Thirteen years after starting Mass Effect, I finally finished Mass Effect 3! To be fair, I did restart in 2020, so this series playthrough was really only 3 years.

KotOR and DA:O were both big, big events in my gaming life, and I always considered myself a Bioware fan. I feel like this trilogy is their most ambitious effort yet and the hard work put in is apparent. There are countless locations to visit, aliens to talk to and aliens to shoot. The voice cast has some serious heavy hitters, and the branching, choice-driven plot lines have an impressive amount of interaction and mostly resolve satisfactorily.

The most obvious influences are Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica (particularly the reboot which came out just a few years before). There's a hint of Star Wars as well, although quite a bit less than I expected. It's all weaved together into a space opera of epic scope that leans heavily into Bioware's strengths.

But... none of it really landed for me. Right out of the gate, the opening moments of the first game are a firehose of worldbuilding minutia. It's what I call "top-down" game writing: they've built a massive, exhaustively detailed universe to set these games in and showing off every bit of that universe seems to be the driving force behind the whole endeavor, at the expense of every other part of storytelling. It's like if the opening text crawl at the beginning of Star Wars was 12 hours long.

Codex entries, expositional dialogue, codex entries, PDAs, codex entries, computer consoles and oh did I mention codex entries? This game is obsessed with its own lore and I was drowning in proper nouns before I even left my ship. There's a reason all the alien races in Star Trek are stereotypes. When you only have 43 minutes to tell a story it's helpful to say "Ferengi are greedy and Klingons are brave; now you know the backstory." Star Wars doesn't even bother to tell you anything about its species at all, for the most part, and still managed to showcase some of the most memorable aliens in all of pop sci fi. When you're blasting me with the entire history of several alien races before I've even, like, made a friend in this game it makes it hard to connect and I basically lost traction on the story immediately.

It's different with Dragon Age, because there you've at least got familiar fantasy tropes to lean on. I can walk into a room in any game and pick out the dwarves, elves and halflings. Mass Effect, though, is starting from scratch and needs to do a lot of foundation-setting. Nier: Replicant is in a very similar situation where it's just tripping over itself to tell you about all the nifty ideas it has, but it cleverly gives you a sick little sister at the beginning of the game. I think if Mass Effect had followed suit and offered up something tangible and relatable to care about early on, then sprinkled in the worldbuilding with a little more restraint, it would have given me something to care about, to ground me in the world (or at least something to cling to during those endless lore dumps).

All the actual characters I interacted with felt like plot contrivances who are there just to drive the plot along and throw more high-detail, low-impact information at you. The main cast of each game, your crewmates who can accompany you on missions, get a little bit more development (particularly the ones who show up in all three games), but it's cursory and predictable, rigidly following the formula established in KotOR. Each character has a friendship quest that tells you a little about their backstory and ends with them overcoming whatever misgivings they had about you. That's pretty much it. I think some of them might have romance options; I made a half-hearted attempt at following one of these tracks but nothing came of it. Sometimes the NPCs will interact with each other in inconsequential ways, but it never feels like they have real relationships.

Meanwhile your own character is a complete blank slate with no personality whatsoever. I played as the dark side option which they call "renegade" in this series. It's a weird mishmash of being indecorous in polite company, genocide, sexually harassing your employees, pragmatic murder, and just generally being a dick to your friends. For some reason, doing these things makes your eyes glow orange, which is never remarked upon. Through all of this, though, your character is a total empty suit with no apparent motivation other than "beat the game." There is no character development because your character simply has no personality traits. The avatar emotes occasionally in dialog, but I think because the personality needs to fit with all the disparate narrative branches, they're precluded from making strong choices and my boy ended up with all the depth and charm of a styrofoam wig head.

And then there's the villains. I'm sorry Martin Sheen you really did try your best but the villains of Mass Effect were far and away the weakest element for me. Sheen is just, basically Snidely Whiplash. At the tail end of the third game he has a couple sentences where he tries to justify his cartoonish evilness but it doesn't help. There's a... I want to say cyborg ninja? He's the Darth Maul of this game; he comes out of nowhere, he seems to be designed with edgy tweens in mind and when he's gone it's like "wait, who was that again?" And finally, there's the big bads: an unstoppable force of killer robots who want to wipe out all organic life in the universe. A reason is given for this but I found it unconvincing. Oh yeah and to top it all off they're called... THE REAPERS.

So the entire trilogy of games now has the Fallout 4 problem. Every little side quest and diversion is now distracting you from killer robots trying to destroy all life in the universe. Once you introduce a plot point like that, a few things happen. One is that all the moral choices in the game immediately lose all their weight. Anything, literally anything, is justifiable when the alternative is everything in the universe dies. Another is that I really can't be arsed with all your interminable worldbuilding, I'm sorry. I'm not gonna sit here and read the 50th codex entry about how the Volus feel about the Quarians when you've already established, in the most explicit terms, that none of it matters. I'm not gonna poke through every room in my giant spaceship trying to have feelings time with my crewmates when doing so is delaying me from saving all life in the universe.

