An Effectively Massive RPG

By Arclayn on December 5th, 09 under RPG, X360, PC,

In all my years of gaming, and they are many (over two decades!), I have never seen a game as controversial, but at the same time possessing as much distilled awesome as Mass Effect

Being an American, I do not know how well this game was received in Europe. But in America, I do know that Mass Effect was the centerpiece of a gargantuan hoax that was shamefully propogated by a major news outlet. After that, the PC release became embroiled in a very real controversy involving Digital Rights Management that was exceptionally harsh and unfair to paying customers. It's all very sad, doubly so as this game is amazing!

First and foremost, Mass Effect is an action RPG, but it is unlike any RPG normally seen in the console mainstream. Indeed, Bioware, Mass Effect's creators, got their start making games (and software game engines!) for the PC. Bioware's first foray into console game development is with MDK2 for the Sega Dreamcast and Playstation 2, but it won't be until the publication of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on the original Xbox that Bioware shall truly break ground in console video games.

Anyone who has played Knights of the Old Republic or Jade Empire should already be familiar at how very different Bioware's presentation style really is. Those who have been following Bioware since its early days making PC games (like myself) have seen this style evolve brilliantly over 10+ years, having started with Baldur's Gate back in 1998!

As an RPG, the first question expected would be, "Is the story any good?" Absolutely, the story is excellent. Mass Effect is a space opera with all the requisites: space, spaceships, extra-terrestial worlds, lots of aliens (and not all of them hostile!), warfare, and even some intergalactic politics. As with any RPG, Mass Effect is driven by its story. Aside from being really well written, Mass Effect also tries to explain its pseudo-scientific elements in enough detail to be "believable", but not too much to confuse players. This game is deep and detailed, although what truly sets this game apart is how the story is presented.

For starters, you have the option to custom-create the protagonist, who is a space marine simply named "Commander Shepard". Shepard is completely customizable... gender, military specialty, background, and you can even customize his/her face! Facial customization is quite complex as just about every facial feature can be altered. As no two protagonists need to be anything alike, this gives the player a stronger sense of being in the game. Among those who choose to customize their protagonist, each player's "Commander Shepard" is their very own. The others who wish to jump right in can instead select a "pre-generated" John Shepard or Jane Shepard.
Unlike most video game protagonists, Commander Shepard is not a slave to video game fate. He/she must make many choices before his/her mission is over, and these are not the simple black-and-white "yes or no" questions. Ohhh no no! Shepard has to make real choices with real consequences! This is the kind of game that puts "Role-Playing" back into "RPG".

The concept may sound intimidating to the Square-Enix initiated, but it is this dymanic of being able to choose that sets Mass Effect (and most other Bioware RPGs) apart from the crowd! Understand that there are really no right or wrong answers. For starters, Shepard's responses allow him/her to grow as a character. Will Shepard become a cool-headed professional, or will Shepard become the kind of tough and hardened marine that even scares the grim reaper? To choose the path of paragon or renegade is entirely up the the player, and they are not mutually exclusive attitudes! There is no real good and evil here, so every marine is likely to achieve at least a dash of one trait, even while favoring the other.

Aside from character growth, some of Commander Shepard's choices will have consequences that affect the story. Keep in mind, again, there are no right or wrong choices, but some of Shepard's choices can have far reaching ramifications. So far reaching, they extend beyond one game and into two! Keep your old save games, so sayeth Casey Hudson (project director)! The choices made in the first game can be ported to affect the story of Mass Effect 2! Obviously, you don't have to have an old savegame to play Mass Effect 2, but I expect that having them could possibly alter the game compared to "generating" a new Commander Shepard. Talk about potential replay value!

Mass Effect is available on Xbox360 and the PC. The PC version has a questionable license agreement involving an oppressive digital rights management policy, but it also has gameplay improvements over its older Xbox360 brother. Even still, the Xbox360 version doesn't come with any special strings attached, and as such is the version I recommend most.

Last I read, Mass Effect 2 is slated for an early 2010 release on Xbox360 and PC under the Electronic Arts brand. I have no idea how that release date relates to gamers in Europe, though. Hopefully, it'll be a simultaneous international release.

