MASS EFFECT 2
Grade: A-
Developed by: BioWare
Published by: Electronic Arts
Rating: M
Available now for the 360 & PC

It seems like every game that has come out lately has been a sequel, so it's hard not to feel a little weary when you start playing yet another game with a '2' in the title. But any initial worry over Mass Effect 2 being just another standard-issue continuation will disappear within minutes of playing, as its entertaining story and fast-paced action draw you once again into this massive, incredibly detailed sci-fi universe.

While No. 2 picks up right after the events of the first game, it's not necessary to have played through the original to jump into this one. Humans are being abducted by an unknown enemy and it's up to returning hero Commander Shepard to get to the bottom of the mystery and save mankind from the forces of evil. While the story is a bit predictable, the characters you meet in it are always unique, and it's the interaction with the wide variety of aliens you encounter that gives the plot depth.

One of the things the first Mass Effect did better than nearly every other game was allow players' actions to affect the story - so much so that you're actually able to load your saved file from the first game into this one, which will continue to show the repercussions of your decisions. The choices you're forced to make in this game are just as dramatic as before, determining whether some of your teammates will live or die, and setting up more drastic changes to the universe that probably won't be fully revealed until the next sequel. It's not often that you get to have a say in where the story goes next.

To go with a faster-paced storyline, the combat has sped up, too. Leveling-up your character and the stats management that comes with it is not a huge priority here. The gunfights rely on your skills with a weapon, not if you're at a high-enough level or if your weapons are too weak, which is a welcome change after the slightly clunky shootouts of the first game.

As polished as Mass Effect 2 is - and it really is a massive, expensive blockbuster - there's still a big problem with the intelligence of your squadmates which doesn't seem to have been improved upon since the last game. All too often your partners will charge out into the open and get killed, making what should be easy fights far more frustrating because you can't tell how your team will react.

Aside from the artificial intelligence kinks, Mass Effect 2 is an incredibly polished and satisfying experience.

Anyone looking for a fun tale of sci-fi action couldn't do much better than this - even if you never did get around to playing the first one.

Bits & Bytes
After a fairly uneventful 2009, Nintendo is ready to start bringing some big games to the Wii again, and sooner than you might think. Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be available on May 23 and the awkwardly titled Metroid: Other M will be out a month later on June 27.

Upcoming Releases
March 9 - Final Fantasy XIII (PS3 & 360); Yakuza 3 (PS3).

Mel Stefaniuk is a writer who can tell the difference between Mario and Sonic.