Hi there! My girlfriend and I are playing through the Legendary Edition together with her on the controller, it'll be my first time I've experienced the series in 6 years and the first time for her ever! I am a MASSIVE fan of the series and I have been wanting to introduce the games to her for a long time, alas she wasn't much of a gamer when we first met and it didn't seem fair to throw her into the total grease fire that is the original version of Mass Effect 1, but after 4 years and the release of Mass Effect's full series remaster, we figured it was about time we dove in. Here's our thoughts on Mass Effect 1, starting with my two cents!

The Legendary edition does a great job of correcting areas that were previously repulsively bad, namely planet exploration and combat, and while these aren't necessarily strong parts of the game, they don't drag the game down anymore, allowing players to more freely move through the galaxy without frustration. Don't get me wrong, the game is still old, but there's a lot of great game here and we can see it a bit better now. I was surprised by how slow ME1 starts, but I guess that's the price of setting up a literal galaxy's worth of history for the series. The world building of the game is really stellar and moments in the final chapter totally floored me, however, I wish this kind of hyper fixation on setting up the Mass Effect universe were redirected towards the characters a bit more. I was shocked to find that long time favorites of mine such as Garrus, Tali, and Joker didn't really have a ton going for them in this game? Joker's got... bad legs? Tali is... on a pilgrimage? Garrus is literally just a fucking cop LMAO. I know that future installments do a hell of a lot to enhance these characters but I was kinda bummed that I wasn't immediately hooked on them, which is also a complaint of my girlfriend's. Let's bring her in why don't we?

My girlfriend enjoyed her time with the game, against even her expectations, but did have some notable complaints, she loved getting to meet the alien races but, like me, wishes there was a bit more depth to the individuals. She loved exploring planets but hated the Mako. She enjoyed getting to play a game on an easier difficulty that didn't treat her like a child, but still wished the game was more accessible in regards to clarifying game mechanics such as your morality meters. This last bit was particularly frustrating for her and she specifically mentioned that had I not been there to offer guidance, she doubts she would have continued with the series. It seems ME1 was a bit of a mixed bag for her with a tad more good than bad. That said, she is cautiously excited for Mass Effect 2 and did enjoy her experience overall.

Mass Effect 1 is far from a masterpiece and though the legendary edition has prolonged it's life, the signs of age are totally there. It's obvious to us that Bioware hadn't really figured it all out with Mass Effect 1, but the potential was clearly huge. The socializing on the citadel is a blast, the story missions with 10+ different outcomes still constantly excited us, and there's so much fascinating lore to uncover that of course gamers in 2007 were pumped for what was next. Mass Effect 1 was not and is not perfect, but it's a solid start and a great foundation for what's to come.

Her rating: 3/5
My rating: 3.5/5

Where should I begin? Well, let’s start with the story. You play (Put the first name here) Shepard who is a US Navy Alliance officer and tries to work his/her rank up the galactic ladder. A Turian, named Saren, tries to unleash a supposed extinct alien race that’s older than time itself. Can you stop him in time while uncovering the past? With that out of the way let’s start with the presentation. Mass Effect has some of the best graphics, sound, voice acting, and production values than any game I’ve ever seen next to Gears of War (courtesy of Microsoft’s bank account). The game is packed with tons of extremely detailed textures and models, remarkable never before seen character animations and BioWare’s next-gen dialog engine.


Just like any BioWare game (KotOR, Jade Empire) you decide the fate of the game through your actions with people. You can intimidate them, charm them, or just plain use force. With the dozens of alien races and characters, you’ll encounter there are limitless possibilities. The game has third person gunplay mixed with role-playing elements. You can upgrade your character through an easy to use upgrade menu where you can upgrade tons of stats and attributes. You also have powers that you can use such additionally. Along with you accompanies two other squad members of your choosing and you can give them simple orders. You can hack objects to obtain new weapon upgrades, different types of ammo, and even more armor. There are even a few vehicle sessions as well and this helps mix up gameplay.


You travel around by using the Mass Effect relay system which can shoot you throughout the galaxy. You can travel to worlds to collect different types of resources, complete side mission and more. Now while all this is wonderful the game does have some major issues. The frame rate can never keep up. It’s always skipping and chugging and there’s constant texture pop-up as well. There are also random load times every so often. The game is also very short for BioWare standards ending in about 15-20 hours and with all side missions (about a dozen) maybe 25-30. While there is no co-op or online play the game is still fun and is very cinematic and is a wonderful masterpiece.

When I first played Mass Effect back around 2012, I didn't like it. Playing the game on the 360, I sort of just went through the motions of the main game to an extreme degree; I barely switched out weapons, I never used weapon mods, my class was soldier, so I never really used the biotic abilities. I don't even think I did much side content, only what was mandatory. And as a result, I was frustrated and left a bit confused at why this game in particular was so special to people. The story felt a bit generic, the combat was clunky feeling, the main level design was confusing, the open area exploration wasn't very expansive and felt rather limited. And while all these things remain true even today, I now understand why this game is special.

