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. mazzaneo
    Apr 20, 2011
    10
    Overall an amazing game with a rich and compelling story line. It truly feels like a movie that you are in complete control of. The controls take some getting used to but work very well. If you have not played Mass Effect 2 yet i thoroughly recommend you start with this and then move to 2, especially now that it is a budget title!
  2. Kondorr
    May 21, 2011
    10
    BioWare games had for years a very similar narrative... an elite task force (Grey Wardens, Jedi, Spectres, Spirit Monks) recruits a new cadet, who will take on an epic journey to save the day from an apocalyptic evil, while recruiting colorfull characters to his team.

    Although the gameplay mechanics are lesser to Mass Effect 2, I believe this game is the best version of the above told    BioWare games had for years a very similar narrative... an elite task force (Grey Wardens, Jedi, Spectres, Spirit Monks) recruits a new cadet, who will take on an epic journey to save the day from an apocalyptic evil, while recruiting colorfull characters to his team.

    Although the gameplay mechanics are lesser to Mass Effect 2, I believe this game is the best version of the above told story... and therefore it is the best BioWare game... In MY opinion. The political plot, the immersive galaxy, the amazing characters, the beautiful locations and the uber epic finale make this game an unforgettable tale.

    I have to mention one other aspect... this game has the most tasteful sex scene ever... and yes, I have played Heavy Rain, all Mass Effects, all Dragon Ages and all Witchers... (and all God of Wars... but these were not exactly what one would call tasteful :D ).

    While there are many locations which are simply copy-pastes, and the Maco is not exactly the easiest to control vehicle I could not say, that these things bothered me (where as the copied locations in DA2 did bother me.. what can I say... opinions are subjective).

    Besides the gameplay mechanics I have to mention the cut-scenes... which are AMAZING... on the level of the best sci-fi epics in movies. The music is stunning, the editing is perfect, the set pieces are beautiful and the camera angles are on spot.

    Yes, I believe, that despite its flaws, that Mass Effect 1 is indeed the best BioWare game to date (followed very closely by Mass Effect 2)!    … Expand
  3. Thradar
    May 2, 2011
    10
    One of the most immersive, well acted, and well written action/RPGs I've ever played. One my third playing of ME1 and ME2 to prepare for ME3 this fall.
  4. Yann
    May 6, 2011
    10
    [FR] Un jeu d'une qualité exemplaire. Un jeux qui mélange jeu de tir à la première personne et jeu de rôle où chaque décision prise influence intégralement l'avenir de votre personnage... et se répercute dans Mass Effect 2, puis Mass Effect 3. Se doit d'être[FR] Un jeu d'une qualité exemplaire. Un jeux qui mélange jeu de tir à la première personne et jeu de rôle où chaque décision prise influence intégralement l'avenir de votre personnage... et se répercute dans Mass Effect 2, puis Mass Effect 3. Se doit d'être joué par tout amateur de jeu de tir!… Expand
  5. 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
  6. SomberMitsuki
    Jun 8, 2021
    5
    I've recently started replaying this sci-fi classic. I had originally played on the whichever xbox it was out on at the time. At first it was fun to relive a bit of that Nostalgia. The grand music scores, the expansive rich story full of lore for so many different alien races. Even the old jankyness has it sort of charm. However my joy faded sooner than anticipated as i've had to repeatI've recently started replaying this sci-fi classic. I had originally played on the whichever xbox it was out on at the time. At first it was fun to relive a bit of that Nostalgia. The grand music scores, the expansive rich story full of lore for so many different alien races. Even the old jankyness has it sort of charm. However my joy faded sooner than anticipated as i've had to repeat a question over and over anytime combat starts. Were the squadmates always so...flimsy and unresponsive?

    Over and over i've had to one many army fights because Garrus would immediately all over dead at the slightest sneeze and the fearsome sight of our foes sent Ashley fainting. At first i thought maybe it was the gear we were using, maybe the armor was just not stury enough so i upgraded but no. Lo and behold every combat situation as soon as it starts my squadmates go down.

