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. JohnM.
    Jun 21, 2008
    0
    The most unstable game I've ever had the misfortune of installing. It really destroys all confidence in the reviews that the 'professionals' have posted concerning this game (and any other game for that matter). How they can hand out 9/10 and 10/10 reviews for this pile of steaming turd is beyond me. I think it demonstrates quite clearly how the 'review' industry The most unstable game I've ever had the misfortune of installing. It really destroys all confidence in the reviews that the 'professionals' have posted concerning this game (and any other game for that matter). How they can hand out 9/10 and 10/10 reviews for this pile of steaming turd is beyond me. I think it demonstrates quite clearly how the 'review' industry really operates. Don't waste your money on this half-finished, bug ridden rubbish.… Expand
  2. TarmoS.
    Jun 20, 2008
    10
    A Grand space-opera RPG masterpiece with breathtaking attention to detail and massive amounts of well thought out content and narrative.
  3. LeahR
    Jun 16, 2008
    9
    Mass Effect is a bold step forward in the evolution of action-RPGs. It's a modern, refined, squad-based Deus Ex, complete with a riveting, painstakingly realized world and narrative. Where it pales in comparison to Deus Ex is in its openness, or rather lack thereof: while the game world often gives the illusion of wide, unfettered space, you can't actually explore much of it, Mass Effect is a bold step forward in the evolution of action-RPGs. It's a modern, refined, squad-based Deus Ex, complete with a riveting, painstakingly realized world and narrative. Where it pales in comparison to Deus Ex is in its openness, or rather lack thereof: while the game world often gives the illusion of wide, unfettered space, you can't actually explore much of it, and what you can explore is fairly linearly designed. Still, the thrilling synergy of FPS and RPG makes the first playthrough a blast. The slick interface, snappy dialogue, well-paced and epic storyline, and frequent cinematic flourishes culminate in an engrossing experience. Bioware are masters of the linear action-RPG. It's time for them to push their boundaries, quite literally, and take a page from Bethesda in designing an open game world.… Expand
  4. FotisJ.
    Jun 15, 2008
    8
    An interesting story told interestingly but some serious game design problems in the side quests (tasks too repetitive, worlds too similar) real damp the game experience. And after Bioshock there seem to be other ways around to tell a story instead of choosing dialogue options (makes replaying the game also quite boring).
  5. AH
    Jun 14, 2008
    10
    Great plot, pretty good graphics, very fun to play. The "Star Wars" like force powers are very fun to use in battle. It is also very fun to drive the military "dune buggy" on different planets. Not that many "carbon copies" of NPCs. Conversations are funny, intriguing, sexual--very fun. Great musical score. I can't wait for Mass Effect 2!
  6. PaulC.
    Jun 14, 2008
    4
    I can't get my head around the controls on the PC at all/ I'm stuck behind a wall, I can see enemies, but my character can't(or won't) look around to see them..I strafe (slide) closer to the edge of the wall...still no luck..a bit closer..I get eviscerated. My 2 buddies keep telling me they con't go places that they clearly can. The terrain is very artificial, i.e I can't get my head around the controls on the PC at all/ I'm stuck behind a wall, I can see enemies, but my character can't(or won't) look around to see them..I strafe (slide) closer to the edge of the wall...still no luck..a bit closer..I get eviscerated. My 2 buddies keep telling me they con't go places that they clearly can. The terrain is very artificial, i.e you try and go places and because of a bollard or a 4 ft drop the game has invisible "barriers" that stop you - Once you land on a planet it's all "on rails". But the combat system, while we are told it's better than the 360, certainly isn't up to the normal standard of PC games. Even NWN2 has a better combat system than this. To sum up, if you want great dialogue, great characterization, but console style gameplay frustrations and the sort of limitations PC's gave up in the 1990's, then Mass Effect might be for you. It's not as good as KotoR - and that's really sad. Sort out the awful unintuitive console control system and I'll have another look.… Expand
