What will definitely improve your chances of becoming completely immersed in the experience is it’s technical aspects as well. The visuals are some of the best out there, with jaw dropping realism at times and art design that transports you to a whole new world, all the while traveling to living, breathing locations as well as beautiful, fascinating or menacing new planets, spacestations and worlds.

To make it even better, the musical score and sound effects are enough to make George Lucas’s career roll over in its grave. A star studded voice acting cast delivers the goods in every way and breathes life into each and every character that you will encounter.

The game does still have some issues though. Instead of “moon landings” in the Mako vehicle, you now play a scanning “mini-game” that allows you to mine for the resources needed for upgrades. It’s not bad but it’s nothing great either and I would have preferred something a little more engaging. There are a few animation glitches here and there, as well as a few rough loading times but when put alongside the sheer scope of the game, feel completely forgivable.

For the best experience, I highly recommend that anyone interested ensures that they have already played the first Mass Effect, as picking it up from the second game may be a little confusing, not to mention that a large part of the game is continuing in a world crafted by your choices.

Conclusion:

What Mass Effect 2 has done, is taken the already winning formula from Mass Effect and improved it in countless ways that have created a near perfect balance between the joys of action shooters and the depth of role playing games.

This ranges from fixing minor issues like cover systems and AI, to the improving the essential fun factor that keeps us so glued to our seats.

More importantly, this game delivers a truly emotional experience, be it love, hate or fear of what lies ahead. It’s a real sense of emotion that climbs out of your character and into your very being.

Mass Effect 2 may not be perfect in every way, but it exceeded my already high expectations by delivering a never before seen, or felt, experience from what is actually difficult to simply refer to as just a videogame.

I cannot recommend this game highly enough, and to put my money where my mouth is, I have awarded it my highest ever, and first, perfect score.

For Fans Of: Videogames

Scoring (not an average)

Gameplay: 9.8

Great combat, great conversation system, solid feeling all round.

Presentation: 10

Incredible looking characters, animations, environments, art direction and even loading screens that relate to what you are doing

Sound: 10

Perfect voice acting, sensational sound design and a musical score that easily matches or even surpasses some of Hollywood’s best efforts

Value: 9.8

No multiplayer means nothing when a game will take you around 35 – 40 hours to complete with very good reason for two or even three playthroughs. Bioware have also planned loads of DLC for the future.

Overall: 10

Mass Effect 2 may very well change the future of videogaming, because for the first time ever, I really, truly, cared about my decisions, the characters, the world and the outcome.

My first perfect score could not have gone to a more deserving title.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]