History VideoGame / MassEffect2

One month after the events of [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the first game]], the ''Normandy'' is destroyed in a vicious attack by an unidentified aggressor and [[SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome Commander Shepard is killed in action]]. Two years later, Shepard reawakens to find that Cerberus, a mysterious human supremacist organization, has retrieved and [[ResurrectedForAJob revived the commander at great expense]]; human colonies have been vanishing, and an enigmatic and advanced alien race, known as "the Collectors", is behind it. Forced to work with Cerberus and their leader, the Illusive Man, Shepard must now [[AvengersAssemble assemble a team]] and take the fight to their mutual enemy.

!TropeNamer for:

The plot structure of ''Mass Effect 2'' is unique among [=BioWare=] games and, indeed, among {{Western RPG}}s at large. While it does feature classical [=BioWare=]-style quest hubs (Omega, Citadel, Ilium, Tuchanka), a bulk of the plot consists of [[CompanionSpecificSidequest companion recruitment]] and {{Loyalty Mission}}s that aren't tied to a particular hub and can be completed in any order. At the start of the game, you receive your [[CoolStarship spaceship]], two starting party members, [[FemmeFatale Miranda Lawson]] and [[MilitaryMaverick Jacob Taylor]], and a handful of leads on potential further recruits (eight in total, or ten with [[DownloadableContent DLC]]), including two from the first game. Once recruited, they eventually present you with an optional "LoyaltyMission"--a personal {{sidequest}} that provides not only the standard RPG rewards of cash, EXP and new gear, but also CharacterDevelopment and new powers for the party member in question. Interspersed between these are several investigations issued to you by the Illusive Man, in which you examine the Collectors, figure out where they came from and what they're up to, and eventually travel through the Omega 4 Relay to strike at their home base. While completionists will want to recruit everyone and upgrade everything, players in a hurry (or who want to challenge themselves by completing the mission with minimal resources) can jump through with minimal support and training, and still win (though [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome reality ensues]] in terms of [[DownerEnding how many people survive]]).

* MassEffect2/Tropes#ToF

* MassEffect2/TropesAToF

The plot structure of ''Mass Effect 2'' is unique among [=BioWare=] games and, indeed, among {{Western RPG}}s at large. While it does feature classical [=BioWare=]-style quest hubs (Omega, Citadel, Ilium, Tuchanka), a bulk of the plot consists of [[CompanionSpecificSidequest companion recruitment]] and {{Loyalty Mission}}s that aren't tied to a particular hub and can be completed in any order. At the start of the game, you receive your [[CoolStarship spaceship]], two starting party members, [[FemmeFatale Miranda Lawson]] and [[MilitaryMaverick Jacob Taylor]], and a handful of leads on potential further recruits (eight in total, or ten with [[DownloadableContent DLC]]), including two from the first game. Once recruited, they eventually present you with an optional "LoyaltyMission"--a personal {{sidequest}} that provides not only the standard RPG rewards of cash, EXP and new gear, but also CharacterDevelopment and new powers for the party member in question. Interspersed between these are several investigations issued to you by the Illusive Man, in which you examine the Collectors, figure out where they came from and what they're up to, and eventually travel through the Omega 4 Relay to strike at their home base. While completionists will want to recruit everyone and upgrade everything, players in a hurry (or who want to challenge themselves by completing the mission with minimal resources) can jump through with minimal support and training, and still win (though [[RealityEnsues reality ensues]] in terms of [[DownerEnding how many people survive]]).

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MassEffect2PageArticle_8031.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:250: Ladies and Gentlemen, our heroes: [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits A dead man (that's you), a terrorist and an assassin.]] And they're some of the more respectable ones.]]

