Mass Effect: Xbox 360 Game Doesn't Live Up to its Hype

Whether it's the stuttering frame rate or the awkward load-ins that unexpectedly (and frequently) halt the game entirely for several seconds, Mass Effect has some bizarre bugs. Occasional weirdness like different voice actors (or voice modulation effects) employed for the same characters during a single conversation draw attention to themselves, pulling you out of the moment. In one sequence, a timer bar for a self-destruct sequence remained obstructively onscreen until I stopped, saved, and reloaded the game. It's even possible to confound the narrative logistics by entering areas one way, say via mass transit, and then exiting by elevator before engaging the area's plot imperative. At this point, your teammates comment about events that haven't yet happened. Speaking of elevators, it's not a bug, but never before in a game have they moved so preposterously (and needlessly) slow. Whoever decided it was smart to make lifts move at the speed of an inebriated snail deserves to ride on one every day he or she goes to work.