Mass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The Xbox 360 edition was released worldwide in November 2007. The PC edition was released on May 28, 2008, published by Electronic Arts.^[10] The game takes place in the year 2183, with the player assuming the role of an elite human soldier named Commander Shepard, set out to explore a vast universe on his ship, the SSV Normandy.^[11] Mass Effect or mass effect may refer to: Mass Effect, a video game for the Xbox 360 Mass Effect: Revelation, a novel by Canadian science fiction writer Drew Karpyshyn and prequel to the Xbox 360 game. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... BioWare Corp. ... Microsoft Game Studios (MGS), branded with current logo and moniker in 2002 (formerly the Microsoft Game Division or Microsoft Games), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. ... Electronic Arts (EA) (NASDAQ: ERTS) is an American developer, marketer, publisher, and distributor of computer and video games. ... A game engine is the core software component of a computer video game or other interactive application with real-time graphics. ... The Unreal Engine is a widely-used game engine developed by Epic Games. ... Display standards comparison The display resolution of a digital television or computer display typically refers to the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. ... JOHN HERMAN SUCKS FAT DICK ... In computer science and mathematics, a variable (pronounced ) (sometimes called an object or identifier in computer science) is a symbolic representation used to denote a quantity or expression. ... In computing, a platform describes some sort of framework, either in hardware or software, which allows software to run. ... It has been suggested that Xbox 360 Elite be merged into this article or section. ... Windows redirects here. ... North American redirects here. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Australasia Australasia is a term variably used to describe a region of Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... North American redirects here. ... is the 148th day of the year (149th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Further information: Game classification Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay interaction. ... An Action-RPG, or action role-playing game is a type of computer and console role-playing game which requires quick action or reflexes from the player. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games into suitability-related groups. ... The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles for computer and video games and other entertainment software in North America (Quebec in 2004 and 2005). ... British Board of Film Classification logo The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), originally British Board of Film Censors, is the organisation responsible for film and some video game classification and censorship within the United Kingdom. ... The USKs official logo. ... PEGIs logo Pan European Game Information (PEGI) is a European video game content rating system. ... The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a statutory censorship and classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification Board which classified films, video games and publications in Australia, and the Classification Review Board which reviews films, computer games and publications when a valid application... The Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC, Māori: ) is the government agency in New Zealand that is responsible for classification of all films, videos, publications, and some video games in New Zealand. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc - see Etymology) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Keyboard redirects here. ... A contemporary computer mouse, with the most common standard features: two buttons and a scroll wheel. ... An Action-RPG, or action role-playing game is a type of computer and console role-playing game which requires quick action or reflexes from the player. ... BioWare Corp. ... It has been suggested that Xbox 360 Elite be merged into this article or section. ... Windows redirects here. ... For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 148th day of the year (149th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Electronic Arts (EA) (NASDAQ: ERTS) is an American developer, marketer, publisher, and distributor of computer and video games. ... This article describes the characters of Mass Effect, an Xbox 360 action role-playing game developed by BioWare. ...

In addition to plans for two sequels to complete a trilogy, BioWare plans to release episodic content via Xbox Live to fill in the story between each game, though these episodes are not essential for understanding the main plot line.^[12] The first of these downloadable content packages was released on March 10, 2008 for the Xbox 360 only. A PC edition of this additional content is due for release in summer 2008. Xbox Live is a subscription-based online gaming service for Microsofts Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Synopsis

“Mass Effect”

Project Manager Casey Hudson explained the term “Mass Effect” as follows:^[13]

Hudson explains that certain creatures are evolved to sense and manipulate mass effect much like some real-life creatures (such as sharks and electric eels) can sense and manipulate electromagnetism in peculiar ways. These abilities are available via prosthetics to humans, and the trained manipulation of Mass Effect is referred to as Biotics. A fundamental interaction or fundamental force is a mechanism by which particles interact with each other, and which cannot be explained in terms of another interaction. ... Gravity redirects here. ... This box:      Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of those particles. ... In physical cosmology, dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and tends to increase the rate of expansion of the universe. ... For other uses, see Shark (disambiguation). ... This article is about the animal. ... This box:      Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of those particles. ...

Themes

Mass Effect's story primarily falls within the space opera genre^[14] and explores themes such as space colonization, intolerance, vigilantism, and artificial intelligence. The story, with its man-vs.-machine elements, has drawn comparisons to both Fred Saberhagen's Berserker novels and Battlestar Galactica.^[15] According to Casey Hudson, the project director at BioWare, Aliens, Blade Runner, Star Wars, and Wrath of Khan all served as influences for the game.^[16] Classic pulp space opera cover, with the usual cliché elements. ... Artists conception of a space habitat called the Stanford torus, by Don Davis Space colonization (also called space settlement, space humanization, space habitation, etc. ... Intolerance is the lack of ability or willingness to tolerate something. ... For the aircraft, see A-5 Vigilante. ... AI redirects here. ... Fred Thomas Saberhagen (May 18, 1930–June 29, 2007[1][2]) was a Chicago-born American science fiction and fantasy fiction author most famous for his Berserker series of science fiction stories. ... Fred Saberhagens Berserker series is a space opera in which robotic self_replicating machines intend to destroy all organic life. ... This article is about all the media that use the name Battlestar Galactica. ...

Setting

Mass Effect is set in the year 2183 AD. Thirty-five years prior, humanity discovered a cache of technology built by a technologically advanced but long-extinct race called the Protheans. Studying and adapting this technology, humankind has managed to break free of the solar system and has established numerous colonies and encountered various extraterrestrial species within the Milky Way galaxy. Utilizing alien artifacts known as "Mass Relays", the various space-faring species are able to travel at faster-than-light speeds. The 22nd century (Gregorian calendar) will comprise the years 2101-2200. ... Look up AD, ad-, and ad in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the fictional species found within the Mass Effect universe contained in both the novel and Xbox 360 video game. ... For other uses, see Milky Way (disambiguation). ... Faster-than-light (also superluminal or FTL) communications and travel are staples of the science fiction genre. ...

