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. GeorgeC.
    Jul 9, 2008
    10
    At first, I didn't know what to expect, and almost turned away from playing the game because it was a bit confusing at first. But people said the game was good, and I decided to really give it a try. Sure enough, by the time I was about 1/3 through it, I absolutely could not stop playing the game. It's been said this game is much like kotor, since you can control the fate of At first, I didn't know what to expect, and almost turned away from playing the game because it was a bit confusing at first. But people said the game was good, and I decided to really give it a try. Sure enough, by the time I was about 1/3 through it, I absolutely could not stop playing the game. It's been said this game is much like kotor, since you can control the fate of your character through your choices, pursue a "good/bad" path, and take on missions in a rather non-linear fashion. However, when I played kotor, I don't think I experienced anything close to the enjoymjent and involvement I felt with this game. The game's real-time combat system, plentiful cinematics, intriguing storyline made me feel as if I'd just finished watching a great movie. I wanted more, and I can't remember the last time any game has ever made me do that.… Expand
  2. temps
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    Mass Effect is a masterpiece of modern gaming. The graphics were good for their time, the story was superb (albeit off to a slow start at first), and the combat/gameplay is acceptable, once you get sufficiently deep into the game. The DRM used in the retail version uses SecuROM, which might have been a deal-breaker for me, but Steam offers a digital edition of the game without this kind ofMass Effect is a masterpiece of modern gaming. The graphics were good for their time, the story was superb (albeit off to a slow start at first), and the combat/gameplay is acceptable, once you get sufficiently deep into the game. The DRM used in the retail version uses SecuROM, which might have been a deal-breaker for me, but Steam offers a digital edition of the game without this kind of nonsense DRM (I highly recommend going this route, especially if you already are familiar with and use Steam for other games).

    Overall, despite the merely "ok" combat, Mass Effect makes up for it with its nice graphics, outstanding story, terrific atmosphere, fun character and dialog options, and overall sense of cinematic appeal. If you want the epic military sci-fi adventure of the decade, look no further!    … Expand
  3. Pearly
    Mar 24, 2012
    9
    The fact of the matter is that Mass Effect is a game worth playing. It has a great combat system, including what is probably the best use of squad-based combat in video games, great story, an amazingly detailed universe, excellent dialog and voicework (at least, if you play as FemShep), and looks great, even on my below-average PC.

    I'll admit that there are some aspects that could be done    The fact of the matter is that Mass Effect is a game worth playing. It has a great combat system, including what is probably the best use of squad-based combat in video games, great story, an amazingly detailed universe, excellent dialog and voicework (at least, if you play as FemShep), and looks great, even on my below-average PC.

    I'll admit that there are some aspects that could be done better, such as repetitive missions, occasional glitches and average music, but this is more than made up for by the rest of the game. The decisions were never easy to make and are made all the more important by the fact that your choices will stick with you for ME2 and ME3, which is an absolutely fantastic idea. The difficulty levels were also superb, I found that there were a few moments that would get me sufficiently frustrated, forcing me to work out a better way through the level, maximising the use of my squad, but not so frustrated that it made me turn off the game.

