Game of the year, best rpg i've ever played. For those who think that it needs to be on a pc, I disagree, the full experiance comes from a wide screen, surround sound, and 360 graphics.

Good game,good presentation,good story but lame submisions and the gameplay gets a bit boring after ten hours.

BAD: The AI is terrible. The menu screens, inventory and upgrading are all awful. There are a lot of pop-in textures. Side quests are dull and the rewards aren't good. Money is useless. You can power your way to the end with little strategy. The game play becomes tedious once you level up. GOOD: The storyline is great. The characters are great. The acting is great. The graphics are great. BOTTOM LINE: This game needed more time in development.… Expand

I thought this game was great, it has a good story, and the graphics are really good, as well as the voice acting, i don't think its a 10/10 game, but is defently one of the best games to date on the 360. Provides you with more hours of fun than most games out, and i have never had any of the reported glitches or errors that some people have (Maybe they got a faulty disc) Anyway defently a game to buy!… Expand

Considering the number of people's consoles that have seemingly been destroyed by this games excessive dependence on streaming media along with the fact that the core game is barely over 10 hours long and this is one of the largest disappointments in gaming for me this year. Don't get me wrong, the story is engrossing and the world Bioware has developed has all the potential makings of a great new sci-fi universe, but just as the game feels like it's getting off the ground it ends - and in a most dissatisfying manner. It's also truly unfortunate that the "side quests" have little, if anything, to do with anything the game wants to make you care about. All of this together took what could have been at the very least an 8 all the way down to a 3. I'm shocked so many people have reviewed it so well - it's appalling.… Expand

Absolutly boring, graphics are not even close to being next gen, story is crap, controlls are sub par and the different types of ammunition is absolutly lame, do not waste your money.

Mass Effect is one the greatest games I have ever played. The story line is ingrossing the combat is intense and rewarding especly when you can upgrade the ammo to do all sorts of crazy things like cyro bullets or raditon bullets. The best part about this game though is the diolouge. Bioware just thought of this great universe on there own. Its not based on Halo or Star Wars it is all new. I would also just like to add that picking diolouge is pretty tough in a good way. There are many tough decisons to be made in Mass Effect and universe to discover what are you waiting for get this GAME!!!… Expand

Best game I've played on the 360 thus far. I'll qualify that by saying I haven't played Bioshock yet. Also, the battle system, while effective, feels a bit awkward, particularly the biotics and party command controls. That said, especially if you're a scifi fan, you NEED to get this and enjoy the huge amount of content and quality plot.

Mass Effect is great. On par with Oblivion not quite as good but damn close. Enough side quests but not enough. Story line is great, graphics don't disappoint, overall this game is a great buy. (if you rent you'll cry on the day its due)

all of the legitimate complaints, come from technical issues. well, I havent had any technical issues. but perhaps this is because my 360 is new? All i know is, no game has ever come close to invoking this much emotion in me. and i dont think another will untill the trilogy continues. i just dont understand why some of the Users give it such low reviews, FAR lower then ANY critic. I really think it is either PS3 fanboys or RPG haters, I can understand going into yellow for technical issues (which i could not find), but there is no honest reason why anyone should rate this in the red.… Expand

Brilliant game, one of the first RPGs to truely suck me in. The main storyline can be powered through in about a day, but there's still lots of planets, side quests and events to do.

I love how people like Tom compare ME gameplay with Mario galaxy,yes good comparsion,lets compare STarcraft2 with cooking mama in gameplay at the future too...

If you loved Kotor you will Love ME,it has framerateproblems in combat,but its not more then in Kotor,the story and the characters are well made,the gameplay has been refined to suit action fans,and hardcore rpg fans with a pause button.… Expand

Mass Effect is a game with limitless potential that uses only about 25% of it!
The combat is too frantic and panic strewn, the dialogue choces never match what your character says, the environments are too small and limiting or too repetetive and boring and the story is far too short.
You cant help but wonder if Bioware are sitting on the last 3 quarters of the game...one for downloadable content...and two for the sequels!… Expand

Absolute art. It's held back visually slightly by the technical limitations of the xbox360, but the developers have managed to reasonably work around it to make the game generally look amazing as well as run at a decent pace. Overall what makes this an excellent game, as with most Bioware games, is the story. Interesting characters, deep and fleshed out plot and back story, there9;s tons of it and it only leaves you asking for more. Fortunately, as it is an episodic series, there will be!… Expand

Simply stunning array of visuals and plot. There is so much to do it'll be impossible to complete this game in any decent amount of time unless you play right through the story. But what really makes this game outstanding is its engrossing character developement, interactive dialogue, and a true storytelling factor that has become increasingly rare this day in age. A must have for RPG and action fans alike.… Expand

Buggy as hell with a disappointing storyline and weak gameplay mechanics.

