Mass Effect 2




 *  Note: Please do not add speculation to Mass Effect 2 articles. The wiki only accepts facts, and speculation will be deleted. At most, link us to forum discussions rather than posting it here. 

The official announcement of Mass Effect 2 was made on March 17, 2009.

The teaser site for Mass Effect 2 was launched on February 20, 2009. The website included a teaser video, wallpapers and various downloads. In May 2009, the initial teaser on the Mass Effect 2 site was supplemented with an E3 Precursor Developer video that gave a critical first look at the game. In June 2009, the website was completely reformatted to provide more information including a plot summary, a FAQ and information on new species, worlds, missions etc.

An additional video documentary is also bundled with the Platinum Hits edition of Mass Effect titled The Future of Mass Effect which discusses ME2 and upcoming downloadable content. The documentary was outlined in an article on The Escapist.

Mass Effect 2 is scheduled to launch on January 26, 2010 in North America and January 29 in Europe. It will also be released in a Limited Collector's Edition.

Plot
The official plot summary reads:

"Two years after Commander Shepard repelled invading Reapers bent on the destruction of organic life, a mysterious new enemy has emerged. On the fringes of known space, something is silently abducting entire human colonies. Now Shepard must work with Cerberus, a ruthless organization devoted to human survival at any cost, to stop the most terrifying threat mankind has ever faced.

''To even attempt this perilous mission, Shepard must assemble the galaxy’s most elite team and command the most powerful ship ever built. Even then, they say it would be suicide. Commander Shepard intends to prove them wrong. "''

Shepard's fate
Following the release of the initial teaser trailer for Mass Effect 2, which claimed Commander Shepard to have been killed in action, there was confusion about whether or not the player character would be featured in the game. In a post-E3 2009 blog post, BioWare Executive Producer Casey Hudson explained the situation. He revealed that as a result of the player's decisions, Shepard could be killed during Mass Effect 2's final mission, not during the course of the game: "When you get to the very end of the story in Mass Effect 2, you will get one of a wide variety of climactic and satisfying endings. Depending on how prepared you were, your ending may involve Shepard making the ultimate sacrifice to accomplish the mission. If you do die in the ending of Mass Effect 2, it will not come as a surprise, nor will it be random. It will be pretty obvious that you headed into the final mission knowing that Shepard probably wouldn’t make it out alive. Throughout the middle of the game you are building up information, resources, a team, and a ship that will be able to do the job, and although you can jump straight to the final mission at a certain point, you’ll have a good feel for whether you’re likely to survive it."

Hudson also revealed that the player's decisions can affect Shepard's team as well, saying "You might have an ending where Shepard’s entire team survives, or where the entire mission is a bloodbath and everyone (including Shepard) is killed, or anything in between. And for all characters, death in Mass Effect 2 means they won’t show up in Mass Effect 3."

Relative to the planned Mass Effect 3, Hudson confirmed that if Shepard is killed in Mass Effect 2, the character will not return for the third game. "One big reason you’ll want to be alive after the ending is that after the credits roll, you are returned to the game world - ready to head back out for more adventure. You can complete unfinished missions, explore the galaxy, and download new adventures to play. But Mass Effect is a trilogy about Commander Shepard’s journey - if your Shepard dies in the end of Mass Effect 2, that’s the end of him/her. In that case, you can play Mass Effect 3 as “a” Shepard – just not “your” Shepard. As in real life, not being able to keep living is really the main down-side of death. So if you care about playing the next game with your character, make sure you survive this one."

