UGO: Mass Effect review

Ouch BioWare. Just... ouch. The creaking, overworked hype machine spits out one of the last HUGE holiday releases this week in the form of the Canadian developer's long-awaited Mass Effect. Despite a brilliantly written story, excellent voice acting and a brand new fictional sci-fi universe to explore - complete with its own rich back history - the game falls disappointingly short in far too many places. That's not to say Mass Effect is a total waste of time. But expect to be gritting your teeth through much of the experience as you contend with glitched-out visuals, RPG mechanics which beg for more complexity and a repetitive string of sidequests which definitely favor quantity over quality.

[Ri0tSquad]

UGO Rating
Gameplay: B
Presentation: B+
Fun Factor: B-
Value: B+
Overall: B+

[marinelife9]

Sounds like the game has a great story line but just has some technical issues that are to hard to ignore that takes you out of the experience.

Why would Bioware a company long known to release excellent titles go ahead and go gold with a game that has those kind of issues?

[consolewar]

sucks to be a PS3fanboy right now. Oh boy look at the Sony girls, at least take it like a man.

[the worst]

With MANY ISSUES
still gets 10 OUT OF 10
now you know something is wrong here

[AllroundGamer]

"RPG mechanics which beg for more complexity" , exactly this thing was the biggest negative to me, and also the framerate issues, it's more of a 80% game after all...

[hotshot1237]

its sad really. any true gamer knows its flat out wrong.

@below dumbass, oh i mean daxx.
do you even realize what you just said? your comment was completely ignorant. do you know a 10 out of 10 means PERFECT? dumbasses these days are all over the place

[Daxx]

For a true PS3 fanboy it's wrong. But for true gamers that don't care what system a game is on it's right.

[Shaka2K6]

Sounds about right.

[gamesblow]

There is a huge bias in the industry... A huge one. Anyone looking at the mess that is Assassins Creed and the rampat slowdown and freezing of Mass Effect and then seeing their 9's is beyond me. Uncharted is a smooth, beautiful experience and it gets 8.9 and 8.5's... Go figure.

Also, Mas seffects biggest problem for casuals will be its size. They really should ahve cut this game into 4 parts and made it a episodic download. 1 a month. That'swhat I would've done.

[Daxx]

http://www.metacritic.com/g...

PS2 won the last console war now it's the 360's turn.

[Rangitahi]

u are right.

why do they LOVE the 360 games regardless of flaws

wow just wow

[segasage]

some of the same reasons Ps3 fans are in love with LAIR, except it bombed bigger then hiroshima.

[wil4hire]

So all the reviews have stated that this game isn't:

A graphical achievement.
A technical achievement.
A good gameplay achievement.
Lacks real RPG elements.

Its just an interesting game.

Which deserves AAA status? Am I missing something here?

I am glad reviewers are finally starting to be honest, this review. Like the PCWORLD review said everything IGN/Xbotfansite.com have said.. The game has a ton of flaws.. yet still received a 9/10 & 11/10 yadda yadda. It strains the 360 to even load levels.

This was just one of many nails in the coffin for the 360. I don't understand the world of reviewers..

How can a game with so many flaws still manage to get AAA status? yet games with no flaws, amazing technical achievements, great gameplay.. are sidelined. Something is wrong, and UGO is on the right track.

Again, I am not saying ME is a bad game.. I am sure it will be a blast to play. But don't you think its a bit ridiculous that all of its problems keep getting ignored? No, the game doesn't make up for it. Its the year 2007. I am paying 60.00 for a quality product. Glitches/Bad AI/loading problems/texture popin problems due to non-optimized texture streaming is ridiculous.

ME & Assasins creed are in the same boat right now as far as technical failures. Sites that have good relationships with the developers clearly aren't rating it what the game really deserves.

[TheMART]

@ Allround(PS3)gamer, Will4Hire and all those others about the score of the game:

Mass Effect went up

From 92% to 93% and now

it's at 94%!

http://www.gamerankings.com...

And Ratchet & Clank keeps decreasing. Started at what, 94% or so? Now on 89% and going down (few days ago 89.6%, now 88,8%)

http://www.gamerankings.com...

They're both based on multiple reviews. So you can't call a bias on that. If you think the whole industry is a conspiracy theory against the PS3 you need to check the head at the doc

[gamesblow]

To be fair, and I'm a pretty big fan of the idea behind Mass Effect, there are 4 or 5 reviews for R&CFTOD that haven't been implemented into the ranking system. Gametv gave it a 5... for instance. They use Gametv on all xbox 360 reviews and they have yet to put their review in for R&CFTOD. These % are just as tilted as the sales data.

I'm sorry.

