Mass Effect for Xbox 360

After a two year hiatus, I'm back to review a game that gives new breath to the RPG genre.

It's the year 2183. Humanity has finally encountered life among the stars, and the aliens have welcomed humanity with cautious optimism into their ranks. One of these humans, Commander Shepard, is being placed under review to become the first human Spectre, the right hand of the alien Council. The first part of his review is a mission to Eden Prime to recover an ancient beacon left by a long extinct race, the Protheans. However, before the recovery begins, Shepard is unknowingly thrust into a battle that will determine the fate of the entire galaxy.

Saren, the Council's most trusted Spectre, arrives on Eden Prime with plans to steal the beacon and use its information to bring about the return of the Reapers. Shepard and his crew arrive on Eden Prime and keep Saren from stealing the beacon, but Shepard accidentally gets the beacon's information downloaded into his mind. Now, Shepard has the information needed to stop Saren's plans of resurrecting the Reapers. But several questions still remain: What are the Reapers,  are they even real, how does Saren plan on reviving them, and worse yet, what will happen to the galaxy if the Reapers to return?

What words can I say about Mass Effect that give it the justice it deserves? This game is everything that an RPG fan loves. Here's some pros and cons for the game, to give you an informed choice.

PROS

Story
Mass Effect's story revolves around Commander Shepard's attempts to prevent a galaxy-wide genocide. You follow along as Shepard goes from system to system, digging up clues and following leads as he attempts to stop Saren from releasing the Reapers. Along the way, you meet many interesting characters and species, from Humans to Elcors, Asari to Krogans, and many more. You recruit new members to your team that specialize in different areas.

Gameplay
In this game, you have a variety of scenarios you get to choose from, each affecting your other choices in game. The controls are fairly simple and easy to remember. And best yet, if you complete the game from beginning to end, your save file can be used to start Shepard's next adventure in Mass Effect 2. Doing this will give more money, extra experience, and lots of other interesting features. Plus, all the characters you interact with in this game will remember you in the next.

Graphics
Seeing the game play out is almost like watching a movie. The graphics are extremely smooth and don't vary cutscene to gameplay. Sure, it can be a little glitchy at times, but what game doesn't have that problem? Trust me, you will be amazed by the look of the game.

CONS

Cutscenes (Elevators)
One of the most annoying things in Mass Effect are the sequences where have to ride an elevator. Some sequences have dialogue, but most just involve you standing there while you wait to arrive at your destination. It's very tedious and annoying because you think "There are other things that could be happening, but I have to be stuck in an elevator?" It's not the best thing in the world, let me tell you.

Minigames
Every game this expansive needs to have something more besides missions to keep you entertained, but the minigames in this leave something to be desired: challenge. The minigames are very easy to beat and don't really vary too much. Still, they pass the time until you're ready for your next mission.

The End
Like every game that is similar to this one, you always dread the ending. That means the story's over and you have to start over. I personally wish the ending could have been delayed a bit longer, but then I keep thinking if I got my wish, I'd just keep wishing the same thing overand over.

Mass Effect also offers a voice cast comprised of some veterans to the acting professions: Keith David (The Princess and the Frog, Coraline) as Captain Anderson, Lance Henrikson (AVP: Alien Versus Predator, Aliens) as Admiral Hackett, and Seth Green (Sex Drive, Family Guy) as Flight Lieutenant Moreau a.k.a. "Joker." Veteran voice actors Jennifer Hale (The Matrix: Path of Neo, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic) and Mark Meer (Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights) both lend their talents to the male and female voices of Commander Shepard. Many others lend their talents to make this game what it is. Give it a shot and see why all these reviewers rave about Mass Effect!

REVIEWS
"Mass Effect is a game that is greater than the sum of its parts...Don't pass this one up." -IGN.com

"Mass Effect is a towering achievement that surpassed my expectations on every level." -AdamSessler, G4TV.com

"Takes interactive entertainment to breathtaking new heights...Will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest games ever made." -Gerald Villoria, GameSpy.com

"The next big franchise for science fiction junkies to latch onto...A huge step forward for video games...9.75 out of 10" -GameInformer

"Mass Effect is a great science-fiction novel in video game form. Meaning, it mixes the highest caliber of pure story with the decision making and raw action of the best games." -Official XBox Magazine

RATING
M (Mature) for blood, partial nudity, sexual themes, and violence.