Mass Effect

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3921 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,338 out of 3921
  2. Mixed: 443 out of 3921
  3. Negative: 140 out of 3921
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  1. lucaduende
    Jul 5, 2016
    8
    ELEVATOR!!!! AND VEHICLE SECTIONS!!!! THAT MAKE MARIO KART LOOK LIKE A MASTERPIECE. IT ALSO DOESN'T HAVE A WAYPOINT ON THE MAP SO U GON GET LOST. But oustide of that pretty good game and amazing story.
  2. FacundoCritics
    Jun 26, 2016
    9
    Excelente historia, gráficos muy buenos para la época, la jugabilidad muy mejorable. El peor vehículo que conduci en cualquier videojuego. Muy buena experiencia y todo lo que sea ciencia ficción es pura crema.
  3. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    8
    2/18/2012: Mass Effect is not a perfect game. It is plagued with bugs and inane design decisions, and yeah, Mark Meer's performance isn't exactly stellar. But there is a good thing about it for every bad thing, and unlike say, Dragon Age: Origins, It didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth at the end. It's a fun trip back to the days of pulp Sci-Fi, and bears as much in common with Star Wars2/18/2012: Mass Effect is not a perfect game. It is plagued with bugs and inane design decisions, and yeah, Mark Meer's performance isn't exactly stellar. But there is a good thing about it for every bad thing, and unlike say, Dragon Age: Origins, It didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth at the end. It's a fun trip back to the days of pulp Sci-Fi, and bears as much in common with Star Wars as it does with the new Battlestar Galactica. I much prefer action RPGs to traditional ones, but ME1 is so clunky it might as well be the latter. The inventory system is utter garbage, and there are a few too many featureless planets with inconsequential battles to fight and wreckage to salvage. I for one LOVE the Mako, one of the most-hated elements of this game. Still, I forgot a lot of the game's problems during fights and especially during dialogue. A word of warning: The first time through this version of the game, it crashed on me constantly.… Expand
  4. The3AcademySins
    Jun 7, 2016
    8
    An amazing action/RPG/shooter space opera that tells an incredible story. While it hasn't aged too well (the combat in particular) this is still an unbelievably good that game I have no qualms recommending!
  5. LuisFrancisco
    Apr 23, 2016
    4
    This game is not a shooter and not also a RPG. Your choices, even though varied, lead always to a linear plot. For those who are familiar with good shooting games, this is extremely tiring and with limited resources. Each time you die of sudden form is bound to retrace huge paths and tedious dialogues. The game does not allow you to save during this huge dialogues and not during fightingThis game is not a shooter and not also a RPG. Your choices, even though varied, lead always to a linear plot. For those who are familiar with good shooting games, this is extremely tiring and with limited resources. Each time you die of sudden form is bound to retrace huge paths and tedious dialogues. The game does not allow you to save during this huge dialogues and not during fighting in any creature that kills you with a touch.… Expand
  6. moonlight_shado
    Apr 22, 2016
    10
    Better than Skyrim, Witcher 3 and Dragon Age all together. Unfortunately every next ME game was more and more stripped down from their rpg mechanics, being more consolized, but this one, this has all the magic. The plot is fresh and well written, the story unfold in a proper, narrative way. The choices. The inventory and character development is the best as well. Exploration of planetsBetter than Skyrim, Witcher 3 and Dragon Age all together. Unfortunately every next ME game was more and more stripped down from their rpg mechanics, being more consolized, but this one, this has all the magic. The plot is fresh and well written, the story unfold in a proper, narrative way. The choices. The inventory and character development is the best as well. Exploration of planets makes it almost perfect sandbox game. Graphics for an almost 10 yo game still looks very good and doesn't stand out from today's standards. What else for me to say. Maybe that i wish Bioware stop the trilogy with... the first and only Mass Effect. Instead of reapers make the Saren Diablo-like treat to entire galaxy and voila. ME2 is at least fun but ME3 is so dumb (and i'm not **** only about the ending) that it almost kill the pleasure of entire game but gladly i overcome it and for me the history of Shepard ends here, with ME1 and the rest i leave for my imagination.… Expand
  7. INSI
    Mar 30, 2016
    9
    After 8 years Mass Effect proved itself as a all time RPG classic with its great narrative and story, which would start the arguably best gaming trilogy ever made...
  8. godunow
    Mar 22, 2016
    5
    Very mediocre, boring game.

    Great production values - animations, voice acting - but the story is really lame and shooter gameplay bored me to death.
  9. Mellow_Online2
    Mar 9, 2016
    9
    I never really hopped onto the train of Mass Effect fans when the Mass Effect series first got popular because I couldn't really see why it had so much popularity. I feel bad for doubting this game.

    Gameplay in Mass Effect is typical to any sort of RPG by Bioware. The gameplay is a blend of dialogue and talking to people, third person shooting and exploring tons of different planets in    I never really hopped onto the train of Mass Effect fans when the Mass Effect series first got popular because I couldn't really see why it had so much popularity. I feel bad for doubting this game.

    Gameplay in Mass Effect is typical to any sort of RPG by Bioware. The gameplay is a blend of dialogue and talking to people, third person shooting and exploring tons of different planets in tons of different galaxies. I was amazed by the shear size of Mass Effect, 8 different galaxies with around 5 or more in each and each planet feels unique and I don't think it is just a copy and paste of different planet. The character customization of Commander Sheppard, even though it's limited in some areas, I find is well done where you can customize your appearance to make him be as ugly as you want and you can even customize his backstory. What makes the character customization of backstories even better is that characters will have different dialogue responses depending on your choice of backstory. Most of the gameplay feature are good but I do have a couple of complaints. The third person shooting mechanics aren't that well done. They aren't terrible, they aren't on the scale of being unplayable but it feels like the third person shooter segments were just added in as an after thought and it took me a lot of getting used to. The second and final problem I have with the gameplay is the karma system. One thing that I'm not too fond of in RPGs (despite RPGs being my favourite genre of video games) is the karma systems some off these games have) I like to build my character, now knowing if the choice that I just made was good or bad, I like to make a bad choice if I'm in a bad or annoying situation without an affect on my karma. Because in these games I find it way too easy to be the good guy and way too easy to be the bad guy. I just like to be the character that I build my character up to be. Apart from those 2 complaints there aren't really any other complaints I have about the gameplay.

    The story in Mass Effect is that you play as the main character Commander Sheppard, who you can customize his appearance and even his backstory. He joins up with a crew lead by Captain Anderson. His crew is given a task to procure a military beacon on the planet Eden Prime. However, after a disaster, involving one of the crew mates dying by the hands of a rogue spectre, who are the protectors of the council, the crew ends u failing. After providing evidence to the council that this spectre has gone rogue,it is up to Commander Sheppard and his crew to bring the rogue spectre down to justice. This general idea of a plot has been done a lot but Mass Effect throws enough twists and turns in the story to make it seem unique.

    Graphics in Mass Effect are OK but could be better. While the game looks, in general, good, there are several graphical bugs and awful looking textures and slow loading textures which definitely hold the game back. Sound is really good. There are creative sfx for sci-fi related objects that I wouldn't have even thought of which fit in excellently.

    This game will have you consumed for hours, I'm still busy exploring the galaxy and discovering all sorts of new stuff. There is also replay value in this. You will want to play the game again and try different dialogue choices, try and see if you can solve a problem either calmly, declaring war or see if you can find another creative way to solve a situation.

    Mass Effect is a gem of a game that I recommend to literally anybody that enjoys either SC-FIs or RPGs and if u fit in this category, this game is a must have.    … Expand
  10. Klewer
    Feb 1, 2016
    8
    I do think this is a brilliant game. There aren't many games that you play for 15 hours, it finishes and you get that feeling it was over so quickly.
    Has a great story and universe to get involved in and play through. Well wroth it in that alone. Sadly the combat and mechanics while solid enough are a little clunky and at times frustrating.

    Well worth playing and the start of a great series.
  11. Ninja_Se7eN
    Jan 25, 2016
    9
    Disclaimer:
    I've never played a Mass Effect game before. I've played other BioWare titles before such as Knights of The Old Republic and Dragon Age: Inquisition and I enjoy a good RPG.
    I've purchased the trilogy on Origin. Intro: Mass Effect is a Sci-Fi RPG and it has most of the clichés you'd expect: laser guns, space ships, aliens. The game throws you into a universe where mankind    Disclaimer:
    I've never played a Mass Effect game before. I've played other BioWare titles before such as Knights of The Old Republic and Dragon Age: Inquisition and I enjoy a good RPG.
    I've purchased the trilogy on Origin.

    Intro:
    Mass Effect is a Sci-Fi RPG and it has most of the clichés you'd expect: laser guns, space ships, aliens.
    The game throws you into a universe where mankind is one of the most recent species to have achieved space travel.
    This means that there are a whole bunch of alien species who've been exploring the universe a lot longer than humans and also means there's a whole intergalactic government established that you must cope with.
    As commander Shepard you're tasked with proving mankind's worth to these aliens and save the entire universe while you're at it.

    What I liked:
    - The combat system: the combat system was a bit weird for me and not at all what I was expecting from an RPG. It's a third person Borderlands with skills/powers you can activate. The combat is fast paced but it falls short when comparing to actual third person shooters (e.g. Uncharted). Still, for an RPG it was very enjoyable.
    - The story: it's nothing you haven't seen before but it's well made and keeps you motivated to finish game. There are some intergalactic politics in the mix and some choices to make. Most of the choices are trivial but there was at least one of them that stopped me right on my tracks and I had to seriously think about it. Overall it has a highly enjoyable plot and got me hyped to play the second game.
    - Facial expressions: it's been nearly 8 years since this game launched and the facial expressions in this game still managed to impress me! Seriously, at a certain point in the game my romantic interested gave one of the sexiest looks I've ever seen in a videogame while telling me we could talk somewhere more private.

    What I didn't like:
    - Map repetition: There are very few enemy bunker/bases and you'll see repeated maps a lot outside the main quest.
    - Few quests in the main quest: It took me 39h to finish Mass Effect and while I enjoyed the story, I got the feeling there could've been more quests in the main story.
    - Conversation expression reset: Occasionally the character's facial expression would completely reset between each line they said. It was weird and broke immersion a bit.
    - Bugs and glitches: Enemies getting trapped in geometry, conversations about how we (Shepard's team) were nearly at the end of the main quest right after the first main mission after getting a ship, Shepard moving around while I was using the directional keys to hack something.

    Conclusion:
    Mass Effect is a good RPG and if you enjoy the Sci-Fi RPG genre you should definitely pick it up. Just bear in mind that it's not perfect and could really use more polishing.    … Expand
  12. Tomle1202
    Jan 22, 2016
    8
    Mass Effect is not large, yet people may be surprised to explore the depth it brings to the galaxy while being able to easily set a new standard to role-playing games.
  13. Sirik_Matak
    Jan 11, 2016
    6
    The first Mass Effect is the best from all three, but it doesn't mean it's actually something to write home about. Well, at least to someone who read anything in his life beyond pornographic fan-fics and pretentious novels of 2000s. Unfortunately, the big chunk of post 2000 playerbase is made of the illitarate defined by the lowest possible denominator.

    Mass Effect is a mediocre third    The first Mass Effect is the best from all three, but it doesn't mean it's actually something to write home about. Well, at least to someone who read anything in his life beyond pornographic fan-fics and pretentious novels of 2000s. Unfortunately, the big chunk of post 2000 playerbase is made of the illitarate defined by the lowest possible denominator.

    Mass Effect is a mediocre third person shooter with little character customization that offers 2 ways of playing the game. Shoot everything and shoot everything with space magic. Bare bones, if you add a typical HOT pop-a-mole combat philisophy implemented in this game, that doesn't even tries to cover (pathetic pun intended) itself.

    One thing bugs me after my second playthrough. This game looks half-baked, or aborted in an early production phaze. There are parts of the game, where it seems that there was a creative spark somewhere, someone had a vision of a great s-f/space opera game, that wouldn't just make money, but will offer all s-f tropes and classics from all over in one place for everyone to enjoy. Then the writing started, art-direction department attempted to do something with style, aaaand... few weeks later they had to say "eh - ♥♥♥♥ it". And left the game with few interesting places to visit, few Codex (in-game lore encyclopedia) entries and a whole lot of filler content probably made by unexperienced interns. I do believe that most of the content in the game is a work of unexperienced hacks, just look at the Mako part of the game. I don't believe it would be passable even for a student. It boils down to disattachment between the lore part of the game, and the actual gameplay. The lore, places and characters are giving you a premise of varied experiences, but at the end of the game it all boils down to TPS action in a terribly designed locations. C&C boil down to occasional speech check (and since no one will play without these skills maxed out, everyone will get that option) that will end all filler quests non-violently with absolutely cringe-worthy dialogue lines. Just listen to the final dialogue with Saren. I couldn't help myself but laugh while listening to it. It's like taken straight from a terrible 10 years old s-f writer on the Internet. Just terrible.