    Even if they do last long enough for me to be able to issue them directions to get into cover most times they will stand there, unmoving like "Nah, I got this, watch me catch their bullets with my teeth." It's gotten to the point that i can only play the game in hour at most bursts because of the frustration caused the teammate a.i drains any fun from the game.    … 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. 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).
  9. 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
  10. Nandi
    Mar 21, 2022
    10
    Masterpiece, a breath of fresh air, unique universe with fantastic characters and a very intriguing story line. Sadly ruined by third installment which ruined Prothean mystery and Reapers.
  11. 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
  12. DrownedDrone
    Aug 7, 2012
    10
    It might suprise you, since I gave this game a 10/10, but DO NOT play this game. This is a great action/RPG game with one of the best, if not the best, non-linear story driven campaign that can really put you in the atmosphere of this epic world, with its long but intresting background history. I am not a big fan of replaying games but this game has the best replay value I ever seen in aIt might suprise you, since I gave this game a 10/10, but DO NOT play this game. This is a great action/RPG game with one of the best, if not the best, non-linear story driven campaign that can really put you in the atmosphere of this epic world, with its long but intresting background history. I am not a big fan of replaying games but this game has the best replay value I ever seen in a game, giving second and third playthrough additional expirience. I am not talking about the obvious morale decisions- which you can find in every game, but on the small things you only find out if you pay attention- from unlocking missions by investigating your squed crews (Only some of them, of course) to the brief talks your crew memebers have in the elevator, and to how by selecting different members you effect the ongoing of specific core-missions and side missions. Despite everything, this game is the first of three games and the sucking of the next two leave it incomplete. To be honest, I haven't even bought the third one, but I trust the reviews (User reviews, not the bribed Meta Score) so I advice you- don't get this game- you will get sucked into what seems like a great game but turns out to be a black hole… Expand
  13. JBurnes3
    Nov 12, 2019
    9
    Still holds up fairly decent in 2019. I would recommend graphical mods on PC of course to give it a little extra polish. However even though the combat is still a bit clunky it doesn't detract from what makes Mass Effect great which is the story, lore, and of course the characters.

    Mass Effect was a great game when it released in 2007 (2008 on PC), and it's still a great game 12 years later.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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
  17. 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.
  18. alanbessa
    Feb 24, 2018
    9
    Recommended.

    What an insane game that created one of the best franchises. Lights ahead of its time.
  19. PencilShank
    Jan 1, 2013
    10
    This is possibly one of the best games i have ever played. I have never felt more involved in an RPG ever. The connections you gain with all of the characters make it all the more personal. The combat for this game is very well done each fight you do feels like a scene from a movie. Every piece of dialogue in the game feels epic and important. The choices you make deeply effect the game'sThis is possibly one of the best games i have ever played. I have never felt more involved in an RPG ever. The connections you gain with all of the characters make it all the more personal. The combat for this game is very well done each fight you do feels like a scene from a movie. Every piece of dialogue in the game feels epic and important. The choices you make deeply effect the game's story and makes everything more involved. This is a must buy for any RPG fan.… Expand
  20. 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.
  21. 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
  22. 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.
  23. Ensaabahnur
    Mar 8, 2019
    9
    Great game ,amazing story and characters, gameplay is a bit underwhelming but it's an eleven year old game so i can forgive it that. Highly recommended!
  24. TURJAN
    Aug 8, 2023
    9
    Phenomenal world building and main plot. Excellent side characters/companions. Planet exploration tend to be a bit boring after a third or fourth one, collectibles are unnecessary fillers, they translate to one additional dialog in the 3rd game and a dozen of points so don't bother with collecting them. Ending is incredibly satisfying and brilliantly written. Remember though that its aPhenomenal world building and main plot. Excellent side characters/companions. Planet exploration tend to be a bit boring after a third or fourth one, collectibles are unnecessary fillers, they translate to one additional dialog in the 3rd game and a dozen of points so don't bother with collecting them. Ending is incredibly satisfying and brilliantly written. Remember though that its a space opera. It has very bombastic style of narration. Expect long speeches and epic music. Overall: very good classic and one of the few games everyone should play at least once in their lifetime.… Expand
  25. 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
  26. 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).
  27. 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
  28. Bloov
    Feb 17, 2019
    8
    Интересный сюжет и персонажи, но немного топорная стрельба, разбавленная неплохими классами с интересными способностями.
  29. ErrorTheRealist
    Jan 23, 2013
    10
    I was brought into the series at Mass Effect 2 ended up slaughtering most of my crew because I was noob. So I decided to migrate to Mass Effect, and realized it was even better than two. I say the following honestly. One of the best games ever; and if you play it, you'll think so too.
  30. notsolittlejon
    Jan 31, 2013
    9
    A real step-forward in RPG's for its time. The conversations felt much less scripted and more life-like than most RPG's I've played, not to mention you feel much more in control of your character's dialogue and actions. The leveling system is deep and rewarding, the gameplay and storyline are fulfilling, and knowing that all the decisions you make will carry over into future installmentsA real step-forward in RPG's for its time. The conversations felt much less scripted and more life-like than most RPG's I've played, not to mention you feel much more in control of your character's dialogue and actions. The leveling system is deep and rewarding, the gameplay and storyline are fulfilling, and knowing that all the decisions you make will carry over into future installments of the series gives a deeper sense of immersion.… 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

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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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