Mass Effect enjoys being a space opera. From the well-developed characters to the intriguing story, everything shows how much work went into the game, ultimately creating an incredible RPG.
The area that stands out above everything else is the world BioWare has constructed. It's absolutely staggering how much work went into it, especially the Codex.You can learn about how some turians are becoming Confucians. You can learn about krogan biology. You can learn about the Normandy's stealth drive, and why it's not more common. You can learn about why humans are such a big deal on the galactic stage. The world has been suitably polished, and then the polish has been polished. The game also adheres mostly to real-world physics, even in the stuff it makes up, giving it more depth.
That said, the game does have some low points. The Mako is a bit of a mixed bag: it's fun to drive along a route in a story mission and blast all your enemies away, somewhat entertaining to explore a small, not-too-steep area of a planet, and downright tedious and annoying to climb mountains. Unfortunately, mountains take up about sixty percent of non-quest planets. The ability to take cover at any wall also has its ups and downs: you can hide behind an arch that the developers didn't think of, but running straight up to a chest-high wall won't let you go into cover; you have to crouch first. It's not too much of a problem, but it might mess you up in a firefight. Combat is decent, and livened up by biotics, but is not as refined as it could be.
With its unique world, entertaining characters, and excellent story, Mass Effect is an experience that should not be missed.
A Brilliant Experience With a Few Flaws
Mass Effect enjoys being a space opera. From the well-developed characters to the intriguing story, everything shows how much work went into the game, ultimately creating an incredible RPG.
The area that stands out above everything else is the world BioWare has constructed. It's absolutely staggering how much work went into it, especially the Codex.You can learn about how some turians are becoming Confucians. You can learn about krogan biology. You can learn about the Normandy's stealth drive, and why it's not more common. You can learn about why humans are such a big deal on the galactic stage. The world has been suitably polished, and then the polish has been polished. The game also adheres mostly to real-world physics, even in the stuff it makes up, giving it more depth.
The characters are all pretty well-written. They feel real, and the aliens in your crew all give unique insights into their culture. For example, Blood Knight Wrex talks mostly about fighting, and decades of seeing his species ignore the genetic disease that's slowly killing them off has turned him very cynical. Even characters that only appear in a single quest are done well; I usually don't cry during movies or games, but in the "I Remember Me" quest, Talitha's lines had me sobbing in minutes. The characters help move the story along, which starts out a bit cliché, but quickly heads in unique directions, as does each planet's sub-plot.
That said, the game does have some low points. The Mako is a bit of a mixed bag: it's fun to drive along a route in a story mission and blast all your enemies away, somewhat entertaining to explore a small, not-too-steep area of a planet, and downright tedious and annoying to climb mountains. Unfortunately, mountains take up about sixty percent of non-quest planets. The ability to take cover at any wall also has its ups and downs: you can hide behind an arch that the developers didn't think of, but running straight up to a chest-high wall won't let you go into cover; you have to crouch first. It's not too much of a problem, but it might mess you up in a firefight. Combat is decent, and livened up by biotics, but is not as refined as it could be.
With its unique world, entertaining characters, and excellent story, Mass Effect is an experience that should not be missed.