Microsoft Game Studio’s hotly-promoted epic sci-fi game Mass Effect lands at retailers today, and the Redmond company is clearly hoping it has another hit on its hands. Microsoft is promoting the game heavy as one of the most engrossing role-playing games ever developed, and has rolled out an ad campaign that includes the usual flurry of media coverage as well as a dedicated episode of the SciFi Channels’s Sci vs. Fi.
“Mass Effect is like playing a movie!” enthused Jeff Bell, corporate VP of global marketing for Microsoft’s interactive entertainment business, in a statement. “The magic of video games bridges science fiction, intense combat and intriguing story lines to create an emotional connection between players and their characters.”
Developed by Bioware and published by Microsoft, Mass Effect places players in a role-playing game in which the actions of their elite, multi-species squad may decide the fate of the universe, as they hop from planet to planet to prevent all life in the galaxy from being wiped out. The game features immersive story lines, high-definition graphics, and intense action game play and tactical combat. Mass Effect features the voice talents of Seth Green, Star Trek‘s Marina Sirtis, and well-known character actor Lance Hendriksen. Mass Effect has already garnered a slew of awards—including “Best Console Game” and “Best Role Playing Game” from the 2007 Game Critics Awards—although early player reviews haven’t been uniformly glowing. The game has also ignited a bit of controversy, and was threatened with a ban in Singapore for a scene of “lesbian intimacy” between two female characters—one human, one not.
Mass Effect is rated M for “Mature” by the ESRB, and is available exclusively for the Xbox 360 for $59.99; a $69.99 extras-packed collectors’ edition is also on sale.
