Quickie Game Reviews: Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2

This is a new thing I am starting, so hopefully it catches on and this gets a sticky. Not a fan of long reviews, but still got an opinion that needs to be heard by your peers? YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
Welcome to Quickie Reviews!
The goal of this is to do a quick review. Nothing too long, just your opinion. In fact, I won't even set a review length limit, so it can be as quick as you want. I only ask that to make your opinion valid you've either completed the game, or are a significant amount into it that you feel you can make an accurate judgement based your completion ratio.

Here's a few:

Mass Effect 2:
An excellent game in its own right, this sums up what a great sequel should be. It builds upon the first game, and removes some things people really didn't like that much. My only issue with the game is the lack of closure it really leaves at the end. The graphics and sound match what you would expect from a few years development cycle, and are fitting for a big budget game. I picked up the Collectors Edition of the game, and I would recommend that, if you can even find it. 9 out of 10.

Bioshock 2:
As much as I wanted a sequel for Bioshock, I among those who feel it never needed one. Bioshock stands as an excellent stand alone game. So I was on the fence about a sequel when it was first announced. As more information came to light I was highly looking forward to it, and it didn't disappoint. However, it didn't amaze me as much as Mass Effect 2 did, sequel wise. Now that sentence may be hard to explain, so let me try. Bioshock was easily my game of the year for 2007. It proved games don't need multiplayer to be good. As much as Mass Effect 2 built on the good things from the original, Bioshock 2 did not, as much. Mostly because of how hard it would be to build upon Bioshock, as it was already a near perfect game. Bioshock 2 adds in some changes, and a multiplayer component (which I still havn't completely delved in to).

However, it just didn't wow me as much for a sequel as ME2 did. Does that mean its bad? Hell no. Bioshock 2 is as good as Bioshock 1. Gameplay, Graphics, and Audio are just as good as the first one. However, I was expecting them to be better. An improvement. Something to justify them taking three years to make this, and it's just not there. Underneeth the gameplay changes, and the multiplayer, this is still Bioshock 1. Gameplay is almost exactly the same. Rapture is still the same, even though you are traversing knew parts of it, these knew area's don't justify the amount of work and sheer number of different studios that had there hands on this game. Still, it all amounts to whether I liked it or not, and I am not going to lie, I loved every minute of it. Just like the first game did, I was absorbed in the world of Rapture. Not Andrew Ryan's Rapture, no, not this time, Sophia Lamb's Rapture. The game starts with a bang (literally), and ends in such a way, that I felt as emotionally attached to the characters as I did with the first game. It is quite amazing that two almost completely unknown characters, the main characters from Bioshock and Bioshock 2, can make you become attached to them in such a way that you feel for them, truely.

Its my hope there will be a Bioshock 3, as I am completely hooked by the continuing saga of Rapture. Bioshock 2 answered a lot of questions I still had about Bioshock, including explaining the true nature of the Big Daddy/Little Sister dynamic, which I had wondered about for years. Questions were answered, but still many remain. 9 out of 10.




So, there are a few reviews from me, two examples, one obviously longer than the other. But thats ok, go wild with it, do whatever you feel is good and throw your Quickie Reviews right here. :D