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. roboticsun
    Oct 8, 2011
    8
    This is a well-written and good role playing game although it really does not offer too much character development. The scope and imagination in this game is top-notch in sci-fi genre. However, similar to many other games, it suffers from many design failures including repetitive combat, reused environments, inconvenient user interface (inventory system is so bad), and technical problemsThis is a well-written and good role playing game although it really does not offer too much character development. The scope and imagination in this game is top-notch in sci-fi genre. However, similar to many other games, it suffers from many design failures including repetitive combat, reused environments, inconvenient user interface (inventory system is so bad), and technical problems (crash, freeze and long elevator loading). This game's story and character design is quite like Knights of the old republic. There are many twists in the plot line and you can choose two different moral paths. However, I personally feel its real-time combat system is better than KotOR at least it's not that boring while the down side is you can not directly control your squad members. I give it 8 out 10 since mass effect 2 did a better job on the overall game design.… Expand
  2. SuperTakashii
    Jan 22, 2011
    8
    Once you break the surface of Mass Effect, you'll love it to bits. The presentation of story is clean and sensible. The combat is responsive and clean. The graphics are gorgeous; the film grain and motion blur turn this game into a beautiful interactive environment, but this game falls down at the beginning.

    There are a lot of games that take a bit of getting into, but this one has the    Once you break the surface of Mass Effect, you'll love it to bits. The presentation of story is clean and sensible. The combat is responsive and clean. The graphics are gorgeous; the film grain and motion blur turn this game into a beautiful interactive environment, but this game falls down at the beginning.

    There are a lot of games that take a bit of getting into, but this one has the thickest skin I've ever encountered. This game would benefit so much from having a more gradual, more thoroughly explained introduction to the complicated layout, because when you get thrown into the game everything is a little confusing. You're not quite sure how to do certain things. You forget how to control Shepard efficiently if you play for less than a few hours in your first sitting, as the game never reinforces controls at any point, simply telling you the controls and expecting you to never forget them again. You have immediate access to a complicated menu of buttons when you're not quite sure what all of them do. The array of controls are vast and complicated: easy to forget. The story hits the ground running, but unfortunately the gameplay doesn't. You spend your first hour wandering around confused and wondering what to do. If you leave and then play again the next day you'll lose all sense of direction and spend ages wandering around, completely bored. This all makes the story disjointed and clunky at times, where lots of stuff goes down in a minute long cutscene, then you wander for another 30 minutes 'til you get more.

    Once you break the skin of Mass Effect, it will be an incredibly enjoyable game that's difficult to put down.    … Expand
  3. wordy_actions
    Jul 26, 2011
    8
    THE GOOD: The story, the characters, and the locations are all fully realized and well-designed. The voice acting is great, as well as the music. THE BAD: Well, the combat. It's not exactly bad, it's just not as good as the rest of the game. Still, it only slightly detracts from the enjoyment of the game. THE UGLY: Krogan.
  4. HighwayUK
    Sep 5, 2011
    8
    Still the best of the series in my view (less dlcs yet the game is far longer than ME2 with all it's dlcs) graphically its decent enough for the age, feels better designed then the sequel, and it's still one of the best RPG shooters about. EA needs to get ME3 back on track and dump DLC crapness unless the game is 20+ hours like this title was
  5. 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.
  6. Thothistox
    Jan 1, 2013
    8
    THE GOOD: Mass Effect is an SF RPG/shooter, with an immersive story, a large and diverse set of maps, cool art and Bioware's trademark cinematic story-telling at its best. So far I've only done one playthrough so I can't tell for sure, but it probably also has plenty of C&C. Your character is given motivation. He or she is put in difficult moral situations and has to overcome theTHE GOOD: Mass Effect is an SF RPG/shooter, with an immersive story, a large and diverse set of maps, cool art and Bioware's trademark cinematic story-telling at its best. So far I've only done one playthrough so I can't tell for sure, but it probably also has plenty of C&C. Your character is given motivation. He or she is put in difficult moral situations and has to overcome the misperceptions of others. Moral ambiguity is what makes an adult RPG, and you get your share here. THE BAD: Here is where I take off points.

    -1 The game crashes frequently, especially during the driving sequences. I'm probably running into the problems people have when running the game on a quad. It crashed so frequently it was unplayable on a 9:16 resolution, and I had to switch to 3:4 which warps everything on my monitor but was more stable.

    -1 The lore. Now you might rightfully criticise me for playing something in a genre that I don't like, but hear me out. I take my SF very seriously, which is why I don't like Hollywood movie SF. There must be a smarter way of portraying other "races" of intelligent creatures than with anthropomorphic English-speaking space aliens. I like to keep my aliens completely alien in the way of Stanislaw Lem.

    -1 The combat. You have limited control over your team and there is relatively little need for tactics. Your promotions are mostly add a few percentage points here or there, such as to health or gun power. The talents are a bit silly. How is it a talent to be able to shoot your gun really quickly?

    I won't take anything away for other flaws. The dull romance you get with Ashley, the dialog options for persuasion and intimidation that make NPCs magically do what you want, your NPC team mates being a bit dull generally. I'll forgive all that because of the story.