While really enjoyed this game and got sucked in from the get go, I have to say there are a few things that need to be tweaked. First of all, the movement doesn't translate well. While there is a run feature, it doesn't seem to move you any quicker. The speed of the elevators was a bit annoying. The other problem I saw was in the weapon upgrades. I would have liked to see a bit more customizations available in the weapons and armor. When I changed a feature, the adjusted abilities didn't seem to change. Don't get me wrong, I loved this game, but the small details like these took away from the game. I think they should address some of the details like these before the next installment is released.… Expand

Almost everything about this game is great. The graphics, the setting, the story, the main storyline missions and the some of the side missions, they are all great and has been discussed in great detail in other reviews. What's not so great is the exploration part, once you've visited the first 8 planets (and pressed A to survey) you start loosing interest in that aspect of the game. Driving the MAKO around a square patch of extremely mountainy terrain, finding guns in downed sattelites and fighting the same big-ass worm on every planet also quickly looses it's appeal. So even though I immediately started the game anew after completing it the first time (30+ hours), I sincerely hope that the two sequels will offer a little more diversity in the exploration department. More trading/mission hubs instead of just the Citadel would be nice, maybe a bit more lively universe in general.… Expand

Mass Effect is ok, it suffers from alot of the same problems as KOTAR (great game) in its interface, large but seemingly empty environments (alot of pointless walking) and poor combat mechanics. In addition to the usual wonky combat mechanics there is a lack of depth to this game compared to kotar from either an RPG or FPS viewpoint (poor FPS mechanics, very fiew abillitys). KOTAR was also alot longer game with alot more to do, this game was over hyped...but not awefull. I beat it in about 14 hours, I would look at renting this game. I was very unimpressed, but its probably worth playing.… Expand

Wonderful game for the RPG fan, above average game for the FPS fan. The game has it's flaws as all games do, however none of these flaws have subtracted from the gaming experience. A suberb buy, I heartily recommend this game to any 360 owner.

Soooo tired of the endless dialog.. I gave up waiting for the game to give me a chance to play.

This game is probably one of the best RPG's ever out, only rivalled by oblivion. It has stunning graphics, and choosing what you say is possibly the best thing about it. Maybe the gameplay is a bit lacking such as the annoying sniping on it, but when you get into this game, you will not stop!!

I just played and I have one word to say: Unbelievable! Loved KOTOR and now we have another incredible winner! Mass Effect is amazing! Mike A says that its a run and gun and a failure to immerse. At the same time he says there is an endless dialogue tree! LOL! Well, how do you think you get immersed in the story and the characters Mike? I loved all the dialogue and a chance to get into every aspect of the game! The more I learned, the more I enjoyed the game. Bioware is just amazing! The story is awesome and it just gets better and better as the game goes on! This is a all time classic hit! Don't miss out.… Expand

An easy 10 for me. This is now my all time favorite game (toppled SC: Chaos Theory). The story is well written and leaves you satisfied but still thirsting for more at the end. It's clear it was created with replayability in mind which is one of the things I look closest at when about to drop $60 on a game. Besides the different story lines based on your choice of personal background, personality and choices during gameplay, after earning achievements you are rewarded with a bump in your stats (shields, health, etc) or the ability to use a non-class skill with any characters you create thereafter. You can also start a new story with an established high level character after completing the game. This way you start with all your skills, items and cash. The squad based combat system works great though the ally AI seems to suffer a bit (some of these settings can be tweaked to allow more control though). Really nothing worse than any other game out there, unless you count games designed specifically for it a la Rainbow Six Vegas. The dialog wheel for conversations is brilliant and made talking to NPCs fun instead of feeling like you were just waiting your turn. Some of the side quests and worlds get a little repetitious but there are surprisingly little FedEx style objectives and for the most part are fun and dynamic depending on your choices in the game. Really, any negative I could mention about the game is only nitpicking and in no way detracts from the experience. For me, this is the best yet out of the 360.… Expand

Amazing. Though I have to admit that the beggining may not very extremely compelling (not as, for instante, those first ten minutes of FFVII or GTAIV), this is a game that is able to get you more and more involved as you play it. By the end of the game, I felt 100% concerned about every single step or choice I was to make. The last hour of gameplay was one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've ever had. All the game is extremely well done: thescenery, the deep conversational options, the varied side missions... but above all, the main missions are pretty wonderfull: short but really interesintg videos, a wide variety of options on how to finish them, really well-developed and imaginative worlds... I really loved this game. I'm pretty sure I will go through it again, and for sure I'll be there when the next episodes appear... It's really worh it!… Expand

I have played through this game twice now - both times with friends watching. A good game can keep the player interested in its events. A great game keeps onlookers hooked as well. Mass Effect did that not once, but twice, and my friends are already asking for another round. Bravo.

Highly engrossing, and beatifully executed game, recalling memories of playing Star Control II. Near-perfect.

I dont know why people give this great game a 7 or lower? what is wrong with you the worst part I have with this game is you can not land on every world. and if you do all the side missions too it would be longer then just 10 hours. just get this game you will not regreat it.

Excellent sci-fi rpg/tps from the makers of KOTOR, one of the best games on the original x box. Most of this game is first class. The graphics are great as is the sound and voice acting. The storyline is deep and unfolds with just the right pace. The introduction of real time third-person shootouts is definitely an improvement over KOTOR's turn based icon based battles (but sadly no light-sabre's). Only a couple of letdowns, firstly, though the majority of the graphics are excellent some of the planet surfaces on a few of the minor missions are awful and, secondly, though on the surface of it would seem you have an entire Galaxy to explore, in truth, most of the planets are not explorable at all, but rather just have a short paragraph describing the habitat and history (though you can understand this from a game continuity point of view). Still if you liked KOTOR or even just have the slightest interest in RPG's or Sci-Fi in general you should definitely check this out.… Expand

I love this game. I was unsure at first, but when I got into it, I saw one of the most amazing RPG games I have ever seen. While I was not a fan of sci-fi at all, this game has changed my way of thinking and I can't wait for Mass Effect 2 and 3.

