The Mass Effect trilogy has always been on my list of favourite games to play. With the remastered Mass Effect Legendary Edition, you return to the good ol' days of Bioware's RPG magic. This time, however, with upgraded graphics and gameplay. I've spent over 200 hours with all three games, and it's definitely a worthy purchase you can dig into.
Quick notes
- Available on PS, Xbox, and PC
- Improved graphics and load times (including skippable elevators in the first game)
- No need for multiplayer in ME3
- Almost all DLC included
As far as gameplay goes, the Legendary Edition makes all three games consistent in terms of the user interface (UI). It's a good thing, since you don't go waiting for years between games. This way, you can quickly jump from the first Mass Effect to the last game without having to relearn the UI. The first game gets the most tweaks, from controlling the finicky Mako ground vehicle, to a faster leveling experience (similar to ME2), to enhanced visuals that go up to 4K.
Credits: EA/Bioware
It is impressive how stunning the game looks. You will have to forgive the somewhat stiff facial animations of characters during cutscenes, though. The game feels very much alive, whether you're in a futuristic space fortress, or a dank creepy spaceship. Crew mates salute you on your ship, and alien beings talk to each other as you walk past, giving you tidbits into this fictional universe. The aliens, in particular, feel believable. The boss design of the Mass Effect 2, is striking, especially when you finally meet it at the end.
Mass Effect is all about storytelling, and you can crank up or down the difficulty if you are just in for the plot, or want a challenge. There are plenty of stakes involved, your morality, and sometimes, you have to give things up for the greater good. That said, the story telling in the first and second game is clearly superior. The third game feels more like quick little bits of recaps with your crew from the first two games. Mass Effect 3 can feel like a slog, while the first two play like high-stake adventures.
Retailing at around S$80, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a bargain — the game still feels fresh, you're getting three games for the price of one, and it's replayable if you want to just get all the story bits either playing as a good or somewhat evil hero. Buy it from your usual online platforms such as Shopee or Lazada for your PS4, or head to Origin or Steam for the PC version.
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