Meet your new teammates: Thane, the assassin, and Grunt, the Krogan, uh, savage, in these two videos released today. Mass Effect 2 is out in less than 30 days.

On Thursday, BioWare's Chris Priestly wrote the following:

If players start a New Game + after beating the game they will be able to re-use the same character import file they did for their first playthrough. Yes New Game + is making a return to Mass Effect 2!

But on June 27, Preston Watamaniuk, the lead designer for the original Mass Effect, said "New Game Plus" was too problematic to be included:

The reason is progression. We have been working very hard to make sure we design the abilities system to offer smooth progression into ME3 from ME2. Allowing double progression on characters makes that almost impossible. We replaced that feature with playing after you were done because it preserves progression and allows for smoother downloading of PRC.

This is hard to reconcile having not played Mass Effect 2, of course, and myself having not completed the original (I've also not finished Catch-22, The Great Gatsby and other significant works of literature. It happens, you know.) Watamaniuk's statement did not preclude "playing after you were done," but that is a completely different thing. I'd be inclined to say Priestly misspoke, but he clearly says "New Game + is making a return to Mass Effect 2." I've reached out to him for a clarification.

Let's not minimize the info contained in the rest of Priestly's post, which discusses how characters imported from the first Mass Effect will work in the sequel. Priestly reminds that the import will "carry over all your decisions and plot decisions from ME1 into ME2." That means the story path you face in Mass Effect 2 will conform to what you did in the first game. "We don't want to list everything out and spoil the surprises we have in store for you, but rest assured you will be pleased when you see just how much carries over into Mass Effect 2," he writes.

From a gameplay standpoint, while you won't be playing at the same level as you finished Mass Effect 1, you will see perks and bonuses commensurate with where you finished the first game. "Ex, if you finished ME1 as a level 35 character, you will receive a bonus, but if you finished ME1 as a level 50 character, your bonus will be larger. That being said these bonuses will not put new playthrough characters at a severe disadvantage."

Saved Games, Importing Information, Bonuses and New Game + [Mass Effect Forums]

If you're thinking of watching this at work, or with little ones around, be warned: there is an exploding space worm.

Looking through it, I don't see any plot giveaways, although "Cat's in the Cradle" might raise some interesting questions of a character's parentage. Then again, I could be reading too much into that.

Here's the full list, 50 in all for the maximum 1,000 gamerscore. The link at the bottom has the achievement icons.

Missing in Action (5)
Save your crew from an overwhelming attack

Very Elusive (10)
Return to active duty

The Convict (10)
Successfully recruit the biotic Convict

The Krogan (10)
Successfully recruit the krogan

The Archangel (10)
Successfully recruit Archangel

The Professor (10)
Successfully recruit the Professor

The Quarian (10)
Successfully recruit the quarian

The Justicar (10)
Successfully recruit the Justicar

The Assassin (10)
Successfully recruit the Assassin

Friend or Foe (10)
Obtain geth technology

Colony Defense (25)
Defend a human colony from attack

The Prodigal (10)
Gain the loyalty of the Cerberus Officer

Ghost of the Father (10)
Gain the loyalty of the Cerberus Operative

Catharsis (10)
Gain the loyalty of the biotic Convict

Battlemaster (10)
Gain the loyalty of the krogan

Fade Away (10)
Gain the loyalty of Archangel

The Cure (10)
Gain the loyalty of the Professor

Treason (10)
Gain the loyalty of the quarian

Doppelganger (10)
Help the Justicar resolve her mission

Cat's in the Cradle (10)
Gain the loyalty of the Assassin

A House Divided (10)
Hack a geth collective

Ghost Ship (25)
Complete the investigation of a derelict alien vessel

Suicide Mission (50)
Use the Omega 4 Relay

Mission Accomplished (125)
Save humanity throughout the galaxy from certain annihilation

Against All Odds (15)
Survive suicide mission

Insanity (75)
Complete the game on the "Insanity" difficulty level without changing the setting

No One Left Behind (75)
Keep your team alive through the suicide mission

Long Service Medal (75)
Complete Mass Effect 2 twice, or complete it once with a character imported from Mass Effect 1

Paramour (50)
Successfully pursue a relationship with a teammate

Head Hunter (10)
Perform 30 headshot kills with any weapon on humanoid targets

Brawler (10)
Shoot and kill 20 enemies while they're knocked back by a punch

Big Game Hunter (10)
Thresher Maw defeated

Tactician (10)
Hit 20 different targets with multiple biotic powers to combine the effects

