As a stand-alone story, Mass Effect 2 can at times, seem formulaic.  Commander Shepard, who previously rescued the galaxy from a rogue alien and an insane A.I. is gathering a crew of notorious and dangerous characters to solve a mystery involving a familiar foe.  There are some twists and turns within the main storyline, but the true gems are found within the backstories of the various crewmembers themselves.

Bioware is known for its ability to create memorable characters, and in ME2, character animations, backstories, and dialogue all succeed in connecting the player’s emotions to each of the varied personalities in the game.  In the end, the decisions a player makes will serve as investments into the different characters and the relationships that accompany them.

Combining different firearms and biotic abilities is still a part of the core gameplay, but management of Shepard and the rest of the crew during battles is done more efficiently.  There are additional biotic skills introduced into this title, which will mix-up strategies for some of the more violent encounters throughout the game.

Completing the main campaign and many of the seemingly endless amounts of sidequests and tasks can an intimidating amount of time, and true completists would be happy to know that each character can be explored to varying degrees of depth.  Add to the mix the various paragon and renegade actions and dialogue choices, and the game can take a number of different turns depending on the player’s in-game choices.

Exploration of planets is handled quite differently this time around.  Instead of making landfall on a planet, players scan a planet from orbit.  Scanning planets for minerals and potential quests requires responding to vibrations of the controller, not unlike how Batman: Arkham Asylum handled hacking through doors.  In addition, faring through space can require micromanaging fuel and probe resources, which are used to harvest the minerals.

One of the more remarkable aspects of ME2 is the Live-connected “Cerberus Network,” which is available via an unlock code with every new purchase of ME2.  The Cerberus Network grants access to exclusive downloadable content (both free and paid), which will make an already robust game even deeper.  Used copies of the game will likely not come with the code to access the Cerberus Network, but access is available for purchase over the Xbox Live Marketplace.  Clearly a method to encourage new game purchases over used game purchases, this sales strategy definitely provides a valuable incentive for new purchases over even video game rentals.

The textures, lighting, and direction are fitting for this immense and epic game.  Cinematic is probably the best way to describe the look and feel of ME2, from the dynamic dialogue system, to the various worlds players will be embarking upon.  Particle and glow effects are also impressive, but the animation could have used some polish.  When roaming around the ship for example, Shepard will tilt his head over to one side, and run in an awkward position.  Even some of the close-up shots of the hero make him look a little out of it.

In the voice acting department, talented actors such as Martin Sheen and Seth Green lead the cast to produce extremely convincing results.  It is a little jarring when a very alien-looking character speaks with a perfectly normal American accent, but considering the amazing amount of voiced dialogue, a lack of completely unique languages or accents is forgivable.

ME2 continues the already stellar franchise with its polish and driving characters.  This title will undoubtedly be a contender for Game of the Year, and with support for far-reaching and additional downloadable content, players just might be playing ME2 until at least the end of the year.

When I first previewed Mass Effect what seems like ages ago at E3 in Los Angeles, the Bioware presenters just seemed far too ambitious.  A shooter, RPG, and adventure game, all rolled into one, with vehicles, to boot?  That just seemed like a game that wanted to be too much.  But while I was skeptical, I really hoped that Bioware could pull it off – if they did, they could create one of the best games of all time.

Of course, as we all know, Mass Effect was a tremendous success.  Not only was ME critically-acclaimed, but it stands as one of the most beloved titles on the Xbox 360 platform due to its memorable characters (with superb voice acting), epic storyline, and rich universe.  From the time I spent with a demo at CES 2010, it’s looking like Bioware is taking gamers to an enhanced and darker experience with the highly-anticipated sequel.

The sequel’s storyline has a few surprises, including a traumatic event that Shephard suffers, affecting him physically, and possibily event his status as a Spectre.  Decisions made by gamers in the first Mass Effect may even affect the story of ME2.  I was also told that the novel, Mass Effect: Ascension fills in the gap between ME and ME2, and serves as a great setup for the sequel.

Visually, ME2 has a darker atmosphere and a grittier look.  The graphics engine from ME has been optimized, with improved textures and character models, and it seems like framerate issues are a thing of the past.  While ME had highly impressive graphics, I’m hoping that ME2 will present additional animations.  Unfortunately, I only saw a small portion of ME2, so I was unable to determine whether there will be new animations.

In terms of gameplay, there are additional weapons, abilities (Shephard can “charge” at a group of enemies, going through obstacles and cover to take them out with a swift blow), and armor to customize your crew.  Moreover, not only has the Citadel been rebuilt with varying and unique environments in the different sections, the Normandy has received huge upgrades, including a captain’s quarters, where you can upgrade weapons and such.  The Mako we’re told, has been upgraded as well, but alas, details were kept under wraps.

New mini-games used to unlock doors or to hack computers require you to play short match games (match the same colors of computer code), and re-route circuitry.  The mini-games were fun little diversions that added that extra dimension to the game.

Of course, the Paragon/Renegade system is back, but in addition to the storyline being affected by a gamer’s ethical choices, scars on Shephard’s face will either heal and recede, or grow and become more prominent.  Additionally, during conversations with other characters, there will be a quick-time option to take either Paragon or Renegade action, which will also affect short-term events.

With new, richly-written characters, weapons, skills, and another epic mystery to solve, Mass Effect 2 will set the bar high for gaming in 2010.  Mass Effect 2 is set for release on January 26, 2010.