    For a buck it's worth checking out. Just prepare for some cringe-fest and a lot of autism-inducing activities.    … Expand
  14. ankittoms
    Jan 2, 2016
    8
    Amazing sci-fi story and reasonably good graphics especially with mods. Like playing Star Trek with your own ship.

    Graphics: 8
    Game play : 8
    World Design: 8
    Content: 9
    Immersion: 10
    Story: 10
  15. gracjanski
    Dec 26, 2015
    8
    The big plus of this game is the universe, they created. A masterpiece on the same high level as Morrowind or Baldurs Gate. The graphic is great, there are some mods, that enhance it, so it looks like a game from 2012 more or less. The sound is immersive too.
    BUT there is one big mistake that is really sad: the gameplay is far too easy: The dialog system is so simple, you dont have many    The big plus of this game is the universe, they created. A masterpiece on the same high level as Morrowind or Baldurs Gate. The graphic is great, there are some mods, that enhance it, so it looks like a game from 2012 more or less. The sound is immersive too.
    BUT there is one big mistake that is really sad: the gameplay is far too easy: The dialog system is so simple, you dont have many options to consider and the enemies are so easy. A pity, I am still sad, that I dont want to lose my time in playing the second and third part, that are even more action orientated. This is not RPG, it is mainstream.    … Expand
  16. escograu
    Dec 13, 2015
    2
    AI of your teamates and fight is really awful, REALLY AWFUL. Story probably was written in 1-2 nights, cuz is completely not interesting and short like a chinese dick. Story seems like from some old, sci-fi book which costs 1$ and nobody knows that it is even exists.
  17. delegate
    Dec 9, 2015
    8
    Since Xbox One released backwards compatibility, I thought it would be a good time to play the first Mass Effect. I had never played the series before and after playing, I was mad at myself for not getting this on 360 sooner.

    Pros: Great, well-written, choice based dialogue. Very unique setting and environments. Good graphics (I thought they were pretty good, and I'm playing in 2015).    Since Xbox One released backwards compatibility, I thought it would be a good time to play the first Mass Effect. I had never played the series before and after playing, I was mad at myself for not getting this on 360 sooner.

    Pros: Great, well-written, choice based dialogue. Very unique setting and environments. Good graphics (I thought they were pretty good, and I'm playing in 2015). It is overall a very unique, role playing experience. The characters feel realistic and they all have a story to tell. You can make enemies, choose who to romance, or who to ally with, it is all up to the player. If you like Dragon Age, Fallout, or Oblivion, i'm almost positive you will like the Mass Effect series.

    Cons: The combat can be confusing and clunky at times. Firing your guns doesn't feel all that smooth and sometimes does not connect. Combat isn't the main focus here, but it could defiantly be improved. Tip: Save every time you get out of combat, because the auto save is not reliable at all. There is also a few bugs I came across that caused me to have to reload back a few minutes, but nothing game breaking.

    Like I said, I was mad at myself for not picking this up sooner with my 360. Now I will have to wait for ME 2 and 3 to become backwards compatible on the One. From what I hear, ME 2 and 3 only improve on ME 1. Since ME 1 is so great, I am excited to play the next two.    … Expand
  18. Nojbee
    Nov 29, 2015
    8
    Mass Effect's first episode is an excellent starting for a perfect trilogy. The combat system is bad, but the story and the characters are great so doesn't matter. When you start to play Mass effect, you can't stop playing. You see every corner you talk every NPC and bang the end of the weekend.
  19. MrDaxter25
    Nov 7, 2015
    9
    Mit Mass Effect hat der kanadische Spieleentwickler BioWare ein weiteres Mal ein außergewöhnliches Rollenspiel herausgebracht, dass vor allen Dingen durch seine enorme Detailliertheit heraussticht.
    In seiner Komplexität übertrifft es meiner Meinung nach selbst Skyrim. Über die Story will ich hier nichts weiter verraten, es sei nur gesagt, dass sie extrem spannend, dicht und vor allem    Mit Mass Effect hat der kanadische Spieleentwickler BioWare ein weiteres Mal ein außergewöhnliches Rollenspiel herausgebracht, dass vor allen Dingen durch seine enorme Detailliertheit heraussticht.
    In seiner Komplexität übertrifft es meiner Meinung nach selbst Skyrim. Über die Story will ich hier nichts weiter verraten, es sei nur gesagt, dass sie extrem spannend, dicht und vor allem ausgefeilt (d.h. frei von Logikfehlern und tiefgehend) ist. Das einzige was hier zu beanstanden ist, ist das das Spiel insgesamt nur etwa 30 Stunden lang ist, was aber bei der Story und dem Preis durchaus angemessen ist.
    Die Grafik des Spieles war für 2007 sicherlich überragend, für die heutige Zeit allerdings eher zweitklassig.

    Insgesamt ist das Spiel in jedem Fall zu empfehlen und ich freue mich bereits auf den zweiten Teil.    … Expand
  20. MeritCoba
    Nov 2, 2015
    5
    Games like Mass Effect that are hard to be valued in a single number. Back in the day, 2008, it awed me. It offered the immersion and character building of a roleplay game blended it with the fast paced combat of a shooter. This made the game different from many others and for me a most satisfactorily pastime. But how well does Mass Effect hold up seven years later?

    Most games get old    Games like Mass Effect that are hard to be valued in a single number. Back in the day, 2008, it awed me. It offered the immersion and character building of a roleplay game blended it with the fast paced combat of a shooter. This made the game different from many others and for me a most satisfactorily pastime. But how well does Mass Effect hold up seven years later?

    Most games get old eventually and what used to be interesting features becomes mainstream or redundant. So with the game features getting old the emphasis shifts to things like story telling. Unfortunately Mass Effect isn't well suited for this as its strength was the mix of combat, story telling and exploration. And with both combat and space exploration getting tedious the game is required to limp on the story alone.
    The main weakness of the combat is the enemy. The AI knows three tactics, standing in the open and firing at you, staying in cover and sometimes firing at you, or assaulting you directly. To slightly vary movement there is a sequencer put in which makes it appear as if they move left and right because of smart tactics. Your own team member's AI are even worse and you will find that they often won't advance, get stuck or fire at obstacles instead of enemies.
    Exploration is boring. One part of space exploration consist of flying to planets to look at them. You get a small story and sometimes you survey them. The other part to landing on some planet. For that you use the Mako, which is uber powerful. It has the only cannon that instants hits, while the enemy only shoots rockets and balls of power which take time to travel and do not track so you can move out of the way..
    Another subject is character building. There are only skills to assign. Each class has a fixed set of limited skills.You level often and the story flow is often interrupted while you fix your characters skills before moving on. Halfway through the game the skill point assign becomes pointless as by that time you have maxed out all your important skills.
    Another aspect of the game is finding equipment. You get hundreds of useless weapons, armor, and upgrades that you all have to shift through and you can't sort. At some point you start to dread the crates, containers and lockers because you have to open them all just in case you might find that one thing that is better than what you have. And selling them in a store, far and in between, only gives you a trivial amount of money.

    What is left to discuss is the story. The storyline is the politicians-suck-so-soldiers-have-to-save-the-universe-from-the-bad-guy version with ambassador Udina and the Council of the Galaxy taking the brunt of the scorn. This nonsense will continue throughout the series and it hammers in that politicians are double dealing inept scum, private enterprises are corrupt at best and nefarious at worse and only soldiers, members of a non-democratic authoritarian organisation, can be trusted to do the right thing.
    The main adversary, Saren, is the most interesting character while your main character Shepard is a dullard. A soldier through and through without anything interesting to say. How bland Shepard is can be witnessed whenever Anderson is in the same scene: he just steals every scene.
    The women of the party consists of Ashley, a whiny **** Liara, a bland character, leaving only Tali to offer some personality. The men are better of with the Wrex having the best character related story line that ties in well with the fate of the galaxy and is a shining example of well done story telling. Garrus is another well rounded character. Kaiden is easily forgotten.
    Mass Effect faces the problem is to make you belief that a one single person can make a difference. This results in hilarious inconsistencies. Somehow everyone knows you are a spectre, a highly secretive operative, yet when the plot requires it they don't know. You have a powerful spaceship that is special because it has a cloaking device, but it seems unable to give you air support for most of the time or even to intercept enemy ships. At one point during the game it lands so you can place a nuke, but it can't drop the nuke!
    More inconsistencies. The council doesn't believe anything you say yet they do sent in an infiltration unit to investigate the enemies secret lab. The enemy moves its fleets everywhere, using the Mass Effect relays to attack colonies and planets, even some important ones,but somehow only you can stop them.
    However, the story makes up for all of this at the end when it works towards a climatic end that still is one of the best I have ever seen. When you crash land the Mako through a Mass Effect relay as part off confronting the bad guy Saren, it does what is right. And when you have your final verbal bout with him you realize that it is Saren who dominated this game the whole time and not you. Funny that.    … Expand
  21. jelikey
    Sep 8, 2015
    8
    this game is great shooter and RPG mixed game. i like the view of world of this game. Although i want to give the score 9, because there is no controller support -1 score.
  22. Kubka4
    Aug 19, 2015
    10
    This game has a great thrilling story. Also characters are brilliant and they have deep personality. I loved to play along them. Just perfect game, which you must play.
  23. KaienShiba
    Aug 3, 2015
    8
    Would have given it a 10 except, there are a few flaws. 1) Doesn't matter which setting you have it on the scales still the same. 2) The programmers did love their mountains as a playtime extender, so instead of adding material to the game instead put mountains so you have to search for the best route. 3) Added senseless romance, which Bioware has been known to do. 4) Add exaggeratedWould have given it a 10 except, there are a few flaws. 1) Doesn't matter which setting you have it on the scales still the same. 2) The programmers did love their mountains as a playtime extender, so instead of adding material to the game instead put mountains so you have to search for the best route. 3) Added senseless romance, which Bioware has been known to do. 4) Add exaggerated amounts of xp just to get us to feel good, level 20 was more appropriate on 1st run through. 4) Maybe, never did answer the question about the Reapers who are they or why do they feel compelled to destroy galactic civilization.… Expand
  24. MenaBanana
    Jun 30, 2015
    10
    The best installment in the entire series. The game that started it all. The questions presented in this game will keep you hooked for the whole trilogy, and you will come to miss many of the RPG elements that 2 and 3 downsized.
  25. Nuker
    Jun 26, 2015
    8
    - Good: Story, Characters, Setting
    - Mixed: Atmosphere/Mood, Exploration, Writing, Gameplay
    - Bad: ---

    Very solid and enjoyable game, you should definitely play.
  26. inkblowout
    Jun 24, 2015
    8
    The PC port of this game is a disaster compared with the other 2 games. (due to different studios working on the game at the time) And the PC port will never be fixed. I don't have many problems with the game. I think everything fits well into the entry. Like character development, exploration, and the story are prefect. The story is original as it gets, The story is pretty much a wildThe PC port of this game is a disaster compared with the other 2 games. (due to different studios working on the game at the time) And the PC port will never be fixed. I don't have many problems with the game. I think everything fits well into the entry. Like character development, exploration, and the story are prefect. The story is original as it gets, The story is pretty much a wild goose chase across the galaxy to stop a rogue spectre and to stop an attempted event to release the reapers. The squad members of the game are the best in the series. (but I think that's just my nostalgia talking.) But the character development is interesting, you get to learn about everyone's lifestyle, family, and their personal events and they usually tell a good moral about their action. (like garrus' past with c-sec and his willingness to just kill the enemy instead of showing mercy. and wrex's family life where he explains that his father tried to kill him.) And just in general, you can explore the milky way for rogue planets, to get side missions, to gain the extra levels and etc. Some planets aren't capable of landing, but it provides a nice description to show how much effort was put into this game.

    But my real problems are the technical problems in the pc port. I mean it's straight out bad, the excessive lagging in the presidium in the citadel destroys your framerate for some reason. combat heavy fights also drop the framerate and finally sometimes the framerates drops for some reason and I had solid hardware before upgrading to the r9 280x. (r7 250x and that was enough to play the game.) and not only that.. my computer refuses to play in full screen because it gives you a black screen of death. so fullscreen isn't an option. I swear I spent like 4 hours on the configuration window and on various tweaking websites before playing starting the game for the first time because the game couldn't show up on my screen for some reason. (and I wasn't the only problem with this.) Also There is the dreaded black textures bug which appears on the first building of peak 15 and the entire mission of Ilos. It's a unfixable bug which seems to target AMD graphic cards and just make a big mess of black pixelated textures. There is a fix of the bug but it's temporary and it screws up the lighting. So the only way to go through the mission is to play the fix with bad lighting and or just suffer through the horrible graphics. Bioware will never come with a fix for this bug as they have focused their shifts into newer projects.