There's an entire quest line (I think it's a DLC) where your crew takes a break from their jobs and goes on vacation. Now, this is great for some tonal texture; I think it's awesome that they weren't just throwing us into battle after battle and it was nice to hear some of the characters telling some jokes for a change. But the whole time I'm, like, picking out party music in my fancy apartment at the back of my mind is always "uhhh... universe-ending robots...?"

Besides all of that, I felt like THE REAPERS really hobble the writing. There's only so seriously you can take a story with THE REAPERS. Like, you could have some genuinely touching moments that really tug on the heartstrings (and in spite of everything they do pull out a few of these throughout the trilogy), but whatever nuance or thoughtful mood you managed to evoke evaporates as soon as it's like "Welp, back to THE REAPERS." It's not just a dumb name (but it is a very, very dumb name), it's also just such a flat and childish concept, like something out of a Saturday morning cartoon.

None of this is really helped by the technology limitations. There's a whole shooting part of this game that clearly got a lot of dev attention and as a result the lengthy conversation sections are pretty badly neglected. There are dozens of hours of dialogue that are just the camera cutting between two mannequins moving their jaws up and down. Quality voice acting goes a long way but considering how long you spend in conversation in this game, I really needed a little more stimulation. It made me wonder what this game would be like if they cut out combat entirely and focused completely on the characters and politics, maybe as a visual novel or something.

And yeah, I don't think the combat really added anything to this game. Like the conversation sections, I found it to be pretty half-baked in all three titles. All the pieces are there to make a compelling cover shooter, but they never cohere into a whole that I really enjoyed playing. I mostly played on Hard, adjusting the difficulty down when I'd hit one of the occasional sharp spikes in difficulty. This presented an acceptable level of challenge, with the enemies being much more aggressive, but they also felt really spongey. On Normal difficulty, they were way too squishy and would mostly just sit there. I found myself longing for an in-between option.

It's possible that option was there if I had engaged a little deeper with the customization. The powers, outfits and guns just didn't seem very impactful and nothing drove me to interact with those systems. Long before the end of each game I had maxed out all of my guy's stats. I think at the end of the third game I had like 20 surplus ability points with nothing to spend them on? Every new weapon I tried didn't really seem to change anything about the moment to moment combat, so pretty early on in each game I found a gun I liked and never changed it. Except for the occasional mission where the enemies simply dropped no ammo for some reason? I'm pretty sure this was a bug since it didn't feel like a design choice, but there were a handful of missions where all I could do was deplete my guns one by one until I was stuck running around giving aliens the elbow of death.

It goes without saying that the big brains over at Bioware know a lot more than I do about video game control schemes. But I never could shake the feeling that the button assignments in Mass Effect are a cut and dried mistake. Reload, which I think they could have done without, gets its own face button. Melee attack, which you basically never use, gets a button. Meanwhile, enter cover, exit cover, transfer cover, mantle over cover, dodge roll, pick up an item, interact with an object, open a door and sprint are all assigned to the same button; the game tries to intuit your intention based on contexts like how close you are to cover and what direction you're facing. It could be a skill issue I guess, but I found this overloading of a single button to be a huge problem. I was constantly, constantly diving away from cover when I meant to enter it, or entering cover facing the wrong direction, or entering cover when I meant to be running away.

Even when I was successfully controlling my boy, the combat felt really static and repetitive. There were a few notable exceptions throughout the trilogy, but my memory is that most of the environments were just not very well suited to a cover shooter. Too many of the battlefields were, essentially, hallways, with no real opportunities for flanking or other positional maneuvers.

Cover is also pretty "soft" in these titles as well; usually even when an enemy is fully ducked behind a solid obstruction, you can still manage to shoot them. The enemies' flushing options are also sparse; up until some elite mobs near the end of the game all the rushers are super weak and move in predictable patterns, and I found the grenades to be trivially easy to dodge. My favorite flushers were the invisible guys; they actually got the drop on me a few times and forced some dynamic improvisation that reminded me that cover shooting can really be fun even if it's not as tight as something like Gears or The Division. Most of the time, though, I found myself just dodge-rolling between two safe pieces of cover whenever a grenade came my way, and plinking from a distance until everything was dead.

There were exceptions, of course. A handful of the big, plot-important set pieces were really nicely made, with strategic sightlines, multiple flanking paths and exploitable choke points. Also a lot of really sexy skyboxes in the more epic outdoor battles. It's very apparent that when all the studio's resources were brought to bear, they could really pull together something special.

Unfortunately most of the game takes place in cramped corridors that all kinda look the same. What is it with these games and 45-degree walls? Every planet, every space station, no matter what culture you're in, has these 45 degree ceiling/wall/floor sections. I guess they decided this is what "futuristic" looks like. Another design quirk that threw me off a lot was that everything looks like Star Trek-style far, far future. But the game only takes place like 150 years from now. It felt discordant and given the way the game blasts you with lore, I think it would have been nice to see some more grounded... well anything really. Architecture, clothes, vehicles, music, plot points... anything to help me relate more to this world.