  7. HolgerM.
    Jun 14, 2008
    9
    One of the Best RPG-s of late. Everything is pretty close ot perfection. Drawbacks are a somewhat short storyline compared to Bioware's other epic RPG-s and the similar side-quest that pop up on several worlds. The story is excellent and while it's far from unique(See Freespace 1&2 for almost the exact same story) it's very captivating from start to finish and flows One of the Best RPG-s of late. Everything is pretty close ot perfection. Drawbacks are a somewhat short storyline compared to Bioware's other epic RPG-s and the similar side-quest that pop up on several worlds. The story is excellent and while it's far from unique(See Freespace 1&2 for almost the exact same story) it's very captivating from start to finish and flows extremely well. Obviously Bioware is planning for the sequels to finish the story cause Mass Effect only leaves you wanting for more. Having completed what I guess is 90+% of all the quests in the game I clocked in at 32 hours. Which isn't bad but doesn't even come close to NW or BG. The main storyline could easily be completed in half the time. Hopefully a sequel will add a longer story, given that Bioware no longer has to work on an engine, creation of an entire new universe and more.. I experienced ZERO techinal difficulties with this game. It only crashed once and that I believe was a small bug which can happen like only on one planet and has no showstopping power. It runs perfect. My rig: Q6600, GeForce 9800GTX, 3gb ram, Vista Home premium 32 bit. Check this game out. It's worth it!… Expand
  8. TimT.
    Jun 13, 2008
    10
    The single best single-player experience I've ever had in my 18 years of being a gamer. So what if it doesn't have a completely open world? It beats GTA IV in my book because of it's incredibly well-designed universe, races, and characters. Let's see GTA imagine an entire, fictional, sci-fi world that feels so real you could get lost in it.
  9. Daniel
    Jun 13, 2008
    10
    This game is awesome. Yes, there are some bugs, some of which do cause crashes, but none of which are very serious at all. Also, to J.N. and to all of you who are having trouble with instability, you should probably just update your drivers. I had some very annoying instability to begin with, but when I updated my drivers for my 8600GT, I no longer had any instability, and was able to run This game is awesome. Yes, there are some bugs, some of which do cause crashes, but none of which are very serious at all. Also, to J.N. and to all of you who are having trouble with instability, you should probably just update your drivers. I had some very annoying instability to begin with, but when I updated my drivers for my 8600GT, I no longer had any instability, and was able to run the game on max stats (2.13 Core 2 Duo, 2GB G. Skill RAM, nVidia 8600GT; pretty low). Also, to the SecuROM alarmists, including our good friend Stephen Y., SecuROM is honestly not that bad. I have Daemon Tools and run Daemon while running Mass Effect, and have no problems. The servers are honestly never down. I have played the game for about 60 hrs and have never had a startup issue. About the three activations issue, I'll admit that I'm a little annoyed myself, but how many are you really going to need? This game is too awesome to uninstall, so that's not an issue, and even if you do heavily modify your computer all the time (most sane people will not heavily modify their computer more than once every twenty-four months), EA will still probably give you more activations. Contrary to popular gamer sentiment, EA is NOT the evil empire of profit-driven game making (yes, they are profit-driven, but so are all commercial companies, even the saint of the gaming world, Blizzard herself). EA makes and publishes some damn good games, thank you very much. Also, back on the point, though it is a difficult and challenging process, you can remove SecuRom. In fact, I have done so just to see if I COULD do it. It took me about three hours, but I managed. And, finally, to Stephen down there, if your vaunted principles prevent you from buying a game, of all things (I can see where you'd boycott Nike for sweatshops, but Mass Effect because of SecuROM is stupid), you, my friend, take yourself far too seriously. And finally, (I promise to shut up in just a second), please, PLEASE, do not blame BioWare for SecuROM. It was EA's decision, and theirs alone. Please, for your own sake, buy this game and enjoy the fantastic blend of Diablo 2, Call of Duty, Star Wars, and Starship Troopers that is my beloved Mass Effect. This is Walter Cronkite, and that's the way it is.… Expand