Save File Transfer

 * Decisions made in Mass Effect will impact its sequel, most notably those made on a personal level, but also seemingly minor assignments and choices. Casey Hudson has recommended keeping saved games from the original Mass Effect. Events confirmed to affect your save file include:
 * The decision to save either Kaidan or Ashley.
 * Whether or not the player kills Wrex on Virmire.
 * Whether or not the player decides to save the Citadel Council at the end of Mass Effect.
 * The player's choice of love interest.
 * Whether the player spares or destroys the Rachni Queen at Peak 15.
 * The player's treatment of Conrad Verner.
 * Whether or not the player completed the UNC: Asari Diplomacy sidequest.
 * Due to massive gameplay redesign, your level will not transfer over to Mass Effect 2 and you will start out with basic abilities, though some may be transferred.
 * The game will acknowledge if you were a level 60 character and if you were a Renegade or Paragon and adapt it in ways that map across to the new system.
 * The physical appearance of imported characters can be changed at the start of Mass Effect 2 if desired.
 * Imported characters will be able to choose a different class at the start of Mass Effect 2 if desired.
 * If you had more than one file in the original Mass Effect, you will be asked which file you wish to use.
 * If a player has no Mass Effect save files, Mass Effect 2 will start with an introduction sequence which, in combination with interactive decisions made by the player, introduces new players to the storyline and establishes a “canon” backstory.
 * Completion of Mass Effect Galaxy will also have an effect on Mass Effect 2. If a player links their copy of Mass Effect Galaxy to their EA Online account through the games Extras menu and Stay Informed sub-menu then completes a linked account, they receive the message "Your reward for completing the game is waiting for you in Mass Effect 2." What the reward is, is not currently known.

New and Returning Squad Members

 * There are a total of ten squad member spaces, leaving two open spaces for as of yet unconfirmed squadmates. Those currently known include:
 * Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, shown flanking Shepard and Grunt in screenshots and trailers.
 * The main characters of Mass Effect Galaxy, Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson.
 * Thane, a drell assassin..
 * Grunt, an unpredictable krogan mercenary.
 * Subject Zero, an extremely powerful former biotic test subject and the first potential romance option unveiled so far. It has been speculated she is the mentally unstable biotic convict that must be rescued from the prison ship Purgatory.
 * Mordin Solus, a "surprisingly brutal" salarian scientist. The official site describes a mission where Shepard must rescue a salarian scientist from the krogan homeworld of Tuchanka, which may or may not be the same character.
 * Samara, an asari vigilante who holds Shepard's word as her "code."

New Gameplay and Story Features

 * A heavy weapons system will be introduced.
 * New weapons will be added, including guided rocket and grenade launchers, a gun that "turns enemies into dust", a "nuke gun" that unleashes room-clearing nuclear fire and the M-490 Blackstorm, a high-powered gravity gun.
 * The regular pistol has been split into two seperate pistol types, machine and heavy pistols.
 * New biotic abilities including Pull, which can be used to pluck enemies from behind cover., and Charge, which allows the player to quickly cover the distance to the enemy, slam into it, and knock it back.
 * New combat moves including an arcing concussive shot attack that delivers a "physics punch" to foes and a heavy adrenaline rush which slows down time and allows the player to close the gap between themselves and the enemy.
 * The individual limbs of enemies can now be targeted, and in some cases shot off. Enemies with damaged legs will limp or crawl.
 * In Mass Effect 2 a mechanic much like reloading is used when a weapon overheats. The player can hit a button to eject a small heat sink to immediately cool the weapon and get back into combat without waiting for cooldown times like in Mass Effect.
 * Ammo Upgrades such as Cryo Rounds and Incendiary Rounds are now accessible from the radial menu like biotic and tech talents, though it appears that they are now more of an ability than a use of the old upgrade system. One new type is Disruptor Ammo and the previously mentioned ammo types can be seen. Cryo rounds will freeze enemies, who can then be knocked over or smashed.
 * The interrupt system intended to be in the original Mass Effect has now been implemented. In longer conversations, button prompts may occasionally appear that allow Shepard to intervene and control the flow of the conversation. Interrupts will add renegade or paragon points just like normal options.
 * For purchasing and registering a new copy of Dragon Age: Origins (regular or Collector's Edition) access will be given to an armor inspired by Dragon Age: Origins known as "Blood Dragon Armor" for use in-game.
 * A slew of pre-order bonus items have been revealed. Pre-ordering Mass Effect 2 at GameStop gives players access to two special items. The Terminus Armor, which increases run speed and personal shields, and the M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon. Pre-ordering the game at other retailers gives players The Inferno Armor, which recognizes elevated heart rates and gives a negotiation bonus for Commander Shepard, along with an increase in run speed and augmented damage from combat powers. The pre-order bonus items will be offered at select retailers worldwide and will be available to PC owners as well.
 * There will be "a lot more DLC" this time around, which will also be a lot more user-friendly in the way it is integrated.
 * The inventory system has been totally revamped.
 * Your morality will affect your appearance, with renegade behaviour worsening Shepard's scarring and facial implants.


