Mass Effect as a Board Game?

For starters, I think that Mass Effect would really suck as a board game because it is so dependent on watching conversations and the story. Most boardgames don't really have stories. So I would probably cut back on this aspect and turn the game into a boring galaxy exploration thing, like Space Quest. Ironically, this is the least interesting part of Mass Effect but it is best suited to the board game style. What does that tell you about board games?

Naturally all close combat and interactive conversations would have to be removed because the only way to fight on a piece of cardboard is through turn-based strategy. Perhaps there would be space combat based on the RISK format. Characters could compete for star systems through fortification and attacking. Certain aspects of the video game could be brought in such as species and politics. Players could choose whether they want to play as a human, an asari, a salarian, or a turian and each faction would have different bonuses. Alliances could be formed as well, but the carefully-crafted history would be entirely meaningless because the only players in these politics would hold no grudges like the real turians and humans do against each other. It would just be friends versus friends and probably lack in tension.

The key to this game would be to copy off of RISK because that form, while slow, works well for a strategy game. There would be three types of units (based on the three classes of ship from the video game): fighters (weakest unit), cruisers, and dreadnoughts (strongest unit). Each unit would be worth more attack/defense points and combat would be carried out through rolling dice.

If a story were to be incorporated, it would be set in the midst of turmoil after the events of Mass Effect 1. Each species tries desperately to take hold of the galaxy and eradicate the other species. Economic elements could be added as well. Perhaps each planet or solar system could be enriched with a certain metals and that provide bonuses to your units or even allow players to add extra units to the board.

But really, this game would be a failure, like the Halo board game because it takes the universe of Mass Effect and uses it to make a buck while cutting out what is fun in the game. It would be nothing like the dramatic and evocative story that the video game is, but instead a cash in on a popular franchise and a rip-off of RISK. I don't believe the simultaneously cinematic and fast-paced Mass Effect could be successfully turned into a board game. It wouldn't be worth the effort.

Things Mass Effect should have done better...

Audio - While the voice acting and music are top notch, the other diegetic audio in Mass Effect is merely adequate. The weapons sound effects do the job but they aren't memorable. Many of the creatures make the same cries over and over again. Also, dialogue outside of the cinematic conversations is often too quiet, overshadowed by the music. Most problematic is the lack of ambiance, though. The world seems very quiet, which does not strike me as realistic for an environment teeming with life.
Downloadable Content - Fans were probably hoping for more downloadable content from Mass Effect. We got one item so far, and to its credit, it's pretty well done, however one DLC mission in over a year is not very impressive. Apparently they're planning to release one more package to tie Mass Effect 1 and 2 together though it will focus mostly on combat, which is another part of the game that needs work. Combat - The shooting gets repetitive pretty quickly. It brings nothing new to standard shooters though it does not control as well as most of them. The enemies all walk forward in the same stiff stances and are not inflicted with wounds when they are shot, making the weapons seem ineffective. It would be nice if I could blow chunks out of a geth's torso or blow a batarian's head off. The game is rated Mature, so they may as well make the most of it. NPCs - These are one of the many well-done things in Mass Effect, however, improvements could be made. More animations would make their actions more unique and realistic. Also, their eyes often appear to be staring in multiple directions, even though they look real and have character. Exploration and Environments - I'm tired of riding the elevator. The dialogue is good but I'd rather see it in an interactive conversation than while standing stiffly in a slowly moving elevator. Off of the Citadel, there are not even conversations or news reports to keep you interested while you slowly make your way between floors. It may be a necessary evil to disguise loading times but if the designers are creative, I bet they can think of a few other ways to mix things up a bit. Next, driving the Mako around uncharted worlds is just a pain in the ass. Often times it will move forward without you telling it to and end up off a cliff or in lava. It's a tedious way of getting to your objective. What's worse is the terrain you traverse. It's all so similar and all so mountainous. It's like they just made a bit of random relief and just pasted a different texture on it for each world and added a different weather effect. Personally, it makes the game less immersive by making me well aware that I am playing a video game and not walking on the surface of the moon. Side Quests - The biggest problem for me in Mass Effect are the side quests. They don't serve much purpose other than helping Shepard gain experience, level up, and do some more shooting. Very few of them have interesting plots to them and they don't really help develop any of the characters like those in KotOR did. They also seem to be less important than stopping Saren and Sovereign from destroying the galaxy. After all, would Commander Shepard really bother to hunt down a murderous geneticist when the fate of trillions hangs in the balance? Perhaps if the main plot wasn't so imminent, he would be justified in doing so or better yet, if the side quests were more tied in with the main plot or if the player would gain something by doing this besides boring equipment, they wouldn't be so bad. Ultimately, they just don't feel relevant to the core story.

Things Mass Effect does well...

