Due to the open-ended nature of the Mass Effect series, condensing it down into a movie seems quite daunting. It's a game series where choices matter (apart from the ending of course - ZING!), and the player has direct choices that affect the way the plot moves, many characters can live or die, with much more happening alongside. The storyline of Mass Effect, while it has its rickety moments, is extremely popular because it's gripping, expansive and engaging. It's a believable world with believable characters, filled with lore, a huge, galactic threat and is primed and ready for the Hollywood treatment. Unfortunately the problem with adapting the games and characters so far is that it's practically impossible to create an experience based around a game centered on choice. One character's Shepard is not the same as another's and there's simply too much plot to condense into a film. If they do decide to adapt the games into the movies, they need to make sure it's done right and the pacing is correct. If not, there's plenty in the Mass Effect universe still to explore and it could be quite exciting to experience things such as the First Contact War (where humanity discovered the Mass Relays and annoyed the Turians) or other as yet unexplored facets of the Mass Effect universe. What would you prefer? An adaptation of the games, or a new story altogether?
Dan Curtis is approximately one-half videogame knowledge, and the other half inexplicable Geordie accent. He's also one quarter of the Factory Sealed Retro Gaming podcast.