The plot structure of ''Mass Effect 2'' is unique among [=BioWare=] games and, indeed, among {{Western RPG}}s at large. While it does feature quest hubs (Omega, Citadel, Ilium, Tuchanka), a bulk of the plot consists of [[CompanionSpecificSidequest companion recruitment]] and {{Loyalty Mission}}s that aren't tied to a particular hub and can be completed in any order. At the start of the game, you receive your [[CoolStarship spaceship]], two starting party members, [[FemmeFatale Miranda Lawson]] and [[MilitaryMaverick Jacob Taylor]], and a handful of leads on potential further recruits (eight in total, or ten with [[DownloadableContent DLC]]), including two from the first game. Once recruited, they eventually present you with an optional "LoyaltyMission"--a personal {{sidequest}} that provides not only the RPG standard rewards of cash, EXP and new gear, but also CharacterDevelopment and new powers for the party member in question. Interspersed between these are several investigations issued to you by the Illusive Man, in which you examine the Collectors, figure out where they came from and what they're up to, and eventually travel through the Omega 4 Relay to strike at their home base. While completionists will want to recruit everyone and upgrade everything, players in a hurry (or who want to challenge themselves by completing the mission with minimal resources) can jump through with minimal support and training, and still win (though [[RealityEnsues reality ensues]] in terms of [[DownerEnding how many people survive]]).

[[caption-width-right:250: Ladies and Gentlemen, our heroes: [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits A dead man (that's you), a terrorist and an assassin.]] And those are the respectable ones.]]

-->--'''Commander Shepard'''

On the gameplay side, many things were refined. Neither you nor your squad members are given weapons you are incapable of using properly. Weapons themselves require "[[UniversalAmmunition thermal clips]]" for everything except the heavy weapons (meaning part of the game is looking for more ammo), and as your preferred gun runs out you are forced to switch to a less-preferred gun. The TakeCover mechanic is a vital element and you will not last long without using it, although properly designed [[StoneWall Sentinels]] or [[LightningBruiser Vanguards]] are close to unkillable. The armor and equipment of the characters is a uniform system that depends on technology you gather during your missions, and while you can change their look (at least one base outfit and another when [[YourRewardIsClothes their loyalty mission is complete]]), it is purely cosmetic (Shepard,however, has interchangeable armor components which provide different bonuses). You are given the option of leveling up a character and changing their weapon loadout before every mission, and leveling up is a tier-based system, each additional level requiring more points to acquire. The combat abilities are simplified; there are fewer attacks to use, and the new unified cooldown system means that you don't have to keep checking the power wheel to see if all of your powers have recharged, because you can only use one at a time. However, certain abilities can now combo together for more damage, and there are also more variations available between the different classes (for example, you have three full biotics on your team, each with different biotic-based abilities).

On the gameplay side, many things were refined. Neither you nor your squad members are given weapons you are incapable of using properly. Weapons themselves require "[[UniversalAmmunition thermal clips]]" for everything except the heavy weapons (meaning part of the game is looking for more ammo), and as your preferred gun runs out you are forced to switch to a less-preferred gun. The TakeCover mechanic is a vital element and you will not last long without using it, although properly designed [[StoneWall Sentinels]] or [[LightningBruiser Vanguards]] are close to unkillable. The armor and equipment of the characters is a uniform system that depends on technology you gather during your missions, and while you can change their look (at least one base outfit and another when [[YourRewardIsClothes their loyalty mission is complete]]), it is purely cosmetic (Shepard,however, can acquire individual armor components which provide different bonuses). You are given the option of leveling up a character and changing their weapon loadout before every mission, and leveling up is a tier-based system, each additional level requiring more points to acquire. The combat abilities are simplified; there are fewer attacks to use, and the new unified cooldown system means that you don't have to keep checking the power wheel to see if all of your powers have recharged, because you can only use one at a time. However, certain abilities can now combo together for more damage, and there are also more variations available between the different classes (for example, you have three full biotics on your team, each with different biotic-based abilities).

