Mass Effect is my favorite game of the year. Better than Super Mario Galaxy, and that was a damn fine game. As others have pointed out, Mass Effect is by no means perfect. The frame rate drops during heavy action, and at times I’ve seen an APC or two running into boxes, threatening to kill them, like inebriated bums in a galaxy far, far away. Mass Effect does remind one of Star Wars. The developers got their feet wet with that franchise. Mass Effect, however, is a more compelling and intricate tale than any Star Wars lore of recent memory.

Your party does not always get along. You will be forced to make decisions where the outcome fails to please everyone, or anyone at all. The Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style of plot and conversation progression has been perfected, elaborating on simple dialogue options with more robust speeches from your character. While Mass Effect lacks the humor of the HK-47 from the Knights of the Old Republic games, several of your alien companions are capable of a modest attempt at deadpan.

The graphics in this game are stunning. The character models in this game are easily the best I’ve ever witnessed on a console. The environments are lush, and there is enough variety in the worlds you visit to limit redundancy.

If you want a single reason to play this game, I’d suggest considering the plot. The story in this game points out what so many titles in this industry lack: a cohesive, entertaining plot you’ll savor until the final boss.

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