Mass Effect 2: 10 Reasons It's Overrated As Hell
6. You're No Longer A Player On The Universal Stage.
When Mass Effect was released, we were promised a galaxy of choices and that these choices would have an impact over three games.
Beyond a few token nods, all but a few choices in Mass Effect 1 have no impact on the second game. Some quests are lucky enough to have a line of dialogue, but in most cases your heroic efforts in the first game, will only be referred to in an email on your personal terminal.
As the first human Spectre, Commander Shepard not only engages in a quest to defeat Sovereign and Saren but you also have a role representing the fourth most influential species on The Citadel. Had you continued in this role for the second game these quests could have been developed further. But your new role with Cerberus makes continuing these plots an impossibility.
Sure it is technically possible to have your Spectre status reinstated, but no one trusts you now and your ability to influence galactic events is greatly reduced. Mass Effect 2 having half the number of side quests reflects your diminished role in the universe.