Mass Effect Reviews

• Sad disapointment - Update

  
  By A195J81O4UYOF6 on 2008-05-29
  I pre-ordered this game two months ago, and this is a first-day review for the PC version.
  
  All I can say is, what a profound disappointment, on multiple levels.
  
  First and foremost, despite all the talk from BioWare, from minute one of the game it's clearly a console port. This is most notable in the wonky camera swing that follows the player somewhat haphazardly. And one doesn't even have the option of escaping this by going to a first-person mode (even though the game was promoted as having one up until a few weeks ago.)
  
  Video on my system, which is in the mid - to upper- range for a gaming PC, was choppy and grainy, even using the "ultra High" definition textures. I could honestly barely tell the difference between the very high-end and low-end graphic settings.
  
  The game did install easily, and did not have any issues running on my Vista PC .. to be fair, BioWare changed the DMR scheme prior to realease, and it was a change for the better.
  
  But even that smart move by BioWare didn't make up for what has overall been a real disappointment for me.
  
  UPDATE: [June 4, 2008]
  I originally wasn't concerned about the DRM stuff after BioWare changed the periodic 'phone home' plan. HOWEVER - I'VE CHANGED MY MIND.
  
  To me, it is now obvious WHY the DRM stuff matters - even to those of us who were not overly concerned and pre-ordered the game. The BioWare forum currently has *thousands* of posts, less than a week after release, of people w/ game issues. My armchair survey is about 40%-60% are related to activation issues & other bugs with the DRM.
  
  Dealing with the DRM has become the black hole sucking up time & resources from BioWare tech support, leaving people w/ the garden variety issues that most games have on launch (to some extent) to fend for ourselves. Count me as newly joined to the "No DRM now, no DRM ever!" camp.
  
  
  

• Rental versus purchase: Beware

  
  By A2MYRRBXB3WTNO on 2008-06-18
  I am not reviewing the content of the game except to say that Bioware has previously never disappointed me with its RPG's, and I expect Mass Effect is no different. I was highly excited to buy this game.
  
  However, I like many others, canceled my pre-order when I discovered that I was not actually going to be buying the game, even though I was going to be spending $50 on it.
  
  The truth is that this game comes with a new generation of digital rights management software called SecuROM. This DRM system does many things.
  
  First, if your gaming computer does not have internet access then you cannot activate and play the game at all. Bioware/EA does not want your business.
  
  Second, Bioware allows you three 'activations' only. Activations are tied to your computer's hardware and operating system configuration. If you ever reinstall windows, or upgrade a videocard, or add a new hard-drive, or even a simple cooling fan, you will need to use up another activation to keep playing mass effect on your computer. Several customers used up all three activations within a couple of weeks of buying the game as they tried reinstalling windows, or upgrading hardware, to overcome technical difficulties. Once you run out of activations and try to play the game again, you get a message informing you that you have no more activations left and that you should buy another copy of the game to get more. If you do some searching, you will find out that EA says that they may provide you more activations, on a case by case basis, if you contact them. They refuse to state what circumstances will be considered acceptable to them before allowing you more activations. At a minimum, you may need to provide a copy of your purchase receipt. You do actually keep your purchase receipts for $50 games right?
  
  Third, SecuROM is a highly controversial piece of software. Its existence is not disclosed on the box, nor do you get notified that it is being installed on your machine. SecuROM installs registry keys that are not deleted when you uninstall the game. And these registry keys use illegal characters to prevent the user from being able to delete them manually. You must use third-party software to do so.
  
  Fourth, SecuROM can include a module that provides 'information' to the game publisher. Bioware claims it is not using that module to do so, but there is no way to verify this.
  
  Fifth, Bioware cancelled the re-validate online every 5-10 days policy that they originally stated the game would have. Expect to see this return in future games.
  
