For the crazy folks who haven't bought this game yet
and those of you sitting on the fence, let me share my initial impression of this game with you. Furthermore, Let me convince you that tracking down a Limited Collector's Edition online is well worth it. This game certainly deserves a review but that will wait until I've beaten it a couple different ways first and that make take a while so hopefully this blog entry will suffice for now.
First off, I'll tell you that I'm among other things, both a huge BioWare fan and a staunt supporter of western RPG's. I've played BioWare games since
Shattered Steel and they've always managed to impress me. I'm also not a particularly huge fan of Star Wars yet KOTOR ranks very highly on my top list of games. I say that because this game reminds me a lot of it, but IMO Mass Effect is a better universe to play in.
Ok, enough with the "HTMbiography". Let me be frank:
This game f*cking rocks. Becoming Keith once more here's what I call the "you've seen it" formula: Ths game reminds me of
Babylon 5 mixed with KOTOR, Stargate, GRAW, Jade Empire and some dark humor reminiscent of Firefly. Maybe throw in a few likenesses to games like
Elite and
Freelancer as well.
Having read the novel I was already familiar with the Mass Effect universe, it's factions, races, technology etc. I've also read the author's work before in other series like
Forgotten Realms. The same author is the lead writer for this series so it's nice to be spoiled by a game that matches the mind's eye of things written in the novel.
Jumping into the game felt both familiar because of BioWare's style of presentation as well as the familiarity I mentioned earlier. The game presents itself like an epic movie and gives you that big screen cinema feeling even in your living room. Gameplay consisting of various mini-games, exploration, squad combat, vehicles and dialogue sequences both keep the game fresh and interesting. The combat can be either strategic and complex or simple and efficient, the controls well thought out and easy to use with minimal effort. The leveling system and equipment customization is all they said it'd be and the morale choice thing provides humor, intrigue and a deeper connection with the main character that you play.
Graphics and sound so far are outstanding and although it has some minor pop-in and slowdown, it doesn't hinder the experience nor it is as bad as I keep reading on the 'net. The amount of instantly recognizable voice actors adds more of that big screen appeal as well.
One other major thing I personally found impressive is the character creation. Should you choose to make a custom character, the options are well laid out, easy to use and you can finally make
a perfect moustache-less goatee!!!!!
This truly is a next gen age we live in.
Should you buy the LCE version versus the regular? Is it worth the extra $10? You bet your space-faring ass it is! Besides the awesome tin case with artwork etched into it's surface, there are two mini books, one artwork and the other a Codex which is a guide to the various races you encounter. Also a second disc with loads of goodies like gamerpics, themes, videos, soundtrack etc. Those of you with a pre-order disc or have heard of it, imagine that content x3.
This game feels like a GOTY to me. It's also shaping up to be every bit the reason to buy a X360 I thought it would. BioWare is one of those few developers that I'd follow to any platform needed to play their games. Hell for a great game like this, I'd even go to
Arby's the Wii. Yes I said it, thankfully however they spared me that indignity.
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I'm with ya 100%. I'm only a few hours in, but the game is flat out incredible!
And the sound...holy CRAP! My whole living room rumbles whenever Wrex speaks, let alone the combat.
One thing to add: while games like KOTOR may allow for you to add to your dark/light side, it's usually one at the expense of the other. Here, Paragon and Renegade points are tracked separately, and do not diminish the other.
The early game is a little slow in developing because there's just SO MUCH history and backstory going on, but when you start getting into sidequests and such. And after the 1st major plot point is resolved (which you'll find out relatively early on), the entire galaxy opens up to you to explore.
I highly recommend it!
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That was another nice aspect of the novel, the fact that characters from it are brought to the screen and are part of the story.
I'm about 9 hours in and level 12-ish i think. The game just keeps getting better everytime I play it, especially when your out travelling the galaxies.
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But can you make someone with a burnside?
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Seriously though, don´t go to gamefaqs. Actually, they are taking that much better than 8.8 for some reason.
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Oh and game of the year will be Okami again, cause it´s that good.
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Mass Effect is definitely an outstanding game. However, it has some serious competition if it's going to be game of the year.
As awesome as it is and as impressive it is in scale and innovation, both Bioshock and CoD4 are tough competition. So I guess it wouldn't surprise me if it's nominated for GOTY from multiple sources, but not win.
That said, though. The experience of playing this game is like no other RPG I've come across. Storywise, the voice acting and animations really make you FEEL as though you're developing the story as YOU see fit...as if you're in this fascinating sci-fi movie EXPERIENCE and you're calling all the shots.
I'm estimating that I'm closing in on the halfway point, and I already am looking forward to playing it through a 2nd time! 
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