    All in all, Mass Effect is a game well worth playing, especially for the fact that you carry on your save file to ME2.    … Expand
  4. Ansatsu83
    Dec 21, 2014
    8
    I love the mass effect franchise, especially this game, but it has some annoyances that prevent me from giving it a perfect score. First, speaking of the good parts of the game. It is a role playing, third person, shooter with multiple interesting classes and the ability to defy physics with many abilities. The core game play is solid (even though I wish they would have included a reloadI love the mass effect franchise, especially this game, but it has some annoyances that prevent me from giving it a perfect score. First, speaking of the good parts of the game. It is a role playing, third person, shooter with multiple interesting classes and the ability to defy physics with many abilities. The core game play is solid (even though I wish they would have included a reload element... like they did in me2,) The storyline is gripping, the cinematic are damned good, the character progression is very nice, as well. There are some plot holes and lots of other elements but simply put, its great! There is a wide variety of items and modificiations in the game, which add to the enjoy-ability for those who like loot finding. HOWEVER! There are several complaints that I have, which prevents me from giving it a perfect score... The main complaint is the mako exploration and side planet geometry. Its very obvious they did not put any time or effort into the height maps they used for the side mission planet. They were sloppily done with lots of jagged edges and some dips in the geometry that the mako has difficulty getting out of... Not to mention trying not to bounce around like a bumper car ride gone horribly wrong!... They could have used the blur tool on photoshop, to eliminate half of the geometry issues. The second complaint is the inventory system, I cannot select multiple items to disassemble, hell even a full tier would have been NICE! instead, I must go through my full inventory, of 150 items, and manually break the items into omnigel or sell them manually. This process is tedious and detracts from the overall gameplay experience. On top of this, they introduced a "tier" system, for loot. After about tier 5, for weapon mods and armor mods, they started to combine many of the effects of two mods, but made them less potent. Its fine and all, make them more powerful as you level up... once you hit level 40 the gear is all the same tier, for the last 20 levels. At which point you already have max omnigel and max credits... and max inventory constantly hounding you to clear space... There are a lot of elements that make this a great game, and some very major annoyances. Worth a 60 dollar price tag... its down to about 10, right now. Pick it up when you get a chance, especially if you like sci-fi shooters combined with rpg elements.… Expand
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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.
  8. Nauglamir
    Apr 17, 2012
    9
    First off, Mass Effect demands patience. Its combat system will require some time to get comfortable with, while the inventory management is acceptable, though obviously corny and at times annoying. On the contrary, the RPG customization looks well-realised, providing a good amount of classes, items and abilities. The galaxy map is single-handedly intriguing, surrounded by the empty voidFirst off, Mass Effect demands patience. Its combat system will require some time to get comfortable with, while the inventory management is acceptable, though obviously corny and at times annoying. On the contrary, the RPG customization looks well-realised, providing a good amount of classes, items and abilities. The galaxy map is single-handedly intriguing, surrounded by the empty void of the dark space. The planets graphical rendering may look dull; however, the chemistry of music and simple barren plains adds to the feeling of a far more plausible space exploration. Beyond that, Mass Effect tells an original and, much to my astonishment, unsettling story. It mesmerises with its brilliant vision of a universe ruled by a hierarchy of different races, humanity not being, for the first time, one of them. The rising evil depicted throughout the plot will force the player to beg for questions over the relativity of humanity attitude towards the universe. Eventually, this is a thorough-to-master game, at least to grasp its very sci-fi/rpg essence. Nevertheless, it does worth trying.… Expand
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. BlackPhoton
    Aug 4, 2012
    9
    This game is one of the best science fiction games up to date. It's a mix of RPG, Action (not the best though) and dialogue. Starting with the good things about this game. The epic storyline is truly worth going through and hopefully the trailer didn't spoil too much. Your character doesn't say a sentence that you don't choose. Bioware uses it's notoriously perfect dialogue wheel. DuringThis game is one of the best science fiction games up to date. It's a mix of RPG, Action (not the best though) and dialogue. Starting with the good things about this game. The epic storyline is truly worth going through and hopefully the trailer didn't spoil too much. Your character doesn't say a sentence that you don't choose. Bioware uses it's notoriously perfect dialogue wheel. During some very original missions you will be making hard choices that effect the story. The characters are a gold mine for Bioware. The RPG elements are there some may be exaggerated, but still fun. There are a lot of tweaks for weapons and armors. You can fully characterize your Shepard with looks, classes, even his scars and history. Mass Effect is an unpolished diamond and isn't perfect. There are three issues in the game. Auto-Save will rarely happen and it's a discipline to keep quick saving, make sure you holster your weapon and revive your squad mates or you won't be able to quick save. Another issue comes from long exploring and the tank Mako missions those could get really boring, but it's possible drive trough combat as long as the shield holds. Usually players will consider the combat the biggest problem, but remember when this game was made combat didn't get great as this. Your squad mates will be useful especially cause of their abilities. And with the RPG element combat gets interesting. However the AI can sometimes crash, talking about crashing there is a popular overheating bug for weapons at certain locations. If you manage to get trough the combat issues you will enjoy the wast galactic adventure.… Expand
  13. 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
  14. prossnip42
    Jul 29, 2018
    7
    Now before we begin i know i am very late to this but i recently purchased the Mass effect trilogy and i played through the entire thing. So let's start with the first one shall we