The game takes place primarily in two locations: the prototype frigate SSV Normandy, and the Citadel, a gigantic space station purportedly built by the Protheans and which currently acts as the center of galactic civilization. Throughout the game, however, the player may navigate the Normandy to various planets, moons and other destinations.

Within the game, humanity has formed the "Human Systems Alliance", one of many independent bodies that make up the collective of "Citadel space". Citadel space, as a whole, is ruled by a body of government known as the "Council", which is made up of the three prominent alien races: the asari, salarians, and turians.

Plot

(Commander Shepard can be either male or female, depending on the player's choice. This article will refer to Shepard as a male)

The game begins aboard the experimental SSV Normandy, commanded by Captain Anderson and his executive officer, Commander Shepard, the playable character. The Normandy is being sent to the human colony world of Eden Prime to recover an unearthed Prothean beacon. To assist in recovering the beacon, the Citadel Council, the main government for most of the galaxy, have sent one of their top agents, a turian "Spectre," named Nihlus. Nihlus is also there to evaluate Shepard to see if he is fit to become the first human Spectre. While Executive officer literally refers to a person responsible for the performance of duties involved in running an organization, the exact meaning of the role is highly variable, depending on the organization. ...

Nihlus, Shepard, and a small team discover that the Eden Prime colony is under attack by alien synthetic life-forms known as the geth. Nihlus encounters and is killed by a rogue turian Spectre named Saren Arterius, who is working with the geth. After the battle ends, Shepard discovers the beacon, but it suddenly activates and he receives a vision of biological creatures being slaughtered by machines. The geth are a bipedal, humanoid race of networked AIs that reside in the Terminus Systems from the series Mass Effect. ...

The Normandy and its crew are summoned by Ambassador Udina, Earth's representative to the galaxy, to the Citadel to report. Shepard is unable to convince the Citadel Council of Saren's treason until he discovers a recording of a conversation between Saren and one of his allies, an asari Matriarch named Benezia, discussing their victory on Eden Prime. The recording also mentions the return of a force known as the "Reapers," as well as an artifact called the "Conduit." Confronted with this evidence, the Council revokes Saren's status as a Spectre, and makes Shepard the first human Spectre so that he can legally hunt down Saren.

Command of the Normandy is taken from Captain Anderson, and given to Shepard. Shepard uses the ship to follow up on several leads provided by Anderson and Udina. On Therum in the Artemis Tau Cluster, Shepard finds and rescues Dr. Liara T'soni, Matriarch Benezia's daughter, who is an expert on the Protheans. On Feros, Shepard fights off an army of geth and destroys an ancient life form known as the Thorian, a sentient plant-like creature, and also learns of Saren's flagship, Sovereign, which seems to be capable of unique mind-control capabilities. On Noveria, Shepard tracks down Matriarch Benezia while fighting off both geth and alien insects known as rachni. Benezia is eventually defeated, and she reveals that her mind is being controlled by Saren, through his ship, Sovereign. She soon reverts to Saren's control, and Shepard is forced to kill her.

After completing two of the previous three planets, Shepard and the council learns a salarian spy unit has uncovered a base operated by Saren on the planet Virmire. Once he arrives Shepard learns the base is being used to clone an army of krogan warriors, and with salarians' assistance he assaults the base to detonate a nuclear device inside its walls. Inside the base Shepard discovers another Prothean beacon, which transfers its knowledge to him. Shepard is then confronted by Sovereign itself, which reveals that it is what the Protheans and geth consider to be a "Reaper." Sovereign explains that the Reapers permit organic life to develop, allowing species to discover the mass relays (which influence future technology) before exterminating them when they reach a certain level of advancement. After planting the nuclear bomb and attempting to escape the facility, the team is attacked by Saren. He explains that he has aligned himself with the Reapers to save organic life by making it "useful" to the Reapers. Shepard refuses to accept Saren's plan, and escapes Virmire before the nuclear warhead is detonated.

With the information Shepard's party has gained, Liara is able to pinpoint the Conduit's location on a Prothean world known as Ilos. Returning to the Citadel with this information, Shepard finds that the Council does not accept the Reapers as a genuine threat. Ambassador Udina locks Shepard out of the Normandy, but Captain Anderson steps in and allows Shepard to steal the ship back.

On the surface of Ilos, Shepard follows Saren into an ancient bunker deep within the planet, and encounters a Prothean computer system named Vigil, which explains the Reapers' methodology. The Citadel Station is actually a mass relay facility built by the Reapers intended to summon them from the dark space outside the galaxy. Before the Reapers invaded, the researchers at Ilos were on the verge of understanding the mass relay system, and were able to finish their studies upon reawakening from cold sleep. The Prothean researchers created the Conduit, a miniaturized mass relay that allowed them to travel to the heart of the Citadel, and there sabotaged the primary Citadel mass relay. Sovereign was left behind to re-start the chain of extinction, intending to use the Conduit to transport Saren and his geth army directly into the Citadel, bypassing its security systems.

Shepard pursues Saren through the Conduit. At the same time, Sovereign and a massive geth fleet assault the Citadel itself, breaking through the Council fleets defending the station. Sovereign lands on the central tower of the Citadel and begins activating the relay, while Saren uses the Citadel's central control systems to close the station around the Reaper to protect it. Shepard fights up the tower to the control center and confronts Saren, either killing him personally or convincing him that he has fallen under Sovereign's indoctrination, prompting Saren to kill himself. The Human Systems Alliance fleet arrives to reinforce the beleaguered Council fleets, while Shepard reopens the Citadel and exposes Sovereign. At this point, Shepard has a choice between ordering the Alliance fleet to save the Council, who are under attack by the geth, or going directly to Sovereign. Saren's corpse suddenly reanimates under Sovereign's direct control, through the use of cybernetic implants, and begins attacking Shepard while the Alliance attacks Sovereign itself. Sovereign is eventually destroyed, and the reanimated Saren corpse disintegrates.

