Mass Effect

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 523 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 421 out of 523
  2. Mixed: 70 out of 523
  3. Negative: 32 out of 523

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  1. Hiccup3319
    Aug 21, 2023
    10
    Good game, has its faults but generally, it's alright. Would recommend to someone.
  2. AlBal665
    Apr 28, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Just finished playing Mass Effect for the first time as part of the Legendary Edition and I’ve got to say this game is incredible! Can’t believe I missed it the first time round! The story, characters and entire universe the team created is fantastic. I mean playing as a cross between (a female) James Bond and Captain Kirk fighting a rogue cyborg super spy and a mechanical God of Death, it doesn’t really get much cooler than that! Looking forward to seeing how this series goes.… Expand
  3. Jackthegamer
    Apr 10, 2023
    7
    Mass Effect is a good game but because of the combat and characters I can't give it more than a 7.
  4. phoenix_prjct
    Feb 2, 2023
    9
    Final Thoughts:

    Mass Effect scorched the gaming scene with its epic space opera. Its rich world and extensive lore are expertly explored through a vast variety of vivid characters. Drawing the player in completely, it gives us our own iconic Commander Shepard and allows us to shape certain decisions in a conflicted and ignorant galaxy. The Legendary Edition is the definitive way to    Final Thoughts:

    Mass Effect scorched the gaming scene with its epic space opera. Its rich world and extensive lore are expertly explored through a vast variety of vivid characters. Drawing the player in completely, it gives us our own iconic Commander Shepard and allows us to shape certain decisions in a conflicted and ignorant galaxy. The Legendary Edition is the definitive way to play, smoothing out the still-present glitches while enhancing the stunning vistas it allows us to explore.

    I find it hard to believe there’s any gamer who has yet to enjoy this experience, but if you haven’t, jump in, **** it’s time to go save the galaxy.

    For the full review and more posts like it, visit my site: https://thephoenixprjct.com/mass-effect-mass-effect-1-in-depth-review/    … Expand
  5. hector_bcn98
    Nov 11, 2022
    9
    Casi con total seguridad, el comienzo de la mejor trilogía de ciencia ficción de la historia de los videojuegos comenzó con una revolución gráfica y argumental, pero con unas mecánicas a las que le faltaban cierta refinación y un sistema de exploración de secundarias algo repetitivo y poco inspirado.
  6. FelipeRam
    Jul 25, 2022
    8
    Apesar de não ter muitas referências, achei muito bom, pretendo atualizar no futuro
  7. kyle20ellis
    Mar 10, 2022
    10
    Mass Effect has become one of the colossal cult-classics of video gaming; and rightfully so. The game has great level design, endless narrative possibilities thanks to its multi-choice format storytelling that made it become iconic in the first place. BioWare knew what the hell it was doing when it decided to use the experience they got from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic andMass Effect has become one of the colossal cult-classics of video gaming; and rightfully so. The game has great level design, endless narrative possibilities thanks to its multi-choice format storytelling that made it become iconic in the first place. BioWare knew what the hell it was doing when it decided to use the experience they got from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and decided to apply all that to an original IP for the company. And the result: a classic that forever changed gaming in 2007.

    Mass Effect can debate-ably be considered Canada's biggest important of the 21st Century; at least in multimedia storytelling which the franchise has since gone on to 'effect'.

    Commander Shepard, The Reapers, Garrus, Tali, Urdnot Wrex have all gotten well-deserved love and respect from gamers everywhere. Mass Effect is a special franchise that feels like it's always been there in the background.    … Expand
  8. KepasaAmigo
    Jul 16, 2021
    5
    played it in 2021. it feels clunky. tons of "jogging" cuz everything is so big that u make it on 1h play u literly play 15 minutes rest is just running. 5/10
  9. Filmanwalt
    Jun 21, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So we come to my absolute game series, namely Mass Effect. Basically, in all of the Mass Effect reviews of the trilogy, I will praise the game and its great universe. As part of the Legendary Edition, I've gambled through the game for the (very often) repeated times and it took about 25 hours.

    story

    Mass Effect 1 serves primarily as an introduction to the glorious and epic story of the Mass Effect universe around Commander Shepard. One becomes familiar with species, planets, threats and other realities.

