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我们确实突出了游戏中的射击元素。我们没有抛弃任何的 RPG 系统，但我们确实想要对这一部分进行重新包装，因此一切都变的更直观，更简化，使得游戏体验就像‘啊，我一口气通关了这个精彩的故事’。这是一个典型的 BioWare 式故事，但故事的节奏要比过去更为流畅。
We're really highlighting the shooter aspect of it. We haven't actually taken away any of the RPG systems, but we want to package it so that everything is a little bit more intuitive, more streamlined, and overall the experience is like, ‘Ah, I played through this incredible story'. A typical BioWare story. But how we played through it felt much smoother.
Adrien Cho
《质量效应 2》首席制作人Adrien Cho,
Mass Effect 2's lead producer
《质量效应 2》翻新了之前的战斗系统，掩体射击成为了重中之重，玩起来很像《战争机器》。
Mass Effect 2 revamps the combat system, now focusing on cover-based shooting, much like Gears of War.
比起改进《质量效应》中某些繁琐的内容，BioWare 选择直接砍掉了它们。这可真棒，因为他们将灰鲭鲨（Mako）替换为了可能是史上最糟糕的浪费时间小游戏：行星扫描（planet scanning）。
简单来说，玩家会看到一张可以旋转的星球图片，然后按住右键扫描资源，按下左键发射采矿无人机。这一过程无聊的令人发指。尽管前作中驾驶灰鲭鲨号的探索环节存在诸多问题，但这个行星扫描系统实在不是人能想出来的东西。
这一切使得游戏成为了几种元素的奇怪混合：扫描行星勘探资源来升级飞船和装备的无聊过程，不难但却充满乐趣的战斗，以及推进剧情的谈话环节。作为一款 BioWare 的游戏，谈话环节自然是游戏真正的闪光点。
游戏加入了一个新机制，打断对话并采取行动——包括楷模（Paragon）和叛逆（Renegade）举动，这是一个新奇的概念，并且意外地体验不错。看着薛帕德物理打脸一个烦人的记者，或者把一个正在逼逼叨叨的坏蛋直接扔出窗外，实在充满了饱含负罪感的乐趣。
那么在游戏发售前被 BioWare 大肆宣传的存档继承系统表现如何呢？几乎没啥用。没错，游戏确实会在各种地方提几句你之前干了些什么，但除过几句台词，游戏体验几乎没有受到任何实际影响。[3]
你必须搜寻盟友，科技和资源，但行星探索系统被这个愚蠢的行星扫描小游戏取代了。
Instead of trying to improve Mass Effect's clunky inventory, BioWare axed it as well. Possibly a good thing, because their replacement for Mako is quite possibly the worst time-wasting mini-game in the history of video games: the planetary mining.
In short, the player is shown a rotating picture of a planet and then must scan for deposits by holding one mouse button, then shoot mining drones with the other mouse button. It's insanely mind-numbing. While the Mako driving segments of the original suffered from certain issues, I cannot for the life of me understand how a designer could think that this scanning system is an improvement.
Thus gameplay is a strange mixture of the utter boredom of scanning planets for resources to upgrade your ship and gear, fluid combat that isn't really challenging but is quite entertaining, and talking to people to propel the plot forward. As befitting a BioWare game, that last part is where the game shines.
A new feature, the ability to interrupt some of the conversations to take action – in either Paragon or Renegade manner – is a novel concept and works surprisingly well. Seeing Shepard punch an annoying journalist or throwing a baddie through a window instead of having to listen to their prattle is such a guilty pleasure.
And what about the continuity between games that BioWare so hyped before ME2 launched? It really isn't there. Yes, the game gives you little nods here and there to some of the stuff that you did in ME1, but it is all cosmetic and has zero effect on gameplay.
You must gather allies, tech and resources, but exploring planets was been replaced by a dull scanning mini-game.
《质量效应 2》有超过 20 个 DLC，其中两个 DLC 为游戏追加了新的队友，并在之后成为了游戏售卖时的标配。从 2013 年起，玩家可以免费下载这些追加的新角色。
Mass Effect 2 had over 20 DLC packs. Two of those introduced new companions and came with new copies of the game. Since 2013, those characters can be freely downloaded.
游戏最后的任务终于令玩家重燃希望。所有队员都参与了进来，你在整部游戏中所做出的各种选择也将在此刻决定每一个队员的生死。[4]
很遗憾，《最终幻想 6（Final Fantasy VI，1994）》仍然是这个领域的王者，因为薛帕德最后还是只能带着两个队友一起行动，其他人只能被分配到各种辅助任务里。如果最终任务的机制可以被应用在更多地方，整个游戏的体验将会更上一层楼。
这就是为什么我在开篇就说《质量效应 2》是一个充满矛盾的游戏。它的主线很糟糕，但对队友的塑造十分优秀。RPG 元素被简化了，但游戏体验仍然流畅有趣。它优缺点并存，就看对不对的上你的胃口了。
模组：
模组管理器（Coalesced.ini Mod Manager）：通过管理配置文件来让安装模组变的更加简单。
增强版（Better ME2）：对游戏进行了微调，包括平衡性调整，更清晰的界面和手柄支持。
混合战斗（Hybrid Combat）：让战斗体验更像《质量效应》，改了换弹系统和一些其他细节。
弗莱士的《质量效应 2》模组（Flash’s Mass Effect 2 Mod）：意图让游戏在更为平衡的同时也更加贴合背景设定，例如让敌人的护盾像你一样重新充能。
更多材质（A Lot of Textures）：一个大型高清材质包。
诺曼底之外的休闲装（Casual Outfit Beyond Normandy）：一些休闲服装，甚至可以在下船时穿着。
The ending of the game is a beacon of hope. The entire party takes part in it and, depending on the choices the player has made throughout the game, certain companions can be permanently killed.
Sadly, Final Fantasy VI (1994) is still the reigning champion in this aspect, as Shepard can still only take two companions along in the actual combat while the rest of party is assigned to various tasks in the background. If only this mechanic had been used more in the game and in more detail instead of this gimmick that only happens in the last segment of the game.
Thus my reasoning for the opening statement of Mass Effect 2 being a paradoxical game – the main plot is awful but the companions are good. RPG elements have been stripped out but gameplay is fluid and entertaining. There is good in here, as well as bad – it all depends on what you value more.
Mods:
Coalesced.ini Mod Manager: Makes modding easy by handling changes made to the configuration file.
Better ME2: Adds some gameplay tweaks, a bit of rebalancing, a cleaner HUD and gamepad support.
Hybrid Combat: Makes combat similar to ME1, changing how reloading works plus other tweaks.
Flash’s Mass Effect 2 Mod: Aims to make the game more balanced and faithful to the lore, e.g. it makes that enemy’s shield regenerate, just like yours.
A Lot of Textures: A large pack with new HD textures.
Casual Outfit Beyond Normandy: A pack of casual clothes that you can now wear even outside the ship.
__________
3 译者注：但不要因此就在游戏前两代中胡乱做出选择，否则可能会在《质量效应 3》中感到后悔。
4 译者注：如果薛帕德在最后的剧情中死亡，将会导致该存档无法在《质量效应 3》中被继承。
《电脑 RPG 游戏史（The CRPG Book Project）》原书信息
英文原版主编：Felipe Pepe
原项目网址：https://crpgbook.wordpress.com/
授权协议：知识共享 署名-非商业性使用 4.0 国际许可协议 (CC BY-NC 4.0)
这本书历时四年，由 119 名志愿者共同完成。
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