After spending more than 50 hours to explore every aspect of the game, I would say that Mass Effect 2 is indeed a masterpiece.  No spoilers here of course.  In my over two decades of computing gaming, there aren’t many games that keep me engrossed, playing over a sustained duration.  The Mass Effect franchise could well be one.

But change, can be hard to swallow.  That applies to the world of gaming too.  Mass Effect 2 (ME 2) has fundamentally revamped some of the gaming elements of Mass Effect 1 (ME 1) and you can tell from the fan base that some of these new elements may not go well with some.  And I initially too.  Having said that, now that I have played through the game once, overall speaking, the combat system is more engaging (more complex too!), some dialogs have more depth (you can interrupt them too), the story is a lot darker, and ME 2 is more visually pleasing.

Mass Effect can be classified as action role-playing game.  I am not a shooter type of gamer.  ME 2 is certainly more demanding than ME 1 when it comes to the lengthy combat scenes.  But I live.  I also enjoy the real time interruption to conversation that may change the outcome of the scene.  As far as decision making is concerned, there are plenty in ME 2.  From the very technical aspect of the game to the political influence that one can play, some decisions got me thinking hard on what I should do next.  Judging on how some of the little decisions I have made in ME 1 affect ME 2, I won’t be surprised to see how these decisions I have made in totality will affect the upcoming ME 3 – the end of the trilogy.

It is frequently asked if one should start with ME 1 now that ME 2 is out.  The answer is an absolute yes.  The gaming experience of the two is different.  And you get to experience the best of both world (there are still things I miss dearly in ME 1).  Ideally, you should complete ME 1 fully – that includes all the side missions and planet exploration.  Not only the decisions you have made get imported into ME 1, you will get a little boost in resources, character level, and paragon-renegade inclination (the equivalent of hero and badass).

The Mass Effect franchise as a whole has a great replay value.  After a game completion (“playthrough” as we called it), you may start a new career with a different class and or gender choice.  You may create a new career from one of your existing characters and continue advancing from where you left off.  There is a big boost to all your subsequent characters after you have completed the game in terms of experience gained as well as initial resources.  I enjoy playing the character in either gender, preferably in either alignment.  The voice over is different.  The outcome of the story can be different (romance sub-plot as well as the “good” and “aggressive” decisions you make).  Hence, the overall experience can be different.

Now that we have established that if you are an avid gamer, you have got to check out the Mass Effect franchise, the next question would be: Is the Collectors’ Edition worth it?  For an extra S$20?

It has a mini comic booklet that is nice to have, but I can live without.  A mini hardcover art book that is very nice to have, and I love to own.  A making-of DVD, that makes me appreciate the game better.  Access to Cerberus Network (a.k.a. a portal for the digital download of new contents) that at present has: 2 in-game collectors’ items that I use one but not another (I don’t like the look of the other), a mini-mission called Normandy’s Crash Site that fans would like, and a new squad member that comes with a new loyalty mission – very good to have.  Free to be downloaded if you have the access.  All in all, no regret in spending the extra cash for all of the above.

Below is the cinematic trailer, which I am sure some of you may enjoy watching.