Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2  is an  action role-playing  video game developed by  BioWare  and published by  Electronic Arts  for  Microsoft Windows  and  Xbox 360  in 2010 and  PlayStation 3  in 2011. It is the second installment in the  Mass Effect  series and a sequel to the original  Mass Effect . The game takes place within the  Milky Way  galaxy during the 22nd century, where humanity is threatened by an  insectoid  alien race known as the Collectors. The player assumes the role of  Commander Shepard , an elite human soldier who must assemble and gain the loyalty of a diverse team to stop the Collectors in a  suicide mission . Using a completed  saved game  of its predecessor, the player can impact the game's story in numerous ways. For the game, BioWare changed several gameplay elements and further emphasized  third-person shooter  aspects, including limited ammunition and regenerable  health . In contrast to the exclusive focus on the main story of the original  Mass Effect , the developers opted to create a plot where optional missions had as much intensity as the main mission.  Mass Effect  composer  Jack Wall  returned to compose  Mass Effect 2 's music, aiming for a darker and more mature sound to match the game's mood.  Mass Effect 2  also supports a variety of  downloadable content  packs, ranging from single in-game character outfits to entirely new plot-related missions. Notable packs include  Kasumi – Stolen Memory ,  Overlord ,  Lair of the Shadow Broker , and  Arrival . Released to critical acclaim,  Mass Effect 2  was praised for its presentation and cinematography, diverse and complex characters, and improved combat over its predecessor. Some critics, however, expressed concerns about the game's simplified role-playing mechanics. The game received numerous year-end awards, including Game of the Year at the 14th Annual  Interactive Achievement Awards  and Best Game at the 2011  British Academy of Film and Television Arts  Awards.  Mass Effect 2  is considered a significant improvement over its predecessor and one of the  greatest video games of all time . A sequel,  Mass Effect 3 , was released in 2012. In 2021,  Mass Effect 2  was  remastered  as part of the  Mass Effect Legendary Edition .