  10. PrestonJ.
    Jun 11, 2008
    9
    In response to J.N., I have had no stability issues at all (save FPS issues but the stems from having a three year old machine, maybe you just have a bloated problem machine you need to fix), yes it is an interactive movie with superb writing and voice acting where I have died maybe twice during a combat encounter (maybe you're just a crappy gamer Joe, or you don't know how to In response to J.N., I have had no stability issues at all (save FPS issues but the stems from having a three year old machine, maybe you just have a bloated problem machine you need to fix), yes it is an interactive movie with superb writing and voice acting where I have died maybe twice during a combat encounter (maybe you're just a crappy gamer Joe, or you don't know how to use the tactical HUD). The improvements made over the console version certainly have impacted the gameplay and flow and are a welcome addition, and the inclusion of both RPG and Shooter elements are melded well so that me (a fan of both genres) are pleasantly surprised. This isn't my favorite game ever created, and it does have some issues, such as the quest menu, and i feel the radar on the HUD could have been better, but most of those are nitpicky issues that don't impact the overall experience of play.… Expand
  11. JohnS
    Jun 9, 2008
    10
    Oh my god, people! I'll start off saying I'm giving this a 10, not because it's as perfect as it could be, but as perfect as to what you can do with available technology and the resources invested into creating this game. If you're not going to utilize the purpose of a 1-10 scale, you're kidding yourself if anything could match up to this marvel. This is just a Oh my god, people! I'll start off saying I'm giving this a 10, not because it's as perfect as it could be, but as perfect as to what you can do with available technology and the resources invested into creating this game. If you're not going to utilize the purpose of a 1-10 scale, you're kidding yourself if anything could match up to this marvel. This is just a phenomenal sci-fi RPG that is remarkably entertaining throughout both the main and side-quest storyline. The reevaluated "good/bad" morality axis, from Bioware's past KotOR game, made for a huge killing of time throughout multiple play-throughs and the choices were satisfyingly thorough. This is what I buy games for; replayability is a key assessment to determine which games are worthy to their design. If you're easily enthralled while watching a good drama, you would hit a whole new realm of emotion due to the depth shown in the characters. I really can't summarize this movie in a short manner, probably because I'm busy dreaming about playing it again haha. I did happen to crash a couple (pretty much just 2) times while playing, however, I was in the habit of saving every couple minutes simply by using the F6 key. These crashes are practically impossible to defend against and isn't at all Bioware's fault for handling operating system faults. I'm assuming any other technical issue people are experiencing are associated with old hardware.… Expand
  12. K.G.
    Jun 8, 2008
    10
    Mass Effect is less an FPS/RPG hybrid than an interactive movie with FPS and RPG elements. The shooter aspect is 7/10, the RPG is 7/10, but the story, imagery, music all conspire to still elevate this game to classic status. I realize some people have had problems but for me Mass Effect was a totally bug-free experience. I have a feeling many complaints about bugs are due to people playingMass Effect is less an FPS/RPG hybrid than an interactive movie with FPS and RPG elements. The shooter aspect is 7/10, the RPG is 7/10, but the story, imagery, music all conspire to still elevate this game to classic status. I realize some people have had problems but for me Mass Effect was a totally bug-free experience. I have a feeling many complaints about bugs are due to people playing pirate copies. The save system serves to elevate the tension - compare this to Bioshock's Vita Chambers. Consolitis shows up in the limited and half-finished side mission worlds but otherwise the interface really looks and plays like a PC game. I would have also liked to see a space combat module as well - although I realize this game isn't Star Control IV sometimes I felt if I squinted really hard I could pretend it was.… Expand
  13. Patrick
    Jun 8, 2008
    0
    This game will not let you save most of the time (even out of combat). So you can not quit playing when you want to do something else or have to use your computer. Customer support told me this is not a bug and will not be fixed. Game went back to the store.

