedium. Once the Normandy enters the orbit of a planet, a scanner will say if the planet is rich, good, moderate, poor or depleted of the elements needed for advancing both the ship and the weaponry. If you choose to probe the planet for minerals, a circular reticule appears on a planetary grid, and a spectrometer will begin vibrating the controller and visually peak when there’s a significant amount of a mineral at the current spot. A probe must be sent to collect the resources, but don’t forget to stock up on them from a space station before trekking into deep space. Fuel is also important. Once you leave the local cluster of a system containing a mass relay, the Normandy will begin spending its fuel reserves; when depleted, the ship will convert resources to continue its intergalactic chug across asteroid belts and nebulae. It sometimes felt like I was playing Oregon Trail 2450: A Space Odyssey.

If the entire above paragraph was as much of a chore to read as it was to write, imagine how it feels when the game forces the aforementioned activities upon you. It’s not going to ruin the entirety of the Mass Effect experience, but it’s an acute example of the pitfalls of over-streamlining a game. The same applies to planet-side missions. Instead of landing on a planet and roving around in the Mako (which, as crazy is it sounds, is sorely missed), side missions are now contained to one area of an entire planet — again, streamlined. And while it makes the game less frustrating for those who hated roaming open stretches of land looking for missions and resources, the new system can sometimes feel like a series of downloadable content missions being played out with no encouragement to explore and fulfill the intergalactic wanderlust present in the original. The developers get their kudos for crafting varied missions, but sometimes the rewards are hardly worth the effort.

Abilities are more volatile than before, and can curve around obstructions

In the first Mass Effect, using biotic and tech abilities never felt quite right. As a result, six out of my eight playthroughs of that game were completed as the Soldier class. It was much more efficient to delegate the power usage to squad members and then complement those abilities with my maxed-out weaponry and unrelenting firepower. Ironic, then, that as of this review I’ve yet to try the sequel’s rendition of the Soldier. The Vanguard and Sentinel are far too much fun to make me go back. Powers like Throw and Pull can finally curve around cover defenses. It’s cathartic to watch an unstable, swirling mass effect field act like a homing missile to find the hiding spot of some unfortunate mercenary. Unsuspecting schmoes will find their faces smashed in by biotics.

Mass Effect 2′s abilities benefit visually from gorgeous particle effects and animations. And thanks to the faster cooldowns, those eye-catching abilities are constantly flying around in battle. Even the squad’s computer-controlled characters generally use their biotics in an intelligent manner. The less time spent pausing a firefight to open the power wheel, the better.

But BioWare wasn’t content to slightly tune the returning powers, so the studio debuts a plethora of useful abilities in Mass Effect 2. Incinerate, a tech class ability, obliterates enemy armor. Reave, a loyalty power, is great for taking down biotic barriers and stopping health regeneration in Krogan and Vorcha enemies — it will even heal Shepard if used against an unarmored organic foe.

Perhaps the most gratifying change to powers is their ability to evolve. Once an ability is maxed out (which requires 10 skill points split across four ranks), players can choose to evolve the power in two different ways. One option generally offers more overall damage but can only be used on one enemy, while the other is less powerful but allows the power to spread to multiple targets. For instance, Miranda, the new human female character, can evolve her Overload ability to affect multiple shield-wearing enemies within a wide radius. It’s a gratifying design choice, one that encourages experimentation and forethought in the player. Whereas the original game was fairly easy to conquer, even on Insanity difficulty, with maxed-out characters using similar powers, Mass Effect 2 makes it essential to build a team with varied skill sets.

Female Shepard means business

Technically speaking, Mass Effect 2 is a monumental improvement over the first game. Gone are noticeable pop-in issues and the chugging framerate. Loading is also much better, though it’d be a stretch to say that Mass Effect 2 loads faster than other titles. The only noteworthy problems with the game are some hiccups in the audio track. I noticed over the course of two playthroughs that the music would sometimes crackle during loading screens, and an entire minute-long section of dialogue disappeared on two separate occasions during Samara’s loyalty mission.

