Overview- Critic & User
Reviews - Videos &
Screenshots
News- Codes
& FAQs - Gameplay
Controls - Similar
Games
Answers
Bundles
Critic & User Reviews
Literally the best game I've ever played
posted by Twizlex (DAUPHIN, PA) Nov 19, 2007
Member since Jul 2006
472 out of 506 gamers (93%) found this review helpful
I've reviewed a lot of games on Gamefly but this is the first 10 I've ever given. I'd give it an 11 if I could. The first thing you'll notice when you pop the game in is, obviously, the graphics. Let me just say... wow. The character models are the best I've ever seen, with incredible detail right down to the wrinkles and skin spots. The environments, while fantastic, are vast and open so they don't have quite the detail as a close-quarters game like, say, Gears of War.
Speaking of Gears of War, the combat is very similar. It's frantic, third-person, over-the-shoulder view. Your squadmates can be given orders by bringing up an action menu, but you can just run and gun and ignore all that if you want to. I don't think die-hard shooter fans will feel the combat is quite up to snuff with what they're used to, but you miss out on the really good stuff anyways if you don't embrace the fact that this is an RPG.
So, being that this is an RPG, you come to expect some dialog. This game completely redefines what conversation should be like in a game. You get a variety of choices in what you want to say, but you really only pick the tone, not the actual words. You can decide to just be mean to people, and that can run anywhere from calling somebody stupid to actually point-blank shooting them in the face. Now that's mean! Also, you can yell at your squadmates for screwing up, and then actually feel bad when they get embarrassed or upset. Any game that can make you feel real emotion for fake people is a prime example of videogames as an art.
The storyline is also fantastic. In fact, I think the Mass Effect trilogy would be a good replacement for Episodes 1-3 of Star Wars. I've read the Mass Effect prequel book also, which fleshes out the storyline even more.
So, in conclusion, I would recommend Mass Effect to every and all 360 owners. It is role-playing redefined. It is a perfect example of "Next-Gen" and of the awesomeness videogames bring to the world.
Speaking of Gears of War, the combat is very similar. It's frantic, third-person, over-the-shoulder view. Your squadmates can be given orders by bringing up an action menu, but you can just run and gun and ignore all that if you want to. I don't think die-hard shooter fans will feel the combat is quite up to snuff with what they're used to, but you miss out on the really good stuff anyways if you don't embrace the fact that this is an RPG.
So, being that this is an RPG, you come to expect some dialog. This game completely redefines what conversation should be like in a game. You get a variety of choices in what you want to say, but you really only pick the tone, not the actual words. You can decide to just be mean to people, and that can run anywhere from calling somebody stupid to actually point-blank shooting them in the face. Now that's mean! Also, you can yell at your squadmates for screwing up, and then actually feel bad when they get embarrassed or upset. Any game that can make you feel real emotion for fake people is a prime example of videogames as an art.
The storyline is also fantastic. In fact, I think the Mass Effect trilogy would be a good replacement for Episodes 1-3 of Star Wars. I've read the Mass Effect prequel book also, which fleshes out the storyline even more.
So, in conclusion, I would recommend Mass Effect to every and all 360 owners. It is role-playing redefined. It is a perfect example of "Next-Gen" and of the awesomeness videogames bring to the world.