Mass Effect: 10 Things To Know Before Starting The Game

Mass Effect is widely regarded as one of the best story-driven RPG titles ever made, and it’s become synonymous with strong character building, a riveting storyline, and incredible gameplay mechanics.

There are some things first-game Mass Effect gamers should know before stepping into the shoes of the indomitable Commander Shepard. By brushing up on a few pre-game tips, players can focus more on the riveting storyline, as opposed to newbie pitfalls.

Choosing A Gender

While the idea of choosing an RPG character’s gender is nothing new, it’s especially important when it comes to Mass Effect. In addition to having the ideal character to play as, gender choices do affect certain in-game mechanics which are related to the story.

This is especially true when it comes to relationships, some of which can go from platonic to romantic, depending on the chosen gender. Many gamers like to run through the game – and the entire trilogy – twice, in order to see how Shepard’s best romance options turn out.

Choosing A Background Story

There are pros and cons in using either default or customized Commander Shepard in Mass Effect, but gamers will still have to choose their historical background. There are three options to choose from – Spacer, Earthborn and Colonist, with their own slight adjustments to Shepard’s childhood, family status, and service record.

Regardless of which background characters choose, the game’s dialogue options and other story tidbits may change, but they’re not nearly as drastic as the pivotal choices featured later in the game. It’s more a way for players to dive into the RPG elements of their character.

The Gameplay Is Outdated

Modern titles have spoiled gamers with a plethora of finely-tuned game mechanics, whether they’re interface or combat-related. First-time Mass Effect players might be in for a bit of a shock when it comes to the outdated play mechanics that plague the game.

Thankfully, the story more than makes up for this weakness, but Mass Effect does show its age. Certain narrative elements are summed up with simple text boxes, combat is a wonky affair, and the inventory system will always be a mess. It gets better in Mass Effect 2, which is why gamers are advised to put up with it.

Choices Matter

Mass Effect’s story pivots depending on certain key choices players make throughout the game, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are consequences for the decisions players make throughout the game, and some of the most grueling ones are completely unavoidable.

In addition, Mass Effect was meant to be played as the first chapter in a three-part trilogy. The choices players make in the first game will have direct ramifications in Mass Effect 2, which in turn will spill over into Mass Effect 3. The best Mass Effect story choices are spread out across the three games, proving just how important this game mechanic is.

The Renegade And Paragon System

Mass Effect is renowned for its popular Renegade & Paragon system, which is a subset of key choices players can make throughout the game. In contrast to the aforementioned major choices that players will have to make, these smaller choices affect the story, and Shepard in general, in subtler ways.

As the moniker suggests, players can essentially choose whether to be a hero or an irredeemable jerk. This can open up new choices and gameplay option as the game progresses. It’s advised that players choose one road, and stick with it, as bouncing back and forth between the two can nullify the perks that pop up later.

Talking To Teammates

Many Mass Effect gamers tend to get swept up in the story quite early on, and that can sometimes lead to some gun-jumping in order to get to the next arc of the tale. It’s advised that players take their time, particularly when it comes to interacting with other teammates.

Generally, it’s wise to talk to every single one of Shepard’s squad members in between missions. Doing so will give them insight into each character’s personality, history, and life choices. It can also affect things like trust, which players out later on in romance options, and combat effectiveness.

The Importance Of Side Missions

In order to expand on the lore of the Mass Effect universe, players are advised to complete not just the main story missions, but also the various side quests. Doing so will open up a lot of new content, shedding insight into things like individual corporations, secondary characters, etc.

Mass Effect doesn’t do a very good job of promoting these concepts, but many of them do take center stage in Mass Effect 2. Therefore, it’s good for players to have a bit of foreknowledge going in, so they aren’t left scratching their heads when the time comes.

Keep An Eye On Inventory

One of the biggest gripes of Mass Effect was the shoddy and cluttered inventory system, and the Legendary Edition didn’t really solve the problem as it should have. Therefore, gamers will have to keep a close eye on all the stuff they’ve accumulated throughout their travels.

First, players should make sure to constantly check whether they have a better weapon, armor or tech upgrade that can be applied to their character. However, many gamers neglect their squad mates, which can cause them to go down in battle quite fast. Always be sure to deck them out in the absolute-best gear.

There Are Plenty Of Mods

Mass Effect can be enjoyed straight up vanilla-style, but PC gamers have access to a lot more add-on content in the form of mods. After taking a quick crash course in how to mod the game, players can access a wealth of texture enhancements, alternate costumes, HD skins, and even tweaks to the main narrative.

It’s also important to remember that both the original game, and the Legendary Edition both have their own respective mod pages on Nexus Mods, with the latter still being the best introduction to the Mass Effect franchise. For gamers stuck with the original version of Mass Effect, these mods can really enhance the game for the modern age.

Save Often

Mass Effect is a rage-bait title, even for veterans of the series. The way the combat system works is of particular annoyance, and can quickly lead to death in relatively short order. A lot of these issues were solved in Mass Effect 2, which completely revamped combat from the ground up for maximum enjoyment.

Therefore, it’s advisable that gamers save… often. Failure to do so can cost enormous amounts of time and frustration for players who must go back and retread the same ground all over again. Many first timers will find it difficult to predict exactly when and where difficult scuffles will break out, which is why saving often is such an important tip.

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