A couple years ago, when BioWare bypassed the chance to rework NeverWinter Nights in favor of working on their own RPG project, the Internet erupted with speculation on the nature and type of game the highly-respected developer might have in mind. Since the early days of the original Baldur’s Gate on PC through Xbox masterpieces like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, the company has produced respect-inspiring hits throughout their existence.

And yet, Mass Effect is nevertheless a jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring success. Even when you expect to be inspired, surprised and blown away, BioWare manages to exceed expectations and Mass Effect is no exception. As part one of a three-game trilogy, Mass Effect is an science fiction epic in the best tradition of Star Wars, Star Trek and, perhaps most noticeably, the new Battlestar Galactica.

From the opening moments, gamers realize they are playing a true next-generation videogame. The photorealism of the graphics is second to none – even the well-regarded Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Not only is one treated to a fantastically detailed 3D world, but everything in it seems the product of loving attention to detail. Hologram characters are see-through and when object behind them pass by, you can see distorted versions of those objects just as one might surmise the effect would be. That’s just one example.

More importantly, BioWare pulls off a goal that the folks at SquareEnix has been talking about since the launch of the PS2, and that is detailed enough character models that they can, through subtle, nonverbal looks, portray convincing and recognizable emotions. If you are harsh to a crewmate, a simple look can communicate whether you earned their respect or damaged their emotions. This helps place in-game characters on a level similar to real actors, in terms of conveying story in a videogame setting that has no live actors.

What helps deeply in achieving this goal is a new, far more complex dialog system for character interaction. Few if any games have ever attempted such a bold and ambitious branching dialog system as is found in Mass Effect, and your responses affect far more than in any previous game I am aware of, events throughout and the ultimate outcome of the story.

The story, at the outset, focuses on Captain Shepherd, who by default is a male, although you can create a female Captain Shepherd if you wish. In creating your Captain Shepherd, you are allowed to choose from a combination of backstory elements that could make Shepherd anywhere from a complete jerk to an idealistic hero; the choice is yours. There is not a large variety of costumes for Shepherd; he (or she) wears standard military issue togs, so you can’t deck your Shepherd out in gold chains or anything that exotic and out-of-tone, but that’s a good thing. However, the appearance of your Shepherd is highly customizable and effective, as well as subtle and natural-looking.

Either way, the central story centers around humanity as a new, promising, but relatively inexperienced member of a galactic community full of politics that cast humanity in every possible light, from favorable to demonic. The primary impression, however, seems to be one of jealousy as humanity seems to be climbing the ranks of the galactic council’s favored races far more quickly than species who have been waiting their turn for far longer.

Shepherd, it turns out, is a candidate to join an elite force of galactic enforcers who are necessary to keep order in the galactic alliance, but who operate so far above the power of the ruling council that when they go rogue, there is no balance to check their power. That’s the main reason for the galactic concern over a human joining such lofty ranks, as well as the initial plot device pushing things forward, as Shepherd is cast against an alien who, humanity believes, has indeed gone rogue.

What is especially impressive about Mass Effect is the size and variety of the explorable planets in the Mass Effect universe, each of them as fully realized and painstainingly individually designed as any one game world in any other game. Although the explorable worlds in Star Wars: KOTOR I & II was impressive for its time, Mass Effect takes this level of explorability to a new level of openness. Fans of Oblivion will find a comfortable home in Mass Effect, rather than feeling penned in.

And yet Mass Effect presents an entirely different sense of storytelling than did Oblivion. While Elder Scrolls IV was all about letting the story play out in action, Mass Effect’s story is more naturally integrated into gameplay, yet feels as tight as a cutscene, rather than a random encounter. Story elements trigger as you explore and play and battle your way through environments.

The battle system is also of note; gone are the optional turn-based/action-based options of Star Wars: KOTOR and in its place is an all-new action battle system that embodies the thrills of a squadron-based shooter, while maintaining the important character progression aspects of an RPG; Shepherd and his crew will grow in their skills and abilities as the game progresses and you level up.

The system is thoroughly enjoyable, delivering a smart combination of action-based visceral thrills as well as the tactical control and improvement aspects of the best RPGs. That allows a gamer to feel as they though have improved over the course of the game, rather than remained static and boring.

In terms of balance, the game has stretches that become talky and make one anxious for some action, yet the ability to explore such vast worlds and converse with such a diverse cast of characters holds an appeal all its own. Planetside missions can vary from action-oriented sequences to such procedural detective footwork as traveling to various locations, talking to and reinterviewing folks to unravel various mysteries.

The subtlety of the game is that its characterizations are rarely stark black-and-white, good-versus-evil situations; even seeming villains have motives that can be understood and, at times, even sympathized with. This is the art of high drama and Mass Effect certainly delivers the message that it is possible in this new generation of hardware to have storytelling, rather than graphic prowess, take center stage in a gaming experience.

That’s not to suggest there is a lack of action in Mass Effect; there are plenty of battles, some thrilling boss-level characters of the bowel-emptying variety; and a wide variety of locations and environments in which the action plays out.

In the final analysis, Mass Effect is more than another RPG; it is the next big “true next-gen experience” in modern videogaming and it is found exclusively on the Xbox 360. Now, that may not remain the case, of course; BioWare was recently purchased by EA Games and is no longer, after the first Mass Effect title, under any obligation to only develop future sequels exclusively for the Xbox 360. That said, the company is fond of the 360 platform and appears to have some independence of EA Games’ corporate mandates, so the series may indeed remain a 360 exclusive, which Microsoft would certainly love to see happen.

No matter what hardware platform the game appears on, however, Mass Effect definitely qualifies as the next great “next-gen must-play” game experience. Who knows? In years to come, the Mass Effect trilogy may yet be spoken of with the same reverence as film trilogies like the original Star Wars and the more-recent Lord of the Rings movies.

Certainly, the story Mass Effect has to tell is on no less epic a scale.