Mass Effect was created by BioWare, the makers of Jade Empire and Star wars, and Knights of the old republic, which have both received rave reviews from gamers the world over.

This Role Playing Game starts with the creation of your Commander Shephard. You can go with the default model or choose to make changes, including playing as a woman. However, the game will slightly change depending on the modifications you made to your character. Per example, if you play as a woman, your interactions with other characters will change accordingly. The class in which you choose to play will also have repercussions on the game.

The thing I liked about Mass Effect is that even though it looks like a classic shooter, it is truly an RPG. Choosing how to equip yourself and your party and when to use your powers is really important. The system can look difficult to manage in the beginning, but once you get used to it and realize how much versatility it gives to the gameplay, you’ll see how fun it can be.

The most disappointing thing about Mass Effect is the lack of control over your fight partners. While you have full control over when and how your allies use their powers, you have absolutely no control over your partners’ movements while you are in motion. It can be really frustrating because of the questionable AI of your allies.

The AI of your enemies is equally questionable. Their reactions can sometimes be very robotic and twitchy and can suck the realism out of combats at times. But even though the combat sequences are not as good as they could be, the game’s environment makes up for it.
Since Mass Effect is an RPG first and a shooter second, the world and gameplay outside of combat is arguably more important to the overall quality of the game. In this regard, Mass Effect is as good as they come.

The story line is great and every decision you make in the game can have a major influence on the outcome. In addition to the rich story line, roughly 15 Hours of side quests and exploration have been integrated to the game to give it even more depth. The cinematics are truly amazing and the voicing and expressions will leave you wondering if you are watching an actual movie or playing a game.

But there are some problems with Mass Effect worth mentioning. First, there’s the erratic frame rate. There are significant frame rate drops throughout the game that can make it a bit frustrating at times. Another problem I had with Mass effect is the slow loading of textures. Sometimes, a completely bland scenery will be filled bits by bits by details as you explore it. Besides these few glitches, Mass Effect is a masterpiece of graphical architecture.

So if you were looking for a futuristic RPG/Shooter game that stands out from the rest, Mass Effect is for you. The skillful storytelling and depth of the characters and environments are enough to overshadow the game’s few technical issues. So why don’t you give Mass Effect a try and see for yourself how great a game it is.

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Last update: 16-04-2008 21:52