Just like my review of Ninja Gaiden II, this one was taken from my account on Gamespot, except that I have edited certain parts after playing through the game about four times more than I did prior to writing the review. And I took out stuff that in retrospect didn't quite work. And note that I wrote this last winter.
After Bioware's previous sci-fi endeavor with Star Wars, churning out the classic Knights of the Old Republic, I was expecting a great experience in Mass Effect. My expectations were completely shattered and I am left to say the following: Bioware is the best developer of role-playing games (which is a title previously held by Bethesda), Mass Effect is by and far Game of the Year material, and it is the best experience on the Xbox 360 to date. I've played most of the other blockbusters of the year (Halo 3, BioShock, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4), and while they are great in their own right, they don't match Mass Effect.
First I'll give the reasons why this game did not receive a perfect score in my book. The texture flipping, while not as nightmarish as the Halo 2 flips, do sort of hamper what is otherwise an incomprehensibly immersive experience. Second, your teammates are idiots. Third, the very beginning of the game is a little slow, but this is a minor complaint because even it is still great and the game takes off very quickly from there. Now that these problems (to be honest, they're more minor annoyances rather than "problems," excepting the team AI, which can be attrocious) are out of the way, it's time to get on to everything that the game does right.
The audio in the game is truly something to behold. The voice-acting is generally spot-on and it's nice to hear Seth Green and Keith David donate their talents to the game. The sounds you hear in combat are also done remarkably well and everything sounds crisp and believable. Whether it's the weapons being deployed and fired or the enemies sounding off or the wonderful sound of something getting its ass demolished, it all works. Then there's the soundtrack which ranges from good to simply incredible. The music always enhances the mood, especially during certain cinematics.
The gameplay is great at worst and phenominal at best, mixing element from Gears of War and Knights of the Old Republic, resulting in a polished gameplay system that is as fresh and innovative as it should be while remaining familiar enough to get a good grasp of it early on. Nearly every battle is enjoyable at least and very few times will it ever be frustrating. The methods by which you can dispatch your enemies are enjoyable and large enough in variety to hold your interest long after you've completed the game, but not too large so as to be overwhelming. This system emphasizes strategy over run-and-gun tactics and results in a very rewarding experience that feels just perfect for this game.
Aside from the previously mentioned texture flipping, the graphics and art direction are fantastic. The many planets of the Mass Effect universe are all interesting and unique, consisting of immersive environments with noticeably different architecture, never too dull to rouse feelings of boredom but never too out there to be unbelievable. Each world oozes with meticulous detail and speaks of their people's cultures as much as any data does. The people themselves are animated remarkably well, especially in terms of facial structure and animation, which exhibit emotions in a way previously unseen in any game. The various weapons, devices, and vehicles are all designed with great care, none seeming out of place and all being there for a reason.
The writing in general is outstanding, from the dialogue to the various loads of background information behind every planet, species, technology, etc. Nearly every conversation is interesting and worth listening to, and practically every bit of history for every planet is detailed and believable. (Please note that when I use "believable," I am implying that there isn't anything too farfetched and silly.) Added on to that, the main story of the game is deep and truly gripping, leaving the player with a desire for more as the game goes on.
Mass Effect is not perfect, but it is extremely close. It presents a living, breathing galaxy filled with detail and wonder and it puts you right in the middle of it, experiencing among the best it has to offer. It is a testament to what games should be, and I can't wait for the sequel.
After Bioware's previous sci-fi endeavor with Star Wars, churning out the classic Knights of the Old Republic, I was expecting a great experience in Mass Effect. My expectations were completely shattered and I am left to say the following: Bioware is the best developer of role-playing games (which is a title previously held by Bethesda), Mass Effect is by and far Game of the Year material, and it is the best experience on the Xbox 360 to date. I've played most of the other blockbusters of the year (Halo 3, BioShock, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4), and while they are great in their own right, they don't match Mass Effect.
First I'll give the reasons why this game did not receive a perfect score in my book. The texture flipping, while not as nightmarish as the Halo 2 flips, do sort of hamper what is otherwise an incomprehensibly immersive experience. Second, your teammates are idiots. Third, the very beginning of the game is a little slow, but this is a minor complaint because even it is still great and the game takes off very quickly from there. Now that these problems (to be honest, they're more minor annoyances rather than "problems," excepting the team AI, which can be attrocious) are out of the way, it's time to get on to everything that the game does right.
The audio in the game is truly something to behold. The voice-acting is generally spot-on and it's nice to hear Seth Green and Keith David donate their talents to the game. The sounds you hear in combat are also done remarkably well and everything sounds crisp and believable. Whether it's the weapons being deployed and fired or the enemies sounding off or the wonderful sound of something getting its ass demolished, it all works. Then there's the soundtrack which ranges from good to simply incredible. The music always enhances the mood, especially during certain cinematics.
The gameplay is great at worst and phenominal at best, mixing element from Gears of War and Knights of the Old Republic, resulting in a polished gameplay system that is as fresh and innovative as it should be while remaining familiar enough to get a good grasp of it early on. Nearly every battle is enjoyable at least and very few times will it ever be frustrating. The methods by which you can dispatch your enemies are enjoyable and large enough in variety to hold your interest long after you've completed the game, but not too large so as to be overwhelming. This system emphasizes strategy over run-and-gun tactics and results in a very rewarding experience that feels just perfect for this game.
Aside from the previously mentioned texture flipping, the graphics and art direction are fantastic. The many planets of the Mass Effect universe are all interesting and unique, consisting of immersive environments with noticeably different architecture, never too dull to rouse feelings of boredom but never too out there to be unbelievable. Each world oozes with meticulous detail and speaks of their people's cultures as much as any data does. The people themselves are animated remarkably well, especially in terms of facial structure and animation, which exhibit emotions in a way previously unseen in any game. The various weapons, devices, and vehicles are all designed with great care, none seeming out of place and all being there for a reason.
The writing in general is outstanding, from the dialogue to the various loads of background information behind every planet, species, technology, etc. Nearly every conversation is interesting and worth listening to, and practically every bit of history for every planet is detailed and believable. (Please note that when I use "believable," I am implying that there isn't anything too farfetched and silly.) Added on to that, the main story of the game is deep and truly gripping, leaving the player with a desire for more as the game goes on.
Mass Effect is not perfect, but it is extremely close. It presents a living, breathing galaxy filled with detail and wonder and it puts you right in the middle of it, experiencing among the best it has to offer. It is a testament to what games should be, and I can't wait for the sequel.
