Mass Effect (PC)

Five reasons why BioWare doesn't consider this a "lazy port."

The fine fellows at BioWare dislike the word "port." It implies a lazy platform transition, where a console game still uses terrible textures for the PC version and also keeps referring to the Square or Circle buttons even though no such things exist on a PC keyboard. BioWare prefers to call the PC version of Mass Effect a "conversion", where the developers took comments and feedback from both users and media, and provide an optimized, and improved, version of the original experience. Last time I saw the upcoming PC version of Mass Effect, I remember the snazzier graphics (while Mass Effect is targeted to run on a wide variety of PCs, a hefty modern machine can easily push Mass Effect into 60 frames per second, making the overall animation run much smoother than in the Xbox 360 version) and the retooled decryption game--a sort of Frogger mod that is more futuristic and circular. Now that I've gotten some hands-on time, here are the top five things I've noticed with this version (besides how much snazzier it looks overall via nicer graphics and higher framerate).

1. There's 110% content in this version.
No, this PC conversion doesn't do anything wacky to the story like pitting Shepard against Robocop in the end or adding in Gene Simmons as a recruitable party member. Content-wise, it's pretty much the same as the Xbox 360 release. After all, why mess with a good thing? The reason why I say "1102, though, is that the PC version will get the "Bring Down The Sky" downloadable content pack (which introduced a new quest, planet, and even enemies, and was released back in March on the Xbox 360 for five dollars) for free. That is, you can simply snag Bring Down The Sky from BioWare's servers right after you install the core game. Consider that free downloadable content pack a "thank you" from BioWare for being patient as it converted the game from Xbox 360 to PC.

2. The combat interface has been retuned and is more tactical.
When Mass Effect was first shown to the public, there were individual squad control elements present--the developers originally wanted to let you issue specific commands to each squad member. Alas, time became an issue, and the Xbox 360 release had streamlined the squad control into a functional, but not as tactical solution of "you give general orders to everyone at once."
The new interface for the PC version now allows for individual commands. Just hit the spacebar and you have the all-new tactical heads-up-display (HUD). This HUD displays every party member's weapons, abilities, and commands. You can now point your reticule at a forward position and order Wrex to rush in and attack, while also giving an order to have Garrus hang back and use his sniper rifle.
Additionally, displaying all of your equipped weapons and abilities are displayed on-screen is another improvement over the Xbox 360 version, as you no longer have to switch between triggers to pull up the weapon or power wheel--you have both types right there. Switching weapons around is a breeze in the new version, and even your hotkeys (where you can drag and drop Shepard's abilities) will change depending on your equipped weapon. Finally, all of this is user-defined, though BioWare's defaults make sense (1-8 as your hotkeys for Shepard, F for healing, R for grenade, etc.).

Check it out, positioning and tactics via the new HUD!

High-spec PCs can now enjoy an even more scarred version of Wrex.

3. The Mako controls much better.
Simply put, the gamepad necessitated the basic "Mako follows where the camera is pointed at" control scheme for the Xbox 360 version. The Mako felt just fine when you were driving it in a straight line with the camera positioned directly behind it-—yet when you tried advanced tactics like circling around a stationary enemy, or just plain looking around, the controls just felt weird. Now, the controls are camera-independent. Meaning, by default, W always zips forward, S always goes in reverse, and A and D always turn. It sounds a bit minor in text, but when it comes time to circle strafe a giant thresher maw, it's a damn nice change; in fact, BioWare somewhat retuned the thresher maws because the new Mako controls made them too easy to take down.

GAMETAP STAFF RECOMMENDS: Baldur's Gate II, Rainbow Six 3

4. Your inventory is now easier to manage.
Another frequently-mentioned comment about the Xbox 360 version was its less-than-optimal inventory system. Key improvements in the PC version include how both the currently-equipped item and the one you're looking at are now displayed side-by-side, so it's much easier to figure out how good your gear is. Another big thing is that the your weapons and mods are now listed in descending order of power, meaning your mighty stuff is up top while your trade bait is pushed below. Also, the mouse pointer serves as a superior method of selecting and scrolling through large lists of items.

5. The elevator in the SSV Normandy is really, really fast.
Thanks to PC hardware optimizations and whatnot, the loadtimes are significantly better. I'm pretty sure the opening and closing of the elevator door in the Normandy was actually longer than the actual ride itself. I'm also safely extrapolating that based on how fast the Normandy's elevator is, that you won't have to endure the awkward post-conversation silence in the Citadel elevators either. We'll have a full review of Mass Effect PC and its awesomely fast elevators when the game ships on May 28th.

Questions or comments? Email the GameTap editors and let us know.

Your best stuff is listed first in your inventory now.

Much easier to drive!

Check out the hotkeys in the upper-left correr.