    Not usable by people who have a life or use their computer for something other than Mass Effect.
  14. Joe
    Jun 5, 2008
    6
    Another HYPE game, like Crysis. Mass Effect has all the makings of a good game, but it is just simply awful to play. It has massive consolitis, as well as having the worst action sequences ever. As many have commented, the weapons are simply unusable and ineffective. Battles appear out of nowhere, and you get killed 1000 times, before magically, you don't. Very console like. The save Another HYPE game, like Crysis. Mass Effect has all the makings of a good game, but it is just simply awful to play. It has massive consolitis, as well as having the worst action sequences ever. As many have commented, the weapons are simply unusable and ineffective. Battles appear out of nowhere, and you get killed 1000 times, before magically, you don't. Very console like. The save system is insane, you can only save when you're NOT in an action sequence. Which means you start a battle, and cannot save during it, which means you make no progress. The storyline is decent, the voicing decent, and the overall Sci Fi feel is nice. But the action is simply terrible. It is NOT a shooter, nor a real RPG. Its like an interactive movie, which is cool, but it is grueling to get through scene after scene. The most disappointing part, is that beside Bioware releasing a game with massive technical problems and bugs, they delete posts on their forums from frustrated users asking for help. Sounds like a shenanigans to me.… Expand
  15. CoreyG.
    Jun 3, 2008
    9
    Very good game, has held me entranced when I normally can't make it more than an hour into an RPG. Has some technical flaws though or otherwise I'd rate it a 10. I've gotten stuck a couple times, once in an elevator and once talking to someone where I gave it a command to do something but it then got stuck mid-command and I had to go back to my last save. Also has serious Very good game, has held me entranced when I normally can't make it more than an hour into an RPG. Has some technical flaws though or otherwise I'd rate it a 10. I've gotten stuck a couple times, once in an elevator and once talking to someone where I gave it a command to do something but it then got stuck mid-command and I had to go back to my last save. Also has serious issues with SLi in specific areas of the game, but otherwise runs fine.… Expand
  16. GenevieveF.
    Jun 2, 2008
    9
    How to describe how fantastic this game is in just one paragraph? I probably wont be able to, so heres the jist of it. -The graphics are amazing. Not perfect and there are certain times where I wonder if it will crash when it pauses for a bit, but its still, just utterly breathtaking. -Conversations are smoother this time around. It feels like i'm actually speaking to someone instead How to describe how fantastic this game is in just one paragraph? I probably wont be able to, so heres the jist of it. -The graphics are amazing. Not perfect and there are certain times where I wonder if it will crash when it pauses for a bit, but its still, just utterly breathtaking. -Conversations are smoother this time around. It feels like i'm actually speaking to someone instead of standing there like a dolt without saying a word until 3 minutes later. If I were talking to somone who took 3 minutes to respond, I would've ditched them already. -Its not strictly black and white when it comes to choices. You actually have to be able to make decisions based on logic or preference or how you deem your character would react. You can be both Paragon or Renegade to a certain extent on the meters. Neither decreases the points of the other. -The abilities and weapons are great. Being able to throw people out floating in thin air or warping their insides is more satisfying than just running up to an NPC with horrible AI and shooting their face off. -Customization of your own character is endless. Not the depth of Oblivion(Which drove me nuts, took me at least 3 hours to make a perfect face) but enough to make your character truly unique. What I loved the most was the makeup and the scars you could put on her face. (Never really created a male shep before but have tried). -Main missions are interesting and well designed. I guess the only downside would be that they are so awesome that the next time I replay this game i'd probably skip all the side quests and go for the main plot everytime. -The other characters are neat and have the funniest lines! Even just an NPC that you would encounter somewhere could hold the wittiest banter you could ever hear in a game. Most of them don't all look the same and the gestures aren't overly repetitive. -The music is epic. Not much else to say about it. Its not cheesy and portrays the events