Mass Effect (2007) by Bioware

One of the many beautiful vistas found within the first episode of BioWare's magnum opus

Mass Effect is classic storytelling surrounded by a relatively raw game. This is BioWare at its absolute best, their pinnacle in developing a new IP after hitting unbelievable highs with the Baldur's Gate series and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Shortly after the release of Mass Effect, they'd sell to EA, and their games would take a markedly different tone. Not necessarily worse, just different.

Nearly every time I read somebody make a comment about the original Mass Effect, it's that the story is worth experiencing to set up later games, but the game itself is not very fun and has aged poorly. I really disagree with this. While the combat has severe flaws in that its weapons lack impact and it's hard to tell when you're being hit without actively watching your health and shields (both of which were fixed in later games), this game has a style of combat which I've never seen the likes of before or since. It's a blend of Knights of the Old Republic with newer shooters, and it's thoroughly enjoyable once you know how to build your characters properly. I have a special affinity for games which start out incredibly punishing and have you soloing the hardest enemies in the game one the hardest difficulty, and that's Mass Effect to a tee. Even on Normal difficulty, the game can be punishingly hard if you're starting from level 1. But when you're importing an unkillable Level 60 veteran, with a bonus power, and all of the best gear, you can get out of your tank and solo the most giant enemies in the game; remaining invulnerable with Immunity while pounding away with your rifle, or keeping the huge thing levitated constantly with biotic abilities. It's amazing to experience, and it kept me replaying this game over and over on the Xbox 360 when it originally released in the winter of 2007.

I do have some negatives to point out, though. Some of the level design is really bare-bones, with uninteresting building layouts re-used ad nauseam throughout the campaign, though this is somewhat remedied by the astonishing vistas depicted on some of the planets you'll visit. Looking up into the sky and seeing a war-scarred moon, or two glowing suns, or sunlight and rain in the distance never gets old. There's usually a dead silence, and a strong wind, accompanied by a superb soundtrack by Jack Wall and Sam Hulick (right) that sets the mood perfectly. This game is an absolute masterclass in ambiance and atmosphere, and I love it for that as much as I love it for its combat system and character building.

However exploring some of those uncharted planets is where the game is at its worst, even considering how beautiful they can be. Traversal in the Mako is an absolute chore. I've heard more Mako apologists recently than when the game released and I just can't get behind them. The Mako is a disaster. It bounces to and fro like it weighs nothing, it's constantly changing direction so you have to micromanage it even when going straight on reasonably flat ground, and it's incapable of climbing mountains when you need it to. The thing is crap, and it's the only reason I don't replay this game more than I do.

The game is also somewhat raw in terms of stability; bugs that keep you moving in the environment while on the hacking screen, broken dialogue trees, and a poor stick-to cover system plague the experience. The way persuasion options need to have skill points dumped into them if you're not going strictly Paragon or Renegade is a bother, too. When replaying from level 1 I often end up just resorting to console commands to add the maximum number of persuasion points so that I'm allowed to roleplay the way I want to without being hamstrung into selecting one option.

In the end, this game is an atmospheric wonder, with strong storytelling, and perhaps the best worldbuilding ever achieved in video games. I'm always surprised by just how good the writing is in this game. While the characters are relatively bland (but hugely improved upon in Mass Effect 2), the worldbuilding, scenario writing, and quest design are absolutely top-notch.

I love Mass Effect 2 and 3, but this game is special in a unique way from those two. And now, 10 years after its release, it remains just as playable (and replayable) as on day one. Truly one of the greatest and most ambitious gaming experiences in history, Mass Effect is not to be missed by any fan of RPG or science fiction.

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