On the gameplay side, many things were refined. Neither you nor your squad members are given weapons you are incapable of using properly. Weapons themselves require "[[UniversalAmmunition thermal clips]]" for everything except the heavy weapons (meaning part of the game is looking for more ammo), and as your preferred gun runs out you are forced to switch to a less-preferred gun. The TakeCover mechanic is a vital element and you will not last long without using it, although properly designed [[StoneWall Sentinels]] or [[LightningBruiser Vanguards]] are close to unkillable. The armor and equipment of the characters is a uniform system that depends on technology you gather during your missions, and while you can change their look (at least one base outfit and another when [[YourRewardIsClothes their loyalty mission is complete]]), it is purely cosmetic. You are given the option of leveling up a character and changing their weapon loadout before every mission, and leveling up is a tier-based system, each additional level requiring more points to acquire. The combat abilities are simplified; there are fewer attacks to use, and the new unified cooldown system means that you don't have to keep checking the power wheel to see if all of your powers have recharged, because you can only use one at a time. However, certain abilities can now combo together for more damage, and there are also more variations available between the different classes (for example, you have three full biotics on your team, each with different biotic-based abilities).

The plot structure of ''Mass Effect 2'' is unique among [=BioWare=] games and, indeed, among {{Western RPG}}s at large. While it does feature quest hubs (Omega, Citadel, Ilium, Tuchanka), a bulk of the plot consists of [[CompanionSpecificSidequest companion recruitment]] and {{Loyalty Mission}}s that aren't tied to a particular hub and can be completed in any order. At the start of the game, you receive your [[CoolStarship spaceship]], two starting party members, [[FemmeFatale Miranda Lawson]] and [[MilitaryMaverick Jacob Taylor]], and a handful of leads on potential further recruits (eight in total, or ten with [[DownloadableContent DLC]]), including two from the first game. Once recruited, they eventually present you with an optional "LoyaltyMission"--a personal {{sidequest}} that provides not only the RPG standard rewards of cash, EXP and new gear, but also CharacterDevelopment and new powers for the party member in question. Interspersed between these various {{fetch quest}}s are several investigations issued to you by the Illusive Man, in which you examine the Collectors, figure out where they came from and what they're up to, and eventually travel through the Omega 4 Relay to strike at their home base. While completionists will want to recruit everyone and upgrade everything, players in a hurry (or who want to challenge themselves by completing the mission with minimal resources) can jump through with minimal support and training, and still win (though [[RealityEnsues reality ensues]] in terms of [[DownerEnding how many people survive]]).

The series has spawned Roleplay/CerberusDailyNews, a [[{{Defictionalization}} defictionized]] news site that would (for a time) provide daily updates detailing events in the ''ME'' universe, most of it having no bearing whatsoever on the story in the first two games[[note]]In the lead-up to the release of ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', the in-game Cerberus Daily News, seen on the main menu screen, was reactivated after a full year with no updates, with small snippets of information about comm buoys going off-line as the Reapers prepare their invasion[[/note]]. It also hosts forums full of roleplayers who constantly react to said news and act out in-universe storylines of their own making. Finally, there is a proliferation of DLC: two new squad members, at least two stand-alone side missions, and a number of weapon packs, armor packs and alternate costumes for Jack, Thane, Garrus, Miranda, Grunt, and Tali. The most important DLC, though, are "Lair of the Shadow Broker" and "Arrival," which BioWare call "bridging" content because they help to set up ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''. Both of them add completely new ''story events'' to the game. The former includes Liara as a temporary squadmate as you storm the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin lair of the Shadow Broker]]; the second is a Shepard solo mission as you rescue an undercover Alliance operative who has discovered proof that the Reapers are coming ''soon'' and needs help preventing their eponymous arrival.

The plot structure of ''Mass Effect 2'' is unique among [=BioWare=] games and, indeed, among {{Western RPG}}s at large. While it does feature quest hubs (Omega, Citadel, Ilium, Tuchanka), a bulk of the plot consists of companion recruitment and {{Loyalty Mission}}s that aren't tied to a particular hub and can be completed in any order. At the start of the game, you receive your [[CoolStarship spaceship]], two starting party members, [[FemmeFatale Miranda Lawson]] and [[MilitaryMaverick Jacob Taylor]], and a handful of leads on potential further recruits (eight in total, or ten with [[DownloadableContent DLC]]), including two from the first game. Once recruited, they eventually present you with an optional "LoyaltyMission"--a personal {{sidequest}} that provides not only the RPG standard rewards of cash, EXP and new gear, but also CharacterDevelopment and new powers for the party member in question. Interspersed between these various {{fetch quest}}s are several investigations issued to you by the Illusive Man, in which you examine the Collectors, figure out where they came from and what they're up to, and eventually travel through the Omega 4 Relay to strike at their home base. While completionists will want to recruit everyone and upgrade everything, players in a hurry (or who want to challenge themselves by completing the mission with minimal resources) can jump through with minimal support and training, and still win (though [[RealityEnsues reality ensues]] in terms of [[DownerEnding how many people survive]]).