    So all in all, I recommend this game. Because it does play an enormous part in the mass effect series but it's a nice experience. It is the short game in the series. (I've stretched 13 hours on my first play through with minimal exploration and the second play through with about 19-20 hours of the game play. Completing most side missions and the "Bring down the sky" dlc. ) Mass effect 1 is the most rpg out of all of them and the game provides you with an unforgettable experience.    … Expand
  27. DegenCutter
    Jun 17, 2015
    9
    A great game that introduced the world to a fascinating new science fiction setting, Mass Effect was a triumphant game for Bioware. The shooter mechanics were unfortunately a slight bit rough and would subsequently be improved in both Mass Effect 2 and 3, but there is an indelible charm to the first Mass Effect game and I still have nostalgia for the first time I discovered the wonderfulA great game that introduced the world to a fascinating new science fiction setting, Mass Effect was a triumphant game for Bioware. The shooter mechanics were unfortunately a slight bit rough and would subsequently be improved in both Mass Effect 2 and 3, but there is an indelible charm to the first Mass Effect game and I still have nostalgia for the first time I discovered the wonderful setting and was introduced to some of the great characters like Wrex, Tali, Liara, and Garrus.… Expand
  28. tiho
    May 17, 2015
    9
    I was pleasantly surprised by the fact it really is an RPG, much more than a shooter. The story is captivating and it`s tons of fun to play, besides a few cumbersome & repetitive parts (planetary exploration and inventory management notably).
  29. Colestramus
    May 14, 2015
    7
    I just love Mass Effect, especially the story and how you grow with other characters. It makes me feel like I actually could shed few tears if they die in combat...and thats also the problem. They die CONSTANTLY. AI pretty much sucks in this game. When you for example, tell them to go against the wall, youd think they automatically take cover...but noooo... "Hello, my name is Talia, ImI just love Mass Effect, especially the story and how you grow with other characters. It makes me feel like I actually could shed few tears if they die in combat...and thats also the problem. They die CONSTANTLY. AI pretty much sucks in this game. When you for example, tell them to go against the wall, youd think they automatically take cover...but noooo... "Hello, my name is Talia, Im just standing here, middle of the fire". Doh.… Expand
  30. LXQUICKJUSTICE
    Mar 25, 2015
    10
    PC gamers need to get the "MEUITM" texture mod to properly enjoy this game in 2015 and beyond, but it would be epic without the enhancements. I resisted playing mass effect for years because I was told by others that it was just another gears of war clone, but man was I wrong. I was SO wrong... This game's story is beyond awesome, and it turns out that playing third person in an action rpgPC gamers need to get the "MEUITM" texture mod to properly enjoy this game in 2015 and beyond, but it would be epic without the enhancements. I resisted playing mass effect for years because I was told by others that it was just another gears of war clone, but man was I wrong. I was SO wrong... This game's story is beyond awesome, and it turns out that playing third person in an action rpg can be very satisfying. I couldn't believe how good the voice acting and plot was, and still can't while writing this review. I just finished ME3 and now am deciding which of the 3 games in the trilogy I want to keep playing because they're all good. The first one will always be the best in many ways because it's all so new. Normally laser beams and space aliens turn me off because they're not realistic, but this thing manages to keep it together with some of the most impressive voice acting you will ever hear in a video game. Female Shepard is, hands down, the BEST character I've ever played in any game next to Garrett from the Thief series. (Garrett from the real thief games-not that reboot abomination.) A game hasn't sucked me in like this for years. If you've never played a Mass Effect game you'll need to start here, because the story builds with each installment, but you're only hurting yourself if you miss out on this wonderful journey.… Expand
  31. VFerreira93
    Mar 21, 2015
    10
    I was... surprised, I admit it.
    I never thought that I would love this videogame as much as I do! I seriously have to thank my friends for their recommendation :)
    The story was brilliant and very well developed, it kept me at the edge of my seat until I finished it. The graphics were stunningly beautiful and the pacing of it managed to keep me interested in everything that was shown    I was... surprised, I admit it.
    I never thought that I would love this videogame as much as I do! I seriously have to thank my friends for their recommendation :)
    The story was brilliant and very well developed, it kept me at the edge of my seat until I finished it. The graphics were stunningly beautiful and the pacing of it managed to keep me interested in everything that was shown here. I didn't manage to complete a lot of side-quests but the ones I did were entertaining and quite funny, actually.
    The characters in general had a certain level of complexity that captivated me along the way and sometimes I would choose other options to just see them talk about things that happened in their past.
    But the most interesting aspect of Mass Effect was the capacity of making your own choices and deciding which dialogues your main character would say and how their ending was going to be. That, in my opinion, is what makes ME such a unique game in this industry.
    And because of all this, I have to give it 10/10. Such an amazing videogame and I can't wait to play ME2! :D    … Expand
  32. Munkey
    Feb 16, 2015
    10
    The sci-fi opera masterpiece which is Mass Effect is one of the best games in the history of games. It has it flaws but the whole content of the game is pure brilliance.
    First of the world is so believable because of the effort put in the creation of it and the content of the in game Codex which explains everything to the player. History of each of the race, polotical structure, trade and    The sci-fi opera masterpiece which is Mass Effect is one of the best games in the history of games. It has it flaws but the whole content of the game is pure brilliance.
    First of the world is so believable because of the effort put in the creation of it and the content of the in game Codex which explains everything to the player. History of each of the race, polotical structure, trade and military system and so on. The amount of detail put in the Codex and world building is huge. Everything feels so in place and real.
    Then are the NPC's. Written and played so well you can relate to them. My personal best are Garus and Wrex. The banter between does two is so funy to listen. Each NPC has its own story and purpose in the world. Each NPC in your team has a specific role to fit.
    The world to explore is very big. Yes it gets sometimes repetetive but the freedom to explore and some unique planet mission makes up for it. You can gather resources for cash and xp. Each planet has it description and some facts about it.
    The most important thing still to cover is the dialogue. Lots of options and everything is so perfectly voiced. Jokes, romance, threats and banter. It feels so natural. You can solve some of the quests just by dialogue.
    The only thing what isn't up to pair is the clunky combat. But it's a console port what do you expect.
    Played the game five times start to finish. Just love it. Ten out of ten!    … Expand
  33. rscl
    Jan 1, 2015
    8
    Though crippled by a flawed combat system and ridiculous follower AI, this game delivers beautiful storytelling and interesting characters and conversation.
    I would definitively recommend this game, but with the mindset that you're doing it for the story. Combat can be enjoyed in ME2/ME3. As a RPG, this is a must play.
  34. wtfskilz
    Dec 30, 2014
    8
    I haven't read all the reviews, but one did rate this game at 0 and mentioned a save issue, I would like to address this. ME1 actually does let you save plenty, actually every moment you’re not in combat or riding an elevator or talking to someone in dialogue, I normally just save every 10 - 15 minutes, just in case I screw up a hack or more rare cases get killed.
    1. Cons: This game    I haven't read all the reviews, but one did rate this game at 0 and mentioned a save issue, I would like to address this. ME1 actually does let you save plenty, actually every moment you’re not in combat or riding an elevator or talking to someone in dialogue, I normally just save every 10 - 15 minutes, just in case I screw up a hack or more rare cases get killed.
    1. Cons: This game is buggy as hell, there are too frequently upgraded items, and you will be spending more time upgrading organizing, selling and buying than anything else.
    2. Another annoying issue is the first time you play this game you can only adjust difficulty to veteran this was extremely annoying, more than half of the game was very unchallenging, if it wasn't for the hacking I would only of used AutoSaves. Last 4 hours of the game I did exactly that as a way to try to add more challenge. Which actually helped some.
    3. Game doesn’t come with native surround sound I had to enable hardware and 3D mode to get independent channel 5.1 surround sound, audio and video issues regardless of any setting, mostly on cut scenes.

    1. PROS: Even given the cons this game had a unique epic story that doesn't end with Mass Effect.
    2. I actually liked the upgrade tree a lot in this game I thought it was cool you could spend more points for better dialogue which helped save people, build Paragon or Renegade and helped your bartering skills tremendously
    3. I enjoyed the combat controls and squad strategy controls I felt like most of the time the AI players and I were fluid with our battle plans as long as they didn’t bug up that is.
    This is an unfinished buggy masterpiece if you aren’t a person to get frustrated from buggy AI or not afraid to have to reload the game because you somehow got teleported to an unreachable balcony and enjoy good story line and strategy games this is almost perfect for you.    … Expand
  35. Ansatsu83
    Dec 21, 2014
    8
    I love the mass effect franchise, especially this game, but it has some annoyances that prevent me from giving it a perfect score. First, speaking of the good parts of the game. It is a role playing, third person, shooter with multiple interesting classes and the ability to defy physics with many abilities. The core game play is solid (even though I wish they would have included a reloadI love the mass effect franchise, especially this game, but it has some annoyances that prevent me from giving it a perfect score. First, speaking of the good parts of the game. It is a role playing, third person, shooter with multiple interesting classes and the ability to defy physics with many abilities. The core game play is solid (even though I wish they would have included a reload element... like they did in me2,) The storyline is gripping, the cinematic are damned good, the character progression is very nice, as well. There are some plot holes and lots of other elements but simply put, its great! There is a wide variety of items and modificiations in the game, which add to the enjoy-ability for those who like loot finding. HOWEVER! There are several complaints that I have, which prevents me from giving it a perfect score... The main complaint is the mako exploration and side planet geometry. Its very obvious they did not put any time or effort into the height maps they used for the side mission planet. They were sloppily done with lots of jagged edges and some dips in the geometry that the mako has difficulty getting out of... Not to mention trying not to bounce around like a bumper car ride gone horribly wrong!... They could have used the blur tool on photoshop, to eliminate half of the geometry issues. The second complaint is the inventory system, I cannot select multiple items to disassemble, hell even a full tier would have been NICE! instead, I must go through my full inventory, of 150 items, and manually break the items into omnigel or sell them manually. This process is tedious and detracts from the overall gameplay experience. On top of this, they introduced a "tier" system, for loot. After about tier 5, for weapon mods and armor mods, they started to combine many of the effects of two mods, but made them less potent. Its fine and all, make them more powerful as you level up... once you hit level 40 the gear is all the same tier, for the last 20 levels. At which point you already have max omnigel and max credits... and max inventory constantly hounding you to clear space... There are a lot of elements that make this a great game, and some very major annoyances. Worth a 60 dollar price tag... its down to about 10, right now. Pick it up when you get a chance, especially if you like sci-fi shooters combined with rpg elements.… Expand
  36. timt
    Dec 18, 2014
    10
    A game would really have to 'wow' me to get a 10. Mass Effect is one of those rare games which did. It took me off planet Earth, and injected me into the stars. Amazing story, incredibly interesting characters which you care about, and fun exciting combat.

    Last year during Christmas holidays, I introduced my brother (a university student) to the game. He finished the trilogy in    A game would really have to 'wow' me to get a 10. Mass Effect is one of those rare games which did. It took me off planet Earth, and injected me into the stars. Amazing story, incredibly interesting characters which you care about, and fun exciting combat.

    Last year during Christmas holidays, I introduced my brother (a university student) to the game. He finished the trilogy in record time (was completely addicted). Afterwards he actually went through withdrawal - said was hard to go back to normal life after saving the universe, and that he missed those the characters in the game.

    In my view Mass Effect series is one of the greatest games of all time, and the first one is the best in the trilogy.    … Expand
  37. perimeno
    Dec 12, 2014
    10
    This is the best game I have ever played. Although it's graphic is not as beautiful as the following MEs but the complex character evolution is the best in the series. Lot of people hate Mako quests but I have no problem with them. All in all my favorite episode is the first one in the series.
  38. jimbobslimbob
    Nov 24, 2014
    8
    A really good action/RPG game in every aspect. The story, voice acting, graphics, sound, music and gameplay are all good.

    The game seems like a fusion of Dragon Age, KOToR and Neverwinter Nights all wrapped up together in a wonderful package. If you liked any of those games, you will undoubtedly like this! You follow the path of Shepard (male or female depending on your preference)    A really good action/RPG game in every aspect. The story, voice acting, graphics, sound, music and gameplay are all good.

    The game seems like a fusion of Dragon Age, KOToR and Neverwinter Nights all wrapped up together in a wonderful package. If you liked any of those games, you will undoubtedly like this!

    You follow the path of Shepard (male or female depending on your preference) in a desperate attempt to save the galaxy from the ominous Reapers. Along the way you recruit companions, fall in love and make tough decisions. It also allows for a little exploration in form of the many sidequests.

    You get to select from a multitude of different classes and level-up and outfit the characters however you want. It also features a squad ordering system (although basic) to position your squad tactically. The combat is in the form of an over-the-shoulder third person, cover-based shooter. It works well here when combined with your squads various strengths and weaknesses.