 * New creatures, enemies and interest groups will be introduced. These include members of the Eclipse mercenary corporation, assault mechs and the mysterious Collectors.
 * The Illusive Man, the leader of the rogue Alliance black-ops organization Cerberus, has been confirmed to make an appearance in the game and will give Shepard orders throughout the game.
 * Two new alien species, the drell and the vorcha, have already been shown, and others are yet to be revealed.
 * New locations, including the lawless space station Omega, the krogan homeworld of Tuchanka, the prison ship Purgatory, the Quarian Migrant Fleet and a significant Cerberus station located in the Horse Head Nebula. The new areas the player visits are described as being similar to the "wild west" with warlords and crime gangs playing prominent roles.
 * Elcor and Volus will now move around, and environments will be busier and more lively than in Mass Effect.
 * A new and improved ship for galaxy navigation, the SSV Normandy SR-2.
 * Engineers and allies who are "heavy tech power specialists" will now be able to use drones in combat. These drones will attack enemies that the controller selects and then auto-select their next targets. Their intended role is "to distract, suppress, and lock down enemies."
 * A recent Trailer featuring cutscene and gameplay (conversation) footage of Tali and the Quarian migrant fleet includes a brief shot of a quarian referring to Shepard as "Captain Shepard". Whether this is a mistake on the quarian's part or indication that the Allaince thought saving the entire galaxy worth a promotion is unknown.

Returning, Removed and Tweaked Gameplay Features

 * Hudson stated in Game Informer magazine that characters from the previous game will come back, provided that they were not killed. So far the following characters have been confirmed to be making a reappearance:
 * Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Liara T'Soni, Ashley Williams, Kaidan Alenko, Garrus Vakarian
 * Urdnot Wrex, Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Conrad Verner, Nassana Dantius, Navigator Pressly
 * Improvements have been made to the engine, including better AI for squadmates and enemies, technical changes to improve general performance and a more refined and dramatic lighting system.
 * Romance subplots and sex scenes will be returning.
 * The shotgun has been modified to deal more damage and have a larger focus on up-close combat.
 * An improved cover system has been put into place for Mass Effect 2. In the original Mass Effect there was only 20 different animations for taking cover, now there are over 200.
 * Battlefield pausing is still in place but now lasts indefinitely, placing greater emphasis on tactics.
 * The Normandy will return, and possibly be destroyed during the events of the game.
 * The Citadel is a returning location and hub area.
 * Geth husks make a reappearance, causing Shepard and his team some concern, as their presence indicates the continued activity of the geth despite their recent defeat. The reveal trailer for Subject Zero shows her battling several geth, confirming they will be making a return as adversaries.
 * Planet exploration will return, and is planned to be much more interactive this time around. According to Casey Hudson, "We decided to really improve a lot of the points of interaction throughout that experience...there's more [going on] when you're in orbit, looking at [a planet], scanning, and riding down to the surface. And there's a much stronger focus on a really rich, interesting set-piece location."
 * Controls have been streamlined to make combat and squad commands more natural. Shepard can give context-based squad commands and powers and abilities can be now be button mapped.


 * There will be no new game plus function allowing play of a leveled character after completion of the game as there was in Mass Effect. There will be the allowance of continued play after completing the main missions in order to complete other side missions and possibly unlocked ones. To reflect this change Insanity mode is being tweaked to possibly be available from the start and offer a challenging playing experience rather than a harder one when compared to Normal or Hardcore.
 * Medi-gel packs have been removed in favor of a regenerative health system.
 * The M35 Mako is going to be replaced by a new vehicle due to the Mako's reputation for poor handling.
 * Texture pop-in has been fixed.
 * Casey Hudson has stated that the elevator loading scene transitions are gone and have been replaced with "A completely new system to handle transitions between areas that speeds the load times and turns the loads themselves into part of the game experience."