This is a great game... the more I play it the more fun it becomes and the storyline is really an attention grabber! I recomand this game to everyone, it is very good.

I love this game. I've played through it twice as two polar opposite personas (42hour and 24hour runs) and although the story mode didn't change, the reactions I got from people and the alternate quests that opened up really made it interesting. I recently started a 3rd playthrough (to keep an open game for the DLC) and I found a load of new stuff I'd somehow missed the first 2 times! I just can't put it down.… Expand

In all honesty, I would have given this game a ten my first time playing it. This game is seriously one of the best RPG experiences anyone can have...at least on the first play through. Well, let's start off with what is good. The gameplay is very solid. The shooting mechanics are easy to master and the powers/abilities are implemented nicely into combat. Most of the voice acting is top notch, which is good considering one of the game's selling points is its dialog-oriented RPG elements. The artwork is astounding and the graphics are nearly as good (choppy rendering, slow down, and pop ins are only minor set backs). The level design is also quite good and there are many different worlds to explore in the course of the game. Unfortunately, these strengths cannot save the game. And here's why. Mass Effect's story, which has been hailed as a masterwork of sorts by critics and fans alike, is not very compelling. Though there are many interesting ideas thrown about (The Reapers are a particularly cool concept), the over arching plot suffers from here-we-go-again syndrome. You have a mixed-bag crew of aliens and humans rushing around to different worlds to uncover the location of The Conduit in order to stop The Reapers from destroying the galaxy. Sounds awfully familiar no? The story is basically the first KOTOR without the intriguing plot twist in the middle. Since Commander Shepard is almost totally customizable , he (or she) ends up lacking any true depth. The back stories of the various Shepards you can create are weak and cookie cutter. As for the supporting cast? Your crew is a little neglected plot-wise. Garus and Tali inparticular. Garus has a lot of great potential as a chracter but his dialog ends too quickly. Same with Tali. The random conversations that the supporting cast had in KOTOR are all gone. Any chatter between the characters is limited to elevator rides. Come on now. As for the conversations Shepard has with the crew? It's no different than KOTOR really. Sure, you don't know PRECISELY what Shepard will say but the options still feel stilted. You have your evil and your good statements and your special skill-based statements. The formula is obvious as hell and it really gave me a feeling of rendezvous. Other downsides include a lack of variety in game play. Especially on side quests. Usually you just go to a barren world and shoot things. Puzzles are few and far between and are very simple. The pick up system is annoying at best. You can't simply drop an item or not take it. Plus there's this huge technical plot hole that I can't help but mention. The humans are newcomers to the galaxy...why do all the other races speak English? If Humans are so neglected, why would entire races learn English? Plus the voice acting for the male Shepard is mediocre, no matter what language. Frankly, I got tired of this game after two play-throughs and I am disappointed. I feel like the writing is half-assed and that Bioware are still struggling to break from a formula that works. What I'm waiting for is an RPG with this type of engine that tells a personal story instead of a sci-fi opera. Where you see your actions affect the character and his or her surroundings on a smaller more intimate scale. Where the dialog doesn't have to explain the plot or the situation over and over. I feel like Indigo Prophecy nearly accomplished this...why can't Bioware?… Expand

I guess I'm just a nerd but how can somebody make a game and call it next gen when the majority of the stairs were just flat inclines? The graphics were good, when they rendered (which takes way longer than it should). Everything else was fine for the most part.

A score of ten does is no matter of the number mean that this game is perfect. The constant texturing loads during gameplay, some sluggish controls, and the extremely slow moving elevators despite it being in the future are also nagging at you. But you play this game right it is one of the most amazing experiances a game can give you.

A ver satisfying game to play. Combine RPG elements of KotoR and eliminate turn-based gameplay and add a shooter element, and that's what this game is. Combat is fluid and fun, and skills are fun and relatively well balanced. The soldier is probably the least fun class, as you can blaze your way through the game, while classes like the adept take more care and force you to actually use those powers. The vehicle is pretty lame, though. Weapons are nice, but no weapon depressing? It does take some getting used to. And you just cannot possibly fail to notice texture glitches. This happens because there are so many textures in the game, the developers compacted so many that the console is trying to literally uncompress and render hundreds of textures at once. Besides that, graphics are amazing and lip-synch is very nice. A long and engaging game that will keep RPG and shooter fans playing it for a long time.… Expand

Despite giving this game a 10, I have one problem which I should get out of the way before I begin. The lead character, supposedly a big tough guy, runs like an absolute chicken! I cant believe that no one in the development team pointed out this obvious fact! Right, with that out of the way, I'll get on with talking about this ultimate game. Stepping away from the usual swords and sorcery theme of RPGs, Mass Effect is a fantastic sci-fi adventure set in a huge game world. A wide variety of planets can be explored by travelling to them in your ship and you must be prepared to put in a lot of hours if you want to complete this game. There is a lot of imaginative character and level design here, and the graphics are some of the best on 360. There is no other game like this available on any console so it is another addition to the ever-growing list of 'must have' games for the 360. If you havent got this already then why not?!… Expand

