ME1 has the better story, but is far from a good experience to play on 360 (it's perfect on PC, by comparison). ME2 has the worse story (which is simplistic and very easy to follow, and does not really require any knowledge of ME1 to understand), but is far, far better constructed, making it play brilliantly on 360 and PC.

As to whether a comic can do justice to the first game: I doubt it, but I'm open to being convinced that it provides more than enough to get you going.

Personally, with what I know at the moment, I'd play 1 & 2 on PC first if I wanted the full experience and money was not an issue (all the DLC adds up pretty quickly, after all); I'd only choose 360 if I had no gaming PC and I desperately wanted to play both games. If I just wanted to play ME2 and ME1 didn't interest me (which is not my preference), I'd probably plump for the PS3 version as it gives everything required to get going and also includes all the existing DLC, which is pretty damn good, especially if you wait a little for the price to drop (which will pretty much make it a bargain).

So, for the full experience, go for PC. For a drop-in-and-play experience (i.e.: not caring too much about ME1), go for PS3. It seems 360 is second in both categories, but last in neither.

Bioware says the third one will be the best? With their watering down of ME2 and recently, Dragon Age 2, I somehow doubt this to be true unless you want RPG's that play like action games with little to no depth. If the development continues in this direction, ME3 will be about as RPG deep as Gears of War...

Why, Bioware, whyyyyyyyyyy! At least we have The Witcher 2 to look forward to.

This is interesting.  When did it become accepted "knowledge" that ME was BROKEN on the 360? 

in fact, Metacritic and Game Rankings have ME on 360 HIGHER than the PC version.  Personally, I've played through ME1 three times on my 360 and never experienced "semi-freezing" or "wonky" gameplay.  Sure the long-elevator rides could be a pain in the rear, but I never really had any other problem with this game.

Back to the original topic, I think it's cool that PS3 users get all the DLC (particularly as it appears the game is being priced as a new release), but to suggest that an interactive comic is superior to playing Mass Effect, a ~90% reviewed game?  ridiculous. 

I working on my 14th playthrough of ME1, (It's my 13th on 360), the game is anything but broken. There are certain things I like more about ME1. Although I overall, I consider ME2 the better game. I want a new Sheperd to run through ME2 so, I'm doing another ME1 run. I got ME1 at launch, I was playing it up until ME2 launched. Played it gain after I had ME2, because I wanted to have another adept for ME2. Now I'm playing ME1 again. Combat is far superior in ME2 but your squad mates have more powers and more customization options in ME1.

I 'might' buy Mass Effect 2 on the PS3. I've had this discussion before, I'd ask if I could play Mass Effect 2 without playing Mass Effect 1 and everyone and their grandmother would come out and tell me that I'd significantly reduce my overall experience if I didn't play the first one.

Mass Effect 2 on the PS3 seems like a perfect match up to what I want, which is not to play Mass Effect 1, but still get the opportunity to understand the plot and make a few of the decisions leading into the sequel (it also helps that it's got some DLC thrown in). I'll probably wait until it drops in price, but I'll eventually pick it up and hopefully find out what all the fuss is about.

Different metrics. You can't compare the two. Aggregate reviews cannot be measured against each other like this, especially when different platforms are being compared where expectations are so divergent. Not unless you want a deeply imperfect result, that is.

I've played both PC and 360 ME1 several times (I love the game that much -- the 360 version was my first playthrough this year), and the PC version is many, many times better. I can play ME1 at 1080p at 60fps on my livingroom TV with my PC, for example, and there are no glitches, hitches, or issues. The same cannot be said for 360. At all. Really, the two versions do not compare well. The 360 version, by comparison, is a mess. Indeed, the biggest problem with the PC version is that it holds on to too may console mechanics, such as the utterly terrible inventory system which should really have been reprogrammed for PC. Beyond that, it's hard to have any issues with the PC iteration of the game.

Still, for all it's faults, I still quite enjoyed ME1 on 360.

I'd say it's like jumping into Star Wars starting with "Empire Strikes Back" (the critic's favorite) but reading a synopsis of "A New Hope".  You may not be lost and confused and you'll likely enjoy it very much.  You'll just be missing out on some nuances and characterization.  Hopefully that comic does a hell of a job telling the Mass Effect Story.  That video at the beginning of the ME2 demo barely scratched the surface.

I think he wants to enjoy the story of ME1 (which will be summarized via the interactive comic) and see his decisions in that part affect the story of ME2.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that you're gonna have to make some choices in the interactive comic part. Not sure though.

I working on my 14th playthrough of ME1, (It's my 13th on 360), the game is anything but broken. There are certain things I like more about ME1. Although I overall, I consider ME2 the better game. I want a new Sheperd to run through ME2 so, I'm doing another ME1 run. I got ME1 at launch, I was playing it up until ME2 launched. Played it gain after I had ME2, because I wanted to have another adept for ME2. Now I'm playing ME1 again. Combat is far superior in ME2 but your squad mates have more powers and more customization options in ME1.

If that's the case, I wouldn't hesitate: buy the game and get yourself some ME goodness in your life.