    Mass Effect 1 brings you closer to the whole universe through many different codex entries, quests and side quests, as well as dialogues. The action of the game begins in the year 2183, after mankind already had the first contact with extraterrestrial life forms (especially at the beginning also warlike).

    The narrative style of the game is phenomenal. It's all a bit sluggish and difficult to get into, especially at the beginning, but it's definitely worth it. The counterplay between Shepard and the antagonist Saren and his geth is excitingly staged and the tension grows from game hour to game hour.

    But behind this hides the real threat that extends over the entire trilogy and reaches an extent that is ready for a film. The threat posed by the Reaper (inorganic people) is embodied in Mass Effect 1 by the Sovereign and represented by an ingenious dialogue.

    From a story point of view, Mass Effect 1 is the perfect introduction to the entire series and has both fun, difficult and very serious themes.

    Presentation / graphics

    Graphically, the game is of course older, originally from 2007. But the Legendary Edition has been greatly improved in its textures and offers very nice light settings, which makes individual panorama representations look strong.

    So far, a timeless look for me, which underpins its sci-fi setting and is very coherent.

    The characters, individual species, locations, spaceships, etc. breathe so much life into this universe and give off this very coherent image.

    The whole thing is garnished with great cut scenes, sometimes elegant camera work and overall a character representation in dialogues that is second to none.

    Gameplay

    This is where you notice the age of Mass Effect 1 the most. First of all, I like it very much that you have many options to equip your character with different equipment or also have the opportunity to distribute RPG-classic skill points and refine your class.

    The combat gameplay was very fiddly before the Legendary Edition and, especially in gunplay, it no longer felt up-to-date, but almost annoying. JustBut that has been significantly improved with the new edition, even if Mass Effect 2 and 3 are still much better.
    Unfortunately, the AI ​​often had dropouts and one or two bugs crept in.

    Nevertheless, one has to honor that Bioware did something here to make the gunplay feel more effective and to offer a smoother experience. But that was sorely necessary, otherwise most newcomers would probably have returned the Legendary Edition after 20 minutes of Mass Effect 1.

    The whole gameplay around the crew has to be emphasized. The crew of your own ship, the Normandy, makes up most of the game. Here it is important to deal with the people, to have dialogues and, as a whole, to pay attention to how they react to individual events. Interacting with the crew is at the core of the game.
    The dialogues are also very important outside of the crew and enable different exits from a situation. The attitude mechanics of our character, who, depending on how he behaves, embodies more evil or more and more the good, is also useful for this and thus unlocks various dialogue options.

    Conclusion

    Mass Effect as a whole is a phenomenon and my absolute favorite series of games. I've been devouring these games for years and Part 1 is part of every new playthrough. Mass Effect 1 offers entry into this incredibly large, complex and also very well thought-out universe and has captured my heart.

    Absolute recommendation for every game lover, action or RPG fan or sci-fi fan. And please take your time with the game, soak up the dialogues, research and explore. It's worth it, especially in the dialogues there are great moments that you have to experience.

    5/5 crew members.    … Expand
  10. Kemp
    Jun 4, 2021
    6
    I'm writing this in 2021 after playing the original Mass Effect for the first time in the Legendary Edition on PS4. The pieces are all there, but some stuff just doesn't hold up and some stuff, I think, was polished much more in the sequels.

    There are moments (Virmire, for example), where Mass Effect shows just how special it can be. However, there are also a lot of moments in which the    I'm writing this in 2021 after playing the original Mass Effect for the first time in the Legendary Edition on PS4. The pieces are all there, but some stuff just doesn't hold up and some stuff, I think, was polished much more in the sequels.

