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Worst game ever!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 8
Date: August 02, 2008
Author: Amazon User

First of all, if you're buying this game because you think there's nudity in it, DON'T! Because there is NO NUDITY! As for the game mechanics, they are absolutely atrocious. The storyline is sleep-inducing. The controls are almost impossible to get used to. The characters are as uninteresting as they could possibly be. PLEASE don't waste your money on this game!

A great game that you must play, but skip the Limited Edition

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 03, 2008
Author: Amazon User

There are plenty of reviews hailing the excellence of Mass Effect, and so there is little point in providing yet another review of the game itself - on a scale of 1 to 10, it deserves a score on the higher end of between an 8 and a 9 - its an awesome game and while it isn't perfect, there is no comparable experience on any system.

That said, unless you love seeing concept art or have extraordinary passion for BioWare, then avoid the Limited Edition. The LE comes in a tin box that is tough to get in and out of - your discs are actually enclosed in a carboard case that is really kind of cheap (much like the Halo LE). The extra content disc is not terribly special or original, has little real substance, and some of it is available for download Free on Xbox Live Marketplace or on the internet. The Codex book that comes with it is again nice to have, but the same information, with sound, graphics, and text, is available in-game (and frankly much more rewarding experienced that way). Finally, while you do get some gamer pics and themes, none of them are so special that you'd feel satisfied actually paying for them.

[...]

Massive Letdown

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 7
Date: March 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I had very high hopes for this game. I was a big fan of both Knights of the Old Republic games, and I think that Microsoft and Bioware really built this game up. Unfortunately, it really failed to live up to expectations. To be honest, the more I played it, the more frustrated and disappointed I became. Ultimately, I wasn't able to force myself to finish it.

I could write several pages critiquing the game. But I'm feeling a little too lazy for that right now. My biggest advice would be, if you buy this game, stick to the main plot. The side-quests are tedious and poorly-implemented, often relying simply on text pop-ups and involving very little (if any) meaningful "exploration" of the galaxy.

The game's high points would probably be the graphics (although it's plagued by inexcusable popping-in of textures, embarrassingly small numbers of character model variations, and a conspicuous absence of characters with any meaningful amount of hair), music, and the thoroughness of the sci-fi universe that they have envisioned.

These strengths are heavily outweighed, however, by an innovative but ultimately ill-conceived dialog system, shallow inventory system, laughable "decryption" mini-game, lackluster voice acting, painful vehicle control, cookie-cutter dungeons, a combat system that is a step-back from KOTOR, and, apparently, a total lack of vegetation anywhere in the galaxy.

In a holiday season with countless outstanding titles, there are MUCH better ways to spend your precious spare hours of free time...

A must-have KOTOR-like game, but not without a few cut corners

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: November 28, 2007
Author: Amazon User

A couple years ago I posted a late review of one of Bioware's previous classics, Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic (also a.k.a. KOTOR). I specifically emphasized in that review that KOTOR set the standard for this kind of genre. (I played Jade Empire, too, but honestly I didn't think Jade Empire is worth comparing to Mass Effect because of the setting differences.)

I've been playing Mass Effect for a few nights now. I must say that I haven't been this engrossed in an Xbox game since KOTOR. As a genre and as an implementation, Mass Effect game is incredibly immersive and deep. It has just plenty of action to keep you motivated, while at the same time it makes you feel like you're realy playing a role in this virtual universe.

The graphics and sound are beyond incredible. Here's a game that really takes advantage of the full power of Xbox 360's hardware. Unlike some other games like Unreal Tournament 2007's rediculous bump mapping techniques, the usage of high-end graphics APIs are not over-blown to the point of being painful eyesores. Bioware's artists really did things right here. The screenshots don't lie. The game really looks that good, and with solid framerates, too, I've found.

I do find myself pulling my hair out, from time to time, with Mass Effect's "-isms". I just killed off a boss (Benezia) and it took me two nights, but that was because it consisted of 50% waiting on "loading", 30% waiting on the dialog and cutscene sequence to re-play (even with hitting [x] over and over again to skip dialog, but there's no way to skip cutscenes), and only about 20% of the time was actual gametime getting my butt kicked. Indeed, the game is, for the most part, fun and immersive. It's just that there are occasional roadblocks like these that make me want to hurl my controller at my TV. I get scared during these times that I'm going to find myself giving up on the game altogether, which I have been known to do from time to time when a boring roadblock cannot be passed for the same stupid reasons. Fortunately, every roadblock is passable, it just might take some exploration.

There are also a few bugs in the game, namely my player keeps getting stuck. This especially happens when I hold the 'A' key, which lets me see past the right side of the player and can speed up the run speed when in a fight. I've gotten stuck in room corners in this way, and on bridges.

The "choose your own adventure" bits don't *really* show up until a few hours into the game, when you get commanding access to a ship and can navigate the galaxy (or galaxies?) freely. Until I reached that point, I was skeptical; it seemed to be more like Guild Wars (on a rail) than like World of Warcraft (go anywhere, at any time).

The science fiction ideas in the game feel original yet seem to find inspiration from all kinds of sources, modern and old, that have been inspirations in other games and media -- EVE Online and Stargate (with the jump gates), Star Wars, KOTOR and Jedi knights (rogue == dark side), StarCraft (Zerg, Terran), Firefly/Serenity (Reapers, mind control), and countless sci-fi books. Somehow it all meshes together to make a very clean story so as to give the player of Mass Effect a pretty original and fulfilling experience -- not the best story in the world but definitely a B+ (good). What matters is the immersion, which is A-grade.

