I bought Mass Effect about two weeks ago, and just blew through it. I’ve played previous BioWare RPGs, but Mass Effect really blew me away. Jade Empire was a bit hit and miss, and many people were afraid a non-KOTOR RPG wouldn’t be worth playing. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case at all. The game is frantic and fun to play, and it really brings BioWare fully into the next generation of console games. An AAA title that lives up to its expectations? Could it be?
Read the review on my site, or you can use the no frills Google Docs to view a pure text version.
Note that I break it up into three major parts. Gameplay tries to break down the game, combining facts and thoughts into one. Opinion is less fact, more thoughts about the game. This is mainly what you would call my impressions. Technical discusses graphics, sound, performance, in-game menus, and any bugs that are present.
Gameplay 85/100
[singlepic=54,135,95,left]Knights of the Old Republic meets Gears of War? It sounded to good to be true. Sadly, it was. While BioWare definitely nailed the KOTOR feel, the Gears of War style combat still feels a little amateur compared to the rest of the game. While the combat is fun, there is definitely is not as solid as it could be. The combat gets repetitive, the cover mechanic doesn’t work that well, and most of the powers and moves, while useful, don’t look as cool on the battlefield as they should. Also, the implementation of rag dolls does not work that well in combat, as often you’ll be “knocked over” or “stunned”, turn into a ragdoll, and you either think you died or a box will fall on you and you will die. Some frustrating experiences, and overall it just isn’t that consistent.
[singlepic=58,135,95,right]There’s other problems. The weapon differences all seem minor, and you can go between guns with differences in stats but without an obvious difference in combat. AI also isn’t very bright, and does a lot of stupid things. The combat controls are also a bit wonky, and it can be hard to track some of the more fast moving enemies. On that note, combat also goes a bit too fast, it could all have gone a bit slower, as to be less action and more tactical.
[singlepic=55,135,95,left]Despite this constant stream of complaints about the combat, though, it actually isn’t as bad as it seems. While occasionally one of these complaints will be a cause for some frustration, overall you can get used to most of these bumps rather quickly. The combat doesn’t reach the level of excellence that is apparent in the other aspects of the game. It seems like it has a lot of potential. On one hand, if Mass Effect had more focus of attention on combat, these mistakes may have been more noteworthy. In the end, though, even when you go on long missions involving primarily combat, and there are certain frustrations, most of them are quickly forgettable. For the most part, the combat remains fun and enjoyable, though it definitely more spotty when compared to the rest of the game.
[singlepic=56,135,95,right]Even though the game’s combat is far from perfect, it balances out well overall. Even with the open ended universe, the game constantly has you on edge. Right from the beginning you are encountering major enemies, seeing huge plot twists, and discovering new secrets. In addition, the game’s choice mechanic comes into play right from the beginning. Many choices you make have galactic repercussions, and the game does a great job on this front. The game is truly epic, and you feel like you’re a part of it through and through.
[singlepic=61,135,95,left]Then there’s the characters, the world, environments… all of it. It blends seamlessly together, creating an entire, believable universe. It really is a perfect example of why video games are art. Even the back stories of each species, of the technology, and of your individual characters is quite interesting and well done. One would wonder if BioWare could keep this aspect going from Star Wars into their own intellectual property. Incredibly, they didn’t falter at all, and the great universe, characters, and plot remains intact.
Recent Comments