I can honestly say this is the best non-sequel of 2007.
Cons: Occasionally choppy framerate, some item managing issues, and minor AI stupidity.
Pros: Amazing graphics, some of the best voice acting I've ever seen, if not THE best, a soundtrack that is both captivating and original, terrific RPG elements, great and fun combat, a memorable, diverse and emotional cast of characters, and one of the best stories ever, video game or otherwise.
This game is AWESOME. Can't wait for the sequel.… Collapse

In truth, I could have easily given this game a ten. Maybe I should have. It's got such a great story, and the mechanics of it are fun and varied. I even liked driving the Mako, which I've seen some reviewers say is broken from a driving point of view. Nonsense. At the same time, it's rare I've enjoyed a game this much, been pulled into the world it creates this much, and still find myself looking at the areas that I'm sure will be improved for the sequels. The sidequests being the biggest thing, which all felt like the same quest over and over again. One flat rocky plant after another. And I'd love to see some done with the Mako in the sequel that uses that jump feature. A little platforming. Having to jump chasms. Maybe even being able to upgrade your Mako, bigger jump jets, to reach previously inaccessible places. But really, I loved this game to death. I'm playing through it for a second time now, which I rarely do. Play it. Love it. Then wait for baited breath for the sequel. Well done Bioware.… Expand

This game has an incredible story with considerable depth, believable characters and aliens with some of the best voice acting in a game, superb graphics and innovative gameplay. The only thing holding mass effect back from true perfection is an average (but by no means bad) combat system and a constantly dipping framerate. Neither of these issues should stop you from playing and enjoying one of the finest games of 07… Expand

Truly an epic game that sets the bar in fun, story telling, and graphics.

This game has a perfect storyline and a great combat system. Don't let Fred B. lies to u guys.

How do you tell a good movie (or rarely, a game) from an exceptional movie?
You realize you have seen something exceptional when you find yourself blankly staring through the whole end credits and dont feel quite normal for the rest of the night.
Since Fallouts, no game has caused similar feelings for me, as playing through/finishing Mass Effect. Only great movies have managed that, difference being, that ME has endlessly more replayability than many of the greatest movies.
Luckily the story hasn´t ended yet...… Expand

Mass Effect is an intelligent, brilliant game that captures the feeling of being in a Sci Fi movie superbly, or Battlestar Galactica at its best. The only negative side is the game is short, I managed to complete it, including all the side quests and find all the deposits in 50 hours. Also like Oblivion, most of the places are similar in design.

The voice acting and the facial animations are brilliant and push new boundaries. I really really liked this game. I just hope they do more data disks for it. I'd go as far to say its the most intelligently written game I've played since Deus Ex.

SCORE : 91%… Expand

Mass Effect is pretty damn good, but it's not perfect. There are a lot of good things I could say about it, but they've already been said by many others. I'd like to offer constructive criticism instead, and I hope that ME2 improves on these issues. I particularly hated the timed button-pressing 'minigames' required to unlock cabinets etc. Bioshock's hacking minigames were much more fun and fitted the theme of the game. Jade Empire's flight-based minigames were great. Mass Effects' were just dumb, non-relevant and irritating. Pressing buttons in the correct sequence within a time limit is just oh so lamo extremo. The gambling minigame and indeed all monetary transactions and all trading were irrelevant. For the entire game, you never actually need to buy anything or spend any money. All items can be collected for free while on missions, so why have traders at all? If you have traders, they should have unique items that are essential to the plot and that you can't get elsewhere. The surfaces of the different planets had plenty of variety and were fun to explore, but there was very little variety in the bases and building interiors you enter on those planets: same old floor plan, same old textures, same old tactics required to defeat the enemies, then a few cabinets to unlock that contain stuff you probably don't need. Inventory management was clumsily implemented, and sometimes the save points were poorly chosen. Oh yeah: the elevator rides were ridiculous. I imagine the elevator rides are used to mask level load times, but it still seems incongruous that you can fly to a distant star system many light years away faster that you can take an elevator to another floor. One last thing: what was the motivation for the Reapers wanting to destroy all intelligent life in the galaxy? Having said all that, I still think Mass Effect is excellent. I liked the combat and the mako, and the quality of the actual sci-fi itself was truly first class. Anyway, perfection is pretty hard hard to find on my home planet so I'll give ME a 9.… Expand

Wow!! What a game,, Loved every second a must have game at such a low price!!! Graphics Superb, A story that really grips you and coice acting that represents a movie this is a true showcase of video game awesomeness. Xbox 360 exclusive i can see why this is truly for the premier gaming console. I have both consoles and this is the reason i got my xbox and why my ps3 is starting to gather dust. Luckily i haven't fell into this trap but Beware: THIS GAME IS ADDICTIVE… Expand

Mass Effect is a game plagued with glitches, texture pop-in, and at times clunky controls. But underneath it all is a true gem. Combined with a fantastic story, and deep gameplay Mass Effect is probably one of the best Sci Fi RPGs of all time. It may have rough egdes and is far from perfect. But there is so much promise that game still delivers. It is a great start to what will surely be a fantastic trilogy. And the sequel looks like it will surpass all expectations.… Expand

I couldn't put Mass Effect down. This game was responsible for many late nights and many bleary-eyed mornings. Once I got appropriately leveled, the combat was outstanding, the special skills were impressive and useful, and the story really made me consider my choices carefully. I'll be playing through Mass Effect again as a different character class soon.