  Lastly, Bioware/EA provides no method to de-activate a computer once it has been activated. Uninstalling the game from one computer does not free up that activation. Therefore, your ability to sell your copy of the game second-hand, guaranteed in the Copyright Act (Doctrine of First Sale) has been violated by Bioware/EA. Expect to see some lawsuits before too much longer.
  
  If you think I'm blowing up the DRM issue out of proportion then, by all means, go ahead and buy this game. While you are able to play it I'm sure you'll be very happy with it. However, do not expect to be able to keep playing it years into the future without paying extra for more activations.
  
  The same DRM system is also intended for use on EA games like Spore, and likely also Dragonage, plus many others.
  
  If you are concerned about this kind of practice becoming the industry standard, then I urge you not to spend your money on this game or any other titles from EA until they abandon this DRM fiasco. There are games publishers who take a different approach (for example, the game Sins of a Solar Empire is DRM free) and who are much more appreciative of your custom.
  
  

• Too bad I can't enjoy the fun game buried beneath the DRM garbage.

  
  By A3284KYDZ00BZA on 2008-05-28
  I was craving for a sci-fi RPG, and Mass Effect seemed like a great game... until I learned of the horrible DRM system that it incorporates.
  
  Yes, this single-player game uses a draconian copy protection system where you need to be connected to the internet in order to activate. All you get is 3 activations before having to call EA Tech Support and beg for an extra one. So even though you are paying for it, you don't actually own your copy of the game. This is even worse than StarForce. At least with StarForce I could install and play the game without being connected to the internet.
  
  Basically it means that you can NOT install the game when you want, or where you want. While pirates enjoy a painless gaming experience, all fair usage rights are removed from us paying customers. The whole online activation process is very inconvenient; especially in the future when the activation servers WILL go down, or when you will want to install the game on a computer that's not connected to the internet. I guess this is how EA likes to thank their paying customers.
  
  Oppose this oppression of our fair usage rights (yes it sounds cheesy, but obviously that's exactly what EA's intentions are). Vote with your wallet by avoiding this game. There are plenty of other games (with minimal or no copy protection) to choose from.
  
  

• THE EFFECT OF MASSIVE GREED

  
  By A74TA8X5YQ7NE on 2008-05-27
  This is an opinion review based on certain core characteristics of this release. I never post reviews before actually using a product first-hand. What urged me to post this warning was the unbelievable information confirmed these past weeks about the PC version of the game. And it was what made me cancel my PreOrder.
  
  At first we were told that there will be WEEKLY ONLINE AUTHENTICATIONS - FOREVER(!) The predictable outrage that followed included questions to the effect of: "What does EA thinks they are selling? NASA's trajectory software?". And they were justified; I recently bought ADOBE's CREATIVE SUIT 3 (a much more expensive software than a PC game mind you) and it required only an initial activation.
  What was to happen after an unavoidable format? What about if you were to find ourselves between internet providers for some days or your system crashed? There was no end to the ridiculous problems stemming from such a "security scheme". Were they kidding?
  Apparently they were...! The perpetual activation security scheme obviously was nothing more than vapporware and a PR attempt to make the LIMITED INSTALLATIONS issue more palatable - by generating artificial customer relief and all... (Nevertheless, re-authentication will still be required after every patch or update, including the automatic ones).
  
  YES, LIMITED INSTALLS!!! (We only get 3!) Well, we can all thank 2K GAMES & BIOSHOCK for introducing and opening THAT can of worms - but hasn't anyone at EA heard how hard BIOSHOCK's PC sales were hit by that disastrous decision? At what laughable lengths their Customer Community office had to go to explain such hostile measures to their own customers? History does indeed repeat itself as a farce...
  
  For the record, I have games (such as STARCRAFT, PLANESCAPE TORMENT & EMPEROR OF DUNE amongst others) that I have been replaying over and over these past decade. Would that have been possible it their Installations were limited to 3 (or 5)? Who on earth gave the idea that PC games are Kleenex tissues: use once (or thrice) and throw away?!
  
