Mass Effect 2

Gameplay

New features
A "Prelude to E3" developer diary was released on May 15, 2009. The developers confirmed that the combat system has been upgraded, with everything from the feel of the combat and the AI being improved, including realistic damage modeling and downed enemies still continuing to crawl and fight. New to the series is a heavy weapons system that will allow you to "kill [somebody] a thousand times" over. The tone of the game is similar to that of the Wild West, featuring warlords and crime gangs. The video also confirmed the existence of new alien races and an attack by one race on Citadel-controlled space, wearing armor with an "M1" logo painted on it and seeming to control similarly armored varren, a race of non-sapient animals similar to dogs.

Mass Effect 2 also features regenerating health as its primary health mechanic, instead of being able to heal with "medi-gel" as in the first game. In addition, the overheat system for weapons has been replaced with collectible ammunition. It has recently been announced that rather than the old overheating system of Mass Effect there will instead be heat sinks that must be ejected and replaced in order to cool down your weapon. This system is functionally identical to the ammunition systems in other shooters, but the heat sinks are universal among all of your standard weapons.

The characters in Mass Effect 2 will be more detailed not only graphically, but technically. In the original Mass Effect, Commander Shepard only had 20 animations for cover, while in Mass Effect 2, the character has over 200. The world will also be more open-ended in this installment; uncharted worlds the player could only explore for "cheap thrills" will now be more detailed and have more to explore.

The camera positioning for conversations with AI characters has also been improved, the previously static camera now moving around to provide "a much needed cinematic touch." Another new feature during conversations are context-sensitive controls; as shown in a conversation with Scientist Mordin, Shepard is able to interrupt the dialogue with aggressive tactics when prompted with the on-screen controls.

A new vehicle will be introduced to replace the M35 Mako due to criticism of the Mako's poor gameplay sections in the first game. This vehicle is called the M57 Hammerhead.

Unlike Mass Effect, in which there were four weapon types, there are now nineteen different weapons and the pistol has been broken up into the heavy pistol and the machine pistol. The grenades from the first game do not make a reappearance, replaced by the new heavy weapons. Submachineguns are shown to be another new weapon class added to the game. Characters are now able to use any weapon their class is trained for at full effect, meaning the player is no longer required to or able to invest in weapon skills. Armor skills have also been removed, and there are no longer class restrictions on armor.

Transferring Save-Files
Casey Hudson, Project Director for BioWare, and Greg Zeschuk, BioWare co-founder, as well as various developers on the official Mass Effect message boards, have said that players should keep their Mass Effect save-files, because decisions made by the player in the first game will continue to have influences on their character in the sequel. Each completed game will be viewable by the player when deciding which save to import into Mass Effect 2, and a summary of some of the key decisions made during the game will be shown to help you make sure you import the save you want.

Players who have not played the first Mass Effect will start a new character in Mass Effect 2, and will be brought up to speed on the story elements that have taken place thus far in the series. Hudson also states that characters from the previous game will come back, provided that they were not killed.
When transferring a file from the first Mass Effect, players have the option to change their class to a different one. For example, if the player wanted to play as an Engineer instead of an Infiltrator, the player may change their character's class while still importing the choices made in the first game.

Character Death
The first teaser trailer for this game gives the impression that Commander Shepard has been killed in action, but a later trailer shows that Shepard is still alive at the beginning of the game. Players themselves can dictate whether or not Shepard will die based on choices that they make throughout the game. BioWare Executive Producer Casey Hudson explained that "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." Hudson also confirmed that team members would be affected by the player's decisions during the final mission: "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." The ending in which Shepard is killed represents a permanent death, rather than one where the player simply reloads from the last saved game, meaning Shepard would not be available for Mass Effect 3 in that scenario.

Plot

Mass Effect 2 takes place in the year 2185, two years after the conclusion of Mass Effect. With the Reaper invasion stopped and Saren and the geth defeated, Commander Shepard learns that entire human colonies are mysteriously vanishing. Teaming up with the human supremacist organization Cerberus in the investigation, Shepard will also journey across the galaxy to recruit "up to a dozen of the galaxy's most dangerous operatives" to face this new threat. Locations include the asari colony world of Illium, and Omega, a space mining station in the Terminus Systems which harbors the worst of galactic society.
The insect-like Collectors are among the main villains of the plot. They have Reaper-based technology and are believed to be working for the Reapers, and are responsible for the disappearance of human colonies which are being harvested for an unknown purpose.

