Mass Effect

Mass Effect Box Art Click for larger view

  • Release Date: Nov. 20, 2007
  • Price: $40.00
  • Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
  • Developer: Bioware
  • Platform(s): Xbox 360  PC
  • Genre: RPG
  • ESRB Rating: Mature
  • Partial Nudity
    Sexual Themes
    Violence
  • www.esrb.org

Summary

Game Description

See more videos ››

Mass Effect is the new Sci-Fi title from BioWare, the award winning developer behind Knights of The Old Republic and Jade Empire. You take on the role of Commander Shepard, a newly recruited Spectre agent. As you explore the vast reaches of space in your ship, the SSV Normandy, you're top priority is to stop Saren, a rogue Spectre who is bent on the complete destruction of humankind.

News

Previews

Reviews

Cheats

Features

Screens

Videos

User Reviews

Average User Score

5 stars
(40)
4 stars
(21)
3 stars
(3)
2 stars
(0)
1 stars
(0)
Click here to add your pros/cons to the mix
Pros Cons
Engaging story [9] Not enough content [5]
Amazing visuals [9] Repetitive gameplay [3]
Innovative concepts [6] It's boooring [2]
Loads of content [6] Ugly visuals [1]
Intense action [4] Annoying audio [1]
Awesome audio [4] Braindead computer AI [1]
Just plain fun [4] Unresponsive controls [1]
Epic boss fights [3]
Addictive gameplay [3]
Tight controls [1]
show all pros/cons

Most Popular User Reviews

Mass Effect - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Addictive gameplay  
Innovative concepts  
Just plain fun  
Loads of content  
Engaging story  
Amazing visuals  
Epic boss fights  
Awesome.

I'm not really a fan of RPGs, and I just wanted to try out Mass Effect because of all the great reviews it got. I absolutely love it. It plays like the original Gears of War, but with that role-playing aspect. The combat did get a little too easy for me, then would get really hard in some places. It wasn't really consistent, but that is totally overlooked due to the awesome story and gameplay.

Mass Effect - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Innovative concepts  
Loads of content  
Amazing visuals  
Just plain fun  
Engaging story  
Awesome audio  
Coke has Pepsi and Star Wars has Mass Effect.

First off, let me just say that RPG's (of any sort) aren't my choice of game. I prefer the action type that let you slowly evolve from the button-masher to the hardcore gamer. You know, the kind that can dish out a no-scope/head-shot from across the stage while wiping the Cheeto cheese from their mouth? Mass Effect isn't exactly hardcore in either aspect of the games raw gameplay or typical RPG inventory usage. Instead, Mass Effect is built on dialogue, story, imaginitive characters and the games most impressive feature of all, it's enviornments, which might I add, are some of the best I've seen in any game for any system. You'll notice a ton of influence from Star Wars but the guys at BioWare found a way to take a little/lot and make the most out of it. Intrguing is an understatement to describe Mass Effect. Once you start the game you'll become engulfed in the scenery and the society of various extraterrestrial characters. It truly is a game that lets you escape into a whole new world. Mass Effect has opened my eyes to RPG's and for that, I am thankful.

Mass Effect - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Amazing visuals Not enough content
A Massively Overhyped Game

Don't get me wrong, I liked Mass Effect. I liked it so much that I played it more than twice. At the same time though, it did not live up to all the hype it received. I was so disappointed by the exploration aspect that I felt like suing BioWare for lying to consumers. The game is nothing like they would have you believe. Compared to KOTOR this game is not good at all. It's rpg/fps mish mash that for me did not work. I liked it for what it was but I was expecting way more. The dialogue is good but if I wanted to have a good dialogue I'd rather talk to a real person. The game has very little depth, you feel like you're just running around doing things as an errand boy for the Citadel Council. The side missions have almost no effect on the universe. And exploration means going around in your mako to different plants and shooting down outposts and discovering useless minerals. You can't even land in all the planets they have on the map! Anyway, I won't play the sequel, but it's a good game that did not live up to my expecatations.

Mass Effect - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Amazing visuals It's boooring
A not so fun game... in my book.

So I attempted to play Mass Effect, and got bored very quickly. It seems to be like any other TPS and didn't offer much to me. The graphics are great and as well is the story. But, I couldn't find myself to grab attention to the game. I got bored very quickly. The controls and customizable characters were great features. I wish I could like this game but I just can't. Call me crazy, but I just don't like this game.

Mass Effect - Xbox 360

Pros Cons
Engaging story Braindead computer AI
Loads of content Unresponsive controls
  It's boooring
A critic's game

I'm not going to say that this game is bad, it just doesn't know what it wants to be. The story is dood but the way it is told is better. Dialogue trees are pretty cool, but you rarely see your ever see your choice in dialogue affecting the
world(s). The leveling is fair. You barely notice a difference when you level a stat unless you level dialogue or hacking, etc. Exploration is also not fun at all. In this way the rpg elements are not a full blown Oblivion, but hold their own. The combat has some fun gameplay. The controls are floaty. It is fairly fun to go into combat but you get 4 weapons the whole game. Yes you get upgraded versions of them, but the way you play with them stays the same. In this way the shooting is not a full blown Halo or Gears. Overall, the game is good, but critics seem to have more of a taste for it than regular gamers.

GamePro Content

Screens [134]

Videos [12]

Mass Effect Recent Articles