One of the best, most fleshed out storys of any game on XBOX360 or PS3 yet. The combat can be a little clunky every now and then, but who cares. I'll play though 5 minutes of close combat camera snaffu's every now and then to advance this story. Bring on part 2!

Straight out: Does this game have some flaws? Yes. It has a so-so weapons menu, the graphics can get glitchy at times (IE you see the system putting layers on characters as you're watching a cutscene), and I only did 3 of the dozens of side quests, and I got bored with those alone. But that's IT. Basically, the game was amazing. Fun story, interesting characters, appropriate length "main story only" (About 17 hours, and I'm by no means a videogame pro), and an overall wonderful atmosphere. I loved this game, and now I can't wait for the sequel coming out next year… Expand

Great game. One of my all-time favorites, and this is coming from a semi-hard core gamer. I loved the combat and the story and the dialog choices...I have played through this a good five or six times. The dlc isnt bad either. All in all, an almost perfect game. Those elevator rides are basically my only complaint.

This is surely one of the best RPGs on the Xbox 360 so far. The story and voice acting are great, and the amount of detail put into the universe is amazing. The combat is pretty fun, but some will definitely find it to not be extremely deep, and the AI can be very stupid at times. The customization of your character (including your party) is excellent though, and it makes the game replayable. There are annoying bugs, the framerate unexpectedly drops, and textures pop-in at various moments. Additionally, the Mako is annoying to drive and the side quests get repetitive. However, for the bargain price at which it is out now, this game is more than worth it.… Expand

This game is one of the best RPGs out there, with brilliant storytelling, wonderful voice acting, and a brilliant sense of epicness underlying. The only complaints are A: The slow elevators, and B: Pop-In textures after loading screens, and sometimes during important cutscenes. Other than these small things, this game is like KOTOR on steroids.

An Excellent Story. Best I have ever played. Don't think of this game as a shooter or RPG but an actual Full Length Film you get to play the star in.

First i must start by saying that i have played many games this generations of games. So when i went to pick up this gem at the local Bestbuy for 20.00$ i was keen to see what acclaimed studio Bioware had done. After playing this game however i can boldly say that this game is second only to Half-Life 2 for its storytelling. its an enriching space opera that unfolds into a brilliant story. the performances are spot on, the dialogue witty and humorous at times, this is one game everyone who owns an Xbox 360 should play. there are some flaws like long loading times with elevators and some pop up graphics and stuttering. But installing onto the Hard Drive should fix this. This is a triumph in Sci-fi action gaming.… Expand

Amazingly good. Put the disc in to check out what the big deal was about this game and I quickly found out. 2 hours later I drug myself away from the 360 only to practically count down the time till I could play some more. Graphics, sounds, voice acting (its got Seth Green!), gameplay are all top notch. 3rd person RPG alone would be good but this is so much more. HUGE environments with stuff to do everywhere. A+++… Expand

Now I don't give out easy 10's. In comparison I thought BioShock was a 9.7. This really shows how good I believe this game is. For those who don't know, Mass Effect feels like a mix between 3rd person shooter, squad-based combat and an RPG style "choose your own adventure" dialogue system. I believe ME deserves a 10 based on the depth and complexity of dialogue and the story. There is so much you can learn about everything in the Mass Effect universe from talking to people or looking at the codex. The graphics are truely next gen as well as the music is truely amazing. The moments that define Mass Effect are the on-edge dialogue scenes where one option is life, and the other death. In a world full of strict shooters and strict RPGs, Mass Effect flirts with both extremely well. This allows for a much bigger audience to be able to play and enjoy this game. Overall I believe if you own a 360, you must own Mass Effect.… Expand

The real nex-gen RPG is here. Mass effect, has an amazing story, great visuals, refreshing combat system and awsome interactivity. Even if you are not a fan of RPGs this game is a must have.

The best RPG game ever released. This is not meant to be a shooter game, if you want a shooter, go play Call of Duty 4. This game plays out like an interactive, epic movie, and some of the choices you make completely change everything, and it is amazing to see! The graphics are so realistic and amazing compared to KOTOR's graphics! You will actually feel connected to your party members, and the dialogue wheel is so fun to use, you'll find talking to characters much easier than scrolling through lines of text like in KOTOR. This is a huge and amazingly in depth game, the codex (encyclopedia of Mass Effect) is huge, and there is so much detail in this game its amazing. A rare treat, where you actually will want to replay again, and never regret purchasing!… Expand

Mass Effect sets a new standard for storytelling and cinematics, just as Kotor did before it. It does has faults- Somewhat questioanable AI at times, sidequests that aren't up to the same standard as the main quest and the issues with textures loading that are prevalent with all games using the Unreal Engine. None of these stand in the way of making it a truly amazing experience though. RPG of the year. Probably Game of the year.… Expand