Master at Arms (15)
Kill enemies with 5 different heavy weapons during the game

Merciless (10)
Make 20 enemies scream as they fall or are set on fire

Overload Specialist (15)
Disrupt the shields of 25 enemies

Warp Specialist (15)
Warp the barriers of 25 enemies

Incineration Specialist (15)
Incinerate the armor of 25 enemies

Operative (15)
Complete a mission discovered by scanning an unexplored world

Agent (50)
Complete 5 missions discovered by scanning unexplored worlds

Prospector (5)
Retrieve mineral resources by scanning and probing a planet in the galaxy map

Explorer (10)
Visit 100 percent of the planets in an unexplored cluster

Power Gamer (10)
Reach Level 30 with one character

Scholar (15)
Unlock 15 new Mass Effect 2 codex entries

Technician (15)
Obtain (10) technology upgrades

Weapon Specialist (15)
Fully upgrade a weapon

Scientist (10)
Complete any research project in the Normandy's laboratory

Fashionista (5)
Personalize your armor in your quarters on the Normandy

Power Full (15)
Evolve any power

Highly Trained (15)
View all advanced combat training videos at Shepard's private terminal.

Mass Effect 2 Achievement List [Xbox360Achievements.org, thanks Dan B.]

Shacknews reports that Casey Hudson, the series' project director, told a press event in Edmonton that, "'Mass Effect 3' will be easier because we don't have to worry about the continuity into the next one."

There's no way BioWare will walk away from a money-printing IP like this, even after three titles, so it invites speculation on just what exactly they'll do with this universe they've built after Mass Effect 3. A prequel might be enticing, but you'd also have the whole "in what order do I play these" debate for people just coming to the series.

So anyway, enjoy Shepard and all the others while you've got him, which is for the next two games. Tops.

BioWare Already Looking Forward to Mass Effect 3 [Shacknews via MTV Multiplayer]

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board offers an informative, potentially spoiler-filled account of what makes Mass Effect 2 deserving of a "Mature" rating, including the standard stuff, like enemies emitting "large splashes of blood when shot (particularly with "head shots")" and bad guys lying "stagnant in pools of blood." And you can "set robots on fire," something our future robotic overlords won't forget.

But what about the stuff that should get Mass Effect 2 a repeat appearance on Fox News? Oh, there's some of that too.

"The game contains themes of illicit drug use, addiction, and trafficking-often focal points to the branching storylines," says the ESRB's ratings description, making reference to a fictional drug.

And? "During the course of the game, players may enter a bar where alien pole dancing exists (choreography highlighted on big-screen monitors) or hear suggestive comments such as 'krogan sexual deviants enjoy salarian flexibility' and 'if this is just about sex, maybe you should just f**king say so.'" My, how potentially objectionable!

But here's where Mass Effect 2 gets hot.

The ESRB says: "Players can also choose to have 'romantic encounters' with the alien/human henchmen characters; this involves watching a guided cutscene in which two characters flirt, kiss, and/or embrace: clothed alien/human characters may prop a partner on top of a space console, clear away the clutter from a bed-slab, unzip a future-blouse, or just talk it out. Though an alien/human may gyrate her hips while on top (fleeting-one-to-two seconds), actual sex is never depicted-the camera cuts away to space furniture and ceilings."

Oh, space furniture. You're always getting in the way!

The Sentinel is essentially the Paladin of the Mass Effect universe, with a variety of offensive and defensive skills and the ability to use both tech and Biotics, making them the most versatile class in the game. They even have armor with a shield around it that harms enemies when it goes down. All they need now is a hearth stone and they'll never fall in battle.

Mass Effect 2 [IGN]

See, this is what everyone said those folks in Switzerland were gonna do, create a bunch of Junior Mint black holes that will tear up this dimension. Apparently, in the year 2185, they have figured out how to safely create beachball-sized singularities. Well, they're not safe for the bad guys who get caught up in it, but that's their problem.

Mass Effect 2 Gamestop PreOrder Trailer [Gaming Today]

Riccitiello's presentation focused heavily on the profit potential of EA's existing franchise and upcoming titles. "What we're talking about with Electronic Arts is focusing and building the most profitable possible business out of (our) collection of properties," he explained, before going through a list of what the publisher is bringing to the table in fiscal year 2011, which starts on April 1st, 2010.

The recently-announced Medal of Honor and Dead Space 2 made the list of course, as did Crysis 2 and Skate 3, with Riccitiello expressing pride in taking the skate boarding video game segment from Activision's Tony Hawk franchise. EA Sports figured heavily in the list as well, with FIFA, Madden, and Tiger Woods golf joined by the mixed martial arts title MMA.