The precise ending of the game depends on several factors, including whether or not Shepard opts to save the Council during the final battle, and whether Shepard has a higher Paragon or Renegade meter. If Shepard saves the Council, they are inspired by Shepard's actions and bravery, and grant humanity a seat on the Council. If the Council is destroyed, the Systems Alliance assumes control, and humanity steps forward to lead the galaxy into the future. Shepard is also allowed to choose between Ambassador Udina or Captain Anderson as the new galactic leader or Council member in the aftermath, but regardless of the choice, Shepard realizes that the Reapers are still a threat, and that they must be stopped.

Characters

Main article: Characters of Mass Effect

Garrus, left; Commander Shepard, center

The player assumes the role of Commander Shepard, a veteran soldier^[17] who can be customized by the player. The character's appearance also varies based on the weaponry and armor the player uses.^[18] In addition to customizing Shepard's appearance, players can also choose a back story for the character, which influences dialogue throughout the game, as well as which side missions will be available to the character. ^[19] This article describes the characters of Mass Effect, an Xbox 360 action role-playing game developed by BioWare. ... Image File history File links Masseffect_09_450x265. ... Image File history File links Masseffect_09_450x265. ... Commander Shepard is the fictional hero (or heroine) in the Mass Effect series of video games created by BioWare. ...

In addition to Commander Shepard, the player can have two additional characters following along and contributing to battles and dialogue.^[20] These characters are not created by the player and are only partially under the player's control. There are six characters met in the game who will join the fight; each has a detailed back-story and their own reasons for wanting to help. Two of the characters are human and the other four are aliens.

Cast

Main article: Characters of Mass Effect

The cast of Mass Effect includes Mark Meer as the male Commander Shepard,^[21] Jennifer Hale as the female Commander Shepard,^[22] Keith David as Captain David Anderson,^[23] Lance Henriksen as Admiral Hackett,^[24] Marina Sirtis as Matriarch Benezia,^[25] Fred Tatasciore as Saren Arterius, and Seth Green as Jeff "Joker" Moreau.^[26] This article describes the characters of Mass Effect, an Xbox 360 action role-playing game developed by BioWare. ... Mark Meer is a Canadian actor, writer and improvisor, based in Edmonton, Alberta. ... Commander Shepard is the fictional hero (or heroine) in the Mass Effect series of video games created by BioWare. ... Jennifer R. Hale (born January 30, 1972 in Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador) is a Canadian-born actress best known for her voice over work in games like Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime series, Metal Gear series, Mass Effect, and Disneys animated movies. ... Keith David (born June 4, 1956) is an Emmy Award winning, African-American film, television, and voice actor most known for his roles as Childs in John Carpenters The Thing, Goliath in the cartoon Gargoyles, playing the Arbiter in Halo 2 and Halo 3, as well as voice overs... David Anderson is a fictional character in Biowares Mass Effect series of video games and novels. ... Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor, painter, and potter. ... This article describes the characters of Mass Effect, an Xbox 360 action role-playing game developed by BioWare. ... Marina Sirtis (born March 29, 1955[1]) is an English actress who is most noted for playing the half-human/half-Betazoid Counselor/Commander Deanna Troi on the television and film series Star Trek: The Next Generation. ... This article describes the characters of Mass Effect, an Xbox 360 action role-playing game developed by BioWare. ... Fred Tatasciore (last name pronounced Tata-shore) is a voice actor and animator. ... Saren Arterius is a turian Spectre from the series Mass Effect. ... Seth Benjamin Gesshel-Green (born February 8, 1974) is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. ... This article describes the characters of Mass Effect, an Xbox 360 action role-playing game developed by BioWare. ...

Alien species

Main article: Alien races in Mass Effect

While playing Mass Effect, the player will encounter a number of sentient alien species. While human characters are present, much of the time will be taken up interacting with the other species in the game. Aliens include the reptilian krogan, the salamander-like salarians, the raptor-like turians and the asari, a race of aliens who physically resemble human females. This article is about the fictional species found within the Mass Effect universe contained in both the novel and Xbox 360 video game. ...

Gameplay

Player creation and character classes

Although most of the game's screen shots and concept art show the same "default" male Commander Shepard, it is possible for the player to fully customize his or her character's appearance, gender, abilities, and even military background.^[27]

The game includes six character classes.^[28] Each class contains several talents; as each talent is leveled, the character either gains stats (extra health, stamina, etc), unlocks new abilities (for example leveling the Shotgun talent unlocks the Carnage ability, which allows the character to fire a concentrated explosive blast from the Shotgun), or unlocks other talents. Each class also possesses a unique talent with the same name as its respective class; the characters may also have talents tied to their background.^[29] Characters who have reached level 20 will unlock a "Rogue VI" side-mission on Luna (Earth's Moon) in the Sol system, in which upon completion, allows the player to choose one new specialist class. This unlocks one new "bar" of talents which can be earned. The specialist classes the character is offered depend on the base class.

When characters are first created, six classes are available: Soldier, Engineer, Adept, Infiltrator, Sentinel, and Vanguard. Soldiers are the most skilled with weaponry, Engineers make use of the omni-tool and tech-abilities and the Adept are the best at using the biotics. The other three classes are combinations of the first three. Infiltrators are a combination of Soldiers and Engineers, the Sentinel is a combination between the Engineer and the Adept, and the Vanguard are a combination of the Soldier and the Adept.

Players also have some control over their character's back story. They are able to choose either to have been a "spacer" (born and bred in space), a "colonist" (born on one of Earth's extrasolar colonies), or an "Earthborn." They also choose whether they have been the sole survivor of a terrible battle, a war hero, or a ruthless soldier. These backgrounds have only a small effect in the game, although many characters reference the player's chosen background when talking to Commander Shepard, and these can also affect whether some side-quests become available or not. Except in a few situations, the player's background does not directly affect the player's dialogue choices.

