***NOTICE*** **MUST READ***
Possible accidental spoilers ahead. I have tried to write this without storyline spoilers but sometimes they just escape and they cannot be hidden, so just a heads up, If the game is spoiled I have warned you!
***NOTICE*** **MUST READ***
Woah.... I'll freely admit that not many games blow my mind. But DAMN! This game didn't just blow my mind. It killed it, dissected it, studied it, commenced with some bizarre experiments and then eventually melted it down to nothing. At time of writing, with the third game in the franchise just over the horizon I thought that I should take it upon myself to at least give this critically acclaimed series a chance, which as Shooter games aren't my cake, I have never done.
Without giving too much of the story away, You play as, John Sheppard (or if you wish, you can create your own custom character) Lieutenant of the SSV Normandy -top of the line star fleet spaceship- on this specific mission you're actions are being watched by a Spectre whom is watching your actions to decide if you should also become part of the Galactic Council. It turns out that throughout your mission there is a lead to be met. Unfortunately Saren (also a Spectre) turns up. Saren betrays you and ruins the entire mission by killing the Spectre that is watching your actions. When you return to report the mission report to your Commander he understands as Saren and he has a history, (that has to be revealed. Talk to him to find out...) You must report to the Galactic Council to update them on your findings. They refuse to believe that Saren is a traitor and you MUST find some evidence to back you up. So, being the magic gaming guru you are, pick up the controller and find some evidence. -Insert Montage Here... along with Team America/South Park Montage song- After finding some evidence that reveal Saren to be a traitor he goes into hiding and you must find out his evil plan and put a stop to it all. That's as far as I'm going to go folks. There will be no huge game revealing spoilers here!
So, as Bioware are notorious for, character decisions are all over the place in this game, but maybe more importantly than ever. On a few occasions, BUT NOT ALWAYS, a character may die because of your actions. Now, we seen that in Old Republic but it was never as dramatic or as upsetting as this. When one of your party dies you really can feel the empty spot that has been left. The cinematic feel to these decisions really do effect just how AWESOME this game is. Bioware have done a fantastic job at making you feel like Sheppard as the decisions are always imposed on him and every conversation gives you all options to just say whatever you want to say. Not to say that you might accidentally choose an option thinking he'll say something completely different but fortunately conversations are mapped out well and whatever is said doesn't feel out of place of like a random outburst of severe tourrette syndrome.
Giving Sheppard a voice is something revolutionary for the RPG genre as games like Morrowind/Oblivion, KOTOR as it easily creates a whole new experience for you and your character. When your character speaks it's almost as if you are commanding them or that they are alive, instead of using those hidden telekinetic powers to transfer your thoughts to the other character for them to respond. Not that that was ever a bad thing. It is just so much better to have your character come to life and have his own independent thought (assuming you select an option of course)
The only slight problem here, and most Bioware games have this problem, when you are talking to a character and creating these game changing decisions, your character's facial expressions and body behaviour never changes depending on your actions. Sure, sometimes he might lunge towards the other character or grab him and threaten him, but those rare occasions just aren't enough to make a truly amazing cinematic experience that feels realistic.
So in Mass Effect, as normality in these RPG games, you take control over one characters life over a certain amount of time and you can either ruin everything or be an angel and save everything. Please don't choose the latter, it's never as fun as they make it out to be. Besides, the dark side have cookies! Mass Effect although having an epic scope of epic proportions all the way to epic landmarks to epic soundtrack to epic dialogue. I'd hate to close this review to say it's epic because of it's faultering "action" dialogue sequences, lack of credits (currency), more armour types and varying mission types. Although I wasn't able to touch on these in this full review, i'm sure that everyone will understand what I mean when they go out and buy this game... because they will and I know that they will because to put it simply. (And I really hate to) Mass Effect is epic.
Possible accidental spoilers ahead. I have tried to write this without storyline spoilers but sometimes they just escape and they cannot be hidden, so just a heads up, If the game is spoiled I have warned you!
***NOTICE*** **MUST READ***
Woah.... I'll freely admit that not many games blow my mind. But DAMN! This game didn't just blow my mind. It killed it, dissected it, studied it, commenced with some bizarre experiments and then eventually melted it down to nothing. At time of writing, with the third game in the franchise just over the horizon I thought that I should take it upon myself to at least give this critically acclaimed series a chance, which as Shooter games aren't my cake, I have never done.
Without giving too much of the story away, You play as, John Sheppard (or if you wish, you can create your own custom character) Lieutenant of the SSV Normandy -top of the line star fleet spaceship- on this specific mission you're actions are being watched by a Spectre whom is watching your actions to decide if you should also become part of the Galactic Council. It turns out that throughout your mission there is a lead to be met. Unfortunately Saren (also a Spectre) turns up. Saren betrays you and ruins the entire mission by killing the Spectre that is watching your actions. When you return to report the mission report to your Commander he understands as Saren and he has a history, (that has to be revealed. Talk to him to find out...) You must report to the Galactic Council to update them on your findings. They refuse to believe that Saren is a traitor and you MUST find some evidence to back you up. So, being the magic gaming guru you are, pick up the controller and find some evidence. -Insert Montage Here... along with Team America/South Park Montage song- After finding some evidence that reveal Saren to be a traitor he goes into hiding and you must find out his evil plan and put a stop to it all. That's as far as I'm going to go folks. There will be no huge game revealing spoilers here!
So, as Bioware are notorious for, character decisions are all over the place in this game, but maybe more importantly than ever. On a few occasions, BUT NOT ALWAYS, a character may die because of your actions. Now, we seen that in Old Republic but it was never as dramatic or as upsetting as this. When one of your party dies you really can feel the empty spot that has been left. The cinematic feel to these decisions really do effect just how AWESOME this game is. Bioware have done a fantastic job at making you feel like Sheppard as the decisions are always imposed on him and every conversation gives you all options to just say whatever you want to say. Not to say that you might accidentally choose an option thinking he'll say something completely different but fortunately conversations are mapped out well and whatever is said doesn't feel out of place of like a random outburst of severe tourrette syndrome.
Giving Sheppard a voice is something revolutionary for the RPG genre as games like Morrowind/Oblivion, KOTOR as it easily creates a whole new experience for you and your character. When your character speaks it's almost as if you are commanding them or that they are alive, instead of using those hidden telekinetic powers to transfer your thoughts to the other character for them to respond. Not that that was ever a bad thing. It is just so much better to have your character come to life and have his own independent thought (assuming you select an option of course)
The only slight problem here, and most Bioware games have this problem, when you are talking to a character and creating these game changing decisions, your character's facial expressions and body behaviour never changes depending on your actions. Sure, sometimes he might lunge towards the other character or grab him and threaten him, but those rare occasions just aren't enough to make a truly amazing cinematic experience that feels realistic.
So in Mass Effect, as normality in these RPG games, you take control over one characters life over a certain amount of time and you can either ruin everything or be an angel and save everything. Please don't choose the latter, it's never as fun as they make it out to be. Besides, the dark side have cookies! Mass Effect although having an epic scope of epic proportions all the way to epic landmarks to epic soundtrack to epic dialogue. I'd hate to close this review to say it's epic because of it's faultering "action" dialogue sequences, lack of credits (currency), more armour types and varying mission types. Although I wasn't able to touch on these in this full review, i'm sure that everyone will understand what I mean when they go out and buy this game... because they will and I know that they will because to put it simply. (And I really hate to) Mass Effect is epic.
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