Mass Effect is the first part of the famous sci-fi trilogy about Captain Shepard, developed by BioWare. The game initially appeared only on the Xbox 360 platform (autumn 2007), but was later ported to PC. It was probably from this moment that the growing popularity of the series began. The localized version of Mass Effect was released in Russia in May 2008.
The game's plot unfolds in the far future when humanity has long encountered other intelligent races and successfully interacts with them. We play as Captain (or Commander) Shepard, who receives a crucial mission related to an artifact of the long-extinct Prothean race. During the mission, Shepard is attacked by the Geth (a robotic race), who, it turns out, formed an alliance with one of the representatives of the Citadel Council – a certain Saren. The traitor's goal is to summon what is known as the Reapers, another ancient civilization. Hostile aliens are methodically exterminating other races. Both humanity and other intelligent beings in the galaxy are at risk of extinction. Shepard must gather a team of like-minded individuals and investigate the conspiracy, traveling on his ship 'Normandy' between various planets and space stations.
On the 'Normandy', Shepard can plan future missions, select and modify weapons and armor, and give orders to the team. Then, using the galaxy map, the captain chooses a destination point for his companions. There are both main and side quests. Tired of fighting the Geth, Shepard can venture out with two companions to explore various planets, which, however, do not differ much from each other. Companions are dropped on the surface, after which they must drive to a key location – a bunker, base, building, or object. There, they typically need to kill someone, find something, or protect someone.
The most interesting aspect of Mass Effect is the interaction with characters. When forming a team, one must consider the specifics of the companions. Some may be biotics (soldiers capable of interacting with objects from a distance), some may be ordinary soldiers, and some may be engineers. Each hero possesses unique abilities specific to their class. During gameplay, you can unlock new skills.