masseffect.jpgIf you read this, it is probably the last Mass Effect review that you will read. Not because you will be convinced to buy it after reading it, but because it has been a month since its release and everyone else has already written their review.

If you are into straight action games and are looking for something along the lines of Gears of War, this is not your game. If you are a fan of the KotOR series also created by Bioware, you will love this game. I’m going to leave out some of the details and try to get straight to the point.

Some of the pros for this game are that you can make up for skills that your character lacks, by choosing teammates that have those skills. Also, whatever level you are at, you’re teammates are at, even if you haven’t chosen them for any missions. The story is great as well as the voice acting. Bioware does a great job of making you feel like you are a part of the world that they have created.

The game is not perfect and is probably not going to convert any action gamers to RPGs. As of this writing, Mass Effect scores an average of 91 on Metacritic. I think that is a fair assessment. It is one of the better games for the Xbox 360, but definitely not the best. The combat is a little clunky and the game suffers some frame rate issues. Some of the side quests start to get repetitive as well and the inventory system is a mess.

I overlook the minor issues that keep this game from being perfect because the game is fun. I enjoyed the KotOR series and I loved Mass Effect. It has great graphics, good sci-fi and voice acting. Playing the game over and choosing the ‘renegade’ path kept the experience new and fresh and I played through it a second time.

Our scoring system is based on what we think the game is worth between $0-$50. I know next-gen cost $60 because of a supposed $10 next-gen tax or cost or whatever you want to call it. I call BS and say that they are just trying to squeeze more money out of the consumer.

I give Mass Effect a score of $45. If this is your type of game, you’ll enjoy it. It feels epic. It feels next-gen and that is what I hope to see continue with more next-gen games.

Score: $45 / $50

How We Score