I can't rate this game higher than 4 stars, because I have to leave room for the two sequels that improved on what came before. This game is the start of an incredible journey with some of my absolute favorite characters in gaming. Tons of RPGs have great companions, but the relationships that form in the Mass Effect series are among the best. This specific entry suffers some early installment weirdness as Bioware was figuring this universe out, but the groundwork they laid led to a hell of a space opera that rivals any sci-fi story anywhere.