Having just recently played through the remastered edition of the Mass Effect trilogy, I can confidently say it’s one of the best action/RPGs of all time.
Mass Effect 1 definitely had, and still has in the new version, severe technical limitations. The combat and the mechanics of game play are a work in progress. I’m sure they improved it this time but the original inventory system was just terrible. That being said, it creates a truly excellent story and setting for a sci-fi epic. It definitely feels like Babylon 5 with the serial numbers rubbed off, but that just means I get to play an epic B5 video game! We’ve got humanity new to joining the stellar community and seeking to gain influence… we’ve got a vast O’Neil cylinder space station where all the races meet that becomes the focal point of the war… we’ve got an ancient advanced species who comes out of hibernation to attack and ‘test’ the younger races… What more could you ask for?
Mass Effect 2 is everyone’s favorite and I’d have to agree. It fixes all the technical problems of the first game to make fun combat and gameplay. It introduces a vast new cast of truly interesting characters you really get to know through their own personal missions. The Illusive Man is a great human adversary. This is also the first game where every little choice you make has a massive effect (wokka wokka) on the ending, determining whether your own characters live or die.
Mass Effect 3 was lambasted when it came out for its anti-climactic ending. They’ve tweaked it a little since then. I think it’s a solid game with a lot of fun levels and I love the story of all out apocalyptic war with the Reapers. It’s great to see all of the galaxy coming together to face this overwhelming threat. The ending is… alright.
Mass Effect Andromeda is fun to play on the surface level but the story and setting is a colossal misstep. It completely ignores the events of the galaxy in the aftermath of the war. It’s just about colonists landing in another galaxy and introducing a bunch of new aliens I never found interesting.
They’re working on a fifth Mass Effect game and here’s hoping it’s a proper follow up to the original trilogy.
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