  And, let me guess: in order to enforce the limited installations, exactly like BIOSHOCK, there will be IRREMOVABLE FOLDERS placed in our systems' Root that will effectively revoke our Administrator rights to our own PCs!
  
  Since even excellent games get completely ruined by RIDICULOUS DRM schemes, a 2-star ratting is more than deserving.
  
  In the end it boils down to this: who actually will be owning my copy? Are we to pay $50 only to...RENT this from its publisher - and potentially be pestered with the weekly need to prove our purchase FOREVER? And what makes this even harder to understand: will such extreme measures actually prevent piracy? Of course not! They did not work for BIOSHOCK, why should they start working now?
  
  One has to ask: what is next in store for customers that make the mistake of buying such a product? Chinese water torture? The Iron Maiden? Orwellian rat-masks? Guantanamo?
  
  NO THANKS! No RENT-A-GAME game is worthy of such harassment!
  I canceled my PreOrder some days ago. I will give EA the chance and wait to see whether they are willing to fix it. If this idiocy persists however, well, there are a lot of other games in the sea...
  
  

• Avoid Mass Infect and send a message to EA

  
  By A1CZXO77HPTUST on 2008-05-27
  Despite having opened a stickied FAQ thread on the official Bioware forums, representatives of the company have still not provided answers to any of the following questions-
  
  Will there be a revoke tool to reclaim activations?
  
  What changes to hardware will require a re-activation?
  
  Does Securom install anything on the user's system and if so, is it removed once the game is uninstalled?
  
  What information about the user's PC is gathered and how and where will it be stored? Will it be deleted after a certain period of time?
  
  Will the DRM conflict with any other applications? If so, does it require these applications to be shut down, or uninstalled?
  
  What would be the cost of contacting EA by phone to authorise further activations?
  
  These questions, and others, have been asked multiple times and have never been answered despite the game being released in the next day or so. One of the comments from a Bioware QA bod named Stanley Woo is telling-
  
  "We have never promised, and can't and won't promise an ETA for answers, or that your question can or will be answered at all, or that the answers will satisfy you. But we will do what we can to keep the community informed."
  
  When a company either doesn't know details about its own product, or is apparently too embarrassed to answer perfectly legitimate questions on it, I think it's only fair that potential customers give them a wide berth.
  
  Avoid Mass Effect and send EA a message that gamers won't be treated like thieves by default and won't put up with crippleware.
  
  
• Mass Effect DRM / SecuROM punishes consumers
  By A2V4SCJUOAAFTT on 2008-05-27
  SecuROM makes a comeback in Mass Effect requiring users effectively install rootkits on their PCs to ensure they are not pirating software. I can understand wanting to protect your product from being pirated, but the only thing this does is punish the end consumer actually paying for your product.
  
  If you want to educate yourself as to what you will be putting on your machine when you install this game I advocate you read the wikipedia page on SecuROM, a technology developed by Sony who had no problems in the past putting a rootkit on your machine without your knowledge or consent (see Sony BMG CD copy prevention scandal).
  
  I found the xbox 360 version of this game to be quite fun, but I can't give it more than one star for the PC due to their copyright protection scheme. It punishes legitimate consumers who purchased the product, especially if multiple activations are required due to the purchase of new computers or OS reloads.
  
  
• I am so ready to love this game, but...
  By A1PI9THQBV7SLJ on 2008-06-03
  I admit it: I have been eagerly awaiting this game since word of a PC release reached my delicate ears. So, I prepared myself:
  
  * I read the prequel book.
  * Watched all the preview videos.
  * Devoured all content on the Mass Effect website.
  * Scanned all the reviews and accolades.
  
  Needless to say, I was chomping at the bit in anticipation for the game to arrive. Well it did, and I am so disappointed.
  
  No, not with the game itself, but the fact I can't even get it going on my Vista OS. After visiting EA's website and using their work-around methods for Vista, I almost got the game started. Almost. I think the game threw my system resources into overload, and at only 7 months old, it's a fairly decent machine. I suppose I'll have to try the game of my XP laptop, but that would mean using the second of my 3 activations. What a pain!
  
