Many of us have probably seen the Mass Effect 2 advertisements popping up all over our TV, our internet browsers, and our e-mails as BioWare wen’t pretty heavy on the advertising for the game. Mass Effect 2 has also been a very popular topic of discussion on forums and boards across the internet, clearly portraying it’s following by hundreds of thousands of fellow gamers. In a world filled with dozens of races, planets, political alliances and rivalries, it will most definitely be hard to put down the controller at times. The world of Mass Effect sucks you in and there is no other video game like it.

An interesting feature, Mass Effect 2 lets you continue your save from the original Mass Effect, granted that your game saves are on the same hard-drive (Xbox 360 or PC). Choices and decisions that players made during the original run of Mass Effect will have clear implications on the world in Mass Effect 2. When transferring your game, you are given the ability to choose which save you want to use, and the consequences of using it. For those who are new to the world of Mass Effect, you can of course just start a new game and customize your character accordingly. The beginning gameplay will bring you up to speed, and let you know what you missed in the prequel. Mass Effect 2 is so customizable, you can choose everything from your characters facial features, to their combat style. An event early in the game will help explain all of this in some logical context so that you will not feel confused or let down.

As aforementioned, most if not all of the quirks in the original Mass Effect were corrected in the release of the sequel. Thank you BioWare for listening to us gamers! It often boggles us that the video game manufacturers do not often read critics and gamers reviews to help to fix and make the appropriate corrections. BioWare has, and events such as never-ending elevator rides, the receiving and hoarding of dozens of useless weapons and armor, and the uncontrollable driving of the Mako (your terrain exploration/combat vehicle) have all been corrected in some way, shape or form. We don’t want to give away any spoilers, but the inventory management system, planetary exploration systems, and elevator rides are a bit different than the original Mass Effect gamers may be used to. Definitely all for the better, as these were most notably the biggest three complaints from the previous game. On another note, we were also a little disappointed to the fact that Mass Effect 2 is simply a one-player game. It would have been nice if some sort of multi-player gameplay mode or battle mode was entrenched within the game.

Mass Effect was strongly built around the relationships of the world it was set in. From love triangles, to political alliances, to earth-shattering enemies, Mass Effect had it all. As with the prequel, you will be spending a lot of your time in dialogue with your crew members and other members of the Mass Effect world. We must stress that it is pretty imperative within the game to ensure that you have comforting relationships with your crew members. We know that sometimes it can get pretty extensive, but you really should spend the time to talk to each character and person especially in between game missions. This game may not be for those who just like to battle it out and shoot ‘em up, please remember that this is a Role-Playing Game, and you must spend a good amount of your time talking to other characters, exploring other worlds, and hunting around for secrets and easter eggs – not just shooting up the bad guys. Each of the in-game characters and NPC’s have their own distinct backgrounds, personalities, strengths and weaknesses. It is truly interesting to explore each one, and see the pros and cons that come along with each. Certain characters may not talk to you or give you different responses depending on whom is in your party. Sometimes your own teammates may quarrel, and as the leading Commander, you are going to have to step in and do what’s right (or wrong).

Mass Effect 2 isn’t for the light-hearted and for the younger aged children. The content has been rated mature by the ESRB. There is plenty of graphic violence in combat, drug references, sexual content, and strong language used. With that said, the average teenager gamer and above will probably enjoy this game immensely due to its galactic realness. Any and all Stars Wars and especially Star Trek fans will love this game, as it is strongly reminiscent in many ways of the Star Trek legacy.

With the enhancements made in the release of Mass Effect 2, the gameplay modes have strongly adapted towards a ‘shooter’ game, instead of strictly being an RPG. Yes, Mass Effect 2 is classified as an RPG game, but the slightly enhanced gameplay mode does make you feel like you are playing an FPS game. When you shoot an enemy with one of your many weapons, body parts may fly off, blood may spatter, but after some time, the bodies do disappear such as they did in the first Mass Effect. As with most RPG games, you will be able to pause the game anytime mid-battle to make inventory, weapon and ability changes. Shot accuracy also plays an important role as it does in most games, with head shots inflicting the greatest damage while body parts will inflict less damage. Cut scenes also often depict important events within the beginning, end or middle of a mission, overall adding to the cinematic effects of the game which are truly outstanding.

In conclusion, the Mass Effect world is nothing but ordinary, and with the launch of the sequel, Mass Effect 2, gamers will be undoubtedly happy with almost every element of the game. The graphics are nothing but incredible, the soundtrack nothing but enthralling, and the combat and gameplay mode have been enhanced enormously to add not only more realism, but more dramatic and coercive elements to the gameplay. The following for Mass Effect has been so huge that comics and novels are even now in production which will further iterate stories and scenarios that will go beyond the video game. One thing is for sure is that the dynamics of Mass Effect combine for an outstanding gameplay experience for all. Make sure you pick up a copy of Mass Effect as soon as humanly (no pun intended) possible. Your friends and family may not see you for the next few weeks, but hey, its definitely worth the $59.