The game’s use of visual markers, such as 3-D advertisements, Normandy’s hologram in the combat information center (CIC) and Garrus’ eyepiece, are absolutely spectacular. The tiniest details make the best impression and allow players to suspend their disbelief and involve themselves in the happenings of the science fiction opera in front of them. Each aspect of the game simply pops with detail. Walking through the Citadel, past stores and patrons, cylindrical advertising tubes will flicker to life and offer various spam email-inspired services to Shepard. If it was ever in doubt that Blade Runner inspired the Mass Effect games (and it shouldn’t be), the influence would be difficult to refute now.

Another example: As Shepard walks by the busy floor of the CIC, maybe on his way to talk to Joker or just surveying his crew mates as they work, a gigantic hologram of the Normandy projects itself in place of the galactic map, highlighting in bright blue which portions of the ship have been upgraded over the course of the game. It’s amazingly cool. Likewise, Garrus’ heads-up display, with its lights, meters and text scrolling by in an infinite loop, is captivating. It gives a tiny morsel of characterization just by being there, informing players of Garrus’ need for instantaneous updates during combat — or that he’s browsing the RSS feeds for Perez Hilton and TMZ.

Is it possible at the end of such an extensive review that I can still feel like there’s more to write? Mass Effect 2 is a brilliant addition to the already weighty curriculum vitae BioWare has toiled over for years. The sequel’s full impact won’t be discerned until the third game in the trilogy is released, which will allow players and fans to dissect each entry and determine just how successful the shift in design theory was. And while certain issues emerge from the studio’s enthusiastic adoption of paired-down combat, inventory and class structures, the overall package is what the first Mass Effect wanted to be.

Mass Effect 2 was developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. The standard edition of the game is available for $59.99 on the Xbox 360 and $49.99 for the Windows version. The reviewer purchased the Collectors Edition of the game himself, and he completed the entirety of the story as a Vanguard on Veteran difficulty in February, and almost completed a second playthrough in April as a Sentinel on Insanity. He also finished nearly all of the sidequests and played each of the loyalty missions. His Shepard followed a paragon path, largely because he feels digital guilt when acting like a jerk to NPCs in BioWare games.

Recommended for:

• Mass Effect die-hards
• RPG fans looking for a new take on character development
• Shooter enthusiasts with an open mind
• Gamers who take pride in quality plots and characterization above all else, and also enjoy eye-catching graphics and atmosphere

Not Recommended for:

• Those who are unenthusiastic toward past BioWare titles; this is still a BioWare game, with all the requisite branching dialogue trees and alignment options — it’s just more fast-paced
• Anal-retentive fanboys unable to look past the fact that the game ships on two discs

Read our policy on reviews here.

We’ve got another podcast for you, and despite what the oh-so-clever title might suggest, it’s utterly devoid of references to The Doors. This latest podcast — our eighth so far — is so named because each participant on this recording has played Mass Effect 2 at least twice. And Aaron and Tyler, well…they’ve played it a lot more than that.

This one was recorded a couple of months back, but the discussion is hopefully just as relevant as ever. We’re hoping to jump-start things again over at Sasquatch HQ, so please stay tuned.

Mass Effect 3.

My Fellow Earthicans:

Good evening.

This is the 68th time I have spoken to you from this laptop, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history of this Blog. Each time I have done so to discuss with you some matter that I believe affected the blogosphere’s interest.

In all the decisions I have made in my public life, I have always tried to do what was best for the Blog. Throughout the long and difficult period of struggling through Mass Effect 2, I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to overlook BioWare’s overzealous streamlining, to stop viewing the game as a RPG, and to make every possible effort to complete the sequel to the game I loved so much.

In the past few days, however, it has become evident to me that Mass Effect 2 is, in fact, the brilliant, evolutionary sequel everyone has been raving about. And with that in mind, I come before you to admit that I made a grievous and inexcusable error in judgment.