Although the game starts off fairly generic, the world building to Mass Effect is some of the most interesting I've seen in a sci-fi video game. A lot of the lore is fully fleshed out and realized. It might be a standard with Bioware games, but as my first Bioware game, it's been really refreshing to have a universe this well thought out. The entire universe is gray, full of corrupt politicians and murderous fiends. There's not a lot of those who do good for the right reasons. The high-end buerocracy that comes with politics is at the center, with it's seedy underbelly being exposed and traversed. Your allies are all morally and ethically questionable, with each being fleshed out and feeling fairly down to earth, pun unintended. The tensions between alien races ends up fueling a lot of the conversations, and it all feels very real in a sense.

Some of it can come off as being from the era, where you can see the political conversations in the heads of the writers translate to the one's in universe. But it still works and speaks a fundamental truth to how humans may react to working together with aliens. Though it seems fairly weird that we seemingly eliminated racial tension between each other, but with aliens, all of those lessons go out the window. It's especially weird when races like the Batarians end up being the defacto race where everyone is just a complete asshole, or are doing shitty things. This tends to go against the main crux of the ideal that the game is trying to establish. It's a non-issue for my overall enjoyment though, mostly because despite these discrepancies, the writing is still very well done. The decisions made within the political, socio, and historical landscape in this universe all have weight and purpose — all of which was lost on me when I was a teenager.

Granted, the reason why I thought it was generic was because the main crux of the story, with the decisions you made within said story, tend to be very black and white. There's always a good option and a bad option, and the bad options tend to be comically evil and mean. This also tends to go against what the universe is going for, at least in a paragon playthrough. But for what's there of this system, I still really appreciate. It's simply fun to make decisions that affect how your playthrough goes. I do wish, however, that there were more times where those decisions of always being good or always being bad come back to bite me. It would help ground the world a lot more. This might have messed with the more mass appeal that the series was trying to go for, however. Gameplay wise, if you had had decisions that ended up backfiring later for the player, it might not satisfy them. But I think mechanics like that would make the gameplay and story more engaging for me. I haven't played the sequels yet, so I hope that in those, they try and include more situations like that.

The gameplay, I think, is still a bit clunky, but it's primarily because your character tends to move clunkily. When you run, you can't make any adjusting turns, and navigating the weapon wheel and the abilities wheel can take some getting used to. It is something that you get used to easily, however, and something they've improved upon on the second game from what little I've played. Combat itself is fun, especially when you're utilizing mechanics to their most useful. Using the biotic abilities is fun, sometimes overpowered with some abilities like lift or pull, the sniper in this game has this explosive sound effect that just makes using it feel impactful, along with snipers just being super powerful. The game tends to lean on shotguns and snipers a lot more than pistols or assault rifles. I found myself rarely using the two, and I never really knew why on my first playthrough why I disliked using them so much. It was mostly because, Assasult rifles, especially starting off, have an abysmal accuracy. And because I barely switch out weapons, and because games at this point conditioned me that Assasult rifles were the main weapons of games, I stuck to using that. As a result, my fight against Saren was almost impossible. Without using upgrades, switching out weapons, and using only the healing ability, I somehow managed to take down Saren very slowly by chipping away at his shields for 30 minutes by consistently shooting at him unscoped, and very slowly getting his health down. I thought that this boss fight was one of the worst boss fights I've ever played for a very long time. Playing it now, it's fun. He's not really a push over, and taking him out takes a bit of strategy.

The main planets are a bit of a mixed bag in terms of level design. Sometimes they're fine, fun even. The level where you're infiltrating Saren's base is fairly fun, expansive, and engaging. The beginning level is fine, and the final section, now that I'm playing the Remake version, doesn't run at a low frame rate, and I can appreciate the level much more. However, I think planets like Noveria and Ferros tend to be confusing to navigate. Noveria starts off fine, but reaching the Hot labs, you begin to become lost very easily. A lot of the level tends to be going into different elevators and having to wait to get to the next section. I'm assuming this was done because they weren't able to load in all of these places on a singular plane, or somehow make navigating even worse, but as a result it mean circling around to finding out which place you need to go, or waiting in elevators for a lengthy period of time to reach where you need to go next. Ferros in general tends to have buildings and areas that all run together. It lacks any means to discern a sense of direction. All of this may be a result in having to reuse assets, or just not enough play testing was done on these areas.

