Mass Effect - Legendary Edition (Mass Effect 1 / Mass Effect 2 / Mass Effect 3)
Tags: Sci-Fi RPG, Choices Matter, Multiple Endings, Third-Person Shooter, Cinematic (ME2 / ME3)
Brief Summary
2183 CE.
Humanity has discovered that it’s not alone in the galaxy, and has made a headway into integrating themselves into the galactic community. The Milky Way basks in a tenous peacetime. Yet, out of sight and just out of reach, an age-old, cataclysmic threat lingers in the hidden depths of dark space. Only one soldier has seen the visions and knows they’re coming.
Mass Effect centers on Commander Shepard, a soldier of humanity’s Systems Alliance, and their fight against a mythical, larger-than-life threat to the entire galaxy. The journey is long and ardous, the path runs through hell and back, and the odds are almost impossible.
You’ve a small ship, a loyal crew, and a little bit of luck on your side.
Go save the galaxy.
Blatant Bias
Bluntly, the Mass Effect series is up on my list of favorite games of all time.
It’s been 10+ years since I first touched Mass Effect (I still remember that that lil’ internet café in Malaysia, rebranded several times by now), and I’ve replayed the game(s) so many times I’ve lost count.
The trilogy-spanning lore and continuity is great; not as flawless or as deep as other fantasy series, but nonetheless still meaningful. Gameplay from ME2 and ME3 vastly improves from prior games, is impactful and engaging. But what reels me in, every single playthrough, are the companions. That inspiring loyalty and heartwarming camaraderie between Commander Shepard and their crew. Gotta play it – gotta play all three games – to experience it and understand it.
I have favorite characters, but so do others, and I’m not here to fight tooth and nail over headcanons discuss favorites.
Just know there’s 10+ years’ worth of bias and nostalgia clouding my opinions.
Gameplay Impressions
Mass Effect 1 (First Released: 2007): World Exploration
- Graphics mostly have a dull sheen, or a clay-like texture to them. The majority of human faces look like ass.
- Story consequences are primarily centered on Shepard’s reputation-check choices.
- Total time is split about 20% for main missions, and 80% for side missions.
- Companions’ influences over the ME1 storyline is minimal, though some can die permanently.
- Ease of combat is mainly dictated by gear and weapons, less so by powers and strategy.
- Classes have specific skillsets and gear / weapon restrictions.
- Skills are a balance of active combat powers, passive bonuses, and passive exploration checks (e.g. Electronics, Decryption).
- Minigames to unlock containers / doors can be tedious. Omni-gel can bypass most of the locks.
- World exploration and hunting for collectibles can be tedious for completionists.
- The Mako is slow as molasses and has garbage-tier maneuverability.
- Boosting and sprinting is limited by a stamina gauge.
Mass Effect 2 (First Released: 2010): Action-Adventure
- Vast improvement in textures compared to ME1. Human faces look less like ass.
- Story consequences are primarily centered on Shepard’s reputation-check choices, as well as choices carried over from ME1’s main / side missions.
- Total time is split about 25% for main missions, 50% for companion missions, and 25% for side missions and DLCs.
- Shadow Broker DLC is the most satisfying mission in ME2 (IMO). It goes into depth regarding a certain companion’s adventures, motivations, and significant character development between ME1 and ME2.
- Companions have more unique dialogue and more influence over the ME2 storyline. All companions are at risk of dying permanently, if certain conditions aren’t met.
- Combat is more reliant on powers, strategy, and covers.
- Inventory system has been discarded for a fixed selection of gear, weapons, and passive upgrades. Certain weapons have unique combat mechanics.
- Classes have specific skillsets and weapon restrictions.
- Skills are mostly active combat powers, with some passive bonuses. Passive exploration checks have been discarded.
- Minigames to unlock containers / doors are less tedious than ME1’s, but can no longer be bypassed.
- World exploration has been discarded. Collectible-hunting has been replaced by hunting for research upgrades / new weapons.
- The Hammerhead has decent speed and maneuverability, but paper-thin durability.
- Boosting and sprinting is limited by a stamina gauge.
Mass Effect 3 (First Released: 2012): Action-Adventure
- Some improvement in textures compared to ME2. Human faces look less like ass. Human hands look like untextured blocks of ass.
- Story consequences are primarily centered on Shepard’s reputation-check choices, as well as choices carried over from ME1 and ME2’s main missions. Many side missions or character reappearances are influenced by choices carried over from ME1 / ME2’s side missions.