As a proprietary division of MTV Networks, the 2009 Video Game Awards were estimated to be viewed by almost 100 million people, in over 175 countries. MTV’s decision to let SpikeTV brand the show over the years was a notable move. Not only does it bring notoriety to SpikeTV, it also helps emphasize the target market of both brawny and geeky gamers alike. Interestingly enough, the VGA show does not only pay tribute to video games, but also artistic performances and developments, new technologies, and even the music that help shape the video games we play today.

As the years progress, more actors have been willing and able to lend their off-screen talents to the creation of video games. Most notable was Hugh Jackman who won the award for the best performance by a human male for his role in X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition. Furthermore, presenter Zachary Quinto, who most of us know as the new Spock in Star Trek has announced that he will lend his vocal skills to the creation of the next Star Trek game. In retrospect, this can only help an actor’s career, and even more so help solidify their lifetime roles as characters like Wolverine and Spock accordingly.

In conclusion, MTV Networks and SpikeTV have done an outstanding job during this years performance. This will help ensure viewership for the years to come. Video games have begun to be intertwined with the movie and music entertainment industry, further solidifying its role for the years to come. As a cliffhanger, we are always left with video game previews for the 2010 year. Several of these games will surely make their way to the top over the course of the next year, and we are sure to see them again during SpikeTV Video Game Awards for the year 2010.

2009 SpikeTV Video Game Award Winners

Game of the Year – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Studio of the Year – Rocksteady Studios

Best Independent Game – Flower

Best Xbox360 Game – Left 4 Dead 2

Best PS3 Game – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Best Wii Game – Super Mario Bros. Wii

Best PC Game – Dragon Age: Origins

Best Handheld Game – Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Best Shooter – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Best Fighting Game – Street Fighter IV

Best Action Adventure Game – Assassin’s Creed II

Best RPG – Dragon Age: Origins

Best Multi-Player Game - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Best Individial Sports Game – UFC 2009 Undisputed

Best Team Sports Game – NHL ’10

Best Driving Game – Forza Motorsport 3

Best Music Game – The Beatles Rock Band

Best Soundtrack – DJ Hero

Best Original Score – Halo 3: ODST

Best Graphics – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Best Game Based on a Movie/TV Show – South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play

Best Performance by a Human Female – Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes

Best Performance by a Human Male - Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

Best Cast – X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Best Voice – Jack Black as Eddie Riggs

Best Downloadable Game – Shadow Complex

Best Downloadble Content (DLC) – Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Most Anticipated Game – God of War III

We of course had to purchase the Prestige Edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, complete with lots of cool extras, most notably the limited edition Night Vision goggles. We must say these were pretty cool looking goggles, which took us about 20 minutes to pear out of its box. While they can only see up to 50 feet, they are definitely a cool little memento for the Call of Duty series. Also included in the Prestige Edition is a hard cover metal case, with a limited edition art book and of course the game itself.

Upon inserting the game, the first thing we were asked to do was fine tune the picture on our screen. We’ve never seen this on any other video game before; We are sure that this was part of Infinity Ward’s plan to make sure the Call of Duty experience was as perfect as possible on everyone’s television screen. Besides adjusting the brightness, you are also asked to set the height and width of the screen to make sure to maximize your gameplay experience.

As with all Call of Duty games, basic training promptly stars to get you used to the controls and any changes in the game. You are first instructed to show the new army cadets how to fire your gun, and how to use grenades – pretty simple if you have played any other games in the series. Once completed, you are asked to run across the base camp you are located in, disturbing your fellow soldiers in a basketball game, as you then end up at the training course. The course is decently fun, and worth a couple tries as you may need to unlock the Hardened difficulty if that’s your cup of tea. For beginners of this came, we strongly recommend the normal game mode as the Hardened difficulty is much more challenging. Once you get up to Veteran mode, you best know the game in and out. This is probably as realistic as any shooter game gets – one shot one kill.

During initial setup, you are also asked if you want to skip several missions that be disturbing to some viewers. Maybe the developers were trying to stir up some controversy here, as some of these optional missions will truly be disturbing to any lighthearted individuals. The game clearly states that there are no achievements and trophies for these missions, so feel free to skip them if you are the anti-violence type. The first of these missions includes you joining the villains, in an attempt to swell into their organization for some information as you gain their trust. The initial missions opens you up in a mall setting, in which you are instructed to slay down slews of innocent civilians. By acting as a terrorist, you may feel uncomfortable at first, but please remember this is only a video game. In any case you will be open for a big surprise at the end of this chapter that we don’t want to spoil.

