Game Review: Mass Effect Galaxy

[rating: 3.5/5]

EA has ported another one of their successful console games to the iPhone/iPod Touch with the release of Mass Effect Galaxy (MEG) which bridges the gap between Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. MEG is part RPG part shooter and promises a “Gripping storyline” and a “Torrent of Firepower”, the question is does it fill the gap with its promises or merely leave the player wanting more?

You are Jacob Taylor, a combat power-house in this story-telling adventure, made exclusively for your iPhone™ and iPod® touch! Enjoy the stunning art in this stylish animated graphic novel experience. Control Jacob’s actions with a new combat and narrative wheel interface.

EA, and more specifically BioWare, have done a wonderful job on the graphics, storyline, video and acting to a level rarely seen in an iPhone game and maybe they got a little carried away with it, more of that later. The game starts with a short tutorial covering the menu’s, the communication systems and combat which will come in very handy especially as you move through the game and the levels get progressively harder. Within a couple of minutes you are thrown into the action and it comes fast and furious, all be it interspersed with increasingly infuriating load screens.

Combat is nicely handled, the accelerometer handles the movement of your character, Jacob, and shooting is automatic based on some basic instructions from you on who to target and what type of firepower to deploy. While these basic controls won’t offer enough specific control for some the ease of which it allows you to pick up and play is an instant hit for me. Levels are relatively small but the action is frantic and you’ll soon be using the full force of the accelerometer to keep Jacob out of danger and defeat the plethora of enemies.

While the combat is fast and furious it is interspersed with plenty of RPG in the form of inter-character conversation. These elements look great and all your choices are simply presented via a scrolling display on the right side of the screen, selections are made and the game moves on to the next combat section. So while these sections are presented so well if are more of a ‘G’ compared to a ‘RP’ these sections can get a little frustrating. That being said though the storyline flows well and should keep you entertained while you wait for the next piece of combat.

And that is all there is too this game, in summary you watch a cut scene, make a choice and then fight. Unfortunately the balance of watch/choose/fight is not quite balanced enough and you’ll often find yourself feeling as if you are being taken for a ride as a passenger rather than the driver. The game looks great and even feels like you should be enjoying it but after playing it I felt a little let down.

iphone-app-reviews-promo-codes-official-app-store-badge_touch_4Price $2.99

The Good

  • Great graphics and sound
  • Polished gameplay

The Not So Good

  • Imbalance of RPG and combat
  • Lack of control during combat
  • Too linear

Mass Effect Galaxy Screenshots

Reviewed By: Craig Willis

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