Mass Effect - Xbox 360

Mass Effect is an developed by and published by Originally released for the video game console in 2007, it is the first game of the series. The game takes place within the galaxy in the year 2183, where civilization is threatened by a highly advanced machine race known as the Reapers. The player assumes the role of , an elite human soldier who must stop a rogue agent from carrying out the Reapers' galactic invasion. The gameplay requires the player to complete multiple that generally involve space exploration, squad and vehicular combat, and interaction with .

Planned as the first chapter of a trilogy from the very beginning, Mass Effect was developed over the course of three and a half years and uses the as a groundwork. It was designed so that the player would assume the role of a central character that could make important decisions and impact the story of the game in numerous ways. The combat was designed to offer the tactics and customization of a role-playing game, but through a simpler and interface. In 2008 and 2009, two packs that introduced new missions to the base game were released.

Mass Effect received critical acclaim from and sold more than one and a half million copies by January 2008. Critics praised the game's and cinematic design, but criticized its unbalanced combat mechanics and poor . The game received several year-end awards, including Best RPG at the 2007 and Roleplaying Game of the Year at the 2008 . Mass Effect was to the and platforms in 2008 and 2012, respectively. A sequel, , was released in 2010.