  Disclaimer: Now folks, normally I don't add reviews without actually experiencing a product, and maybe I'll update once I get the game going on another computer, but this game clearly isn't Vista-friendly.
  
  ETA 6/10/08: Okay, I haven't had much much time as I hoped to play ME, but I did get it going (yeah!) and am amazed at the quality of gameplay. Hopefully, I'll have some time to spend a few hours (heck...a whole day) playing.
  
  
• 3 activations, EA believes paying customers are criminals!
  By A7TNQ144WW2YH on 2008-05-27
  Securom is used in Mass Effect PC and it limits the number of installs to 3 before you have to call EA and prove you own the game. Who knows if EA will still support his game five or ten years down the road. However, that is not the biggest problem. I understand DRM is meant to curb pirarcy, but the DRM in Mass Effect is counter productive because it encourages people to pirate the game. The reason for this is because the pirate offer a better version compared to Bioware/EA. Until game publishers stop treating paying customers like criminal, do yourself and your fellow gamers a favor and do not buy this game until it is superior to 'other versions'.
  
  Note: I played Mass Effect to death on the 360 and have been a huge fan of KOTOR, but Bioware has crossed the line.
  
  
• Caveat Emptor
  By A1OQ7SPUGN06WP on 2008-05-29
  It's highly disappointing to say this about a BioWare game, because they consistently produce some of the best-designed RPGs with the best storylines of any company in the gaming industry, but be aware that because of draconian DRM measures dictated by EA, you're very likely to eventually wind up with a piece of software that will not run, regardless of the fact that you've already paid for it. Additionally, it will install extra monitoring software into your registry that you will not be able to remove without resorting to third-party software, and then only if you have high-functioning knowledge of the guts of your operating system.
  
  I myself canceled my pre-order when I found out about the SecuROM malware included in this software package, and as much as I hate to do so, I must recommend to anyone else considering this title that they do not buy it, or Maxis' SPORE, also to be released later this year, which uses the same DRM scheme.
  
  
• they're not lying, mass effect will certainly have a mass effect on your computer
  By A3N06WZ7B1XG4T on 2008-05-28
  I usually don't review products before I purchase them, but once in a while there is a ridiculous exception that necessitates preemptive action.
  
  The other reviewers have already said all that needs to be said about the effects of installing the game. Honestly, I would LOVE to play this game; but when it comes with the cost of threatening the proper functioning of my system and potentially being monitored by some malware-like program, I will gladly look the other way.
  
  Developers need to come up with better ways of preventing piracy instead of stooping so low. They condemn hackers and other such programmers but now they're behaving like them, how ironic...
  
  Do yourself a favor and stay clear of this one until it's cured of its disease...
  
  
• Securom can ruin a great game
  By AEMQKS13WC4D2 on 2008-05-28
  They need to eliminate the Securom. I purchased Mass Effect as a digital download hoping that the faulty disc protection software would not be on that version, however it seems the Securom is on all versions. Now every time I log on to play, it's hit or miss- sometimes an error pops up stating "a required security module could not be activated", and sometimes it works. It's like pulling a handle on a slot machine to see if Securom will allow you play or not. Ridiculous for a game I spent $50 on. There's a whole thread about this issue on the official forums. Don't have this issue with other games that use less intrusive copy protection methods.
  
  
• Contempt For the Customer
  By A1RASEMPON02NQ on 2008-05-27
  The mandatory internet connection, and the limited installs are deal killers for potential buyers like me. If the usage restrictions are removed in the future I may reconsider a purchase, but for now I decided to cancel my preorder and select another sci-fi game in its place (i.e. Sins of a Solar Empire). Sins of a Solar Empire From a more customer-friendly company.
  