To say that the game was acclaimed is a huge understatement. According to [=BioWare=], the game has over forty perfect scores and game of the year awards, and this was a year before the {{PlayStation 3}} version was released. A small {{Hatedom}} aside, the only complaints about the game were that [[PlotTailoredToTheParty most of the game was spent recruiting for the suicide mission]], [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks the combat felt the same]], and that [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the subtitles were too small]]. Even after the release of ''Mass Effect 3'', this game is seen by many as the highlight of the trilogy, and many [=BioWare=] fans place it along the other greats the company has developed like ''Jade Empire'', ''Knights of the Old Republic'' and ''Baldur's Gate''.

[[caption-width-right:250: Ladies and Gentlemen, our heroes: [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits A dead man (That's you), a terrorist and an assassin.]] And those are the respectable ones.]]

One month after the events of [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the first game]], the ''Normandy'' is destroyed in a vicious attack and Commander Shepard is killed in the process. Two years later, Shepard reawakens to find that Cerberus, a mysterious human supremacist organization, has retrieved and [[ResurrectedForAJob revived the commander at great expense]]; human colonies have been vanishing, and an enigmatic and advanced alien race, known as "the Collectors", is behind it. Forced to work with Cerberus and their leader, the Illusive Man, Shepard must now [[AvengersAssemble assemble a team]] and take the fight to their mutual enemy.

There is a great deal more interactivity with this game than there was with the first. The big thing is that if you import a character you played from the first game, you take with them ''all'' of the choices they made and the people they interacted with as being a part of this game in some way, ranging from your romantic option still having feelings for you to very minor characters who you [[AscendedExtra barely recall talking to]]. The Paragon/Renegade options are more reliant on the choices you make; acting like a Paragon gives you a higher Paragon score and the same with Renegade, and the higher score gives you more opportunities to use them (in the first game, being able to initiate a charm or intimidate option was based on how you allocated leveling points). It was also spruced up with the addition of "interrupts," essentially {{quick time event}}s that allows Shepard to interject an optional Paragon or Renegade action during conversations (such as [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim shutting someone up pre-emptively]], or [[TheWoobie hugging someone in pain]]). These may make your mission harder or easier, but you get an extra reward for using them.

On the gameplay side, many things were refined. Neither you nor your squad members are given weapons you are incapable of using properly. Weapons themselves require "[[UniversalAmmunition thermal clips]]" for everything except the heavy weapons (meaning part of the game is looking for more ammo), and as your preferred gun runs out you are forced to switch to a less-preferred gun. The TakeCover mechanic is a vital element and you will not last long without using it, although properly designed [[StoneWall Sentinels]] or [[LightningBruiser Vanguards]] are close to unkillable. The armor and equipment of the characters is a uniform system that depends on technology you gather during your missions, and while you can change their look (at least one base outfit and another when [[YourRewardIsClothes their loyalty mission is complete]]) it is purely cosmetic. You are given the option of leveling up a character and changing their weapon loadout before every mission, and leveling up is a tier based system, each additional level requiring more points to acquire. The combat abilities are simplified; there are fewer attacks to use, and the new unified cooldown system means that you don't have to keep checking the power wheel to see if all of your powers have recharged, because you can only use one at a time. However, certain abilities can now combo together for more damage, and there are also more variations available between the different classes (for example, you have three full biotics on your team, each with different biotic-based abilities).