    In spite of its flaw ME1 is a good game, and it was a good way to spend my New Year's weekend.    … Expand
  7. 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
  8. snowshreder
    Jul 5, 2011
    8
    This game is simply different a hybrid if you will the mechanics are new, the story is good, the movie or sense pull it together the weapons pissed me off why are there only 4 grades of weapon this is just lazy and makes firefights less interesting. overall this game was worth the cost.
  9. AlienSpaceBats
    Jan 27, 2013
    8
    A unique (for its time, at least), well executed RPG/TPS hybrid much in the same vein as BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic. Sometimes more enjoyable to watch (cut-scenes, conversations) than to play (combat is not the game's strong-point).
  10. 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
  11. grandpajoe6191
    Nov 11, 2011
    8
    "Mass Effect" is a great, superb game. Yes, it has quite some glitches as well as a monotonous start with repetitive missions, but after a few hours you'll get over it. The great thing about this game was the sexy graphics, solid gameplay, character customization, and DIALOGUE. Every decision you make affects YOU. Overall if you are a PC gamer, this is one great game you shouldn't miss.
  12. Quality
    Jan 23, 2012
    8
    Mass Effect is a great sci-fi rpg created by top studio Bioware.
    Pros: A strong involving story set in an atmospheric setting. Your choices matter, and will, if you so choose impact Mass Effect 2. Amazing voice acting brings life to an array of interesting characters. Fine graphics that shines during the interactive cutscenes. The shooting/ action    Mass Effect is a great sci-fi rpg created by top studio Bioware.
    Pros: A strong involving story set in an atmospheric setting. Your choices matter, and will, if you so choose impact Mass Effect 2. Amazing voice acting brings life to an array of interesting characters. Fine graphics that shines during the interactive cutscenes. The shooting/ action aspects of the game are very solid.
    Cons: The side quests vary in quality. Some are great, others far weaker. Glitches and frame rate drops hamper the experience slightly.    … Expand
  13. shaun37
    Oct 26, 2011
    8
    Amazing well thought-out and executed, great voice acting, memorable characters and full of emotion and some of the most entertaining fights you'l experience. Mass Effect is just as much for RPG fans as it is for standard 3rd person shooter fans, with creative and unique classes and extremely fun combination of powers+gunfire. Enemies are challenging, story folds out extremely well andAmazing well thought-out and executed, great voice acting, memorable characters and full of emotion and some of the most entertaining fights you'l experience. Mass Effect is just as much for RPG fans as it is for standard 3rd person shooter fans, with creative and unique classes and extremely fun combination of powers+gunfire. Enemies are challenging, story folds out extremely well and world class graphics. Only 8 cuz of repetitive driving scenes and unnecessary and obscene amount of gear.… Expand
  14. Ztride
    Dec 21, 2011
    8
    A great overall game, perhaps a little short when you remove the linear planet exploration side-quests. The game features great characters, a very interesting and quite original sci-fi setting and smart dialogue system. The combat, which has no re-loadable weapons but instead an overheating-system (featured on heavy machine guns in many other shooters) was refreshing.
  15. vixvicco
    May 12, 2012
    8
    Amazing start to a fantastic series. Worth playing. Storyline very compelling, on its own the story is somewhat good but ordinary, but combining it with the 2nd and 3rd games makes it a completely creative and compelling masterpiece. Whoever says you can skip this one is lying, I recommend playing this first if possible.
  16. 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
  17. ChoicestGames
    Dec 11, 2012
    8
    If you're a fan of Bioware RPGs and especially if you're into sci-fi, you won't be disappointed by Mass Effect if you overlook the few minor UI quirks - however, those against draconian DRMs, who like to feel that they actually own the game or tend to like a bit of variety in their side quests, may have to look elsewhere.
  18. fastblood
    Mar 6, 2012
    8
    A highly customizable and interesting game. The universe is well created and thought out, and the characters are not flat or boring. The choices the player makes are varied and noticeably effect later gameplay. Overall, it is a very solid game, and a refreshing take on the sci-fi genre. The ability to mold your character the way you want both personally and on the field of battle isA highly customizable and interesting game. The universe is well created and thought out, and the characters are not flat or boring. The choices the player makes are varied and noticeably effect later gameplay. Overall, it is a very solid game, and a refreshing take on the sci-fi genre. The ability to mold your character the way you want both personally and on the field of battle is greatly appreciated as well.… Expand
  19. Zoso
    Jun 15, 2012
    8
    Not a bad game, by all means, but they didn't have the budget later titles in the series had, and so A) the graphics and B) the REPETITIVE level design make playing it a bit too tedious to be really great. Otherwise, it has all the strengths of its successors, like immersive story and a great combat system. And, also one of its major strengths: Your choices DO matter (a lot...), even ifNot a bad game, by all means, but they didn't have the budget later titles in the series had, and so A) the graphics and B) the REPETITIVE level design make playing it a bit too tedious to be really great. Otherwise, it has all the strengths of its successors, like immersive story and a great combat system. And, also one of its major strengths: Your choices DO matter (a lot...), even if it's in pt. 2 or 3 of the trilogoy.… Expand
  20. PictoPirate
    May 17, 2017
    8
    A super space romp with some interesting characters epic battles and a big chunk of space exploration thrown in. I can't wait to see how the story develops over the next couple of games.
  21. Bossk-Office
    Mar 28, 2012
    8
    There is really only one thing that lowers my score for Mass Effect: driving around in a stupid car called the "Mako", which is a poorly implemented rudimentary gaming experience to say the least that does not belong anywhere near an AAA title.

    Other than that, I have not had so much fun playing a game since the original Space Quests, or perhaps Dragon Age: Origins. You hop around the    There is really only one thing that lowers my score for Mass Effect: driving around in a stupid car called the "Mako", which is a poorly implemented rudimentary gaming experience to say the least that does not belong anywhere near an AAA title.

    Other than that, I have not had so much fun playing a game since the original Space Quests, or perhaps Dragon Age: Origins. You hop around the galaxy, you walk through the Citadel, you talk to your squad on the Normandy, you snuggle up with blankets, you listen to the lovely music and you just let yourself be enveloped by the game and by the world. Mass Effect is a feelgood game that just plain gives you hope for gaming.