I feel like I'm kind of dumping on these games but I do think they're well made. The ambition on display here is noteworthy and I think it's laudable to take big swings. For me it fell short of that ambition, but they found enough high notes to keep me coming back and I think they basically pulled it off. At the end of the day it's a singular work that, whether boldly or foolishly, tries to tell a story at a scope that few other games will even try to match. I didn't love these games, but I am glad to have experienced them.

I only played ME1, so the following is only about that.

I get the point for people who own PS4, but not PS3, so this is the only way for them to play, but from the perspective of a PC player, this is yet another pointless remaster and a terrible port.

Options are hidden behind Extras for some reason, almost like the devs are ashamed of how few options they provide you this time around. Not like the original had a lot of them, but this one is laughable. Regarding graphics, you can only basically change the resolution and enable/disable a few effects, that's it. And of course the graphics now look nothing like the original. I, for one, liked the original's graphics and didn't want them changed beyond recognition without even an option to switch to the old ones. It's funny how most people will say the most vile shit about George Lucas for adding a few CGI effects (mostly for sensible story reasons) in the original Star Wars trilogy, but are perfectly fine with a complete and pointless overhaul when it comes to video games.

The gameplay has been changed too. Seems like it's more like the sequels now, which might be an improvement to some. But as someone who has only properly played the first game, I don't want it to be Mass Effect 2. I want it to be Mass Effect 1. I assume the reason for making Use and Sprint the same action is that ME2 and 3 did that, but it's so counter-intuitive. On PC Shift has been the standard for Sprint, and E or F has been the standard for Use. With this game making them the same action, binding it to either of these buttons feels very inconvenient and kinda affects the whole game.

And it's not like having a slightly alternate version of the game is a bad thing. But not when it's like 3 times the size and has much higher system requirements. I'll stick to the original version, thank you very much.

As flawed as Mass Effect 1 was, at least it had a personality, which is kinda destroyed with this "remaster", which should really be called a remake, because it's not the same game.

It took me three games and hundreds of hours to finally tap into the magic of Mass Effect, and I'm so happy that I'm finally here.

The third installment stands as a triumph in the trilogy, merging the best elements of its predecessors while surpassing the second game in many areas. It boasts better gunplay, more mature writing, featuring characters who interact with each other in meaningful ways, all presented in a prettier package. I love the funny but sometimes creepy quips from crewmates, and most welcomingly, homosexuality is finally legal in the Citadel. The base game is action-packed and had me hooked from the start, while the DLCs expanded on various gameplay styles and added so much breadth to the galactic lore.

The game is a masterclass of character building, I found myself growing to love every crew member, even those I previously hadn't cared for. The offshore activities provided some of the most memorable moments throughout the trilogy. Massive kudos to all the voice actors for delivering stellar performances and bringing these characters to life (with the exception of male Shepard, although his portrayal remains inoffensive).

However, my critique lies in the narrative direction and thematic coherence. It feels as though the game imposes a different meaning onto the story, failing to recognize the thematic groundwork laid out in the previous two games. The resolution of the storyline, centered around the incompatibility of organics and synthetics, feels disconnected from the established themes and was massively anticlimactic.

This is coming from someone who thought that The Last of Us 2 had a perfect story and never liked a happy ending in media because it discounts the emotional labor imposed onto the audience. This departure from established narrative threads creates a sense of dissonance and detracts from the impact the previous games had.

The potential of AI as a classic sci-fi trope within an RPG format is immense; it's a question that has been thoroughly explored by the previous two games. However, Mass Effect 3's ending dismissed this well-established narrative foundation, negating the possibility that creators and their creations could coexist under a mural agreement. In doing so, it undermined the significance of EDI’s character arc and the sacrifices made by beloved crew members in the Geth and Quarians plotline. Consequently, it falls short on a rhetorical level and fails to provide a logical resolution to Mass Effect's established central conflict.

The resolution also feels disappointingly cheap; it’s completely disconnected from the personal choices you have made throughout the trilogy and the collective efforts of the squad. Despite the multitude of choices presented across the trilogy, the conclusion narrows down to three essentially identical endings, trivializing the significance of the hundreds of carefully considered decisions into an unnecessarily lengthy epilogue followed by "Pick a color." It lacks the depth to provoke thought or evoke emotional catharsis; instead, I found myself dumbfounded by the absence of any meaningful attempt to elevate the message at the end.

At the risk of being yelled at by half of the community here, I think Starfield achieved a more satisfying conclusion and served some higher meaning with its ending. Surprisingly, both games share similar story arcs, featuring the introduction of the Starchild and Starborn characters tasked with safeguarding galactic evolution. Themes of the pursuit of truth and power, symbolized by artifacts and the Catalyst, echo the story of Icarus, presenting protagonists with moral dilemmas and the ultimate choice of their fate.

