I've been meaning to get into this franchise considering all of the prase and I've done a lot of research on all of the games. I planned on skipping the first and just get Mass Effect 2 for the PS3 but now that step dad has a 360, I figured maybe I should try the first game out since I've heard quite a few people say it's recommended to experience the whole triliogy but I've also heard about all the negatives of the first game.

So, should I skip straight to 2 or give the first game a try first?

If you have the option to play the first one, do it. It really is a great game and you can find it very cheap.

Without playing the first ME, you won't get the full experience of what makes the game stand out: The Characters.  ME characters are by far the best I've interacted with in a game for a while and quite frankly, it's what Bioware does best.  Many of the characters grow on you throughout the series because they've been fleshed out so well.  You could skip it and go straight to 2 with ME: Genesis giving you a background of what happened in ME1 (Leaves some key elements out of ME1 story though).  

Either way, I say you couldn't go wrong jumping into the series at either point. If you want my opinion, I say play the first one as it greatly enhances the experience of ME2 by a large margin. 

If you're more into RPGs than TPS you will likely think that the first is the best in the series.
Definitely play it first, though you're still missing out since you can't export that 360 save to your PS3.

Only negatives are the rather short story (14 hours for me), dull side missions and the outdated TPS shooting mechanics.

Play the first one but instal it to the HDD which makes the game run better.

If you do play the first one, then you'll need to play the whole series on 360 to continue with your character.

Honestly i did the digital comic and then played the second one, and i did not feel lost in the story at all, i have since gone back and played 1 as i thought there would be more to it, but no the digital comic covers it really well.

The first is a good game and worth playing and not very long, but dont get it just because you think you might be missing out on the story cos you wont be.

The first game is very good and definitely worth playing but be prepared to have a few issue with the gameplay elements. Having played Mass Effect 2 first I did struggle with them but eventually you do get used to them. 2 and 3 are easier to get the hang of.

If you can skip 3's ending however...

You should play the first one, ideally all on Xbox if that is actually an option for you

It is a great game and a great introduction to the Mass Effect universe. Having said that, the TPS mechanics are a bit rubbish, but it is more of an RPG than any of the others (though does have a terrible inventory screen)

Why?

A digital comic will replace the 1st game only for those who run and gun all their way through the main campaing. The 1st Mass Effect is rich in exploration and in backside story. The Citadel alone can justify a purchase. Everything in this game sets the tone for the 2nd and the 3rd games. You'll miss a lot, I missed so much the Mako and the Citadel in the 2nd game after I played ME. Anyway if you're not going to play the game and only run through it so you can finish it quickly then don't play it, read the comic.