Mass Effect 2: It Will Effect You Massively

Posted by Contributing Writer On January - 25 - 2010

Walking through the corridors of MMOMFG headquarters, you can almost hear whispers of Game of the Year when anyone mentions Mass Effect 2, and as soon as they stop sound proofing my office I’ll be able to scream it even louder. This game looks amazing. I’ve been preparing for the emotional journey that is surely to come by overloading this month with nothing but BioWare titles: Dragon Age: Origins, Games on Demand version of Mass Effect 1, and if I still had my original Xbox you’d better believe I’d be knee deep in some Knights of the Old Republic.

This sequel picks up where the first left off. You play as commander Shepard, leading a rag tag but lethal group of heroes against an unending horde of robotic Geth and a race of new enemies called The Collectors. Only this time you do not have the favor of the council. Shepard’s outfit basically acts as a black ops division and you are the only person qualified to save the universe…of course. The good guys never catch a break.

From the moment Bioware leaked footage of a dying Shepard we here at MMOMFG have been on edge waiting for the next installment of this ground breaking series. Finally that day is nearly at hand. The choices you made in the first one effectively change Mass Effect 2’s environment to form your own universe. A universe that you’ve helped to shape. Do you regret what happened to Wrex? Ashley? Kaidan? Even random colonist you saved during Mass Effect 1 will reappear in the sequel. Do you doubt the decisions you made in the first one? You probably should! I know I do. This may be the first time in gaming history that a sequel offers replayability to the first game in the series. That’s pretty groundbreaking, and to think there is still at least one more game in the making is scary good for us all.

So without further ado we give to you all the ME2 information we here at MMOMFG have collected: from a myriad of other gaming sites like Gametrailers and IGN, from the source itself (BioWare), and our own cavernous vaults of knowledge. Wet your appetite and get your gears going for what is about to be one of, if not, the best game of 2010. Consider the following your one-stop shop for resources on the upcoming smash hit, Mass Effect 2.

Characters

Shepard

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Shepard Narrative Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Commander John Shepard, the human hero of the Mass Effect universe, can not be pre-labeled. He is who you’ve made him out to be since the beginning of the first game. He will stop at nothing to prevent all life from being extinguished. He possesses a quality that few men have but all want. His troops, some of the universe’s most notorious killers, murderers, and thieves, will follow him blindly into the hell of every battle leaving complete destruction in their wake. Not even a rogue Spectre was enough to defeat this man.

Subject Zero

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Subject Zero Narrative Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

For every kill she has a tattoo, and she is covered in ink. Subject Zero has been around; ran with gangs, joined a cult, and kept the haircut. A powerful biotic with a mysterious past, not much is known about Subject Zero other than she is drawn to brutality and violence. Her emotional instability doesn’t help the fact that she can lift and discard enemies like trash with her biotic powers. She’s dangerous, unstable, and extremely violent, exactly what Commander Shepard needs for his suicide mission.

Subject Zero’s skills and abilities will be a valuable asset to Shepard’s team, that’s if he can keep her under control.

Miranda

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Miranda Narrative Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Born on Earth, Miranda comes from a wealthy background. However, underneath her opulent upbringing lies a woman who is calm, collected and driven to accomplish her mission, at any cost. She is quick to judge and values her assignments and goals over people. Miranda is also a powerful biotic as well as a tech specialist. Her unique combination of talents allows her to overload enemy shields, leaving them open for a follow-up biotic attack.

Early in her life she approached Cerberus and the Illusive Man and she is now devoted to their cause. She does what needs to be done in order to achieve Cerberus’ goals.

Thane

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Assassin Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

A deadly assassin born of the Drell race, Thane is a warrior-monk. He is stoic, collected, and very spiritual. He ardently believes in his religious path and its accompanying rites and prayers. From Thane’s perspective, his body is the weapon wielded by his employers, however he does not believe in killing indiscriminately. Once his services were up to the highest bidder, but something happened; something changed him. Now he has shifted his professional philosophy; he no longer takes contracts for pay, but rather he chooses his targets based on his moral and religious beliefs.

While Thane is lethal with any firearm, he is also a powerful biotic who is able to manipulate foes at will. If Commander Shepard can convince Thane to join his mission, he will have one of the galaxy’s most dangerous assassins at his side.

Grunt

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Savage Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Believing anything can be resolved by a fight, Grunt is a younger Krogan who is excitable and energetic. His Krogan nature drives him to violence and killing, yet not indiscriminately. With his “might makes right” philosophy, Grunt never shies from confrontation nor would he let Commander Shepard do the same. Like his Krogan brethren, he lives for the glory battle and he is yet to know defeat.

Grunt has a youthful sense of invulnerability, but is cunning beyond his years. He joins Shepard’s crew because he believes it will help him fight his own personal battles.

