Common Sense Note
Parents should know that this game has one brief sex scene involving an apparent female alien. The scene more alludes to sex as opposed to showing graphic acts. However, the encounter occurs even if you create a female character, which opens the door to same sex relationships. The in-game violence is on par with most shooters, but isn't gratuitous. Players will shoot with pistols, shotguns, and rifles, and use grenades. But the focus of this game is not the violence; rather, it is on the interactive storyline where players decide the dialogue of their character. This leads to moral decisions about whether you traverse the galaxy as a diplomatic hero or a renegade willing to bend the laws, and all of these decisions have consequences.
Families can talk about how this game compares to other role-playing games. Did you feel conflicted making some of the moral choices in the game? Should more games involve equally engrossing storylines where you decide your character's reactions?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Brett Molina
MASS EFFECT seems like an appropriate title for BioWare's intergalactic epic, considering the impact its immersive storyline could have on the role-playing game (RPG) genre.
Mass Effect represents a bold attempt at reshaping the RPG, if you can get past the glitches and inconsistent action.
Your character must traverse galaxies to thwart an ancient machine race's effort to wipe out all organic civilization. How that story unfolds is mostly up to you.
You'll start by selecting a character. You can opt for the standard protagonist, Commander Shepherd, or create your own from scratch. Gamers have six classes to choose from, each with varying degrees of combat, technological, and magic-like ("biotic") skills.
Mass Effect's anchor is its engaging, robust storyline. Players control their character's dialogue, and can therefore dictate how interactions play out in the future. At the bottom of the screen, you're presented with a series of responses, some diplomatic and others more brash. Your reactions can brand you as either a model hero or a renegade willing to break the rules.
The story is further enriched by the galactic codex, an in-game encyclopedia that fills in the details on almost every planet, species, and technology available. Powerful voice acting, lifelike facial models, and cinematic presentation make Mass Effect's story one of the few you can truly invest in.
Action, on the other hand, doesn't reach the high bar set by the story. For the most part, it's solid, but suffers through inconsistencies.
Besides your character, you control two others on battle missions. As you gain experience, you can use points to bolster their skills, from health to weapon expertise. You'll also acquire items to enhance any of your four weapons, grenades, and armor.
Artificial intelligence on the battlefield struggles on both sides. Cover is crucial to surviving gun battles, and your AI teammates refuse to use it. When enemies don't jump right into your line of fire, they force you to chase them out of hiding spots with little resistance.
Fortunately, the RPG elements more than make up for the game's deficiencies, setting up a template that future titles can emulate.
Other recommended RPGs include The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and the Final Fantasy series. Teens seeking a balance between RPG and action may want to consider Rogue Galaxy for the PlayStation 2.
For younger children, choose Drawn to Life, a unique RPG where you can draw your heroes and the things found in their environment.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentPartial nudity. One scene alludes to sexual encounter, but shows nothing graphic. Creation of female character opens door for same-sex encounter. |
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ViolenceSome blood, but nothing incredibly gory. There are a couple images of impaled humans, but not much else. You'll fight some organic species, humans included, as well as robots. Most battles involve using pistols, shotguns, rifles, and grenades. Most of the emphasis is placed on the dialogue and exploration. |
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LanguageOccasional curse word used, like "ass" and "s--t." |
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Social BehaviorCharacter's moral choices determine whether you're perceived as a model officer or renegade. Those choices also impact future interactions and force you to consider the consequences of your actions. |
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