Well Produced and great RPG

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: December 29, 2007
Author: Amazon User

AS the reviews said, the haphazard loading screens are disruptive to the flow of the game, but the gas=me has revolutionized game play for RPG's of the future.

Fantastic.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 24, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Despite my bitter hatred of driving the Mako which encompasses a lot of this game, I still played it through in a single sitting. I haven't been that enthralled with a game since probably Final Fantasy VIII. The combat system is excellent, overall fights are very well balanced, the dialog is excellent (if excessive). Overall an excellent action-RPG.

You'll certainly get your money's worth.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: February 03, 2008
Author: Amazon User

There certainly is a lot to keep busy with in Mass Effect. My first play-through was right around 40 hours. Exploring all of the various planets is pretty fun, thought it has the slight potential to become repetitive after a while.

The narrative was very well-written. Towards the end there I found the story to be very engrossing.

There are a few annoying issues with the UI and the inventory system. I think the developers gave each item two or three levels of skin detail. At first, they load all of the lowest quality skins, then the higher quality ones. This is a good technique to have a lot of detailed skins on-screen at one time, but the drawback is that quite often you can watch the skins draw onto the characters and environments. It isn't a problem at all, but it can be distracting at times. The inventory system was the source of greatest frustration for me. Toward the end, I spent about 10 minutes after each mission selling unneeded items to the store guy. It doesn't allow you to sell multiples of an item; if you have four of an unwanted item, you have to sell each individually. It isn't a deal-breaker, but it can be annoying if you have a lot to sell.

Overall, a terrific game. If you liked Knights of the Old Republic, then you will probably like Mass Effect.

If you own a 360, then you should own this game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 17 / 17
Date: November 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Bioware has become synomous to excellence in RPG video gaming for almost a decade now, and Mass Effect reinforces this fact.

Xbox 360 needed a good RPG in its library. Sure, you got your Oblivion and your Blue Dragon, or even Eternal Sonata, but have these really quenched your RPG thirst? If not, then Mass Effect surely will.

I'll give you a simple list of the Pros and cons.

Cons:

1. Frame rate - You probably have heard all about this already. Just let me clarify on one point: This DOESN'T happen during combat.

2. Loading - Too many areas need loading. You'll be running from one place to another, only to see your screen pause, with a loading... loading... notation at the bottom of your screen.

3. Learning curve - Combat and driving the MAKO (your combat vehicle) take a while to get use to.

4. Combat - It's no Gears of War or Rainbow Six. The combat could get confusing, and the cover system ain't all that great (enemies tend to charge at you too often, making covering pointless). But hell, it's a RPG, not first/third person shooter.

PROS:

1. The Story - Bioware has created a mythology of their own, with ALOT of details. Although it's not totally unique, but it's still good stuff.

2. Graphics - This is usually an area that RPGs faulter on, but Mass Effect definitely looks NEXT GEN.

3. Dialogues - Well written and amazingly acted. Nothing sounds corny or cheesy.

4. Characters - This has always been one of Bioware's trademark. They almost seem alive (it's kinda of creepy, considering that they are all computer generated). This includes Shepard (the protagonist).

5. Game size - It's bigger than you might think. If you read anything else where, you might of heard that you can beat the game in 10 to 15 hours; which is probably true, but then again, so can you with Oblivion. Why would anyone rush through the game when there are a ton of side quests and area to explore?

6. Combat - Yes, it's a weak point and a strong point. It's weak because it's not tweaked to optimal, but it's great because it's actually fun killing baddies; just count the ways to toast a Geth (You want to spin it around using Dark Energy? Zap it with your Omni-Tool? Or just snipe it with your rifle?).

So, Mass Effect, despite a few loose screws here and there, it's still one heck of a solid action RPG. This will probably be the best RPG on the 360 for some time to come, so grab it!

Mass Effect Is A Classic: Bioware Creates An Incredible New Sci-fi Universe

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 13
Date: November 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I loved Bioware's latest masterpiece Mass Effect. I could not help but feel the game was inspired by the works of Arthur C. Clarke, in that Mass Effect creates the same sense of awe and wonder about it's original Universe.

I was a fan of Bioware's Knights of the Old Republic games. Mass Effect is superior to those games in every sense. The gameplay is better paced, the action is better implemented. Best of all, the original Universe is a fantastic sci-fi canvas where Mass Effect can continue, and onto which Bioware can paint a great franchise.

There is an abundance of ME material on Bioware's website, as well as in the Limited Edition of the game. It has been a long, long time since a game inspired me to read all of the literature and available information that is typically superficial garbage at best. The ME Universe is so well done and thought out, I found myself engorssed in every minute detail. The extra material also greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the game, as I knew the motives behind the different alien races, the history between the races, etc. I highly recommend the Collector's Edition Strategy guide, for the exclusive Art Book as well.

With Mass Effect Bioware has created a new sci-fi universe that rivals the depth of Star Wars. Personally I found ME's world more engaging because unlike Star Wars, Earth and it's people are actors in the events that unfold.

I can't wait for another opportunity to see the Stars with Commander Shepherd.

The most kickass RPG for XBOX 360 Thus far.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 22
Date: November 20, 2007
Author: Amazon User

If you like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, then this game will M-AZE you. take my word for it.

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