- Game endings are influenced by War Assets, accumulated throughout ME3, but the availability of which is influenced by choices carried over from ME1 and ME2.
- Total time is split about 45% for main missions, 55% for side missions and DLCs.
- Citadel DLC is satisfying for sentimental players. Good mix of lighthearted, comedic, and heartwarming content with Shepard’s companions.
- Extended Cut DLC adds a tad more content to the endgame mission, but doesn’t change the any of the ending outcomes.
- Companions do not have individual loyalty missions, but retain unique dialogue. Companion reappearances are dictated by their survival from ME1 / ME2. A minimum of 3 companions will always accompany Commander Shepard until the end of ME3.
- Combat is more reliant on powers, strategy, and covers.
- Retains and expands upon ME2’s fixed selection of gear, weapons, passive upgrades, as well as new weapon mods. Certain weapons continue to have unique combat mechanics.
- Classes have specific skillsets. Weapon restrictions have been discarded.
- Skills are mostly active combat powers, with some passive bonuses.
- No passive exploration checks, no minigames to unlock containers / doors.
- No world exploration. Retains ME2’s hunting for research upgrades / new weapons, as well as new weapon mods.
- No ground vehicles to drive.
- Sprinting is unlimited, no longer limited by a stamina gauge.
Legendary Edition vs. Legacy Games
AFAIK, Legendary Edition was only a graphical overhaul, and “overhaul” is a bit of an exaggeration. A few tiny HUD tweaks here, a swapped model there, but overall, I hardly noticed any visual improvements during the actual gameplay. Then again, I’m only playing at 1920 x 1080 / 2560 x 1440 (before / after the main monitor swap 
). I hear the visual overhaul is more impressive on 4K screens. 
Humans still look like ass in Legendary Edition’s ME1, though. 
Most of the bugs and annoyances that were present in the original releases for all three games were also present in the Legendary Edition.
-
[ME1 / ME2] The infamous Conrad Verner bug.
- An unofficial mod exists to fix and restore Conrad Verner’s content.
- Players may also opt to settle for ME3’s in-game explanation and dismissal of said bug.
- [ME1 / ME2 / ME3] Shepard equipping the M-8 Avenger / M-3 Predator in cutscenes, rather than their loadout weapons.
- [ME1] Can’t save the game near doors or in elevators.
- [ME1] Mako still controls like a brick. Takes a bit of button-mashing to upright the vehicle if it’s been flipped over.
- [ME1] Getting locked out of the Armistan Banes side mission if Admiral Kohaku leaves the Citadel.
- [ME3] Spoken dialogue abruptly being cut off. Subtitles show the full dialogue line.
- [ME3] (PC Only) Swivelling monitors in Liara’s cabin that track Shepard’s rotational direction.
- [ME3] Shepard and Liara’s heads tracking Glyph in a certain dialogue.
- [ME3] Unskippable Starchild dialogue. Ugh.
And, while not specifically a bug, there’s been zero changes to companion and enemy AI. Especially noticeable in ME1.
On a more positive note, the Legendary Edition is by far a better deal compared to purchasing every Mass Effect game and their DLCs individually. For $29.99 (oft-discounted price), all three games are included, as well as almost all their DLCs – save for Mass Effect 1’s Pinnacle Station (though there exists an unofficial mod that restores that content).
Closing Comments
IMO, ME3 > ME2 > ME1.
While ME2 was immensely game-changing, especially compared to ME1, I’m a larger fan of ME3’s crew (Liara, Garrus, Tali, EDI) and more fluid combat.
Playing through the entire series has always been worth it to reach ME3.
If the Mass Effect series isn’t already in your collection, I’d highly recommend getting the Legendary Edition. If the Legacy (OG) games are already there, though, I’d recommend against it; there’s no additional content you’re missing out, not even many bug fixes, and only some minor graphical tweaks.
Only Complaint about ME3
Javik is a such a broken record, whiny bitch, and Debbie Downer.
Hey, I get it. Last of your race n’ all. Wake up 50,000 years later into a new galaxy.
Just. Shut.
I don’t want to hear another damn breath about “back in my cycle,” or us being “primitive aliens,” or “war, war, war,” or your technophobic / xenophobic views on “the machines,” or whatever other atrocities your people committed that I’m supposed to be impressed by.
Who’s actually doing shit to kick the Reapers out from this galaxy?
That’s right, the primitives.
Not your 50,000-year long-dead empire.
the up fuck.