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Too bad I can't enjoy the fun game buried beneath the DRM garbage.

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 87 / 134
Date: May 28, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I was craving for a sci-fi RPG, and Mass Effect seemed like a great game... until I learned of the horrible DRM system that it incorporates.

Yes, this single-player game uses a draconian copy protection system where you need to be connected to the internet in order to activate. All you get is 3 activations before having to call EA Tech Support and beg for an extra one. So even though you are paying for it, you don't actually own your copy of the game. This is even worse than StarForce. At least with StarForce I could install and play the game without being connected to the internet.

Basically it means that you can NOT install the game when you want, or where you want. While pirates enjoy a painless gaming experience, all fair usage rights are removed from us paying customers. The whole online activation process is very inconvenient; especially in the future when the activation servers WILL go down, or when you will want to install the game on a computer that's not connected to the internet. I guess this is how EA likes to thank their paying customers.

Oppose this oppression of our fair usage rights (yes it sounds cheesy, but obviously that's exactly what EA's intentions are). Vote with your wallet by avoiding this game. There are plenty of other games (with minimal or no copy protection) to choose from.

Avoid Mass Infect and send a message to EA

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 84 / 132
Date: May 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Despite having opened a stickied FAQ thread on the official Bioware forums, representatives of the company have still not provided answers to any of the following questions-

Will there be a revoke tool to reclaim activations?

What changes to hardware will require a re-activation?

Does Securom install anything on the user's system and if so, is it removed once the game is uninstalled?

What information about the user's PC is gathered and how and where will it be stored? Will it be deleted after a certain period of time?

Will the DRM conflict with any other applications? If so, does it require these applications to be shut down, or uninstalled?

What would be the cost of contacting EA by phone to authorise further activations?

These questions, and others, have been asked multiple times and have never been answered despite the game being released in the next day or so. One of the comments from a Bioware QA bod named Stanley Woo is telling-

"We have never promised, and can't and won't promise an ETA for answers, or that your question can or will be answered at all, or that the answers will satisfy you. But we will do what we can to keep the community informed."

When a company either doesn't know details about its own product, or is apparently too embarrassed to answer perfectly legitimate questions on it, I think it's only fair that potential customers give them a wide berth.

Avoid Mass Effect and send EA a message that gamers won't be treated like thieves by default and won't put up with crippleware.

Mass Effect DRM / SecuROM punishes consumers

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 66 / 114
Date: May 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

SecuROM makes a comeback in Mass Effect requiring users effectively install rootkits on their PCs to ensure they are not pirating software. I can understand wanting to protect your product from being pirated, but the only thing this does is punish the end consumer actually paying for your product.

If you want to educate yourself as to what you will be putting on your machine when you install this game I advocate you read the wikipedia page on SecuROM, a technology developed by Sony who had no problems in the past putting a rootkit on your machine without your knowledge or consent (see Sony BMG CD copy prevention scandal).

I found the xbox 360 version of this game to be quite fun, but I can't give it more than one star for the PC due to their copyright protection scheme. It punishes legitimate consumers who purchased the product, especially if multiple activations are required due to the purchase of new computers or OS reloads.

3 activations, EA believes paying customers are criminals!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 65 / 102
Date: May 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Securom is used in Mass Effect PC and it limits the number of installs to 3 before you have to call EA and prove you own the game. Who knows if EA will still support his game five or ten years down the road. However, that is not the biggest problem. I understand DRM is meant to curb pirarcy, but the DRM in Mass Effect is counter productive because it encourages people to pirate the game. The reason for this is because the pirate offer a better version compared to Bioware/EA. Until game publishers stop treating paying customers like criminal, do yourself and your fellow gamers a favor and do not buy this game until it is superior to 'other versions'.

Note: I played Mass Effect to death on the 360 and have been a huge fan of KOTOR, but Bioware has crossed the line.

Rental versus purchase: Beware

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 59 / 73
Date: June 18, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I am not reviewing the content of the game except to say that Bioware has previously never disappointed me with its RPG's, and I expect Mass Effect is no different. I was highly excited to buy this game.

However, I like many others, canceled my pre-order when I discovered that I was not actually going to be buying the game, even though I was going to be spending $50 on it.

The truth is that this game comes with a new generation of digital rights management software called SecuROM. This DRM system does many things.

First, if your gaming computer does not have internet access then you cannot activate and play the game at all. Bioware/EA does not want your business.

Second, Bioware allows you three 'activations' only. Activations are tied to your computer's hardware and operating system configuration. If you ever reinstall windows, or upgrade a videocard, or add a new hard-drive, or even a simple cooling fan, you will need to use up another activation to keep playing mass effect on your computer. Several customers used up all three activations within a couple of weeks of buying the game as they tried reinstalling windows, or upgrading hardware, to overcome technical difficulties. Once you run out of activations and try to play the game again, you get a message informing you that you have no more activations left and that you should buy another copy of the game to get more. If you do some searching, you will find out that EA says that they may provide you more activations, on a case by case basis, if you contact them. They refuse to state what circumstances will be considered acceptable to them before allowing you more activations. At a minimum, you may need to provide a copy of your purchase receipt. You do actually keep your purchase receipts for $50 games right?

