SecuROM ruins it
November 28, 2008
It is very unfortunate that they have to give such a promising game the death touch that is SecuROM. There is absolutely no way I'm letting EA put Malware on my PC. Games like Sins of a Solar Empire and Galactic Civilizations prove that games can do extremely well without SecuROM. You have to have an activation key to get updates, but it never expires and you only have to enter it once as long as you have the same email address. Piracy is much worse for SecuROM games than others. EA is actually making things worse for themselves. I recommend that no one should buy EA games, however tempting it is. And definitely don't buy used ones as you may not even be able to install it.
Never able to load game
(1 of 1 Found this Helpful)
November 26, 2008
Have a top end system, but never could get the game to load. Sucks to be me.
Very good, but be careful!
(2 of 2 Found this Helpful)
November 24, 2008
I first played this game for Xbox 360 and enjoyed it inmensely, then, when my Xbox died (they tend to!), I decided to get it for PC. If your computer (not to mention laptops) doesn't meet the minimum requirements it won't work, no matter what you tried. EA customer care sucks and it's really a shame that they do this to customers, still a great game but read the requirements before buying and read other reviews, you'll find them helpful.
A breathtakingly epic sci-fi adventure...
(2 of 4 Found this Helpful)
November 18, 2008
Mass Effect might be the first truly cinematic video game experience. Everything from the electronic score to the optional film grain applied to the visuals to the top notch voice acting talent make you believe that you are the lead in a mid-80s classic science fiction film (think Blade Runner or Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan).
The plot is epic. You command a state-the-art starship (the Normandy, which is not unlike the Enterprise) in the twenty-third century with a crew of intersting and well-developed characters some of whom can join you on away missions and others who you can consult from time to time on board the ship. There is a vast galaxy to explore. When you land on a planet you take the Mako (a cross between a shuttle craft, a rover, and a tank) out for a spin. The main story revolves around the remergence of an ancient mechanical threat that will, unless stopped, wipe out all organic life. You, of course, are the only one that can stop it.
Combat is real-time third person with the ability to pause and give orders to your squad. Its fast and furious and tons of fun.
My only criticisms of the game would be its frame rate which drops like a rock during some of the more intense action sequences, especially in the more elaborate locations. Side quests, which to me are essential to achieve a high enough level to slice through the later plot, can get a bit repetitive, but they are generally short enough not to become boring. I only wish the game were longer. I remember days when playing Bioware's Baldur's Gate II, with every side quest, took me six-months. It was like a Biblical odyssey. Mass Effect took me two weeks, again like an extended movie, but there are two sequels in the works.
In spite of these minor problems, Mass Effect is a beautiful and engrossing game. Its a must play.
On the DRM: The mass of negative reviews piled on to this game and others are the result of activists. DRM cana be objectionable, but 99% of the people who buy this game will have no idea what they are complaining about.
Immersive fun universe
(5 of 5 Found this Helpful)
November 15, 2008
One of the best RPGs of the year. This game is incredibly imersive. There is a long deep main story line that really keeps the game moving along and tons of side quests to bring the universe to life. With any RPG its the details that kill games. Not Mass Effect. The developers focused on every aspect of the game play and really polished it to a high shine. The biggest downfall is that it was developed for the Xbox and so the graphics aren't as good as you would expect from a game this incredible well put together.
Battle Scenes:
Overall the scenes are a lot of fun. there are so many different ways to approach battle that its hard to get bored too quickly. The two problems I had were first in all the side quests the building layouts are incredibly repetitive. Its almost exactly the same except that furniture has been moved around. Second the AI can be a bit annoying and aggressive. The easiest tactic to win any battle is to sit back and wait for them to come to you. That's fine and all but i expect more out of my battles then sniper frag fests.
Side Quests:
there are tons of side quests and tons of places to explore. the side quests even intermingle among one another and some of the moral choices are very ambiguous making the decisions you make much much more interesting. The only problem is that unless your physically writing down where you have explored you often get confused and end up revisiting the same planets over and over again.
Main Story:
The funny thing is for the most part I completely ignored the main story line and just had fun traveling the universe and doing side quests but when you get bored its always fun to go back and continue along the main story line
Unit Selection:
This has got to be the most annoying thing about the game. I tend to choose two people for every single mission. I wish it was somehow more interactive and more were each member is needed for different kinds of missions.
Graphics:
My biggest sore point with the game. There are some very pretty scenes but for the most part things can get a little bland and blocky.
Copyright protection:
Beware this game is highly encrypted and requires a internet connection to work. Also i have heard endless horror stories about EA's customer support.