    Combat feels clunky and frustrating at first, when Shepard wants to take cover against any wall, any corner you come close to in the heat of battle, and not always obeying your frantic button-mashing, but you soon realize itâ    … Expand
  22. Lulgrim
    May 22, 2012
    8
    One of the better video games in the adventure/RPG/action sci-fi genre, ME suffers a little from repetitive side quests that seem auto-generated, but the main storyline is good (cheesy, sometimes silly writing but still epic and entertaining) and the setting is fresh. One of the few games where NPCs seem to have a personality (was the previous one Baldur's Gate 2?) and the voice acting isOne of the better video games in the adventure/RPG/action sci-fi genre, ME suffers a little from repetitive side quests that seem auto-generated, but the main storyline is good (cheesy, sometimes silly writing but still epic and entertaining) and the setting is fresh. One of the few games where NPCs seem to have a personality (was the previous one Baldur's Gate 2?) and the voice acting is very good overall. I'd recommend this to almost anyone.… Expand
  23. 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.
  24. TheFlaminboy
    Jul 21, 2012
    8
    Very good game, with some of the best story-telling I've seen in a game. Also a very epic ending, probably one of my favourite endings of any game. The reason why I'm only giving this an 8 out of 10 is because of the annoying Inventory system and because all the sidequests are too boring and have very similar map layouts, which takes a lot of fun out of the game, unfortunately.
  25. stvartak
    Jul 10, 2012
    8
    I have the advantage of playing this game four years after its initial release, so I have not had any of the support issues some other users have mentioned. After reading all of the other user reviews, I think you either love or hate this game based on whether you are interested in story and adventure (love) or technical excellence and action (hate). This is a story-driven game with aI have the advantage of playing this game four years after its initial release, so I have not had any of the support issues some other users have mentioned. After reading all of the other user reviews, I think you either love or hate this game based on whether you are interested in story and adventure (love) or technical excellence and action (hate). This is a story-driven game with a lot of locations to explore and a lot of backstory that is revealed gradually through dialog and journal entries as the game goes on.

    To give you some idea of why I like this game, the last few games I really loved were the Thief series, Deus Ex, and Dreamfall. Here's a quick summary of what I think is good and bad about Mass Effect:

    GOOD: Deep story. Many characters to interact with if you choose, but only a few that you are forced to interact with to move the game along. Mini-game lock-pick system that is challenging but not frustrating. Tons of optional side quests, so you can skip them if you just want to cut to the chase, or do them if you're enjoying yourself and want to prolong the experience. Pretty good voice acting, in my opinion. Good third-person camera movement. Graphics were good, not excellent, for 2008.

    BAD: A bit glitchy; locked up on me three times during 50+ hours of gameplay. Some frame-rate lag, even with my 2012 graphics card. Less than perfect lip-syncing (but not terrible for a 2008 game). Most of the RPG elements such as level-ups and experience points are incidental to the actual game experience; you could blast your way through without paying any attention to your character's develop and not really miss much.

    Personally, I liked the "good" and wasn't bothered by the "bad," so I liked Mass Effect a lot and look forward to playing ME2.    … Expand
  26. ginolamantino
    Jul 22, 2012
    8
    Let's make this clear. This game is far from perfection. You will occasionally find some lil' glitches. And some aspects of the game will make you feel in pain if you're weak at heart. Neverthless, Mass Effect is worth not one but two tries. Begin by building your player aspects and then forge his personality through many entertaining missions around the space.You will find many elementsLet's make this clear. This game is far from perfection. You will occasionally find some lil' glitches. And some aspects of the game will make you feel in pain if you're weak at heart. Neverthless, Mass Effect is worth not one but two tries. Begin by building your player aspects and then forge his personality through many entertaining missions around the space.You will find many elements Mass Effect stole to his predecessors, yet it's undeniable you can enjoy at least 20 hours playing. Just choose wether you're the alien council savior or the damn human renegade. Or a miox of the two, why can't Captain have some sort of split personality?… Expand
  27. theirrelephants
    Jun 9, 2020
    8
    One of the best scifi rpgs I've ever played in my life. The shooting mechanics are a bit janky (this is fixed in the second game), but overall this game knocks it out of the park. A shining example of how Bioware used to make great games.

    The story is thrilling with good pacing, and your companions (with two exceptions, the human ones) are likeable or at the very least not dull. The    One of the best scifi rpgs I've ever played in my life. The shooting mechanics are a bit janky (this is fixed in the second game), but overall this game knocks it out of the park. A shining example of how Bioware used to make great games.

    The story is thrilling with good pacing, and your companions (with two exceptions, the human ones) are likeable or at the very least not dull. The main villain was very well done, especially considering that it is a talking space ship. Just the right amount of spooky and 'im above you.'