    There are moments (Virmire, for example), where Mass Effect shows just how special it can be. However, there are also a lot of moments in which the storytelling is really lacking. The story beats are there, your favorite characters are there (Garrus and Tali rock), but the editing is poor, the animations are dated, and some of the writing can be quite weak. What I mean by the editing being poor is that important moments seem to be cut too short and then the cutscenes don't seem to flow together very effectively as I remember them doing in the sequels. And for the writing, I just think some things don't come off. Like the Counsel being some obstructionist nuisance might work in theory (if a bit generic), but it was so poorly written. I just didn't believe the Counsel would come to some of the conclusions it came to and I didn't believe Shephard's frustration with other decisions. I think a prime example of the lackluster writing is the politician backstab moment at the end of the game (I don't want to spoil it but I think you'll know what I'm talking about). It is like a middle schooler's understanding of what a politician is, and nobody's motivations in the scene seem to make any sense.

    That said, I have a soft spot for the Mass Effect series and I'm really glad I finally played the first one just for Virmire, which is definitely one of the highlights of the trilogy. Even if I felt they were underwritten, I was excited to see the origins of Garrus, Tali, and Liara, and I'm excited to replay the other two games.    … Expand
  11. Svetlendrius
    Jan 3, 2021
    7
    A good game with a plot, interesting pumping and quests. The world in the game is interesting, but the planets are empty, bases of the same type with boxes. The crooked rover and the terrible AI of Shepard's teams, as well as their small disclosure.
  12. RodrigoroRex
    Dec 21, 2020
    10
    "Mass Effect": Amazing game, it provides an amazing experience for the player. 7 out of 7. Played it on PlayStation 3.
  13. lulu_belle
    Dec 9, 2020
    9
    This is my favourite game of all time so I had to refrain in giving it a 10, but still wanted to give it a vote that matched my enthusiasm. I know, today we are in 2020 and the game play is a little outdated, it's more of a vintage RPG game play, however, for being a 2007 game the graphics still hold up pretty well, with facial animation that, back in the day, made us all excited and leftThis is my favourite game of all time so I had to refrain in giving it a 10, but still wanted to give it a vote that matched my enthusiasm. I know, today we are in 2020 and the game play is a little outdated, it's more of a vintage RPG game play, however, for being a 2007 game the graphics still hold up pretty well, with facial animation that, back in the day, made us all excited and left us in awe (that's why Andromeda was such a let down as well). This game is a good representation of what Bioware was capable of doing and their strength in story telling. Every choice matters and it impacts your characters. Yes, there is a binary way of playing, either you are a renegade or a paragon and to unlock certain options you will have to lean more in one direction that the other and vicecersa. This is all because of the kind of story they wanted to tell and limitations of the time.
    The combat is not the best, but that was never the point of this game, it's a story driven RPG that is meant to have you connect with your team and travel the galaxy in order to find a way to defeat the Reapers (the baddies). I replayed it earlier this year and enjoyed it as if it were my first time.
    Because my console is old (and it is a big game) it's very glitchy, that's why I would suggest to save often and right before fights.
    Even though the combat is meh, there are some aspects that I wish had been transferred in the sequels (I'll review the other 2 as well and explain why there), like the diversity in approach and tension that the different attackers approach you. Because the shooting is so basic and simple, if you are not much of a shooter game person, it won't be a problem, it will actually help you out in getting into them as it did with me.
    As I mentioned you will be travelling the galaxy, which means you will land on planets for side missions and you will have a chance to use the infamous MAKO. I personally grew to love driven it; you can defy the laws of physics with it, you'll be wanting to throw the controller at the tv or you can challenge yourself in accomplishing this extra challenge the game throws at you lol I now laugh at it and if you go on the internet to watch some videos you will witness the comedy of it all.
    This is definitely a game everyone needs to experience at least once. the remaster has been announced for 2021 and I can't wait to see how they update this chapter (I am terrified and exhilarated at the same time).

