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[align=center][spoiler=Mass Effect 2]

 

Mass Effect 2 Review

By Eric Bush

 

Bioware is one of those video game developers that other companies strive to be like, creating entertainment experiences on the Xbox 360 that are unrivaled in terms of story, dialogue, and pure emotional investment. For that reason the Mass Effect trilogy is one of the most anticipated events in our industry and after three years of waiting Mass Effect 2 is finally ready to hit retail shelves. The first Mass Effect debuted back in 2007 and was easily one of the best western-made RPGs ever created; critics everywhere (me included) praised the game as doing something few titles had ever done before, even though it did have some technical deficiencies. Thankfully the 40+ hours I spent playing ME1 will not go wasted, as the sequel includes a feature that allows players to import their character – resulting in a number of story changes and gameplay bonuses. I tried to continue the same style of decision making from my Mass Effect 1 playthrough and in the end the two games flowed together (connected) very well. The opening scene of Mass Effect 2 sets up exactly what the entire 20+ (on an average play-through) hour campaign will be like: an epic adventure that is unparalleled by any other video game on the Xbox 360.

 

 

It takes everything you thought you knew about the Mass Effect universe and turns it on its head, just like an episode of your favorite sci-fi show. By the time I had finished my review period with Mass Effect 2 I knew one thing with 100% certainty, this was the best story-driven video game I have ever played and the first to connect with me on a truly emotional level. Anything and everything I found to complain about with the first Mass Effect has been fixed for the second, and middle game, of the planned trilogy. Being a middle child can be difficult as the developers must keep the story interesting without giving any sort of conclusion or “oh wow – that’s how it ends” moment. The story in ME2 continues to center around the Reapers from the first game but includes a couple new twists that fans won’t be expecting. In Mass Effect 2 Sheppard has a whole crew of characters to help him save the human race, some new and some old but altogether a great cast of unique beings. I don’t want to ruin anything, as this game includes one of the most well written stories of any video game created, but I will tell you that it succeeds on every level and has me more excited for the final Mass Effect game than I ever imagined I could be.

 

 

Mass Effect 2 does something that most video games can only dream of; it pulls the player in and forces them to emotionally invest in not only each and every character but also the entirety of the story. As you go through the game you will be forced to make minute and massive decisions that impact how the rest of the game will play-out. More than once I found myself questioning whether or not I made the right decision, and if I should restart a certain checkpoint just to see what a different one would result in. Bioware is known for great story telling, and the first Mass Effect had a great story; where Mass Effect 2 goes above and beyond is the gameplay. For example there is a completely new enemy this time around, the Collectors – but the Reapers also come into play in a big way. The development team decided to go for a much more action-influenced experience this time around, with a lot less exploring (although there is plenty of it there) and more team-based combat. Mass Effect 2 reminded me exactly what it was that I used to enjoy so much about playing video games, and for that I'll never be able to repay the developers at Bioware.

 

Gone are the boring side-missions from the first game that people dreading wasting time on, Mass Effect 2 is all about building a top-notch team of soldiers and gaining their loyalty on an individual basis to Commander Shepard. If you aren’t progressing through the main story you are travelling to countless outer-rim planets in an attempt to gain each one of your team’s loyalty – and these side-missions are fantastic, both in design and execution. Never once did I find myself bored with Mass Effect 2, even flying to unexplored planets and firing probes off in an attempt to discover rare materials (used to upgrade guns, armor, and your ship) was a fun and interactive experience. Mass Effect 2 feels like the most complete video game experience that I have ever had the joy of putting my hands on, and watching Shepard live out this science-fiction tale is something every gamer must experience. The Renegade/Paragon choices are back with the ability to choose in mid-cut scene, which results in one of two different actions taking place (from saving someone’s’ life to punching a bad guy in the face).

