Mass Effect for Xbox 360 impresses on every level and stands out as one of 2007's best games. This deep and emotional role-playing game plunges you into a universe wrought with turmoil and forces you to make decisions that'll shape numerous lives. What you choose, and your resulting actions, will either save mankind, or annihilate it.
The main protagonist is Commander Shepard, a human soldier who has seen his fair share of action. He receives admiration for his actions over several military operations, even by alien races that normally look down on humanity. As a result, he's at the forefront of an investigation involving a treacherous alien figure who's out to resurrect a dangerous enemy force that, at one point in time, wiped out the entire galactic population. At the very beginning of the game, you're able to either use the default Shepard figure that Bioware has on hand or put your own cosmetic touches on him. If you want to change his eye shape to make him appear more intimidating or touch him up with some lipstick, the option's yours.
Throughout the game, you'll find that Shepard has hard decisions to make. Missions and side quests pop up frequently, with side characters approaching you with dilemmas while the main galaxy saving mission stays in sight. It's up to you which path you take, but somewhere down the line you'll find that your decisions aren't always for the better. If you help one colony, for example, another may get wiped out.
The combat is enjoyable, nothing outstanding by any means but still solid and well balanced between gunplay and applying biotics (shielding, energy revival) to your advantage. You can level up and use new armor and weapon types as well, keeping this battle system reasonably fresh.
You'll find several characters to select from throughout the game, including the gritty intergalactic bounty hunter Wrex, one of the coolest side characters ever; the tough but caring soldier Ashley, who can easily blossom into a potential love interest for Shepard; and many others. They have their own dilemmas as well, some of which can clash with yours if you're not careful. Again, it comes down to some hard decisions. The scope of these choices really shapes the game into magnificence. How you react makes all the difference to enemies and fellow characters. You can either treat people like a pompous, overconfident ass or let your heart do the talking, showing enemies just how easy it is to break you.
Visually, Mass Effect comes through in spades. It occasionally hiccups with an odd camera perspective and filtering hitches, but such minor inconveniences fade away the minute you step foot on a new planet. Exploring each new world is a fascinating accomplishment, as you'll want to roam forever in some of these places. Even the simpler things, such as the interwoven galactic map on your ship, are worth exploring. The character design is unbelievable. The human characters impress (particularly Shepard and Ashley), but it's the aliens that'll really grab your attention, from the gruff-looking Council members to the antagonizing Wrex. He lets you know right off the bat that he's a large headed badass who doesn't take crap from nobody.
Likewise, the audio is rather impressive. You'll recognize a few voices in the cast, including Lance Henriksen, Keith David and even Seth Green (as the wise-cracking Joker). However, all the voice actors fill their parts perfectly, especially the guy who voices Wrex. The music is a must-listen, keeping up with the tempo of the on-screen action. For instance, if troublesome Geth (enemy robots scattered throughout the game) are in the area, you'll hear it through dramatic overtones before you enter combat. The sound effects deliver on their own accord, from gunfire to the "whoosh" you hear upon the opening of an automatic door to the frenetic hum of your ship as it blasts through hyperspace.
Mass Effect is one of the best games of the year. Between its remarkable presentation, its wide capacity of choices and its emotional story.
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