No..Just no.

So because Mass Effect will have games that follow seperate story lines within the same universe it's the same as a game that has thematical links but completely seperate universes?

No.

No mainline Final Fantasy game is a third person shooter with RPG elements.

Wow a bit trolling about ME aren't ya?

it really isn't, I think they are both very good RPGs, but otherwise, they are different in every way

also, Mass Effect can't really become a super series like Final Fantasy has become because of how the story continues with each iteration, they pretty much rewrite everything with each new Final Fantasy

A series that began great, and is now rotting?

They are going to rewrite ME 4, because Shepard isn't in it. Space is infinite and there is room for other story's. It will still be a trilogy. FF could become a trilogy XIII, XIII-2, XIII-3. Just to reduce development costs.

XIII = Lightning
XIII = Sara
XIII-3 = Sara & Lightning

Mass Effect & Final Fantasy are the same because of this: There will be more after the third installment.

I'm just finishing Final Fantasy X, and I'm about to start Mass Effect 1.

Are you telling me that somewhere down the line there will be a Mass Effect 10?

Yep, it's a universe that will live on forever.

Yeah but looking at Bioware efforts recently it'll be rather new Need for Speed not FF ;)