Last year, Xbox 360 owners everywhere were astounded by Bioware’s rich space adventure Mass Effect 2. It went leaps and bounds over the original, introducing both familiar and new characters, missions, worlds and much more, all while Shepard worked with the mysterious Illusive Man to save the world. It’s ended up on several Game of the Year lists, which is no surprise. Still, most Xbox 360 owners felt betrayal in the middle of last year when Bioware and Electronic Arts announced that they were bringing Mass Effect 2 to the PlayStation 3. Not only would the game feature a new engine (based upon the now revealed Mass Effect 3 engine), but it would pack all the extra DLC onto the disc at no extra charge – after Xbox 360 owners had paid so much for theirs. Earlier this month, the game arrived in both retail and downloadable format, so the question now comes into view – which one is better?
Above: Xbox 360 Version of Mass Effect 2.
Well, to be honest, no matter which version you get, you’re still getting the same outstanding space adventure. If there’s one thing that Bioware really knows how to do in a game, it’s provide depth. You’ll enter all sorts of complexities not only with your enemies, but with your team itself, as you form loyalties and, if you’re good enough, sexual relations. Yes, Miranda’s a pain, but we hear that she’s worth the ride, if you catch our drift. Wink wink. The ability to direct your conversations is even bigger this time around, as you can either be the galaxy’s biggest jackass or someone who actually gives a damn about making it a better place. Either way, the results are quite interesting. Now for the technical differences: the Xbox 360 version does have a major advantage when it comes to character importing. Since Microsoft initially released it, the original Mass Effect remains an Xbox 360 exclusive, and users that own that version can import their character, choices and all, straight into Mass Effect 2. PS3 owners have to work from scratch, and get a small briefing on the events that occurred in the original Mass Effect.
Above: Playstation 3 Version of Mass Effect 2.
Whichever version you have, though, you should be able to transfer information from part two into the forthcoming Mass Effect 3, currently slated for an early 2012 release. As for visuals, Mass Effect 2 on the PS3 doesn’t receive a massive upgrade. True, it does utilize the new ME 3 engine, and there are some places where you can spot subtle differences, most notably in environments. Otherwise, though, you probably won’t spot too much to cry about. The areas look mostly the same, for the most part, and the animations are still as solid as ever. There are times when slowdown or occasional stuttering take place, though – even if you have the game directly installed to your hard drive. It’s not too much of a world ender, though. Where the real difference will probably lie is in two places. First, the PS3 version has all its data on one disc, or hard drive, depending on which version you go with. This is really convenient compared to swapping discs one and two around on the Xbox 360, causing wear and tear on your drive as you open and close it.
Above: Mass Effect 2 Xbox 360 vs. Playstation 3.
Secondly, the PS3 version comes with all the DLC already on the disc, including the brilliant Lair of the Shadow Broker chapter, which makes the package worthwhile in and of itself. On the Xbox 360 version, you need to purchase it separately, and there are no plans for a Game of the Year edition – at least, not yet. In the end, though, no matter which version you go with, you win out. The Xbox 360 version goes for $19.99 nowadays, and the DLC can be picked up for an additional $20 or so, making it worth the value. Likewise, the PS3 version is a worthwhile investment for the full $60, even though you’ll need to sacrifice hard drive space one way or another. (Likewise, the Xbox 360 DLC takes up a good chunk of space, at least 1 GB.) It really depends on what you want to spend and what’s most convenient for you. Either way, you’ve got a hell of a set-up for the forthcoming third game, which needs to get here sooner rather than later. We can’t wait to see how this saga ends.