  
• DO NOT BUY THIS ORWELLIAN TROJAN HORSE
  By A31VX92SQCQTBS on 2008-05-28
  Everything has already been said by the other reviewers related to the secuROM trojan horse, rootkit, DRM madness that has deluded EA and the Mass Effect product marketing team.
  
  DO NOT BUY THIS VERSION and send a message back to the EA myopists!
  
  
• Mass Effect Massively Disappoints :(
  By A3AGPLBM0MPJ93 on 2008-05-27
  I'll be honest and say that I have not played this game. However, the point is moot, because no matter how fantastic this game is--it could be 10x better than COD4--I will not exchange my hard earned money for an untenable and abusive DRM scheme.
  While it is true that EA has removed the dial-in portion--except to download content--they still only allow you to install 3x max, and it still installs the $$ecurom rootkit. I, for one, have reason to format my HD more than that over the course of the year, whether because of malfunctioning drivers, Trojans or whatnot, so am I supposed to purchase the game again--they'd like that wouldn't they.
  Look at it this way, imagine if after you bought a car Honda sent someone to your house to install a machine in your car to scan your license to check that it wasn't revoked, and that you're current with your insurance, and that you don't drive past the speed limit, and if you do they take your keys away. And if you modify the car you have to pay them a fee and if you don't they'll sue you. This is in effect what EA has been doing with $$ecurom in their games.
  Only in the software industry is it acceptable for the manufacturer of a product to want control over its use after the customer gives them the money. Imagine if the same logic applied to buying a newspaper. It would come under lock and key, they'd have to mail you the key to open it, and you'll have to pay extra for the metro section--50 cent extra fo style section.
  
  -NO TO DRM TYRANNY!!!
  
  
• Avoid this version
  By A3BVSAZREDP9RH on 2008-05-28
  As others mention, this has nasty "activation" DRM. I've been waiting well over a year to buy it, but obviously skipped it because of that.
  
  Luckily there's a decent alternative-rent it or buy it for the 360. Okay, not ideal. For a variety of reasons I'd rather play it on PC, but I've just rented it on the 360 and it plays fine from what I've seen so far. Just don't support products that tie your game to a particular system or install through "activation".
  
  
• Show them a massive effect of a massive defect
  By A22JVYG8SMOPVI on 2008-05-28
  I was a big fan of Bioware and their games have given me many weeks of gaming pleasure over the years. I am also sure that Mass Effect is a game on the verge of all-time greatness and deserves a five star rating.
  
  However, the decision to load the game full of DRM malware which hijacks your PC, obligatory internet activations, limiting the number of installations (and god knows what else) deserves to be met by an all-out boycott.
  
  Treating the paying customers who cannot wait to give you their money like thieves under the guise of anti-piracy is THE best way to drive people to pirated/cracked versions which will, at least in this case, be much better, more enjoyable and safer way to play. I wanted to buy and play this, but NO game is worth suffering this abuse for.
  
  This whole mass defect made me so mad that I ended the last sentence in a preposition. Need I say more?
  
  
• Lost another customer...hopefully more.
  By A2YA4BTWI8SW6C on 2008-05-28
  Count me as another preorder that didn't happen. I've been looking forward to this game on the PC since it came out on the 360, as I'm a big fan of BioWare. However, this new practice of renting single-player software is starting to get ridiculous. EA and Bioware have made NO promises or guarantees that the activation servers or even their support for this game will be around for a specific or unlimited amount of time. Since I often upgrade my gaming system, I'd like to know that I can play this game years down the line, and that I won't have to ask permission from EA to play my owned game in 18 months when I've used up my 3 installations. What is also annoying is that they don't state this at all as one of their great 'features' in their product description...I'm sure it'd be of interest to all the potential customers out there.
  
  Simply put, there are other sci-fi games (Sins of a Solar Empire) that won't inconvenience me as much, and there will probably be more in the future. Vote with your dollars, folks.
  