Let's get the obvious out of the way. The graphics, specially in dialog are gorgeous. Once you get to combat, they're good, but not gorgeous even thou everything is created using the game's engine. The story is very well done and intriguing. I found myself enjoying the dialog so much I felt I was watching a movie. Now the bad things: The shooting controls are just awkward. It wants to be gears of war in the combat mechanics and fails miserably in the attempt. Another game I'm playing these days, Uncharted Drakes furtune, completely rips off the GOW mechanics as well, but the excecution is perfect. So if you're going to rip some game off, at least do it weell. The shooting controls and mechanics just feel clunky and uncomfortable. Using the sniper rifle is an exercise in futility. The screen shakes so much you're aiming all over the place and "No diazepam for you!" is the motto of the designer Nazis. The rest of the games just feels S L O W. I found myself constantly wondering which way to go. I just beat Call of duty 4. The difficulty setting in that one was perfect. Want to figure out where to go by yourself? fine. It's your choice. Not a hard core explorer? No problem. They will take you by the hand the whole game. In this one is pretty much a couple of clues on the map, which is like 5 button pushes away if you need it, and pretty much you're on your on. Did I mention S L O W? If you're an RPG fan, you'll love this game. If any of what I mentioned before makes you hesitate, rent if first. This is a AAA title and there's a lot of quality here. Many people just love it. But in my opinion, some fundamental flaws ruin the execution as a whole. And I just don't have the patience these days a game like this requires.… Expand

Alright, the idiots who keep thinking this is a shooter need to find another medocre play--like Gears of War. The vacuous need not apply here. Mass Effect is easily one of the greatest RPGs of the decade--and I have no idea why people keep passing off the combat. Trust me, it isn't as bad as the critics claim. Though if you are more into testosterone-oriented gameplay like Crysis and GoW you might want to play a game with Dionysus. Storylines with depth might be intimidating to you--but keep out of metacritic, please.… Expand

I'm sure Sugreev doesn't even own a 360 he's probably another PS3 fan jealous of the 360 games. I like the way he says it's too long for an RPG...that is part of the point of being an RPG a long game that tells a great story. But back to business, this game is great; everything I have come to expect from Bioware. I'm only about 3 hours in but the story is very involving the combat is gretat for an RPG, it's even solid if you were playing a shooter. My only gripes with this game and they are a minor annoyances are the fact that you can't learn abilities outside your class, I'm a Vanguard and I can't learn how to use a sniper rifle or an assault rifle so the guns are esentially useless. And the second thing is that I wish you could switch between abilites in combat without having to pause the game. But all in all this game is a fast paced KOTOR without the crappy frame rates. Everyone owes it to themselves to check this one out.… Expand

I'm giving a 10, though I'd really rate it a 9.6, so I rounded up. This game is beautiful. Complex RPG character options, beautiful graphics, extreme customizability, great characters and story, this game is near perfect. One issue is that framerate stutters at times, but this is minimal. Also, some of the AI of the enemies I've encountered so far is rather simple, but then again this game is focused on being an RPG, so in my opinion enemy AI in the FPS portions isn't that important. Overall, it's a superb game. Looks like it could overtake Bioshock for my pick for game of the year.… Expand

Great RPG, it's not a shooter though. I constantly hear gripes about the combat... personally I think that it is some of the best RPG I have expierenced. If you are buying the game for an RPG you'll love it, if you don't like RPG's then why would you buy it, or review it for that matter.

Not a shooter really, this is an RPG that uses some shooter elements in its combat. But this is a gorgeous, engrossing RPG experience. If you liked KotoR, this is a no-brainer. If you like RPGs, this is a no-brainer. If you like sci-fi, this is a no-brainer. I can't believe this game costs as much as some of those movie game pieces of crap they make nowadays. The best game I've played in a long time, rivals oblivion for best next-gen RPG, and it has that kind of immersive, movie quality feel that I haven't experienced since the first KotoR, but Mass Effect's visuals are 1000% better than Knights of the Old Republic. A MUST buy for your 360.… Expand

Awesome game. How can you not like this game? You must love Halo 3 a bit too much if you think this is long and boring! Sets the bar for RPGS everywhere!

The story, good god man the story.

Great RPG, good graphics, huge world...but ...weak shooter-part and some technical difficulties.

This is an absolutely boring game especially for $60. I never write reviews but I felt the need to inform others about this game. I feel that tI was definitely mislead about this game. Its extremely slow. I mean I spend 90% of my time walking to locations and then I get a chance to to something interesting. I am starting to think that game developers are paying people to post their reviews. I though the game would be better than average and actually be fun. I mean the only "new" thing this game offers is for you to have meaningless conversation with characters and the ability to chose some phrases. For those of you that like play RPGs and roll dice all day, this game is probably for you. In conclusion, this game is extremely slow, boring, and not worth $60 at all!… Expand

Odd sort of game. The RPG portions are pretty decent. Never have I seen interaction with NPC's as good as this. The combat kind of stinks and I feel it is inferior to KOTOR in this respect. A lot of work went into replayability, as all your squad members make comments etc depending upon your location.
A bit of a mixed bag, yet I am still playing it, and am engrossed by the story. I can overlook combat, strange bugs and the stilted graphics just because the game is so immersive.… Expand

The voice acting, directing, and production values are outstanding. It's going to be rough in the future for any RPG to offer either text responses or stilted audio replies. There are some technical flaws but what they've accomplished here far surpasses those and deserves full credit. Kudos!

I really just don't enjoy playing this game. The shooting is weak, and it can get annoying sometimes when you must click a phrase to say. I don't know it might just be me, but I don't like it at all.