Arclayn MoonSword

Comments

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Tania (5th Dec 2009 02:29:10) Hmm...on the one hand, as I've said in a previous comment, spaceships, aliens 'n stuff aren't really my cup of tea, but the idea of scenario choices that have a real impact on the storyline does sound very appealing (and the fact that they carry over into the sequel sounds particularly impressive). Could you give a more precise example maybe, if it's at all possible without being spoilerific? Actually, I really don't mind spoilers, but it's just in case someone else, who *does* mind reads th-...Eh, just spoil away, lol. I've also heard good things about Bioshock. Is that at all similar, or is it apples and oranges?

Arclayn (5th Dec 09 17:08:52) I haven't played Bioshock. Brian owns the PS3 version, so you can ask him about specifics once he's actually pulled the shrink wrap off of it (he's busy). I do know that Bioshock is classified as a first-person-shooter, so I expect a comparison to Mass Effect is apples to oranges. OK, here is a quickie example: After eliminating a research laboratory belonging to "Cerberus" (a rogue black-ops group), you are contacted by an agent of the "shadow broker" (a very influential information-dealer). He wants the data files that you confiscated from the research lab, but it is also considered classified information valuable to Earth. Your choice: Give the shadow broker agent what he wants and earn his good graces, or tell him to get lost. The Shadow Broker is not to be taken lightly as he has the power to topple small governments. He can be a valuable ally or a harsh foe. However, your character is also a marine in the Earth military and Earth's interests need to also be considered. I've read that the choices made leading up to Mass Effect 2 will determine if Shepard and his/her crew all die in a bloodbath or not. :D

Tania (5th Dec 09 20:27:37) Ah, ok, so it's an FPS. Apples and oranges indeed. Also, I don't give valuable secret info to dodgy dudes...Unless I get a couple mil in return :p More seriously though, that sounds like a pretty harsh punishment for "wrong" choices. Isn't that a bit hypocritical? They allow you to choose, but the story still has its predetermined direction, and you get punished for straying too far from it.

Arclayn (5th Dec 2009 22:50:00) As I understand it, having the "shadow broker" as a friend is worth more than any amount of money. He deals in secrets... secrets that can destroy the most powerful political leaders. :D As I understand it, Bioware is planning a three part series. The second game has Shepard sent on a suicide mission, so dying in a bloodbath is one very practical outcome out of several. I suspect there is a single story-arc, but the events will be shaped by Shepard's choices. Whether Shepard lives or dies in the second game, the series is planned to go on. It's not a "punishment", and there are really no right or wrong choices. As I understand it, if Shepard dies in the second game, the story is planned to go on. But it seems pretty clear that Shepard's fate will seriously impact the events of the third game. It is only "Game Over" if Shepard dies before reaching the end of his/her part of the story.

Tania (6th Dec 09 20:47:56) Ah ok. Well, if there's a planned death somewhere down the line anyway, then I guess it doesn't matter all that much. Just one thing though: how does the story go on with the main character dead? Or is Shepard not the only main character? Also, I'm getting a very strong urge to go "what're ya buyin'?" when I read "shadow broker"...Which is odd, since I've never even played Resident Evil... @ Brian: Why yes, it should be your turn to post next. You've still got the 2nd part of your Mario vs Sonic impressions to go :p

Arclayn (7th Dec 09 01:49:26) Obviously, I have only sampled the first game, and I must confess that I didn't get to finish it. I felt like I did get pretty far, though. The story of the first game does center around the events surrounding Shepard, but the story is also multi-faceted in that what happens to Shepard could not possibly dictate everything. i.e. Shepard's main mission is to either arrest or kill a rogue special agent. Shepard believes that this rogue special agent is seeking ancient powerful technology that could extinguish all life in the galaxy. The authorities believe that Shepard's theory is a load of wash, but still recognize his/her ability to "get the job done" (catch the rogue special agent). Shepard is given enormous autonomy and authority to use "whatever means necessary" to catch the rogue special agent, and there are many crossroads events that could significantly shape the future. The series is very open-ended like. In that way, while the first game focuses on Shepard, the devs have made it quite possible to jump to another character quite easily. This kind of flexibility is something Bioware is good at, but is not often found in other RPGs. The Shadow Broker is not a trench-coat black-market street vendor. You find out early on that his name has more to do with the fact nobody knows who or what the shadow broker is. All that is known is that dealing with the shadow broker is done only through "agents", who also confess they don't even know the true identity of the shadow broker. But one thing is clear: there is no secret that the shadow broker won't get, and that is why he is so integral to the inner-workings intergalactic politics.