The contrast lies in the distinct themes and the emotional resonance they evoke. Starfield delves into the story of humanity, emphasizing the fundamental need for purpose in our existence. On the other hand, Mass Effect tackles the existential peril posed by the creation of artificial life forms. However, its conclusion feels flawed, lacking substance beyond the rushed decisions made in the final hours of gameplay. This isn't a direct comparison between the two games, as both excel in exploring the breadth and depth of their universes. But I can't help but hope that BioWare dedicated more time to crafting an ending that acknowledges alternative solutions to the narrative conundrum already established within the series.

Nevertheless, I love the trilogy to pieces, and I can’t believe it took me so long to finally get into it. Playing all three games back to back immediately after Starfield only made me realize how ambitious this franchise was set out to be. The depth of the world-building, the intricacies of the characters, the diverse colonies portrayed, and the romantic interest (singular as I had my eyes on Kaidan from ME1) my Shepard had along the way all contributed to an unforgettable journey.

(this review was originally written for ME3)

all of these games are pretty good hero shooters with fun abilities, cool sci-fi aesthetics, and memorable levels.

1 has this unique consolized crpg vibe to it, where the cutscenes are still very simple in a way that makes them feel like classic video game puppetry, and the levels are laid out as if an isometric game was brought into an over-the-shoulder view. you can make some cool custom weapons with mods, like a rocket launcher sniper rifle, or an assault rifle that fires explosive rounds but never overheats. because each power has individual cooldown, you can basically fire them off constantly if you have enough on-hand.

2 is a much more balanced game, which also means it's less fun to break. each class feels much more distinct, and charge is one of the best powers in video games. the guns all feel much better, but unfortunately because armor and shields tend to be strong and immune to many powers, many powers just feel useless on higher difficulties. the structure of doing a bunch of unrelated episodic missions to prepare for one big mission is neat.

3 focuses much more on using powers to make exploding combos, which is definitely my favorite gameplay of the series, but this comes at the cost of the guns generally feeling weaker. the vanguard, for example, is much better off focusing on power combo damage rather than shotgun damage. the cinematic ambitions of mass effect are at their best here, with camerawork and animation that feels like it's from an experienced team.

so, all pretty positive so far! i definitely recommend these if you are into shooters that have powers. the problem is that these games also have a large and unignorable focus on story and dialogue, and the story and dialogue is generally very bad.

1 is a particularly mean-spirited and emotionally hollow game, where nearly every conversation revolves around shallowly drawn racial conflict in an attempt to seem thought-provoking. your conversations with companions are mostly dry exposition with little personal characterization, and when they rarely speak to each other it's usually just another exchange of racial barbs. it's so unfortunate because i think this game is really cool when nobody is speaking, but it insists on having a lot of dialogue.

2 basically doesn't have a main story and instead focuses on a bunch of little character vignettes, which is mostly for the better because bioware works better when they have to tell the story quick and shallow, rather than long and shallow. but having 12 companions just highlights how weird it is that they almost never speak to each other or have any relationships with each other. and even in these smaller stories, mass effect cannot escape its obsession with the questions of "is this genocide good or bad?" and "is this unethical experiment good or bad?"

3's main story unfortunately only focuses deeper on those hollow themes, while at the same time trading in much of its mean-spiritedness for clumsy melodrama. however, it definitely has the best character writing, and your companions will even have normal conversations with each other sometimes!

all in all, i really wish i had a "skip cutscene completely" button for these.

Where it Shines:
Story, Lore, & Characters - 9/10
Music - 9/10
Visuals - 9/10
Exploration - 9/10
The Good:
This game is just unlike any other experience. No game lets you feel like you are actually exploring the galaxy like this one does. It's got so many stories and quests and dialogue options that multiple replays always feel fresh. It's the kind of game you can spend hours wandering around in. It's also the first game I played where I really felt like the character creator allowed me to represent myself. It holds a deep spot in my memory for that alone.
The characters are also so diverse and the romancing options get better in each game. I really don't think anyone will ever make a game quite like this again.
The Bad:
With such a chonky game, there are bound to be flaws. The inventory management in game 1 is atrocious, the planet scanning in game 2 is so boring and tedious, and the combat, though better in each game, is serviceable at best but not very engaging. It's either too easy or too annoying, because cranking the difficulty only makes you deal less damage and turns enemies into sponges. It's lazy difficulty design. That said, you should be playing this for the story, not the combat.
Summary:
This will probably always be in my top 5 games of all time. If I could pick any game universe to live in, this would be it. The sense of wonder and exploration of space is captured so perfectly. An easy recommend.

****note on my ratings:
half ⭐: hot trash garbage
⭐: below average, needs work
⭐⭐: average
⭐⭐⭐: pretty good
⭐⭐⭐⭐: excellent
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: all time favourite
half star ratings between those mean it's slightly better or worse than stated in this list.
*

What can I say? This pack, the Legendary Edition, brings together the whole Mass Effect trilogy. Easily 100 hours and more of content.

I think that Mass Effect might be my favorite Sci-Fi setting. I love the lore, the themes and aesthetics. The story told throughout these games is engaging and unique. This world is also filled with interesting characters, most interesting, with stories that many times rival the main quest in terms of engagement.

