Summary
WhenMass Effect 2launched in 2010, it’s likely no one really knew what they were in for with it. The firstMass Effectgame launched in 2007 to favorable reviews, so, of course, its fans were looking forward to spending more time on the Normandy with Commander Shepard and their crew. However,Mass Effect 2would go on to become the new entry point to theMass Effectseries, with its refined combat and exploration, fulfillingrelationship-building mechanics, and an increased emphasis on player agency. From then on, theMass Effectseries became an RPG phenomenon, with a significant portion of its reputation owing to its unprecedented value for player choice.
Prior to the launch ofMass Effect 2, player choice had already been introduced as a value in gaming, with series likeStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republicrelying heavily on the concept. However,Mass Effect 2took the idea and raised the stakes in such a way that the players themselves would feel the impact of their choices, instead of merely witnessing the impact they have on the protagonist and those around them.Mass Effect 2ultimately accomplished this by presenting players with opportunities to invest a part of themselves into every relationship they build with the game’s companions, none of whom are guaranteed to make it through the story alive.
How Mass Effect 2 Changed Player Choice Forever
Mass Effect 2 Made Player Choice More Than a Gimmick
Before the release ofMass Effect 2, player choice was more of a gimmick than anything else. Sure, players could make important decisions in the stories they played, but these choices often boiled down to binary outcomes, with obvious “good” and “evil” paths to take. The firstMass Effectbegan introducing the idea ofmoral complexity, butMass Effect 2ultimately took the concept further by ensuring that every choice players made during the narrative would go on to haunt them once the credits rolled at its end.
At the heart ofMass Effect 2’s story isCommander Shepardand the ragtag team of crew members they have assembled to take on what very well could be considered a near-suicidal mission. As players progress through this story, they are often presented with opportunities to increase the loyalty of each crew member by regularly engaging with them and completing missions for them, all to ensure they would do anything for Commander Shepard by the time the proverbial suicide mission takes place. Many of these missions revolved around moral dilemmas where players would almost help shape their companions by helping them make choices.
For example, when Garrus comes to a crossroads of either exacting revenge on his former comrade or letting go of the vendetta altogether, players are given a chance to be directly involved in the character’s narrative by helping him make the choice.
This loyalty would go on to impact more than the player’s, and Commander Shepard’s, relationship with their companions, as it would play a part in the outcome ofMass Effect 2’s “Suicide Mission.“The more loyal a crew member was, the more likely they were to survive the mission, so players were encouraged to consider their time with each companion valuable, and to not simply go their own way in the game without considering what was best for their crew. In the end, this all made every choice feel meaningful, not just from a story standpoint, but also in terms of tangible outcomes.
Mass Effect 2 Gave Players Choices With Lasting Consequences
While it was certainly devastating for players to reach the “Suicide Mission” only to witness the death of companions they failed to build a relationship with over the course ofMass Effect 2’s story, these immediate emotional consequences weren’t the only thing players needed to consider, as their choices would then carry on to thenext game in theMass Effectseries,Mass Effect 3. This meant that, if any of the player’s companions didn’t surviveMass Effect 2’s “Suicide Mission,” they would be excluded from the next game’s roster.
This didn’t just include the game’s companions either, as even specific choices regarding the Normandy inMass Effect 2could cause certain crew members to be lost during the final moments of the game’s story. It was this, the incredibly high stakes ofMass Effect 2’s choices, that would evoke something in the gaming industry, leaving many future developers even wondering how they could replicate the system without looking like copycats. To this day, 15 years later, very few developers have been able to create a choice system that carries as much weight asMass Effect 2’s.
In other words,Mass Effect 2didn’t just tell an original story; it, more or less, invited players to co-author its story by giving every decision a personal edge and encouraging them to consider every path carefully before taking it. By utilizing the concept of player choice that had been introduced before it, and then expanding on the idea with a blend of branching narratives, moral ambiguity, and lasting,permanent consequences,Mass Effect 2effectively redefined what it meant for players to have agency in video games. Today, these design choices continue to influence the way developers approach storytelling, and it’s likely thatMass Effect 2will persist as the gold standard for many years to come.
Mass Effect 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Are you prepared to lose everything to save the galaxy? You’ll need to be, Commander Shepard. It’s time to bring together your greatest allies and recruit the galaxy’s fighting elite to continue the resistance against the invading Reapers. So steel yourself, because this is an astronomical mission where sacrifices must be made. You’ll face tougher choices and new, deadlier enemies. Arm yourself and prepare for an unforgettable intergalactic adventure.Shift the fight in your favor.Equip yourself with powerful, new weapons almost instantly thanks to a new inventory system. Plus, an improved health regeneration system means you’ll spend less time hunting for restorative items.Make every decision matter.Divisive crew members are just the tip of the iceberg, Commander, because you’ll also be tasked with issues of intergalactic diplomacy. And time’s a wastin’, so don’t be afraid to use new prompt-based actions that let you interrupt conversations, even if they could alter the fate of your crew…and the galaxy.Forge new alliances, carefully.You’ll fight alongside some of your most trustworthy crew members, but you’ll also get the opportunity to recruit new talent. Just choose your new partners with care because the fate of the galaxy rests on your shoulders, Commander.
