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::PUBLISHER::
Microsoft
::DEVELOPER::
Bioware
::GENRE::
Puzzle
::RELEASE DATE::
Late 2006
::PLAYERS::
1
::LIVE::
Downloadable Content
::COST::
$49.99
::FEATURES::
480P/720P/1080i, In-Game Dolby Digital
Good: The dialogue is top notch, the squad is diverse and interesting, the biotic powers are incredible, a
Bad: Texture loading, jogging everywhere, elevator sequences, not being able to visit Earth, and not enou
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Mass Effect Review
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Xbox Evolved has one of the very first web reviews of Mass Effect. Does the game deserve the Game of the Year title? Read on to find out.
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Being a Bioware junkie that I am, when Mass Effect was first announced I jumped with joy due to the excitement of Bioware working on a trilogy exclusively for the Xbox 360 (which is somewhat in doubt now due to Electronic Art's purchase of Bioware). With merging the shooter genre with the role-playing genre, I had no doubt in my mind that Bioware would be able to pull it off and set the bar for RPGs on all next-generation consoles. But little did I know that Bioware would do such a thing and go one step further to creating the closest game to perfection I have encountered in recent memory. If there is one game that every Xbox 360 gamer should play at least once, it would have to be Mass Effect.
Hey baby, what's underneath all that shining armor?
I want to begin right away covering the topic of the storyline, it's downright nasty! Beyond Baldur's Gate II: Shadow of Amn, Chrono Trigger, and a few other RPGs that would contend, I would have to say Mass Effect has hands down the best storyline in any video game. Working hard at making sure there weren't any holes in the storyline, Bioware provided insane amounts of dialogue, a Codex (an encyclopedia of sorts) full of history, and countless quests to dig up more information on what is going on in the galaxy. Incorporating hundreds of characters to speak to, players will never be stuck without a side-quest or two to finish.
"...but I tried to conoodle Ashley Williams, the human teammate, but that didn't work out too successfully since she is as rigid as a rock at keeping the relationship at a business level."
What exactly is the storyline about? Well, Commander Shepard (the character players are able to customize) is out to stop the treacherous Saren who has turned his back on the galaxy in favor of his new found allies. If I had to compare Saren to another villain, it would be to Seifer (Final Fantasy VIII) in more ways than one if you catch my drift (I won't spoil they storyline anymore than that). Working in unison with six teammates, it's up to Shepard to save the fate of the galaxy. Along the way, there'll be simple diversions to stop rogue scientists, find missing persons, and locate many hidden items on uncharted planets.
How does the game play out? Well let's begin with the RPG elements - players can start off by choosing their class at the beginning of the game (six to choose from). Each class is different with specializing in biotics, techs, or weapons. I happened to choose the Adept, a biotic only class that fulfilled my magic needs. When in the game, leveling up can be done manually or automatically. Being an RPG fan myself, I of course chose to do it manually. There are over fifteen different areas to assign your skill points, all providing a variety of abilities that can be used on the battlefield. Being an Adept, I had access to abilities such as: Lift, Warp, Throw, Barrier, Stasis, and Singularity. Of course, I had access to other abilities outside of just the biotics: Marksmen, Pistols, and Spectre Training being a few to name off. When players reach a certain level, they'll unlock a specialty talent to improve the class they are in. Being an Adept, I unlocked the Nemesis talents that impressively improved all of my biotics abilities in duration and power.
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