    All-in-all, a very good game that I would recommend to everyone interested in the format.

    Jimbo Rating: 8/10    … Expand
  39. Admiral_TSon
    Nov 21, 2014
    9
    A generally great game all around with a couple of minor issues. ME1 sets up the series with a fantastic plot and gives users plenty of opportunities to shape the plot with major decisions that have dire consequences. Plot, dialogue, and companions are well written and executed, while combat leaves something to be desired.

    Pros: -Excellent plot in foundation and execution -Well    A generally great game all around with a couple of minor issues. ME1 sets up the series with a fantastic plot and gives users plenty of opportunities to shape the plot with major decisions that have dire consequences. Plot, dialogue, and companions are well written and executed, while combat leaves something to be desired.

    Pros:

    -Excellent plot in foundation and execution
    -Well written team of companions
    -Player has opportunities to make important plot decisions that have an impact on the game/later series
    -Plot provides thought provoking commentary about current issues
    -Great musical score

    Cons:

    -Combat is a bit clunky--guns have unlimited "ammo" but overheat if fired a certain number of times
    -Cover system is very rudimentary and difficult to use practically
    -Missions in the MACO sometimes become tedious
    -Side-quests requiring you to travel to other planets in the game are boring and repetitive with copy-paste settings    … Expand
  40. Futureops
    Nov 12, 2014
    9
    "Simply one of the best RPG you will ever play"

    Mass Effect is the best role playing game of all time, it easily pleases
    any RPG fan out there, the game does get repetitive for any non RPG fan
    but in the end, the final payoff is epic in scale!
    ----------------------------------------------
    GAMESCORE: 9.3 "SUPERB"
    ----------------------------------------------
  41. safteygamerpro
    Oct 18, 2014
    10
    Mass Effect is very fun with good graphics ok gameplay and a fun story. The part of the game that sticks out from the other mass effects is the open world the other games didnt let u explore as much as this game but they had the gameplay and story
  42. Kyle2086
    Oct 1, 2014
    9
    This was a very solid start for a series with a rich lore although cliche'd story. The combat system was thankfully overhauled in the sequels, and while it wasn't terrible, it did feel very 'casual' and the inventory system was a mess. The side missions tend to be bland and drag a bit, but overall it's a great experience and gives you a thrill ride from start to finish. You'll findThis was a very solid start for a series with a rich lore although cliche'd story. The combat system was thankfully overhauled in the sequels, and while it wasn't terrible, it did feel very 'casual' and the inventory system was a mess. The side missions tend to be bland and drag a bit, but overall it's a great experience and gives you a thrill ride from start to finish. You'll find yourself missing some of the diversity present in the first game with the alien races, and giving yourself the option to save or sacrifice major characters makes this a worthwhile experience. The dialogue is well written and the voice work is some of the best in video games. Definitely worth playing if you can find it.… Expand
  43. jssrfx
    Sep 9, 2014
    9
    Mass Effect was, and still is, groundbreaking for its time of release. It truly is an epic science-fiction story which will provide you with many "aha-effects" if you are familiar with the popular science-fiction TV shows and movies.

    Playing this game I am often reminded of Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, Starship Troopers, Farscape and even Stargate to a certain    Mass Effect was, and still is, groundbreaking for its time of release. It truly is an epic science-fiction story which will provide you with many "aha-effects" if you are familiar with the popular science-fiction TV shows and movies.

    Playing this game I am often reminded of Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, Starship Troopers, Farscape and even Stargate to a certain extent, because the gateway-like conduit/relays are reminiscent of Stargates, or perhaps the jump gates from Babylon 5. The universe of the game is diverse, it is a story about co-existence, but also problems between humanity and alien races who have tried to establish a status quo on a huge, city-like space station called the Citadel.

    You start out with a character creation screen - and I do recommend you play the female Shepard, because the voice acting is so much better, and it simply is visually more appealing - and craft your own character just the way you like it. From here on out you're making decisions, forging relationships, decide whether you want to use diplomacy or force, and based on your chosen path the methods by which you achieve the mission goals (and the difficulty with which the game unfolds) the outcome might be different. You should also choose wisely who of your squad members you take on a mission, because sometimes having a higher tech ability might be more useful than combat strength. The customization option in terms of armor, weapon loadout and add-ons are also mindboggling. Make sure you keep your squad in good shape!

    I can honestly say that I've never before felt this connection to a virtual group of people in a single player experience, nor has it ever been that hard in a game to make a choice between who lives, who dies, who gets hurt by your choice, and who will become a close friend. The excellent voice acting (Lance Henricksen and Dwight Schultz to name only a couple of famous actors) does much to create immersion. The side quests in this first installment are a little repetitive, granted, but the story arch makes up for it, never mind the epic end-battle which truly happens on a cinematic scale and quality.

    If you like sci-fi, RPGs and action-adventure games that give you a lot of freedom given a linear story line (and take one or the other cliche), this is for you. And given the fact that you can continue using your character throughout the sequels, do start with this first episode of the trilogy. You will feel far more connected and familiar playing with a Shepard having already over 40 hours under their belt when embarking on the next journey.    … Expand
  44. BasilZero
    Aug 30, 2014
    9
    Game: Mass Effect 1
    Genre: RPG/FPS
    Developer: Bioware/EA System: Steam (PC) Total Score: 93/100 Value Score: 9.3/10 • Story: 10/10 • Characters: 9/10 • GamePlay: 9/10 • Graphics: 8/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 8/10 • Length: 9/10 • Replay Value: 10/10 • Player Value: 10/10 Pros +Great Dynamic story that keeps changing depending on what role, what decisions and    Game: Mass Effect 1
    Genre: RPG/FPS
    Developer: Bioware/EA
    System: Steam (PC)
    Total Score: 93/100
    Value Score: 9.3/10

    • Story: 10/10
    • Characters: 9/10
    • GamePlay: 9/10
    • Graphics: 8/10
    • Sound: 10/10
    • Music: 8/10
    • Length: 9/10
    • Replay Value: 10/10
    • Player Value: 10/10

    Pros
    +Great Dynamic story that keeps changing depending on what role, what decisions and actions you make in the game.
    +Multiple Scenarios, Paths and Endings which leads to multiple playthroughs and thus replay value
    +Class based gameplay system which allows you to have a different experience each time you play as a different class.
    +Character customization lets you create your own character in their own appearance, etc
    +A great mixture of RPG and FPS elements packaged into one game
    +Fantastic voice acting and a lot of voice over scenes
    +A great morality system that also plays in what bonuses you would get (i.e. discounts, certain decision options)
    +Leveling system has quite a depth that ranges from learning unique class abilities to weapon mastery
    +Save files are interchangeable between Steam and Origin.

    Cons
    -Some minor glitches could occur such as falling into the floor or certain scenes not being playable from time to time but nothing game breaking and does not happen often or repeatedly
    -Some of the visual designs look a bit outdated and last gen style (PS2/GCN/Xbox era)
    -Some of the side missions lead you to similar to same looking areas and structures
    -Some of the planets are so barren and empty with nothing but fetch quests or extra grinding for weapons and money.
    -Pinnacle Station DLC is not available for standalone purchases of Mass Effect 1. Only available for Trilogy purchasers.
    -Bring Down the Sky DLC has to be downloaded separately and installed unlike the description in the store page where it says its available already.    … Expand
  45. faf
    Aug 11, 2014
    8
    As the opening chapter in the Mass Effect Trilogy this game is brilliant. For the Sci-Fi fan byt he Sci-Fi fan.

    The universe in which ME plays off is deep and rich, lore hunters will love collecting all the Codex entries scattered throughout the game as they are all well written and really serve to immerse the player. The main quests are fun and dynamic. Fast paced and action packed    As the opening chapter in the Mass Effect Trilogy this game is brilliant. For the Sci-Fi fan byt he Sci-Fi fan.

    The universe in which ME plays off is deep and rich, lore hunters will love collecting all the Codex entries scattered throughout the game as they are all well written and really serve to immerse the player.

    The main quests are fun and dynamic. Fast paced and action packed you get real bang for your buck from these. The optional side quests get recycled many times over and feel very generic. By the end of the game it becomes tedious to drive around in the Mako and clear yet another rogue installation but the quests thankfully are short.

    Lots of Armour and weapons to pick-up and customize to your liking with a slew of upgrades to experiment with for maximum damage and surviveability    … Expand
  46. smeeeee
    Jul 30, 2014
    9
    Summary: Mass Effect is quite interesting and very, very fun for those who love this kind of game. This game has numerous and interesting details, like side missions, squads that you get to command, an opportunity to explore the galaxy, and even getting to romance one of your people. That, coming from me, is very, very impressive for a 2008 game.

    How I determined the score: Graphics    Summary: Mass Effect is quite interesting and very, very fun for those who love this kind of game. This game has numerous and interesting details, like side missions, squads that you get to command, an opportunity to explore the galaxy, and even getting to romance one of your people. That, coming from me, is very, very impressive for a 2008 game.

    How I determined the score:

    Graphics = 2 points - I don't use an xbox or some other fancy game machine for playing these games, so I used a PC, which, by the way, is compatible with a game controller. Even with a not-that-great xbox or computer (like mine), the graphics are still very, very good, and they don't cause you too much trouble, either.

    Action/battle scenes: 1 1/2 points - Regular combat is very intense and challenging, the best I've seen out of a 2008 game. Your henchmen make it even better. A relatively new addition to hostile encounters is the use of biotic abilities, or simply awesome additional powers that can ruin your opponent's day. However, one thing I found was a pain in the neck is the tank used on some missions. I found it very hard to control, and kind of annoying- it is very hard to steer, and you often crash due to that- I mean, crash into a wall or something. It is still kind of fun in that tank, but its frustrating controls brought the score down a bit.

    Controls= 1 1/2 points- It is relatively easy to move around, take cover, fire, switch weapons, dash, use biotic abilities, and tell your squad mates what to do without fretting. However, as I said earlier, the tank is an exception to all of this, and brings the score down a bit.

    Dialogue/cut scenes= 2 points- One thing this game has that others don't necessarily have is that you get to choose what you want to say, and that effects what happens- it could start a fight, make someone love you, prevent someone or something from taking violent action, make someone be not-so-fond of you, or even get yourself a discount.

    Character development (it's one of these games)= 2 points- This isn't just skill points and unlocking abilities. Another thing this game has that many others don't is the option of being a paragon or a renegade- aka good cop or bad cop, in a way. What you do gives you paragon or renegade points, and develops what people think of you.

    (the way this works is each factor can be given a max of 2 points, and in the end, they are all added up to make the score what it is.)    … Expand
  47. inktomi
    Jul 30, 2014
    10
    Mass Effect is a classic. I would put it up with my top 10 Must Play Sci-Fi Games of all Time list. I don't need to tell you why it's good, just that it was the beginning of a great franchise for Bioware. The main story is 24-30 hours long, depending on how thorough you are with side missions and all that. There is a lot to do in Mass Effect, so you will not be bored. The main story isMass Effect is a classic. I would put it up with my top 10 Must Play Sci-Fi Games of all Time list. I don't need to tell you why it's good, just that it was the beginning of a great franchise for Bioware. The main story is 24-30 hours long, depending on how thorough you are with side missions and all that. There is a lot to do in Mass Effect, so you will not be bored. The main story is well paced and plays well. Graphics are excellent and the controls even work will on PC's mouse and keyboard setup.

    If you can catch the trilogy on deep sale, I think it is a great investment all around. Over 100 hours of gameplay through the three games.

    Enjoy.    … Expand
  48. ErenJaeger
    Jul 17, 2014
    9
    With meticulously crafted detail in a highly immersive universe, Mass Effect is perhaps one of the best experiences one could have in a sci-fi RPG. Despite its rather slow start and a few repetitive missions, it delivers, and it delivers well.
  49. SethEvandor
    Jul 12, 2014
    0
    I've always called this game **** Effect" because really it's empty, devoid of interaction with environment, linear (the one exception is when you're supposed to pick the first mission because it's easier - I don't know why), and just basically a shooter with skills and items. It's not really an RPG. Your decisions are not important and you won't care. There are planets you can "explore"I've always called this game **** Effect" because really it's empty, devoid of interaction with environment, linear (the one exception is when you're supposed to pick the first mission because it's easier - I don't know why), and just basically a shooter with skills and items. It's not really an RPG. Your decisions are not important and you won't care. There are planets you can "explore" but really they're massive open areas with barely anything on interest. The game doesn't make you want to use the skills, it makes you want to just shoot. This game could of been a great RPG, but instead they went along a similar route as KOTOR, where action is the focus and anything time consuming just make the game feel like a chore. This game wasn't designed for PC, so I have to give it zero. It was the worst RPG I have ever played.… Expand
  50. PresCthulhu
    Jul 7, 2014
    8
    I still remember fondly of this game as this started the trilogy that is now one of the best rpgs altogether. It was revolutionary back then. I sill remember the bugs, the planet exploration and some of the uninteresting characters though that somewhat detracts from its value (without the nostalgic glasses). There can be no mistakes however: this is a BRILLIANT masterpiece.
  51. whitepawn
    Jul 1, 2014
    8
    A bit outdated but surprisingly good. I didn't like ME2 very much, but steam bundles are steam bundles so I tried this one next to see what the hype was all about. I get it now. Story & dialogue, though cheesy at times, is fun if you're into Class B horror and scifi...most of the tropes are represented here. The romance is more than a bit lame, but whatever, that's supposed to be aA bit outdated but surprisingly good. I didn't like ME2 very much, but steam bundles are steam bundles so I tried this one next to see what the hype was all about. I get it now. Story & dialogue, though cheesy at times, is fun if you're into Class B horror and scifi...most of the tropes are represented here. The romance is more than a bit lame, but whatever, that's supposed to be a literal LOL anyway. Conversation wheel is just getting warmed up, but it's a good start. Funny that the first DA didn't have a fully voiced protag when this game came first for Bioware, but I digress. Much thought went into this game.

