Mass Effect (2007)

In a technologically advanced future, an elite human soldier takes command of a prototype star ship and works to defend the galaxy from danger.

Director:

Casey Hudson

Writers:

Drew Karpyshyn (lead writer), Lukas Kristjanson (as Luke Kristjanson)

Stars:

Steven Barr, Kimberly Brooks, Keith David

5 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steven Barr	...	Urdnot Wrex / Refugee (voice)
Kimberly Brooks	...	Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams (voice)
Keith David	...	Captain David Anderson (voice)
Seth Green	...	Flight Lieutenant Jeff 'Joker' Moreau (voice)
Jennifer Hale	...	Commander Shepard (Female) / May O'Connell / Destiny Ascension Navigator / Normandy VI / Refugee / X57 Scientist (voice)
Lance Henriksen	...	Admiral Steven Hackett (voice)
Ali Hillis	...	Dr. Liara T'Soni (voice)
Brandon Keener	...	Garrus Vakarian / Turian Merchant (voice)
Mark Meer	...	Commander Shepard (Male) / Delanynder / Opold / Preaching Hanar / Businessman / Salarian Soldier / Thug (voice)
Marina Sirtis	...	Matriarch Benezia (voice)
Ash Sroka	...	Tali'Zorah nar Rayya / Jenna (voice) (as Liz Sroka)
Raphael Sbarge	...	Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko (voice)
Fred Tatasciore	...	Saren Arterius / Balak / General Septimus Oraka / Inamorda / Michael Petrovsky / Krogan Blackmailer / Krogan Bouncer (voice)
Leigh-Allyn Baker	...	Major Elena Flores / Rebekah Petrovsky (voice) (as Leigh Allyn Baker)
April Banigan	...	Khalisah Bint Sinan Al-Jilani / Mallene Calis / Protestor (voice)

Storyline

In a technologically advanced future, an elite human soldier takes command of a prototype star ship and works to defend the galaxy from danger.

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Plot Keywords:

future | optional romance | alien technology | portal | space ship | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

M

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mass Effect

Box Office

Budget:

$2,700,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bioware, Microsoft Studios

Technical Specs

Color:

Color Color (HD)

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the player destroys the final component of the rogue VI (Virtual Intelligence) on Luna, there is a block of binary displayed as the last gasp of the dying VI. The binary displayed is 01001000 01000101 01001100 01010000 which when translated to ASCI reads "help".

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Goofs

The timeline in the Codex lists the 100th anniversary of the first moon landing as July 24, 2069. The actual date of the first moon landing was July 20th, 1969, not the 24th.

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Quotes

Jeff 'Joker' Moreau: [Shepard checks in with Joker on the Normandy after freeing the colonists on Feros from the Thorian's mind control] Ah, hey, Commander. Next time we touch down, let's try not to park the ship in a colony of mutant zombies. Just thinking out loud here.

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Connections

Featured in Outside Xbox: 9 Genius Videogame Soundtrack Moments - Saints Row, Red Dead, BioShock Infinite (2013)

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Soundtracks

M4 Part II
Written and Performed by Faunts

User Reviews

Fourteen hours of unparalleled gameplay

As a fan of both bioware's Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, I had extremely high expectations for Mass Effect, their latest RPG for the console. Although skeptical at first, I found that it surpassed either of the latter two games, and achieved something no other RPG had on the console.

Mass Effect revamps every aspect of bioware's typical games, improving it vastly, without changing their unique gameplay style. Rather then duplicating Knights of the Old Republic again, bioware has decided to branch off in a unique and interesting direction. The result of this is a game that will surely stand the test of time through the ages, being for the Xbox 360 what Morrowind was for the Xbox or Zelda for the Nintendo.

The combat system is probably the greatest change, taking away any codified system, and allowing it to become a third person shooter. This allows a lot more skill to develop over the course of the game; the AI is quite good, and you'll have to think about tactics. On any difficulty aside from easy you will probably die a lot getting the hang of it, but once you are accustomed, it is much more rewarding than any of the previous games systems. The weapon variation is a bit lacking, but this is balanced out by the biotics system, similar to force powers in KoTOR. However, rather than having good and evil powers, a character specializing in them has access to all of them. I found that the leveling system in relation to these powers was very well thought out, and improvements made were very obvious upon combat.

The class you choose, whether it be exclusively weapons, powers or mechanics, or a mix of two is very important in deciding the balance between weapons and powers you will be using. As a first time player the most obvious choice is a mix, but the game is flexible to accommodate anyone who gets the hang of their chosen gameplay style. I found that the character creation was much more developed and sophisticated compared to the latter two releases.

Another, and by far my favorite change, is the good/evil bar. Rather than make it a moral system, with clear definition of good and evil, bioware has introduced a system that is removed from moral reality. Every choice is just that, a choice, with given consequences you must live with for better and for worse. You can opt for a Machiavellian pragmatists style character, with consequences of your ruthlessness, or a humanitarian with just as many disadvantages for the more sympathetic choices. This is ideal for allowing the game to encompass a level of realism, and attaches deeper feelings for characters. Certainly a lot trickier than a simple good/evil bar, but bioware pulled it off, and the result is fantastic.

Overall I thought that Mass Effect succeeded with its characters (character development), storyline and combat system. The graphics are wonderful and the gameplay is easily up to the standard of any typical RPG. I found very few flaws, except the seemingly short length, and frankly didn't find any of it less than enjoyable. Give it a try, and savor bioware's newest gift to the console.