 

 

By the end of my first play-through Commander Shepard’s face was showing extreme signs of war, and it was obvious that the tough Renegade choices I was putting him through were wearing him down physically and emotionally. Graphically Mass Effect 2 is leaps and bounds above the first game; character models look at a minimum twice as good and the lighting effects throughout the game are simply stunning. People that don’t even appreciate quality graphics will see ME2 and comment on how ultra-realistic the game looks; Bioware has created a top-notch looking game that can compete with any other title on the Xbox 360. The combat reminded me more of Gears of War than Dragon Age and for a game like Mass Effect it just seemed like the correct evolution. The RPG-esq wheel and upgrade system (although not nearly as confusing as ME1) is still there and the amount of strategy that goes into playing the game at a high skill is astonishing, even though it seems like a bunch of cover and shoot style gameplay. At the end of the day Bioware’s second outing in the Mass Effect franchise resulted in one my personal favorite video games ever created.

 

 

My journey with Commander Shepherd opened up a new view of what this form of entertainment can do, and allowed me to emotionally connect (and care) with the virtual characters on my television screen. The dialogue, story progression, graphics, soundtrack, controls, and presentation are all well above what so many other games of this genre are offering these days. As of now there is already free DLC available and Bioware has promised more to come, as well as the guarantee of a third Mass Effect game sometime in 2011-2012. I will undoubtedly be going back to Mass Effect 2 at least one or two more times because I will get to experience something different than I did the first time. This game has me so excited for what the final game in the sci-fi trilogy will bring that I found myself dreaming about Reapers and Cerberus last night. PlanetXbox360.com has never given a perfect score, until now; Mass Effect 2 earned every bit of a perfect 10 and for the first time ever I don’t have to think twice about awarding a game such a score. There is no reason you should not pick up this game when it’s released tomorrow; Mass Effect 2 is the end-all of role-playing games, the best in its class – a perfect 10. [/align]

 

 

[align=center][spoiler=Red Dead Redemption]

Red Dead Redemption

 

The American West has made actors famous and writers rich. It has inspired children on the playground and grizzled country singers alike. Its stories of heroes and bandits, gold rushes and simple homesteaders have been fictionalized and romanticized to the point that they're known the world over. And yet, videogame makers have either ignored the setting or attempted to squeeze it into existing game conventions with limited success. That has all changed now that Rockstar, the group made famous for its Grand Theft Auto series, turned its eye towards the Wild West. No game maker has approached the period with as much passion and power as Red Dead Redemption. This is the new bar that all Westerns must strive to reach.

 

It's tempting to say that Red Dead Redemption is ahead of its time, but the reality is that this is a game of and for the times. Rockstar shows an uncanny ability to hold a mirror up to society and remind us that present day hot button issues like racism, immigration, federal government power and personal freedoms are not only nothing new, they are deeply ingrained in American society. They are forces that helped to shape America into what it is, and their inclusion in Red Dead Redemption gives it a sense of authenticity that videogames in general lack.

 

 

But rather than preaching politics at you, Red Dead Redemption puts you in the shoes of the relatively neutral John Marston. This former outlaw gone straight has found that history has a way of catching up with you. Those who were once his friends have now become enemies, leaving Marston alone and fighting for his future in a lawless land. It's a setup that is almost cliche, but this is only the beginning of your adventure.

 

The storyline of Red Dead Redemption will take you all over a vast swath of countryside that straddles the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Along the way you'll meet, assist, and spill blood with a fantastic cast of supporting characters as Marston attempts to set things straight. The characters are wonderful with top notch dialogue and voice acting -- all good enough to make you feel a part of the world.

 

If there is any criticism I could level at the story, it's that Marston occasionally feels divorced from the action, his motivations muddled as he is all too willing to help anybody that asks for it despite his own pressing matters. A simple, "I'm being made to do this," from Marston is all you'll get out of the protagonist for much of the game while secondary characters drive the tale along, which was a bit of a disappointment for me. This all changes towards the end, however, as Red Dead Redemption builds towards a shattering climax that is amongst the best I've ever seen in a videogame.