    I went with a rather high score because in the end it's a game that will make you dream and feed your imagination, especially if you like the wonders of space. I wanted to be fair (the age of the game) and true to what I fell about it.    … Expand
  14. CamyVero
    Jun 7, 2020
    9
    A magnificent ARPG with elements of tactical combat and an excellent science fiction story, reminiscent of the space opera of cinema or literary classics such as 'Star Wars' or 'Dune'.

    The game combines exploration mechanics, third person shooter, resource gathering and dozens of primary and secondary missions that ensure a good handful of dozens of hours of entertainment. In my case,    A magnificent ARPG with elements of tactical combat and an excellent science fiction story, reminiscent of the space opera of cinema or literary classics such as 'Star Wars' or 'Dune'.

    The game combines exploration mechanics, third person shooter, resource gathering and dozens of primary and secondary missions that ensure a good handful of dozens of hours of entertainment. In my case, playing it quietly and enjoying its development, it took me about 40 hours to complete it 100%.

    Today you can get the whole trilogy for very little money.    … Expand
  15. AbhinavDasiga
    Mar 30, 2020
    7
    Although BioWare were very ambitious when developing the first Mass Effect, this is still a rough around the edges RPG with combat mechanics which leave you wanting more and the less said of the Mako sections the better. Still the idea of epic narrative with consequential player choices affecting the story is well established by this game.
  16. Kimblock
    Feb 19, 2020
    10
    In my opinion Mass effect series is perfect except andromeda. Because story is intricate and very emotional. The characters are very well written. So you can understand them and their motivation without any problems. And also you can empathize them without any problems. And I get a lot of satisfaction from the gameplay.
  17. Kai82
    Jan 30, 2020
    10
    Mass Effect was the Star Wars of video games. It created an immersive universe full of interesting characters, stories, history, conflicts, alien species, politics, technology, ideologies and cultures. The lore was so good that I had many good discussions with friends and read many articles in the Mass Effect Wiki. You have also a codex in each game where you can look up things for moreMass Effect was the Star Wars of video games. It created an immersive universe full of interesting characters, stories, history, conflicts, alien species, politics, technology, ideologies and cultures. The lore was so good that I had many good discussions with friends and read many articles in the Mass Effect Wiki. You have also a codex in each game where you can look up things for more details. Then they had a unique idea for the Mass Effect games. You can import your decisions into the next games. This was as interesting as impactful. Many of us had again so good discussions and arguments what the best course of action was or which outcome the decisions will have. There were a lot of mayor and some minor decisions that gave you different results in the follow up games (Think not of 2 different games / paths. It is more of an adaptation in the story, options and outcomes). But back to the game. You play as Commander Shepard as he/she is on the way to become the first human Spectre (An agent with huge competences and authorities) for the Citadel Council (Like the united nations but consisting of representatives of the 3 most powerful / influential species). During the story you discover a huge secret and a treat that can endanger the whole galaxy. I will stop here because of spoilers but will say the story is fantastic soap opera material. The side quest are also good and deepen the lore with good stories. A game like this is only as good as its characters. This is BioWares magic. They created so much fan favourite characters that it was often a hard choice which teammate we should pick. Each one had his own motivations, world-views and stories. My favourites are Liara T’Soni, Garrus Vakarian and Urknot Wrex for the teammates. For the NPCs I like Joker, David Anderson and Steven Hacket. All three of them earned my respect. For the gameplay you get a hybrid of RPG and shooter (More of a real time RPG with guns). You can of cause chose different classes with different abilities. You will acquire new equipment and level up your abilities as you rise in level. I will admit that the combat is not as polished as it should be but still fun to play. You can later explore planets via vehicle which I like (Was a weak-point for many and got removed for the sequels). The other main complaint was that the weapons have a heat system. You have unlimited ammunition but if you fire your weapons to often(in a short time) it will overheat and stop functioning for a short time. I find it a good mechanic but can understand the critic (Got also removed from Sequels). Lets go to the final evaluation: It is a fantastic starting point for a new IP and worth owning. I enjoyed this game a lot and will give 1 bonus point for world building / lore. Critical warning: It is my duty to warn you of the conclusion of the trilogy in Mass Effect 3. Before I planed to replay all games to get my favourite outcomes. After it I haven't touched the games again (I am the kind of gamer that replays his favourite games once in a while). I wont go in details but it was even in the mainstream media. For details the famous YouTuber Angry Joe has made a list what is wrong with the ending.… Expand
  18. BeboFett
    Jan 8, 2020
    8
    Even though I didn't play so many RPGs, Mass Effect caught me by its mechanics right from the start. It can get a little tedious sometimes if you want to be as complete as I am.