Dialogue

Previous BioWare titles such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire employed a conversation system where the player chose from several responses after non-player characters (NPCs) had finished speaking. Mass Effect introduces a new system in which responses to NPCs are displayed as the general tone of the message, rather than a word-for-word transcription of the message. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR) is an RPG video game originally for the Microsoft Xbox and later for PCs running Microsoft Windows. ... Jade Empire is an action RPG developed by Canadian developer BioWare. ... An NPC from the video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. ...

The 1UP.com preview states that "the dialog system is a refined, more dynamic version of what you've seen in previous BioWare games. You'll no longer read the lines and select which one you want to say; now you use a dialog wheel to choose the approach you want to take (bully, bribe, or be nice, for example), and your character takes it from there."^[30] ...

A radial command menu, divided into six equal sections like a pie chart, is shown at the bottom of the screen when a conversation is initiated. Each section is assigned a brief description of the response's intent, usually a short phrase such as "What's going on?". The response is selected by moving the analog stick (or the mouse in the PC version) in the direction of the desired response on the circle and pressing a button. The command menu is organized such that each section is assigned a particular inclination (being nice, aggressive, etc.), so that after players have become comfortable with the system they no longer have to read the menu, and are able to respond appropriately, immediately, if desired. BioWare hopes that the innovative system allows the game to be more cinematic and frees players from reading large amounts of dialogue, as would be required with the commonly used system of simply having the player choose from complete, sometimes long, written statements.^[31]

Combat

The PC version of Mass Effect features a different HUD than the original Xbox 360 version.

Combat in Mass Effect takes place in real time, though much like a previous BioWare game, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the player can pause at any time to give orders to other squad members. The player and his allies use firearms (modifiable with various upgrades throughout the game), Tech abilities (to interfere with enemy equipment and abilities), and Biotics (similar to magical attacks or Force powers in other games) to fight their enemies. Players directly control all of their own character's actions as well as utilizing their squadmates personal attacks, but cannot take direct command of their squad mates. They can, however, issue commands using the directional pad,^[32] allowing the player to tell other characters to get behind cover, regroup, attack a specific target, or to scout ahead. The player can also use the talent wheel interface to control which of their abilities or special powers squad mates use. The HUD, short for Head-Up Display, is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player in computer and video games. ... Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR) is an RPG video game originally for the Microsoft Xbox and later for PCs running Microsoft Windows. ... In the fictional Star Wars universe, Force powers are the manifestations of a beings connection with the Force. ...

The abilities and special powers that characters have at their disposal are determined by the skill sets assigned to them at the beginning of the game and how further earned experience points have been allotted since then. Some special abilities include a telekinetic lift that can be used to pick up objects and enemies, and a tech ability that reduces the shields of enemies. Dialog and commercial abilities such as charm and intimidate are dependent on points, storyline progression, and the amount of paragon or renegade points the characters attain.

Tech abilities

Tech abilities are support powers used against enemy weapons and technology, as well as biotics. They are activated through the OmniTool, which three of the main classes can use: Engineers, Infiltrators, and Sentinels. These abilities include destroying enemy shields, sabotaging enemy weaponry, and hacking robotic enemies to fire on their own squad. Tech abilities also have passive uses, such as the Electronics talent, which allows the party to open locked crates or salvage components from wrecks.

Included with Tech abilities are the First Aid and Medicine Talents, which boost squad-wide healing when the First Aid ability is used.

Biotics

Biotics are powers accessed by the characters using implants that enhance natural abilities to manipulate dark energy. These abilities include hurling enemies around with the mind, raising shields that are resistant to enemy fire but still allow the player to fire through them, and creating small singularities that cause destructible parts of the environment to fly at enemies. Three of the main character classes are able to use these powers: Adepts, Vanguards and Sentinels. A gravitational singularity (sometimes spacetime singularity) is, approximately, a place where quantities which are used to measure the gravitational field become infinite. ...

Weapons and equipment

Mass Effect features four classes of conventional weapons and a variety of weapon and armor upgrades. The player can pause the game at any time and change the equipment used by the members of the party. This is a major strategic aspect of the gameplay, as choosing the correct equipment can mean the difference between a quick victory and defeat. Equipped items are visible on the characters; the armors have different appearances and all weapons fold up into compact versions that are stored on the character's back. Weapons can be retrieved by using a weapon wheel similar to the talent wheel.

Ammunition is unlimited; instead of needing to reload, a weapon will build up heat until it overheats, and cannot fire until it has sufficiently cooled down. In-game, the reasoning for this is that weapons are loaded with "blocks" of ammunition material, and each round fired is sheared off from this central supply of ammunition. The rounds themselves are described as being the size of a "grain of sand" and are launched through "mass accelerator" technology at extremely high speeds. Firing a weapon continuously or using a weapon that one is untrained with will result in decreased accuracy, represented by an expanding targeting reticule. The more Talent points that are spent on a weapon type, the greater the weapon type's accuracy and damage. For railroad artillery, see railway gun. ...

The characters wear dual layer hardsuits which serve as combat and EVA suits. These suits provide a seemingly limitless supply of oxygen. The method for creating this is unknown. They offer protection against incredible temperatures, and can take multiple mass accelerator rounds before failing. The suits also come equipped with Kinetic Barriers, which act as shields that stop most weapons fire. There are three classifications of hardsuits: light, medium, and heavy armor.

Morality

The side story and the number of character interaction choices in Mass Effect are affected by the player's chosen morality. Unlike in BioWare's previous titles, emphasis on becoming a pure "good" or pure "evil" character is lessened. Some characters may not like the player or leave the player's squad if the player's moral direction differs from their squad mates. The overall story is also affected by the player's personal choices. Project Director Casey Hudson of BioWare has said "[the player's] style of play throughout the game will result in diverging endings that determine the fate of humanity itself", affecting not only the first installment, but also the planned sequels.^[33] Morality is mostly determined by the player's choices during conversations.^[34]

Hudson has further stated that instead of the "good" and "evil" approach that past BioWare games have taken, Mass Effect morality is based on giving points as a "Paragon" for choosing more polite and professional military actions, or as a "Renegade" for taking a more ruthless and take-no-prisoners approach. "Paragon" and "Renegade" points are scored on two separate scales (i.e. taking a "Paragon" option does not negate a past "Renegade" option), as opposed to other BioWare titles such as Knights of the Old Republic in which morality points were scored on a single scale so that making a "Light Side" choice negated the morality change characters underwent for making a "Dark Side" choice. NPCs react differently to a character depending on their past morality choices.^[35]

Travel

The SSV Normandy, the player character's ship, and a technological marvel in the setting of the game, serves as the primary mode of transportation.

