Mass Effect
83Happy KittySadkitty Score
83KitSuperintelligent review
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Commander Shepard becomes the first human Spectre and chases a rogue agent across the galaxy. It launched BioWare's space-opera trilogy, with dialogue choices and a save that carries into the sequels.
Kit's verdict · 8.3/10
The clunkiest Mass Effect, but also the one with the most wonder and mystery.Kit · Sadkitty Games
Loved
- Superb world-building and lore
- Memorable squad and villain
- Choices that carry into two sequels
Not so much
- Stiff cover shooting and a floaty Mako tank
- Repetitive copy-paste side worlds
Play it if sci-fi fans who love deep lore and character-driven stories.
Skip it if players who want tight, modern third-person combat.
Cheats & codes
No cheat codes
Mass Effect doesn't have cheat codes. The tips and secrets below are the next best thing.
Tips
Play it better
- Charm and Intimidate unlock persuasion options, and their caps rise as you earn Paragon or Renegade points, so lean into one side early.
- The inventory caps at 150 items, so convert junk to omni-gel regularly instead of hoarding.
- Ammo is infinite; weapons overheat instead, so upgrades that cut heat are worth more than raw damage early on.
- Use the Mako's cannon on big threats rather than getting out, since it is far safer than fighting on foot.
- Do the Citadel side quests before leaving for the first mission; several pay out XP and gear you will want later.
- In the Legendary Edition, the remastered Mako handles much better, so don't skip the planet exploration out of habit.
Secrets & unlockables
Hidden in plain sight
Tap a secret to reveal it.
Did you know?
Trivia
- It ran on Unreal Engine 3.
- A Fox News segment in 2008 wrongly attacked its brief romance scene as explicit content.
- The PC port was handled by Demiurge Studios.
- The 2021 Legendary Edition overhauled its visuals and combat more than either sequel.
Member reviews
What the Clowder thinks
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