2008 Woodie Awards
Video Games: Mass Effect
Adam Larck/Online Reporter
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: in Review(s)
- Page 1 of 1
Score: 9.5 of 10
Bioware, the same company that brought Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic to the X-Box and computer, has finally released their next RPG for the 360. Instead of following along the Star Wars line, though, they decided to make a completely new series, entitled Mass Effect.
While still focused around space, Mass Effect ditches the whole light saber parts of the Old Republic, and just focuses on weapons.
There are four weapons: pistol, shotgun, assault rifle, and sniper rifle, each with their own upgrades with different attacks and shots fired before overheating. Each weapon can also be equipped with upgrades to allow bullets to have toxic or fire put in them, along with stabilizing the gun or putting a combat scanner in the gun.
Another thing Bioware has redone for this game is the force system, now calling it Biotics and Tech Abilities. Biotics allows you to throw enemies into the air or lift them up in place, or even place shields up around yourself. Tech Abilities are useful on synthetic enemies and, since most of the enemies are synthetic, can be used on most enemies.
The game starts off with you trying to save a beacon on a planet under attack. While the beacon gets destroyed in the end, you gain info from the beacon before it blows up. After talking to council members at the main area, you are finally given a ship to command in the galaxy.
This is where the game opens up. There are multiple nebulas and solar systems to explore in the galaxy, each with planets to survey for experience points and money, and also planets to land on to explore and discover items and events. Besides the main quest that happens, there are easily over 50 sub-quests to find and complete before finishing the game.
The unique part of this game is the dialogue menu, coming up in a wheel shape. This allows players to select different dialogues to effect the situation, or even persuading or intimidating a person. By persuading or intimidating, you can gain paragon (good) or renegade (evil) points, and even change the whole main quest storyline.
The last feature I'll hit on is the character selection at the beginning of the game. You're offered six different classes to choose from: one of each focusing on weapons, Biotics, and Tech Abilities, and three combining two of the three main classes. After choosing the class, players can customize the character to look like them if they want to, or just keep the face the way the game made it.
Overall, Mass Effect brings back a great open ended RPG to fill a void that Oblivion had left after people beat it. Shooter fans, along with RPG fans, each have a game to like equally with great replay value.
Bioware, the same company that brought Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic to the X-Box and computer, has finally released their next RPG for the 360. Instead of following along the Star Wars line, though, they decided to make a completely new series, entitled Mass Effect.
While still focused around space, Mass Effect ditches the whole light saber parts of the Old Republic, and just focuses on weapons.
There are four weapons: pistol, shotgun, assault rifle, and sniper rifle, each with their own upgrades with different attacks and shots fired before overheating. Each weapon can also be equipped with upgrades to allow bullets to have toxic or fire put in them, along with stabilizing the gun or putting a combat scanner in the gun.
Another thing Bioware has redone for this game is the force system, now calling it Biotics and Tech Abilities. Biotics allows you to throw enemies into the air or lift them up in place, or even place shields up around yourself. Tech Abilities are useful on synthetic enemies and, since most of the enemies are synthetic, can be used on most enemies.
The game starts off with you trying to save a beacon on a planet under attack. While the beacon gets destroyed in the end, you gain info from the beacon before it blows up. After talking to council members at the main area, you are finally given a ship to command in the galaxy.
This is where the game opens up. There are multiple nebulas and solar systems to explore in the galaxy, each with planets to survey for experience points and money, and also planets to land on to explore and discover items and events. Besides the main quest that happens, there are easily over 50 sub-quests to find and complete before finishing the game.
The unique part of this game is the dialogue menu, coming up in a wheel shape. This allows players to select different dialogues to effect the situation, or even persuading or intimidating a person. By persuading or intimidating, you can gain paragon (good) or renegade (evil) points, and even change the whole main quest storyline.
The last feature I'll hit on is the character selection at the beginning of the game. You're offered six different classes to choose from: one of each focusing on weapons, Biotics, and Tech Abilities, and three combining two of the three main classes. After choosing the class, players can customize the character to look like them if they want to, or just keep the face the way the game made it.
Overall, Mass Effect brings back a great open ended RPG to fill a void that Oblivion had left after people beat it. Shooter fans, along with RPG fans, each have a game to like equally with great replay value.
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