Since the game spans the galaxy, many trips have to be made from planet to planet. Players choose destinations by selecting them through a galactic map of the Milky Way.^[36] The galaxy is divided into numerous levels of organization, shrinking in scale from star clusters, to star systems, and finally down to planets. For other uses, see Milky Way (disambiguation). ...

Travel through the Mass Effect universe is aided through the use of Mass Relays, which are technological artifacts that are capable of transporting vessels nearly instantaneously between star clusters and systems. There are two types of Mass Relays, primary and secondary. Primary relays are "linked" with a twin, and so have a single line of travel, but can span as many as a hundred thousand light years — according to the game's "Codex". Secondary relays are omnidirectional and can send ships to any relay within its limited range of about a hundred light years. A light-year, symbol ly, is the distance light travels in one year: exactly 9. ... An omnidirectional antenna is an antenna system which radiates power uniformly in one plane with a directive pattern shape in a perpendicular plane. ...

Once the player decides on a system to visit, several options are available. Some planets are simply there to complete the system. Others can only be surveyed for valuable materials. Some astral bodies such as asteroids, moons, and small space freighters are also available for survey. Finally, some planets can be landed on and explored. The player can move about on foot or using an all-terrain armored personnel carrier called the M35 Mako. Some segments of the game feature combat requiring the use of this vehicle. Most main story segments (and many side missions) are geared toward on-foot shooter action.

Although the game follows a main story, Mass Effect includes a large number of side missions and free-roam "uncharted worlds" that can be reached by selecting them through the galactic map.

Enhanced Achievements

As with all Xbox 360 titles, Mass Effect contains Achievements that are unlocked when certain conditions are met. However, unlike other Xbox 360 games, in addition to adding to a player's Gamerscore, certain Mass Effect Achievements will grant permanent in-game bonuses for the player, once unlocked. Some open extra options during new-character creation, allowing a player to pick one bonus skill (depending on which possessing skill-based achievements had been unlocked prior to that point) that their new character's class would not normally have. For example, killing 150 enemies in one playthrough with the shotgun unlocks the Shotgun Expert achievement, and allows any future characters created by the player to specialize in the shotgun, even if the chosen class does not. Other achievements grant permanent increases to stats such as health or shields. Xbox Live is a subscription-based online gaming service for Microsofts Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. ...

Editions

The cover art for the PAL version of the limited collector’s edition.

Mass Effect was released in both a Standard and Limited edition of the game. The Limited Edition was available through pre-order only at online retailers GameStop, Electronics Boutique, Amazon.com, and Best Buy within the United States, and in-store in Mainland Europe. The Limited Edition features are as follows: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... GameStop Corporation (NYSE: GME), whose headquarters are in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas) is the worlds largest video game and entertainment software retailer. ... The current EB Games logo EB Games EDGE card Electronics Boutique is an international computer and video games retailer, established as an American company in 1977 by James Kim with a single, electronics-focused kiosk, located in a suburban Philadelphia mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. ... Amazon. ... For the defunct chain of catalog showrooms, see Best Products. ...

• A fiction book titled “Galactic Codex: Essentials” – A 36-page guide to the Mass Effect universe, including a Citadel timeline, and a guide to all non-human races, biotics, and the key locations in the Perseus Arm of the galaxy
• An art book titled “A Future Imagined”, which includes a collection of concept art from the game.
• A bonus DVD of exclusive Mass Effect background material and additional content, including:
  • “The Vision of Mass Effect” documentary.
  • “The Making of Mass Effect” documentary.
  • “Interactive Storytelling” documentary.
  • “Inside BioWare” documentary.
  • 18 Mass Effect themed gamer-pics.
  • 4 dashboard themes.
  • Ten songs from the Mass Effect soundtrack.
  • Five historical trailers from X05 through E3 2007, and the official TV trailer.
  • A demo for Blue Dragon and videos for Lost Odyssey, Halo 3, and Halo Wars.
  • Design galleries featuring 600 concept-images with full audio commentaries by the game’s art directors.

The Limited Edition was made available for pre-order at online retailers only in the United States and Canada, as well as in-stores only in Mainland Europe. A DVD containing content concerning the development of the game was also distributed to all those who pre-ordered the game in the United States at GameStop, Electronics Boutique, and some Best Buy locations. The bonus content DVD was also made available for those who pre-ordered the game in Australia at selected retailers, but the Limited Edition is not. The Perseus Arm (labeled +I) is a spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy with a radius of 10. ... The E3 Media and Business Summit Logo The E3 Media and Business Summit, formerly known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E³), and commonly known as E3, is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association. ... The history of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) began with its creation in 1995 and has continued through the most recent expo in 2007. ... For other uses, see Blue Dragon (disambiguation). ... Lost Odyssey ) is a console role-playing game developed by Mistwalker and feelplus and developed by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. ... For the Nine Inch Nails release, see Head Like a Hole. ... Halo Wars is an upcoming real-time strategy video game that will take place in the fictional Halo universe. ... The term art director, is an overall title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... GameStop Corporation (NYSE: GME), whose headquarters are in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas) is the worlds largest video game and entertainment software retailer. ... The current EB Games logo EB Games EDGE card Electronics Boutique is an international computer and video games retailer, established as an American company in 1977 by James Kim with a single, electronics-focused kiosk, located in a suburban Philadelphia mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. ... For the defunct chain of catalog showrooms, see Best Products. ...