    The first of the series and ties with with mass effect 2 for my favorite.    … Expand
  28. 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.
  29. Kydos
    Dec 20, 2012
    8
    This is a great game with a lot of effort gone into creating the universe in which it takes place. The gameplay is fine, pretty standard cover shooting but with the ability to use squad powers as well as your own. Overall I felt the story was pretty compelling and my second time through I had the patience and the interest to read through most of the codex and dialogue options. MissionsThis is a great game with a lot of effort gone into creating the universe in which it takes place. The gameplay is fine, pretty standard cover shooting but with the ability to use squad powers as well as your own. Overall I felt the story was pretty compelling and my second time through I had the patience and the interest to read through most of the codex and dialogue options. Missions become a little repetitive and the side quests are pretty much clones of each other even going as far as whole buildings having the same layout even if they were built lightyears apart. Overall though I was always having fun except when trying to manage the poor inventory system. If you're into your sci-fi and your shooters, this is a must.… Expand
  30. Bloov
    Feb 17, 2019
    8
    Интересный сюжет и персонажи, но немного топорная стрельба, разбавленная неплохими классами с интересными способностями.
  31. 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.
  32. 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
  33. 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
  34. 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
  35. 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.
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. 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
  39. 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.
  40. 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
  41. 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.
  42. 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.
  43. 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
  44. 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
  45. 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
  46. 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.
  47. Pendra
    Jan 16, 2017
    8
    Mass Effect is a solid dungeon crawler with a good story but not without fault. The biggest issue is the uneven quests and side-quests. You get like a million in the first 6 or so hours and then 3-4 more later in the game. It is hard to feel involved when you just happen upon the starting point of a long forgotten side-quest.
    The search quests are totally uninspired. There is no great    Mass Effect is a solid dungeon crawler with a good story but not without fault. The biggest issue is the uneven quests and side-quests. You get like a million in the first 6 or so hours and then 3-4 more later in the game. It is hard to feel involved when you just happen upon the starting point of a long forgotten side-quest.
    The search quests are totally uninspired. There is no great revelation or debriefing or anything. You get money and XP and be happy.
    The driving is crazy. I wish for a little less 80% hills and more rolling terrain.Those hills make the rather mundane task of driving in circles to find hidden stuff a time sink.
    The environments are nice, thou I wish for a little variance on the mine and ship interior design. All the side-quest mines and ships are the same.
    The story is pretty good and the twists and turns are nice. I found the Indoctrination to be a very cheap way to depict character motives. The writer can turn any character anytime without a good background explanation. He was indoctrinated, live with it. Also, some conversations are way beyond the suspension of disbelief. Like when a total drug addicts walks up to you and ask to get some stuff for him, in 3 conversation choices, you make him realize the seriousness of the issue so he goes to rehab. What? Or in the hijack situation, you take down the 90% of the terrorist team. You encounter the leader, pointing a pistol to the head of the hostage, who tortured them for years. The leader is poised with revenge and I suppose, infuriated by the death of his team, yet in 4 conversation choices, he will surrender and let his former tormentor walk free.
    The loot frequency is out of the world. I collected about 50 items per mission. I finished the game with maxed out money and gel. In this case, the less would be more.
    The characters are well developed and they mostly feel real and can crack some good one liners once in a while.
    All in all, it is a good game, worth playing, However, despite what others say, the replay value is low.Yes, you can play as good gut or as a massive a**. It will generate a somewhat different experience and plot line. However, why you would want to follow the adventures of a protagonist, who you can't stand because he is too good or too bad for you? Forcing yourself to play through as Paragon and Renegade will feel exactly that. Forced.    … Expand
  48. 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.
  49. 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
  50. 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
  51. AbeMC
    Jul 10, 2017
    8
    If you ever dreamed of traveling a galaxy, exploring strange new worlds and interacting with other sentient species – combined with a choice-laden narrative – then Mass Effect is a dream come true in many ways. While older now and not without its faults, it has aged well and remains one of the best and greatest space RPG’s ever made. Recommended at full price.
    Total size on my hard drive:    If you ever dreamed of traveling a galaxy, exploring strange new worlds and interacting with other sentient species – combined with a choice-laden narrative – then Mass Effect is a dream come true in many ways. While older now and not without its faults, it has aged well and remains one of the best and greatest space RPG’s ever made. Recommended at full price.
    Total size on my hard drive: 10.1 GB

    + Great story. As the commander of a stealth frigate, stop a threat to the galaxy that only a few believe actually exists. Travel the galaxy in search of proof, encounter strange species and abandoned settlements, and discover the secrets of a lost civilization.
    + Great characters. From the stern Turian, Garrus, to the sympathetic blue Asari, Liara, to your ship’s crew (doctor, pilot, navigator), these are some of the best characters to come from BioWare.
    + A fully realized and crafted lore. There is a ton of backstory behind every structure and every species.
    + Many planets to explore. Explore a star system in the hopes of finding a planet to land upon and scour for resources, artifacts, pirates, slave traders, or anomalies.
    + Choices that matter. You’ll have to make some life-or-death choices (some of which can actually result in death of others). It is even possible to avoid one particular boss-fight via the correct conversation choices.
    + Great soundtrack. A synth-heavy approach melded with orchestral bits.
    + Graphics + facial animations are still superb. Yes, it’s an older game now. It’s a bit low-res and faces are often stiff. Mass Effect was ground-breaking at the time it launched (2007), and now, ten years later, it’s still better than many new games. (There is an HD texture mod which brings the textures up to date.)

    +/- Sparsely populated levels. A sign of when it was made, so not a negative, but sometimes the levels feel a bit empty.
    +/- Like Dragon Age (another BioWare franchise), there is a lot of conversation – easily a third of the game. I like it, and it’s easy to skip through if you don’t, but it is everywhere.
    +/- Combat tries to combine tactical and shooter elements (complete with tactical pause menu), and while successful, isn’t always fun. All guns have unlimited ammo. Enemy snipers can be one-shot game-overs.
    +/- The DLC is not included in the Steam download, but is available from EA for free.
    +/- There is a lot of hate for the Mako rover, which is used to drive around and explore planets. It’s fine, it works. It can get a little freaky with gravity, though…
    +/- Capped at 62fps. This can be unlocked in a config file.
    +/- The highest resolution I’ve played at (without altering config files) is 1440p. The Unreal 3 engine can handle 4k, but I haven’t tried running Mass Effect at 4k and have no idea if it would work without trouble.

    - If you were hoping for space combat, sorry, there is none. Any space combat occurs in cutscenes.
    - Some cringe-y dialogue. Despite the many AAA aspects of Mass Effect, sometimes the dialogue cheapens it to B-movie levels.
    - After the tutorial level, the game’s pace slows to a crawl as we’re left running around a station, completing RPG-style missions before heading back out into space. It’s an error in tempo that can (and has) caused many people trying Mass Effect for the first time to lose interest.
    - Horrible inventory management. You have a list of stuff that is grouped by level. And… that’s it.
    - Too much loot. Not as much of an issue if the inventory were easy to manage. There is lootable stuff around almost every corner.
    - Too easy to earn money. Half-way through, you’ll have a million credits from selling loot. Not impossible to have 10 times that by the end of the game.
    - Graphical issues on AMD cpus. Yes, cpus, not graphics cards, are the cause of the problem. Affected are any Bulldozer or Athlon chips. Phenoms are fine. Haven’t heard if the problem persists on Ryzen. It wasn’t until recently that I experienced the game with all shadows working correctly (switched to Intel).
    - Startup issues. Usually setting the compatibility mode to Windows XP gets the game to start.

