When we talk about a huge title of next year many folks will talk about Mass Effect 2. Luckily I had a chance to play this ‘mega’ hit after some tech issues with it at the start of the day. Then when I was waiting in line the game had another issue where Sheppard got stuck on some cover. After all the day’s events I finally got my hands on it.


The demo was the same one that has been playable at every other event but it was good to see for myself if the combat had improved and what other changes had been made. The first thing I was given was a short introduction cutscene. This played out a lot more like a scene from a film with different camera angles interspersed with establishing shots and wide shots. After that came one of the biggest problems for me in Mass Effect, the combat.


Let me make it clear to you that it feels very similar. They have not overhauled the entire system but what they have done is fix the major problem in the first game, the framerate. The cover mechanic has now been given a button instead of a stick on, stick off making it much easier to stay in the cover. The weapon wheel is back and again you can change the weapons your other two team member have equip. I was slightly disappointed that there wasn’t a bigger emphasis on squad commands, unless I missed it. What was much clearer was the frame rate. The action did not slow down even when five rockets where being shot at me. Also I did not see any signs of any texture pop-ins and the A.I seemed much more alive and was actually trying to get into cover to gain an advantage and not just hide away. The health system works in the same way where you have bars of shields and then a red bar of health, but I did not notice any medic packs. This is either because health just regenerates or if the difficult was turned down low, either way it will be familiar to any Mass Effect fan.


The U.I hadn’t changed, as all the menus looked and navigated exactly the same way as the first but one thing I did notice was the in game HUD. This was much more clear and out of the way. As I said before the weapon wheel was back and I did get to play with the new rocket launcher. Which once locked onto an enemy could bend around a corner, as it may have some heat seeking function.


Finally the cutscene at the end again played out more like a film that a static dialogue tree between two characters. I was very pleased with the changes made and it has put no doubt in my mind that Mass Effect 2 will be a major hit come January. I would have liked to have seen maybe more squad control and a different feel for the guns, but taking into account the steady frame rate the game felt different to the first, as it ran as it was designed to.



Posted By Blood