Your actions can influence the direction all stories take, in which many decisions have their consequences felt only in a later installment. And you can easily get attached to the characters, because they mostly feel like real people, although a bit wacky. Some character’s deaths made me feel sad, something that rarely happens to me.

I’m a big Mass Effect fan. I very much enjoyed my adventure through these games and would strongly recommend others to try and immerse themselves in this world.

ME1: (17h, 8/10)
+ concise plot with a fascinating twist and a lot of impactful decisions to make
+ vast space setting that has some great worldbuilding to offer
+ decent shooter combat without annoying resource management
+ excellent soundtrack all around
+ at least 3 great companions who more than make up for the couple dull ones
- rather bad character creator
- unnaturally rushed story developments particularly at the beginning and end
- very poor dialogue system considering its importance (prompts not matching what is said, easily skipped choices, awkward transitions)
- disappointing exploration with only a handful of interesting, unique environments and lots of copy-pasted assets

ME2: (23h, 8/10)
+ significantly better space exploration with many diverse locations
+ great character loyalty missions
+ amazing final mission testing the bonds of one's crew
+ improved shooting mechanics and streamlined weapon management
- overly reduced RPG elements (inventory, skills)
- tedious resource mini game
- fairly inconsequential main story that may feel like a collection of side quests in the overarching narrative

ME3: (28h, 8/10)
+ respectable effort at involving the player in a large-scale war and finishing the previously stalled narrative
+ satisfying send-offs for almost all of the many companions
+ best DLC in the trilogy by far
+ beautiful and cinematic set pieces
+ decent weapon upgrade system that sits between ME1 and ME2 in complexity
+ faster movement
+ least annoying resource gathering
- no more hacking mini games at all
- only one persistent area aside from your spaceship
- controversial ending choice that isn't foreshadowed well

DLC:
ME1 Bring Down the Sky: interesting and somewhat important, dull gameplay (7/10)
ME2 Normandy Crash Site: short and uninspired mission (5/10)
ME2 Zaeed: rough companion with an alright story attached (6/10)
ME2 Kasumi: great mission and fine companion (7/10)
ME3 From Ashes: forgettable mission but very involved character (7/10)
ME3 Leviathan: solid storyline with horror elements and important lore for the main conflict (8/10)
ME3 Omega: drawn-out action centered around an unlikable character, nice visuals and gameplay (7/10)
ME3 Citadel: remarkable fan service with great self-referential humor and a perfect opportunity to say goodbye to the cast (9/10)

Uma das melhores histórias que eu já vivi. Empolgante, emocional, cheios de momentos memoráveis e alguns dos melhores personagens que eu já conheci. Altamente recomendado.

Eu diria também que a soma do que os 3 jogos fazem é maior do que eles individualmente. Apesar da diferença de jogabilidade, a experiência contínua funciona extremamente bem e eu sai com a sensação de viver uma história do começo ao fim, onde tudo foi resolvido. Algo que eu acho bem único nessa indústria.

Escrevi minhas opiniões sobre cada jogo:
ME1: https://backloggd.com/u/cloudycloud/review/1333582/
ME2: https://backloggd.com/u/cloudycloud/review/1335445/
ME3: https://backloggd.com/u/cloudycloud/review/1391449/

The Mass Effect trilogy is an unforgettable, epic sci-fi roleplaying experience. Imagine playing through the most gripping movie you've ever watched, but one where the poignant characters and masterful worldbuilding are deftly written to cleverly interact with and react to every choice you make. Even seemingly small choices in ME1 affect outcomes in ME2 and ME3, which makes the universe feel real and deeply responsive.

The storytelling and character writing in this series are second to none. Dialogue is tight, real, and frequently hilarious or deeply moving. I've never felt more connected to fictional characters, crying multiple times in ME3 as individual storylines wrapped up and the stakes crept increasingly higher.

ME1 is the least nuanced installment and still shows its age, even with the technical improvements that the Legendary Edition brings. That said, this series is one of the only experiences that I desperately wish I could wipe my brain only to play again — and again, and again, and again.

What a journey, I knew from the beginning that I was gonna enjoy this series and boy was I right about that.

ME1:
Biggest complaint that I have with this game is that it was made 16 years ago and no amount of lens flare effects can mask that. It has that old school jank and stiffness to movement, dialogue, combat, ametureish male Shepard VA and don't get me started on the Mako controls. I did find the side content a bit dull and repetitive especially so when you start to notice that a bunch of the planets you can land on follow the same structure. Drop down with Mako remind yourself how awkward the controls are, explore a square grid of land that is way too big and mostly empty (it does have beautiful vistas to look at least), for a random resource drops, a new weapon or different ammo type variant for your weapons which continues to clog your inventory and then maybe there is an outpost or research facility with the same layout that you've seen ten times before populated with pleb enemies which contains resources that are abundant in the critical path anyways.