    Issues aside, Mass Effect is still a good RPG, cursed with some odd controls and combat, but blessed with a great story and characters. That decisions made in this game can carry forward to Mass Effect 2 (and 3) via save imports is just the icing on this action-space-drama cake. An easy game to recommend, even now, ten years after its release.    … Expand
  52. 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!
  53. 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
  54. 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.
  55. Theblackhawk658
    Dec 14, 2016
    8
    PRO:-Gameplay is fairly good
    -Amazing character
    -Sound is good nothing amazing like battlefield or battlefront -I really like the game lets you be a bad guy or a good guy -Cool plot -And of course SPACE SEX CON:-The villain is not really interesting and rather boring -This is personal preference but i dont like the heating gun mechanic -Not enough variety of missions -Many of the    PRO:-Gameplay is fairly good
    -Amazing character
    -Sound is good nothing amazing like battlefield or battlefront
    -I really like the game lets you be a bad guy or a good guy
    -Cool plot
    -And of course SPACE SEX
    CON:-The villain is not really interesting and rather boring
    -This is personal preference but i dont like the heating gun mechanic
    -Not enough variety of missions
    -Many of the planets is boring and feels the same    … Expand
  56. no1asseffectfan
    Mar 22, 2017
    8
    Great story, fun gameplay. Some long stretches. Can build on a lot from here...........................................................................................
  57. Gor1945
    Apr 8, 2017
    8
    Лучшая игра в трилогии - но до уровня Стар варс Котор - все равно чутка не дотянула.
    Дальше у Биовар все пошло по наклонной.
  58. Diegochocho
    Jul 3, 2018
    8
    Un gran juego RPG de Bioware, con una gran historia aunque un poco tosco los controles, pero por mi parte se los recomiendo mucho.
  59. dlcwolf
    Aug 23, 2019
    8
    The game is very interesting, for the plot, and the story well made. Is great to imagine the evolution (revolution) of the human mankind, and how was progressed is all well described during the game. The citadel is really a surprise and an emotion, the first time you visit.
    What i didn't like are the guns and the combat mechanism. The guns are always the same and cannot be changed. Can be    The game is very interesting, for the plot, and the story well made. Is great to imagine the evolution (revolution) of the human mankind, and how was progressed is all well described during the game. The citadel is really a surprise and an emotion, the first time you visit.
    What i didn't like are the guns and the combat mechanism. The guns are always the same and cannot be changed. Can be upgraded during the game, but basically are always the same type. Also going around with the tank is not so nice. In some worlds is very difficult to drive and the tank seems jump like a rabbit. But the game is very long, and i think you need to play it before to play the other 2 games of the series, to better understand, and above all, appreciate the story behind. So the plot and the story save the vote to not go below 8, to anyway, a great gaming Trilogy. I think that any lover of space and sci-phi, should play this trilogy.    … Expand
  60. PappyBakesCakes
    Nov 5, 2017
    8
    After finishing this game for the first time a few days ago I can confidently say that it was worth my time. I did not encounter any bugs and there were only two matters of note that show how old this game is.
    -There is a slowness that pervades this game. This is definitely in part due to the amazing amount you can learn about everything through dialogue and the environment but once you    After finishing this game for the first time a few days ago I can confidently say that it was worth my time. I did not encounter any bugs and there were only two matters of note that show how old this game is.
    -There is a slowness that pervades this game. This is definitely in part due to the amazing amount you can learn about everything through dialogue and the environment but once you get past the sheen of a new universe this feel starts of grate on you a bit.
    -Autosave is incredibly unintuitive and nearly nonexistent. It requires you to "be out of combat" in order to manual save but sometimes combat is a reference to an area instead of a state so you get stuck and possibly die. This would not be so bad if there was not this "slowness" that I mentioned before but sometimes you will get one shot and have to start off 10 minutes back. (This is most common on the vehicle missions) Obviously it is not too bad or I would have quit but this is just a warning for those who are too used to the current way games save.

    The highlights of the game are the dialog, story and characters and the combat can take a bit to get used to but is very well implemented.    … Expand
  61. md5fungi
    Dec 4, 2019
    8
    Mass Effect revels in its superbly epic homage to classic sci-fi and fantasy fare, creating an incredibly endearing cast of characters that will seem familiar to anyone somewhat versed in the genre. It's a good thing the characters are good, too, because most of this game involves you (Commander Shepherd) talking to them.

    The Commander Shepherd you decide to be over the course of the    Mass Effect revels in its superbly epic homage to classic sci-fi and fantasy fare, creating an incredibly endearing cast of characters that will seem familiar to anyone somewhat versed in the genre. It's a good thing the characters are good, too, because most of this game involves you (Commander Shepherd) talking to them.

    The Commander Shepherd you decide to be over the course of the game has long-lasting and potentially universe-changing consequences, and these consequences extend into the sequels of the series, should you choose to import your character (which you should absolutely do). This sense of consequence creates an immersion that few games even come close to.

    The FPS gameplay is solid, but by itself a little uninspiring. However, the character classes and their associated skills are what really make the gameplay of Mass Effect shine. You can play as the typical but somewhat dull run-and-gun class, but you can also play as a support class that can levitate and throw enemies, as well as overloading their shields. You can even play as a character that has the ability to hack robotic enemies and make them attack their own cronies. The classes are fairly distinct and they require different approaches to be successful.

    In addition to the skills, the game has a good number of weapons at different levels that can be upgraded for you and you are squadmates. People that don't care much for RPG-style upgrading may find this a bit tedious (I did), but it definitely adds variety to the gameplay.

    As far as how the game looks and sounds, it's still an awe to look at after all these years. The film grain and synth soundtrack give the game a sense of timelessness, and detract from the outdated textures. The character models are pretty to look at (especially the armor), and the environments are varied enough to keep things fresh (especially towards the end of the game). The voice acting is fantastic.

