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Release Date: November 20, 2007 (NA)
Genre: Action Role-Playing Game/Third Person Shooter
Rating: Mature
Platform: Xbox 360 (also available for Windows PC)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Bioware
The year is 2183, thirty five years after humanity has discovered the ancient alien technology that makes interstellar space flight possible. As newcomers to the galactic community, Humans are fighting an uphill battle for respect among the alien races of the galactic council. As Commander Shepard, you are tasked with chasing down the rogue Turian agent, Saren in order to put an end to the threat of the Geth, a race of sentient robots bent on the galactic destruction. Your choices and actions will not only affect your own fate, but also that of all humanity.
Mass Effect is not your typical RPG. Gameplay takes the form of a third-person shooter. Accompanied by two other party members, you blast your way through enemy forces with a range of weapons including assault rifles, pistols, and shotguns all in real-time. The game expands combat beyond simple shooting with the inclusion of special abilities know as tech abilities and biotics.
Tech abilities, as the name imply, focus on the manipulation of technology. Overload an enemy’s shields from a distance or hack a robotic opponent to make them fire at their allies. Biotics are more akin to the force powers of the Star Wars universe. Utilize these skills and you will be levitating enemies in mid-air or knocking them over with telekinetic pushes.
These powers add a good amount of strategy to the game, which is needed since the shooting aspect ultimately boils down to firing on auto-target. You will wind up paying more attention to the overheat meter for your weapon then on your actual target. Unfortunately you can hotkey only one of your special techniques at a time. All others are activated by opening a menu that pauses combat every time you wish to use it. This can take away from the flow of action in battle, but is easily overlooked once you get used to the system.
While the game’s main quest is relatively short (three planetary missions before gaining access to the finale), there are a multitude of optional side-quests in the various systems of the Milky Way that help you learn more about the history and culture surrounding the various galactic civilizations. However, exploring these planets can become a hassle, even for the most intrepid adventures. Each one is essentially one large field sparsely decorated with mountains, in a variety of flavors such as rocky barrens and snow-covered barrens. Driving around on these planets in the Mako, your land-based vehicle, is fun at first but becomes tiring after exploring the umpteenth planet that looks the same as the last. There is plenty to keep the obsessive completionist busy, though these side-quests are by no means necessary for full enjoyment of the game.
In Mass Effect you take control of Commander Shepard, a soldier for the Systems Alliance and second in command of the US Normandy. Through a series of events that set the stage for the game you gain control of the ship and join forces with several different alien partners to put an end to Saren’s plot. The great thing about Shepard is that his character is entirely crafted by you. Bioware goes beyond the physical aesthetics of the character creation system and allows you to choose his backstory, as well as develop his personality through an ingenious dialogue system.
When in conversation, you are presented with a dialogue wheel containing simplified response choices. Make your choice, and when the dialogue finishes your character immediately responds with an expanded dialogue based on your choice. Add to this the fact that Mass Effect has full, high quality voice acting for all dialogue, and you have an incredibly cinematic presentation that makes you feel like you are watching a movie as much as playing a video game.
Bioware is notorious for implementing a sense of morality in their games (i.e. Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, etc.). Mass Effect takes the concept a step further in the right direction. Rather than a single morality bar that is constantly in flux between pure good and pure evil, you now have two independent bars that fill up individually based on your actions. These Paragon and Renegade meters allow for you to watch your character develop based on his/her personality, rather than forcing you to polarize your values and choose a side. Commander Shepard is easily one of the most personalized characters in video gaming to date, and no doubt you will find yourself attached to your own version.
The game has a running theme of “choices”, and often reminds you that while some are difficult to make it is your duty as commander to make them. While the early portions of the game do little to enforce this, you will eventually be forced to make some of the most difficult decisions encountered in any next gen RPG. The brilliance of it lays in the fact that these choices go beyond the dualities of right and wrong, of good and evil. You are forced into situations where loss is inevitable, and neither choice will leave you feeling happy about having made it. One such scene actually had me sitting in front of a paused game for several minutes, debating back and forth, torn as to how to proceed. These scenes are instantly memorable, and show that Bioware is reaching new levels of interactive storytelling in the video game medium.
There is a reason why Bioware is one of the leading RPG developers in the Western gaming industry. Their games consistently deliver top-of-the-line stories, dialogue, and character development. Mass Effect is a shining example of all of the above. If you enjoy games that have a story to tell, you will love Mass Effect. It is modern, refreshing, and is helping to push forward the boundaries of what a role-playing game is, as well as setting new precedents for storytelling. The gameplay is not without its setbacks, but fun nonetheless. If you can look past those minor faults at the greater picture, then pick up this game and experience what it has to offer first hand. As a Platinum Hits title, you will be getting well more than your money’s worth.
April 16, 2009
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Title: Mass Effect
