On many levels, Mass Effect draws from the tried-and-true standards built by BioWare's past efforts in this genre: from Neverwinter Nights to Knights of the Old Republic, RPG fans have been treated to awesome storytelling, deep character development, and the ability to play as a bad guy (if one so chooses). On another level, Mass Effect, especially with its mature rating, leads us into the future: something that will appeal to gamers looking for something more "edgy."
Mass Effect shows us what might be possible: a simply massive game universe to explore. Mass Effect's universe is massive, but it leaves you begging for more. The game itself doesn't manage to be completely original, however there is that old saw: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Clever dialog writing and storytelling will make the gamer virtually forget that this is, after all, a BioWare RPG and certain things come with that package. Fortunately, the writers and programmers are able to put enough of a unique spin on everything that one enjoys the ride nonetheless.
A lot of things could be done with this license, and one assumes there will probably be a sequel down the line. However, let me briefly state this to other companies developing RPGs: pay attention to this game; moreover, play it thoroughly and learn the lessons it teaches you. The main lesson to be learned here is that the bar has been officially raised: this game is a good example of where the future of gaming ought to take us. I'm not necessarily advocating that all games should be RPGs; just that, I wish that more games had the same quality as BioWare's RPGs do, not to mention Mass Effect.
Mass Effect shows us what might be possible: a simply massive game universe to explore. Mass Effect's universe is massive, but it leaves you begging for more. The game itself doesn't manage to be completely original, however there is that old saw: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Clever dialog writing and storytelling will make the gamer virtually forget that this is, after all, a BioWare RPG and certain things come with that package. Fortunately, the writers and programmers are able to put enough of a unique spin on everything that one enjoys the ride nonetheless.
A lot of things could be done with this license, and one assumes there will probably be a sequel down the line. However, let me briefly state this to other companies developing RPGs: pay attention to this game; moreover, play it thoroughly and learn the lessons it teaches you. The main lesson to be learned here is that the bar has been officially raised: this game is a good example of where the future of gaming ought to take us. I'm not necessarily advocating that all games should be RPGs; just that, I wish that more games had the same quality as BioWare's RPGs do, not to mention Mass Effect.