Mass Effect is a role-playing shooter in a beautifully realized sci-fi world. It was the second-to-last game made by the – legendary – game studio Bioware, before the inevitable quality decline set in, that occurs when a studio is incorporated into the EA roster.
Even though Mass Effect was originally an Xbox 360 exclusive, Bioware did not let the limited hardware hinder the game’s potential. The game was a visual masterpiece, and the tight movement and combat naturally inherited from the Unreal Engine played wonderfully into the game’s core shooting mechanics. The intense firefights with lasers, explosions, and kinetic powers, kept you at the edge of your seat – but it was the expansive universe, and heavy story elements, that kept you from leaving it.
If I were to make a parallel between another much beloved piece of media, I’d say that Mass Effect followed the Matrix formula to a T. Much akin to the Matrix trilogy, the first part of the Mass Effect trilogy is an independent piece that stands on its own, it builds up a mysterious and interesting world, and let’s you take it in however much you like – but just like the Matrix trilogy, the second and third parts thoroughly disappoint.
Why The Matrix trilogy went the way it did is a mystery only the Wachowskis can answer for, but as for Mass Effect, we can clearly point our fingers at EA and say: “They did it!”. Mass Effect, along with Dragon Age: Origins, were Bioware’s final games that showed the brilliance of the studio. The games that followed are little more than fan-service on top of bad writing. Let’s not even start with The Old Republic.
As for Mass Effect, it’s one of the most fleshed out worlds ever created. The game hooks you from the start, and won’t let go – even when the credits roll. You’re gonna wanna go back, and it’s recommended, as the game has twists and turns that will only reveal themselves on second or third playthroughs.
I recommend this game to anyone and everyone.
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