However, outside of those two issues, I absolutely love this game. It's easily my best experience on the 360, and probably on a console since Shadow of the Colossus hit on the PS2. Rarely do I feel the urge to play through a game for a second or third time, but I'll be damned if I haven't already started my second game of Mass Effect. So yeah, I'll go ahead and give it my personal Game of the Year award or whatever you prefer.

There are multitudes of reasons for my love, of course. You have that trademark of excellence in the form of Bioware dialogue and story, and while I had grown used to the top-notch work in titles such as Knights of the Old Republic, I was still blown away at the detail and fine care taken with the world of Mass Effect. Branching dialogue trees aren't a gimmick to spice up boring conversations; instead they act as a portal into the history of Mass Effect and the universe presented in game. Sure, you can opt to get to the point of any conversation you're engaged in, and there are plenty of options to select that will let you do just that. But, more often than not, if you explore that little tab that says "Investigate" off to the left, you'll most likely be enthralled while learning the back story of the Krogan Genophage, or the history of the Protheans, or any other number of tales that pop up during the course of the game.

Also, as with previous Bioware games, there's an underlying morality system in place in the form of the Paragon (Good) and Renegade (Bad) selections. However, not every conversation is as cut and dry as those two labels would appear, and the routes to achieve points in either side (you'll gain points depending on your actions), aren't nearly as clear as you might think. Just about every choice you make in game, whether it be in a side quest or thru the main storyline, has ramifications for your personal morality, and once you start down a particular path, you won't be always be fully committed to it. Also, your teammates will attempt to influence your actions; almost like the cartoon images of little angels and devils perched atop your shoulders, causing you to put some thought into whatever action you take next.

The actual, playable world of Mass Effect is nearly as big as the underlying foundation that's presented to you in story. When you start off, things seem pretty small. You're introduced to the crew of the ship you serve on, and then sent along to your first mission to help familiarize yourself with the controls and thrust you along the main path your character will eventually take. However, from the moment you leave the Citadel (the main hub of the Universe), you're given more opportunities to explore than you'll likely know what to do with.

The universe is laid out before you in the form of a Galaxy Map, and from there you can travel to various systems, each with their own set of planets, moons, and a few other surprises. Most of these are there for show, or to be scanned for minerals or other side quest type items. However, every system has at least one planet to explore, at which point you'll be able to form a landing party and take down a personal vehicle to explore the alien landscape. Thru these various planets you'll encounter a variety of side-quests that are completely optional, but I can't imagine not checking them out as they open up quite a lot of interesting information for not only the playground Bioware has created, but also for the individual members of your crew. They also serve as a great way to build up experience, especially early on, and I thought they were a great way to help acclimate yourself to Mass Effect's unique take on RPG combat before you get into some of the longer firefights presented in the main story missions.

Mass Effect's gameplay is presented in a system that ends up being unique yet entirely familiar to anyone that has played either Final Fantasy 12 or the Knights of the Old Republic series. You'll have a main group of three, made up of your personal character that you create and two teammates. Along the way you'll gain additional allies, but for the most part you'll probably stick to two main guys or girls for your group. Each ally has a particular strength, whether it be in the Biotics class that closely resembles what a Jedi could do in KOTOR, or the more unique aspect of the Tech abilities, which allow you to sabotage an opponents weapon, causing it to overheat, or hack into an enemy AI and use it against your opponent. There are also the standard Soldier abilities that are purely based on shooting and straightforward combat. On top of these three core abilities are also hybrid classes, and you'll be able to pick from any of these paths when you first create your character. You'll also be able to choose your characters back-story, which will be reflected in how characters interact with you, and you'll be able to choose other cosmetic things like gender and basic appearances, along with your first name (though you'll always be referred to as Shepard).

When it comes to combat Mass Effect definitely stands out. It's basically presented as a 3rd-Person shooter, with a common behind the back view and an aiming reticule that's controlled by your right thumbstick. The overall mechanics work in a similar fashion to that genre, with the ability to switch between four different weapon types (Pistol, Shotgun, Sniper Rifle, Assault Rifle), each with their own set of advantages and disadvantages, mostly obvious to anyone who has played a shooter before. However, underneath the hood, in true RPG fashion, there is some number crunching going on that you'll never see, and that affects how hard your shots are or how likely they are to miss, along with possible knock-back effects or damage over time afflictions in the form of poison or fire effects. Also, as you level up you'll be able to spend points that you gain, and you can build up the your characters strength with different weapons, which will allow you hit harder and more often.

As with most RPG's, you'll gain new weapons and armor to customize your squad and enhance their performance. You'll also gain items that can be slotted into your weapons and armor that will bestow certain bonuses to them, such as a shield increase or the addition of a poison effect. Your armor will be broken down into various species, and also into light, medium, and heavy variations. On top of this, various corporations create weapons and armor, and so you'll be able to choose from a vast variety even early in the game that will allow you to focus on whatever attributes you're most interested in improving upon.

Basically, Mass Effect should be (and is!) an RPG enthusiast wet dream come to life. Tons of customization when it comes to inventory, appearance, and story choices, all help to elevate Mass Effect to the top of the fun pile. However, Bioware made sure to add an extra fine layer of polish to not only the appearance and graphics of Mass Effect thru a stellar art design and beautiful, wide open landscapes, but also with an incredible soundtrack that marks some of the best videogame music I've heard in ages. Everything from the Citadel music to the ending credits track manages to stand out distinctly and become instantly memorable to the game music lovers out there. I'm giving serious consideration to even picking up the soundtrack, and after playing thru the game I have a feeling quite a few of you will want to do the same.

All together I can't think of a better way to spend $60, or spend 30+ hours of my time when it comes to gaming this winter. On top of everything I mentioned, there's quite a bit of replay value to Mass Effect, not only with the introduction of a New Game + mode that will allow you to carry over the stats and current level of your main character, but with the hardcore and insanity difficulties are that are unlocked. Also, playing thru as a Paragon or Renegade will net you different style endings and quests, and then of course there's all the little nuances that pop up in dialogue and story depending on how you decide to make up your squad. There's a ton of variation throughout the entire game, and an amazing amount of detail to be explored. I'd say it's an absolute must buy for anyone that loves gaming, and I hope you'll get as much out of the experience as I have.