Music of Mass Effect 2

Composition

The music of Mass Effect 2 was primarily composed by Jack Wall. His previous work with BioWare was as the main composer for Jade Empire and the original Mass Effect. The score also features some pieces by Sam Hulick, David Kates, and Jimmy Hinson, with additional editing and in-game implementation by Brian DiDomenico. Unlike the original Mass Effect, the composers aimed for a darker and more mature sound to match the mood of the game. The music incorporates both orchestral and classic sci-fi arrangements which were inspired by the soundtrack of the cult classic film Blade Runner and music by German electronic group Tangerine Dream. The harmonic structure of Wendy Carlos's Tron soundtrack also represented significant influences. To complement each character, the composers gave them their own theme song to convey their personalities and backgrounds. According to Kates, "it was one of our mandates to create a dynamic score that expressed a wide range of emotions." He also calculated that the game features around 180 minutes of music.

Major downloadable content packs for the game, which include "Kasumi - Stolen Memory", "Overlord", "Lair of the Shadow Broker" and "Arrival", feature new music. The soundtrack from "Kasumi - Stolen Memory" and "Arrival" was composed by Sonic Mayhem duo Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco, while the music from "Overlord" and "Lair of the Shadow Broker" was composed by Christopher Lennertz.

Releases

Mass Effect 2: Original Videogame Score
Mass Effect 2: Original Videogame Score is the main soundtrack album of Mass Effect 2, containing a selection of music from the game. It was released by Electronic Arts on January 19, 2010 and spans two discs and 27 tracks, covering a duration of 1:55:43.

Mass Effect 2: Atmospheric
Mass Effect 2: Atmospheric is a soundtrack album of Mass Effect 2, containing tracks of ambient and atmospheric music from the game that were missing from the original soundtrack. It was released by Electronic Arts on September 7, 2010.

Mass Effect 2: Combat
Mass Effect 2: Combat is a soundtrack album of Mass Effect 2, containing tracks of action and combat music from the game that were missing from the original soundtrack. It was released by Electronic Arts on October 5, 2010.

Mass Effect 2: Kasumi's Stolen Memory
Mass Effect 2: Kasumi's Stolen Memory is a soundtrack album of Mass Effect 2, containing music from the game's downloadable content pack "Kasumi - Stolen Memory". It was released by Electronic Arts on November 30, 2010.

Mass Effect 2: Overlord
Mass Effect 2: Overlord is a soundtrack album of Mass Effect 2, containing music from the game's downloadable content pack "Overlord". It was released by Electronic Arts on December 14, 2010.

Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker
Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker is a soundtrack album of Mass Effect 2, containing music from the game's downloadable content pack "Lair of the Shadow Broker". It was released by Electronic Arts on December 14, 2010.

Legacy
Legacy is an album composed mostly of tracks written for Mass Effect 2 but not used in the game. It was digitally released by Big Giant Circles on March 14, 2012.

Reception

Reception of the soundtrack was generally positive from critics. Reviewer Dante Alighieri of Sputnikmusic gave the main soundtrack album a rating of 5 out of 5, stating that "[Wall's] vibrant use of strings and horns, coupled with the heavily reverbed grand piano makes the soundtrack a bleak and grim affair to go through." In contrast, Simon Elchlepp, writing for Square Enix Music Online, gave the soundtrack a mixed review and claimed that the composing team "way too often chooses the same means when trying to underscore moments of action and danger, producing the same, formula-driven sound over and over in an attempt to create gravitas." The game's score was nominated for Best Original Music at the 2011 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards and Best Soundtrack Album at the 9th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.