8/10
The beginning of Bioware's space-opera RPG saga, Mass Effect is a sterling and sprawling game that suffers only from the inexperience of the developers with shooting games and console development.
We are Commander Shepard, a hero of the Alliance, humanity's presence in the heaving society of the Milky Way. They are witness to a grave betrayal as a special forces operative known as a Spectre joins forces with the marauding forces of the Geth, and find themselves contracted by the Citadel Council, the galaxy's governing body, to chase down this rogue Spectre and put a stop to their war.
The result is an absolutely massive-feeling RPG as we take Shepard and their crew across the Milky Way in pursuit of their quarry. There's an astounding effort put into the world-building here, such that each world the campaign takes us to feels like a part of a living galaxy. The trademark Bioware love of lengthy dialogue trees is here, making roleplaying a lot of fun, but inevitably one finds oneself in combat, which is where the game is at its weakest. The cover shooting is awkward, and the guns themselves feel very flat, so combat is largely perfunctory and functional, which might become a problem for you as the game becomes increasingly about firefights as the plot concludes.
Check out my full review! The Almighty Backlog, review #24:
https://thealmightybacklog.wordpress.com/2018/11/01/mass-effect/
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