Mass Effect (2007)

I played Mass Effect 2 several years ago and I have finally got around to playing the first one and it's okay, overall I liked it.

I used a couple of texture mods and it still looks pretty good, the voice acting is excellent and most of the dialogue is good. The main story was fairly interesting but the side stories weren't very good and I was disappointed with the companions who were mostly fairly dull, I found it hard to care about any of them - though I liked Garrus.

There are a huge amount of copy and paste locations with almost all the side quests following the same pattern - I got very tired of seeing the same base on almost every planet you visit.

The combat is just okay, it is too easy on veteran which is the highest you can choose the first time through. (I wish games wouldn't restrict higher difficulties to 2nd playthroughs) There is no need for any tactics in combat, just point and shoot either while moving around or in cover will win every fight.

The game isn't very long, it took me just over 24 hours, and it kept me fairly entertained throughout but I was getting tired of it by the end. I am planning to play through the trilogy so I hope my memories of Mass Effect 2 being better are accurate.

The first Mass Effect game is by far the weakest in the trilogy, in my opinion. Many would disagree (some thought the first game was the best and the gameplay suffered in 2 & 3) but I felt like the first game was a great setup for a series I feel is one of my favorite in all of gaming, but it is my least favorite of the three.

The visuals, for the most part, are really good for their time (this was an early PS3/XB360 title) and the loading times are pretty average for an early last gen title. However, the loading times are worsened by the sheer amount of them you have to suffer through when in main areas. To get from one side of the Citadel to the other you are looking at quite a few minutes on a loading screen or in an elevator. The music is nice and atmospheric (though it does get better with the later titles) and in general the polish isn't horrible.

When it comes to the gameplay, it's hit or miss with me. I hated the Mako and any attempt to make me use it. Exploring the bland and boring squares of planets is no fun and having to deal with it on priority missions is downright frustrating, but at the very least I was able to control it somewhat (I played on PS3; I hear it's worse on PC?). The combat was fine but the AI for your companions was a little...off at times. It's not gamebreaking, but it is a little annoying at times. The inventory system is a hot mess and there is a lot that is going on in the menus, but once you get used to it, it's much more manageable.

Where this game falls short for me is the character development and the overall presentation of the story. I didn't really get super attached to any of the characters until Mass Effect 2. This was due in part to somewhat lackluster conversations and boring romance paths. Honestly, some of the characters that later become the best in subsequent titles are kind of tame and boring in this game.

I played the game when the other two were already released, so I feel like someone who played Mass Effect 1 before the second or third one came out may be more invested and in love with this game, but for me it constantly felt like a stepping stone to something better and I just wanted to get through it so I could play the next title.

The storyline was good, the lore was well done, the universal map was great and the ending was satisfactory. But, the side quests lacked personality, the equipment system was pointless, the uncharted worlds and the areas in the uncharted worlds were identical and frustrating and the main quest consisted of only 5 or 6 missions. Ultimately, Kotor was better than Mass Effect in almost every way + it had lightsabers.

Actual Score: 3.5/5