    After I finished Mass Effect, I was pretty blown away from the entire experience, and felt even more rewarded that Commander Shepherd's legacy would live on for the second game. The fact that I pondered over the decisions I had made throughout the game for days afterward is a testament to the immersion of this sci-fi marvel..    … Expand
  62. GarethB
    Oct 21, 2018
    8
    This game introduced an amazing new galaxy, with interesting politics, species and interplanetary conflict. A great branching story but with some clunky controls.
  63. greenbey
    Jun 27, 2020
    8
    A-
    Good story and rpg elements, general gameplay is not the best in the series.
  64. Danil_Shtangeev
    Mar 17, 2019
    8
    I've spent many hours playing this game with my brother. Cool sci-fi series
  65. ElCucuy
    Apr 24, 2019
    8
    A good start to the great games trilogy. At the time of its release, it was a real breakthrough, I just could not believe that the dialogues could be so cinematic, the facial animation is realistic, and the consequences of the decisions made are so global. I do not give the maximum rating, because the game was attended by boring additional quests, routine races on the "mako" and a clumsyA good start to the great games trilogy. At the time of its release, it was a real breakthrough, I just could not believe that the dialogues could be so cinematic, the facial animation is realistic, and the consequences of the decisions made are so global. I do not give the maximum rating, because the game was attended by boring additional quests, routine races on the "mako" and a clumsy combat system, uncomfortable even for 2007. 8 out 10.… Expand
  66. Andreas444
    Jan 13, 2020
    8
    I heard of the series before,but I never had the interest to try the trilogy until 2019.
    Highly recommended by some friends so I decided to buy it during sale on Steam,turns out I had a really good time exploring and knowing the universe of Mass Effect.
    The OST is good,the environment,the alien races,and it`s story in general with it`s characters as well. Although most side missions are    I heard of the series before,but I never had the interest to try the trilogy until 2019.
    Highly recommended by some friends so I decided to buy it during sale on Steam,turns out I had a really good time exploring and knowing the universe of Mass Effect.
    The OST is good,the environment,the alien races,and it`s story in general with it`s characters as well.
    Although most side missions are a bit boring to complete,some of them have a back-story to it,best one being Shepard`s,depending on what back-story you chose for him/her.
    Classes for the most part are enjoyable to play through,tho some of them requires extra knowledge or multiple playthroughs to understand them,like Infiltrator and Sentinel.
    Now I have a AMD laptop and the performance for the most part was good,except in some cases where it was stuttering all over the place.
    The gameplay is a bit clunky but playable.
    Overall,if you want an RPG with an amazing universe and a beautiful set of characters which isn't too complicated to understand,this is a game you must play through,at least once.    … Expand
  67. DJKrimson
    Jul 7, 2021
    8
    Played this in 2021, it has aged poorly thanks to the of clunky controls/gameplay. Fun main missions and good story tho.
  68. RadReviewer
    Feb 8, 2019
    8
    Amazing story-line, character development and universe build. This game throws you into a sci-fi world full of potential and adventure. You truly feel like Jack Shepard and connect with the connections he is making. Just be glad that the combat could be worse because its not great.
  69. MadnessisRising
    Mar 6, 2019
    8
    When it comes to gaming the Mass Effect-Trilogy is the best what you can get! It has by far the best character's, a giant and fantastic universe you can't even imagine and one of the best story in a game ever! 8 / 10 because the game play is actually really bad compared to the second and third, but maybe this is a personal preference.
  70. Your_Muza
    May 8, 2019
    8
    A good start of great adventure. This is a quite old game, so i consider ME2 and ME3 better.
    Anyway this is a cult game in wich everyone should play.
  71. Montezza
    Apr 9, 2019
    8
    Oh, my gosh! One of the best sci-fi games. I spent so many hours in it, learning it's world, experiencing great story and knowing complex and likable characters. Mass Effect is something extraordinary and even after all these years it's still really fun to play.
  72. Wweald
    Jun 2, 2021
    8
    Pretty great game, it's clunky at parts but not so bad that it bothered me. Probably the best space setting I've seen in a piece of media. The story starts off decent but the 2nd half was really good and has me excited to play the rest of the series. The AI is kinda **** but it didn't really bother me and made me laugh a couple times.
  73. Genek13
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    First in series, nut not best one :)
    Story is main strong point of this game. Visuals and mechanics are let's say - OK :)
    Many hours to play with satisfying cliffhanger.
  74. watrfll
    Oct 18, 2020
    8
    A little bit outdated in terms of mechanics, but still a good game with a great story.
  75. MattKingsbury
    Jun 19, 2020
    8
    The original Mass Effect is a fantastic game that sets up one of the greatest trilogies in science fiction: solid characters, a good story with interesting worlds, meaningful decisions with lasting impacts. If you are able to look past its limitations (the combat mechanics and repetitive side quests), there is a lot of fun to be had here.
  76. Hawkfrost123
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    Clunky but some of the best world building I've ever seen. The characters are likable, the story is good and the combat, although quite stiff, is tactical and rewarding.
  77. AntiqueOne
    Jun 27, 2020
    8
    It took time to understand the world and combat but when I passed the adaptation phase what I saw was incredible. The story was quite captivating and all RPG mechanics was well designed. I felt that I was a part of the world - an important one obviously - and enjoyed it.
  78. Kluco
    Jun 21, 2020
    8
    One of the best RPGs. Combat is clunky and outdated but the story, characters and one of the best video game protagonists of all time make Mass Effect worth playing even years after release.
  79. pipes_pipes
    Jun 26, 2020
    8
    Very nice game. It has nice plot and great atmosphere. On the other hand elevators take too long to take you somewhere and sometimes journal could be more helpful where to go and what to do.
  80. oceanice
    Sep 25, 2021
    8
    Минус, что игра выглядит максимально тусклой, мб это придаёт определенной атмосферы, но не для меня, в целом просто хорошая игра
  81. JamesDrawsThngs
    Jul 29, 2020
    8
    The period between 2007 and 2010 is what I would consider to be the Golden Age of Bioware. They had a string of straight back to back hits with the first two Mass Effect games and Dragon Age: Origins. While Dragon Age was more of Bioware's traditional bread and butter, Mass Effect was whole new territory, and thankfully, they succeeded. Mass Effect was the beginning of a new era forThe period between 2007 and 2010 is what I would consider to be the Golden Age of Bioware. They had a string of straight back to back hits with the first two Mass Effect games and Dragon Age: Origins. While Dragon Age was more of Bioware's traditional bread and butter, Mass Effect was whole new territory, and thankfully, they succeeded. Mass Effect was the beginning of a new era for Bioware, and a beloved new world for people to get lost in. Well over a decade after its initial release, however, it's flaws have become more pronounced, but the fact that I still love going back to play through it to completion speaks volumes to its overall staying power.

