Without a doubt, to me, Mass Effect is the best video game series to date. It flawlessly nails everything you’d want in a Hollywood blockbuster and innovates player choice like never before.
From the first time I launched the original Mass Effect on my Xbox 360 I knew the series was going places. The musical score was astonishing, the characters were believable, and an epic universe was already established. It was something unheard of for an original IP in 2007. It was quickly on the road to becoming the best franchise of our generation.
In Mass Effect you create on your own version of the lead protagonist named Commander Shepard. The decisions you make in the game not only effect the outcome of the game, but also the sequels that will follow. If a supporting character dies under your command on the first game, he or she will not show up in Mass Effect 2. In Mass Effect 2 it’s even possible for every single character to die. I’m unsure how everyone’s death will factor into the plot of Mass Effect 3, but that’s the beauty of the series. You feel the impact of your decisions. Lots of games have tackled player choice in the past, but none have made those choices alter other games. That’s a game changer.
I’d go as far as to say that the Mass Effect galaxy is the one of the most well-constructed worlds in any video game to date. It feels alive, like it’s been around forever. It feels like home – one we’d never get tired of visiting. A home we feel emotional attachment to and a home we will proudly fight (and possibly die) for. I don’t even feel that passionate about my own home. The characters have … character. That’s a rarity in any video game. You develop real feelings for these characters, I may even dare say friendships. You relate to them and when decisions effect them in a negative way, you can’t help but regret harming them. Some fans have even taken the character interaction to new heights where they felt romantically involved with them. Yikes!
The music in both titles are outstanding scores that easy rivals (if not surpasses) that of Star Wars, Star Trek, and Battlestar Galactica. It’s impressive, emotional, and always fits the mood. The soundtracks deserve just as high rating as the game.
It should go without saying, but the Mass Effect franchise is certainly one of the greatest in the history of video games. It’s certainly my favorite.