Game Review – Mass Effect

by Ian Dean

There are few games that have defined this current generation of consoles. CoD 4: Modern Warfare, Little Big Planet, Minecraft, Dead Space, Assassin’s Creed, Portal, Gears of War, and Batman: Arkham Asylum; these are just a few of the greatest games available on this generation of consoles. But if I had to pick my favourite, the best game released in the past seven years or eight years, only one springs readily to mind.

Mass Effect. Released by Bioware in 2007 for the Xbox 360 and Pc (and now available on PS3), when one the greatest storytellers in video games were at their peak, the game puts you in the armoured boots of one Commander Shepard. Despite being a video game icon, Shepard is a completely customisable character. Looks, class, backstory, and even gender are all left up to the player.

Once you’re happy with your character, Commander Shepard enters the finest science fiction universe gaming has produced since the first Halo, if not ever. The game features some gorgeous environments, from the devastated agricultural world of Eden Prime to the elegant and civilised Citadel. True, the graphics are becoming dated, especially when compared to Mass Effect 3, but the design and scale really is out of this world (no pun intended). Then there are the inhabitants of these worlds. The Turians, Quarians, Asarii, Salarians, Krogan… the list goes on, but they are some of the best designed creatures in video games.

I could go on about the story and the universe, but I’m sure you get my point: it is brilliant. So let’s move on to what the average gamer is interested in. Unlike Bioware’s previous games, Mass Effect is an RPG/Shooter hybrid. Though stats still apply to the weapons and armour, and though levelling up can still affect these stats, the combat takes the form of a third person shooter. As shooter’s go, it can be a little stiff, but it’s hardly the worst shooting mechanics I’ve ever used.

Though Shepard has access to all four weapon classes (Assault Rifle, Shotgun, Sniper and Pistol), he/she may only be trained in one or two of them, dependant on class. Most notable with the sniper rifle, Shepard has to level the appropriate skill to use the weapon most effectively. Without any training, the sniper waves around, making hitting the target difficult. Another feature of the combat that divides gamers is the ammo counter. Simply put, the guns have no ammunition, but firing heats the weapon. Overheat it, and you’ll have to wait a moment for it to cool down before you can use it again. You can equip weapons with better shot capacity, or modify them to handle the heat better, but it does inevitably slow the action right down. Personally, I don’t mind this feature; the action’s never that fast to begin with, and I love the sci-fi implications. However, I can understand the average gamer may have trouble adapting to the pauses in combat.

It’s not just guns that the player can wield. Biotic abilities grant the player special powers, including the ability to lift enemies into the air, dangling helplessly as you line up your shot, or the ability to throw enemies away from the player if they get too close (or are standing next to a cliff…). Alternatively, Shepard can take advantage of some technological know-how, utilising overload to damage or completely remove an enemy’s shield, or sabotage a foe’s weapon, causing it to suddenly overheat. Opening the abilities tab pauses combat, giving players a chance to tactically survey the battlefield, picking their targets carefully. Unfortunately, just like weapon overheating, it slows down the action.

To clarify, I have no problem with slower paced games, and the combat can be a spectacle, but especially in the various planets that Shepard can deviate to explore, the slower action can get repetitive quickly. Part of the problem is that, on these side quest planets, Bioware tend to reuse one of the same three facilities, dressed up differently on each planet. Though I understand that crafting dozens of worlds is time consuming, that doesn’t stop it getting repetitive.

Now I’ve made it this far through the review without addressing Mass Effect’s major selling point, so I guess I’d better get to it. As Shepard explores the universe, he/she will inevitably encounter a variety of choices. This idea of choice is a key aspect of the Mass Effect experience, as the majority of your choices will have a direct impact on how the story plays out. Now to be clear, Shepard will always follow the same basic plot points, achieving whatever goal they set out to do, but how Shepard manages it is up to you. Do you save the colony, or sacrifice them to achieve your goal? Do you try to reason with people, or butt heads with all those that oppose you? The choice is yours, but be careful, because some choices can have major consequences down the road, for you, your team, and the entire galaxy.

 Finally, I have to make mention of the audio team. The soundtrack is epic, with some tracks that deserve to be instant classics. As for the voice acting, it’s simply brilliant. Keith David, Jennifer Hale, Ali Hillis, Seth Green, Lance Henrikson, Fred Tatasciore; some truly talented voice actors breathe life into the universe with some great performances.

If this review seems gushing with praise, that’s because the game deserves it. This was Bioware at their prime. An amazing universe, some fantastic characters, and an engaging plot that kept you hooked right up until the final credits rolled. The greatest testament you can give a film, video game, or book is that, when you’re done, you immediately feel the urge to go back to the start and do it all over again. To this day, Mass Effect still keeps me coming back for more.