Therefore, I shall resign to having been “completely, totally, 100% dead wrong” about Mass Effect 2 effective at noon tomorrow. Vice President Thayer will be sworn in as “Guy Who Was Totally Right All Along Even Though Nick Won’t Admit It” at that hour in this office.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go flirt with Miranda some more. Don’t judge.

Boasting improvements to the series' trademark intense, squad-based combat, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has the potential to be the first major evolution in the franchise's time-honored formula since 2005's Battlefield 2

Aaron

Don’t be surprised that Mass Effect 2 is once again dominating our Backlog this week. I’ll even bet that next week’s entry will highlight Shepard’s sophomore exploits for a third time. I’m not sure where Nick and Doug are in the game, but I happened to finish it this past weekend. Mass Effect 2 was, in words taken at random from my thesaurus under the entry for “fantastic,” the cat’s meow.

After nearly two days of playtime logged with the double-disc beast, I still stand by my initial awe-filled impressions. Buy this game, rent this game, borrow this game; whatever it takes to play it, please do so. And no, BioWare didn’t hook me up to its Kubrick-inspired brainwashing machine yet — it didn’t have to. But if there’s one aspect about Mass Effect 2 I would criticize, it’s that the Insanity difficulty level is absolutely unfair. I’m going on record right now: I hate Insanity. But, as hypocritical is it is, I’m determined to finish it anyway.

Okay. Let’s switch gears and gab about the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer demo (on Xbox 360). Or rather, I’ll type and you read.

The Battlefield franchise sits near the top of my list of all-time favorite videogame series, placed comfortably among peers such as Zelda, Mario, Suikoden and Prince of Persia. I love Battlefield. I do! So after a few years of feeling let down by the post-Battlefield 2 offerings from DICE and EA (Battlefield 1943 being the one exception), I’m happy to welcome Bad Company 2 into my home where it will receive the insomniac-driven, retina-burning devotion it needs over many, many late nights. Although I’ll be purchasing the Windows version, I’ve been having a blast — literally and metaphorically — with the demo on Xbox Live. All the classic variations of DICE’s so-called “Battlefield Moments” are there. For example: Today I launched an RPG at a tank, which never made it to its target because an unlucky pair of enemies on an ATV happened to launch from a dilapidated roof at the wrong time, thus intercepting my grenade with their faces. That unpredictable “anything can and will happen” atmosphere is the reason I continue to play each new iteration of the formula. In short: Battlefield Bad Company 2′s multiplayer is fun, fast and feels more like Battlefield 2 than I ever expected another Battlefield game could. It’s a pleasant surprise, especially when comparing it to Bad Company 1.

Also, the final season of Lost premiered this week. I don’t know what’s going on (which is normal, I suppose), but I certainly didn’t expect/want an alternate reality storyline. And Sayid? Come on.

Doug

While ambitious for a mobile rendition of the multiplatform music hit, Doug came away less than impressed with Rock Band's iPhone adaptation

Oh lordy. After not getting the chance to pick up Mass Effect 2 until late last week, I took most of the day last Sunday to power through almost half of the game.

Also, I’m blaming Nick for my nascent Facebook Bejeweled Blitz addiction. That game is pretty good.

Nick

High drama!

I’ve finally warmed up to Mass Effect 2 and, in doing so, found inner peace.

It was difficult being so dissatisfied with a sequel to one of my favorite games ever — and a sequel that has received almost universal adoration from fans and critics alike. I adored the first game’s merging of a Gears of War-style tactical shooter with modest elements of traditional role-playing games. Of course there were a number of flaws, such as the tedious exploration of mostly empty planets and cumbersome inventory system, but I was even more distressed to see so many of the first game’s systems either redesigned extensively or eschewed altogether.