Regardless of that the game drew me in very quickly mostly due to great writing. I was super curious to learn more about the universe, different inhabitants of that universe and of course the greatest mystery of all the Reapers. As mentioned before thanks to the Legendary edition the game does look really beautiful at times mostly in the outdoor areas. The combat is more interesting than your average 3rd person cover shooter thanks to additional powers, powers of your squad, ability to give them basic orders and small customization of weapon attachments and ammo types. Personally I think Mass Effect 1 has the best combat to story ratio, neither overstay it's welcome.

ME2:
If I was rating this game alone I would have given it 5 stars. Mass Effect 2 improves on every aspect of it's predecessor, textbook sequel material. Story is more grandiose, combat is much smoother (although movement could be better), all your squadmates are interesting and have unique backstories, VA is improved for male Shepard and just overall there's more of the game and in better quality.

Honestly anything negative I have to say about the game is just nitpicking. It's a lot more action oriented than previous installment, the story mostly revolves around assembling your avengers team and taking the fight to the new foe. The squad this time around really carry the game hard. Every one of them had something interesting or cool going on that you could help with, I wanted to exhaust all their dialogue options and was sad when they had nothing more to say. Worldbuilding as great as it was in the original but improved here, side content is more interesting, vistas are more beautiful, hell I even enjoyed scanning planets for resources to get million different upgrades. I will say this tho that lens flare effect in some of the scenes was comedically overdone took me right out of the moment.

The finale of the game was also really well done although here I go nitpicking again, I do wish that it would have been more emotional/dramatic, I mean it was called a suicide mission I was expecting to wipe off a few tears but alas it did not happen.

ME3:
This one is a bit odd I do love a good conclusion to a big story so I was hoping that this one will be my favourite however I knew there was no way they can top what they did with Mass Effect 2 and I was right again.

Started off a bit on the sour note even in the visual novel at the start while recapping events of previous games ME3 didn't account for a choice I made in ME2 which was a slight disappointment, then followed a main menu option before starting where the game asked me to choose "Action" or "Role Playing" style which raised an eyebrow. Then the invasion of Earth starts in the prologue which was unexpected thought they would save it for the finale, this did diminish the lethality of the Reapers that I had in my head from the information we absorbed in previous games. Still I was excited to continue and wrap up this story. The game leans in further into the action side than before and it's weird, it was getting a bit overwhelming at the beginning even early mid game, not because it was hard or anything but it was becoming dull, the amount of bodies you go through in a single encounter was getting absurd. The game does a good job at mixing the enemies you face up towards late mid and late game but the start was a bit rough like trying to ride a mountain bike on the beach just didn't seem to move anywhere meaningfully.

Then there was some other stuff that was beginning to niggle away, first the dream sequences of you running in slow motion after a kid that was killed during the initial invasion in the prologue, that felt so unnecessary and cliché made my eyes roll at first, then there is a security grid on your ship as you're leaving the war room to go to the main deck where you fast travel from, there was a brief 1-2 seconds where they take away control of your character needless to say it was getting annoying fast seemed like an oversight at first I mean you spend majority of your time on the ship in those two rooms.

Now as I stated previously the game does improve in mission design and overall balance of story and action at later stages. The finale was not great but not terrible either which is a bit disappointing maybe is just the case of learning too much about the most intriguing aspect of this universe the Reapers that sort of deflated the final section or maybe is just the case where they blew their load too early with ME2 and couldn't reach that sort of climax again.

To sum it all up it's a great trilogy and it is very obvious why it has so many fans, I suppose I am one of them now, I did see the third game in a more negative light maybe its the reasons I named above or maybe I was just burned out a bit towards the end from playing 3 games in the series in quick succession. There aren't many game franchises that keep up the quality and love for the universe they created across 3 different entries but I'm glad Mass Effect is one of them.

Greater than the sum of its parts!

Zooming out, the trilogy tells a great space opera that borrows from genre staples that builds something rare and unique.

Rich world building, great cast of characters (even the human ones!)

Surprisingly delicate romance system! I usually don't really care for player sexual romance in games, I just make a choice and run with it.

But here, It felt real. My Sheppard relationships evolved and reacted in a way that almost feels organic. My favourite bit was finding out that Garrus and Tali got together, it was very refreshing to see a relationship grow independently of the player.

My hot take about choices in these games is that most of them feels forced and only there because its technically a wRPG and some freedom is expected - I'm sorry but I don't see a version of a full renegade Sheppard working with the story. I also don't really know how losing characters prematurely and cutting their arc early only to be replaced with placeholders can help the story.

Blue and Red morality is a leftover from KotOR that doesn't really make sense in Mass Effect and its very prominent throughout the trilogy.

I do think some of the choices are impactful and interesting but moat of them ring hollow even if the games get clever about working around you.

Just a couple thoughts after finishing the games, I really appreciate them in retrospect.

For the sake of completeness, a short review of the Legendary Edition. The reviews for the individual games can be found in my log.