    Port to ME2 will give you a bank account, Paragon/Renegade benefits, and your upgraded face kept close to the original (if you want to keep it).

    Leveling system is interesting in that it's on a logarithmic scale not just by exp earn requirements but the benefits received...you get 1/3 what you did at say L10 when you're in your 40s. You never really stop leveling that I could see (hit L49), but you definitely slow down. Even so, hard level caps are horribly annoying, and their methods make for a non-OP enjoyable approach.

    The upgrade system was hell on inventory but much more enjoyable than the crap in ME2.

    They offer a bypass to the minigame crap which they do not do in ME2.

    Biotics battle in ME1 is much more fun than in ME2

    Healing system is much better in ME1, too simplified in ME2

    I feel like with the polish and graphics upgrades of ME2, ME1 is still the superior game. Maybe it's a Bioware trend to make a solid first game and then to streamline battle but not put any effort into the rest of the game for the sequel, just look at Dragon Age Origins vs Dragon Age II, same diff with Mass Effect I think.

    CONS:

    -older graphics...but that's expected

    -cheese on the dialogue (which can be a PRO, depending)

    -"sticky" combat with the wall lean thing...such that the AI for your companions gets them "stuck" leaning on a wall for cover...and they won't leave, unto death

    -the untippable MAKO which should be renamed The KAT because it always lands rightside up, even after doing a Thelma & Louise off a mountain on some moon. Initially it's neat...rugged untouched terrain does not make for roads and they simply turn you loose with an untippable form of transport, but it gets old to the point of groaning when you see mountainous terrain and breathing a sigh of relief when you see a frigid, flat world

    -I favor the sniper rifles and this sniper rifle was ridiculous, fully upgraded, after 1/3 upgraded I never had to take it off...

    -no ammo, the weapons come with infinite ammo

    -The death screen. I get it, whoever designed it probably played an original FPS ( like DOOM) and wanted to rabbit foot that bit into this game, but it's annoying and forces you to sit through the entire early 90s gaming flashback instead of just getting to the load screen already.    … Expand
  52. HPSPhoenix
    Jun 30, 2014
    9
    Nothing at ALL short of a masterpiece. Besides the boring beginning and unbalanced classes, the game imposes on you tough decisions. You will find out a lot about yourself playing this game. I'm not going to spoil any of the choices you have to make, but they are horribly emotional. I almost cried at some of them.
    Play it. Play it. Play it. Play it!
  53. RyuuGP
    Jun 14, 2014
    9
    i play this game this game in 2014, and it's still a great game. i have played the 2nd and 3rd installment (not finished), and i have a feeling that the 1st one is the best. i didn't finish the 2nd and 3rd because they have.. get rid of what make mass effect 1 a great game, a lot of them in fact.. and that make the two games not enjoyable, i'm really really disappointed.

    the 1st mass    i play this game this game in 2014, and it's still a great game. i have played the 2nd and 3rd installment (not finished), and i have a feeling that the 1st one is the best. i didn't finish the 2nd and 3rd because they have.. get rid of what make mass effect 1 a great game, a lot of them in fact.. and that make the two games not enjoyable, i'm really really disappointed.

    the 1st mass effect game is really damn good, it can even be called a masterpiece.. the choice you can make as a character, the exploration, the story, they are very good, they are what you want from an RPG. even with those greatness, i give it 9 because it has.. many problems: it has many bugs (so be prepared by saving the game as soon as possible! and i advice you to have more than 1 save data); and one level design is used many times; planets designs need more details; your item list needs some kind of sort button; and probably more, but you will be satisfied if you can endure it until the end of the game.    … Expand
  54. Mr_Fabulous
    Jun 11, 2014
    2
    Years after its release, I decided to give ME a go after several peoples recommendation. Things started out great, it was interestingly complex and very different from anything else I had played. This feeling quickly faded after just the first mission. The voice acting is what got me first. It was laughably bad except for Joker who was voiced by Seth Green. The story is what got me nextYears after its release, I decided to give ME a go after several peoples recommendation. Things started out great, it was interestingly complex and very different from anything else I had played. This feeling quickly faded after just the first mission. The voice acting is what got me first. It was laughably bad except for Joker who was voiced by Seth Green. The story is what got me next and was the most disappointing. I was always told that ME was a hallmark in story telling games but I found this story to be generic, bland, and slow. Couple this with bad AI, less than stunning visuals, engine problems, and the commanders slow jogging and this turned out to be one of the absolute worst games Ive ever played.… Expand
  55. Sten-Bengt94
    Jun 4, 2014
    6
    I did not get immersed into this game and that is not the because of the story but it is because of the controls, hud and graphics of the game. It also got a bit repetitive so I couldn't continue because it wasn't fun enough to continue. Do not know why I bought it on sale because I regret it.
  56. AthanasiosT
    Jun 1, 2014
    10
    I just want to raise the game's average. 8.6 is really not representative for Mass Effect. It was an original space-opera RPG, with great decision making and combat. A clear 10 for any RPG fan. So, get in your space buggy and go look for some ore out there...
  57. Witcharob
    May 20, 2014
    9
    Cons:
    Pacing can be slow at times, programming is not as good as it is on the sequels, EA published.

    Pros:
    Great characters, great story, nice decision system, fun gameplay, immersive atmosphere, great sci-fi universe, real RPG feel, politically charged & nice classes to choose from.
  58. MightyThor
    Apr 2, 2014
    5
    I think I made the mistake of playing these out of order. I started with ME2 for pc. Amazing game, one of my top 5 easily. Going back to try and replay this one I can never get further in than a couple hours.

    My main gripe is the combat is atrocious compared to the sequels. You're still supposed to use the cover system but it's broken, nearly impossible to shoot without completely    I think I made the mistake of playing these out of order. I started with ME2 for pc. Amazing game, one of my top 5 easily. Going back to try and replay this one I can never get further in than a couple hours.

    My main gripe is the combat is atrocious compared to the sequels. You're still supposed to use the cover system but it's broken, nearly impossible to shoot without completely leaving cover in many fights like in the bar fight early in the game as you look for Wrex. Then the weapons are so confusing. Unlike the simplistic yet effective system in 2 (weapons are limited by class) and the innovative system in 3 (you can use any weapon but heavier ones increase your power cooldowns), in this one you can use any weapon but if you don't have the training for it you miss shots or do less damage or something. I can't quite figure it out.

    Then there's the openness and rpg elements. I was expecting a 3rd person action game with rpg elements like the sequels. Mass effect 1 tries to be a much deeper rpg with convoluted skills and TONS of gear. Like you collect dozens of weapons and put individual part upgrades on each one. It's complete overkill for a game like this. If I want more complex skills I'll go play DA:Origins or if I want tons of loot to manage I'll look into Torchlight. I just don't feel it adds to the game here and it gets annoying.

    Judged on its own the game is probably better than a 5, but compared to the sequels it doesn't have a leg to stand on and I have to rate it low simply cus there is no point in playing this game when you can play the excellent follow ups. Just read the wiki to get a synopsis of the story and you're good to go.    … Expand
  59. Sunfire
    Mar 30, 2014
    9
    Awesome game,just buy it!
    Great story,fun gameplay.,rewarding interactions.
    WARNING!IF you played(or will play this) play the other ones as well,it is sooo satisfying.
  60. entelejent
    Mar 9, 2014
    7
    Both ambitious and disappointing. The foundation is mostly built but lacking. Some things are almost amazing, but ideas are generally implemented and left unfinished or ragged. Some examples:

    –The characters are a tricky bunch. People are too shallow and often cliché to be believable. Some of the better characters could have been incredible, but even the well-developed ones suffer from    Both ambitious and disappointing. The foundation is mostly built but lacking. Some things are almost amazing, but ideas are generally implemented and left unfinished or ragged. Some examples:

    –The characters are a tricky bunch. People are too shallow and often cliché to be believable. Some of the better characters could have been incredible, but even the well-developed ones suffer from plot-induced inconsistencies of their own.
    –Character creation is limited yet confusing; both verdicts are by today’s standards.

    Personally, I enjoy watching good cut scenes, and I appreciate how many this game has. But the quality’s not all there.
    –Transitions are obvious, too choppy.
    –Cut scenes are in a similar predicament as characters. Several cinematic details are very satisfying, yet they often share space with insensible things that are common in games. Here, those stand out all the more because of the satisfying moments.
    –With interactive dialogue, less is offered than might seem; choosing a different dialogue option does not necessarily provide a different sentence, nor are answers regularly changed or streamlined in response to how a question is asked.
    –Movie segments can’t be skipped, which can be annoying. Dialogue segments can be, though they’re orchestrated in a way that pressing the button to skip the next line will run a high risk of inadvertently selecting your next response as well.

    –Though the equipment system is impressively done, if feeling incomplete, money doesn’t have much value. Generally, by the time you can buy something, you’ve found and equipped all your party with better items. The game can be finished without ever buying equipment.
    –The equipment system is not structured for new players. A first-time player may sometimes regret putting points into a skill, when some equipment makes the skill almost obsolete.
    –Combat is in some ways poorly done and becomes repetitive. It does have some good things about it, keeping it overall OK.

    With the things so far, I would have awarded this game a 9. But the skill system and story, such important parts of an RPG, are in some ways below just lacking, they may be better off thrown away then replaced by other ideas than touched up.
    –The skill trees and vocations are very poorly done for such a large game: they’re far too simple, trivial, and unexciting. There’s also very little specialization, and characters tend end up sharing most of the available skills.
    –The main mission system is short, and could probably be completed in several hours. To get into the double digits of playing hours, the side missions are necessary. Unfortunately, those side missions aren’t connected very well with the main missions, and you may be left with a, “So what?” feeling when completing them, especially because the good moments make you expect more. And you can easily finish the game before realizing that you haven’t visited some worlds or done some things.
    –The in-game descriptions are botched. Backgrounds and explanations tend to be ludicrous; the developers usually show shallow understanding of how a system works, and they often pile possibilities onto ideas without contacting experts, or even asking less knowledgeable but somewhat logical people, to see whether something can apply or is possible. At other times they overwhelm with jargon, keeping people from understanding how something works; meanwhile, people who already understand it will realize that the explanation, again, doesn’t work.

    Mass Effect reaches out and takes risks, which is very nice to see. But, maybe from the developers focusing on innovation, both basics and polishing suffer, and the game as a whole is only part of what it could be, and sometimes not even that.    … Expand
  61. Zahrada
    Feb 24, 2014
    8
    I purchased this game in 2012 and spent few days playing it almost non-stop. Very well made, well written and hell lot of fun. There is was a potential for more, here I mean exploring the planets. The game could have been slightly more open. Another downside for me was the character creation, notably the lack of options. It could have been bigger. Also the ui seemd somewhat unfriendly, butI purchased this game in 2012 and spent few days playing it almost non-stop. Very well made, well written and hell lot of fun. There is was a potential for more, here I mean exploring the planets. The game could have been slightly more open. Another downside for me was the character creation, notably the lack of options. It could have been bigger. Also the ui seemd somewhat unfriendly, but that's just me I guess. Overall, excelent game.… Expand
  62. Circadia
    Feb 14, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game blew my mind when I first played it. It was the first game to truly make me believe that video games could be used to tell a compelling narrative with characters that provoked an emotional attachment. In essence, Mass Effect, and the work done by BioWare was revolutionary in demonstrating how video games could be used to create an interactive story. In having to make a choice between one character's life or another about half-way through the adventure, I found myself genuinely sorrowful at the death of a character, just as I would be in film, television or literature. Very well done, BioWare.

