Visually, “Mass Effect” is gorgeous. The amount of time that was spent on the game by developers clearly shows.

“Mass Effect” is the first outing on the Xbox 360 by developer BioWare. Players may be familiar with past works, such as “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” and “Jade Empire.” Keeping with previous titles, “Mass Effect” is a Role-Playing Game (RPG); the twist is that it is a third-person shooter RPG.

Set 200 years in the future, the game follows the path of Commander Shepard, the first human Spectre, essentially the Black-Op agents for the universe. The player is tasked with hunting down Saren, a rogue Spectre out to destroy anything and everything. Players are given the option to create their own character, choosing from a wide variety of physical characteristics as well as specific backgrounds.

Aside from main missions, players can choose to travel to different star systems and explore planets. Planets usually have items scattered around the surface which enable different side missions.

The combat system is fairly unique. There are six classes available, along with four guns to wield: the pistol, the sniper rifle, the assault rifle and the shotgun.

Aside from guns, there are biotic and tech powers, which are similar to force powers in “Knights of the Old Republic.” Weapons and armor can be upgraded to enhance damage, boost abilities and improve performance.

At all times the player has two other AI squad members they can issue commands to and dictate which weapons and abilities are being employed. Teammates can be commanded to find cover, regroup, attack a certain target or act as a scout.

Through dialogue and actions, players can choose to be a Paragon or Renegade. Think of it as light side and dark side points. The more a player devotes to one path or another will enable additional dialogue options that can sway events in their favor.

The dialogue within the game allows players to choose what to say. Unlike previous BioWare titles, “Mass Effect” allows players to choose what will be said before the other character is done speaking. This is a nice feature because it allows the dialogue to continue flowing, keeping the experience much more cinematic.

Leveling works essentially the same as in any other RPG; once enough experience is gained, the character levels up and can choose to spend points in a variety of different talents and upgrades to the entire party.

Visually, “Mass Effect” is gorgeous. The amount of time spent on the game by developers clearly shows.

Ships look unique and varied, while worlds each have their own alien feel to them. The star clusters each have distinct names and features. Weapon and character details are spot on, making the experience feel like the player is living in the 22nd century. In sheer size, it boggles the player’s mind to think of just how large the universe is and that they are only exploring the Milky Way.

“Mass Effect” is a wonderful space epic with no flaws within the game play or graphical details. The fact that gamers can choose different dialogue options leaves a high replay value.

The game is a must-own for 360 players who enjoy RPGs, and even the casual gamer. In an ever-increasing market of multiplayer games, it’s nice to see that the solo market is still holding strong. With two more sequels planned within this trilogy, the series is off to an amazing start.

> Comments