🕗 Total time played (approx.): +150h
🏆 Completion: 100% Legendary Edition Trophy List (11/11 Trophies)

REVIEW:

The "Mass Effect Legendary Edition" marks a momentous milestone for fans of the series, offering a meticulously remastered and enhanced experience that spans the entire epic. Revisiting the universe of Commander Shepard, the Normandy crew, and the countless worlds they traverse has been an exhilarating adventure. The visual enhancements breathe new life into every corner of the galaxy, inviting players to explore and discover with fresh eyes. One of the most defining aspects of my journey through the Legendary Edition was my unyielding pursuit of trophies and achievements. Armed with determination and a passion for completion, I embarked on an odyssey that transcended ordinary gameplay. The thrill of earning each trophy, from the exhilarating feats of combat prowess to the emotional depth of character interactions, was a driving force that fueled my commitment to the trilogy.

Undoubtedly, one of the crowning achievements of my journey was conquering the Insanity difficulty level – a challenge that required strategic thinking, precision, and a mastery of game mechanics. To conquer Insanity across all three titles is a testament to the dedication and perseverance that defined my experience with the Legendary Edition. The pulse-pounding battles, the meticulously planned tactics, and the countless moments of triumph and defeat all converged to create an unforgettable gameplay experience.

As I ventured through the richly woven narratives of the "Mass Effect Legendary Edition", I was struck by the seamless flow of character development, plot intricacies, and emotional crescendos that punctuated each installment. Reuniting with old companions, forging new alliances, and navigating the myriad of choices that shape the universe was a poignant reminder of the power of interactive storytelling. The Legendary Edition's inclusion of all downloadable content further enriched my experience, allowing me to explore hidden depths and unveil untold stories. From the riveting "Lair of the Shadow Broker" to the emotional resonance of "Citadel," each DLC added layers of narrative complexity and gameplay satisfaction that augmented the core experience.

In conclusion, "Mass Effect Legendary Edition" is a resounding triumph that honors the legacy of the trilogy while introducing it to a new generation of players. The painstakingly remastered visuals, the engrossing narratives, and the challenging gameplay mechanics seamlessly blend to create a timeless experience. As I reflect on my journey through the stars and galaxies, I am reminded of the dedication, the camaraderie, and the exhilaration that defined my pursuit of completing the trilogy at its most challenging level.

⭐ Rating: 5/5

The best videogame sci-fi universe. I'm sorry Halo, I'm sorry Dead Space. But it's not even a competition.

Anyway here is a list of every Mass Effect companion and how much I want to have sex with them.

-Ashley: She's alright in the 3rd game, but too racist in the first 2 games for me to feel comfortable making love to her
-Kaiden: Imma be honest I always forget he exists, sorry, too boring
-Tali: Yes, even with the suit on, fuck it, especially with the suit on
-Liara: God yes, especially after she gets a personality after the first game
-Garrus: I dont really want to fuck Garrus, but I do want him to lovingly hold me close at night while he whispers sweet nothings into my ear
-Wrex: Yes but it might make things akward between us, maybe if we both agreed never to talk about it again
-Miranda: Yes (No explanation required)
-Jacob: Maybe? Seems like he has a lot going on right now. Maybe in a couple years
-Thane: Yes, the mans an absolute DILF
-Kasumi: While she obviously hasn't gotten over her ex I would still go for it
-Grunt: Basically a child, so no.
-Zaeed: No, while all the squadmates kill people regularly, Zaeed seems to actually enjoy it the most, best avoid
-Jack: In ME3 yes, but I value the structual integrity of my balls too much to go for her in ME2
-Morinth: Same as above
-Samara: Yes, I support single mothers
-Mordin: No, I love Moridin with all my heart, but I don't have the capacity to view him in a sexual way
-Legion: No, I'm not even sure how it would work anyway
-EDI: I'm sorry Joker but, YES GOD YES PLEASE
-James: Yeah I guess, but he's such a tool, if he wasn't in the ME universe he would be the lamest most annoying guy ever
-Javik: I love ya Javik but you ugly as fuck

Non so come sia successo, ma verso la fine del terzo capitolo mi si sono azzerati i punti esperienza e soprattutto la potenza militare accumulata. Non me ne accorgo subito e sovrascrivo anche il salvataggio manuale. Ci giocavo da troppo tempo per poterlo ripetere da capo, forse in futuro, chissà. Questa cosa mi ha decisamente rovinato l'esperienza, ma soprattutto il finale, che non è stato coerente con quanto fatto in tre giochi.

La saga comunque mi è piaciuta tantissimo, soprattutto la storia, il world building e la caratterizzazione dei personaggi, meno per le meccaniche e il male gaze (non ce n'era proprio bisogno). Il secondo è il capitolo che ho preferito, mi ha preso molto di più rispetto agli altri due.

A legendary sci-fi saga... slightly overrated.

Mass Effect was my proper introduction to BioWare's titles. I admit, I'm usually not a science fiction fan but I do enjoy compelling stories and lore. I haven't heard anything different than praise for both the trilogy and the studio, outside of their newer products, so I decided to give it a chance. For my first playthrough, I went straight into insanity difficulty and 100% of the whole saga.