    Only point I would make as a critic of the game was that it was almost over-scored. The soundtrack for the game is absolutely brilliant. But nearly every environment has a song that is constantly playing in the background. At points, I found this actually distracting from the storyline.    … Expand
  63. boshi
    Feb 2, 2014
    8
    a very good story, with likable characters. however the gameplay feels awkward and a little bit boring, especially the vehicle sections. i like how dynamic the choices there are to help shape your character's personality. constant freezing is also a problem with this game, as well as glitches like when i go through the floor and have to reload the save, or wait to die.
  64. JimCorbett
    Jan 27, 2014
    6
    I found Mass Effect to simply be an average game. Though, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt since i never played it when it was originally released. The story was easily the highlight of the game. It's just unfortunate that it was so confusing for the first 5 hours of play. The gameplay is pretty stale, it's imply a cover-based shooter with some magic powers to use as well. ReallyI found Mass Effect to simply be an average game. Though, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt since i never played it when it was originally released. The story was easily the highlight of the game. It's just unfortunate that it was so confusing for the first 5 hours of play. The gameplay is pretty stale, it's imply a cover-based shooter with some magic powers to use as well. Really nothing new there. The vehicle segments are completely boring and i experienced a strange bug where all characters in the game world, friendly and enemy, turned to solid black pixels in several levels. I'm going to attribute that to this being such an old game and not made to run on current hardware. Also in the game there were tons of side missions and other planets to explore but there really wasn't any reason to do so. I never felt i was under-powered as I strictly followed the main quest line. In retrospect, i feel that if i did do all those side missions, then i'd be woefully overpowered for the storyline fights. Mass Effect is full of good ideas, none of which are fleshed out enough to make it a game worth playing unless you are a die-hard Space fan.… Expand
  65. Auriell
    Jan 26, 2014
    9
    Top notch material, if you're into the style. Even if you aren't, its totally worth a try. Honestly. A true classic. I just finished the game and all I can say is whoa. What. A. Blast. I just wish I had this kind of experience with half the games I played in my entire life. They really hit the stars with this one. From the gameplay to the cutscenes and voice acting/music. CongratulationsTop notch material, if you're into the style. Even if you aren't, its totally worth a try. Honestly. A true classic. I just finished the game and all I can say is whoa. What. A. Blast. I just wish I had this kind of experience with half the games I played in my entire life. They really hit the stars with this one. From the gameplay to the cutscenes and voice acting/music. Congratulations to the team involved in this magnificent game!

    The only reason I'm not giving this game a 10 is just because theres some sort of micro managing involved in gearing up constantly your character and your companions. The companion AI is kinda lol but still pretty doable. Nothing that kills the game though, but you gotta make sure you're up to date with the gear aspect to make it more efficient when you're fighting the enemies.    … Expand
  66. valentino
    Jan 10, 2014
    8
    Great story, great characters, good voice acting/mediocre gameplay, mediocre graphics. If you like a good story, you have to play this game and the not so great things about this game can be ignored. ME2 is where it really becomes legendary.
  67. m8cct
    Jan 2, 2014
    8
    What Mass Effect lacks in playability, it makes up for with charm. This first Mass Effect is one of the greatest examples of science fiction storytelling in any media, beyond just video games. The setting is astounding, and epic in scope, the characters are deep, and full of life. The Mass Effect universe simply has a way of making you care about it. You're the first human Spectre, flyingWhat Mass Effect lacks in playability, it makes up for with charm. This first Mass Effect is one of the greatest examples of science fiction storytelling in any media, beyond just video games. The setting is astounding, and epic in scope, the characters are deep, and full of life. The Mass Effect universe simply has a way of making you care about it. You're the first human Spectre, flying around the galaxy in the most tricked out ride in Citadel space with a rag-tag alien crew and a mission to save the Milky Way. How could you not be into that?? The mission on Virmire embodies everything that is great about this game: daring adventures, engaging character interactions, and difficult, meaningful decisions.

    But like I said, the game lacks some basic playability and tact. Combat in the first couple levels is choppy and awkward, then hits a sweet spot somewhere around Feros or Noveria, but by the end, is all just a little TOO easy. Cinematic sequences followed by tough fight scenes don't have save points in between, so prepare to see the same cut-scene over and over again. The inventory system may be a bit too much, and while it's nice to have companions on missions, functionally, they are little more than cannon fodder. Conversations with squad mates between missions tend to drag a lot, and, speaking of dragging, how about those elevator rides?

    Regardless of the kinks, this game is a must play for any video game enthusiast.    … Expand
  68. cidgrad01
    Dec 30, 2013
    10
    This and Dragon Age: Origins will probably go down as the last, great Bioware RPGs. While I liked Mass Effect 2 & 3, this one was the best and the sequels fell short of what I had hoped for.

    I liked everything best in this game: story, dialogue, characters, gameplay, exploration, etc. Even its flaws, like the eternal elevator rides, have given us nostalgic humor to refer back to. And    This and Dragon Age: Origins will probably go down as the last, great Bioware RPGs. While I liked Mass Effect 2 & 3, this one was the best and the sequels fell short of what I had hoped for.

    I liked everything best in this game: story, dialogue, characters, gameplay, exploration, etc. Even its flaws, like the eternal elevator rides, have given us nostalgic humor to refer back to. And Mako driving, while admittedly tedious during subsequent playthroughs, was fun the first time around. I liked how they built it into story missions and exploring new planets with it, never knowing what you’d find, was enjoyable. The vehicle sections in the sequels were okay but felt contrived.

    Some have knocked the combat & leveling system in this game, but I thought it was superior to those found in parts 2 & 3. The graphics were not as nice since it was an earlier game, but combat was the most fun here despite some of the rather, um, feminine-looking armors for Shepherd.

    There isn’t much else I can say about it that hasn’t already been said elsewhere a thousand times. It’s a classic piece of video game history and one that may never be duplicated.    … Expand
  69. whatever523
    Dec 27, 2013
    10
    Mass Effect is one of the best games ever created, it's as simple as that. Story, atmosphere, graphics, music, character development, exploration. Mass Effect has it all.

    This isn't an open world game, it's an open universe game.
  70. birdman3
    Dec 11, 2013
    7
    I play this game having been an avid fan of the 2nd and 3rd installments in this trilogy. After having played through both games multiple times, I finally bought this game and played it. This game is much more like KOTOR than it is like Mass Effect 2; the influences of the KOTOR series are clearly evident. The first thing that struck me as odd was the sheer number of items in the game. InI play this game having been an avid fan of the 2nd and 3rd installments in this trilogy. After having played through both games multiple times, I finally bought this game and played it. This game is much more like KOTOR than it is like Mass Effect 2; the influences of the KOTOR series are clearly evident. The first thing that struck me as odd was the sheer number of items in the game. In Mass Effect 2, you handle only so many items (e.g. only a few different SMGs, Pistols, Assault Rifles, and a few sets of armor). In this game, inventory management is a necessity because you pick up items left and right. It's not bad, it's just different. It personally wasn't my thing.

    2nd point- the graphics in this game are quite dated, as is the combat system and AI. The graphics and textures are fuzzy at best, even when played on max settings. The combat system feels much more turn-based, like KOTOR, than free-flow, like Mass Effect 2. The biotic and tech powers don't have the level of depth that is presented in Mass Effect 2, and the weapon systems is very biased. I played as a Sentinel for the first time in my Mass Effect career, and I was mostly unimpressed. At the beginning, when I only had a few tech/biotic powers, battles were very boring because I could only use my abilities once every other battle because of the long cooldown. I relied heavily on my pistol, which was the only weapon I was allowed to use because of my character class. For the rest of the game, the only other weapon I fired was my shotgun on the rare occasion that I felt that it would be useful. This rarely ever happened. Once I leveled up high enough to have multiple powers, I felt unstoppable because I would blow all my cooldowns in every battle and destroy all my enemies. This was more fun, but I was still stuck using a pistol. Finally, the controls (especially while in cover) were very finicky. I found myself rarely ever taking cover, and mostly just ran around with my gun pointed out to shoot down baddies.
    Every thing that this game does right is continued in the future games in the series. Luckily, the things that just stand in the way of fun have been removed.    … Expand
  71. stern
    Dec 8, 2013
    6
    I have played many Bioware games: Baldur's Gate, Kotor, Dragon Age: Origins, Swtor... I came to play Mass Effect a long time after release due to a recent fascination with scifi books and movies, and a sudden free time in my life. So I consider my review somewhat mature and balance, and I'm not a Bioware hater neither a stupid fanboy.
    First, one of the reasons I think so many reviews are    I have played many Bioware games: Baldur's Gate, Kotor, Dragon Age: Origins, Swtor... I came to play Mass Effect a long time after release due to a recent fascination with scifi books and movies, and a sudden free time in my life. So I consider my review somewhat mature and balance, and I'm not a Bioware hater neither a stupid fanboy.
    First, one of the reasons I think so many reviews are high about this game, is because it fills a very empty niche. It's a clear fact that the scifi and space opera themes aren't much represented in the rpgs, and when it comes a game that let's you explore remote planets, imagine humanity future, dwell in galatic politics with different species... Well, this game is going to a thirsty and numerous audience who grew up with Dune, Star Trek, Star wars, etc, and always hoped to experience the same thing in a game.
    And Mass Effect delivers what it promises: it has great concept art, great graphics, a great feel, an eletronic and 80ish soundtrack, an average to good lore... But suffers from the same problems of many others BW games. One wonders how much they spend with writers while the company grows. Is the writing an underfunded sector? Are the writers few? Because their plots, dialogues and (some) characters, are as bland, immature and immerson breaking as one can get. And it's the same old formula of any BW rpg since Kotor, you always have a bulky, angry, agressive companion who worked as a mercenary and who tell plenty of stories of his battles; the protagonist is always a stupid manicheist characte, being either a perfect stupid and law abiding paladin or a ruthless monster who doesn't care about anything at all, withou grey tones between these two poles; the romatic relationships are always dealt with a complete lack of sublety and maturity; etc.
    What actually most surprised (and disappointed) me was to see that Mass Effect main plot is an exact copy of Kotor: an ancient space faring civilization built powerful stuff which is buried in several planets, a villain is after these artifacts and you are in a race against this villain, with all the universe hopes and future on your shoulders, but, ironically, the very own governments and political entities leading this universe you try to save doesn't recognize the threat.
    As you can imagine this leads to very bland experiences where no question is proposed to the player, where no though and conflicting choices need to be made, where you feel sometimes as banging your character head in the floor, only to be able to answer or react to things diffferently. Oh, but if you did that you would be acquiring "evil" points... And after you reach the half of the game, it's basically pure grinding and repetitiveness until reaching the end, and being interesting again. Add this to a worse combat system than Kotor or Dragon Age, where you can even change whom time member you control and this it.
    But Mass Effect isn't only bad points, as I mentioned is amazing to imagine humanity future, colonies in Mars, wars against others species, psionic powers... The Quaranians for example are very interesting and give many food for thought, specially as a reflection of real world politics.
    So, as a tl,dr: Play Mass Effect without expecting too much or a big deviation from your average BW rpg. Just be advised that this isn't like the first Deus Ex and there isn't any mind blowing event or amazing writing, just the overbeated "epic" story of good against the evil.    … Expand
  72. Gingerbread_Man
    Nov 20, 2013
    9
    One of my favorite story-laden games of all time. I never become engrossed in RPGs due to the combat, and ME's combat certainly wasn't a strong point (slightly clunky). However, it didn't get in the way enough to annoy me- which is usually my criterion for judging it. The RPG character/item customization was raw but gave plenty of options (if a bit clumsy to navigate). The charactersOne of my favorite story-laden games of all time. I never become engrossed in RPGs due to the combat, and ME's combat certainly wasn't a strong point (slightly clunky). However, it didn't get in the way enough to annoy me- which is usually my criterion for judging it. The RPG character/item customization was raw but gave plenty of options (if a bit clumsy to navigate). The characters felt real and engaging- banter ranged from serious to humorous. The plot was fantastic- without giving too much away, I bought into the world. I bought into the history of civilizations previous, and the dire situation of the future. Brought together by a great combination of writing and voice acting. Choices felt like they mattered.

    Near perfect execution. Only a bit off for the combat/vehicle stuff which felt a little clunky.    … Expand
  73. urisvesk
    Nov 15, 2013
    7
    Good game with awesome characters and story. The gameplay is good engough once you realize how it works. It has also an Awesome soundtrack! Totally worth to be played.
  74. addie_ho
    Nov 1, 2013
    8
    Great RPG, great story, good background music, fun battle. Driving the tank and explore in planets is trouble somehow. There are too many mountains to climb. I think there should be more side quests about Sheperd's companions, it would be interesting and fun. Don't expect much If you are looking for a good shooter game. Mass Effect is a more of a RPG.
  75. AdamCroston
    Oct 27, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Decent game play with an interesting level up and dialogue (which has nothing on the walking dead) system. Additionally the game throws up some crucial decisions for you to make which can alter the event of the game in a small way but never strays to far away from the inevitable (yet satisfying) ending. Slightly spoiled through the absence of controller support but when I got around that enjoyed the game. Plenty of hours in this game with many side missions to complete. Cannot deny that this game is at times engrossing through it's great dialogue and gripping story line regardless of the many texture failures and crashes that you may encounter. BioWare have definitely convinced me to carry on my involvement with this series with this game, with myself already purchasing Mass Effect 2 just moments after the completion of the first one.… Expand
  76. LairdEJM
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    A true masterpiece which sets up a Universe so utterly absorbing that you will be compelled to pledge yourself to the trilogy. The customisation of Shepard and his/her character and your ability to direct the story yourself gives you the feeling of an alter ego living another life in the future.