    You take on the role of Commander Shepard (male or female). You are a career soldier turned Spectre (super cops basically) tasked with stopping rogue agent Saren and an army of synthetics known as the Geth from bringing destruction to the galaxy. You'll recruit various characters to your mission and make difficult decisions that not only affect you personally, but the galaxy as a whole. While the general story telling itself is solid enough, what the game does best lies within the world building and characters. Mass Effect may take cues from many well-known Sci-Fi properties, but they were also able to put their own spin on them, with various races with their own distinct style, personality and culture. More importantly, your party members are interesting and fun to talk to. While some are certainly better than others (Ashley...), people like Garrus and Wrex became instant favorites, and almost always remained in my party. The villain Saren may seem pretty one-note bad at first, but over the course of the game more is revealed about him and his layers begin to peel back to give us someone surprisingly more tragic than you would realize. The more I play ME, the more I appreciate certain details about this game that I never did the first time around.

    At its core, Mass Effect is an RPG with elements of a 3rd-Person Shooter. You explore various planets, engaging in quests and earning experience to level up and get stronger. The general shooting mechanics, on their own, are functional but not nearly as smooth as their contemporaries. The AI ranges from ruthless and tactful, to as dumb as gravel, standing out in the open just begging for you to kill them. At the start of the game you can choose from a variety of classes that have their own abilities and weapon and armor types. You can be either a soldier with access to every available weapon and armor, biotics with magic-like force abilities but with a limited load out, or Engineers that can break hard-to-crack safes and mess with synthetics. Depending on your class you'll need to choose a team that best suits your needs.

    One of the defining characteristics of Mass Effect is its emphasis on choice. Right out of the gate you can choose a basic background for Shepard, which can effect how characters interact with you and what side missions would be available. You are given a dialogue tree with three decision branches (Paragon, Renegade and Neutral) as well as opportunities for investigation. While some of it is there mostly for flavor and developing your Shepard's personality, other times it can greatly change how a person interacts with you and even force you to make decisions that affect peoples' lives in big and small ways. How you interact with people fills up either a Paragon or Renegade meter that further unlocks additional choices you can make. This system isn't perfect, but still gets the job done.

    As I've said, ME has definitely begun to show its age. While the game for its time looked incredible, some of the environments come off rather dull and uninspired. Conversations with characters are also pretty static, going through lots of shot-reverse shot with little movement involved (thankfully the solid voice acting carries them through). General sound editing is all over the place (LOTS of repeat banter from enemies) and much of the music is repetitive and rather forgettable. Exploration in your ground rover the Mako is simultaneously floaty and stiff, making traveling on more rugged terrain a nightmare. There are a good variety of planets to explore, but most don't contain much to do. Much of the sidequests take place in like four locations that are laid out exactly the same and it is visually dull, and yet I still go out of my way to do each of them because there is still an addicting quality to the exploration and side missions.

    While far from perfect, I still believe Mass Effect is worth looking into, especially since you can import your save data into ME2 and see where things progress. I'd say you can probably get away with calling the original Mass Effect a "flawed masterpiece". Dated in many respects, but a classic nonetheless.    … Expand
  82. nexus151196
    Sep 6, 2020
    8
    Начало великой серии и новое слово в жанре. Мир,вселенная, персонажи - да это же легендарно.
  83. Sledziks88
    Oct 26, 2020
    8
    Great first part of amazing trilogy. Thought the gameplay is getting old, you still can enjoy very mature, well written story. I highly recommend!
  84. kimi1775
    Nov 9, 2020
    8
    ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎
  85. Fallconex
    Dec 17, 2020
    8
    interesting plot and characters, but a little clumsy shooting, diluted with good classes with interesting abilities.
  86. gotterpotter56
    Jul 15, 2022
    8
    Отличная игра в плане сюжета и постоновки, диалоги хорошо прописаны, а лор достаточен. Некоторые элементы в игре, похуже чем в их предыдущей игре Jade Empire, но все равно игра достойна и даже сейчас играется приятно
    Оценка: 8,5    Отличная игра в плане сюжета и постоновки, диалоги хорошо прописаны, а лор достаточен. Некоторые элементы в игре, похуже чем в их предыдущей игре Jade Empire, но все равно игра достойна и даже сейчас играется приятно
    Оценка: 8,5
  87. mikesgold2K
    Jan 11, 2023
    8
    Wciągająca historia, przyjemna rozgrywka oraz interesujący świat - tak można podsumować Mass Effecta. Mimo tylu lat dalej dobrze się w to gra :)
  88. PerformanceMind
    Sep 11, 2021
    8
    Великолепный сюжет и яркие, запоминающиеся персонажи. Слабые сайд квесты, топорная боёвка и управление.
  89. Burzyk
    Nov 22, 2021
    8
    Main story impressed me even in 2021 played on XsX in Legendary Edition. Side quest and side locations are booring and copied one from another, but the game still gave me 45 hours of pure joy!
  90. nimdA_
    Aug 1, 2021
    8
    У игры множество проблем. Устаревшая графика - только одна из них и её можно оправдать годом выхода игры, а вот всратую стрельбу, крайне убогий левел дизайн, очень однообразный геймплей и ужасную управляемость транспортом оправдать годом выхода не получится, ведь в 2008 уже существовали другие игры, где эти же элементы были выполнены гораздо лучше.

    Но Mass effect это не про геймплей. Он    У игры множество проблем. Устаревшая графика - только одна из них и её можно оправдать годом выхода игры, а вот всратую стрельбу, крайне убогий левел дизайн, очень однообразный геймплей и ужасную управляемость транспортом оправдать годом выхода не получится, ведь в 2008 уже существовали другие игры, где эти же элементы были выполнены гораздо лучше.