But I stuck with it, and I began to realize just how much thought went into rebuilding Mass Effect into a newer, sleeker, and more accessible game. As a result, the combat is fiercer and more tactical in nature. Most importantly to me, the character development and conversation aspects have been dramatically improved. As I approach the game’s final act, my investment in and appreciation for each of my crew members has developed to a level I’d only previously seen in one other role-playing game — Dragon Age: Origins, which by no coincidence is also a BioWare production.

If I’d gone into Mass Effect 2 with open expectations I would have immediately been floored. Instead, I tried to play it like the first game, and I was promptly stonewalled by the new systems in place. If only BioWare had included a warning to veterans of the series to forget everything they knew about Mass Effect before diving into the sequel. But at this point it doesn’t matter — I’m having the time of my life scouring the galaxy, and I couldn’t be happier. BioWare has done something incredible in releasing two top-flight games that represent two extremes of the role-playing game spectrum within mere months of each other, and they deserve nothing but the highest praise for it.

The Holidays approach. For some that means quality time with family members not seen for a year — maybe more. Others, well…can I get a “what what” if at some point during your life you hid away in the midst of celebrations to finish Earthbound (or, insert other game reference here). However, my adult years have made me more personable when it comes to the holidays; I’m now infinitely more interested in the going-ons of my kin.

Still, I won’t lie that this year I’d prefer to mow down more of Left 4 Dead 2′s cajunized zombies with a giant plate of delicious turkey and fixins on my lap. I’m thankful for me.

We’re back on track for backlogs, and this week is mega-sized to make up for our absence. To summarize: Nick informs us he essentially played everything ever released this month, Doug gushes about his beloved Forza 3 between study sessions, and I write about why two wonderful November-born titles should be played on the PC.

Do the Mario!

Nick:

Life served up a particularly hellish week for me, so it was fortunate that I had a slew of excellent games to escape with.

I spent a few fantastic hours in New Super Mario Bros. Wii in its fantastic cooperative/competitive mode earlier this week. What Jerry Holkins said about this game’s debilitating effects on a relationship is true, to a point; while we were able to help each other out for the most part, there were times where my attempts to “take the lead” or “get us through this tough spot” often led to one or both of us being killed, prompting my girlfriend to say some things about me that are rarely included in the same sentences used to talk about a Mario game. But it was all in good fun — something this game has in ample supply. It’s Mario in his best form ever, and anyone who grew up playing these games should purchase it without hesitation.

This week also brought another sequel to a game I adored: Assassin’s Creed 2. Transporting the game to Renaissance Italy is perhaps the most significant shift in story and setting that I’ve seen in a franchise in quite some time, and Ubisoft Montreal deserves some commendation for crafting an incredible sequel to an already ambitious debut title. There’s so much I could say about how things were improved — combat, economy, actions and consequences, exploration, story — but I’ll lay it out like this instead. If you loved Assassin’s Creed, you’ll love Assassin’s Creed 2. And if you hated the original? You’ll probably love Assassin’s Creed 2 anyway.

Having completed all five campaigns in Left 4 Dead 2, I’m happy to pronounce myself an official fan of the series. Although I bought the first game and had my fair share of fun with it, I always felt a little uneasy playing it. And it wasn’t because of the game’s tension, or horror-film veneer, or anything like that; it was just that the game sent a constant message that your survival was entirely at the game director’s mercy. In the sequel, the tone has changed significantly for the better. If Left 4 Dead was Valve’s attempt to make an interactive zombie movie like Dawn of the Dead, Left 4 Dead 2 is Valve making a balls-out Zombieland-style game. Melee weapons encourage close combat, lending a sense of strength and confidence to the survivors that was sorely missing from the first. All four of the characters in the sequel have stronger personalities than the first game’s survivors, and their determination on getting to New Orleans to be rescued encourages the player to keep slogging it out through hell and high water. It’s one of the most improved sequels of the year, without a doubt.

