20 Most Intense Video Game Moments Of The Decade

With its 2010 release, Mass Effect 2 only just scrapes into this decade. Controversy over 3’s ending aside, Mass Effect 2 remains one of the best games of the past ten years.

For all it rightly gets praise heaped upon it, Mass Effect 2 is a simple game at heart. Aside from a couple of story beats, the game consists of recruiting squadmates, completing a second mission to make them loyal, then rinse and repeat.

The devil though is in the details. Each mission brings you closer to your squadmates, all of whom are vibrant, interesting and unique... and also Jacob is there.

Then it all comes down to the suicide mission. The game spells it out to you that this may be a one way trip, but then games up the stakes all the time while swaddling the characters in plot armour. This time around though, it’s for real.

Take too long getting there? The backup crew dies. Fail to properly repair the ship? Say goodbye to some squadmates. Send the wrong squadmate on a task? Yeah, you’re never seeing them again. There are real consequences for screwing up here, and the entire mission keeps you on a knife edge.