 

IGN Movies picks its Top 25 Westerns of All Time. Click on the image above to see if your favorites made the list.

 

Following that main story will take you roughly 20 hours from start to finish, though most will find that there is so much to do that it is difficult to focus on one thing. This is made by Rockstar, after all, and their heritage as masters of the open world sandbox game is not lost.

 

Herding cattle and breaking mustangs? Check. Tracking down outlaws for bounty? You can take them dead or alive. Treasure hunting and sharpshooting challenges? There are dozens of them. The side missions and quests range from the little things like playing horse shoes or poker to big shootouts at bandit hideouts. There are even some that are fleshed out enough to be a part of the main storyline. You could spend hours just riding around trying to track down all of the components of a new outfit for Marston, or hunting wild game and picking herbs and desert flowers. The Rockstar Social Club, a free online community that connects to the game, offers additional challenges and leaderboards to encourage even more replay. If you're looking for one game to occupy you for months, this is it.

 

As you begin to make a name for yourself, the world of Red Dead Redemption adapts to your fame. The question of ethics and morality is left up to the player. If you want to be a salty drunk that assaults women and robs stagecoaches, that's your prerogative. Others might prefer to help the needy and be more honorable. Though there is a legal system in Red Dead Redemption that will keep the most villainous in check, you're free to take the high or low road in most any situation. A little morality meter, alongside a separate fame bar tracks your actions and the citizens you come across will begin to react to your renown. It's a system that allows for a huge amount of freedom and then rewards you for exploring it.

 

Like many Rockstar games, that freedom may ruffle a few feathers. Several of the actions you're able to perform will surely be considered indecent by some.

 

But all of that is left up to the player, and as it turns out there isn't just a lot to do -- there's a lot to see. The world feels alive with something happening everywhere you turn. Birds come screaming out of the bushes as your horse thunders by. Trains whistle while storms come blowing in to fill low-lying areas with fresh puddles. Around the next bend might be a carriage being robbed by bandits, its poor inhabitants crying out for help, or there might be a cougar or bear ready to tear down your horse and bring Marston to his knees.

 

Walk through town and you might see a drunk assaulting a prostitute, a lynch mob dragging a poor soul through the main drag, or a person who caught wind of your fame and has come looking for a duel. The simulation -- though its aggressive nature occasionally creates a goofy backdrop to Marston's conversations -- is always presenting something new and exciting.

 

 

What is most impressive about this sandbox is how fun it is to simply hop on a horse and take off across the prairie. Red Dead Redemption is a gorgeous game with an incredible attention to detail. The art direction, particularly the careful consideration paid to the color palette and geology of the land, is superb. Exactly the right amount of red is used to make the dusty hills and plateaus come to life, the sunsets look breathtaking, and the purple mountains call out with the majesty they're known for. The area you can explore is immense and dotted with towns, ruins, and different environments that all feel hand crafted and unique. Just ride out towards the sunset and listen to the exceptional soundtrack and you'll feel teleported to a whole new world.

 

The setting of Red Dead Redemption, leaving out the interactive elements, is an achievement in itself. Add in the smooth way the world reacts and moves and you have a game that is stunning. Horses gallop realistically. Bodies dangling from those horses -- be it from a rope or from a foot caught in a stirrup -- animate near perfectly. Shoot a bandit in the hat and it will fly off, or aim for the legs and he'll stumble to the ground while you prepare to hogtie him. None of the animations are canned, which means every time you go out into the desert to play you'll have a slightly different and awesome outcome.

 

 

The only slight detractor from this wonderful world is that Red Dead Redemption doesn't have quite the same level of polish as we've come to expect out of a Rockstar game. While playing I noticed the occasional bug (once during a cutscene the game rendered two of the same character doing different animations, creating a weird ghosting effect) and the game did freeze during loading a couple of times. The game's graphics engine can't always keep up with the action, either, resulting in some visual hiccups here or there, including some late loading textures and objects. Given the scope of what has been accomplished here, Red Dead Redemption is actually a relatively smooth experience, but it isn't perfect.

