Review · Action · PC · Xbox One · Xbox 360
Mass Effect
Reviewed: 30 Apr 2026
PC · Xbox One · Xbox 360 · PlayStation 3
BioWare · 2007
Ludograph rating
A
Recommended
80 /100
Mass Effect is an action RPG that builds problem solving and critical thinking through complex choices, but has mature content including violence and language.
Growth (BDS)
69
Risk (RIS)
4
Daily limit
–
Age guidance
17+
Developmental benefits
| B1 | Cognitive | 0.76 | |
| B2 | Social-emotional | 0.73 | |
| B3 | Motor | 0.45 | |
Mass Effect offers a rich narrative experience with complex characters and moral choices, fostering critical thinking and reading comprehension. Players engage in strategic combat and puzzle-solving, enhancing problem-solving skills. The game encourages ethical reasoning through its dialogue system, allowing players to shape their Commander Shepard as a hero or renegade.
Design risks
| R1 | Compulsion-loop pressure | 0.07 | |
| R2 | Monetization | 0.00 | |
| R3 | Social risk | 0.06 | |
The game contains mature content, including violence, strong language, and some sexual content, making it unsuitable for younger audiences. While it has limited compulsion-loop design, the engaging storyline can lead to extended play sessions. The game's focus on a single-player narrative means social benefits are minimal beyond engaging with the story and characters.
Content (not in risk score)
| R4.1 | Violence Level | 1.00 | |
| R4.2 | Sexual Content | 0.33 | |
| R4.3 | Language | 1.00 | |
| R4.4 | Substance References | 0.33 | |
| R4.5 | Fear / Horror | 0.67 | |
Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.
Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria
- DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
- GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
- ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.
These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.