And when you consider that Left 4 Dead 2 was developed in just one year, it’s disappointing that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 didn’t shape up to be more substantial. To be fair, Infinity Ward’s last game, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, not only reinvented the series — it raised the bar significantly for what an online multiplayer experience can be. I sank a “mere” 40 hours into COD4′s multiplayer mode, which pales in comparison to most of the people on my friends list. Multiplayer in Modern Warfare 2 is technically just as good as COD4′s, but after a solid six hours online in a variety of modes I’m struggling to stay interested. The mantra in developing this sequel seems to have been “more options in every aspect of play,” which is a good thing, but the core sensation of Call of Duty 4 has dulled for me. I was hoping lightning would strike twice, and I suppose it did, but I was hoping for a more risky and adventurous update to multiplayer — not a mere iteration. If I wanted that, I’d have bought last year’s Call of Duty: World at War. If there is one area that received a substantial improvement, though, it’s the single player. Rather than attempt to keep things within the bounds of reality, Infinity Ward opted to create an over-the-top global conflict that was flawlessly paced from start to finish. It’s ludicrous, but it’s so, so much fun. At about six hours to complete, it’s shorter than COD4′s — but considering how tedious replaying that game’s campaign was for me, I’m much happier with the new game’s approach.

I’m still slogging through Dragon Age: Origins with my city elf rogue. Steam says I’ve played for quite a long time, but I’m only at about 15% completion. Maybe it’s because I love reading every entry in the admirably written codex, or because I can’t help but talk to every NPC, but I’m getting an astronomically entertaining experience for my money with this game. I’m really struggling to fathom just how Mass Effect 2 could top the quality of this experience once it hits in January.

I also sank a few rounds in with the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 beta. I’d been hoping for a return to the glory days of Battlefield 2, and instead what I got was Bad Company with a moderate graphical upgrade; it’s good, but there are better options available. Looks like I’ll still be holding out for Battlefield 3 after all.

Doug sums up his feelings on this picture with an articulate "WEEEEEEE!"

Doug:

While I’ve been way too busy finishing up the majority of my grad school quarter, I’ve still found time to play a little bit of…erm…Forza Motorsport 3. And nothing else.

But it’s so good! I still love pretty much everything about it, even if I haven’t been able to play online with my friends at all. The rewind button is a godsend — it erases single-player frustration with the ease of control-z functionality. The selection of cars and tuning options are superb; I’ve made an old-school Volkswagen Rabbit into a fire-breathing, turbocharged four-wheel-drive monster that could eat a Ferrari for lunch and spit out its bones.

It’s been said that Microsoft and Turn 10 gets things right in the third iteration, and this particular game is a great example of that. It’s almost strange to think that all three Forza Motosport games have been released since Sony and Polyphony released Gran Turismo 4 on the PlayStation 2. It’s scary to think how much Forza has moved ahead certain aspects of console racing games.

Along with Forza, I’ve tried out a few of the Xbox Live improvements from this week’s update — namely the implementation of Facebook and Twitter. And that’s really the extent of my interaction; they’re there, they work just as advertised, but I feel like I’m kind of missing the point. It’s nice to have both services everywhere at all times, but until a real killer use for either blooms on the 360 they’re going to feel like tacked-on additions.

I don't think James Brown had this in mind when he wanted to take us to "the bridge."

Aaron:

Let’s get down to it. Left 4 Dead 2 and Dragon Age: Origins are two amazing games that deserve to be played on the PC only.

Now, I love consoles. This isn’t a fanboy thing. And I fully understand that not everyone has a modern computer capable of playing the latest releases — Boot Camp Macs included. So, let’s assume you’re a lucky gamer who has the following: a home console of the PS3 or Xbox 360 variety, and a gaming PC. Let’s also assume you enjoy co-op zombie shooting and in-depth fantasy RPGs. You’re excited about the aforementioned titles, but you’re hesitant to commit to a particular platform. Here’s the answer: Play those games on the PC, or you’re not getting your money’s worth.

