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| Mass Effect | 
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| From: Microsoft
Category: Video Games
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $16.93
You Save: $13.06 (44%)
Buy New from $16.93
Avg. Customer Rating:  (275 reviews)
Sales Rank: 401
Platform: Xbox 360
ESRB: Mature
Media: Video Game
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Age: 17 - 20 years
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 5.3 x 7.5 x 1
MPN: M59033
Model: M59-00033
UPC: 882224355254
EAN: 0882224355254
ASIN: B000OLXX86
Release Date: November 20, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Starship Trooper/ Alien Lover November 1, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm a bit late on reviewing this one but truth be told, I bought the game upon its initial release and kind of slept on it for a bit until recently, when I set out to end it once and for all. In the end, I'm glad I did because this is one of the most entertaining and well made role playing games I've ever experienced.
The story is pretty interesting, not to mention detailed. A game that requires at least thirty hours to play through needs at least that, so I can safely promise you an entertaining sci-fi adventure with a little bit of this and a little bit of that to keep you playing. Everything in the game is detailed to the point that you probably won't get to read every single line of information that comes your way. You travel to literally dozens of planets and each one has a detailed breakdown on everything from its weather conditions to its population numbers. Even though most of these planets are unable to be landed on, it still adds a sense of depth that just adds to the universe that Mass Effect lays out for you. Characters are voiced by an able cast and even popular celebrities like Keith David and Seth Green join in to lend a hand with some of the characters.
Speaking of voice acting, the characters you encounter engage you in conversation that is probably the most involving of all games that require some kind of a response selection. Yeah, you'll have conversations that might seem a little off but 99% of the time, I'd say that the conversations flow very smoothly, impressive considering just how many selections you are given to answer with.
Those who've played Bioware's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic RPG will be instantly at home with this title. It's not an exact copy of that game but the mechanics share more than a couple of similarities. Battles are fought and controlled with a nice and easy to grasp control scheme that maps out player actions to both bumpers. The battles are a lot of fun and pretty intense. Graphics and sound are top notch and some of the planet surfaces are actually quite nice, visually speaking.
I do have some reservations with the game but nothing too serious. The driving portions of the game are a bit monotonous and something about the way it controls feels like its lacking a bit. You land on the planets in a dune buggy type vehicle which is armed with a machine gun turret and a cannon that is pretty fun to blast things with but the controls are just a bit off where the vehicle might not control the way you want it to. You do get the hang of it but I don't know, I wasn't too crazy about these portions of the game after a while.
My other problem has to do with managing the inventory in the game. i found it a bit frustrating whenever I got a new item, it felt like I had to check every single character's inventory to see who'd be able to benefit from it most. That's usually how it goes with these games but after a while, I felt like I was spending way too much time in the inventory screen on too many occasions. I recall this being one of the problems with Knights of the Old Republic and its here as well. The inventory management could be streamlined somehow or at least easier to see who had what and compare. In the end, its not much to complain about but worth noting.
This is a great title with loads of replay value. I'd recommend this one easily to anyone who hasn't already played it. I'd say RPG veterans would really enjoy this as well as those who've never tried one. And for the price its going at the time of this writing, this is an even easier recommendation to make.
NOTE:
They made a big stink a while back about the sexual content in the game. It's absolutely ridiculous and in the end, not even worth crowing about. What is here is tastefully done and if you're that paranoid about subjecting a minor to something that may or may not be inappropriate, then steer your kid elsewhere.
 The best in interactive fiction October 29, 2008
This game starts with a great, hard sci-fi story, exactly the kind I like to read. Unlike nearly every other game I've played, the story here can stand on its own. Then on top they add interactive conversations and always make you feel like you're playing for a reason, not just to get the next key or kill the next bad guy. If you want to focus on the action, you can, by skipping a lot of the dialogue, but if you're like me then the game will let you discover as much detail as you want at your own pace.
This game absolutely stands shoulder to shoulder with Deus Ex 1. There may not be as much flexibility in the plot, but it makes up for it in having such good pacing (except for some of the driving parts). The story is also larger in scope, which I like. And finally, although unlike in Deus Ex I don't think you can play without killing anyone, morality plays a huge role.
 choosing words October 29, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Something different about this game is the character communication -
I appreciate the attempt to be unique but it is not all that interesting-
and is sort of a waste of shooting time. The options of questions and replys do not seem to have any real interaction with game play.Of particular annoyance is the sniper rifle that is always unsteady, as if the actual rifle is too heavy to lift. Over all the game is OK and reasonably entertaining.
The best rpg since KOTOR October 26, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Although its not anywhere close to Knights of the Old Republic (except the developer) I couldn't help but just think of all the great things Bioware had taken from KOTOR, integrated into Mass Effect, and still made it into its own entity. This is one of the few 'M' rated games that is actually made for adults. The depth of the characters, the story, dialogue, gameplay, and even the potential romantic relationship situation is all believably real life; considering its a far future based sci-fi adventure.
So if you play just the main story, first of all you're missing about the other 60% of the game, and you'll only get 8-11 hours of gameplay. This is one of those games that you need to explore the entire universe to get the full affect and even then you'll still miss something somewhere. After scouring the entire universe (which the 'system map' is just jaw-dropping along with each planet's environments) I clocked in at just over 30 hours of game time. This is the best looking game I've ever played on Xbox 360 as well.
So if you even consider yourself a gamer, you will play this game. Its the best Xbox has to offer. Period.
Begins as a 4 or 5 -- declines as you play. October 21, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Mass Effect, in the beginning, had be pretty impressed. I was ready for an epic storyline and serious character development (and was willing to overlook the silly Star Trek-y 'alien' design). About halfway through, I began to wonder... what's the point of having so many different planets to explore if they all have the same buildings?
The answer -- Mass Effect is really a pretty short game, artificially drawn out by the inclusion of a bunch of cookie-cutter 'missions'. Mass Effect's story is pretty interesting, and there's definitely a more pronounced element of 'character development' than in most other console games, but still... it didn't really do it for me.
You are mildly motivated to grind XP and money, as those unlock new skills and items... but really, there's no need, since other enemies level up right along with you. You can rush through the game and do fine. The game is designed to appeal to habitual XP / Gold 'grinders' and loses a bit of its appeal once you realize it (just like when you realize that most subscription-based MMORPGs are designed to be addictive and impossible to 'beat').
Mass Effect is entertaining, fun, and definitely a pretty game. The storyline is pretty compelling and you can genuinely get to know and feel for the characters. Still, it's oversimplified, repetitive, and doesn't stand out among the hordes of other similar games out there. 3 stars.
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