Third, SecuROM is a highly controversial piece of software. Its existence is not disclosed on the box, nor do you get notified that it is being installed on your machine. SecuROM installs registry keys that are not deleted when you uninstall the game. And these registry keys use illegal characters to prevent the user from being able to delete them manually. You must use third-party software to do so.

Fourth, SecuROM can include a module that provides 'information' to the game publisher. Bioware claims it is not using that module to do so, but there is no way to verify this.

Fifth, Bioware cancelled the re-validate online every 5-10 days policy that they originally stated the game would have. Expect to see this return in future games.

Lastly, Bioware/EA provides no method to de-activate a computer once it has been activated. Uninstalling the game from one computer does not free up that activation. Therefore, your ability to sell your copy of the game second-hand, guaranteed in the Copyright Act (Doctrine of First Sale) has been violated by Bioware/EA. Expect to see some lawsuits before too much longer.

If you think I'm blowing up the DRM issue out of proportion then, by all means, go ahead and buy this game. While you are able to play it I'm sure you'll be very happy with it. However, do not expect to be able to keep playing it years into the future without paying extra for more activations.

The same DRM system is also intended for use on EA games like Spore, and likely also Dragonage, plus many others.

If you are concerned about this kind of practice becoming the industry standard, then I urge you not to spend your money on this game or any other titles from EA until they abandon this DRM fiasco. There are games publishers who take a different approach (for example, the game Sins of a Solar Empire is DRM free) and who are much more appreciative of your custom.

Caveat Emptor

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 57 / 87
Date: May 29, 2008
Author: Amazon User

It's highly disappointing to say this about a BioWare game, because they consistently produce some of the best-designed RPGs with the best storylines of any company in the gaming industry, but be aware that because of draconian DRM measures dictated by EA, you're very likely to eventually wind up with a piece of software that will not run, regardless of the fact that you've already paid for it. Additionally, it will install extra monitoring software into your registry that you will not be able to remove without resorting to third-party software, and then only if you have high-functioning knowledge of the guts of your operating system.

I myself canceled my pre-order when I found out about the SecuROM malware included in this software package, and as much as I hate to do so, I must recommend to anyone else considering this title that they do not buy it, or Maxis' SPORE, also to be released later this year, which uses the same DRM scheme.

they're not lying, mass effect will certainly have a mass effect on your computer

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 55 / 84
Date: May 28, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I usually don't review products before I purchase them, but once in a while there is a ridiculous exception that necessitates preemptive action.

The other reviewers have already said all that needs to be said about the effects of installing the game. Honestly, I would LOVE to play this game; but when it comes with the cost of threatening the proper functioning of my system and potentially being monitored by some malware-like program, I will gladly look the other way.

Developers need to come up with better ways of preventing piracy instead of stooping so low. They condemn hackers and other such programmers but now they're behaving like them, how ironic...

Do yourself a favor and stay clear of this one until it's cured of its disease...

Contempt For the Customer

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 53 / 91
Date: May 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

The mandatory internet connection, and the limited installs are deal killers for potential buyers like me. If the usage restrictions are removed in the future I may reconsider a purchase, but for now I decided to cancel my preorder and select another sci-fi game in its place (i.e. Sins of a Solar Empire). Sins of a Solar Empire From a more customer-friendly company.

DO NOT BUY THIS ORWELLIAN TROJAN HORSE

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 53 / 87
Date: May 28, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Everything has already been said by the other reviewers related to the secuROM trojan horse, rootkit, DRM madness that has deluded EA and the Mass Effect product marketing team.

DO NOT BUY THIS VERSION and send a message back to the EA myopists!

Mass Effect Massively Disappoints :(

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 52 / 88
Date: May 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I'll be honest and say that I have not played this game. However, the point is moot, because no matter how fantastic this game is--it could be 10x better than COD4--I will not exchange my hard earned money for an untenable and abusive DRM scheme.
While it is true that EA has removed the dial-in portion--except to download content--they still only allow you to install 3x max, and it still installs the $$ecurom rootkit. I, for one, have reason to format my HD more than that over the course of the year, whether because of malfunctioning drivers, Trojans or whatnot, so am I supposed to purchase the game again--they'd like that wouldn't they.
Look at it this way, imagine if after you bought a car Honda sent someone to your house to install a machine in your car to scan your license to check that it wasn't revoked, and that you're current with your insurance, and that you don't drive past the speed limit, and if you do they take your keys away. And if you modify the car you have to pay them a fee and if you don't they'll sue you. This is in effect what EA has been doing with $$ecurom in their games.
Only in the software industry is it acceptable for the manufacturer of a product to want control over its use after the customer gives them the money. Imagine if the same logic applied to buying a newspaper. It would come under lock and key, they'd have to mail you the key to open it, and you'll have to pay extra for the metro section--50 cent extra fo style section.

-NO TO DRM TYRANNY!!!

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