The open area exploration on the land rover, is a fun idea. Doing the side missions this time around, there's a lot of fun to be had just exploring a level and seeing what you find. The main problems that with these levels have is that, your rover doesn't exactly control the best, the content that's there is fairly cookie cutter — there's not enough there to make actually exploring these planets very engaging. A lot of it is just reused assets, which is fine for these types of levels, but it would have been nice to find some bases with different variety, other than the same few bases or ships that get recycled. It still feels like there's a way to expand upon these ideas, and it's a little sad that in the sequel, they got rid of them completely. I guess it'd be better to just have a more focused experience, with the ship navigation and planet surveying to be at the forefront. But for what's there, it's like a very basic version of FTL, just in 3D and on the ground. Which I think if there was a game where they took aspects of the ship scenarios from FTL and combined them with these types of open world explorations, it would make a neat gameplay loop. But for what's there, it's fine.

I was wrong about Mass Effect intially. I'm glad I gave it a second chance. It makes me want to go back and play the games I didn't like when I was younger and give them a second chance.

Mass Effect is showing its age but its still a good time.

Combat is mediocre at best, your companions (while some are interesting) flow through the game mostly mute.
The inventory system is the worst I've ever seen and all the gear you find is dull.
Sidequests are trash and thankfully I only did a few this time around.


I liked exploring this world but I wasn't very engaged with any of it, save maybe for Virimire.
It might be because I revisited it after more than a decade and my current experiences clashed with my old ones.

Haven't played the sequels yet but common criticism is that they went from RPG to Action - I don't know of they executed it well but Mass Effect 1 begs to be an action game.

I'm glad I finally beat it and I look forward to the sequels. But it also killed the nostalgia I had for it.

When I first played Mass Effect, something about the game failed to engage me - from the cookie-cutter characters to the clunky controls, I felt I couldn't stick it out to the end, so I quit. But after returning, I soon realised that was a mistake. What this game lacks in those qualities, it makes up for in its mesmerising world and narrative craftsmanship. By the midpoint of the story, it had me absorbed. The game isn't narratively perfect or devoid of cliches, but among a sea of generic sci-fi stories, it's refreshing to see something so well thought out. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

At its best, Mass Effect feels like living through a season of a Star Trek-like show: you get to experience an exciting story with a well-written and diverse group of characters, all the while making choices that impact the direction of the narrative. It's a very memorable experience that feels like it takes the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book formula to the next level.
On the other hand, the combat is dreadfully boring, and made worse by the PowerPointesque framerates on the Xbox 360 version. I don't remember enjoying a single fight in this game. I spent as little time playing around with my stats in this game as I could--anything to get back to the story and away from the combat. And the Mako is possibly the worst vehicle in a big-budget game that I have ever experience. Nothing can prepare you for the awfulness that is driving the Mako.
I highly recommend this game if you like Sci-Fi, but (unless there are issues I don't know about) I would recommend playing the Remastered version on PC to avoid the framerate issues.
Also, this game has a lot of loading screens. Bring a book.

(Thoughts Based on Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, PS4 version. Originally played on PC.)
It's been a while since playing the trilogy and I had forgotten how decent the first game plays. Sure, the Mako missions take forever and is wonky to control. The overheating is pretty annoying during the first third of the game. The story could use some flair, too. Despite all that it is still impactful when it needs to be. The dialogue between Shephard and crew is fun between missions, and the choices you make have weight. In terms of the 2021 re-release, it's practically untouched other than the noticeable upscaling and visual lighting. The same bugs still exist on here, which is really funny. Of course all the DLC is included which makes the trilogy collection worth the price.

Mass Effect is a critically acclaimed and beloved video game franchise that has captivated millions of players since its initial release in 2007. The series is known for its captivating storytelling, immersive world-building, and engaging gameplay mechanics.

The Mass Effect series is set in a vast, sci-fi universe where players take on the role of Commander Shepard, a human hero tasked with saving the galaxy from a range of threats. The series is famous for its branching narrative paths, which allow players to make choices that impact the game's story and ending.

One of the most notable aspects of Mass Effect is its incredible attention to detail in crafting its universe. From the different alien species that inhabit the galaxy to the intricate politics and conflicts between various factions, every aspect of the game feels deeply thought-out and engaging. The series also boasts some of the most memorable and well-written characters in gaming history, with players forming deep emotional connections to their squadmates and other supporting cast members.

In terms of gameplay, Mass Effect is a third-person shooter with RPG elements. Players can customize their character's abilities, weapons, and equipment, and engage in tactical combat against a variety of enemies. The game's combat system is dynamic and challenging, requiring players to make strategic decisions based on their surroundings and the enemies they face.

Overall, Mass Effect is a masterpiece of gaming that offers a deeply immersive and rewarding experience. Its engaging storytelling, memorable characters, and thrilling gameplay make it a must-play for any fan of sci-fi or gaming in general. Whether you're a newcomer or a longtime fan, the Mass Effect series is an experience that should not be missed.

