A great game that brings a lot of new ideas to the table.
The battling isn't really anything spectacular, but it is still fun and doesn't get too repetitive by the end of the game. With your biotic powers and arsenal of weapons at hand, battles can be played out in numerous ways, depending on how you choose to develop your character, which is one of the strongest points of the game.
Creating a character is so detailed that you can give your character their own background, which will be brought up in the game, and people will react differently to you depending up which back story you choose. Traveling to so many different planets is a great trip, even though the actual on-planet game play can get kind of boring after a bit, it doesn't take away from the game at all. The only sad thing is, you don't get to travel to all the different planets, which is understandable given how much extra space that would take up and how much more time it would take. There are hundreds of side-quests to do, and hundreds of people to interact with, and with so many unique and creatively made characters in the game, it never gets old. The artwork is amazing, the scenery often has you staring in awe.
Mass Effect is a great story, and at the end, leaves you wanting more, in the best way possible. The replay value is amazing because of how many ways you can create a character, and upping the difficulty is a great way to get that challenge some may want. Mass Effect is definitely a great game to have in your arsenal if you're a fan of great RPGs.