From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mass Effect
Mass Effect logo
Genre(s)	Action role-playing game Third-person shooter
Developer(s)	BioWare
Publisher(s)	Microsoft Game Studios, Electronic Arts
Platform(s)	Xbox 360, Windows, iPhone
First release	Mass Effect November 20, 2007
Latest release	Mass Effect 2 January 26, 2010
Official website	http://masseffect.bioware.com/

Mass Effect is an award-winning, bestselling series of science fiction RPG third person shooters developed by the Canadian company BioWare and released on the Xbox 360 and Windows PC. The first game in the planned trilogy centers around a player created character named Commander Shepard and their mission to save the galaxy from a race of biomechanical beings known as the Reapers, and its followers, including the brainwashed Saren Arterius. The first game sees Shepard facing Sovereign, a Reaper left as a vanguard, who plans to allow the Reaper fleet currently hibernating in extra-galactic dark space to invade the Milky Way and destroy all sapient organic life, continuing a mysterious cycle of destruction. The second game takes places two years later, and sees Shepard tackling the Collectors, an alien race abducting entire human colonies in a plan to help the return of the Reapers. The third and final game will likely center on the final battle against the Reapers.

Games

A trilogy of games is planned to be released, each continuing the game's story in chronological order. The second game in the trilogy was released in January 2010. The Mass Effect series combines science fiction, action game and role-playing game elements, with the main series games being third-person shooters. The protagonist can use two AI-controlled squad members in battle; which consists of members he has recruited, from various places and for various reasons, and taken onto the Normandy, Shepard's starship.

Main trilogy

• Mass Effect (2007): The first game in the series was originally created as an exclusive title for the Xbox 360 but was later ported to Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The game focuses on the protagonist Commander Shepard's quest to stop Saren Arterius from leading an army of geth to conquer the galaxy. In the process Shepard learns about the far greater threat posed by the Reapers, discovering that Saren Arterius, a former Spectre, has been enslaved by the Reaper Sovereign, who has been sent back into Citadel Space to begin the Reaper's purging of life in Citadel Space, which occurs every 50,000 years. Mass Effect was received with critical acclaim by many critics and has obtained a fan following.
• Mass Effect 2 (2010): The second game in the series was released on January 26, 2010 in North America and January 29 in Europe.^[1] Very few details about the game were revealed prior to its launch other than Casey Hudson, Project Director for BioWare, stating that "players should keep their save files, because decisions made by the player in the first game will continue to have influences on their character in the sequel."^[2][3] It was known that, while the Reapers were to play a part in the story, another adversary, known as Cerberus, a secret military project formed by the human Systems Alliance that went rogue in Mass Effect, had been expanded on. Shepard was also said to be on a "suicide" mission. Mass Effect 2 has received overwhelming critical praise since its release, for its characters, storyline, voice acting, and refined combat and gameplay with many critics calling it a major improvement over the original and an easy Game of the Year contender despite its January release. ^[4]
• Mass Effect 3 (2011): The third game in the series is planned for a 2011 release date. Casey Hudson commented that Mass Effect 3 "will be easier because we don't have to worry about continuity into the next one."^[5] However, decisions will still be imported from Mass Effect 2 to Mass Effect 3, as to keep continuity within the series.^[6] Casey also said in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show that BioWare is already at work on Mass Effect 3.

Related games

• Mass Effect Galaxy (2009): An iPhone game, designed by BioWare to expand on the Mass Effect universe. This game differs from the other games because it has a top-down view, rather than a third-person view; the story follows the protagonist Jacob Taylor, a character who appears as a squad member in Mass Effect 2.^[7]

Adaptations

Novels

• Mass Effect: Revelation (2007): The first novel based on Mass Effect, the plot is centered around then-Lieutenant David Anderson and tells the story of how he came to know Saren. It expands on the history of the Mass Effect universe and reveals in detail how Anderson failed to become the first human Spectre.
• Mass Effect: Ascension (2008): The second novel based on Mass Effect, the plot centres around protagonist Paul Grayson, a member of Cerberus, who is in charge of raising a biotic girl named Gillian. It is set approximately two months after the ending events of the first game.^[8]
• Mass Effect: Retribution (2010): On January 12, 2010, Bioware announced the third Mass Effect novel by Drew Karpyshyn, a sequel to Mass Effect 2.^[9][10]

Comic

Mass Effect: Redemption is a four-part comic book mini-series that is being released between January and April 2010. It is set shortly before the opening events of Mass Effect 2, and will be related to downloadable content that will be produced for the game.^[11]

Film

Ex-Marvel CEO Avi Arad recently obtained the rights to create a film adaptation of the game. It is reported that it is still in planning and that Arad will be looking to attach a writer, director, and studio to the project. ^[12]

Characters

Main Game Series Characters

Note: Characters in series may not be in a sequel depending on their fates in the previous game.

Spin-Off Game Series Characters

Novel/Comic Series Characters

References

External links

• Mass Effect official website