BioWare has announced that no collector's edition of the PC version is going to be released. However, CD Projekt, the Polish publisher of Mass Effect, is currently working on the limited version that is going to gather both American and Polish materials of the game. CD Projekt is a Polish computer game publisher. ...

The European edition of the PC version included a second DVD with the game localised for German, French and Italian languages. At summer 2008, a localised Japanese version of Mass Effect is in development, for the Xbox 360 only.

Downloadable content

The first piece of downloadable content was announced on February 6, 2008. The "Bring Down The Sky" pack was released on March 10, 2008. The PC version has been delayed, but owners of the PC version will be able to download it for free by signing up at BioWare's community website.^[37] is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

"Bring Down the Sky" includes a new uncharted world that introduces the notorious and feared Batarians, a humanoid species with four eyes. A Batarian extremist group has hijacked a mobile asteroid station in the Asgard system, setting it on a collision course with the nearby colony world of Terra Nova. Only Commander Shepard can save the millions of innocent civilians before the asteroid completes its deadly descent. This mission is concurrent with the main storyline. BioWare has stated that the adventure should take 90 minutes to complete. The expansion also features an additional achievement awarded upon completion of the mission.^[38]

Reception

Mass Effect has received mostly positive reviews when played on console-based systems. On the review aggregator Game Rankings, the game had an average score of 91% based on 75 reviews.^[39] On Metacritic, the game had an average score of 91 out of 100, based on 71 reviews — indicating "universal acclaim."^[40] ... Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. ... Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American video game magazine. ... Eurogamer homepage Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news and reviews. ... Game Informer (often abbreviated to GI) is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. ... GamePro is an American video game magazine published monthly. ... GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. ... GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game Web sites and provides online video game-related services and software. ... GameTrailers (GT) is a media website that specializes in video game related content. ... IGN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch time of the original Xbox. ... X-Play logo X-Play (previously Gamespot TV and Extended Play) is a video game review television show hosted by Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb. ... Metacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. ... Game Rankings is a website which keeps track of video game reviews from other sites, and combines them to present an average rating for each game. ... Game Rankings is a website which keeps track of video game reviews from other sites, and combines them to present an average rating for each game. ... Metacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. ...

Xbox 360 version

Game Informer awarded Mass Effect a 9.75 out of 10, declaring it "the next big franchise for science fiction junkies to latch onto", "a huge step forward for video games", and that it "rings in a new age of interactive storytelling". The key negative points of the review were the balancing issues and problematic AI of the combat system.^[41][42] Official Xbox Magazine gave Mass Effect the sixth '10' in the magazine's history, raving, "Mass Effect is a great science-fiction novel in video game form. Meaning, it mixes the highest caliber of pure story with the decision making and raw action of the best games." The OXM reviewer also praised it saying "It's the best game I've ever played."^[43] Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded Mass Effect a Gold Award with scores of 9, 9.5, and 9, also citing that the negative points of the review were balance issues with the character classes, as well as a steep learning curve with the Mako IFV.^[44] GameSpy and X-Play gave it their highest rating, 5 stars and a special episode "Mass Effect takes interactive entertainment to breathtaking new heights and is wholeheartedly recommended. This is one of the best games of the year, and will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest games ever made."^[45] Shacknews praised, "While the core gameplay is nothing new — sometimes disappointingly so — Mass Effect represents a generational jump in storytelling artistry."^[46] Slashdot's review also praised the storytelling, saying "[The] storyline Mass Effect will have you laughing, furious, and deeply saddened — in some cases all about the same character." GameTrailers.com gave Mass Effect a 9.6 out of 10, one of its highest reviews ever.^[47] Game Informer (often abbreviated to GI) is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. ... Game artificial intelligence refers to techniques used in computer and video games to produce the illusion of intelligence in the behavior of non-player characters (NPCs). ... Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch time of the original Xbox. ... Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American video game magazine. ... GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game Web sites and provides online video game-related services and software. ... X-Play logo X-Play (previously Gamespot TV and Extended Play) is a video game review television show hosted by Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb. ... Shacknews, commonly referred to as The Shack, is a website offering news, features, editorial content, and forums relating to computer games and console games. ... Slashdot, often abbreviated as /.[1], is a science, science fiction, and technology-related news website owned by SourceForge, Inc. ...

IGN awarded the game a 9.4 of 10, and while saying it was "a new high mark for storytelling in games", it also pointed out a common criticism in most of the reviews for the game, that while "the RPG elements are outstanding", the "glitches, poor AI, and weak squad mechanics weigh the game down".^[48] Eurogamer stated in its review, "Mass Effect is most definitely a great game with an awful lot going for it — but one that doesn't quite deserve unquestioning praise."^[49] Awarding Mass Effect "The Best RPG of 2007," Gamepro raves about the tremendous amount of depth to the game, from the character customization options to the world at large. The negative to the game they mention is that "the elevator rides are ridiculously long."^[50] This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... Eurogamer homepage Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news and reviews. ... GamePro is an American video game magazine published monthly. ...

In an interview with Gamedaily Corporate Vice President of Global Marketing for the Xbox 360, Jeff Bell was quoted as saying Mass Effect "...has sold more than a million copies in less than three weeks."^[51] According to updated figures from Microsoft, in the six weeks since the game was released, it had sold 1.6 million copies.^[52]
On the other hand, there was at least one negative review from GameBanshee^[53] where they classify the game as being the disappointment of the year due to the mass reduction of character development options, simplification of inventory items, and scaling of enemies and looting towards the player's own level.

PC version

A PC version of the game was released 28th May 2008, with aspects of the game rebuilt in order to address criticisms of the earlier Xbox 360 version. Early reviews of the PC version by Ars Technica and PC Zone have hailed it as the "definitive" Mass Effect, and an outstanding port to the PC platform. The PC port was created by the company Demiurge. There is better Mako handling, the texture-loading and other graphics issues have been strongly addressed, the squad-control is far easier, among other improvements. The game entered the U.S. PC game charts at No.3, beaten by 2 different versions of Age of Conan at 1 & 2. The first mainstream print magazine review of Mass Effect for the PC was from PC Zone, scoring 92%. Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (AoC) is a low fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) in development by Funcom for PC and, possibly, Xbox 360. ...