Graphically and visually, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is nothing but superb. The gameplay gunfights, sceneries and mission strategies are probably the best we’ve seen on any realistic FPS to date. It’s easy to tell that Infinity Ward and Activision aimed to take the best elements of all the Call of Duty series to collaborate into the best game of the franchise. While we loved the older Call of Duty series that took us back to the lines of battle in the past wars of our world, we find the Modern Warfare series much more appealing for several reasons, mainly due to the lack of limitations. While the other games in the series sought to emulate past wars, weaponry and mission gameplay, the Modern Warfare series has looked towards the future of combat. With tons of weapons to chose from, a plethora of combat missions, special modes, and the use of advanced technology, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 truly puts you on the front line of Modern Warfare.

The storyline and game setting is probably the weakest point of this game. If you are truly a die-hard fan of the Call of Duty series, you will probably easily enjoy the games storyline. For those not accustomed to Call of Duty’s gameplay and stories, you may find yourself completely lost. The campaigns and missions seem to jump around a little bit, and a lot is left unexplained. Between each mission, you will find yourself jumping around from one European nation to another, with short stints of radio sessions from your commanders. Even more so, we also felt that the campaign mode was relatively on the short side. Each mission will only take about 20-30 minutes to complete, while the entire campaign mode will only last around 5 hours or so. While this is decently sufficient, we would have loved to see the campaign reach 10 hours of gameplay.

The missions themselves are filled with lots of surprises and fun gameplay. The storyline will definitely take some twists and turns as you run through the missions. You may find yourself running from house to house avoiding sniper fire, and in the next mission be snowmobiling down a terraneous mountain while trying to shoot down cohorts on your treacherous ride. Of course you will also experience those ever-fun assault missions as well as those stealthy sniper missions. The array of combat and vehicular gameplay in this new installment of Call of Duty makes for some incredible fun and realism into the face of battle.

Besides the campaign modes, Modern Warfare 2 offers several fun new extras that add incredible replay value to the game. Special Ops mode is comprised of 5 different sets of short missions, each with different death-defying objectives. Comprised of Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Echo, each set of missions includes 5 missions for a total of 25 Special Ops missions. You must achieve stars on each mission to unlock the next set of missions. Completing them on Hardened and Veteran difficulty will earn you more stars to help you expedite the unlocking process, although in reality it make actually take you longer due to the difficulty. The Special Ops missions are especially fun with a partner, so be sure to grab a relative or friend to experience the fun together.

Lastly, the final and probably most notable element of the game is the Online Multiplayer mode. This is where Modern Warfare’s replay value goes through the roof, as it has quickly become the most popular and most played online FPS there is. As popular as Halo was back in the day, as aforementioned, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 offers the realism that is unrivaled in many other FPS games. With probably the most enormous gun and weapon selection we’ve seen on any game, and with a strong collection of stages and modes to battle it out on, Modern Warfare 2 takes it to the next level with online play. As with all other online games, a strong ranking system is involved which helps match you up to players of similar skill and abilities. As stated in our previous post a few weeks ago, there was a debacle over the use of Infinity Ward’s servers as players themselves are unable to host their own LAN parties over the net. While this has been downplayed somewhat, the new system seems to be working just fine for the moment. Regardless, gamers and Call of Duty addicts alike will continue playing to achieve higher rankings to boast their talents and skills. You can unlock a cool array of abilities, guns, skins and skills as you increase your rank from game to game. Even if you die a lot, you will gain some experience which will allow you to advance the ranks ever-slowly. For example, once you accomplish 200 headshots (which is sure to take a while), you will receive a cool skin to attach to your gun. This should surely intimidate any ‘Call of Dutier’ who is in your way.

In conclusion this game is nothing but superb. Although the campaign may have some slight downfalls in it’s production, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is well worth the purchase. While the campaign mode will provide tons of fun and action, the replay value remains really high with the addition of the Special Ops mode and the extraordinary online play. While the Xbox360 and Playstation3 versions are excellent, you will definitely notice better graphics on a PC if you have a high-end graphics card that supports any absurd resolutions and anti-aliasing. Although the Xbox360 and Playstation3 both offer 1080p output, PC’s still have the edge here in regards to the visuals. We observed the difference closely, and while it definitely wont ‘Wow’ you, there is a noticeable difference. Many true hardcore PC games also prefer mouse/keyboard combo over the console controllers. While the efficiency of the console controllers have improved dramatically over the years, many still feel that aiming with the mouse/keyboard offer for a much better experience. Of course whichever console or computer you are using to play on, all others have the same advantage/disadvantage playing with you, as there is no cross platform for the multiplayer sessions.