Samara

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Samara Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Samara is a Justicar, an Asari who has forsworn having children and given up all worldly possessions aside from weapons and armor, to wander the galaxy righting wrongs – as defined by their unwavering code of justice. An extremely powerful biotic warrior, Samara is calculating and resolute in her missions. She has no problem killing as vindicated by the Asari Justicar code, but she disapproves of “unjustified” violence.

Her regal and poised demeanor hides something, something from her past that wracks her with guilt. What is it that haunts Samara’s past, and why does it compel her with such ardent determination?

Tali

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Tali Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Tali, the Quarian machinist returns in Mass Effect 2. Following the Geth assault on the Citadel, Tali returned to the Migrant Fleet and joined the crew of the Neema. Renowned for her technical and engineering abilities, she is an important and respected member of the Quarian fleet. Tali’s unique insight allows her to hack mechanized opponents, overload shields, or deploy an automated Combat Drone.

Her resourcefulness and tech skill set will prove to be a useful asset to Commander Shepard against not only the Geth but also the Collectors.

Jacob Taylor

A former Alliance marine, Jacob is one of the few survivors from the attack on Eden Prime. Following those events he worked with Miranda Lawson of Cerberus and foiled a Batarian terrorist plot to release a deadly virus on the Citadel, saving countless lives. In the aftermath Jacob joined Cerberus believing that humanity needed to become stronger and be able to protect itself throughout the galaxy. While he agrees with Cerberus’ goals, he can be conflicted over their means.

Jacob is also a powerful biotic capable of lifting and hurling enemies with great force. His extensive combat training also makes him lethal with his firearms.

New Races

The Collectors

History – The Collectors come from beyond the Omega-4 mass relay, where no ship has ever returned. They are rarely seen in the Terminus system, let alone Citadel-controlled space. Most in galactic civilization consider them a myth, and those unfortunate enough to see them face-to-face rarely get the opportunity to ask questions. As their name indicates, they take captives, usually only a few at a time, always sentient beings with genetic aberrations. But now they have begun to abduct entire human colonies, and no one has a fitting explanation as to why.

Society – Not much is known about Collector society, as those who are unfortunate enough to run into the Collectors are seldom heard from or seen again. Collectors travel the galaxy on vast ships, but their origin and home world remains unknown.

Biology – Collectors are insect like and have fully developed wings that allow them to traverse the battlefield. Their skin is susceptible to modern weaponry, including explosives, incendiary rounds, and cryogenic rounds. Periodically, Collectors have been seen to be ‘possessed’ by an unknown overseer at which point their skin begins to emit a bright light. At this point they become more resilient and are capable of discharging powerful missiles from their body.

Drell

History – The Drell emerged from dry, rocky deserts on the barren world of Rakhana. Eight centuries ago, the already-arid Drell homeworld began its swift descent into lifelessness due to disastrous industrial expansion. At the time, the Drell lacked interstellar flight capacity, and with their population bursting at 11 billion they faced certain doom. It was around this time that the Hanar made first contact with the Drell race. In the following ten years, the Hanar would transport hundreds of thousands of Drell to the Hanar world, Kahje. The remaining billions left on Rakhana would perish on their dying planet, warring against each other for diminishing resources. The Drell now thrive co-exhibiting with the Hanar and have been a part of the galactic civilization for roughly two centuries.

Society - Most Drell are content to live on Kahje. They are afforded every opportunity to thrive by the Hanar, yet some outsiders and even some Hanar regard the Drell as second class citizens. However, it is quite the opposite, they have integrated themselves into every level of Hanar society as respected, productive citizens.

Only the adventurous tend to leave Kahje; these solitary Drell travelers often seek out new species elsewhere, and in turn adopt that species’ culture. Such Drell number in the thousands, and are scattered across the galaxy, tending towards quiet, integrated lives.

Biology – Drell are omnivorous reptile-like humanoids with an average lifespan of 85 galactic standard years. Drell appearance is very similar to Asari and humans, but their muscle tissue is slightly denser than that of humans, giving them a wiry strength. Many of their more reptilian features are concealed, however one unique characteristic is the hyoid bone in their throats, which allows them to inflate their throats and produce vocal sounds outside of the human range.

Because the Drell ancestors emerged from arid, rocky deserts, the humid, ocean-covered Hanar home-world of Kahje proved tolerable only when the Drell stayed inside a climate-controlled dome city.

Vorcha

History – The Vorcha home-world is a relatively small, hostile, overcrowded planet. Most of its resources have been stripped by its fast-breeding, savage inhabitants. Even as their population grows, the Vorcha constantly fight each other in fierce competition over basic necessities. Consequently, each Vorcha born is stronger and more ferocious than the last. However, their continual lack of resources have kept Vorcha society extremely primitive.

The Vorcha who escaped their hostile home-world did so by hiding like rats on the ships of space-faring races that had the misfortune of visiting their planet. Their adaptability and resilience allows them to flourish in the dark and dirty corners of the places they end up.