    Combat and items are very enjoyable, but the conversation wheel system which has gone on to    A true masterpiece which sets up a Universe so utterly absorbing that you will be compelled to pledge yourself to the trilogy. The customisation of Shepard and his/her character and your ability to direct the story yourself gives you the feeling of an alter ego living another life in the future.

    Combat and items are very enjoyable, but the conversation wheel system which has gone on to feature in many other games is a true stroke of genius.

    Playing this game makes you genuinely care about the characters and the plot to such an extent that addiction is almost inevitable.

    Is this my favorite game ever? Certainly a contender. PLAY IT!    … Expand
  77. marto
    Aug 8, 2013
    6
    After I played for about 8 hours I finally surrender on the first planet outside the Citadel. Moving around is painfully slow, the dialogues are too long and most side missions are dumb as hell from the opening sentence. The inventory is so unpleasant that I don't look at it any more. Giving it a 6 because of the effort put into the game. It works. But it's so much behind Fallout.
  78. OmnipotentGamer
    Aug 5, 2013
    8
    A Truly amazing RPG with potential in so many un-tapped areas, the best game in the series in terms of RPG-feel and decisions. I've played through this game 3 or 4 times and enjoy it every time. Non-Biotic combat leaves for something to be desired, but aside from that and not following through on some areas that could've potential been amazing Mass Effect is a great game and a must playA Truly amazing RPG with potential in so many un-tapped areas, the best game in the series in terms of RPG-feel and decisions. I've played through this game 3 or 4 times and enjoy it every time. Non-Biotic combat leaves for something to be desired, but aside from that and not following through on some areas that could've potential been amazing Mass Effect is a great game and a must play for those craving a space opera style game.… Expand
  79. wintersonline
    Aug 4, 2013
    10
    One of the best game I have ever played! It has a fantastic story, and gameplay. It has plenty background information, If you want to read more, you can!
    I recommend to patch it to your language, You can understand it faster.
    Bads: - When on side quests, the bases has similar internal structure, it was boring. - When a character was speaking and you choose your answer, the character's    One of the best game I have ever played! It has a fantastic story, and gameplay. It has plenty background information, If you want to read more, you can!
    I recommend to patch it to your language, You can understand it faster.
    Bads:
    - When on side quests, the bases has similar internal structure, it was boring.
    - When a character was speaking and you choose your answer, the character's head and face was stuck, or lag a bit, it was not fluent.
    Goods:
    - I felt myself right in the character's role, that is the most powerful property of a role playing game I think.
    - You have to make the decisions -and they matter-, because you are the commander!
    - The gameplay was well divided into storytelling, logical, action parts.
    - I have played only once, but it has plenty variations how the story takes shape.
    - I loved all seconds I played with it, I felt I must had to know what is the next step in the story.    … Expand
  80. ERB
    Jul 31, 2013
    7
    Good game.Love it.With good graphics and game play This deserves to have a good rating from the critics.But only reason why I put it a score of 7 is because the ending is bad.But you should play this,It is worth it.
  81. lutteres
    Jul 29, 2013
    8
    The Good:
    Main quest story
    The characters
    Voice acting
    Character Models
    Excellent Re-playability

    The Fair:
    Combat system
    Overall visuals

    The Bad:
    Boring and repetitive side quests
    Copy paste maps
    Boring mini-games
  82. Palfrei
    Jul 28, 2013
    9
    To begin with let me tell you the following: I played both the Xbox and PC versions and I can tell you, must tell you to get a 360 controller for your PC to play it. Mass Effect has been designed to be controlled with a game pad.

    The game looks fantastic; I got it running at 1280x768 px in full-screen mode -all settings in medium and no dynamic shadows- on a AMD Phenom II X4 920 at 2.80    To begin with let me tell you the following: I played both the Xbox and PC versions and I can tell you, must tell you to get a 360 controller for your PC to play it. Mass Effect has been designed to be controlled with a game pad.

    The game looks fantastic; I got it running at 1280x768 px in full-screen mode -all settings in medium and no dynamic shadows- on a AMD Phenom II X4 920 at 2.80 GHz with 4 GB of RAM and a Nvidia GeForce 210 card with 1Gb of DDR2 RAM. I only experienced some hiccups when the engine threw at me lots of fogging and heavy water effects. If your computer is even worse than mine, you can drop the resolution to 1024x768 on the windowed mode and it'll do pretty good. For a 3 year-old game it still looks amazing: water surfaces, reflections, textures and the lightening are terrific.

    The gameplay is reminiscent of Gears of War with RPG elements thrown in as our squad members can access their abilities either passively by means of battle menu or actively using the keyboard short-cuts. We control commander Shepard that can either be female or male and whose face we can design to our own liking; Shepard is the only character we can fully control as the rest of them, members of our squad, are semi-automatic. Our active squad is composed by three party members and they can be ordered to move forward, backward, attack or defend and we can also access their skills through the passive battle menu. These skills come in the form of biotic powers, mainly telekinetic abilities such as pull, push, force shield and space distortion: biotics are Mass Effect's gameplay core and a lot of fun. Apart from shooting and using biotic skills in a back third person perspective there are several missions that require vehicle driving and shooting: the Mako. These missions usually are pretty straight-forward however fun; the Mako is equipped with a rail gun and a cannon and both will heat and shut down temporarily after repeated and heavy use: the Mako will also take damage that can be repaired using omnigel paks. The Mako will also serve to explore the different planets that will be visited, on which resources and secrets can be found to progress the story, unlock features and improve the equipment. There are more RPG elements than using biotic powers, weapons and armours can be purchased and upgraded and the game is heavily scripted as well with multiple conversation choices to pick leading to different results.

    Even though I suggested getting a console controller to play it, using the keyboard-mouse combination has its advantages because we can assign more than two buttons to the special abilities. The mouse is used to target and move the camera around as well as the Mako turret, the left button is for shooting and the right button is for precise targeting. The space bar is for bringing up the passive battle menu and the shift key for running like in Gears of War. Fortunately, the control setup allows mouse inversion and tweaking for all the key assignments.

    The sound quality of the game is really good but not impressive overall however its voice acting is terrific and this is where this aspect of the game shines.

    The musical score is futuristic and serves its purpose wonderfully yet it is not memorable with the exception of the end-titles song.

    The story is really engaging and well written with several plot twists. Each team member has their own and we get to know them by means of the several conversations available through the course of the game. The best part of the scripting is how much detail Bioware put into the universe to make it plausible: they went to the extent of adding an encyclopaedia with all the game scientific and biological terminology as well as planetary information and entries on the alien races' civilizations. There is so much thought put into this universe unlike most of the other sci-fi games released except the Xenosaga series, which is even more complex. The whole universe sustains itself in a wonderful and believable way thanks to the writer's wit that allowed them to come up with technology and scientific concepts not far away from our current reality and what we might consider possible.

    The art is not impressive in a complicated way: its functional, it suits the universe and serves to sustain the fictional world of the script yet it is not original. Some planets are beautiful and breath-taking and the Normandy has been wonderfully designed. There is a lot of simplicity put into the art design that fortunately highlights the overall impression rather than making it dull nonetheless most planetary surfaces and facilities are repetitive with the same type and distribution of elements within them.

    All in all, Mass Effect is one of the best games ever released: it has wonderful graphics, a fantastic voice acting, entertaining gameplay and a very well written and cohesive fictional world; there isn't much else that anybody can ask for a good game to be good and Mass Effect covers all of these aspects superbly.

    Graphics: 10

    Control: 8

    Gameplay: 10

    Sound: 9

    Music: 7

    Story: 9.5

    Art: 8,5

    ///------TOTAL: 9 [rounded]------///    … Expand
  83. faceless-1
    Jul 13, 2013
    9
    This game is awesome. Great characters, great world and very good story (well some parts are a bit cheese but it wont matter). When i started playing i could not stop.
  84. jcasetnl
    Jul 7, 2013
    8
    Like many I got on the Mass Effect train with ME2. So you're probably wondering if it's worth it to play the first one. Short answer is 'yes'.

    ME1 is less polished but more intelligent than ME2 and 3. Your decisions and interactions seem to alter the story more. Combat is less forgiving (at first). You're thrown into more moral dilemmas. Speaking of combat, if you have FPS    Like many I got on the Mass Effect train with ME2. So you're probably wondering if it's worth it to play the first one. Short answer is 'yes'.

    ME1 is less polished but more intelligent than ME2 and 3. Your decisions and interactions seem to alter the story more. Combat is less forgiving (at first). You're thrown into more moral dilemmas.

    Speaking of combat, if you have FPS experience definitely play this one on hard or you'll find the combat getting repetitive and boring. Additionally, once you get some skills boosted, some of the combat mechanics are easy to abuse for the guaranteed win. The higher difficulty really pushes you to think about your skill choices and approach combat situations strategically.

    Bottom line, this ME is "different but good in its own way."    … Expand
  85. sft
    Jul 7, 2013
    6
    Not quite the full kilo

    MASS EFFECT is a mixed bag of a game: everything about it is good in some ways but not in others. The most notable achievement perhaps is the rich storyline and detailed universe created by the developers (there is plenty to read here I started by reading every word but confess to scanning some texts as the game progressed). The graphics are good in parts but    Not quite the full kilo

    MASS EFFECT is a mixed bag of a game: everything about it is good in some ways but not in others. The most notable achievement perhaps is the rich storyline and detailed universe created by the developers (there is plenty to read here I started by reading every word but confess to scanning some texts as the game progressed). The graphics are good in parts but not in others (I know this game came out in 2007 but then so did Crysis). The voice acting is overall pretty good and there are plenty of branches to the dialogue trees. And this is where MASS EFFECT’s strengths lie: in the role playing aspects of the game. You’re given the opportunity to be the good guy or the not so good guy, depending on how you wish to play. Less successful is the combat, which, for the most part, failed to engage. Also the side missions are very repetitive and dull. The vehicle you get to drive on numerous occasions bounces around like a drunken bouncy thing, and there are endless elevators that take too long to ascend or descend. Oh, and the UI for selecting skills, weapons etc. is needlessly complex.

    Overall MASS EFFECT is worth playing but the whole experience is oddly detached and vaguely unsatisfying. I have MASS EFFECT 2 also. I understand it’s much improved on the first.    … Expand
  86. Basem101
    Jun 21, 2013
    9
    am not a big fan of galaxy and universe games or shows and when this game came out i wasn't interested at all until i saw that it got really high scores so i decided to give it a try and am glad i made that decision cause this game is just amazing it made me feel like the fate of the whole universe rests in my hand with amazing story and gameplay and great graphics but i didn't give itam not a big fan of galaxy and universe games or shows and when this game came out i wasn't interested at all until i saw that it got really high scores so i decided to give it a try and am glad i made that decision cause this game is just amazing it made me feel like the fate of the whole universe rests in my hand with amazing story and gameplay and great graphics but i didn't give it 10 because of some bugs like i have to save every time the game doesn't save until u finish the mission so if i died in the middle of the mission i had to play it from the beginning and the mako car was sometimes frustrating but other than that it is so amazing and i could easily get over these issues i can't wait to play the rest of the series… Expand
  87. EliteAmatuer
    Jun 20, 2013
    9
    Mass Effect is a Bioware futuristic space RPG (but you probably already knew that). This game is more of a traditional RPG with lots of somewhat confusing menus, leveling up system, etc. For people who like action games more should probably look to ME 2. because the combat mechanics aren't very polished. Having said that, it's one of the most engrossing and beautiful stories in any gameMass Effect is a Bioware futuristic space RPG (but you probably already knew that). This game is more of a traditional RPG with lots of somewhat confusing menus, leveling up system, etc. For people who like action games more should probably look to ME 2. because the combat mechanics aren't very polished. Having said that, it's one of the most engrossing and beautiful stories in any game before or since it's release.… Expand
  88. Toffenuff
    Jun 19, 2013
    7
    While I can agree, to a point, that the story for the first game is somewhat better than the second, I think part of it is because it introduced us to the world no, universe of Mass Effect in a fantastic way. Definitely a story-driven game. There are a lot of twists and turns in this game, a lot of choices that have to be made that impact how the rest of the story, and own characterWhile I can agree, to a point, that the story for the first game is somewhat better than the second, I think part of it is because it introduced us to the world no, universe of Mass Effect in a fantastic way. Definitely a story-driven game. There are a lot of twists and turns in this game, a lot of choices that have to be made that impact how the rest of the story, and own character development plus their relationship with Shepard as the game progresses.