Tania (7th Dec 09 10:54:51) That's starting to sound a lot like Keyser Soze now (hopefully you get the reference). But yeah, sounds like they're good at envisaging alternatives, which does seem refreshing. Well, unless you get really fond of your version of Shepard, in which case, you're outta luck, I guess. Another random question: I'm guessing there's no romantic subplots in the game, since there's no certainty of what the player will pick as Shepard's gender, right?

Arclayn (7th Dec 09 12:03:09) Actually, I don't know the Keyser Soze reference, but after looking it up on Wikipedia, I can understand what you mean. It's something like that, but not exactly. I chuckled when I read your question. Remember how I said that ME "was the centerpiece of a gargantuan hoax that was shamefully propogated by a major news outlet." That hoax has its roots in the romantic subplots that do exist in ME. To keep a long story short, FOX News deliberately and falsely reported that ME was a pornographic game. The report was so horribly wrong that there was a huge backlash from gamer culture across the U.S. The truth is that there are romantic subplots. I didn't play far enough to complete a romantic subplot, but it's in there. The NY times seems to be accurate based on my play experience. They stated, "Mass Effect, a science fiction game, includes a complicated romantic subplot that is no more risqué in its plot or graphic in its depiction than evening network television." I found this Mass Effect wikia article that explains the romantic subplots in greater spoilerific detail at this spoilerific URL-> http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Romance

Tania (8th Dec 09 09:29:01) Gosh, one sex scene, and the thought police is all over it...From the Wiki, it really doesn't sound like a big deal. But you sure weren't kidding about the romantic subplot: looks pretty elaborate. One thing though: if I ever play this, I'll probably be picking a male Shepard, because the male love interest looks terrible >< Apart from that, looking over the Wiki gave me some very strong Star Trek vibes. What with the blue-skinned alien girls and all that. Too bad there's no Spock involved.

Arclayn (8th Dec 09 11:29:55) Star Trek and Mass Effect are both space operas, but there is nobody like Spock in Mass Effect. The blue skinned alien girls are Asari. They are a very long lived, uni-gender species with dominant feminine physical traits. They mate psychically, and therefore are compatible with any species or gender and the resulting offspring will still be 100% Asari. Dr. T'Soni will explain that Asari society looks down upon unions between two Asari and unions with other races (of either gender) are encouraged. In the game universe, the Asari are one of the three races that control intergalactic authority. The other two are Turians and Salarians. Humans are not in the top exclusive political club, but they are fighting very hard to get in and early-in, the story suggests they are very close. The top banner of my post shows a Turian (Garrus Vakarian), male Shepard, and Ashley Williams by the "Mako" all-terrain assault vehicle.

Tania (9th Dec 09 10:53:55) So...if the result of an Asari mating with any other species is an Asari...wouldn't that mean that the Asari would simply end up "borging" humans (and possibly other species) out of existence? Since they're much longer lived than humans and all that? I'm also willing to bet that there's a large percentage of male players out there who picked a female Shepard on purpose to pair her up with T'Soni >.> Still it's a good thing that Shepard is customizable, because his default male version looks just as terrible as Kaidan Alenko ><

Arclayn (9th Dec 09 17:45:17) "So...if the result of an Asari mating with any other species is an Asari...wouldn't that mean that the Asari would simply end up "borging" humans (and possibly other species) out of existence? Since they're much longer lived than humans and all that?" I don't think so. The Salarians are one of the three authoritative races, and they have a life span of about 40 years. They seem to do quite well for themselves. Oh, and the Krogan have much more to worry about as they can barely reproduce at all due to the "Genophage". :D I can't say this for Mass Effect specifically, but I have observed a convention in fantasy and sci-fi that longer lived races usually reproduce slower than shorter lived races.

Brian (6th Dec 2009 03:51:52) Oh, good. It'll be my turn to post next. :) This is a kind of game that makes me wish I a) played PC games, and b) had the computer and the time (time being the most important thing) for something like this. As for Bioshock, yes, I'll be sure to talk about that once the shrink wrap comes off and I play it. As my semester ends December 10, I may very well have a bit more time to play. Bioshock has managed to really pique my interest, which surprised even me, since first-person shooters are games I almost never play. I hope I'm not disappointed. And if I am, well...it was only $20.