I don't know about tha, before everything that was shown had the same main guy so I didn't know they have that. Does it also allow for a woman character or a non bald space marine type?

From my understanding, Mass Effect allows you to create your character's look. The characters name however will always be Sheperd. I know why they did this, it allows your character to be referenced directly in voice overs. So you yes, you will be able to make Sherperd a woman and alter his appearance from what is seen in the games screen shots.

Sheppard is the characters last name, but you get to name his or her first name.

Maybe its because they were running on a PS3 lol, JK Yeah they do look a little plasticy.

I don't know the deal with these shots but there was already one issue with Mass Effect screenshots, someone released shots that weren't fully optimized or not fully rendered in-game yet, meaning they simply didn't look as good as it would in the actual product. I don't know if this is the same situation, but I can tell you these shots are not on Bioware's website, a site that has plenty of shots, for example this:(and this shot was posted May 10th so it is a recent depiction of the game):

There is also plenty of ingame video footage of how good this game looks, it's insane, it looks amazing. And anyone who doubts that, just try Jade Empire which may very well be the best looking x-box game out there. Bioware is capable of many things and this game with novel already out(I'm currently reading it), promised extra missions for  and a triliogy planned you can safely say this is the beloved baby. It won't be anything short of amazing. 

Go to: http://www.masseffect.bioware.com 

Just give them lightsabers and call it KotOR 3 already. I don't know why people keep freaking out about the graphics of games still in development. Who knows what is happening or why. Maybe the earlier pics were single frames of what they want the game to look like and now the pics are from them trying to get the game to actually look like the original pics (and not blow a $20 million budget in the process).

Since I'm sure someone will miss the no one knows what is happening and the maybe and flip out since early pics were from videos or something I'll add this disclaimer: I don't know what is going on with Mass Effect and I'm not saying that is what happened, just one example to show what I mean.

....Why do I have this sickening feeling that Mass Effect is going to be our Christmas present, and not Q1 as promisted? I think it's pulling an Oblivion on everyone. OB was a 360 launch game, but was then pushed back about 6 months. Fortunately, it was worth it.

 Well we have seen lots of in game footage, and the game is freaking beautifull. It's definately my most anticipated game for the 360, because, as you meantioned, it's totally a KotOR game. I'm playing the first one right now and having the most fun I've had gaming in some time. I can garauntee that Mass Effect will be a masterpiece both to look at and to play.

the quality of this game dropped some... this was one of the games that I even thought was going to be nearly as big as Halo. But... oh well... reality hits. Unreal Tournament 3 FTW!!!!

Is it just me or does it seem to me that the next gen systems keep giving us watered down graphics and losing gameplay or omitting items, Overpromising and under delivering, either that or it has become so competitive that the game companies rush it and forget who made them famous and rich in the first place,.....US GAMERS!