BioWare: 'Mass Effect 2' = 'Empire Strikes Back'

BioWare wants "Mass Effect 2" to be both darker and harder than its predecessor, and the studio's co-founder Greg Zeschuk wants one classic space opera to be the benchmark for its continuing story. "Star Wars" traded the sandy, sunset-glazed atmosphere of Tatooine for the barren snow of Hoth and the blackness of space in "The Empire Strikes Back." Zeschuk wants to reflect the same sea change in the second "Mass Effect."

"If you recall, 'Empire Strikes Back' was the darker chapter and that is how we designed the 'ME2' story and experience: to try and make the player reflect on the challenges of the character," Zeschuk told IGN. "If you put 'ME2' next to the original it is definitely a darker, harder game."

The second chapter in BioWare's trilogy follows Commander Shepard shortly after the first game's conclusion as he travels the galaxy to assemble a team of skilled agents, and as that team comes together, Zeschuk says combat will reflect the new advancements his development team has made.

"We put a lot of effort into both your team and the enemy's A.I.," he explained. "You'll see enemies do really smart things like running from cover to cover and mounting or even jumping over obstacles properly. But we really focused on your team mates too, to make sure they are pretty smart and their combat is really strong."

That's a bold claim, but it is refreshing to hear studios treating their projects in the context of broader visions creatively. We'll find out in 2010 if the game turns out to be "Empire"-caliber.

What do you think of BioWare's vision for "Mass Effect 2"? Do you think the game will live up to the hype? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Tags bioware, mass effect, mass effect 2