    The control isn't perfect and more than once I get frustrated, especially their coverage system, and their story is good, although not very original either.

    I spent almost 50 hours on this title.
  19. nervioso2009
    Oct 16, 2019
    7
    Gran historia y ambientación de los diferentes mundos, aunque la gran mayoría de personajes no han sido demasiado memorables, y soy malisimo con los juegos de tiros por lo que algunos combates se me han echo muy frustrantes. Sin embargo es un bueno juego con un muy buen tramo final.

    7/10
  20. DeJota
    Jul 22, 2019
    10
    The Mass Effect Universe is one of the best - if not the best - ever created. It's delightful to get to know it as you play the game. I believe this game is underrated. It's one of the best games imo.
  21. ElleryHQ
    Jun 21, 2019
    7
    Считаю, что саундтрек первой части самый лучший в трилогии. Очень атмосферная игра и крутой сюжет. В 2018 сложно переигрывать по причине "деревянного" управления.
  22. egoBorder
    Jan 17, 2019
    7
    If the score seems too low, just keep in mind that I'm reviewing this specific version of the game. So if you've never played Mass Effect and the most convenient place for you to play it is on your Playstation 3, here's what's in store for you:

    The game is great, and rightly praised for kicking off one of the most iconic series in gaming. But even with rose-colored glasses of    If the score seems too low, just keep in mind that I'm reviewing this specific version of the game. So if you've never played Mass Effect and the most convenient place for you to play it is on your Playstation 3, here's what's in store for you:

    The game is great, and rightly praised for kicking off one of the most iconic series in gaming. But even with rose-colored glasses of nostalgia, the game stands on its own merits. The futuristic world presented is compelling and thoughtful, and most importantly believable. The story contained is interesting and unique, but not devoid of humor and levity. And the gameplay, as far as can be hoped for an early cover-shooter, holds up fairly well and is properly balanced to provide a challenge but not present too many difficulty speed bumps along the way.

    But not everything in the game has stood the test of time. Unfortunately, most of the things in this category are things related to game design and you'll likely encounter them throughout the entire playthrough. The most egregious are the lack of inventory management and the lack of variety in environments. Just get used to the fact that almost every place outside of a handful will look almost identical to any other place you visit. And be ready to spend a few minutes thinning out your inventory after missions or you'll soon find yourself having to organize 150 frustratingly-similar items in one of the worst U.I.s in recent memory. The checkpoint system isn't a deal-breaker, but a few times it partners with unskippable cutscenes and difficult fights to become extremely frustrating.
    Other minor annoyances are more forgivable, such as the game ambushing you occasionally even if your character has been warned about a location or even told exactly what you'll encounter there. And if you wanna get down to it, the action (shooting portions) are not really well done, but if you're even considering playing a game from 2007 you should already be prepared to be forgiving.