 

The developer's pedigree must also be mentioned when talking about the game itself. Some will describe Red Dead Redemption as Grand Theft Auto in the Wild West and in some ways that description is accurate. Many of the same presentational elements created in the GTA universe are used here, included extended conversations during rides to the next mission and the layout of the mini-map. In that regard, GTA veterans will feel right at home, though they will find little improvements to the formula in things like better checkpoint and mission replay systems.

 

This isn't just a redo of Grand Theft Auto with a different backdrop, however. Rockstar did a remarkable job of taking only the elements of its past games that work while adapting the flow and the controls to the Western setting. The Dead Eye slow motion effect makes you feel like a classic gunslinger. The confluence of a wide-open setting and turn of the century technology offer the perfect mix of civilization and wilderness. And the greater emphasis on ambient missions and random encounters makes the West feel as wild and untamed as your childhood daydreams imagined it.

 

Red Dead Redemption handles well, too, outside of touchy horse controls that make the mounts seem a little too eager to jump over a fence or into a river. The target assist makes attacking enemies while riding a horse a breeze, but it also makes the combat a little too easy at times. The cover system works similarly to GTA IV, but there just didn't seem much need for it when I could simply walk ahead slowly ripping off shots with perfect accuracy. I died here or there, but rarely did Red Dead Redemption feel particularly challenging.

 

Even after you've beaten Red Dead Redemption and completed 100% of the side challenges, there's still much more to do. The game continues online with cooperative and competitive modes for up to 16 players simultaneously. The competitive action includes team and free-for-all game types including standard shootouts and a capture the flag style of game. These are a decent distraction and can be quite fun -- especially at the start when each game begins with every player standing in a circle ready to draw pistols. Any hardcore player might end up a bit annoyed by the respawn system, however, which has a tendency to start you right next to an opponent. Without the other trimmings that I'll get to in a second, it isn't the kind of multiplayer experience I'd make a steady part of my gaming rotation.

 

 

The reason to keep coming back to Red Dead Redemption for months and months is called Free Roam. This is the multiplayer lobby of sorts, but the concept has been cranked up a notch to be an entire game in itself. Free Roam lets up to 16 players join into one world and then explore the entirety of the single-player map. You can form posses and take part in little skirmishes, simply shoot each other in the face, assault bandit hideouts and forts as a team, or just ride across the countryside together while taking part in hunting and gathering challenges.

 

A large number of the side distractions from the single-player game are here, as well as a whole extra set of little objectives. By completing the missions, killing each other, or playing in competitive games, you can gain experience and begin leveling up to unlock new character models, modes, and better mounts to ride. Free Roam by itself is meaty enough to be an entirely separate game and it would still be awesome.

 

 

Several special cooperative missions are being made for download as well, but they were not available at the time of this review and so they weren't considered. The first pack has been announced as free, though, so keep an eye out for it.

Closing Comments

Red Dead Redemption is a must-play game. Rockstar has taken the Western to new heights and created one of the deepest, most fun, and most gorgeous games around. You can expect the occasional bug or visual hiccup, but you can also expect a fantastic game that offers the Western experience we've all been waiting for. Red Dead Redemption is a complete game in every sense -- both the single player and multiplayer modes are excellent -- and still manages to offer an attention to detail you rarely see from a game of this scope.

 

 

[/align]

 

[Guest JoshIcy]

http://www.planetxbox360.com/article_9434/Mass_Effect_2_-_Final_Review <-- Mass Effect Review.

 

And why are you clearly ripping off other reviews? Or rather, Copy+Pasting them here? Wouldn't it be easier for us to look and post if we wanted to read "professional" reviews?

[J-Max]

Just use Gamespot, IGN, Gametrailers and all the pther mainstream Review sites. Unless you are writing your own of course, then submit it to Gamefaqs ;)