  Addendum:
  To be fair, this is a great game; both the PC and 360 versions, according to gamerankings.com (http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/944902.asp?q=mass%20effect), both versions scored higher than 90% in aggregate reviews from major sites. In addition, the limited installations and security measures may not affect users who don't upgrade their system very often or only play the newest, hottest games once and move on.
  
  However, I usually purchase my games for the long term and I have installed games years after they're released. So again, for longevity, I prefer to own my games rather than ask permission to play them later.
  
  
• Avoid DRM
  By ATC16BS2EZWZM on 2008-06-14
  Don't buy anything with DRM. It's the company's way of tricking you into buying something with a very short shelf life, not to mention how it effects your rights as the owner. I still play games that are over 10 years old. You will not be able to play this game in ten years time, because the company may no longer exist and not have a support function that can issue you with a new license. This is a very sickening display of corporate greed and it is destroying the spirit of PC gaming. It has NOTHING at all to do with Piracy.
  
  
• What a disappointment. Could have been brilliant, painful to play, agonizingly slow
  By A16WKPOSEGQC3Y on 2008-05-31
  I pre ordered like everyone else. Got the game, and its buggy from the install. Takes half a day to just get it to run (you have to launch it from the binaries folder, not the config screen, which crashes 100% of the time)
  
  Once you get it to run, well, its another skanky console port. I can live with the 3rd person view, thats not too bad. But the controls are so clunky, you simply cannot get anywhere. Also, there is a quick save that does NOT work (it says, "quick save failed" 90% of the time). Turns out, you CANNOT save during a firefight, which is the only time most people WANT to save. Dumb, just dumb.
  
  As far as game play, its a mixed bag. The story line is so so, seems like a mishmash of Doom3/Halo2/Advent Rising/et al rehashed at some level, but its decent. Voice acting is above par as well. However, the weapons simply suck, as they take 30 seconds to recharge (while you get killed), and the whole "level up" thing makes no sense so you can't seem to get anywhere. Also, in the grand tradition of console games, the action does things for you, like take cover, or make dumb decisions for you about where you stand (and get stuck). Its that thing that made Gears of War frustrating on the PC, and its here yet again. I find myself mashed against a wall, when I didn't want to be there. Aiming is also assisted, and it makes absolutely ZERO sense most of the time, especially because you cannot hit anything anyway
  
  Also, using the scope on the assault rifle shakes so much, you cannot hit a thing. In many games, there is a breath/calm/stabilize function for scope use, or you can crouch to steady the scope, but not here. Totally useless 80% of the time. What were they thinking
  
  It has an inventory system, that basically makes no sense, and the pamphlet that comes with it seems to be an even dumber downed version of the console version, with less information.
  
  Some folks are talking about the grainy look to it, but that can be switched off in the options menu by de-selecting the "film grain" look button (why any game developer would waste their time with this whole thing is beyond me)
  
  All in all, its another half baked console port. We are all tiring of them to be honest, as one can tell by the zillions of harsh and painful reviews for console ports. The developers just drop the ball nearly 100% of the time for whatever reason.
  
  I don't mind many of the console action cues, or some of the basic control crossovers, but when there is ZERO effort put into making the PC versions work like a PC version can, its a huge letdown (just see the bloody aweful Lost Planet for the PC, nearly unplayable) Mass Effect is not a total dud port, but what was delivered to us is a major letdown, as the developer touted how much PC focus was going to go into the game. Oh well, another $50 down the drain
  
  ADDED MORE 6/6/2008
  
  I have tried to like this game. But alas, it was not meant to be. The designers simply were not thinking. Each firefight is painfully slow and repetitive. You cannot hit a thing, the weapons do not work, you cannot really hide, jump, or any evasive maneuvers. The story is very VERY verbose, which is ok I guess, but you have to hear it over and over and over again because it always comes before a firefight, and you cannot save during the talking or shooting, so you have to listen over and over and over. Simply atrocious.
  
  Bioware knows they have an issue here, and they are deleting posts from their forums where people complain, and basically pretending nothing is wrong, which makes matters worse.
  
