"Mass Effect" won RPG of the year from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.
The "Mass Effect" series is one of the best known and most successful sci-fi role-playing games, carrying on BioWare's great track record, including such games as "Knights of the Old Republic." If you plan to play through the game more than once, you have the choice to start over from scratch or continue playing with the character you used to complete the final mission.
Shepherd in Mass Effect
The "Mass Effect" series focuses on Shepherd, a member of a special forces group named "N7," which the Systems Alliance controls. You create a custom male or female Shepherd, and you quickly move from an N7 soldier to a Spectre, a member of the elite force with the Citadel's authority. As you progress through the game, you build up a crew and try to unravel the mystery of Saren and his plot. You make major choices about Shepherd's class, talents, armor, weapons, crew members and missions, and you even have the chance to pursue a romantic relationship with one or more characters. After at least a dozen or so hours of playing, you've invested a great deal in Shepherd, and you may not want to start over again from scratch for a second playthrough. Fortunately, BioWare does allow you to use your Shepherd character again after you complete the final mission.
Mass Effect Second Playthrough
Using your character for a second playthrough in "Mass Effect" is easy; you just need to use the same computer or Xbox that you played the game on originally. From the main menu when the game starts up, select "Start New Career." After a moment, a button labeled "Connect to Database" will become available. Select it, and then choose the option "Select Existing ID." All the available characters you've played through are listed here; simply select the one you want; then select "Start Game."
Advantages of a Second Playthrough
One of the biggest advantages of a second playthrough is the retention of Shepherd's level and talents as they were in the final mission, so you can continue working your way up to level 60 and building up whatever talents you prefer. You'll retain only a few of the paragon and renegade points you accrued in the game, though; you can actually take an entirely different path if you choose. You also keep all your equipment, credits and resources. The codex resets, so you'll have to get those entries back through gameplay.
Future Import Options
After you complete Mass Effect (whether your first or second playthrough), you'll have the option to import your character into Mass Effect 2. When you do, the decisions you made carry over, not only about Shepherd's character but also about complete missions, the fate of various people you meet and so on. You also get a bonus to your paragon or renegade points if you have them at 50 percent or higher, and you get a variable number of credits and XP points based on your character's level. If you earned the "Rich" achievement in "Mass Effect," you'll get even more credits. BioWare has promised that in "Mass Effect 3" your decisions from both earlier games will continue to significantly impact the storyline.
Tags: Mass Effect, final mission, your character, about Shepherd, complete final