Awards

Mass Effect's showing at E3 2006 was well received and resulted in the game winning several awards during the expo, including the Game Critics Awards' Best Role-Playing Game.^[55] E³ logo The Electronic Entertainment Expo, commonly known as E³, was an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association. ... The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E³) since 1998 to current. ...

The game earned the following post-release awards:

Spike TV Awards^[56]

• Awarded: Best RPG

GameTrailers Awards^[57]

• Awarded: Best RPG, Best New Game.

TeamXbox Awards^[58]

• Reader's Choice Awards: Best RPG, Best Story.
• Awarded: Game of the Year, Best RPG, Best Story.

GameSpot Best of 2007 Awards^[59]

• Awarded: Best Voice Acting, Best Original Music.

IGN Best of 2007 Awards^[60]

• Awarded: Best RPG, Best Original Score, Best Story.

A complete list of awards can be found at the game's official website.^[61] Spike (formerly called Spike TV), a division of MTV Networks, is an American cable network designed for an audience described demographically as young adult males. ... GameTrailers (GT) is a media website that specializes in video game related content. ... TeamXbox is a gaming media web site dedicated to the Microsoft Xbox and Xbox 360 platforms. ... GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. ... IGN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Controversies

Sex scene coverage on the internet

Controversy over the sexual content of Mass Effect occurred when evangelical blogger Kevin McCullough wrote an article titled, “The ‘Sex-Box’ Race for President”.^[62] McCullough employed strong, false statements such as “Mass Effect can be customized to sodomize whatever, whoever, however, the game player wishes,” and “with it’s ‘over the net’ capabilities virtual orgasmic rape is just the push of a button away.” The game itself does not feature rape, as each romantic sub-plot involves consent on the part of the player and the NPC, and furthermore lacks a multiplayer component of any sort. An NPC from the video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. ...

McCullough’s article was met with an outburst from the gaming community. McCullough issued an apology by saying, “I DO apologize to the gaming universe!” He then goes on to say, “I still do concur with my original position that the objectionable content in Mass Effect is still offensive”.^[63] McCullough’s handling of the situation was parodied by popular gaming webcomic Penny Arcade.^[64] The resulting controversy eventually resulted in his article being taken down by Townhall.com.^[65] Penny Arcade is a webcomic and blog written by Jerry Holkins and illustrated by Mike Krahulik. ...

Fox News on the sex scene

Mass Effect allows players to start romantic relationships with a handful of party members. Each romantic subplot has a short cut-scene that glimpses sex between the characters. A New York Times article on the controversy compared the contents to U.S. evening network television.^[66] This article describes the characters of Mass Effect, an Xbox 360 action role-playing game developed by BioWare. ... It has been suggested that Duration of sexual intercourse be merged into this article or section. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

On January 21, 2008, a Fox News segment "The Live Desk With Martha MacCallum" discussed Mass Effect^[66] with the heading '"SE"XBOX? New video game shows full digital nudity and sex.' The report itself was highly sensationalized. MacCallum stated that the game "leaves nothing to the imagination," features "the ability for players to engage in full graphic sex" where the player gets to decide what happens, cited critics as saying that the Mature-rated game is marketed to children and teenagers, and read a rebuttal from publisher Microsoft stating that the company abides by rating systems and provides monitoring tools for parents. Psychology specialist and author Cooper Lawrence and video game journalist Geoff Keighley were interviewed. The former described sexual content in video games as teaching their active users, adolescent boys, to consider women as objects of desire valued solely for their sexuality. She added that the game's player character is a man who decides how many women he wants to be with. Keighley focused on challenging the accuracy of previous statements, saying it is a choice to play the protagonist as a male or a female. He also described Mass Effect as having an optional, brief sexual situation as the culmination of a romantic relationship in a 30+ hour game. Adding to Lawrence's inaccuracies is the fact that the main character is not allowed to be with more than one individual, sexually and romantically. MacCallum and Lawrence admitted that they had not played the game. is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Fox News Channels slogan is We Report, You Decide The Fox News Channel is a U.S. cable and satellite news channel. ... Martha MacCallum Martha Bowes MacCallum is a news anchor on Fox News Channel. ... Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... Geoff Keighley is a Canadian video game journalist. ...

Electronic Arts, the parent company of BioWare, requested a correction of "serious errors" from Fox News in an open letter.^[66][67][68] Fox News replied by stating that EA had been offered a chance to appear on the channel. Electronic Arts (EA) (NASDAQ: ERTS) is an American developer, marketer, publisher, and distributor of computer and video games. ...

On the 25th, Lawrence, who had since watched someone play the game for about two-and-a-half hours, retracted her earlier statements in an interview. She added that she had been told the game was similar to pornography, and noted that she "has seen episodes of Lost that are more sexually explicit." In the interim, largely as a reaction from an offended gaming community, her latest book attracted a number of customer reviews on Amazon.com which rated it one star out of five.^[66] In an editorial, G4's Adam Sessler referred to the interview as a "litany of falsehoods" and parodied Lawrence's statements.^[69] LOST redirects here. ... Amazon. ... G4 is an American cable and satellite television channel originally geared toward male viewers aged 12–34, devoted to the world of video games and the video game lifestyle. ... Adam Donovan Sessler (born August 29, 1973) is co-host and senior segment producer of the show X-Play on G4 (formerly TechTV) with Morgan Webb. ...