    Pros: -The atmosphere and the world building are top notch. Mass Effect works perfectly in establishing it's universe, the lore, the different species and the inevitable Armageddon coming your way to destroy    Now before we begin i know i am very late to this but i recently purchased the Mass effect trilogy and i played through the entire thing. So let's start with the first one shall we

    Pros:
    -The atmosphere and the world building are top notch. Mass Effect works perfectly in establishing it's universe, the lore, the different species and the inevitable Armageddon coming your way to destroy us all. Not at any point was i bored or disinterested. Hell even some of the more fetch based sidequests were very interesting

    -The story is phenomenal. People told me about how great the story in this franchise is and they weren't lying. Every decision you make can go back to bite you in the ass or even benefit you if you know what you're doing (Until Mass Effect 3 but we'll get to that). The voice acting is alos great for the most part

    Cons:
    -Now as much as i would love to say that Mass Effect one is a phenomenal game, it isn't. For one, the combat. It's awful. Like, really **** bad. The controls are slippery, using energy instead of ammo is pointless and cumbersome and the cover system is bar none the worst in the entire franchise.
    -The love interests. As i kept playing through the Mass Effect games i found out how important the love interests were. And Mass Effect 1's love interests aren't that great. There's Liara who's just amazing and then there's the boring space racist Ashley and the boring boring bucket of bore Kaidan. Seriously what do some of the fans see in Kaidan. He's so boring you might as well be romancing a stick with a gun

    In conclusion, all though flawed, Mass Effect 1 is a good start to what would become a great franchise    … Expand
  15. Sten-Bengt94
    Jun 4, 2014
    6
    I did not get immersed into this game and that is not the because of the story but it is because of the controls, hud and graphics of the game. It also got a bit repetitive so I couldn't continue because it wasn't fun enough to continue. Do not know why I bought it on sale because I regret it.
  16. 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!
  17. Hambarr
    Jun 18, 2018
    7
    First of all, the main story of this game is fantastic. It is a really good introduction for the Mass Effect series which is one of the most iconic trilogy I have ever discovered in my video gaming experience. Each character is appealing in his own way, every companion has his own temper.

    However, there are some points that displeased me during my playthrough (maybe for some of them the    First of all, the main story of this game is fantastic. It is a really good introduction for the Mass Effect series which is one of the most iconic trilogy I have ever discovered in my video gaming experience. Each character is appealing in his own way, every companion has his own temper.

    However, there are some points that displeased me during my playthrough (maybe for some of them the reason is because I played this game recently and was disturbed by things that were considered good when the game was out) :

    - The side quests were really boring, most of the time they consist in exploring an almost empty planet then clearing a building which often looks like the one you cleared for the previous mission.

    - As I just said, the planets you will explore for the side quests are empty except for some resources and a building filled with enemies. This becomes quite repetitive after visiting some planets and makes exploration boring.

    - I personally disliked the fighting system with heating and weapon precision acquired through skill points, I found it very frustrating to wait until my weapon cooled to keep fighting.