Big plans for existing franchises was another running theme during the presentation. Listing off games, Riccitiello included The Sims franchise, hinting at big announcements coming up in regards to bringing the franchise multiplatform. He also indicated big plans for EA Sports Active and the Need for Speed franchise, with new games coming from both franchises.

Some of the games listed weren't technically games at all. Paid downloadable content for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Mass Effect 2, and Dragon Age: Origins were listed alongside the full titles, with the two BioWare RPGs inspiring the hope that one day, DLC sales would generate more income than the games themselves. "These are ongoing businesses. It wouldn't surprise me over time - it probably won't happen with these editions - to generate more in PDLC then in the package."

While we'll certainly see more from EA in the coming year, these would be the titles to watch. Be sure to bookmark this article, so if anything on the list tanks you can point and laugh.

Of course the biggest addition to the Mass Effect 2, Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man, has already been outed, but he's just the tip of the iceberg as far as new cast members are concerned. BioWare has pulled in talent from multiple television and movie properties in order to help facilitate a more emotionally engaging story.

We've got Tricia Helfer and Michael Hogan from Battlestar Galactica playing the voice of the new Normandy and Captain Bailey respectively. From NBC's Chuck comes Yvonne Strahovski as genetically engineered Cerberus operative Miranda Lawson, joined by co-star Adam Baldwin, better known as Firefly's Jayne Cobb, who'll be taking on the role of Kal ‘Reegar. Marina Sirtis from the original Mass Effect taps out and fellow Star Trek: The Next Generation cast member Michael "Worf" Dorn taps in as Gatatog Uvenk. The Matrix's Carrie-Anne Moss portrays Aria Y'Loak, the crime lord who rules the planet Omega. Finally we have Emmy-award winning House of Saddam star Shohreh Aghdashloo will play the role of Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay.

And of course we can't forget returning cast members Seth Green, who had some of the first game's best lines as Normandy pilot Joker, and The Chronicles of Riddick's Keith David, returning as Admiral David Anderson.

BioWare co-founder Dr. Ray Muzyka took the announcement as another opportunity to spout his catch phrase.

"Emotionally engaging narrative is a key design pillar for BioWare, and the top-notch voice talent in Mass Effect 2 helps drive this goal. Credible, powerful personalities are vital to delivering a compelling story experience in BioWare's games, and we have assembled an amazing ensemble cast that surpasses the very high bar set in the original Mass Effect!"

Here's what was said back in April, by BioWare's Ray Muzyka:

We have a completely new system to handle transitions between areas that speeds the load times and turns the loads themselves into part of the game experience. It's one of many points of feedback we've heard and directly responded to in enhancing the gameplay in Mass Effect 2.

Now here's what was said on Friday, by BioWare's Thomas R. Roy:

The elevators were made in ME1 so we didn't have to show boring loading screens. However there were a lot of complaints, so we've gone back to loading screens and movies. We still have elevators in ME2, but you don't wait inside them. We'll cut to a loading screen instead. [emphasis added]

We've tried to make the loading screen more interesting this time by adding interesting visuals and information.

The elevator conversations had some funny moments, but hopefully people will enjoy this new system better than the old one!

BioWare's taken a lot of crap for the Mass Effect elevators - it's sort of their horse armor - and really, it's unreasonable to expect a game of this depth to not have loading screens. It'll be on two discs, after all. Maybe they have sped up the wait times. Provided loading times are not ridiculously long, loading screens are a minor and expected inconvenience of gaming, and really not worth outsmarting ourselves over it.

Of course, there still are people who are lovin' an elevator. Within the same thread, one writes (everything sic'd):

I (seriously) would like some old Mass Effect One type elevators in Mass Effect 2. Ya know, for that nastalgia feel. With out slow elevators the ME Universe won't seem the same to me.

Speak for yourself, bub.

"Please insert Your 2nd Disc" and Say Goodbye To Elevators [The Save Points via Destructoid]

Engineer players who hack into and control mechanical enemies will find their control over their pets is more complete - more like a "charm" ability seen in other RPGs. Engineers can also summon combat drones and, added to hacked enemy AIs, plus two squadmates, the engineer will command the largest force of any class.

Says Norman:

I think Engineers will really appeal to players who like thinking their way through combat. More than any other class, the Engineer has the ability to shape the flow of battle by summoning, hacking, and debuffing enemies. For a master engineer, shooting an enemies is seen as an overly simplistic brute force approach to battle.

There's much more revealed in her discussion, plus gameplay vids, through the link on IGN.

Mass Effect 2: The Engineer [IGN]

The conference call was an odd one. Instead of asking questions directly, we either submitted them ahead of time or delivered them to a moderator while on the call, who then imparted them to Dr. Ray, so I've no real idea who asked what questions during the call. For all I know, I was the only one there. Hell, I might not have been there. It's all fuzzy.