With that said, I played and enjoyed Mass Effect all week. It's just not a game I would personally buy because it's not my kind of game. It's way too big. Way too broad and I fear I'd never get all of it I needed to to get my money's worth.

[wil4hire]

TheMart:

You can massage yourself to metacritic & gamerankings all day, as if it means anything. #'s are #'s. Words are words.

The verdict is out for Mass Effect. Its a major let down. It has minimal RPG elements, the game engine is terrible etc.

I will take Uncharted & Ratchet which have been reviewed by NON-PS3-SOURCES as being innovative, technological advancements and "The best looking game out right now for consoles" -GameTrailers.

All Reviews for Ratchet, COD4, Uncharted have been amazing. Not pointing out the severe flaws that ruin the game, yet still make it worth a purchase.

I know you don't read reviews at all, if you did you would read that all of them are criticizing Mass Effect for its short comings.

Yes it has a Great scores from :

Official Xbox Magazine
TeamXbox
Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
Talk Xbox
Included with the normal reviews from IGN/Gamepro etc.

But what does that have to do with the Loading problems? The Bad Ai? The bad voice acting? The abysmal ending that is the same no mater how y ou play it. the dialog just changes.

Ratchet & Uncharted are the first of MANY exclusive titles that deliver. Once again, technological achievements not only graphically, but game play dynamics.

[solar]

what i wanna know is what does R&C have anything to do with Mass Effect?

wow, that sucks. im gonna have to read more reviews before this makes me jump in and finally buy an xbox.

[FirstknighT]

Seriously will4hire, you have to be one of the biggest idiots in here. Considering that this site is run by sony fanboys and that you only have 3 bubbles says alot on your credibility.

How is a game that has averaged 94% a letdown??? The main gaming sites have praised this game with near perfect scores and you call that a letdown??? Your tired excuses of biased sites is getting old.

Mass Effect just crushed the entire ps3 gaming library. Sony wished they had a game that averaged this high.

[Taker_129]

that is the problem. The review scores do not match the quality of the game. In reality the game seems to be a 8-8.5 game but because it is a 360 exclusive it is recieving extra points that it doesn't deserve. Just ask yourself this honest question. If this game was a ps3 exclusive and it had all these problems do you think that Mass Effect would be recieving these high ranking scores?

[FirstknighT]

You should seriously read what you just wrote Taker. Your saying just because it's an xbox 360 game it gets a higher rating over a ps3 game? Wow, you sony boys never cease to amaze me with your constant excuses and whining.

[Rangitahi]

another bad bad review for mass effect

[Shaka2K6]

True that.

[Double-Edged]

that's why you shouldnt own a PS3.
cuz those games are just terrible.
yuck.
not a single exclusive game on the PS3 is 90+ average.

Oh... wait a second.. your trying to downplay this game.
well..... the average score for this game is teabaggin you

[Double-Edged]

good average for a game.

90+ avg. damn
it's something you dont see on the PS3.
ohwell.

[Rangitahi]

who cares...

ps3 games are way better than 360 games. regardless of critic reviews

[wil4hire]

Gametrailers said Uncharted is "The best looking game out for consoles." the only problem was "design" the rest got 9's.

[segasage]

but gets disagreed.

I would like to see some proof that taints these facts..

This game will score a 90+ in the end and thats good enough for me and Xbox fans.

damn you, sour sony farts begging for every game to get 10's left and right.

I wonder how the reviewers feel with this generation of BEGGERS.

.

[power of Green]

A game's greatness can shine beyond its flaws sence when did game reviewing become more about its bugs than the game itself?. Theres bugs and glitches in some PS3 games that don't even get mentioned in reviews its only after the game is out that we start reading about flaws so stop the crying.

Go play...

[gamesblow]

You're one of the most bias people I've seen here. The other day you were touting the dominance of xbox 360 games over ps3 games in line of ports. I don't care what it is... A shoddy game is a shoddy game. Framerate always distracts and detracts from review scores. Look at Madden, Skate, Assassins Creed... Only, here with Mass Effect it's not even an issue. It's alright with them that the game has slowdown cause of what it was trying to accomplish.

Hell, Skate was trying to accomplish a new take on the genre. Where's it's curve?

[Myth]

Sounds like this game might kill your 360. I wouln't buy it, wait nevermind you have a 3yr warranty go ahead.

[Shaka2K6]

Bioware making console video games. LMAO

[power of Green]

"I'll buy it cause storyline and graphics is what I like, but I can not believe they scored it a 9.75 on just those factors. I am not making this up; if you don't believe me pick up a copy of Gameinformer #175"

"Sounds like
Sounds like this game might kill your 360. I wouln't buy it, wait nevermind you have a 3yr warranty go ahead."