    Nevertheless, I would still recommend to play the game for its main story and its character design which are his strong points.    … Expand
  18. 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
  19. MGrant
    Jun 8, 2009
    9
    Um....okay a few points. 1) I have no idea why people are complaining about lock ups. I played this game on damn near max on a2.3ghz Dual Core with a NVIDIA 7600 and was fine, no graphical issues, the game looked and ran great. 2)This is possibly my favorite game ever. The story was simple yes, but it still grabs you. The interaction makes you a part of it, and the fact that it is a rare Um....okay a few points. 1) I have no idea why people are complaining about lock ups. I played this game on damn near max on a2.3ghz Dual Core with a NVIDIA 7600 and was fine, no graphical issues, the game looked and ran great. 2)This is possibly my favorite game ever. The story was simple yes, but it still grabs you. The interaction makes you a part of it, and the fact that it is a rare game that gives you that "command decision" (those of you who have beat it know what I am talking about) as well as a few other twists and turns dependent on who you are and what you've done really gives you an interactive story feel. Bio ware didnt fail imo but the weapons and armor do feel a little old very soon with repatitve models and little to no difference in upgrades until about the end of the game. 3)While I give kudose for attempting at replayability, even going a drastically differernt path still feels too familiar and makes it difficult to play, even though I really want to (ie playing through with the higher gear or playing through as a bioic with assult rifle ) I criticise because thats part of the job of crticing a game but ultimately it is a great game, and its opne or two minor downfalls are really the only reason its not a perfect 10 and I wish metacritic had a better/more accurate rating system so I could go as far as 9.5.… Expand
  20. MikeC
    Jun 29, 2008
    8
    All around it's a very solid game, but with some weaknesses. The gameplay is excellent, I really enjoyed chucking the enemies around with the game's physics based biotics powers while also blasting them with a shotgun, and the different powers and teammates and teammates powers you can choose makes for lots of tactical variations. The actual plot is a bit generic at times (great All around it's a very solid game, but with some weaknesses. The gameplay is excellent, I really enjoyed chucking the enemies around with the game's physics based biotics powers while also blasting them with a shotgun, and the different powers and teammates and teammates powers you can choose makes for lots of tactical variations. The actual plot is a bit generic at times (great ending, though!) but the characters, dialogue and back-story is top notch, with some very interesting stuff. The secondary quests and explorable worlds have a very generic design (identical designs for many bases!), there's nowhere near the attention to detail that games like oblivion and GTA show in designing large explorable areas. I never had a problem with it crashing. Despite some of the bland and generic design of secondary content, I had a blast playing it.… Expand
  21. JohnL
    Oct 11, 2009
    10
    For what the game was intended to be, it's the best of the best. The only slight annoyances had in the beginning was the inventory system which has since been fixed. Mass Effect is an epic story, a full length feature film where you get to direct the ending...
  22. 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
  23. Hermestik
    Nov 20, 2010
    8
    Graphics? Very good, Scenario? Perfect, Immersion? If you like Sci-fi it is great. But to appreciate it you must take your time. No rush, explore, listen to the ppl around, dive into the story. The path you'll choose will impact the second opus.
    Some bad points ? yes. The inventory system is too heavy, to much items in too short times. And the secondary quests can become somehow boring,    Graphics? Very good, Scenario? Perfect, Immersion? If you like Sci-fi it is great. But to appreciate it you must take your time. No rush, explore, listen to the ppl around, dive into the story. The path you'll choose will impact the second opus.
    Some bad points ? yes. The inventory system is too heavy, to much items in too short times. And the secondary quests can become somehow boring, a bit repetitive. But globally that game is a hit ! a Must have for all sci-fi, space opera, lovers.    … Expand
  24. virgo47
    Dec 26, 2010
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While not old-school RPG this game should definitely satisfy also action shooters players - if they don't mind running around a few places (Citadel and Noveria especially). But even that is fun. Graphics, sound - all very good. Gameplay, control, menus - good as well. Story is very good - after all who wouldn't like to safe a galaxy, right? RPG - I'm no expert here, but you have to make some decisions that are more or less difficult - and they make some difference. Ironic enough - they make probably more the difference in Mass Effect 2. :-) Game time is also satisfying for such a cinematic game. Game also leads you nicely through and it's hard to get stuck in the story - which I prefer.

    Now the problems. Safe point before unskippable video and dialog followed by a fight where you often go down in a matter of a few seconds while you realize what's the best tactic. Safe points are PITA at least on two occasions. Two different modes (combat/non-combat) have two different control systems, but that can be handled. Exploration (material gathering) doesn't make sense. Terrain for Mako is dramatic, but needs smoothing - badly. Many bases on side quests are similar - but this is pardonable. Also - you'll likely use only a few characters from your team - but this may vary if you choose different profession. Character graphics (especially faces) are sometimes ugly - minor glitches disrupting otherwise nice cinematics. No major bugs, which is good.