hapening or about to come perfectly. -Environments for the main missions are spectacular. It went from caveish, to ruiny, to snowy and then tropical. I looked forward to the next one everytime. -Controls are easy to learn and combat situations require some degree of thought before entering. Can't just charge and blast anymore, have to know what weapon to use, who to use and what to do tactically. A few complaints that make this game a 9 for me: -The side quests. At first, I thought some of them were cool, but after a while they got repetitive. Each side quest planet had things to collect and seemed very bare. I understand they were considered poorly populated worlds, but couldn't we see where the Turians or Volus live for example? Just a little peek? -More interaction between companions. I mean, they did talk to each other once in a while and I did get the sence that(for example, Kaidon and Ashley talked to each other like they were old pals) but what about the others? Need some arguments or some jokes, something so that you know they acknowledge each other as more than a face they see every 4 days. -The option to turn on your companions in the end. I wouldn't pick it on my first playthrough, but it would be nice if it was there for my second. A renegage would most likely abandon their friends and go where the money or the power takes them. Other than that, this is a revolutionary RPG/Action game. I'm looking forward to playing through it and getting a couple of the acheivements in there. Can't wait for ME2!… Expand
  17. ZO
    Jun 2, 2008
    8
    Not bad, but not really that great either. I found myself enjoying The Witcher much more, and ME seems kind of bland and shallow and the story is your typical cookie-cutter Bioware stuff (i.e. VERY predictable). Still, it's worth a playthrough atleast and would still recommend it.
  18. JasonJ.
    Jun 1, 2008
    9
    Very original mix of the shooter and an rpg. Graphics very impressive. Story is very compelling. My new favorite game.
  19. J.N.
    May 31, 2008
    0
    Not sure what systems the professional reviewers used, or were they possibly supplied by Bioware? Why do I ask? Because the game is HIGHLY UNSTABLE, with problems ranging from FPS Crawl, GPF's, Crashes, OS REBOOTS, unexpected termination of other background tasks, and even in one instance I saw a potential case of OS Filesystem corruption (likely due to another unexpected reboot). It Not sure what systems the professional reviewers used, or were they possibly supplied by Bioware? Why do I ask? Because the game is HIGHLY UNSTABLE, with problems ranging from FPS Crawl, GPF's, Crashes, OS REBOOTS, unexpected termination of other background tasks, and even in one instance I saw a potential case of OS Filesystem corruption (likely due to another unexpected reboot). It would be good advice to wait at least 3-6 months until they and/or Nvidia (or ATI, as they're having problems too) get out enough patches & fixes to get the game stable. As it stands, I gave it a rating of 0 (zero) as I can't even get into the game itself to sample the gameplay. ASUS P5N32-SLI w/Intel C2D E6600 @ 2.4GHZ, 2GB Corsair RAM, Creative Labs Xtreme Gamer audio, 2xNvidia 7950 GX2 (Quad SLI), Windows XP Professional SP2. Naturally the sound and display drivers are the newest available.… Expand
  20. LeonardoT.
    May 31, 2008
    10
    If you enjoyed the Neverwinter nights series, and don't mind a change from orcs and elves to futuristic aliens, you'll just LOVE the game, as it is much more detailed and alive than NWN2 (that is one of the best games as well in my humble opinion).
  21. JB.
    May 19, 2008
    10
    Superb game. Every element is seamless - wonderful to play. BioWare do it again.
  22. StephenY.
    May 18, 2008
    0
    Normally I would never consider rating a game before it comes out but in the case of Mass Effect for the PC I already know everything I need to know about this game to come to the conclusion that no one should purchase it. This is a real shame because my reasons for this are not because I think the game will not be fun, but because Bioware/EA has chosen to encumbered this game with Normally I would never consider rating a game before it comes out but in the case of Mass Effect for the PC I already know everything I need to know about this game to come to the conclusion that no one should purchase it. This is a real shame because my reasons for this are not because I think the game will not be fun, but because Bioware/EA has chosen to encumbered this game with â??Digital Rights Managementâ?… 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.
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  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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