  I tried, but failed to let this game grow on me. It is another example of the "professional reviewers" giving high scores to games of advertisers, where the game does not even come close. Crysis was another trainwreck like this, where players hated it, and reviewers said it was the next coming of the messiah. Uhuh
  
  
• DRM
  By AGXMLPCYBOL55 on 2008-06-04
  I've been playing computer games since before Zork on the Apple 2E. I've played all of the great games including System Shock 2, Planescape Torment and Arx Fatalis. I love playing a well made game but I have to say I will not play any game that requires an activation on line and a rootkit in my computer. When Half Life came out with Steam I wrote them a nasty letter saying that I would never play another Steam game, and I haven't. I also refused to buy Bioshock for the same reason. I always purchased my games and never pirated any but I refuse to go along with this DRM nonsense. A good game can stand on it's own merits and people will continue to buy from the same company. I loved Far Cry and I loved the Witcher. If the Witcher sold over 500,000 copies without DRM then they must be doing something right. Maybe if the customers hurt these companies in the pocketbook by not buying their products they will get the message.
  
  
• What a Mess Effect!
  By AD9MMJMO3Y932 on 2008-06-02
  I purchased this game but have not played this game. It's not that I haven't tried. It just doesn't work. If anyone complains that I have given this game 1 star without playing it, tough s---. It got more then it deserves - way more. Between the DRM which is an awful idea and this, it's over the top.
  
  I'm 6 hours into attempting to install it and it still fails. It's all over the Internet now. The game shipped with a faulty installer. BioWare has provided instructions on how to install it manually from the DVD. Don't get your hopes up. About 20 of the files in the myriad of RAR files come up corrupt as you unpack them. You have to go in and verify and extract them manually. After all of that, NO GO. It launches and stops with a missng file message. It's a MESS EFFECT.
  
  If BioWare and EA had spent as much time on quality control as they spent in implementing DRM, I'm sure everything would have been fine. Thanks a bunch guys. You have managed to piss off a cash paying customer. I won't be purchasing anything else from you again. No wonder the % of games being pirated keeps geting higher. The honest buyer is being screwed royally and is just giving up. As we leave, the % of piracy gets higher. When we are gone, only the pirates will remain and your statistics will be 100%.
  
  There is some good news. Word of mouth on this bad baby has spread fast. It's already being heavilly discounted and it's not even a week old. Just remember, it may be getting cheaper but it's for a reason. Bad is bad!
  
  
• disappointment abounds...
  By AGGWTVQQDRVT6 on 2008-06-04
  I was planning to buy Mass Effect, having enjoyed Baldur's Gate from Bioware. After reading about the DRM copy protection, forget it.
  
  EA will only listen if few people buy their DRM games. I still haven not forgiven EA for destroying Origin (the Ultima games), and they seem to be on their way to destroying Bioware. There are no good game studios left...
  
  
• Never going to buy
  By A2BY6D8HUNGY7K on 2008-06-04
  The DRM flaws that kill your DVD burner, require a constant internet connection, suck up CPU and memory, and prevent you from ever selling/loaning the game to a friend truely make this a worthless product.
  
  
• An expensive game rental which installs malware
  By AAW7H68LP67M on 2008-10-15
  Buyer beware - the product description does not describe some important aspects of the game.
  
  This game requires an internet activation, so if you have no internet connection you can't play. Also you are limited to 3 activations - so effectively you are not buying and owning your game, you are merely renting the game.
  
  This game secretly installs copy-protection software called SecuROM which can cause many problems for your computer, some of which are:
  
  1. When installing the game the user is not informed that SecuROM is being installed.
  
  2. SecuROM denies administrators full access to their PC, and blocks the administrator from editing certain parts of the registry.
  