One month after the events of [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the first game]], the ''Normandy'' is destroyed in a vicious attack and Commander Shepard is killed in the process. Two years later, Shepard reawakens to find that Cerberus, a mysterious human supremacist organization, has retrieved and [[ResurrectedForAJob revived the commander at great expense]]; Human colonies have been vanishing, and an enigmatic and advanced alien race, known as "the Collectors", is behind it. Forced to work with Cerberus and their leader, the Illusive Man, Shepard must now [[AvengersAssemble assemble a team]] and take the fight to their mutual enemy.

The series has spawned Roleplay/CerberusDailyNews, a [[{{Defictionalization}} defictionized]] news site that (used to provide) daily updates detailing events in the ''ME'' universe, most of it having no bearing whatsoever on the story in the first two games[[note]]In the lead-up to the release of ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', the in-game Cerberus Daily News, seen on the main menu screen, was reactivated after a full year with no updates, with small snippets of information about comm buoys going off-line as the Reapers prepare their invasion[[/note]]. It also hosts forums full of roleplayers who constantly react to said news and act out in-universe storylines of their own making. Finally, there is a proliferation of DLC: two new squad members, at least two stand-alone side missions, and a number of weapon packs, armor packs and alternate costumes for Jack, Thane, Garrus, Miranda, Grunt, and Tali. The most important DLC, though, are "Lair of the Shadow Broker" and "Arrival," which BioWare call "bridging" content because they help to set up ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''. Both of them add completely new ''story events'' to the game. The former includes Liara as a temporary squadmate as you storm the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin lair of the Shadow Broker]]; the second is a Shepard solo mission as you rescue an undercover Alliance operative who has discovered proof that the Reapers are coming ''soon'' and needs help preventing their eponymous arrival.

There is a great deal more interactivity with this game than there was with the first. The big thing is that if you import a character you played from the first game, you take with them ''all'' of the choices they made and the people they interacted with as being a part of this game in some way, ranging from your romantic option still having feelings for you to very minor characters who you [[AscendedExtra barely recall talking to]]. The Paragon/Renegade options are more reliant on the choices you make; acting like a Paragon gives you a higher Paragon score and the same with Renegade, and the higher score gives you more opportunities to use them (in the first game, being able to initiate a charm or intimidate option was based on how you allocated leveling points). It was also spruced up with the addition of "interrupts," essentially {{quick time event}}s that allows Shepard to interject an optional Paragon or Renegade action during conversions (such as [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim shutting someone up pre-emptively]], or [[TheWoobie hugging someone in pain]]). These may make your mission harder or easier, but you get an extra reward for using them.

The plot structure of ''Mass Effect 2'' is unique among [=BioWare=] games and, indeed, among {{Western RPG}}s at large. While it does feature quest hubs (Omega, Citadel, Ilium, Tuchanka), a bulk of the plot consists of companion recruitment and {{Loyalty Mission}}s that aren't tied to a particular hub and can be completed in any order. At the start of the game, you receive your [[CoolStarship spaceship]], two starting party members, [[FemmeFatale Miranda Lawson]] and [[MilitaryMaverick Jacob Taylor]], and a handful of leads on potential further recruits (eight in total, or ten with [[DownloadableContent DLC]]), including two from the first game. Once recruited, they eventually present you with an optional "LoyaltyMission"--a personal {{sidequest}} that provides not only the RPG standard rewards of cash, EXP and new gear, but also CharacterDevelopment and new powers for the party member in question. Interspersed between these various {{fetch quest}}s are several investigations issued you by the Illusive Man, in which you examine the Collectors, figure out where they came from and what they're up to, and eventually travel through the Omega 4 Relay to strike at their home base. While completionists will want to recruit everyone and upgrade everything, players in a hurry (or who want to challenge themselves by completing the mission with minimal resources) can jump through with minimal support and training, and still win (though [[RealityEnsues reality ensues]] in terms of [[DownerEnding how many people survive]]).

* MassEffect2/{{Tropes A-F}}
* MassEffect2/{{Tropes G-M}}
* MassEffect2/{{Tropes N-S}}
* MassEffect2/{{Tropes T-Z}}