Why does Mass Effect 2 still hold up? Newbies might wonder. But longtime fans already know why they keep coming back. BioWare gives players a crew that’s almost as memorable as the mission itself. And when playing the game, there’s a moment when they realize they’ve stopped thinking of the squad as mere characters. Gamers are so immersed they start thinking of them as people they’d actually die for. That’s not an accident nor luck. A lot of that comes down to compelling writing. Mass Effect 2’s strength that has also helped the game bag several writing awards from award-giving bodies.
The mix of serious, sarcastic, funny, and high-stakes lines makes moments feel far from typical video game dialogue. On that note, here are some of the best quotes that show how BioWare pulled off one engaging video game.
The Story of Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 takes players on an adventure across the galaxy. It follows the story of the resurrected Commander Shepard. The Illusive Man, leader of Cerberus, tasks him/her with putting together a group of unique alien and human operatives. He must lead them to stop the Collectors from abducting human colonies. A mission nobody expects them to survive.
Looking closely, the game isn’t just about succeeding on the assault mission. It’s not just focused on the grand gesture of sacrificing one’s life to save the galaxy. What makes Mass Effect 2 unforgettable is that it hits you with a gut punch once you notice the little things that matter. You have the power to make choices. Decisions that affect character survival, dialogue, and the story’s outcome. That turns squad management into an emotional minefield. Who you trust. Who you upgrade. Who you keep by your side. BioWare’s decision to design the game around the player’s choices makes it more than a simple character-building exercise.
In a way, the true suicide mission isn’t fighting aliens. It’s a test of loyalty in the truest sense. And that theme shows up constantly in the dialogue.
Quotes from Mass Effect 2
The adventure gets much of its charm from Mass Effect 2’s characters. All with plenty of hard-to-forget exchanges along the way, such as:
Commander Shepard
Commander Shepard is the center of everything in Mass Effect 2. Shepard can be a Spacer, Earthborn, or Colonist. Player choices also shape the character: compassionate, ruthless, diplomatic, or somewhere in between. Either way, Shepard has plenty of lines that make their authority very clear.
- “Just once I’d like to ask someone for help and hear them say, ‘Sure. Let’s go. Right now. No strings attached.’”
- “I’m Commander Shepard and this is my favorite store on the Citadel.”
- “They tell me it’s a suicide mission. I intend to prove them wrong.”
- “If we’re weak, if we’re slow, if we hesitate…then we’ll die.”
- “Everyone’s disposable to you, aren’t they?”
- “You can either fight by my side or be crushed beneath my heel, but you will not stand in my way!”
- “I said a bad-ass not some scout whining like a quarian with a tummy-ache.”
- “I don’t know what drugs you’re on, but stay back and I won’t shoot you.”
- “I’ll fight and win this war without compromising the soul of our species.”
- “I couldn’t do this without you, Garrus.”
- “I don’t know. Marriage, old age, and a lot of little blue children?”
Miranda Lawson
Miranda Lawson works for Cerberus. She’s one of the first people Shepard meets after being brought back to life. Her upbringing shaped her into a confident, opinionated person. But Mass Effect 2 players know her as someone dealing with control, expectations, and pressure.
- “Shepard did everything right. More than we could’ve hoped for.”
- “We’ve got our assignment. We can talk about it or we can do it.”
- “You have no idea what it was like for me growing up.”
- “If we lose Shepard, humanity might well follow.”
- “I don’t have what you do, that fire that makes someone willing to follow you into hell itself.”
- “Worried about my qualifications? I can crush a mech with my biotics or shoot its head off at a hundred yards. Take your pick.”
- “I’ve proven my loyalty to the Illusive Man. Let’s hope you’re able to do the same.”
- “I’m an excellent judge of character. I think you’ll find my assessments to be right on the money.”
- “We’re all asking you to do the impossible, Shepard. No pressure.”
- “Genetic perfection has its downsides. For one, everyone expects perfection from me. All the time.”
- “As much as he tried to turn me into exactly what he wanted… I’m my own person.”
Mordin Solus
Mordin Solus could be one of Shepard’s most unusual recruits. He’s a professor, Salarian geneticist, and former operative. He’s talkative, and he speaks so fast. It’s as if his brain is constantly sentences ahead of everyone else.
- “Lots of ways to help people. Sometimes heal patients; sometimes execute dangerous people. Either way helps.”
- “Never experiment on species with members capable of calculus; simple rule, never broke it.”
- “Good to know, given the number of times we’re ordered into hazardous situations. Twice a day, on average.”
- “Sorry. I’ll…try…to…slow…down… No no no. Can’t do it. No time.”
- “Have killed many, Shepard. Many methods. Gunfire, knives, drugs, tech attacks, once with farming equipment. But not with medicine!”
- “Experimental technology. Only test is contact with seeker swarms. Look forward to seeing if you survive!”
- “Had to be me. Others might have gotten it wrong.”
- “No glands, replaced by tech. No digestive system, replaced by tech. No soul. Replaced by tech. Whatever they were, gone forever”
- “Never used humans myself. Disgusting, unethical, sloppy. Used only by brute-force researchers, not thinkers. No place in proper science.”
The Rest of the Characters in Mass Effect 2
- “Salvation comes with a cost. Judge us not by our means, but what we seek to accomplish.” – The Illusive Man
- “A good deed’s like pissing yourself in dark pants. Warm feeling but no one notices.” – Jacob Taylor
- “The body is not our true self – the soul is.” – Thane Krios
- “Dead is dead. There’s no such thing as a good way to go.” – Jack
- “I’d never stab you in the back Shepard. Warriors like you and me: straight to the face.” – Grunt
- “A quarantine zone for a plague that kills turians. Why don’t we ever go anywhere nice?” – Garrus Vakarian
- “Sometimes the most brutal path is the only honest one.” – Samara
- “We did not seek hostilities with creators. We fought for continued existence.” – Legion
Lighter moments in Mass Effect 2
- “We can disobey suicidal orders? Why wasn’t I told?”
- “Put more of the stuff in the… the thing more stuff goes in.”
- “I’m sorry, I’m having trouble hearing you – I’m getting a lot of bullshit on this line.”
- “Broadcasting orders over loudspeakers. Charming.”
- “Pitne picks money over friends. Unsurprising.”
- “What idiotic bunch of hormones thought that now was a great time for love?”
No doubt, Mass Effect 2 has an impressive amount of personality. Its characters can argue, joke, and remind you of the enormous stakes ahead.