A truly amazing game with an insane amount of depth. the characters are all unique and extremely rounded. but 18 hours to beat is far too short for something that's otherwise so grand. the setting is so epic and the story is so short and lacking. i constantly felt like i was being forced to plow through the story instead of being able to explore the game world at a pace i enjoyed, like being forced to take an impatient tour guide through the gughenheim. the characters are deep with their own very unique backstories. but in a game i want to play the backstory, not just sit in the ship asking my squad personal questions (which they awkwardly and unrealistically are entirely game for). if more care would have been administered to the exposition then this game would've overcame its greatest flaw (talking head exposition) and accented its greatest achievement: depth and character empathy. i agree with most of the professional reviewers though when they say that what the game succeeds at, it succeeds at so well that youre willing to suspend those grudges for a second play-through. here's hoping for the funding and desire by bioware to create a mass-effect 2 which is as epic as the setting commands.… Expand

Right, I understand that some games can do well without a good story because they have good, fun gameplay. Mass Effect has tried the exact opposite. It's one of the most entertaining stories I've experienced in the past while. But here's the catch: this doesn't make it a good game. The gameplay (if it can be called that) is like repulsive icing on an otherwise great cake... The story and characters etc. are great, no complaints there. But the game fails at being an FPS (loved the thin hallways crammed with myself and 2 mentally challenged AI characters...nice) and it fails to be an action-RPG (or whatever it was going for) BECAUSE it failed dismally at implementing decent fighting mechinics, fps or not (No, I'm not a hardcore FPS player expecting this to be better than halo, half life 2 or insert good fps name here). Then there's the awful frame rate but I don't want to go there. I still WANT to like this game.... I just can't. I'm going to go read the book now and hope they release a movie based on it.… Expand

Good fun at times, however does get a little boring with the stopping and interacting every 5 minutues. Graphics are good but not great, faces look wonky and out of shape, and it's a little grainy. Good storyline tho. Not the best game of the year either. COD4 & Assassin's Creed top it in that category.

It's so rare to play a game that pushes the boundaries of video game graphics and is also a very fun to play. This game is so awesome, it's guaranteed there will be Sony and Nintendo fan boys entering 1 out of 10 ratings for this game on here. I read those to mean "we surrender, this game is too great for us!"

There are alot of technical issues with the game, side quests are not anywhere near the quality of the main quest (The sidequests are still better than many games out there). Those issues aside, you have to give this game a 10 because even though it's not a perfect game it still blows every other game away in terms of story, scope, sound/music RPG elements and 2nd best in graphics and 3rd person combat (other than Gears of War).… Expand

GOTY by far.... Absoloute must buy for people who love great storylines and brilliant characters

This game has the Bioware feel all over it, anyone who has played the Baldur

There's some issues with the game such as the frame-rate and GUI, but if you can get past that, you will find a well thought out rpg. The exploration is fantastic, the story, the gameplay and the characters. If your on the fence deciding whether or not to purchase this game,

A truly immersive experience. The characters are alive more than in any game I've played. The graphics are great - very atmospheric. And the combat is far better than I was expecting. It's not a weak point at all! It's this or Bioshock for GOTY.

I'm not a big rpg fan by any means, but this game is something special. It feels right, it makes you care about your characters and those you meet. There's a storyline, depending on how much you want to invest, the more it will give. The combat is great fun, the presentation and voice acting is tremendous, exploration is awesome and the dialogue system is top-notch. There are some minor issues such as frame-rate slow downs and GUI problems. But if you can look past these, you will find a universe that is richly thoughtout. Definitely lots of replay value in ths game.… Expand

I think this game is immersive and beautifully rendered. You can find out as little about stuff as you would like or as much as you would like. I look into every detail, but if you want you can run and gun your way striaght to the end. I just really like this game, and I am taken back so many times by what is going on.

Wonderful game. The people giving it 1's seem to forget that the game is first and foremost an RPG, and that good RPGs have emersive storylines. Mass Effect follows up on that with a great story, and amazing digital characters. Everything is in-game engine, and looks beautiful. Combat does have a stiff learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, you can get your squad to wield a lot of power, especially if you can master syncronization of powers such as lift and throw to knock a strong enemy off a ledge to their death. Most of the complaints are about minor glitches, many of which could be fixed with a patch.… Expand

Don't be fooled... this is a proper RPG game in the Final Fantasy-esque mould, but taking out some of the more intricate RPG tactics and using the room created to fill in on massive story and universe detail. It's sold as a cross between a shooter and RPG, but it's definitely more the latter simplified down to include the former. I personally like the interfaces for battle and travel. Dionysus reckons it's a slideshow, that's cos he obviously isn't an RPG fan... this is exactly the kind of thing any RPG fan would get right away and enjoy even more. I'd say this is by far the best RPG experience on the Xbox. The only complaint I have so far is the dodgy vehicle controls for the Mako tank/car. Other than that, it's great and well worth £40 of your earthly credits.… Expand

Great graphics, impressive scope, squad tactics, and compelling choices between paragon/renegade storyline create a lot of depth here. Unfortunately the game is not quite there. Combat can be a chaotic mess made worse by frame rates that completely stall out when the action gets hot. Controls on the Mako can also get frustrating. Finally (though somewhat expected in RPGs these days) there is a lot of time spent back-tracking (slowly as the protagonist moves painfully slow) between NPCs to relay conversations, information, etc, and lots of waiting during load cuts (none are too long, but they're frequent) and elevators.… Expand

An incredible experience, despite some minor technical flaws. If you have any love of sci fi, role playing games, shooters or great stories, you should play this game.

