It has been over a decade since legendary RPG developer BioWare released Mass Effect to much fanfare. The original was hailed as one of the best sci-fi role-playing games of all time, and for good reason. With an engaging and highly-customizable combat system (that may or may not have aged particularly well), an intricate web of dialogue and choices, and a vast galaxy to explore, there was a lot to praise. The sequel better expanded upon this by improving the combat tenfold, introducing a new compelling cast of characters and increasing its cinematic appeal. It may have limited the exploration aspect, but it was a worthy trade-off. Then Mass Effect 3 was published at the end of the Xbox 360’s life cycle, coming under fire due to its somewhat linear approach to its ending, a dramatic change from what we’ve come to expect from the formula, but it still embraced its roots as an action RPG. Being one of the greatest video game trilogies of all time, it took Electronic Arts far too long time to rerelease these games, especially considering we’ve been in an age of HD remaster nostalgia for the last eight years, but the wait was more than worth it.
What makes Mass Effect so special is its story. You could argue the gameplay has improved so significantly from its initial inception that combat is also a compelling factor, but the biggest draw is without doubt the massively branched plot with its arsenal of fascinating characters and their strong character development, all of which propel the campaign to exciting heights. The story takes place in the distant future where humanity has discovered aliens and slowly became welcomed into their community, even to the point where they’re considered for the intergalactic council that rules over everything. You play as Commander Shepard with a chosen backstory, given name and skillset; you can be a standard soldier or an enhanced Biotic with superhuman abilities. You’ll be finding and recruiting various beings from across galaxy in an attempt to stop the looming destruction of all life as we know it. It’s your traditional “save the world galaxy” type of general plot.
If you’re looking for a good role-playing story, then Mass Effect is it. There’s so much to the vast lore and your decisions have significant ramifications not only in their own games, but moving into the sequels. You could argue that the antagonists peak in the first game with Saren, but you’ll quickly forget about this because of how captivating everyone else is, and this is only supported by the amount of voice talent BioWare has brought on, such as Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man, Seth Green as Normady’s wise cracking pilot Joker, and Keith David as Captain Anderson, just to name a few. You will feel immersed within this vast world and will never want to get out, as while there are still those who dislike the binary ending choices, it’s about the journey along the way that makes this one of the most memorable video game experiences of all time.
In terms of gameplay, there hasn’t been a massive overhaul within the original releases. There have been smaller elements implemented to make the first game’s combat enjoyable and more playable than ever before, but mechanically, BioWare has kept the feel of jank intact, for better or for worse. Mass Effect’s UI has been improved to be more streamlined and closer in line with what was implemented in the sequels, but outside of that, the combat still feels like it’s an afterthought to the rest of the experience – yet surprisingly challenging. The sequels eased up on that, with a stronger focus on the gameplay aspect, giving you far more abilities at your disposal, and a more responsive toolset that flows better. Because of that, Mass Effect does still feel far less enjoyable to play than its successors, even though the story and interactions are what drive it. We did run into a number of bugs throughout our playthrough of the first game, such as subtitles randomly appearing when the setting is turned off (although rare), squad mates holding nothing instead of their weapons during scenes, and the skill tree blending in with another character when swapping between them. Thankfully, these don’t entirely detract from the impressive work that went into reimagining the world of Mass Effect for a new generation.
The biggest change to the visuals without doubt comes from the first Mass Effect. The developers have reworked the entire game’s visual appeal, slathering on a new coat of paint and reworking lighting, even though it not always works. While texture work has been magnificently done, the lighting changes leave certain areas less atmospheric. I’m not talking about stuff like Eden Prime, but other environments where some of the ambience and style seems somewhat stripped away from what it was before. It’s not necessarily bad, but less impressive than it once was back in the day. Animations also remain the same, meaning you’ll be watching what looks like enemy combatants sliding across the battlefield at times, and some awkward cover mechanics. Those with nostalgia-tinted glasses will remember this game looking just like this back in the day, but this is a massive upgrade that runs magnificently.
While the first game’s graphics have been given entirely rebuilt, the second and third Mass Effects also have received numerous visual upgrades, although not as groundbreaking. These range from textures being significantly more detailed to completely new character models. Unfortunately, some of these are not great changes. For example, beloved Kelly Chambers has had her model changed dramatically. She has a certain charm and flair to her design, but now looks like a generic NPC. Fortunately, most of the game has remained the same with maybe some minor adjustments here and there. Overall, though, with the exception of some questionable decisions, the visuals are spectacular and go beyond what we had hoped for.
Closing Comments:
Mass Effect Legendary Edition brings back one of the best sci-fi trilogies in the best way possible. The original game has been reworked visually and mechanically to be far more playable in 2021, even though it’s still less than ideal when it comes to combat, especially moving onto the sequels. The second and third Mass Effects don’t receive as major an enhancement to their quality of life, but what they do receive is visual clarity. The game runs magnificently on current and last-generation consoles, not to mention load times are insignificant now and the graphical touches that have been instituted only help to enhance the experience. There’s nothing quite like Mass Effect out there, and having upwards of 300 hours worth of content readily available is an immense value that goes unmatched. It may have taken longer than we had expected to come out, but we finally got a remaster that’s does the franchise proud.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Reviewed on PlayStation 4