Society – Vorcha are extremely aggressive. Fighting is their default form of communication, either alone or in savage sworms. They prefer to live among themselves in shared spaces than to be alone or mingle with aliens. They have strong “nesting” instinct, preferring tight, cluttered areas. Their clannishness and preference for “squatting” in the uninhabited service levels of space stations reinforces many species’ opinions of the Vorcha vermin – dangerous vermin who’ll bite your face off if you let it get too close. When Vorcha numbers reach a “critical density” in the available space, younger members break off to start a new clan in another location. While clans usually avoid contact with one another, when living space is at a premium, they aggressively compete for resources and shelter.

Biology – The Vorcha are the most short-lived sapient race known, with a lifespan of only 20 years. They possess unique internal “clusters” of non-differentiated cells, similar to those of Earth’s planarian worms. When a Vorcha is injured or in distress, these cells move to affected areas and rapidly (~1 week) mature to specialized forms that will alleviate the issue.

A Vorcha that is cut or burned will adapt to have thicker skin. The lungs of a Vorcha placed in a barely-breathable atmosphere will adapt to better use the gases there. A Vorcha subjected to high gravity will quickly develop stronger heart and leg muscles. Non-differentiated Vorcha cell clusters do replenish themselves, but the process is slow. Generally, Vorcha can only adapt to a single environment within their brief lives. However, what cells are replaced allow them to heal rapidly, and even regrow lost limbs over a period of months.

Classes

Soldier – Soldiers are the ultimate commandoes, extremely effective with each type of weapon and able to use all ammunition types. Though limited to only a few, abilities are essential to the soldier class, such as the ever popular adrenaline rush that temporarily brings time to a stand still.

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Soldier Class Walkthrough

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Vanguard – Can’t decide whether to be a biotic killing machine or a Rambo wannabe? How about both? Although not as skilled with weapons as the soldier is or as creatively destructive as the adept and his biotic arsenal, the Vanguard mixes both worlds perfectly. Offering up a very balanced class, Vanguards are sure to be a favorite amongst the Mass Effect community.

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Vanguard Class Walkthrough

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Infiltrator – Friend to no one except the shadows themselves the infiltrator is rarely seen but often felt. The thief/rogue of the Mass Effect world offers up a very unique play style. Advanced players will find the Infiltrator a challenge yet effective in the hands of trained professionals. With a wide variety of skills to choose from, every situation demands quick thinking and even quicker killing. The best kills are the ones you never see coming.

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Infiltrator Class Walkthrough

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Sentinel – If you want a real challenge, and I only suggest this to the most avid and devoted Mass Effect nutter, then you’ll love the Sentinel class. It has little to no experience with fire arms and relies mainly on its biotic and Tech-based skills. This class is not for the faint of heart.

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Sentinel Class Walkthrough

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Engineer –

As the name suggests, Engineers are great with machinery and tech abilities. A fun but often overlooked ability allows for hacking of enemies and turning them on each other. When combined with an Adept or Vanguard, an Engineer would make a brilliant teammate.

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Engineer Class Walkthrough

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Adept – An Adept, in the hands of the right player, is a one man army unto him or herself. With little to no fire arm training the Adept relies mainly on an impressive array of Biotic abilities. The force is strong with this class. (Sorry, had to go there!)

Video Games | Mass Effect 2 | Adept Combat Class Reveal

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Hammerhead (Mako2.0) – Obviously, this isn’t a new character. It’s a vehicle for planetary exploration. But it’s a freakin hover tank. A HOVER TANK! Need I say more?

Downloadable Content

Launch Day DLC – The Cerberus Network

The first DLC pack for Mass Effect 2 set to release simultaneously with the game’s launch on January 26 and will include new missions, in-game items, and characters. Zaeed, a “rugged and deadly gun-for-hire” will join Commander Shepard in one of the new missions.

A second DLC pack, set for release “after launch” will included the Hammerhead, a new hover tank for players to take control of, along with “new missions and unique in-game items, including Cerberus Assault Armor which boost shields, health and heavy weapon ammo and the M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun.”

Mass Effect 3 Rumors

The BioWare team is already in development on the third installment of Mass Effect. It took them nearly two years to complete and release Mass Effect 2 after the first one’s debut. Which would put Mass Effect 3 launch right around February or March of 2012. Plenty of time for you to spend all of your hard earned money on the countless DLC that is going to be released with Mass Effect 2.

Screenshots to make you antsy:

[View with PicLens]

The Official Mass Effect 2 Launch Trailer

Video Games | | Mass Effect 2 Launch Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Check back this week for the MMOMFG review of Mass Effect 2, which will no doubt Effect you too.

*Disclaimer – This collection of Mass Effect 2 information includes resources from Gametrailers, IGN, MMOMFG and BioWare. The sole purpose of this post is to offer readers an avenue for all details regarding Mass Effect 2.

Contributing Writer: Ryan Finley