Development

System Requirements

The team that worked on Mass Effect will work on Mass Effect 2. EA CEO John Riccitiello confirmed during a conference call with investors that Mass Effect 2 would be available on "multiple platforms." Riccitiello also revealed that Mass Effect 2 will be released on January 26, 2010.
On March 2, 2009, BioWare and Electronic Arts announced that they had set up a new team, set to work in Montreal, using the existing EA Montreal facility. The team's main task is to develop Mass Effect 2. Around half of the team of thirty worked on the original Mass Effect, with the others being mostly new hires. This new team will supplement the teams already working on Mass Effect 2. BioWare co-founder and CEO Ray Muzyka said the team is "really excited about it, and we think it's going to be a huge opportunity to tap into the talent base in Montreal while supplementing our existing teams in Edmonton and Austin, which are doing some great stuff on all the other projects BioWare's working on."
Following the example of Dragon Age: Origins, the PC version of Mass Effect 2 will not be using SecuROM digital rights management software, and will instead opt for a standard disc check.
Voice actor D.C. Douglas, who voiced Albert Wesker in Resident Evil 5, confirmed he would be voicing a character in Mass Effect 2, but did not identify the character. Actor Martin Sheen voices the Illusive Man, the mysterious leader of the Cerberus organization. Actor Adam Baldwin has also been confirmed to voice a character in the game.

Mass Effect 2 will span two discs. Windows users will need to install both discs and can play the game with one, while Xbox 360 users will be required to make a single disc swap during a specific point in the storyline.

Marketing

BioWare Project Manager Corey Andruko and BioWare Lead Technical Designer Dusty Everman led a 60-minute lecture on Level design for Mass Effect 2 at the 2009 Game Developers Conference. The session gave attendees insight into the new approach BioWare is taking in designing levels for Mass Effect, one that maximizes iteration for quality, while minimizing rework and cost.

A promotional trailer was released on February 20, 2009. The trailer pans across a very close up set of armor, with captions listing off Commander Shepard's achievements and known alien allies. At the end of the trailer, Shepard's current status is given as "killed in action". The camera then pans upwards to show the head of a geth with armor bearing the N7 logo (part of the Systems Alliance Military Vocational Code and printed on Shepard's default armor) in front of it. In a development blog Casey Hudson, BioWare's Executive Producer, commented on the rumors of Shepard's "KIA" status, stating "Better not be. We had a lot of big plans made, so if someone’s gone and killed Shepard then things are going to take an unexpected turn…"

On May 29, 2009, BioWare released the first full trailer for the game. It revealed little that wasn't already known or hinted at by the previous trailer and developer diary. This trailer also confirmed that Shepard is alive for the events of Mass Effect 2, and not dead prior to the game as the previous trailer seemed to indicate. BioWare later confirmed that Shepard would not die in the game's storyline until the choices made by the player decided Shepard's fate.
In-game Bonuses
Mass Effect 2 will include several bonus items for those who pre-order a copy of the game or purchase Dragon Age: Origins. If the game is pre-ordered at Gamestop, players will receive Terminus Armor, which grants increased running speed and shields, and the M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon, a gravity gun. If the game is pre-ordered at other retailers, players will receive Inferno Armor, which grants a negotiation bonus, increases running speed, and boosts the effectiveness of combat powers. For purchasing and registering a new copy of Dragon Age: Origins, players will also obtain the Blood Dragon Armor; this armor was a bonus item in Dragon Age: Origins, but can be unlocked for use in Mass Effect 2 as well. Buyers of the Collector's Edition of Mass Effect 2 will receive the Collector Armor, which increases a character's maximum health, health regeneration, and running speed, as well as the Collector Assault Rifle, which quickly depletes enemy shields.
Collector's Edition
Made in limited quantity, the Mass Effect 2 Collector's Edition includes a tin case with alternate cover art, an art book, a copy of the first issue from the Mass Effect: Redemption comic series, a behind-the-scenes DVD, and an in-game weapon and set of armor.