Two other changes come from what might be called Mass Effect’s mini games, the decryption and Mako exploration segments of the game. When you attempt to opening a locked door or hack into an object, there’s no longer the button matching game from the console: instead there is a series of interconnecting circles set in a maze like pattern that you have to navigate through before time expires. This is done through the W,A,S,D keys; it’s all rather TRON-esque. You can also zoom in with the guns on the Mako, but only in cases where it’s in the vehicle’s line of sight.

The squad control screen has also been updated and indeed improved by the fine people at Demiurge. The somewhat rounded grid that players of the console version of the game have been acquainted is no longer there, having been replaced by a square screen which allows the player to make a variety of changes from armor, weapon, and accessories swapping to activation of the various abilities your squad possesses. Shepard’s interface is located on the bottom and the other party members will be assigned brackets to the left and right. Once the spacebar is hit, this screen will remain open until you hit escape, giving you all the time you need to configure all the gear you need. You can also switch between weapons while still in-game, as it has been hot keyed to the function keys: pressing one key switches to the next weapon up and hitting another brings it down. It all depends on the preference of the player but once the adjustment period is over, you’ll be getting along just fine.

This period of transition is lessened by the in-game help system that shepards(ha ha) you through your first trembling steps into the PC version of Mass Effect. The system is relevant to the environment so that you learn as you go by, for instance, learning how to toss a grenade at the ground of an enemy so that you can sweep it off its feet. For those Mass Effect console players, this comes at the time of the first Husk attack and so a black bordered box will appear telling you how to throw a grenade, how to stick a grenade, and will end with the words “let’s try throwing a grenade now.” It may seem somewhat smothering after a while, but it is quite helpful in learning the ropes; in time, you’ll be blowing up aliens like no tomorrow.

To conclude, it is beyond a shadow of a doubt that the PC version of Mass Effect is a very well-crafted version of its Xbox 360 counterpart. When the various improvements to the gameplay mechanics and GUI are accounted in, not to mention getting the downloadable content for free, it becomes clear that anyone who wants to play Mass Effect and has the PC power to handle it will be in for a very worthwhile experience.