That may be a blatantly ignorant statement to some, but these words come from a person who, before this month, more or less abandoned PC gaming over the past year (aside from Dawn of War II and Left 4 Dead 1). PCs get the short end of the doomsday stick these days. People say the PC as a gaming device is dead, no one makes money off of the games anymore, and pirating is ruining developers left and right. Controversies aren’t helping the perception of PC gamers amongst the general gaming populace either. So that’s why I’m glad to see Electronic Arts promoting the platform with a definitive version Dragon Age, and Valve doing their thing by releasing such a quality computer title as L4D2.

Dragon Age works best on PC because of the following: the overall better performance (higher frame rate, less glitching, faster loading), a more sensible control/camera mechanic, and a BioWare community toolset that paves the way for future user mods. If Neverwinter Nights is an example to go by, expect years of free, quality content flowing from the collective mind of an invested fan base.

Now, Left 4 Dead 2 deserves to be experienced on the PC because it’s a Valve title first, console port second — plain and simple. The Steam service is consistent in its ability to match like minded players and bring friends together promptly. PC gamers are spoiled when it comes to online play. Thanks, dedicated servers.

I’d also wager the community on Steam is better than Xbox Live’s. Actually, it is better. Left 4 Dead 2 even has a section specifically for add-ons, and it’s exciting to think of the campaigns an active community will create using the sequel’s assets. The original’s user-made maps were generally great, so expect a longer lifespan if you pick up L4D2 on the PC.

Oh, and PC versions are cheaper than their console counterparts. That’s a plus.

Guitar Hero 5 is coming and it has songs (surprise!), free-to-play MMO Free Realms has racked up quite the player base in its first few weeks of existence, Valve’s sneaky with its surprises as usual, and Mass Effect 2 footage is available for your viewing pleasure.

Not Guitar Hero 5–but close enough

Though the game has been known about for a while now, Activision today tossed out a few official scraps of details on the upcoming Guitar Hero 5. Players will be able to tackle the game’s tracks with any instrument combination they see fit. Want to sing through a song with three other friends all using microphones? Go ahead.

It’s an interesting mechanic to put into a rhythm game–certainly one that isn’t “authentic” as far real bands go (though, yes, these games aren’t meant to be taken literally). And while we’ve been somewhat biased in favor of Harmonix’s Rock Band titles (or, at least Nick and Doug have), I personally find the gameplay freedom Neversoft’s offering to be great. Add-in the beginnings of a solid-looking track list and the new instant difficulty/instrument swapping, and the next Guitar Hero game might turn out to be one actually worthy of the franchise’s name.

You'd certainly be happy too if you were SOE

Free Realms, Sony Online Entertainment’s recently released free-to-play MMO, has already achieved 1,000,000 registered player accounts in under three weeks’ time. The “free” concept might tarnish these numbers a bit considering the zero-cost entry level for gamers to go and be wizards, but it’s still an impressive amount of people willing to try out an American company’s take on the international concept of micro-transaction gameplay. Also, there’s a trading card game within the MMO. I almost feel compelled to try it now.

You are encouraged to fear Mann Co., but that fear comes with the gentle and stern guidance of a near-naked Australian

Though we already mentioned Valve’s impending Team Fortress 2 update, they’re not quite done yet: The next Team Fortress 2 serving of additional content will also be a…gasp…Spy-oriented extravaganza! You have to love the design team’s miniature poster announcements, with their clever wording and immersion into the strange world of TF2′s 1960s super villain culture. Plus, who doesn’t get a kick out of Mann Co.’s CEO (and Australian), Saxton Hale. The name and trouser-shorts simultaneously scream manliness.

And finally, a closing treat for you: BioWare today released a dual-purpose teaser and pre-E3 video for Mass Effect 2. What else can I say but “Wow.”

Enjoy, and have a great weekend. We’ll be posting some great stuff over this weekend and throughout next week, so keep coming back for more!