Mass Effect (Xbox 360)
Some games start out slow and only grab your interest after you invest considerable time. Then there are games that make you think "Nice, I think I'm going to enjoy this" right off the bat. Then, there are even more impressive games that blow up in your face the moment you insert the disk into the console – games that have that special something to pull you in before you even start playing. And then there is Mass Effect, a game whose introduction can be put right next to classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey. But is a strong introduction all this game has going for it, or did Bioware prove themselves as master of RPG making yet again?
GameTrailer's Exclusive Mass Effect Video The Mass EffectFor once we humans aren’t the most advanced race in the galaxy. Neither are we the underdog who nobody respects. We are something of a combination of both. After stumbling upon some strange alien ruins on Mars approximately 200 years from now, humanity started to expand rather quickly, activating strange alien space installations known as mass relays. These structures allowed us to travel across huge distances in mere moments, so being the inquisitive and colonial creatures that we are, we quickly settled dozens of planets that had hospitable surface conditions. It goes without saying that we soon stumbled upon another race, which due to our reckless activating of mass relays didn’t have much choice but to attack us. The First Contact war didn’t last long and was thankfully ended in a diplomatic manner, but as a result none of the Council races have much love for us.
It turns out that although humanity managed to make huge leaps in technological advancement since coming upon the Mars ruins, we are still lagging behind by about 2000 years in terms of space-faring experience. What we lack in that department we however more than make up by being a pushy, insanely nosey race. In only 20 years since coming into contact with the Citadel alliance we managed to not only secure an embassy spot on the Citadel, but also become one of the most vocal and important races in the alliance. This obviously doesn’t make everybody happy, as several other races have been working for hundreds of years to achieve the same, only to fail due to various reasons. No, humans aren’t the most advanced race in the galaxy, but we are definitely one of the most feared due to our quick progression. Feared enough to be considered dangerous?
Thrown into the midst of all this, you play as Commander Shephard, a male or female (depending on your starting choice) soldier enlisted in the human Alliance space forces. Shephard is no ordinary soldier however – unlike in most RPGs you don’t start the game as a blank slate, but you aren’t forced into the shoes of somebody you don’t like either. Instead, you have complete reign over Shephard’s past (should you choose to create a custom character that is). Has Shephard been raised on the streets of Earth, or did he spend most of his youth in space, traveling on Alliance navy vessels with his parents. And what is the reason Shephard is a Commander and not just a grunt? Is it his/her get it done at all costs attitude, or is the Commander perhaps a survivor who is able to endure almost everything? These and other questions need to be answered when you are creating a new character. I see some of you shaking your heads already, not convinced by the whole thing. Let me reassure you, I had the exact same thing going through my mind when I was creating my incredibly good looking female Shephard (yeah ok, don't be so quick to judge). What good is having a detailed past when you are the only one who cares about it? You’re going to have to trust me on this (for just a while longer), but you aren’t the only one who will know about Shephards past. Even the introduction where two (at the time unknown) speakers argue over you is affected by your initial choices.
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