With the second part of BioWare’s phenomenally popular Science-Fiction trilogy arriving in North America, Europe and Australia at various points throughout this week, I thought it was high time I took a look back at the original title, refreshing the game in my mind and beefing-up my character ready for transfer into Mass Effect 2. With Electronic Theatre’s review copy of Mass Effect 2 arriving imminently, this left me precious little time to successfully finish the story, but having already been through the game twice I thought it would be a relatively approachable task, even on the Hardcore difficulty setting, giving myself an entire weekend. This is your invite to join me as I embark on a mission to save the galaxy, in under ten hours.

            Starting right at the start, I load my existing Level 51 character, Kev Shepard, and begin once again, heading to a Mass Relay aboard the Normandy. Shot half-way across the galaxy, heading to a planet called Eden Prime, several pivotal characters are introduced, along with the irrepressible pilot Joker – who despite being only of a supplementary status, is perhaps one of the game’s most reliably flawed, human portrayals. Unveiling the details of my covert grab-and-run mission, Captain Anderson and a Spectre named Nihlus inform me that I’m being evaluated for the chance to become the first human Spectre – an elite force run by The Council and the representation of their power in the universe. Having already deciding to go “renegade” and pick-up that missing Achievement, I respond in a rather childish, even bitchy manner, but they still decide that I’m the man for the job. Go figure.

            Touching down on Eden Prime, and bringing my squad mates Jenkins and Kaidan straight up to Level 51 with me, all is quiet for far too long. Coming to a clearing I finally get some action, as three flying Geth Recon Drones assault my team immediately after a brief cut-scene. Dispatched with relative ease, thankfully considering how early-on in the overarching plotline I am, Jenkins still somehow manages to die. Nice one Jenkins. Another bout of combat ensues, and I decide to take the time to clean-out my inventory. 136 items I have, which the game so kindly informs me is approaching the 150 item limit. That may seem a lot, but inventory limits in videogames is one of my greatest bugbears. When used as an engaging mechanic as with the Resident Evil series inventory limits can greatly affect the outcome of your game, when simply capped to save room on the list, such as here or in BioWare’s other recent Role-Playing Game (RPG) starlet Dragon Age: Origins, it just appears far too irritating to be forced to examine every item in my possession when the limit is reached, rather than simply being granted the option to do so at a pre-existing moment of downtime.

            Defeating a few more enemies with a slightly heroic rescue of Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, if I say so myself, I’ve met the Geth and acquired myself a guide. Forward to the Dig Site with no time to waste, familiarising myself once again with all the abilities I had earned in my previous playthroughs, a small amount of investigation leads me to discover a couple of groups of civilian survivors and rewards me with some nice bounty for being a bit rough with them. Arriving at the Space Port, where a cut-scene has already informed me that Saren, another Spectre has betrayed Nihlus, I meet yet another local coward before engaging in my first real test, a battle down a tight corridor against numerous foes in order to reach the controls of a train. Naturally, I pass with flying colours, and a short while later I have finally completed the training mission. The story has just begun, and I’m already finding myself drawn into the game by the many same reasons that made it so compelling the first time around.

            Arriving at The Citadel for the first time, a place that I am to frequent with extreme regularity this weekend, I take a small tour to familiarise myself with the area. I’ve already been challenged by The Council, offended a fan, harassed a reporter and had a fire fight in an alley. With two of my new found friends, it’s off to see the Ambassador and continue my quest to prove Saren’s guilt. Arguing with The Council and being as ignorant as possible, I somehow still manage to become elected as the human races’ first Spectre. My response? “About time.”

            Off I go to the C-Sec Academy, scanning a couple of Keepers and putting a Hanar in his place along the way, acquiring a new comrade and some special gear from the Requisitions Officer. The internal structure of C-Sec Academy appears to be somewhat disjointed and occasionally confusing, despite the layout of the Presidium suggesting everything to be arranged in a rectangle, but I soon find myself chatting once again with good old Captain Anderson. However, the news isn’t fantastic: Anderson is stepping down from his position, leaving me in charge of the Normandy. Wait, why’s that not good news again? I’m a renegade on this playthrough; so get off my damn ship.

            Noveria it is, and after familiarising myself with the space travel system once again, I find the locals to be less than welcoming. Still, I don’t exactly give them an easy time, nor do I offer any breaks to Gianna Parasini who greets me past the security check. My new adversary, Matriarch Benezia, has apparently been snooping around here recently, and so I began to hassle everyone I find for information, as you do. Binary Helix, problems at Peak 15, smuggling and shadowy research operating outside of The Citadel’s law is the primary concern of Noveria, and bar getting a little friendlier with Parasini there’s seemingly nobody who’s pleased to see me. So I decide there’s no harm in breaking a few laws myself, and immediately begin to engage in some of the cloak-and-dagger missions that some of the locals have tasked me with. Before beginning this piece, a friend of mine did warn me that Hardcore difficulty was no walk-in-the-park, even if I had completed Mass Effect twice three years ago, and now for the first time I see what he meant, and death becomes Kev Shepard.

            Upon leaving an area supposedly in lockdown, I find the guards from my first landing on Noveria to be quite aggressive once again, and having thought I’d cleared the floor, a sniper takes me off guard and cuts me down in one shot. This will not stand, and immediately upon restarting I find myself pressing my Shotgun up against his forehead. The combat ends and a whole world of changes befall me, as I realise that those who I thought I had drawn secret information from reveal themselves for their true colours, and my investigations on Noveria have just become a lot easier, so long as I’m OK with breaking the law. A quick check and, wouldn’t you know, I’m fine with that; so off I go with my shiny new garage pass with access to Peak 15, and a fistful of credits to boot.

            Ahh, the gold old Mako. Controlled exactly like Halo’s warthog, and with none of the durability. It takes me two or three attempts to get across a Geth infested bridge, but one I’m there I’ve got a grip on the manoeuvrability of this thing, and memories of later levels are far less intimidating. I decide to leave it there for the evening, as although I’m not yet halfway through the game, tomorrow is another day, and one with more free hours to fill with Sci-Fi shenanigans. Stay right here at Electronic Theatre for the next update in my Editor’s Blog, in which I shall hopefully uncover the mystery of the Reapers, and save the galaxy.

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