[Myth]

When it comes out for PC, without glitches. Never said the game wouldn't probably be good, but the reviews don't sound like a 9 or 10. Scores should match the review.

[TheMART]

What surprisses me, that off all of those posters above 90% or so is PS3 owner and scared about another AAA game over 90% average reviewed.

YOU GOT NONE EXCLUSIVE that's why you need to get your frustration out.

We 360 owners can understand that. We feel sorry for you. Keep searching for flaws in Mass Effect, so you won't see the one major flaw out there. The PS3

[Rangitahi]

WRONG......

were upset coz we KNOW how good our exclusives are, yet the mass media DONT score ps3 games the same way they score a 360 game, and thats just crazy.

[TheMART]

Yeah yeah yeah

multiple reviewers are teaming up against the PS3

Do you believe that conspiracy theory really? I mean a few could do, but you think 30 reviewing parties or so review on two different ways?

COME ON DUDE

PS3 games just aren't as good as the 360 ones. Period. Sorry you had to find out just recently.

[Taker_129]

So just because i dont own a 360 i dont have the right to read 360 reviews? Oh god excuse me for maybe being interested in this game, only to find out it fails at doing anything right. I couldn't have been planning on getting a 360 for this game. OH no i bought a ps3 so that is the only console i will ever have. /end sarcasm

[jazzmanb]

biowares games always have glitches and framerate issues...its because their huge games with huge amounts of dialog..if i have to hear the bs that uncharted and or ratchet are the best looking games this gen im going to puke,even the huge rpg mass effect blows those games away visually..dont even get me started on bioshock and or gears..uncharted might be the best lookin ps3 game,but it cant touch the best lookin 360 games..

[Taker_129]

that was toooooo funny. uncharted not looking better then gear, lol. too funny. But what even funnier is that the biggest game this year Halo 3 doesn't come close to looking as good as gear and Gears is a 1 year old game.

[x440Magnumx]

"Don't buy into the hype....but Mass Effect still kicks ass."

B+ is not bad especially considering it's on the low end of the review side of things.

Obviously for some people portions of the gameplay and the graphical glitches have a 10%-20% impact on the perception of the game as a whole. But for an overwhelming majority the rest of the game is so superb that it doesn't detract from the experience by even 10%. (All the 10/10's to 9/10's). So to the overwhelming majority, this game is a must have. For those who can't set some issues aside and allow them selves to get into the game, good luck finding anything as fun to play. Despite a few reviews that say it's great, but not perfect, it's still a AAA game, by far.

No doubt Bioware is learning, and they're going to recognize what needs to be done as they go into Mass Effect 2.

And with the huge environments and draw distance, along with the levels of detail and the framerate they're striving for, and the small number of jaggies, I'm not surprised it glitches every now and then, especially since developers haven't perfected maximizing the next-gen systems performance.

[Double-Edged]

yeah..
I think right now... the PS3fanboys just need something to vent out on.
geeez

PS3 is a stale system huh.
No AAA titles yet. that's so sad.
well... back to my AAA+ system with it's AAA+ Games.

[Rangitahi]

but understand...all AAA 360 titles are the equvalent to a AA PS3 game

[fopums]

What I find interesting is that titles like Mass Effect and Lair can have sporadic performance with framerate, tearing and whatnot and these are system exclusives. Its not like development was halted and the dev's couldnt just focus on getting the game to run smoothly.

Now Lair had other fualts of course, and Im not saying its near as good as Mass Effect but in a sense they are "unfinished" games. IMO if its a system exclusive it should run perfectly, push it back if you need too becuase people are expected to shell out $60 for the game.

My point is simply being that COD4 has set a new standard, it was graphicly amazing, A.I. was formidable enough, and it has teh multiplayer of winness, all running at 60 fps on all three platforms. Now I feel COD4 deserves GOTY becuase of that alone, but thats another story.

[sajj316]

If it scores well, let it. If it doesn't, who cares. The PS3 is just fine. The 360 is doing fine now, but after Mass Effect? I believe this is their last big name release. What's after that?

[TheMART]

Oh please. Not that kind of playing around again. We all know Sony delayed their big guns to 2008.

MS is playing a different game. They give you big guns right here right now and start talking about next year, when it's time for that.

Alan Wake, Too Human, Gears of War 2, Frontlines: Fuel of War, Lost Odyssey, Left 4 Dead, World in Conflict, GTA IV + 2 episodic content downloads, Ninja Gaiden 2, Fable 2, Huxley...

Didn't even mention the best versions of multiplatform games

EDIT

to the one below. Well the multiplatform best versions aren't that hard. Simultanously released games look and run best on the 360. Best textures, best framerates. Lately we saw COD4 close ups textures better on the 360, Assassins Creed more stable framerate on the 360. Ah just look it up again.