The call mainly covered ground that we've already covered in one form or another, so rather than rehash points we're already aware of, I thought I'd simply harp on how much Dr. Ray enjoys using the phrase "emotionally engaging."

Dr. Ray on memorable moments in Mass Effect 2...

"The memorable moments for me are the ones that have emotional impact. The ones that have emotionally engaging consequences that really pull you in and grab you on an emotional level. Mass Effect 2 is just full of those kind of moments. What struck me playing through the game - I recently did a completionist pass of the game...was how many of those memorable moments were in the optional content. The fidelity of it is the same as the main game - it's virtually indistinguishable.

It's about these emotionally engaging moments. These memorable moments. The game's full of them."

Dr. Ray on carrying over storylines from Mass Effect 1...

"The way we developed certain (story) threads was that we tried to pick the ones we felt were the most emotionally engaging in the first game and made sure the fans who played through Mass Effect 1 get that payoff. "

Dr. Ray on Mass Effect sex scenes...

"I see games as an art form. We try to do things that are true to the emotionally engaging experience we are trying to deliver. Video games are an emerging art form that more and more people are playing and more and more people are playing and finding compelling and satisfying on an emotionally engaging level."

"The key is to understand that this is part of a grand whole. It's an art form and it all fits into its larger context. When you play through it you'll understand that actually is done very tastefully and appropriately, and I think it's emotionally engaging and very satisfying. "

Dr. Ray on the future of BioWare...

"I think our future is brighter and our best work is ahead of us. I think the vision we have of creating, delivering, and evolving the most emotionally engaging game experiences in the world is a vision that has no endpoint to it. You can always improve, you can always strive, you can always get better at that. Mass Effect 2 is the next step in the evolution of our craft. I think our best work is always ahead of us."

Dr. Ray on creating strong characters...

"I think we've really focused on emotional engagement. That's our vision for our all group. I think the outcome of that is that when you focus on making characters that are emotionally engaging, really compelling, you develop love/hate relationships with some of them."

I get the odd feeling they've really focused on emotional engagement myself. Call it a hunch.

I might have missed a couple of instances there, but you get the basic idea. Dr. Muzyka also touched on the intense combat system in Mass Effect 2 as well as the importance of the choices you make and the optional content you take part in on how the story unfolds, but emotional engagement was clearly the winner of the day.

While that won't mean that much to owners of the PC version—it's a two-disc install—poor Xbox 360 owners will suffer the galactic inconvenience of a disc swap at some point. Chris Priestly, community coordinator of BioWare, says it's not so bad.

"Even though there is a disc swap, it occurs at a carefully planned place in the game (that does not interfere with gameplay) and is done once," Priestly wrote on the Mass Effect 2 forums. "You do not swap back and forth. 1 swap and then done."

As for that third disc mentioned in the headline of this post? That's only included in the Collector's Edition version of Mass Effect 2, offering "making of" content on a dedicated DVD. Whew!

So, 2 discs then? [Mass Effect 2 Community]

"Find peace in the embrace of the Goddess," indeed. Judging by the video and screenshots, Samara will serve as a stark contrast to the first Mass Effect's softer Asari, Liara T'Soni. Possessing extremely powerful Biotic powers, Sammie here has forsworn family, given up worldly possessions other than weapons and armor, and set off across the galaxy in search of justice. Will she find it at Shepard's side? That's probably up to you.

Half the stuff is dedicated to changes made to the game's "adept" class mode. The other half? To the return of Tali, a character so forgettable I forget she was even in the first game til I saw this trailer.

Here they are, straight from BioWare's Chris Priestly. So if there's a problem, take it up with him, not me.

OS = Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP1 / Windows 7
Processor = 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent AMD CPU
Memory = 1 GB RAM for Windows XP / 2 GB RAM for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Hard Drive = 15 GB
DVD ROM = 1x Speed
Sound Card = DirectX 9.0c compatible
Direct X = DirectX 9.0c August 2008 (included)
Input = Keyboard / Mouse
Video Card = 256 MB (with Pixel Shader 3.0 support). Supported Chipsets: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 or greater; ATI Radeon X1600 Pro or greater. Please note that NVIDIA GeForce 7300, 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400, and 9300; ATI Radeon HD3200, and HD4350 are below minimum system requirements. Updates to your video and sound card drivers may be required. Intel and S3 video cards are not officially supported in Mass Effect 2.

As for the game's digital rights management, it'll use the same as Dragon Age, which means a simple disc check, nothing more, nothing less.

Mass Effect 2 DRM and PC requirements Announced [Mass Effect]