Mass Effect: First Impressions

The Mass Effect trilogy is an amazing sci-fi adventure and if you have not yet to play it, go buy it right now! Mass Effect Legendary Edition contains all three games with updated gameplay and graphics. It's worth the $60 price tag.

I've attempted to play the original Mass Effect games in 2012, around the time Mass Effect 3 was released. I've watched my uncle played all three games growing up and thought it was about time I gave it a try. I did not have a good time initially. At the age of 12, I couldn't get into the game. I thought it was too dialogue-heavy with words I didn't even understand and there wasn't enough action. After an hour or two, I skipped straight to the second game thinking that it'll intrigue me. I ended being more confused with the "heavy dialogue", but that the gameplay was really fun. Unfortunately, after an hour or two of Mass Effect 2, I gave up on the series.

It is now 2021 and the legendary edition was just released. After approximately 133.4 hours, I can finally say that these games are some of my all-time favorites.

Mass Effect: A Great Start

The 1st Mass Effect is a wonderful first act of the trilogy! It perfectly sets up the world with wonderful characters and a very intriguing narrative. The gameplay might be a bit rough around the edges but is insanely upgraded in the legendary edition of the game. You are Commander Shepard, an N7 turned Spectre and it is your job to stop Saren. Saren's goal and motivation will not be revealed here because it connects to the entire series and it's best for you to experience the story yourself. On your journey, you'll meet a cast of characters whom you will instantly fall in love with, for the most part. Keep in mind, it's possible to be in a romantic relationship with a few of your crewmates, and which one Commander Shepard falls in love with is up to you! Speaking of which, everything you do as Commander Shepard is up to you! You can even influence his/her background to your liking and that influences some of the conversations you will have with some of your crewmates, pedestrians, and adversaries. Mass Effect was amazing for its time but it is with some flaws.

As I stated before, the combat can be a bit stale and... well, old. You can definitely feel its age. I personally enjoy the Mako sections (driving parts) but I can totally understand why a lot of people don't enjoy it as much as I do. Whether you enjoy it or not, I would think it's tolerable and optional, for the most part.

Mass Effect definitely didn't age well for most modern gamers, even if it's fine-tuned in the legendary edition. But it's worth it because the second act of the trilogy knocks it out of the park!

Mass Effect 2: The Best Game in the Trilogy

Mass Effect 2 is a fascinating game that upgraded the combat system and raised the stakes narratively. What makes Mass Effect so unique, like most Bioware games pre-anthem, is the fact that you can take your previous saved game from the 1st Mass Effect and transfer it over to the second game. This means all of the decisions you made, the relationships you built, the appearance of Commander Shepard, transfers into the second game! Literally the best gimmick I've ever seen a game did.

You play as Commander Shepard once again. After being presumed dead after suffocating in the vacuum of space and burning to death, you've been revived by Cerberus, a militia-like group led by the Illusive Man. There have been reports of colonists being abducted and the Illusive Man assigns you to put a stop to it. Without giving too much away, this leads you to do the impossible and go on a suicide mission that could lead to many of your crewmates' deaths. Meaning, if you didn't build a good enough bond with your crewmates or upgrade the Normandy (your ship) with enough firepower, it could cause a lot of important deaths. Oh, and when I mean that important people die, I mean IMPORTANT people die! If you managed to get your hand on Mass Effect 2, be wary!

Long story short, Mass Effect 2 is the best in the series. Can't say much for the third game though.

Mass Effect 3: Epic Conclusion with Big Flaws

Mass Effect 3 is a great game! With amazing gameplay and amazing third acts to the main and side stories. YES. Everything about this game is the third act and it does it in the most epic way. There are these grand-scale battles that will leave you wanting more! Even though it's a great game, I believe it's the weakest in the trilogy.

First of all, the mission tracking is a mess! I just get a bunch of side missions and I don't know who it belongs to. Hell, I find it difficult to find the main mission in that mess. Not to mention you have no idea how to complete that mission unless you're willing to spend a good while flying around in the Milky Way hoping you find the items the mission givers requested. Another downside is the ending. I personally like the endings it offered but the issue I have with it is the lack of meaning. Let me explain. Throughout all three games, you had two options: Paragon and Renegade; aka, good or bad. I expected my Paragon (good) run would pay off with an exclusive to a Paragon Shepard, but it didn't matter. It doesn't matter if you were an asshole or a beacon of hope, you'll end up in the same spot: choosing between three different endings. There's also a series of missions revolving around a clone of Shepard that I thought was extremely stupid with cringy dialogue and ridiculous moments. Other than these three BIG complaints, the gameplay is the best it could ever be and many resolutions are extremely satisfying.

GET IT NOW!

Overall, Mass Effect Legendary Edition has three amazing games that every RPG/Sci-fi fan should get their hands on! If you can, GET THE GAME NOW! It's worth your time and money!

If you're wondering, I played as Female Shepard, my romance option throughout all three games was Liara, my favorite character us Wrex, and I chose the Synthesis ending.