Mass Effect was the most highly anticipated role-playing game of the year. Role-playing gamers thrive on exploration and non-linear storylines, and this game in particular presented them with a slew of life and death choices. With this insight in mind, we created a story wherein the characters have to make the tough decision of saving one planet and letting another perish. Mass Effect also pushed the boundaries of game graphics, and we used the same animation engine for the television spot. This allowed us to express the pain of the decision through subtle facial gestures – without any dialogue at all.