After the generational sci-fi masterpiece of Mass Effect, it was only inevitable that Bioware would create a sequel. However, no one would ever have imagined the absolute prowess Bioware would hold and garner in the three years between development. During this time, the 150 team members would brainstorm goals, ranging from combat styles to character designs and arcs. The best way to sum up the developmental period and somewhat the mission statement of Mass Effect 2, directly comes from lead designer Casey Hudson by stating, “…create an experience that was less about being a game and more about being an experience…”
However, understanding the experience of ME is by analyzing the combat, art style, and graphics of which I will be going over.
The sequel continues with the third-person aspect, with more active movement in comparison to the first game. We also see a new hud for players, simplifying healthcare and weapon control. One of the biggest changes is the squad variations. Whereas the first game had a total of six members in the base game, in contrast, these members are carried over with an edition of nine more members at your disposal, each of these individuals having a type of playstyle:
Garrus- Distance-based firepower
Kasumi- Short distance
Legion- Variety
Mordin- Defensive/active
Tali- Tech/passive
Miranda- Defensive/support
Grunt- Short distance
Thane- Stealth
Jacob- Variety

Each of these characters produces an immersive experience by going through their character arcs, while also giving enough creativity for players to personalize their experience a lot more. Really, the only problem I had was the weapons themselves, especially the close-up combat, which, due to the spongy enemies and the reticle control, was super chaotic.
Fan and user of the r/Patietngamers subeditor, Photo Zech believes the game’s quality of life has made the experience more immersive, “it’s always exciting to unlock a new ability for you or your allies as each ability is designed to open new windows for yourself.” They continue by stating, “it makes what’s usually a mindless chore (cover shooting) into a fun combat puzzle.”
The art style was an unlikely change for me, since a lot of games were turning away from the stylized take on their coinciding art styles. Surprisingly enough, they used darkened shadows to create an ominous feeling for the players. This and the usage of neon and cool colours create a beautiful combination and distance itself from its sci-fi and action game contemporaries.
Contributor to the r/Masseffect Linkenski feels the game is timeless, no matter the hardware.
“ME2..I think they are acceptable in their original versions; playing on the 360 would be rough. They shift by saying, “visuals are still impressive in my opinion.”
For assets, they were very simplistic. But even with the size and the variety of them, there were no inconsistencies such as screen tearing, loading issues, or even just poor quality. Like I said before, the character models are easy-going due to the heavy usage of shadow applications. Depending on your software, you’ll be seeing 60-120 frames per second with little to no slowdown.

Overall, I absolutely loved this game, and it is such a step up from the flawed first game. It’s a reminder of how well Bioware’s mastery of development is.