    Graphics are decent for the year it was released, but I feel like some of the textures could've been improved and bumped up at least to look better on the PC version. They used what they had well though to create large, believable environments that gave you the feeling that you truly were trotting around the universe in an effort to save it.

    Combat is okay. I actually prefer the combat of the later games.

    Knocked points because of the following gripes/cons that really dampened my gaming experience: overly long and repetitive Mako driving, tedious and confusing inventory and looting system (terrible UI in general, but that's what you get from a console port). These were serious issues for me would've given this game a 9 otherwise.

    The only one of the Mass Effects that I haven't replayed at all because of the gripes I have listed. But still a great game if you haven't gotten into the Mass Effect series than you MUST play this (I know people who only play ME2 and then ME3).    … Expand
  89. Frioniel
    Jun 6, 2013
    10
    An Instant Classic. Mass Effect Is a WRPG like none other. This took the groundwork from KOTOR I and II and improved in just about every way. This game has a lot of amazing features, in many ways it's a more mature take on Star Wars. One of the first full voice acted 3d WRPGs. You create your own Commander Shepard, you decide the gender, what he or she looks like, his/her service history,An Instant Classic. Mass Effect Is a WRPG like none other. This took the groundwork from KOTOR I and II and improved in just about every way. This game has a lot of amazing features, in many ways it's a more mature take on Star Wars. One of the first full voice acted 3d WRPGs. You create your own Commander Shepard, you decide the gender, what he or she looks like, his/her service history, and psychological profile. You make many choices, who to let on your crew, who you become romantically involved in, morality choices, and ultimately the fate of the galaxy. Perhaps the most amazing feature is your Shepard and all his/her choices carry throughout the series, with good repercussions and bad. Don't miss this experience.… Expand
  90. tsabszy
    May 29, 2013
    10
    i love this game. i have played it through about 6 times. in love wih the desing, feeling and storytelling! the gameplay is ok, i mean the fighting was far from perfect, but still i have played more with this game than with it's sequels together
  91. PStakhiv
    May 16, 2013
    9
    It's an absolutely ground-breakin project, never before the player's actions has such an impact on the universe of the game! Dialog wheel is a genius decision, outstanding voice acting, addicting leveling, well written main plot, interesting missions! And sure it's not perfect gun shooting isn't good, boring side quests! But overall it's must own if you like sci-fi or RPG.
  92. Herbis
    May 9, 2013
    9
    By far my most favorite from the trilogy. It brought something fresh, something that's not generic, and it made me interested and invested in it. I mean, I have spent at least 60 hours trying to explore every little bit of the game, and there is much to explore. Even though the Mako controls might feel awkward at times, it's still much better to have those portions of the game, to exploreBy far my most favorite from the trilogy. It brought something fresh, something that's not generic, and it made me interested and invested in it. I mean, I have spent at least 60 hours trying to explore every little bit of the game, and there is much to explore. Even though the Mako controls might feel awkward at times, it's still much better to have those portions of the game, to explore the game world, visit the planets with it. It was quite intriguing just driving around various deserted planets, with the feeling that there's nothing here, and you're all alone, but then eventually finding something, like a probe, with information in it.
    Another part of the gameplay I enjoyed was no ammo, but your guns could overheat. No longer I had to worry about how many bullets I spend, and then looking for more in random places, or where conveniently placed. Instead you would focus on how to time your shots so that you dont overheat your guns.
    Best part of the game is probably the story and the choices you make. I was never into Sci-Fi much, but this game made it work for me. The character interactions, the dialog options, many choices, all made me like the game more and more.
    One part that could have been done better is upgrade management..there were just too many of them, and my inventory got full quite often. Managing your own upgrades, plus your squad mates upgrades, took too much time. Then again, you do have the choice of not even bothering with it.
    I can't recommend this game enough, it is very very good.    … Expand
  93. Aeruja
    Apr 12, 2013
    10
    I got this game nearly 5 years after its initial release. I have a habit of trailing the trend, and this allows me to use effectively get the best bang out of every buck I spend on games as I usually end up picking out games with the very best reviews.

    Originally, I was very skeptical of Mass Effect. I've played Bioware games before, and they usually left me with a terrible impression.    I got this game nearly 5 years after its initial release. I have a habit of trailing the trend, and this allows me to use effectively get the best bang out of every buck I spend on games as I usually end up picking out games with the very best reviews.

    Originally, I was very skeptical of Mass Effect. I've played Bioware games before, and they usually left me with a terrible impression. Mass Effect, on the other hand, was surprisingly incredible.

    Mass Effect is actually a trilogy game if you didn't already know that, but what you may not know is that, it is meant to be played all 3 in succession. If you're going to buy ME, you better be prepared to buy the complete set, because they're all interwoven so well, that if you only buy one or two, you'll always feel like you're missing something.

    And it is exactly that, that makes ME trilogy so attractive.

    It reminds me of the old "Choose Your Own Adventure" books I enjoyed so much when I was young.

    Your regular choices regularly affect everything and everyone around you, just as you would in the real world. And once you've chosen, you can consequently see your choices being played out through the trilogy.

    Unlike games like Skyrim, while you're free to pursue whatever activities you so prefer. The game doesn't presume a specific personality or allow you to presume as one. So while the freedom is there, and while there are literally hundreds of NPCs for you to meet, and thousands more dialogue to hear..at best, it only feels like a television show just being played out with you on the passive receiving end.

    The feeling is different, even different from Deus Ex. In Deus Ex, while you have choices of different responses and actions, they ultimately come off only as techniques of persuasions but the same personality is being still used.

    In ME, like in the real world, you will encounter really tough situational questions. Even while your personality will naturally reflect your usual responses, but there will still be the odd time where you will wonder what it would be like to be an "alpha" male? Or whether there is a way to change your superior's bad impression of your character? Or you want to learn a few techniques in reading in-between the lines? You know, the useful day-to-day conversation skills that you never learn anywhere else (short of countless social blunders)! Those dangerous words and actions that you've always wanted to say, but couldn't for fear of irreparable damage to your self image and relationships.

    ME's good like that, and that's why I think it stands out above the rest.

    Granted, the massive freedom, for say Skyrim, allows the game to have massive replay value, whereas a game like Mass Effect, you'll probably only play through it once, twice at best.

    But, based on the combined quality of material presented, good graphics, voice acting, seamless gameplay, and most importantly, the interactive story, is well worth the price tag of being played through even just once.    … Expand
  94. neacaisa
    Apr 2, 2013
    6
    A great example of how reviewers got the standards lower every year. Mass effect is not such a great game, the only really good thing it's the main story. Apart from that, we have uninteresting and repetitive secondary missions, combat with potential but it goes down due to horrible party control, bad inventory interface, mostly uninteresting party members and unbalanced gameplay (the gameA great example of how reviewers got the standards lower every year. Mass effect is not such a great game, the only really good thing it's the main story. Apart from that, we have uninteresting and repetitive secondary missions, combat with potential but it goes down due to horrible party control, bad inventory interface, mostly uninteresting party members and unbalanced gameplay (the game gets easier halfway through). It's sad cause the setting was really good with an interesting plot, but on most aspects the game was really disappointing.… Expand
  95. xZippy
    Mar 29, 2013
    8
    I made that classic mistake of playing Mass Effect 2 & 3 before playing this one, and I thought that would spoil the experience for me, and thankfully that wasn't the case. At first, I was just curious to see what things would carry over from this game to the other ones, but I got some good gameplay and atmosphere to go with that which kept me playing until the end. No, it's obviously notI made that classic mistake of playing Mass Effect 2 & 3 before playing this one, and I thought that would spoil the experience for me, and thankfully that wasn't the case. At first, I was just curious to see what things would carry over from this game to the other ones, but I got some good gameplay and atmosphere to go with that which kept me playing until the end. No, it's obviously not as good as Mass Effect 2, but it paves the way for a top notch series. The most prominent turn off for me was the gear/weapons system. It was too much and I didn't want to put the time in managing all that gear for myself AND all of my squad mates, so I just kept it all as "middle ground" as possible so I could go on with the game.… Expand
  96. Squadinho
    Mar 18, 2013
    7
    Just finished my latest play through of this after a year or so break and what a brilliant game. I'll cover the negatives first, as for me there are couple.

    It is fairly slow to get going. The pace at which you move round the world for me is a little bit too slow. This can be helped in certain locations by using 'rapid transit' terminals which instantly transport you around, but you    Just finished my latest play through of this after a year or so break and what a brilliant game. I'll cover the negatives first, as for me there are couple.

    It is fairly slow to get going. The pace at which you move round the world for me is a little bit too slow. This can be helped in certain locations by using 'rapid transit' terminals which instantly transport you around, but you risk losing out on side missions if you do this.

    The main missions themselves also follow the same, repetitive path. All involve a lengthy and boring drive along a basically one way road, simply blasting enemies that offer no real resistance to you (even on higher difficulties). You then reach where you need to be, get out and kick some ass.

    The side missions as well are also very repetitive. All featured in pretty much identical in their layout, there seems to be three different layouts which you visit over and over again. Again, driving around makes up a good portion of these missions in terrain that is at points a massive pain in the neck to negotiate.

    Where this game makes up for it though, is the story and interaction with your squad mates. Each has a backstory and you feel you want to get to know them. A couple of choices through the game are almost heart-wrenching, and even playing it through for the fourth if fifth time they really make you think.

    On-foot combat is fun and engaging, although the AI doesn't seem particularly intelligent. You just get rushed, so hiding round a corner with a shotgun is your best bet.

    This game would be average at best if it wasn't for the story and characters. If you're looking for non stop action, this game isn't for you. If you want an engaging story, then you have to play this.    … Expand
  97. theNILE
    Mar 14, 2013
    1
    Catastrophe, linear game-play, the one time you do get a choice in missions, one is ridiculously harder which is pretty much the embodiment of developer idiocy. Weapons are imbalanced and taking the harder route doesn't make the game much more entertaining. The storyline is just pointless, you are up against an unknown enemy and all of your missions are pointless in the end, you just killCatastrophe, linear game-play, the one time you do get a choice in missions, one is ridiculously harder which is pretty much the embodiment of developer idiocy. Weapons are imbalanced and taking the harder route doesn't make the game much more entertaining. The storyline is just pointless, you are up against an unknown enemy and all of your missions are pointless in the end, you just kill your enemy and the game is over, nothing is really answered and you don't feel any satisfaction. Level design is terrible as well. If you enjoy real games with real value, this game is to be avoided. ME is just a game created for visuals and people suck it in.… Expand
  98. drakenseng
    Feb 24, 2013
    10
    Story is great, kinda typical save the world story but its all the stuff in between. Gameplay is more like a 3rd person shooter, although you can pause combat for more tactical approach. Graphics are great for its time of release, i have no problems with it. Sound is great with execellent voice overs,music, and sound effects. Overall, a masterpiece game. I can't think of another sci fi rpgStory is great, kinda typical save the world story but its all the stuff in between. Gameplay is more like a 3rd person shooter, although you can pause combat for more tactical approach. Graphics are great for its time of release, i have no problems with it. Sound is great with execellent voice overs,music, and sound effects. Overall, a masterpiece game. I can't think of another sci fi rpg like this for the pc so it deserves a top score.… Expand
  99. Jaz
    Feb 24, 2013
    9
    A great space RPG with compelling story, believable characters, immersing world and space exploration. Combat was ok as well the controls. But the strong point of this game -and the most important for me-was that you really felt that you were the hero who would save the Galaxy.
  100. Setsudo
    Feb 7, 2013
    10
    Who loves SF will love this game. Story, caracters, actions, adventure... That's a package to true pleasure. The amazing thing is that you keep your caracter to the next chapters of the saga.

    Graphisms are today old but doesn't kill your pleasure and curiosity. This is a must to have
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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best PC Game of 2008
6
#6 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
5
#5 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 45
  3. Negative: 0 out of 45
  1. GameSpot
    90
    Whether you're a seasoned Spectre looking to suit up again, or a newcomer who has never set foot on the Normandy, the refined PC version is your best choice for experiencing this excellent game.
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  2. PTGamers
    95
    Mass Effect PC wasn't rushed, this version has clearly been thoroughly thought-out to exploit the advantages of this platform.
    Read full review
  3. G4 TV
    100
    Computer owners are getting everything found in the Xbox 360 game, including achievements and online leaderboards, but with better visuals, smoother action, and a more streamlined interface. That the game rings up at a lower retail price and offers the first expansion pack as a free download is simply icing on the cake.
    Read full review
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