My past month or so of gaming has been spent on the Bioware epic Mass Effect. After completing my first play through and completing all assignments I thought I would provide a review before I begin another play through.

Overall I was very impressed with this title. The graphics and environments are stunning and the ability to transition between RPG to FPS ensures an enthralling 40 hour ride. There is enough content and mini-games to hold your interest while completing a variety of tasks. You can spend as much or as little time pursuing side assignments and you have the option to decide the order you want to approach some of the major story arcs.

The story is a familiar one... humanity is now part of a larger galactic community and trying to find its place. After a discovery accelerated the understanding of intergalactic travel humans are on the threshold of becoming a part of a galactic council... but a new or rather old threat is lurking in the background. This is the basis of Mass Effect story arc.

The story is compelling and you are in complete control on how you approach your career. Choice plays a big part of Mass Effect. You drive the dialouge, you control the story and you can charm or intimidate your way out of impossible situations. The choices begin immediately from customizing your profile to determining what type of soldier you will become as your career progresses. Each choice will change your approach to combat situations and it will also greatly impact the individuals that accompany you throughout the game.

My initial play through began as a soldier class with the focus on armor and weapons. You can select from a variety of classes that introduce different skills such as an engineer focused on tech, to the sentinel class (My choice for the second playthrough) that allows for both biotic and tech skills... to a host of others. You can completely customize your characters appearance and select whether you want to play through as a male or female. Be very aware before you begin of what class you want to leverage especially if you are playing for achievements. There is no changing your class once you finalize your selection.

The Combat System demonstrates an excellent mix of RPG and FPS elements. You control the flow of the battle and those who use cover and keep their shields replenished will be rewarded ("tactician" achievement). You can deploy biotic or tech skills for yourself as well as that of your teams via a skill deployment mechanism that allows for maximum efficiency when selecting your ideal assault/defensive tactic while allowing you to pause the action and targeting the AI. With the ability to carry two weapons and upgrade every conceivable aspect of your weapons and armor, Mass Effect follows in the footsteps of other classics from Bioware such as Knights of the Old Republic.

My favorite aspect of the game is the ability to explore a number of galaxies in search of items, materials and secondary assignments. You can survey planets, asteroids and board the occasional ship. You also have the option to land and explore a number of planets in the Mako (Warthog meets a tour bus). This is one of the more rewarding aspects of the game as you traverse across various terrain types in search of the latest objectives.

Mass Effect Achievements require a certain level of commitment to the game. I was able to pull  550 points from my initial play through. I could have played as a Sentinel or Vanguard and gotten over the 600 point plateau. In order to complete 1000 points you would need to complete 2-3 playthroughs for the team member based achievements. I enjoyed the "completionist" and "rich" achievements. I also liked the fact that unlocking achievements enhanced stats or availability of items in the actual gameplay. When you reach the "power gamer" achievement by hitting level 50 you unlock the Spectre X weapons, etc...

March will provide the first true Downloadable Content with a side mission focusing on the Batarian's which are a race of aliens not seen in the current title, but referenced in the game as well as the "Revelation" Mass Effect prequel book. It will include 50 additional achievement points and continue to expand on the Mass Effect universe.

Pros

- Graphics
- Story Arc
- Combat System
- Ability to convert unwanted items into Omnigel (Very valuable in the game)
- Driving the Mako
- Rapid Transit System in the Citadel (It sure beats walking everywhere)
- You can continue with the money, items and levels earned in a second play-through
- A multitude of worlds to explore
- Satisfying Achievements
- Choosing who lives and who well.. you know
- Saving the universe (Does it ever get old???)

Cons:

- Visible Load Times can disrupt action
- Elevators (No more elevators!!!!!) you know what I mean
- 150 item limit (Come on let me carry more!!!)
- Once 150 item limit is exceeded you cannot choose a do not pick up option or the ability to sell an option
- You cannot change your class with the same user profile after you complete the game and maintain your levels or funds
- Ability to control the pace of Commander Shepard (Give us a run option!!!!)
- Some repetitive tasks and underground mines start to have a very similar look
- Cannot skip certain cut scenes
- Could use improved squad AI

I thoroughly enjoyed this title and give it a rating of a 9 out of 10. It is not a perfect game but I am still amazed that this much content was put onto one Xbox game disc. With the upcoming downloadable content and at least another 2 sequels in the works this is a strong franchise that I look forward to playing again and again.

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