    Но Mass effect это не про геймплей. Он силён своей сценарной частью: офигенная история, офигенная вселенная и отлично прописанные персонажи - вот что заставляет играть в Mass effect спустя столько лет и закрывать глаза на недостатки. Кроме того, здесь есть неплохая ролевая составляющая, которая будет безвозвратно утеряна в следующих частях серии, и хорошие для своих лет лицевые анимации (в каждой новой части с этим будет всё хуже и хуже, как будто ответственный за это человек с годами деградирует, а не набивает руку!) .

    Первая часть Mass effect еще девственно чиста, её не коснулась рука-порча карги по имени Electronic arts, которая любой перспективный проект превращает в шаблонный голливудский боевик. Если вы любите игры типа Ведьмака, то есть ради крутой истории готовы мириться с недостатками геймплея и левел дизайна, то я однозначно рекомендую поиграть в Mass effect. Это одна из лучших игровых Вселенных, что я встречал.    … Expand
  91. Woolee
    Sep 26, 2021
    8
    Oh my god, I haven't had this much fun with a game in many years! It is simply captivating and breathtaking. When I browse about on the surface of a new planet I
  92. pantyshmul
    Nov 14, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Лифты, лифты, лифты, коридоры, лифты. Думаю так можно описать эту игру. Сюжет хороший, но лифты...… Expand
  93. AgentLvi
    Dec 27, 2022
    8
    Great game. The story is decent. The scoring is great, visual is really amazing, the voice & sound is also amazing
  94. Gwend
    May 3, 2022
    8
    Отличная игра, одна из лучших в своём жанре. Из минусов разве что могу выделить простой ИИ противников и неудобство управления отрядом. 8 из 10
  95. TastieToasty
    Nov 2, 2022
    8
    Mass Effect is a steak with a lot of Fat. or even a appetizer.
    you may like fat but some people do not.

    Mass Effect 2 is a perfect fillet steak.

    Mass Effect 3 not the dessert.
    its when the restaurant closes forever.
  96. EVIL_UJIN
    Oct 15, 2022
    8
    Отличная игра, сочетающая шутер и RPG в стиле Sci-Fi. Хотя графика несколько устаревшая, но игра сделана качественно, много интересных локаций, побочных квестов, запоминающихся персонажей, различные планеты для исследования. Игра для тех, кто любит RPG, но устал от фентезийных вселенных. Mass Effect являтся первой частью эпической космической саги, которая продолжится в Mass Effect 2 иОтличная игра, сочетающая шутер и RPG в стиле Sci-Fi. Хотя графика несколько устаревшая, но игра сделана качественно, много интересных локаций, побочных квестов, запоминающихся персонажей, различные планеты для исследования. Игра для тех, кто любит RPG, но устал от фентезийных вселенных. Mass Effect являтся первой частью эпической космической саги, которая продолжится в Mass Effect 2 и Mass Effect 3.… Expand
  97. GhostlyMenace
    Apr 22, 2023
    8
    Its a fun game although the gameplay itself is clunky during combat. There's some pointless characters like Conrad Verner and Kaidan Alenko. The writing is a bit lackluster and the game is very short but enjoyable. The RPG mechanics are a bit simple but work and there is a sort of good cop, bad cop system with the Paragon and Renegade dialogue options.

    Choosing a more Paragon or more    Its a fun game although the gameplay itself is clunky during combat. There's some pointless characters like Conrad Verner and Kaidan Alenko. The writing is a bit lackluster and the game is very short but enjoyable. The RPG mechanics are a bit simple but work and there is a sort of good cop, bad cop system with the Paragon and Renegade dialogue options.

    Choosing a more Paragon or more Renegade path is like choosing between being a charismatic military leader or a hardened no-nonsense veteran. It should be noted that Paragon and Renegade does not equal good and evil, Commander Shepard is the protagonist working to save the galaxy regardless of which route you go down.

    The older I get, the more one dimensional I realize Saren is as the antagonist. He was a convincing antagonist when I was 14 but not really anymore.    … Expand
  98. Magikcarp
    Jul 19, 2023
    8
    Gameplay - 6
    Plot & Characters - 9
    Storytelling - 8
    Pacing - 7
    Music & Sound - 8
    Replayability - 5
    Performance - 8
  99. AdamC
    Sep 2, 2008
    7
    An initially impressive game that is ultimately too short and too repetitive. I clocked a game time of less than 15 hours, and this included many of the side missions. While the main storyline and the core gameplay (think action FPS/RPG hybrid) are fun, the side missions are unfortunately mostly boring, generic, and repetitive and dont add much to the game. Since there are a couple An initially impressive game that is ultimately too short and too repetitive. I clocked a game time of less than 15 hours, and this included many of the side missions. While the main storyline and the core gameplay (think action FPS/RPG hybrid) are fun, the side missions are unfortunately mostly boring, generic, and repetitive and dont add much to the game. Since there are a couple lingering and annoying bugs, I'd wait for another patch or two and for this one to hit the bargain bin before picking it up.… Expand
  100. NeilJ.
    Jul 7, 2008
    7
    The conversation trees/voiceover/storytelling and the cinematography/cutscenes are excellent, maybe the best in any game ever. Some of the music is fabulous. The sound is good. The character art is spectacular. Everything else in Mass Effect is limited and substandard. The single main quest line is incredibly short; map design is a rudimentary rail-ride of long hallways and stairwells The conversation trees/voiceover/storytelling and the cinematography/cutscenes are excellent, maybe the best in any game ever. Some of the music is fabulous. The sound is good. The character art is spectacular. Everything else in Mass Effect is limited and substandard. The single main quest line is incredibly short; map design is a rudimentary rail-ride of long hallways and stairwells filled with boxes so that the cover system can work; the combat is wonky; the side missions are a boring, bare, repetitive steppinfetchit 360-accomplishment-geared affair, where 'replay value' is based on how much time you can waste collecting crap (this is 'content'?); the vehicle sequences-- bigger, longer hallways-- are pure garbage and nothing more than padding. As another review said, "Mass Effect is a bland shooter mixed with a bland driving game mixed with a bland RPG." I agree with the first two. It's a bland shooter mixed with a bland driving game mixed with an incredibly sophisticated and polished, but ridiculously short and content-limited, RPG.… Expand
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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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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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