Singapore M18 rating

Mass Effect was banned in Singapore for a short time before it was lifted with an M18 rating. Censors in the country said that a scene with an alien and human female caressing was the main reason why the game was not allowed to be sold in Singaporean video game stores.^[70]

Street date violations

On Friday, November 9, 2007, 11 days before the official release date of the game, news on the internet surfaced that the game was available for sale at several Kmart stores in the United States. This was later confirmed by BioWare Community Coordinator Chris Priestly on the official Mass Effect forum.^[71] The street date was also broken in Australia on 2007-11-16 by EB Games who received their copies of the game early and took it as a sign to begin distributing. This was shortly followed by many game retailers including JB Hi-Fi, Gametraders, Zellers and GAME.^[72] is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... For the Australian department store chain, see Kmart Australia. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The current EB Games logo EB Games EDGE card Electronics Boutique is an international computer and video games retailer, established as an American company in 1977 by James Kim with a single, electronics-focused kiosk, located in a suburban Philadelphia mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Zellers Inc. ... The GAME Group plc (LSE: GMG.L), usually known by its high street trading name GAME, is a UK based video games retail company with over 500 stores across Europe in a variety of guises and its European Headquarters and Warehouse in Basingstoke, England. ...

Digital rights management

On Tuesday, May 6, 2008, Bioware confirmed that it would be using the latest version of digital rights management software SecuROM with the PC release of Mass Effect,^[73] a decision that attracted criticism.^[74] This meant that users would be required to allow SecuROM access to their systems, with online activation required after installation in addition to a "check-in", where the product must re-validate itself every 10 days or it will cease to operate until the next successful check-in. A similar but less stringent situation which did not require continual online validation resulted in widespread concern when this method was announced for the PC version of BioShock.^[75] On Friday, May 9 of the same year, Bioware decided to remove the 10 day periodic re-authentication, saying that they "listened very closely to its fans and we made this decision to ensure we are delivering the best possible experience to them." Players will still need to connect to the server before they launch Mass Effect for the first time or download new game content.^[76][77] Incidentally, another upcoming title to be published by EA, Spore, also dropped the same SecuRom scheme at the same time.^[78] is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Digital rights management (DRM) is an umbrella term that refers to access control technologies used by publishers and copyright holders to limit usage of digital media or devices. ... SecuROM is a CD/DVD copy protection product, most often used for computer games, developed by Sony DADC. SecuROM aims to resist home media duplication devices, professional duplicators, and reverse engineering attempts. ... BioShock is a first-person shooter[10] video game by 2K Boston/2K Australia (previously Irrational Games),[11] designed by Ken Levine. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

In addition, only three activations will be allowed per CD key^[79]. Reinstalling Windows or upgrading certain parts of a computer the game is installed on will use up an additional activation. Bioware employees have repeatedly stated that they do not have any information on what parts can be upgraded without triggering a new activation. ^[80]

As of June 8th, 2008 there is no automatic mechanism for recovering an activation. After three activations, a user will be required to call EA telephone support and convince a representative that an additional activation is warranted. Bioware employees have stated that additional activations will be provided on a case by case basis. Bioware employees have not elaborated on what circumstances will justify additional activations.^[81] There is at least one report of a user who has lost the ability to play the game after re-installing Windows, without EA technical support warranting an additional activation.^[82]

Bioware employees have indicated that when the servers at EA are offline it will be impossible to activate the game. Derek French, an employee of Bioware has stated that if EA takes the servers off line permanently then a patch will be released to remove the online activation requirement. ^[83]

Note: After activation the game still attempts to connect to EA's servers every time it is started. If prevented from doing so it times out after a minute and then goes into the introduction credits and allows play. It is unknown what data is being sent or requested at this time.

Downloadable content

Even though the PC box states that it includes "Free additional content" this content was in fact delayed with no tentative release date as of June 27th, 2008. ^[84]

Novels

On February 21, 2007, it was announced by BioWare that Del Rey, an imprint of Random House Inc., had acquired Mass Effect: Revelation, the prequel novel to the game. The novel, authored by the lead writer of the game (Drew Karpyshyn), will subsequently be accompanied by another book set in the world of Mass Effect.^[85] Revelation was released on May 1, 2007. The second novel, Mass Effect: Ascension, has been announced for release on July 29, 2008.^[86] is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House. ... // Random House is a publishing house based in New York City. ... Drew Karpyshyn is a Canadian video game scenario/scriptwriter and novelist. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Soundtrack

The soundtrack, composed by Jack Wall, Sam Hulick, Richard Jacques, and David Kates, was published by Sumthing, and features 37 tracks. The soundtrack also contains the ending song performed by Faunts, called M4 P2.^[87] According to the liner notes and press release, the music was inspired by classic sci-fi movies such as Blade Runner and Dune. Pieces of the soundtrack are featured in Video Games Live. Jack Wall is an American video game music composer. ... Richard Jacques Richard Jacques(born 1973) is a British music composer. ... Sumthing Distribution is a New York based company started by Nile Rodgers that distributes recording artist and independent record labels. ... Faunts are an Indie rock band from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with a sound reminiscent of Radiohead or Sigur Rós. ... This article is about the 1982 film. ... This article is about the 1984 film. ... Video Games Live (VGL) is a concert event put on by the video game industry to help encourage and support the culture and art that video games have become, featuring music from over 25 major titles. ...

Sequels

Mass Effect was originally conceived as a trilogy, but EA has confirmed that Mass Effect "will be a franchise for [EA] for a very long time" indicating that the franchise may extend beyond the planned trilogy.^[88] The next title in the series, tentatively titled Mass Effect 2, plans to use much of the same game mechanics as the first title in the series. Not much is known yet about Mass Effect 2 – Casey Hudson, Project Director for BioWare, has said that players should keep their Mass Effect save-files, because decisions made by the player in the first game will continue to have influences on their character in the sequel. Players who have not played the first Mass Effect will start a new character in Mass Effect 2, and will be brought up to speed on the story elements that have taken place thus far in the series.^[89]

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... IGN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... BioWare Corp. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Game Rankings is a website which keeps track of video game reviews from other sites, and combines them to present an average rating for each game. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Metacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch time of the original Xbox. ... Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American video game magazine. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... GamePro is an American video game magazine published monthly. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

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