Gears of War 2 is just pretty much a reality. Listen: Christmas 2006: Gears of War, Christmas 2007: Halo 3, Christmas 2008 Gears of War 2. That's the logic. MS has big guns for Christmas planned already. In between the first game and a sequel normally is 2 years of dev time. Epic knows the Unreal 3 engine now and can produce an even more great Gears within a relative short period. Be sure it'll be here at Christmas 2008. It sells units. MS will make sure, with any support they need to give Epic to get it here at that time

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

I never heard of three of those games and What is etc? I know what it means but such as...... I'm fairly sure GeOW isn't coming till 2009, and a few more have yet to be confirmed 2008 releases. Btw multiplatform wise, I seriously don't care, most of them suck anyways, such as EA games. Oh did I miss the article on all console software companies saying they are making better 360 multiplat games?

[crank]

Seriously, Mart has found a way to live inside the metacritic site, it feeds him and gives him all he needs.

Now back to mickey mania on the genesis....

Emulated.

[Shaka2K6]

Crappy game not buying that.

[Daxx]

No duh, you have a PS3. And if you do have a 360 it must not get a lot of attention from you.

[crank]

YOU GOT NONE EXCLUSIVE

hehe

hee hee

hehe

[wangdiddy82]

and over rated like most 360 games are..

A lot of sites say it doesnt live up to the hype and has many problems but they still give it 9's..

Yet some say uncharted lives up to its hype and is the best looking game out there but they give the game high 8's..

It BS if you ask me..

All i know is uncharted got a A from this site and a 9 from eurogamer and mass effect got a B from this site and a 8 from eurogamer

I trust eurogamer because they never fall into hyping games and ratings and they are always tough on games..

[mesh1]

hhaa u shot ur self in the mouth for a game of this scope and epicnesss o be just good makes me seee why bioware is 1 of the best rpg devs of all time how can a game that seems impossible and with the amout of thing sin the gaje turn ou to be good think about i that mans this game must be 1 of th ebest game sever as if u think its arpg that plays over 30-40hrs and has these insanse visuals amazing sotryline and character then this si goty ONLY tru egamer wud knwo this all soy fans are next gen kids who started palying games when ps3/xbox 360 came out

[mgbass13]

Mass Effect - the wet dream of virgin gamers everywhere

[FirstknighT]

From all the sony boys that entered this thread you can see the frustration in their words. I'm sure the shock of Uncharted and R&C averaging below a 90% has upset them. It has to be hard on them knowing that the 360 continuously gets games that average 90% and up while the ps3 gets games that average 8's or 7's.

[Myth]

If 360 game = 2 points. The we can go back and see the real scores.

Halo 3 - 8.0
Mass Effect - 7.5
Bioshock - 8.0

When you think about it those scores seem more accurate.

[supaet]

the summary:

ps3 owners thinks ps3 games are better

360 owners thinks 360 games are better

reviewers thinks 360 games are better

ps3 are bitter about uncharted getting high 8's

ps3 owners think the review scores are bias and cannot be trusted

yet they jump on a negative review 360 game review and say it's the truth

pathetic.

[jackdoe]

Even though the opening paragraph was harsh, they still thought the game was pretty good, giving it a B+ overall. Not bad.

[pwnmaster3000]

it doesnt really matter not lots of people will kno is an aaa game

[giovonni]

I've heard negative feeds for Assassin's Creed, and that game is a great game compared to what the reviewers mad e it out to be. So heres what I'm going to do, Im going to play it,and review it my self.

[chanto23]

indeed a good game, but you cant deny the fact that what you do during the first assassination is what you do through the other 8, so basically the first 30 mins give away all it has to offer gameplay wise so at the end of the day its a boring game. Whats the point of collecting flags???!!! at least on the 360 you get 10 gamerscore or something...in my eyes 8/10 is a good score for Assassins. Same with ME, too many glitches and shortcomings to be considered a great game, it is in a fact a promising franchise but this first installment its an 8/10 at most..

[JokesOnYou]

Summary of reviews:

ps3 owners thinks ps3 games are better

360 owners thinks 360 games are better

reviewers thinks 360 games are better

so the truth is sonykids are bitter because everybody except loyal ps3 fans think 360 has better games, life in denial is tough, but heres the kicker, if the whole world is wrong then explain why 360 exclusives sell waaaaay better than ps3 exclusive even when you consider the difference in actual size of fanbase, hmmm why is that? 'cause even when you account for ps3's smaller install base, ps3 software sales are still significantly lower, hmmm why is that? so why aren't the majority of ps3 owners buying these so called great games?, I mean seriously isn't great exclusive games the biggest reason you buy a GAMING console?

JOY