Mass Effect 2 is the most enjoyable suicide mission you’re ever likely to take.

Mass Effect 2 (Electronic Arts; Xbox 360; rated mature), the second instalment in a planned trilogy, takes place two years after Commander Shepard saved civilization from destruction by a horde of machines. This time, the fate of humanity lies in the balance, and the Commander is once again called upon to don the heroic mantle.

In a nice touch, Mass Effect 2 can use any completed play-through from the first game that is saved on your Xbox 360 or PC — the two games are exclusive to those platforms — so you can continue the adventure with your particular Shepard, be it female or male. Your story choices come with you, too, so if main characters in the first game perished in your fight against the mechanical geth and Reapers, don't expect them to suddenly appear from beyond the grave in the sequel.

Instead, Commander Shepard has to assemble a team of up to 10 new squad members — up from six in the first game — to embark on what can only be considered a suicide mission.

At first blush, you'll think that nothing but the story and characters have changed, but you'll soon realize that the controls and the combat have been greatly refined in the two years since Mass Effect was released. Combat is smoother and more like what you'd expect from a pure first-person shooter (FPS), which makes the fighting a better experience for everyone, hardcore FPS players and role-playing fans alike.

You can switch your weapon selection mid-mission, and the inventory management has been completely reorganized, so you'll have an easier time making changes to your armour and firearms and adjusting the skills of your characters. There are two new hacking minigames — triggered when you want to access data pads and electronic locks — which are fun to play and will tax your puzzle-solving abilities.

Exploration of the galaxy is better integrated in Mass Effect 2, as well. The resources collected in those side missions are actually used for the research projects and weapon development being conducted by the characters, and certain side missions result in your squad members becoming more loyal. The degree to which you and your team survive will depend on how much you invest in them. Gamers are advised to take a piece of advice from executive producer Casey Hudson: You reap what you sow. If you invest the time in the characters that are on your crew and in building up your ship, your chances of success increase.

Unlike the first game, Mass Effect 2 continues after the suicide mission has been resolved. It's an opportunity to keep exploring the galaxy, but you'd better make sure that the characters you like survive that endgame. Hudson referred to it as a crucible. "You want to make sure all your people can pass through," Commander Shepard in particular. Hudson made it clear that the protagonist, Commander Shepard, does not necessarily survive, but he would only shrug when asked how the Commander's death would impact the story being told in Mass Effect 3.

Edmonton's BioWare has crafted a space opera of epic proportion that befits the franchise they created. Mass Effect 2 is dark and intense, a journey into danger and destruction. The stakes are high, but so are the rewards. You won't be disappointed.