    Favourite moment: Virtual intelligence notifying the enemy about other "customers" in line. That one made my day. :-)

    Bottom line: Great game, stunning story, a lot of fun.    … Expand
  25. SteelSoapy
    Feb 26, 2011
    9
    First off. Mass Effect is worth every penny. This game is seriously one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played. It's not the best at its first person shooter and role playing elements separately, but Bioware really knows how to put things together to create a unique game style that are only similar to their own, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. That old game was the reasonFirst off. Mass Effect is worth every penny. This game is seriously one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played. It's not the best at its first person shooter and role playing elements separately, but Bioware really knows how to put things together to create a unique game style that are only similar to their own, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. That old game was the reason why I was interested in Mass Effect. SW KotOR was one of my favorite games. Mass Effect blows it out of the water. The story lines in this game are incredible. Its easy to get lost in it. The player gets to choose what happens in the future that can effect what happens all the way through the second and to the third game of the Mass Effect trilogy. Customization is high. Graphics are good. I played on low graphics and found it satisfying. Each character has its own personality. This game is like a great movie that you get to play in. As for game play, again, weapons, armor, appearance are customizable with upgrades and levels. One down part is the driving across worlds with basically nothing and tedious mountains with the "space car". I just found it boring and time-taking. There is so much to this game it's tough to say it all, so just go give it a play-through and see what you think. Just don't go into the game expecting it to be some way, see it as something you don't even know about, and you will enjoy playing the game.… Expand
  26. virtualmatrix
    Jul 31, 2011
    9
    This is a wonderful game, it's not RPG'd to the extent where you need to pull out your calculator and its very straight forward. The gameplay is solid and the story is fantastic. It's not everyday where you come across a game like this so if you have the money I would say go out and buy this. I've played this both on PC and Xbox 360, I enjoyed it more on PC because of its accessibility,This is a wonderful game, it's not RPG'd to the extent where you need to pull out your calculator and its very straight forward. The gameplay is solid and the story is fantastic. It's not everyday where you come across a game like this so if you have the money I would say go out and buy this. I've played this both on PC and Xbox 360, I enjoyed it more on PC because of its accessibility, better graphics and much better controls with mouse and keyboard as opposed to a controller. Bioware went all out on this game. Typically its about an 18 hour game if you explore, if you rush you could beat this easily in about 12 hours. I've had a few run & gun sessions on boring, hot summer days.… Expand
  27. TommyH
    May 20, 2011
    9
    PC version of the game: Great story, wonderful direction like a really good movie, great music, great characters with great voice acting, great universe where all takes place. Good controls via the HUD and short-keys. Overall simply just great entertainment. I've had about the best 50 hours of gaming time in my life. Technically stable, with great graphics (for 2008 anyway but stillPC version of the game: Great story, wonderful direction like a really good movie, great music, great characters with great voice acting, great universe where all takes place. Good controls via the HUD and short-keys. Overall simply just great entertainment. I've had about the best 50 hours of gaming time in my life. Technically stable, with great graphics (for 2008 anyway but still today).
    Nit-picks: interior cells are mostly copy-pasted for the many side missions, planet worlds could have been more lively. Other than at the Citadel you hardly meet people other than bad guys of one sort or another. The inventory is a mess, should have some sort of sorting option. The controls of the vehicle are a bit whacko. So this is why I give 9 points, otherwise it would be one of the very few 10's I would ever give to a game.    … Expand
  28. Admiral_TSon
    Nov 21, 2014
    9
    A generally great game all around with a couple of minor issues. ME1 sets up the series with a fantastic plot and gives users plenty of opportunities to shape the plot with major decisions that have dire consequences. Plot, dialogue, and companions are well written and executed, while combat leaves something to be desired.

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

    Pros:

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

    Cons:

    -Combat is a bit clunky--guns have unlimited "ammo" but overheat if fired a certain number of times
    -Cover system is very rudimentary and difficult to use practically
    -Missions in the MACO sometimes become tedious
    -Side-quests requiring you to travel to other planets in the game are boring and repetitive with copy-paste settings    … Expand
  29. cm182
    Jul 3, 2011
    9
    Amazing game. The story line is fantastic and I loved the gameplay, although it did take a while to get used to the inventory system and combat. The only thing that was a let down was the inability to avoid a lot of cutscenes that happened before combat, meaning if you had to start again you'd have to watch the cutscenes over and over again. Thankfully this is only a major problem early onAmazing game. The story line is fantastic and I loved the gameplay, although it did take a while to get used to the inventory system and combat. The only thing that was a let down was the inability to avoid a lot of cutscenes that happened before combat, meaning if you had to start again you'd have to watch the cutscenes over and over again. Thankfully this is only a major problem early on when your level isn't very high. Any fan of RPGs should play this!… Expand
  30. 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.
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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.
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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.
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