An unpolished gem

BioWare is famous for its great role playing. Baldur's Gate and Knights of the Old Republic blew up the idea of ​​what an RPG may be on the PC and now, after having gone to the universes of AD & D and Star Wars, trying Bioware something of their own - and so unbelievably listen to it like : In my eyes, the imaginary universe of BioWare in entertainment value, credibility and inspiration joins seamlessly with these heavyweights.

The basic framework of the story is quickly told: Mankind has just found its place in the galactic community, there is a great threat to. A former lawman, a so-called Spectre named Saren betrays the Galactic Council and seized a violent machine army to revive an ancient power that had wiped out all intelligent life in the galaxy 50,000 years ago. What are his motivations one learns in a rousing adventure that shorter but fails than previous BioWare titles. If you follow only the main story, one is after about 15 hours, do you do with the side quests and takes his time while exploring, you may come to 25-30 hours. Meanwhile, can be as long as one is not in the fight, at any store. I recommend to make the difficulty of the fights definitely on Normal or higher.

It all starts with the character development in which one can own Shepard, male or female, put together. Here, the sky is almost no limits, many choices lead the player to a very individual Shepard. Then select even the basic skills and the personal history of the NPC during the game repeatedly referred and finally one goes into this strange galaxy in which one soon but feel at home. Here you can accomplish either good deeds or being a real Stinkstiefel, there are 2 separate beams that explain a how good and how bad it is. This system emphasizes wonderful how black / white / good / evil scheme away from the typical Mass Effect.

The graphics are nice to look at first: Detailed textures, great effects and subtle animations are a feast for the eyes. The real-time lighting conjures sizable shadow on the screen and the facial expressions of the characters is extremely realistic. Soon, however, show the dark side of this beauty. It regularly happens that high resolution textures are loaded only after a few seconds and get up to this time get to see nothing but gray mud on characters and surroundings. From time to time, especially in firefights or on planets with snow, the framerate is a bit stalled and it starts to stutter. At no time I felt myself at a disadvantage in the fight, but disturbing it falls on all. Especially it bothers if a wants to make the Xbox that the DVD is dirty or scratched and you will without saving opportunity thrown back to the menu. Although this happens rarely, but may at a console game do not just happen.

Before the sound you have to reason alone bow, because the number of dialogues is simply breathtaking. These vary depending on team composition and situation; an improbable number of combinations results. Since it is not so tragic, that sometimes a woman's voice to speak logs in combat, although you have only men in the group. The voices distortion Sarens is eventually made, but these are all just peanuts. The German speakers are well staffed to very good, Shepard, who / which has now really quite a bit to talk, has a pleasant voice spendiert get that fits especially well to the many faces that you can design. Only Saren has a slightly incongruous voice caught as has the splendid original clearly ahead. The music weighs between electronic sounds à la Blade Runner and orchestral pieces back and forth, especially I like the latter, but which are used sparingly and in epic action points. But you can, I think, say that the soundscape a clear hallmark of Mass Effect is the bass reaches into a bottomless pit.

The combat system is neat. Slightly ajar in the cover mechanism on an indexed Epic shooter, arising at times thrilling, tactical battles. But sometimes it also happens that the enemy even if there are not mindless zombies simply zustürmen only one and struck almost without resistance. The team members are reflected largely Wacker, with the directional pad to rudimentary commands like Go can go there or, Keep enter this site, I would have wished, however, but a little more depth. The weapons are fun and feel also as weapons, especially the sniper rifle has given me great pleasure. The biotic abilities, the magic equivalent in Mass Effect universe makes sense and enhances the combat system; it's great fun to drift opponents by Stasis helplessly in the air, while the comrades with targeted salvos pluck him like a ripe fruit.

But now the crown jewel of Mass Effect: The Story. The very innovative design of the universe is unparalleled in SciFi monotony. For once, the man of the center is not all his, but occurs at a late stage in the galactic community and needs to assert itself before it is taken seriously. Humanity is a race among many and has to adapt, Antiphatie, sometimes even racism, are a frequently met with in the game of other peoples. Otherwise, all the major cornerstones of a epic history are represented: large battles, decisions by shattering significance, a romance, tragic losses and an enigmatic villain, but perhaps is not the peak of wickedness. Like a flower unfolds the story with each planet, the one traveled, and charms in the end with his sheer beauty, a bombastic finale kredenzend how I could rarely enjoy it in a game. Although Mass Effect was created as a trilogy, the end, of course, a smooth transition to the second part is wonderfully rounded, while already creating, which I eagerly wait from today.

Mass Effect is an exceptional title, as he comes along only once every few years. Although the numerous bugs and technical Fehlerchen interfere, but still I can not help to go to his knees purely and simply from the glory of the whole. What is burned here on interpersonal relationships, tangible action and epic action, without being pathetic, is breathtaking. Rarely dialogues were so razor-sharp writing and simultaneously passed from speakers on so charmingly to the player who rarely is so brilliantly directed it in a game, that one feels transported into a rousing blockbuster and equally rarely that a game touched sustainable is and you also, when you have laid it aside long ago to always enjoy reminds us of the excursion, which you once made in this strange and yet so familiar galaxy. Mass Effect is a jewel in video game history. It may not be perfect and polished, yet his rays ranks high up in the sky at the greats of the genre a.

Graphics: 8.5 / 10
Sound: 9/10
Operation: 9/10
Story: 10/10
Gameworld: 10/10
Scope: 8/10
Overall: 9.5 / 10