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Media Credit: masseffect360.com

Mass Effect is a new game by Bioware, known for making games that have detailed storylines and the ability to make moral choices which affect game play. Mass Effect continues that tradition while adding several new elements that make the game a more engrossing experience.

In the future, the vast, galactic government that controls and governs the galaxy employs special secret agents known as Spectres to patrol the galaxy as off-the-radar problem solvers. One of the Spectres, Saren, has gone rogue and employed an army of murderous robots to help him track down the remains of an ancient alien civilization. It is up to Commander Shepard, the human appointed to the position of Spectre, to track down Saren and save the galaxy.

Mass Effect's greatest quality is its story. A great deal of time has been put into creating the galaxy that the game takes place in. Each alien species has been given a detailed back story and detailed systems of government and culture. The timeline for human's first contact to the alien civilizations and the subsequent wars and alliances have been thought out as well.

The main story is not particularly complicated, but it is never dull. It's full of enough twists to keep it interesting. The characters are, for the most part, likable, and the dialogue is never tedious. This is helped by the ability to choose what Shepard says to people. Having multiple options of conversation makes it possible to play the game over again with little loss is entertainment since players can play it a different way.

The problem is that with all the time given to detailing the story and creating a dialogue that is both varied and extensive, other parts of the game suffer in quality. The fighting consists of hiding behind objects and shooting at the enemy. The firefights can be fun and challenging at times, but the companions that are supposed to help Shepard frequently shoot at walls or miss what they are aiming at.

There are portions of the game that involve driving around the surface of the planet. The vehicle that is driven does not control particularly well, and vehicle combat is not really detailed, just tedious.

The main story is entertaining, but it is short. To extend the length of the game, various assignments are included. The assignments are each fairly repetitive; all following the same routine of landing on the surface of the planet, looking for the base (which always looks similar), fighting through a wave of enemies, and either killing or negotiating with someone to complete the assignment.

With all the talking and reading that happens in the game, it would have been nice if the writing was written larger. Not everyone has a big flat-screen HD-TV.

Mass Effect creates a very interesting galaxy that could be the setting for numerous stories. If it was a television show or a series of movies it would do very well. As a game though, it suffers a bit in being fascinating instead of actually fun. B

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