First thing first, the legendary edition on PC is not... legendary at all. While the package is a convenient way for new and returning players to experience the whole trilogy, including all DLCs, there is surprisingly little customisation for graphics options, which for a game in 2021 released by a AAA company is unacceptable. No quality-of-life improvements. There is no FOV slider, even tho the third-person camera feels extremely claustrophobic. There is forced mouse acceleration and no option to change it. Support for an ultrawide aspect ratio is not what was advertised. You have to install mods to make it a proper playable experience. Often the framerate drops for no clear reason from solid 140 to 30 FPS (all the Mako sections in ME1 and The Citadel in ME3; ME2 was stable all the time).

Additionally, ME: LE requires the new EA Launcher, which is even worse than Origin for several reasons, including always-online DRM, reports for saves getting nuked and not being able to get achievements. When I launched ME2 for the first time, all the achievements were unlocked in the menu which prevented me from actually getting them on the Steam/EA App. This bothered me because I wanted to 100% and I almost gave up. The only way to fix it is by uninstalling EA App and downloading Origin's exe from a random Redditor.

The story is exceptionally well-written and intriguing. What makes the story great is throughout the sage, the player is presented with many situations that don't just have a straight answer. Instead, it creates a grey area that makes you think about the choice you're about to make and how it will impact the story later. Some choices in ME1 will affect the story in ME3 which adds a lot of replay value. What makes the Mass Effect trilogy special and enhances the story are the squadmates. Each of them is unique with their backstories, flaws, and how they can interact with Shepard. There are some well-written characters like Liara, Tali, Garrus, James etc... and there are characters like Jacob, Ashley or Kaidan who are extremely annoying. And yes, they did indeed make the alien squadmates better than the human ones. BioWare misanthropes - confirmed.

Sadly, everything else about Mass Effect is either mid or straight-up bad.

Common problems in the trilogy are the controls, combat, AI and the OST. The controls are clunky and the spacebar is used for taking cover, sprinting, use and all other actions. Combat is serviceable, nothing special, except for the biotics which are like magic powers. You can very easily become OP even on the hardest difficulty, no matter which class you choose. Enemy and squadmates AI is... terrible. The soundtrack is again, nothing special, it does the job but I expected something more spectacular, more epic to complement the story and cinematography.

Mass Effect 1
My first impressions were very positive - being put quite quickly into the action while also learning about the world and lore at the right pace, without being overwhelmed. A hard task which most RPGs usually fail at. It introduces the player to the fundamentals of the universe and society step by step and has choices that control the future of not only this game but the next two.

The very worst part of Mass Effect 1 is the site content. You're given a Mako, an all-terrain vehicle that controls very poorly, and you're driving to random __cpLocations just to press "accept to get x resource", and then leave. There are plenty of planets to "explore" but they are most of the time reused environments. Side missions are also extremely repetitive. Combat and movement are very clunky. And for some reason, there is way too much inventory management. I would advise new players to just skip everything optional and focus on the main story unless they want to get all the achievements.

Mass Effect 2 - a step forward
Objectively the most polished title in the trilogy. The gameplay reaches its peak (at least when it comes to controlling and managing your allies), and the characters, which are the best part of all of Mass Effect, are so heavily focused that there are more missions related to the companions than the main story. However, almost all of them are basically about daddy issues. Like legit - almost all your squadmates would ask you to help them deal with some kind of problem connected with their fathers. At this point, it's even a meme in the ME fanbase.

The gameplay was okay, nothing too special. There are remnants of the awful side quests, but they've been reduced to mobile game quality, so it's at least a hell of a lot faster to get through. Not enjoyable though. What I hate the most about ME2 is adding what I would call mini-games, additional to the mini-games when hacking/bypassing. Now you don't just select a __cpLocation on the galaxy map and teleport to it. Now you have to move the ship with the mouse, send multiple probes to different planets to get resources and pay for fuel and probes. Completely unnecessary feature, which I skipped with some simple mods.

Mass Effect 3 - two steps back
ME3 feels very rushed and unpolished. While I think it has the best missions and story in the saga, the gameplay itself is way clunkier than the other two. I encountered multiple bugs and glitches, including enemies spawning on top of me. Very often I would not hit enemies because of invisible walls or broken hitboxes. The annoying galaxy map mini-games from ME2 were brought back but changed a bit. Now you will scan different clusters for planets with resources or missions, instead of launching multiple probes on every planet you encounter. A lot of people don't like the endings but I did enjoy them all. I think they conclude the saga pretty well.

The most infuriating thing in ME3 was the new enemies. Almost all of them are bullet sponges, which can destroy you in a few shots/hits on the highest difficulty. A lot of them are like aimbots and they can shoot through objects. Like the previous games, the majority of the fights are not challenging at all but there are a couple of simply unfair fights unless you manage to break the AI.

Conclusion
I enjoyed my time with Mass Effect and doing a 100% playthrough. The story, characters and RPG elements are strong, while everything else is just serviceable at best. It is worth getting the whole package but beware of possible problems and annoyances, most of which can be fixed with mods.