Mass Effect 2 Previews

Tonight’s Mass Effect 2 bombardment starts off with two new previews – a three-minute “comprehensive” video preview on GameSpot and some hands-on impressions over at SFX360. From the latter:

Graphically I am looking at Mass Effect taken to the next level. From what I have seen, color schemes (grays and black with the electric coloring everywhere) and area appearances are familiar but have a much more enhanced and realistic look. Character models for both allies and enemies (and Shepard not the least) appear much more detailed, and you can almost see your weapons fire tear into and slice up your enemies during battles. Like the characters and setting that accompany it, the game appears to have a much darker and morbid surrounding to it compared to the first one, and many scenes both in and out of firefights are covered in shadow, which is a mild contrast to the predominant brightness of the first game. Enemy models and animations look to be much more varied and realistic in their movements and reactions, and for some reason, Shepard’s animations and posture when transferring into and out of cover seem more natural and fluid. Overall I think it will be the detail that went into the character models especially in game cutscenes or extended dialogues that will put this one over the top for me and make it a feast for the eyes.