  3. SecuROM can interfere with the operation of hardware, specifically disc drives.
  
  4. SecuROM can interfere with the proper operation of software.
  
  5. When the game is uninstalled SecuROM is not uninstalled - it remains permanently on your computer.
  
  6. The manner in which SecuROM runs on your computer is similar to that of malicious software called malware, and many people do indeed consider SecuROM to be malware.
  
  Currently two class action lawsuits have been filed against Electronic Arts (EA) for their use of SecuROM.
  
  
• Do Away with EA
  By A1PU7KQ30RJRIB on 2008-05-28
  I don't rate games before I buy them, but what EA is duing to Bioware and this game I think I will make an exception this time.
  
  I was sad to hear Bioware sold out to Electronic Arts (EA), but I also hoped EA would leave Bioware alone. It appears EA has not left Bioware alone and now I am forced to boycott a company that has provided me with many hours of entertainment; I have gone through and cleared out a lot of the old games I had, but the only ones I kept were those done by Bioware and a few other specific games. I have seen this game played by my friend on the Xbox360 and it is a game I would easily give 5 stars for, so you can imagine when he told me they would be releasing it for the PC how much I looked forward to purchasing the game; but with EA dipping their unwanted hands into the mix and adding the SecuROM and only allowing you to install it 3 times ... crap I can't count how many times I have installed previous products by Bioware. Electronic Arts (EA) sucks!
  
  
• Game is Bugged!
  By A2B87Y6VEE8V92 on 2008-05-31
  It's impossible to reliably save in this game!
  Additionally the restrictive DRM, this product is made of fail.
  
  Anyone still interested should wait until EA releases a patch which adresses the many issues and removes the DRM.
  
  
• Fantastic game despite the DRM issue
  By A39YBBK8671UIW on 2008-06-02
  What can I say. This is a great game. The game is beautiful, the controls are sharp and the story is great. It's a GOTY contender for me. If you liked the KOTOR (knights of the old republic) games you'll like this one too. It's just like those except it's set in it's own, new universe.
  
  On to the DRM. You only get three installs and then you need to contact EA for further installs. Similar to what Bioshock had. That's it. What it won't do is destroy your computer like some people would have you believe.
  
  If the 3 install limit turns you off then don't get the game. But you're missing out on a great experince. It's a 5 star game with 1 point off for the DRM.
  
  And yes, I do own the game unlike most of the people who are giving 1 star. They're basing their reviews on anecdotal, second hand evidence and assumptions. They dislike the DRM so they're trying to slander the game to send a message to EA. In other words, they don't know anything about the game and really shouldn't be reviewing it in the first place. Don't go by them if you are thinking about a purchase.
  
  
• No Amount of Buffing Can Change a Pigs Ear
  By A1P6FN8IUHZ4UY on 2008-06-03
  I think some are rating it 5 stars solely to try to offset the many that find the DRM oppressive.
  
  Nothing can make a game good; story, graphics, effects, etc., when you will not be able to play the game in the future due to the limitation of 3 installs and the history of EA to pull the plug on many of their games and stop supporting them.
  
  It is true, you can not make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
  
  
• Consolitus
  By A2J6CU6VA3ZH56 on 2008-05-30
  Any fun this game could have had is instantly destroyed by the shaky cam, enforced third person viewpoint where one third of your viewscreen screen is constantly blocked by the main character's back. The lack of a first person perspective+getting rid of the nausea inducing wobble cam shows this game to be pure consolitus.
  
  PC gamers don't support Bioware, they're just a cheap console gaming company nowadays, evidenced by the fact they refused to put a first person perspective OPTION into the PC port.
  
  If Bioware release a future patch that offers a first person perspective, I'll re-edit this review, but until then I'll tell every PC gamer in sight to avoid this console port like the plague.
  
  
  
  
• 3 activations = complete joke
  By A1892E9TN0ITVI on 2008-05-31
  It's ridiculous that we can only install the game three times and then have to beg EA to install again. Just say no.
  
  

• Fallout 3
• Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition
• BioShock
• Spore
• Crysis