Mass Effect

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⭐ 9.0/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

I feel a lot of what Becky felt for this first game. What an incredible thing they created here. I don't think I've ever experienced a brand new sci-fi IP that felt so complete. I have been playing the recent remastered version, and that probably helps because aside from a few quirks, this feels like a true modern game. The shooting/ combat, the writing, the plot, the settings and most importantly the world building are all terrific.

I began this game basically doing more reading than playing the first five hours or so. I hate reading data entries in games, and despite this being optional I was pouring over these and couldn't get enough. I basically read any bit of information this game gave me. The world is so big and complex with fascinating, mysterious history and very realistic politics. It felt a lot like Game of Thrones in space.

All of the gameplay mechanics felt polished in this remaster. There were lots of unique guns and builds to use to keep things fresh, as well as abilities that were cool, though I admit I didn't really utilize them too often. Even driving the Mako was easy enough, and I know everyone hates that from the original. By the end I actually enjoyed it a lot.

Presentation was great. This game looks really nice with lots of unique planets and cities to explore, each one truly being it's own. I know the remaster added a ton of particle affects which may seem tacky but they went a long way. But I think the sound design was the true highlight with lots of great futuristic music and sci-fi sound effects. With a good pair of headphones, ships taking off and landing knocks your socks off.

The only real complaint I would have is that there are not really any standout characters in this game. You can tell they are just starting to explore these character's personality, including the main character. I would have more of an issue with this if I didn't already know the future games make up for this. There were also not a lot of great moral choices to make in this game, but again I know that changes, and the final sequence alone was so epic and had some hard enough choices to leave me with a very high opinion.

Obviously, if you like sci-fi, this game is a must-play.

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