Mass Effect

Introduction

Let’s pretend that you’ve never heard of Mass Effect before. At the very least, forget all about the hype and the fact that this game has already been released for the Xbox 360 to rave reviews. Now… gather around, my friends, and I’ll tell you a story…

Mass Effect, Bioware’s latest opus, is best described as a role-playing game with first person shooter action. Set in the year 2183, humans are exploring the galaxy and struggling to establish its place in a galactic society filled with strange and fascinating aliens.

You play the role of John Shepard (or his female counterpart, should you choose), humanity’s first legitimate candidate for an elite group of agents known as Spectres. This group is comprised of the best military operatives in the galaxy. They perform special tactics and reconnaissance missions and report directly to the Citadel Council, a powerful executive committee controlled by three alien races.

The Beginning...

When you first create your character, you can your customize name, appearance, and background. The game does a great job of allowing you to visually morph your character in a wide variety of ways. You have a choice of three backgrounds, which affects certain side missions in the game, which is nice, since it creates a feeling of a past history for your character. From there, you choose from several different classes, ranging from the Soldier,  which is a straight up weapons and armor guy, to the Sentinal, a class specializing in Technology and Biotics, which are telekinetic powers. Once you select your class, the game immediately drops you into the story.

The Action

After you receive your first mission, you land on a planet with two other team members. A short while later, you engage your first enemy and that's where the action starts. Aiming is precise with a mouse, and it's easy to run and gun when using hot keys for any special powers may you have. Pressing and holding the space bar pauses the action so you can issue orders to your teammates. You can order to them to specific waypoints or to rally back to your current location. Unfortunately, I didn't have a lot of luck getting them to obey when it came to waypoints. From what I could tell, they appeared to struggle with navigating terrain obstacles, causing them to hang up and stand where they were. Fortunately, it was never a major problem, and when it mattered most, my team was there for me. You can also order your teammates to switch weapons while the game is paused in order to best tactically deal with a firefight.

Enemy and team status is clearly displayed, so you can always tell when someone's shields are down or about to die. Fortunately, when team members go down, they aren't dead, just unconsious. Once the fight is over, they will stand and slowly recover. This comes in very handy because your teammates are very happy to stand and take it on the chin, giving you time to work your skills.

Later in the game, you'll land on planets using an all terrain vehicle called the Mako. While providing excellent protection from ground troops, it's not invulnerable. While climbing up and down vast mountains, you can damage the vehicle if you happen to be indulging your inner Evel Knievel, but it's pretty sturdy. It takes a bit of time to get feel for the controls. It has a tendency to oversteer and it bounces like it's made of rubber. Beyond that, it's great fun to tear around in.

The Story

While Mass Effect offers great action, the story is where the game really shines. As you journey through the main plot, you meet several characters who may join you on your quest. Each character is fleshed out with backstory, and in some cases, a few have personal side missions you can go on to help them achieve their own goals. In addition, there are a couple of characters with whom you may pursue a romantic relationship. While, it isn't required, it does add a lot to the emotional investment you develop in the game.

Mass Effect boasts what may be the best facial expressions and lip syncing technology in the gaming industry today. As a result, what may only be a decent plot in other games, is elevated to cinematic in Mass Effect. While in dialog with characters, you can see various emotions in their faces when they speak. Coupled with excellent voice acting, the game manages to draw you in and create the most realistic characters I've ever encountered in a game.

Dialog in Mass Effect is handled elegantly by using a "conversation wheel." As you progress through a dialog, different responses display along the wheel. Each response appears as a shortened version of what you actually say, which results in a cleaner look on the screen as you play. Optional responses display as you gain skill in Charm or Intimidate, which may enable you to resolve a situation without resorting to guns. 

Minor Complaints

Every game has its strengths and weaknesses, and Mass Effect is no exception. And, the game's strengths far exceed its weaknesses. Having said that, Mass Effect does suffer from "console inventory." Since it was unchanged during its port from the Xbox360, it's probably the worst inventory system I've seen utilized in an RPG. Your team's inventory is managed from a gigantic pool of items. In fact, you can carry up to 150 items. And while the game separates them into categories when you you view your character's equipment, when you try to sell them at a shop, they're all thrown into one, agonizingly long list. This makes it very difficult to keep track of the different items you have when it comes time to sell off your excess equipment. Also, when you pick items up after a battle, or from a container, you cannot view their stats until you choose to keep them (or convert them to Omni Gel, which is a sort of generic power source). If you happen to hit the 150 item limit while collecting post-battle booty, you'll have no choice but to convert the items into Omni Gel because the game won't let you pick them up. So, if you happen to find that Almighty Alien Laser Beam of Death, you'll have to melt it down in favor of that shitty pistol you've had in your inventory and neglected to sell due to the sorry-ass inventory design. *deep cleansing breath* 

Conclusion

Aside from the inventory design flaws, Mass Effect is a brilliant combination of storytelling, roleplaying, and action. It will draw you in and put you on a rollercoaster ride toward a fantastic conclusion. As a side note, I highly recommend you seek out as many side missions as you can find. While the main storyline runs lean at about 10-15 hours, there are a lot of optional missions that will keep you entertained for quite a while longer. I clocked in over 62 hours before I completed the game. It's also the best way to raise your character's level and equipment.

So, in summary, Mass Effect earns a five out of five cowbells. Absolute Cowbell Heaven.