Quite early in Mass Effect 2Shepard and the team find themselves on the outskirts of Omega, a red booby-trapped metal asteroid that serves as a safe haven for criminals, terrorists, and other criminals. From the moment players take control, a dirty, bass-heavy electronic tune straight from Blade reverberates across the rock, setting the tone for how this sketchy society functions. Moving through Omega, it quickly becomes clear that anyone not connected to the Underworld lives in squalor, with citizens scattered throughout the streets. But right up ahead is the source of the music: the Afterlife nightclub, which turns out to be one of the most well-realized locations in video games.
The Afterlife is the headquarters of Aria, the Asari crime lord; it is the beating heart of Omega, where every act of depravity and nefarious plans is born. From the moment Shepherd walks past the line and steps inside, he feels like he's walking straight into hell—if hell absolutely rules, that is. The entire space glows red, the LED panels flicker with digital flames, and the atmosphere is filled with tension. Almost immediately, the team is confronted by a group of batarians with weapons drawn. Players can choose to go the Paragon route and defuse the situation tactfully, or rely on their Renegade instincts and pull out a gun as well.
Omega wastes no time in showing that surviving the asteroid means embracing your dark side. Those committed to a pure ideal will quickly find themselves exploited, while those willing to get their hands a little dirty have a better chance of coming out on top. It's a brilliant demonstration of the game's morality system and how deeply it is tied to the outcome of the story. But nothing beats finally getting past the thugs and entering the club itself. Saki Kaskas's incredible music is in full force as the stage explodes with life – Asari dancers move to the beat, patrons fill the bar, and holographic performers pulsate across the huge screen. Neon lights stream across the floors and walls and pyrotechnics flash through the haze, capturing the chaotic energy that defines Omega's nightlife. The track is the perfect balance of euphoria and grit, evoking both the thrill and grime of Omega's underworld.
The club is divided into two levels – the lower floor and the upper VIP section, where Aria waits. She's an asari, like many of the characters you've encountered up to this point, but something about her stands out as soon as you meet her. She is tough, bossy, and refuses to rely on the charm that most of her species exude. She is a femme fatale who feels more fatalistic than seductive. As Shepard approaches, everyone around her draws their weapons, instantly locking the team in a standoff. However, the music never stops and no one even looks up – just another ordinary moment in Afterlife. When Shepherd asks if she's in charge of Omega, Aria laughs quietly, turns to face the room with open arms, and states, “I'm Omega.”
Omega is unlike any other location in Mass Effect; it feels like it's its own living, breathing character in the story. Unlike other planets visited, this one is intended exclusively for the scum of this universe, where the laws of the civilized Terminus system do not apply. The location itself is reminiscent of an intergalactic version of Chinatown, where slackers write the rules and often emerge victorious, and there is no other place like it in the entire franchise. There is no other tune like the one that plays in Afterlife, and I don't remember any tune from any game other than this one. It's not just an amazing track; it helps define what Omega is, and the music is never used the same way anywhere else in the game.
Afterlife in Mass Effect 2 is a masterclass in world-building that perfectly captures the essence of Omega—its people, its chaos, and the dirty pulse of the galaxy's underworld. When the afterlife returns Mass Effect 3through Omega DLCit's bigger, sleeker, and full of new areas you'll have to fight through as you help Aria reclaim her throne. However, despite the updates, the feeling is no longer the same. The expansion removes much of what was established in the original version about the location, and the resulting gritty texture. Mass Effect the universe itself. Even the backup club on the Citadel pales in comparison to Afterlife as a location. When I think about Mass Effect, especially Mass Effect 2My first thought is never about the latest suicide mission or the eclectic cast of characters we meet; I think about Omega and the afterlife. Because no other location in the series has had as much of an impact as Omega and Afterlife in Mass Effect 2.