Words cannot describe how epic this game is, an adventure for the ages and by far the most rewarding game I have experienced. The characters and world created put you at awe each time you look across the environments and cities. The story is the deepest and most playable in video game history in my opinion as all people who enjoy RPG's or any adventure at all should not pass up this amazing game!… Expand

At heart I feel this game is Knights Of The Old Republic...with Gears Of War combat...and a slight tip-o-the-hat to the 1991 Sega Gensis/Megadrive game "Starflight". A pity then it seeks to be the exact perfect average of all these instead of exploring their potential fully! But I suppose I cant blame Bioware considering the time constraints and amount of removed content/detail. Heres hoping the sequel is more fleshed out!… Expand

This is a truly amazing game, and worth the wait. As with most games, there are issues that keep me from giving it a 10, but these do not in any way downgrade my experience. The compelling story, well-developed universe, interesting characters, intuitive dialogue system, and refreshingly fun combat system all combine to make this my Game of the Year.

Outstanding plot. Great action. Good visuals.

OK, those who gave this game a 10 obviously haven't played it, and those that gave it a 1 are just stupid. Granted, I feel burned for buying this game based on the ratings and the reviews I have seen. So here is the real deal review from a long time RPG fan. This game mostly sux, sure it looks pretty, hooray for that, but that's were the fun ends. First off this game is impossibly slow, for instance, you mean to tell me that in the future, were you don't even have to reload your weapons, they have elevators that move so ridiculously slow you would ratther walk, if you could but you are stuck having to take elevators all the time, even on your own ship. Then there are the weapons, armor and other accesories that have names followed by roman numerals. for all the thought and time spent developing this game they couldn't come up with some cool names for things, instead they just add a number at the end. That's not all, let's talk about all those planets that you seen in the previews and trailers, you can't even land on them, all you can do is get a description of there atmosphere and terrain. Occasionaly you can scan one and may find some kind of artifact that you can't even access in your inventory. Sniper rifles are a complete waste of time, because if you can see the enemy, no matter how far away you are, they are already shooting at you before you even poke your head around the corner or over the hill. The cool looking tank you also see in all of the trailers handles like crap and really isn't as fun as they make it appear. There is no need to ever shop at a store, as things you find are better and they are free, so that kills the whole "get more money to get better stuff to fight bigger creatures" aspect of an RPG that most fans live for. The grenades are horrific, shoot one towards the sun and that's were it goes, in a striaght line with no gravitional arc what-so-ever, but throw a grenade at the floor right in front of you and that's were it stays, no bounce, no roll, nothing. No free roaming aliens to pick off for extra cash, everything is scripted, open the door and there are bad guys. The AI is non-existent, open a door and the bad guys come straight at you, no ducking and hiding behind things, they just run straight at you. I waited for over a year for this game, have been following it's progress all the way, seen all the trailers, interviews and reviews and was totally psyched for this title. I actually think this title isn't worth the box it comes in, but I am giving it a 5 because it looks amazing, has some interesting creatures, and the voice sync'ing is beautifully done. If you are a fan of RPG's and want an amazing game for your money, but the Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and pass on this title. If you have already played Oblivion trust me when I say, rent before you buy, or better yet, bid on mine when I throw it up on ebay to get my money back and buy something else.… Expand

This is the game that could have been - its very cinematic, and semi entertaining - but if your expacting a vast open sci fi role playing game - like oblivian - you will be sorely dissapointed - there are a couple of pointless side quests - but overall the story is pretty straight through and you can beat the whole game in under 8 hours with no problems.

First, I'd like to say... if you beat this game in 14 hours, you missed a LOT of backstory and side missions. There is so much to this game... a complete universe, and everything you do is so well thought out you can just feel the tremendous amount of work they put into planning this game. Skipping all of that work to rush to the game's end in 14 hours is nearly a crime. The one problem I had was that your squad mates are very, very stupid. That's it; everything else I came across, from the thousands of possible dialog variations to the little planetary bios just made my jaw drop in awe. Don't let the nay-sayers dissuade you, this is without a doubt one of the best games I've ever played.… Expand

This is an excellent game. As a person who has always been a FPS player and never a fan of RPG's let me say, I loved this game. Not because its a good shooter, cause its not. For people who are hardcore FPS players, the combat in this game is remedial. But the game as a whole is an incredible experience and was very, very engrossing cinematic ride. I recommend this game as a must play along with Bioshock and COD4!!… Expand

This game has easily blown my expectations away, from the amazing combat to the difficult and heartfelt decisions you make along the way. Not even the minor graphical glitches could sway my love for this amazing game. Easily a contender for Game of the Year.

Realistically imagined and a beautifully executed, Mass effect delivers in a way many adventure stories fail. politically and emotionally driven, just the sheer amount of background-story depth and the massive variety of environments with epic views of other worlds is enough to draw one in to this ambitious original space drama. gameplay is smart and fun, and graphics are gorgeous. The basic plot of mass effect echoes the triumphant and epic tale of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic however, which if youve played and beaten Knights of the Old Republic, can at times give you a been-there-done-that feel. In the end it was very much worth the rich 20+ hours i put into it, but being a strong knights of the old republic fan, i would have prefered that Bioware make a Knights of the old republic 3 and finish the story that they started a few years ago, and i think many would agree.… Expand