With Mass Effect, Developer BioWare has crafted a profound sci-fi universe that leaves quite a bit to the imagination, while simultaneously delivering it's compelling lore in a way that is organic and feels natural. It is unfortunate that the gameplay fails to be as interesting and well designed, and that the story is not as dynamic as it pretends to be. Mass Effect is a collection of elements that either work really well or really poorly, and it seems like it misses it's full potential, while strongly hinting at what it is truly capable of achieving.
The plot follows protagonist Commander Shepard and his/her role in a deadly war being waged between the Alliance Military and a synthetic race known as Geth. The Geth are invading the entire galaxy, and are being led by a traitorous individual named Saren, who is using the Geth as a tool to bring about the return of the Reapers, who are obviously just all different kinds of smiles and sunshine.
The narrative of the game is somewhat dynamic, allowing the player to have full interactivity in the story. Each line of fully voiced dialogue spoken by Shepard is specifically chosen by the player, which allows the story to branch in small ways based on what the player chooses. This certainly makes the plot more potent, however it is very contrived. The problem here is that it only gives the illusion that the player affects the narrative, even though it is rarely the case. There is clearly a story, and that story is going to play out in certain ways regardless of player choices. Sure, there are certainly plot points in which choices made will have drastic effects, but they are few and far between.
Despite this, however, the story that Mass Effect tells is quite thrilling in it's own right. Even more compelling is the rooted lore that underlies everything else, providing the foundation for the game as a whole. The way in which the lore of this universe is delivered is smooth and polished, rather than being force fed, and makes the experience more enjoyable as a result.
Of course, something that is by no means enjoyable is the inventory system. As you collect items in the world, they go into your inventory where they stay until you decide whether to keep them or dispose of them. In truth, it is surprisingly difficult to manage and keep track of and I often found myself ignoring my inventory just for the sake of avoiding it. Alongside the inventory is squad management, where you keep track of your squad and their armor and weapons and other equipment. This is just as painful and tedious to keep track of as inventory. Though, your squad itself is very important, as each squad member is unique and contributes to the narrative in their own ways.
Though the gameplay is tolerable in most places, the combat is questionable. There is a tedious aura to it and cheap deaths are all too common, often feeling more trial and error than it should. The floaty aiming, combined with noticeable difficulty spikes prove that the combat is definitely not where Mass Effect shines.
Activities outside of the main narrative are present, and are delivered well for the most part. Side missions are presented fluidly, and rarely forcefully. If the player chooses to go explore a random moon or planet, they may find a new mission to either take part in or ignore altogether. Most of them are rewarding and worth the effort of going out of your way to do. It is shame though that most of the secondary terrestrial environments are bland and lifeless, and devoid of any detail or color, making traversing these wastelands a bore.
The Verdict
Mass Effect is a game that has different contrasting flavors, doing what it does well with pride and confidence, but also holding itself back with a few too many clunky features. It's compelling story and deeply rooted lore are bound to appease fans of good sci-fi, with it's organic mission structure complimenting it. However, it's questionable gameplay (especially combat), poorly designed inventory system and interface, and bland secondary environments all hold it back from being something truly excellent. It has potential, but it just has not been realized yet.
The Positive
+ Deeply rooted and organic lore
+ Strong story
+ Fluid mission design
The Negative
- Poorly designed inventory
- Dull secondary environments
- Problematic gameplay