This game was a hot mess, but I beat it 11 times even before the remaster, so that should tell you how enamored I was with its sci-fi world and charming characters back in the late 00's.

I was already a die-hard BioWare fan, with Neverwinter Nights being one of my first games period, Knights of the Old Republic blew my elementary schooler mind, and Jade Empire was fascinating. (Eventually I got to Baldur's Gate as well, but I was terrible at it) So really, it was inevitable that I'd blow past all the janky TPS gameplay to get to the stuff I was really looking forward to from a BioWare title: the dialogue and RPG bits.

I was not disappointed. The game was pack full of interesting details and fun drama. Even 13 years later and after writing and publishing a novel, I'm still incredibly impressed by how well BioWare set up their world. I'm definitely more critical of the writing than I was before, though, but I still appreciate a lot of that.

It used to be with the community that new players were ushered right to ME2 once that came out, I always took issue with that because ME1 is really where the foundation of the story is laid. Thankfully, now the remaster exists and it's smoothed over enough of the rough edges that I don't think any self-respecting sci-fi can weasel their way out of it.

Play Mass Effect. It's not long (for an RPG).

Humanity stands on the edge of galactic politics, begging for a seat at the table as a rogue agent, acting with impunity seeds events in the hopes of eliminating all life in the galaxy. One man/woman, Commander Shepard, acting as the beacon of humanity's virtues, must rise up and assemble a team of the galaxy's finest heroes to not only ensure that mankind has a seat at the table, but that there is a table left to sit at.

Mass Effect, Bioware's second attempt at forging a new universe to play in after 2005's Jade Empire, is space drama at both its finest and its stiffest. It works quickly to establish the stakes, as well as socio-political attitudes that run throughout its alien cultures and societal structures. In ways that I can only describe as Star Trek: Enterprise-esque, it moves incredibly quick establishes humanity as a young, hungry player in the game of alien politics, and even quicker in setting the premise that Shepard is only one who stands a chance at seeking peace. This pacing and constant forward momentum in both gameplay and worldbuilding is perhaps Mass Effect's strongest defense against fifteen years of reflection. By the time the game ends, you have a good sense of who the major players are, how they view each other, and more importantly how they view you and your choices. It works.

What maybe doesn’t work so well is....everything else. Mass Effect is a third person shooter that feels like its mechanics are attached together using space duct tape. You're given a choice of classes that determine what weapons and armor you can specialize in, as well as what types of unique abilities you are allotted, in typical RPG fashion. These choices immediately restrict, or focuses perhaps, your path through the game's onslaught of stiff, sometimes unresponsive enemies. I chose a character in this playthrough that specialized in biotic powers and pistols....and that's all my skill tree allowed me to work on. It's fine, but it does not breed much in the way of creativity; it is design by restriction; Shepard is one kind of soldier. No more, no less. In a game with more responsive controls and abilities, this might work better; I quickly found that quite a few of my abilities were absolutely useless in combat and did not particularly enjoy that I had no other options I could invest in to spice things up.

The limitations in combat choices are also exacerbated by its combat encounters, which ultimately boil down to groups of the same enemies over and over again, always acting stiffly and inconsistently as antagonists to Shepard. They consistently walk themselves into danger and charge out into the open; they REALLY like standing still. Occasionally, you will run into some enemies that bounce around like they're teleporting, but even on Insanity difficulty they mostly end up feeling like nuisances instead of threatening enemies. You can pretty much muscle your way through each encounter without using the game's clunky cover mechanics because of how enemies interact with you and their environment. To make matters worse, the shooting just does not feel all that great. Aiming sort of drifts around, and although I am quite adept at working with it, I can acknowledge that is often imprecise. These developers crafted wonderfully responsive systems that allowed us to engage with D&D rule sets; their expertise does not translate as well to 3rd person shooting. Or vehicle movement; all I have to say about the Mako is, "lmao."

And yet....I continue to be compelled by the original Mass Effect. Its dialogue and animations are stiff, but its world feels big and interesting. It's shooting and encounter design is borderline broken, but I absolutely thrive in it. This particular quest to save the galaxy is one that is near and dear to my heart. It is an uneven quest, but it is one where to this player the sum of its parts is greater than each individual piece.

Mass Effect 1 is a game I enjoyed a lot. It is probably my favorite Sci-Fi setting, and I really like the main story, the lore and the world building.

But, even thought the main quest missions and the combat gameplay are great, the side content is really lacking. There are tons of side quests, but they're all and the same. I can probably count on my fingers the number of side quests that are actually worth doing.

Even with these shortcomings, I still really like the main story missions and the characters. The climax of this game is one of my favorites, just epic.