Mass Effect is mostly good and all the complaints I've made over the past few months have the hope of being improved in the two upcoming sequels. Still, I won't forget what a great game the original is. First of all, Mass Effect's story is quite compelling, as mysteries usually are. It is made even more so by its imaginative setting that (while borrowing a lot from decades of science fiction) brings a lot of original ideas to the table. Most impressive, the world is presented as though it could actually exist, and scientific explanations are given for every piece of technology, life form, and phenomenon (except for sound traveling through a vacuum). This adds credibility to the Mass Effect universe. Another thing done brilliantly in Mass Effect is the characterization of your party members, aids, and antagonists. Originally, I complained about Saren's lack of villainy, though this really does create a dramatic moment at the end. Your crew is exceptionally emotive and perfectly voiced. They are all very well animated (except for a weird glitch that makes Ashley look cross-eyed) and given well planned backgrounds that create character arcs for some of them. The individual relationships between Shepard and each one of his crew are fairly meaningful. It's as though he need the support of each one to continue with the mission. Another kick-ass element of this game is the music. It fits the mysterious, otherworldly setting well and superbly guides the gamer's emotions through the story. There is a slow and sad piano tune after someone dies a hero, majestic minor keys for Saren's evil appearance, and a heroic ending tune for Shepard's victory. During the battle on Virmire, the music really sets the suspenseful mood. Time is of the essence and the longer you delay, the more good soldiers will die. Of course this is only implied, so the music is very essential to creating the exciting atmosphere and making your actions seem meaningful. For the most part, the visuals are fantastic too. While there isn't much variety, what is shown looks great, especially the NPCs. The people all have expressive faces that work with the VOs to make believable emotions in the characters. Even the aliens have maleable faces. When a player can tell how a species they've never encountered before is feeling based on their appearance, then I'd say he or she is playing a successfully crafted game. Overall, the textures and animation really stand out on the technical side of Mass Effect. I've mentioned it several times before, but the conversation system is great in Mass Effect. It allows dialogue to flow so much more smoothly than previous RPGs like KotOR. Even better are the accompanying animations and expressions. The voice work in KotOR was just as good as in Mass Effect but the way the characters interact with each other, their surroundings, and themselves entirely changes from a stiff, repetitive style to a realistic one.

Win Conditions

As I discussed earlier, ultimately winning Mass Effect is simply reaching the end of the story by defeating all the bad guys and protecting the good guys. Commander Shepard must return to the Citadel and prevent Saren from unleashing the Reapers on the galaxy. There are a few ways to do this though combat is a must. To get to the top of the Citadel Tower, Shepard and his crew must fight through a horde of geth and krogan mercenaries. When the player reaches Citadel control Saren confronts him/her and prepares for the "final confrontation." Here is where the player can make his/her first choice on how to finish the game. If he/she is persuasive enough, he/she can convince the heavily indoctrinated Saren that there is enough good left in him to change his ways. It reminds me strongly of Darth Vader's transformation in Return of the Jedi except instead of the destroying the real bad guy, Saren kills himself and allows Shepard access to Citadel control. After taking control of the hub of the galaxy, Shepard has another option available to him. The Counsel is under heavy siege in their ship and Shepard can give the order to the humans to move in and save them or to let them die. This is one of the character defining moments for Commander Shepard. If he is a racist and cruel fellow he will likely allow them to be vaporized, but a paragon Shepard, concerned with the well being of all the galaxy rather than just humanity should probably rescue the Counsel. After making this decision, the fleet will attack the giant Reaper when Shepard and company are ambushed by a reanimated Saren, with all organic material melted away to reveal a robotic shell. This creature is controlled by the Reaper and must be fought by Shepard and his friends in a death match. If Shepard dies, the player loses, but killing the droid will result in victory. The game is virtually over. A cinematic of the Reaper being blown up and the heroes being placed in peril by flying debris sets up gamers to think Shepard is dead. But of course, he/she strides heroically out of the wreckage to fight another day (or maybe not; see Mass Effect 2 teaser). A final interactive conversation between your mentor and the ambassador (includes the Counsel if they survive) decides who will take charge of humanity and then the game ends and the credits roll. Victory is yours! Rewards throughout the game that count as minor winning conditions take the form of solving the problems of each planet you visit. Shepard travels to many planets but must visit at least five and take care of some scripted business there. The reactions of the characters there as well as your Journal tell you when to move on because the planet has been "won." There are also achievements that can be earned to increase your Gamerscore, something that is meaningful to some players. Achievements include "Pistol Expert" (register 150 Pistol Kills: +10 gamerscore), "Tactician" (complete playthrough with shield damage greater than health damage: +25 gamerscore), "Geth Hunter" (register 250 Synthetic enemy kills: +25 gamerscore), and other such goals. I really like that it is up to the player to judge their actions as "wins" or "losses." If you want to be a bastard and ignore pleas for aid and kill those that annoy you the game does not call you a loser, whether you are or not. You can win any way you want. I generally try to win like a hero though this is not always realistic. Even though it may be the "nice guy" choice to save a few hostages now, it makes more logical sense (to me, at least) to take down the terrorist leader and prevent him from killing millions more in other plots. I've never tried completing the game as a balance between two extremes but by the way Shepard justifies his actions, this would seem to make him an inconsistent character. How can a person say, "[I'm not like the Batarians, I wouldn't let those people die]" and then try to defend a sacrifice for the greater on another world with "[Sometimes you have to make tough choices. Better to let a few die so that many more could live]." The game is good at defining a specific character based on either a Renegade or a Paragon but a mixture of the two wouldn't be very congruous.