Mass Effect is a superb game of MASS proportions.
You might as well say Oblivion set a new standard in terms of character customation and development, but mass effect brings new ideas to the table as well as some old ones. It is not expanding past Oblivion but it is very vast in terms of character development. perks and skills are limited but i still like the ability to choose what type of hero you want to be. Classes range from Soldiers to force wielding biotics. The sad thing is that once you pick a class you cant change it or learn a diffrent class adding on to you original, sans Oblivion. You can pick your pre service history too but sadly, its not as large as oblivion . But, I love how Bioware has incorporated it into the game, for example: if you survived an alien attack, the npcs in the game actually react to it and put it in conversation, and im talking main story too. also one other strength the game has is that you are seen in every cutscene and you can pick everything you say and do. Its like a actually conversation. Unlike Oblivion you character says the stuff you pick. Sadly, Character advancement is done by generic level up points, but is still very entertaining to level up and you have to spend your "set" of points to unlock new abilites. Theres nothing wrong with it but oblivion is still up above.
The Game's graphics are Sound are some of the best ever, its just unbelievable. The Music is catchy with an 80's sci-fi vibe and the visuals just explode off the screen. Unsually some parts in the game have a striking simularity of epic's gears of war but you cant go wrong with a game looking like good. It just reminds me of it somehow. The Water Effects in the game are just spot on, i have to give a good pat on the back to bioware for that. and i give kudos to the fantasic voices in the game too. These too factors are just icing on the cake for me, but it doesnt hurt to go the extra mile.
Combat is a mixture of 3rd person shooter and action rpg, depending on what class you choose, you can have biotic force like powers such as lift, throw etc. Shooting is pretty much decent for a rpg but its not going compete with real shooters. but its still fun as hell. You get four primary weapons, (some are blocked off depending on you class) Everyone can holster a pistol, and sniper rifles, assault rifles and shottys are for certain classes. Each are different but they arent really distintiive enough for situations, you can basicly stick with one weapon through out the whole game and i wish you could actually use them for what there made for. For example: i would like a chance were my sniper rifle would be the best option since the enemies were far away, but for some reason or some magical way ,my shotgun can shoot the same distance. i know its messed up. but its a rpg i can cut some slack. The First playthrough the enemies are somewhat punishing and cheap but as you level up they become easier. I wish the boss batlles in the game were much more harder, most battles are point and shoot and the game need some type of enviroment usage. You also have a wide variety of weapons and armors to choose from as each brand has another level of equipment. An lancer will become lancer II and a Onyx armor will become Onyx II. Its pretty good to have a variety but i wish the appearance would look diffrent. Luckily armors look different though.
As for the story, its safe to say that this is best bioware has ever told, mostly known for fantasic storytelling, you come to expect mass effect to be great, no difference here. You start out by creating your character which is pretty complex. You are commander shepard the XO on the Alliance Spacecraft Normandy, you work for Captain Anderson, a witherd and experienced soldier that has seen the good and bad of battle. He is your mentor and friend and is very important to you. It seems as you have done ton of good work and you are selected to become a spectre,( a special class agent that works for the council, the ones that keep the galaxy in order) to show you are ready to become the first human spectre you are assigned to investigate the geth attack on Eden Prime and your work is to be evaluated by another spectre, a turian named nihlus. As you land on Eden Prime you learn that a ancient beacon is being held there which is supposely linked to the extinction of the protheans. Scientists have been researching the beacon and the geth seem to want it. The Geth are a Alien Race being lead by Saren, another turian who at Eden Prime murders Nihlus, Saren wants the knowledge of the protheans to find where the conduit is to return the reapers, another extinct race who wiped out the protheans and desire to rule the galaxy. As you approach the beacon, you are given a vision of this and are knocked out. You then go to the Citadel, a pillar of prothean technologhy and ruin and expose saren of his doing. You then become a spectre and thus you embark on a quest to stop saren of his road to the savior. Its a 10hr quest filled with action and excitement, and also love and sadness like every good flick. This is the closest thing to a star-wars like movie and something that you need to experience. There are many worlds to explore and many things to discover all wrapped around with choices.
Mass Effect is fleshed out to the core but it has its problems, although it took me 10hrs to beat the game it isnt really standard for a rpg. adding all side quests and secrets took me about 30hrs. where other rpgs take me 80+hrs and then some. Also, There are some glitches in the game where im stuck in walls and floors and some how i cant get those wrinkles off my character, getting level 60 takes a pretty decent amount of time but i had longer leveling days, the second and third playthroughs can take literally a day to finish the game and there are issues with combat. The character customation isnt as wide as it should be and still Oblivion is still better to play. Although i feel it is not funner than oblivion it does things oblivion cant, mass effect pushes boundaries in its main elements but the lighter things need more polish such as combat, characte customation, longetivity, and larger worlds etc. Luckily everything else in the game is so well done these things seem obsolete. Star Wars Be damned, mass effect is right up there with my favorite space stories ever told and i can back that up no questions asked. Mass Effect is a game that comes out rarely and sets new standards and it is safe to say that it has reached goty status. But being legendary, thats something up for debate.