    However, with that being said, it's a little harder to forgive the awfulness of this PS3 port, which released after the trilogy was completed. It's not optimized at all, so this version has the honor of having the worst framerates, longest loading times, and slowest-loading textures. This is hands-down the worst way to experience one of the best games ever made. But like I said, if you're patient and forgiving the game is playable. And the two sequels are really great, so once you finish this game you have a pretty sweet reward waiting for you.    … Expand
  23. Arez
    Aug 22, 2018
    1
    Jogo excelente, recomendo vivamente, mas a versão da PS3 é uma autentica aberração... A evitar, joguem no PC.
  24. marcosladarense
    Apr 27, 2018
    9
    I can't talk about PS3 adaptation. I've never played on any other plataform, so... I praise the fact of the game has no aliasing, with is amazing. The story is prety good, and the universe, the mythology are superb. Third best of the generation, tied with red dead redemption, just losing to deadly premonition and folklore. the battle systems is very flawless, that is why this game is worthI can't talk about PS3 adaptation. I've never played on any other plataform, so... I praise the fact of the game has no aliasing, with is amazing. The story is prety good, and the universe, the mythology are superb. Third best of the generation, tied with red dead redemption, just losing to deadly premonition and folklore. the battle systems is very flawless, that is why this game is worth of a 9, not a 10. The teammates are really good (the contrary of resident evil revelation partners, who are always useless), more than we wish, and ussually they kill 80% of the hostiles, and quickly, while you are at the first or second one. So i had always let them far away from where action took place. Now, when playing with your char, the aim is not good, very unprecise, or too fast, or too slow, being impossible to hit flying enemies. the power slots wheel is terrible and sometimes misundestands what you have chosen and breaks the pace, the heat of the fight. I had seen videos of the pc version, and that wheel was much better implemented (actually is not a wheel, is just disposed side by side at the top of the screen).… Expand
  25. JavierTaco
    Jan 17, 2018
    8
    This is a great game. Gameplay will perhaps show signs of aging, as it is very clunky and hard to get used to, but everything else is golden. The music, the characters, the story, the conversations and the freaking fantastic atmosphere. It is all pure bliss.
  26. SrPepe
    Oct 30, 2017
    8
    El comienzo de una de las mejores sagas de videojuegos. La historia y el universo que crearon los genios de BioWare en Mass Effect es digna de todos los aplausos.
  27. Termin8ter
    Jul 3, 2017
    8
    Mass Effect is actually a really rock-solid game. With fun and responsive gun-play, good characters and writing, and a good plot to boot, this game has stood relatively strong against the test of time. It's definitely worth at least one playthrough.
  28. Nel
    Mar 16, 2017
    5
    Great story can be fun to play, however the game is riddle with bugs and crashes, and the vehicle that you drive is just a horrendous experience. The story is great, but gameplay is lacking.
  29. Ronoboaventura
    Jul 17, 2016
    10
    Amazing history, amazing characters, and a fine gameplay. This game it's awesome, and once you start to undestand its mechanics, its impossible to stop playing. A master piece!
  30. Leptoi
    Jul 10, 2016
    9
    The game have a great RPG element and introduces a incredible world to the players ; by this fact some things must improve , wich happens in the next games . Dispite all of this , inclunding the old gameplay that it's based on an old technology , i recommend the game as a new adventure , if you have patience with old games and want to know a great saga .
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Mar 14, 2013
    84
    The game's appearance remains unaltered, which sounds good, but unfortunately it isn't. The game doesn't look bad, but it certainly looks dated. From a cinematic standpoint everything's fine, but the numerous lip-sync errors bothered us immensely. [February 2013, p.80]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Jan 28, 2013
    80
    As an interactive story it's one hell of a good piece of entertainment. Taking your first tentative steps into this seriously rich universe, planting the seeds for larger implications later in the series, and tangling with one of the best antagonists ever, Saren, is a trip well worth taking. There's a rich, colourful cast you'll want to meet for the first time (Urdnot Wrex in particular) and very poignant moments to be had (e.g. becoming a Spectre). These are watershed gaming moments that the ME2's 'introductory' comic book could never hope to encapsulate. [January 2013, p69]
  3. PlayStation Universe
    Dec 20, 2012
    83
    The original Mass Effect has finally arrived on the PlayStation 3, which completes the trilogy without hopping consoles. Even though the game shows obvious and often obtrusive signs of age, the original shooter RPG still holds up and delivers an experience to fans who have wanted it for so long.
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