One of, if not THE most over-rated games of recent memory.
But that's exactly where Mass Effect falls short in my book. I understand that Bioware wanted to get away from the Star Wars liscense and delve out into their own massive sci-fi epic, but I my humble opinion they took a step back. They traded in force powers for "biotics" and they ditch lightsabers and stuck with blasters. Nope, no thank you, I'll take my lightsaber over a plasma pistol or a energy assault rifle anyday.
And can someone tell me who thought the Mako was a good idea? Sure it probably sounded good in theory, and even looked better on paper, but it's final play mechanics were crap. Every planet you can drive around on the Mako with suffer from the same gravity. Ok, I guess I can get used to that. But what is with the guns? Anyone that's played it can tell you that something didn't add up the first time you lined up an enemy dead in your crosshairs and shot the hill or building behind them, completely missing the guy shooting you. . . okay? -Right, anyway. Mako sucks.
But a more important part of the game, combat is another thing I just can't deal with. Ok, so we determined that we are gonna throw away lightsabers and any other close range melee weapons right? Right, just pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, and sniper rifles. Granted souped out super alien guns, but mostly long range weapons for the most part. Then why is that almost every fight I get into all the enemies charge at me and cluster around? And compounding the fact that my brain dead allies AI always seem to find the best way to completely block my line of fire no matter where I move?!?! *sigh. Sure, you can use your forc- I mean biotics, which are mostly defensive and supportive and less offensive, but until you get to a higher level for those to actually affect enemies the way you need, you're SOL. But I dealt with it.
Then there was the good awfull item mangement system. I think I'd rather manage a fast food resteraunt supply inventory than deal with the mess that was Mass Effects.
But one thing I couldn't take was how buggy and glitchy the game is. I can't count on two hands how many times I was talking with a character in the game and they had a voice one second, then none the next. Also a number I don't have enough fingers to count was how many times this game froze on me. At first I thought it might be my aging Xbox preparing to give me the red rings of death, but this is the only game that gives me trouble. Older games work fine. My brand new DMC4 is fine. And all my discs are in perfect shape, no smudges, no scratches. I even had to return the game two days after I bought it. It wouldn't read the disc! Every other game worked. Just not Mass Effect. At least until I returned it for another copy, only then did it work. Then it would freeze. Alot. Often. Are me and this game hexed? Maybe, but all in all my experience with Mass Effect was not a pleasant one. I will be hesitate of later instalements, but at least I'm willing to give the next one a chance, just as long as Bioware learned a few things from this game.