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| From: Electronic Arts
Category: Video Games
List Price: $49.99
Buy New: $21.99
You Save: $28.00 (56%)
New (28) Used (6) from $21.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  136 reviews
Sales Rank: 284
Format: Dvd-video
Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows Xp
ESRB: Mature
Media: Video Game
Batteries Included: No
Age: 17 - 20 years
Operating System: Windows 2000
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.2 x 1.1
MPN: 19081
Model: 19081
UPC: 014633190816
EAN: 0014633190816
ASIN: B00140P9BA
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Massive Poo August 9, 2008
2 out of 11 found this review helpful
I almost vomited.
I rather not talk about it anymmore
I am afraid i would become as bad as the game itself.
Some things are better left alone...
Too soon to buy - wait for the patches August 9, 2008
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
I hate to have to say it but there are major problems with this game and I am not referring to the drm silliness. My own copy won't play after the initial screen and that was >after< installing the latest patch (weirdly enough, I could get it started before the patch). Prior to that the game forums have tons of complaints about multiple in-game crashes and they have not gotten any less with the patch. While some people are reporting no problems, so many are that it suggests something fundamental is wrong. As much of a fan of Bioware and RPG games as I am, I strongly urge you to wait a couple of months before trying this one out.
An fantisic immersive experiance August 8, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I give this game top marks for it's story. It is very well written. The universe is also meticulously thought out and executed. You can believe that there is more going on in this world then just the events that you are participating in. 5 stars
That said, this is the buggiest game I have ever played. Even after the patch came out, this game crashes with frustrating frequency. The support from EA is prompt, but not very helpful. 2 stars
It says a lot about the overall experience that I have continued to play, though multiple campaigns, despite the bugs. Had the story been even slightly less interesting, I would have abandoned it long before now. Overall 3.5 stars
An attempt at an objective review August 6, 2008
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
Mass Effect is a game that's had its fair share of buzz. From the fairly tame sex scene(where only skin and butt is shown) to the rampant decrying of DRM. I want to focus more on the game itself rather than the DRM issues surrounding it. Although I will say that I am opposed to DRM and that there are better ways of implementing security.
That aside, Mass Effect is a 3rd-person based RPG(actually it's more of an action game with a sprinkling of RPG elements, really) which seems like unholy spawn of Gears of War and Knights of the Old Republic, which isn't entirely a bad thing. But, unfortunately, it feels very much like a console port. Your inventory is in an annoying list form, controls are simplified(no jumping!) and there is lack of choice when it comes to weaponry. You basically have 5 types of weapons to choose from; Pistol, Shotgun, Assault Rifle and Sniper Rifle as well as grenades. Now I don't know about you, but an RPG game with only 5 types of weapons? That's just a wee bit boring if you ask me. I have come to expect a lot of choice when it comes to RPGs. Why shouldn't I be able to wield large rocket launchers, or a more futuristic laser rifle, or hell...why can't I open up a can of whoopass ninja style? The combat just feels dumbed down and albeit fun, I would have liked more interesting sequences than the repetitive "Clear the room, move to next room" gameplay.
While we're on the subject of being repetitive, I have to say that going on offworld missions and driving on the same rocky terrain gathering trinkets and ore for the umpteenth time started grating on my nerves. Not to mention that the physics while driving your Mako lander would make Tony Hawk jealous. While those missions are optional, an RPG is about bettering your character and I felt compelled to sit through all of it, to get the full experience of the game. Every system you visit has at least one planet that you can land on and explore, the rest you can mine and search from space(which came as a relief near the end of the gathering missions). But every planet looks the same as the last, just with a different color scheme. It was fun the first few times, but after 20, I never wanted to see another planet again. On top of that, sometimes you are greeted by an outpost on one of these planets, and you guessed it. For the most part, they're all carbon copies of each other. It all just seems like filler to make the game seem more massive than it actually is. Filler can be done right and it can feel like it actually serves a bigger purpose than to level you up. Just look at Baldur's Gate 2. All the filler there was beautifully designed, they were unique and I never got bored with any location. By filler I mean anything that didn't directly involve your main quest of saving Imoen and dealing with Irenicus. Don't get me wrong, Mass Effect had some great environments, especially in the Citadel starting area. If the rest of the game were that well designed, this game would have been a classic to be replayed for years to come(assuming you don't have to reinstall your OS, but I digress). But the uniqueness is too few and far between. The filler becomes noticeable and turns into a chore.
The game is not all bad though. The story is well done and the character development is nice. You speak to your comrades after each major mission so they reveal more about themselves and it adds flavor to the world, something than an RPG always needs. A lot of that flavor comes in the form of your Codex, a sort of encyclopedia that gets updated as the game progresses. It's a nice addition to the game and I wish they could have explored the possibilities of using the information in your codex to solve quests. Mass Effect isn't a terrible game but it's certainly not a classic. It does alright though. There were just far too many missed opportunities that could have made this game fantastic. Because of this, I can only rate this game 3 stars.
But since you can never really sum up a product nice and neatly with a simple rating like that:
(On a scale from 1-10)
Graphics: 7
Very nice environment in the Citadel. However, outposts, bunkers, and even some cities look repetitive, bland and boring. Facial animation leaves something to be desired.
Sound:7
Voice acting could use some work and if you can't get great voice actors, all it does is drag down the performance.
Replayability:5
While you can play as 'good' or 'evil', I didn't feel as if I've missed out on large enough parts of the game to really go back and play it again. I may down the line but the decisions you make don't feel as if they make a difference so you never seriously wonder, "What if I made this decision instead?"
Story:8
The strong point of the game. Nicely written and has a sort of cinematic quality to it.
Fun:6
I had fun shooting up everything(unlimited ammo as a game mechanic sure helped) and it was a good time. But it didn't have the lasting appeal that I wanted. It's what separates good from classic, Serious Sam from Half-Life 2. But what really killed the fun was the repetitive nature of the subquests. It felt too much like grinding.
Overall:6.5
I'm not factoring in the DRM to this score, since it doesn't really affect gameplay. If you're into action games, it'll be fun for you. But you might not want to pick it up again after you finish. As an RPG lover, I felt that the game was lacking something intangible...it was lacking life.
Worst game ever! August 2, 2008
2 out of 13 found this review helpful
First of all, if you're buying this game because you think there's nudity in it, DON'T! Because there is NO NUDITY! As for the game mechanics, they are absolutely atrocious. The storyline is sleep-inducing. The controls are almost impossible to get used to. The characters are as uninteresting as they could possibly be. PLEASE don't waste your money on this game!
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