Is Mass Effect Remastered Worth It?
The gaming community, or more specifically the Mass Effect community is raving over the remastered trilogy in its new title, which includes all three games and its DLC’s, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. Most gamers won’t be surprised to hear that even to this day, how the gameplay stacks up against other games on the market shows how ahead of its time it was.
For players who are unfamiliar with the game, it is an RPG that has fully customizable characters, weapons, armor, etc. that stay consistent throughout all three games, allowing players to create the same character over and over if they please. So, whether you want to put yourself into the game or bring your imagination to life by customizing a full-fledged alien, this game gives the player the option by incorporating plenty of customization possibilities including warrior classes, which the player can choose from.
The main draw to this game is its story which involves plenty of in-game lore, history, and information starting with the discovery of ancient artifacts found on the planet Mars, which lead to a new paradigm in which faster space travel is now possible in what modern civilizations call the “Mass Effect.” Players can take advantage of this revolution by traveling between hub worlds and exploring different locations throughout the galaxy as they progress through the campaign.
Throughout the story, the player makes decisions that only slightly affect the game’s outcome, which will carry over into the next one in the trilogy. This makes the RPG that much more interactive and engaging for the player immersed in its environment as this is one of the few games that use “save file transfer” to continue a story — in which the player’s choices affect the plot — across another game.
What also makes this game special is that the trilogy has lots of background knowledge to offer where everything from the story to the mechanics of the game is explained by the NPC’s or actual in-game events. If the player wants to know how space travel is accomplished in the game or needs a guide on how the game works it’s almost as if the developers are there with the player. This makes the game a true Role-Playing title that, for the time it was released, excelled at bringing the game to life and making it feel like an actual world that players could connect with.
The amount of detail packed into the game’s campaign has always been in Bioware’s favor. The number of things to see and explore in this game combined with the dynamic intergalactic missions the player finds themselves in makes it an ideal remastered series to try especially for new players. These three upgraded titles, however, don’t just succeed in their storyline and oneness with the player and have a bit more to offer in terms of quality and fluidity.
Being that the last Mass Effect game was released in 2012, a lot has been improved upon that puts the game up to date with modern systems. Many players who played the original Mass Effect know that there were a lot of flawed mechanics that made the game harder than it needed to be. The RPG originally spent less time on the action aspect of the game yet improves throughout the next two games. In the remastered edition, however, the developers seem to get it right throughout the games while still keeping that authenticity that made the game less than perfect. The first noticeable change players will notice is that combat controls and physics, as well as movement, have been improved. Weapon shooting is more precise than the original ME, contrary to where ammunition wasn’t as accurate in the original. Although some flaws remain, older players know that it’s a step above what it originally was and new players won’t even notice them. With mastery and adjustments, the players can still get around whatever imprecise targeting remains in the game. Overall, the remastered version is without a doubt a step above what the original Mass Effect game was. Although players shouldn’t expect major improvements to the remastered that came out when the Xbox 360 was relatively new and later when it became available on Playstation 3.
Key improvements in terms of graphics include better texture, lighting, atmospheric perspective as well as particles. Throughout cutscenes and even during gameplay, players can now see more lines, shapes, and the overall sharpness of an object or entity is more aesthetically pleasing. This time around, the game seemed to only capitalize on what already had good graphics and rendering, which is evident by anyone who walks through the expansive hubs. While the lighting can be slightly overwhelming at times, the game does a good job of balancing the contrast with shadows as well as highlight. This shows in specific scenes where the increase in lighting only seems to remind the player that they are playing a remastered game yet also in darker settings where contrast and shadows are balanced out with the lighting to give the player a clearer visual where the original wasn’t as successful.
The texture gradient that is present when players are looking out into their surroundings is just what players would expect from a modern title that knows a thing or two about a realistic planet atmosphere. There are even more details such as, falling leaves that bring out how much texture now shows in the game as well as air pollution and crashing waves that have been added for extra effect. Players who roll around in vehicles can now also notice dust from sand or sprinkles of water coming from the bottom of the tires, which both make the game look more detailed than its original counterpart.
Aside from graphics and gameplay, another part of what makes a game for most players is its online play. In Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, however, this feature will not be making a return. While this is disappointing especially for fans of the game, the reasoning behind this letdown is that the developers simply can’t support online play, which involves supporting network servers and cross-play. This will likely sway users away from what made for a great Mass Effect experience outside of the Plotline, but not enough to overlook the entirety of the bundled game. Online support is also what separates an average game from a highly rated title, therefore, players won’t expect much other than nostalgia or a jaw-dropping storyline for new players.
Overall, new players who are just finding out about the Mass Effect Trilogy will get the opportunity to experience it in all its glory without having to dust off their old Xbox or Playstation. They can experience the game — as it should be experienced — on modern platforms that they will remember because of how interactive and unique the game is. The PS5 and Xbox Series X will do plenty of justice for the game that sets the tone for many games to come after its initial release.
Returning players can look forward to a refresher or a trip down memory lane as they relive the action in 4k resolution and 30 fps. Being that there’s so much behind the in-game’s history and narrative, even familiar players will find themselves in awe as they experience the game and maybe discover a few things they may have missed.
At its price, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a solid release. Seeing as players who got into gaming after the Xbox 360/PS3 era didn’t get a chance to experience the Mass Effect story, this will be the golden age for Bioware’s new audience. While the game may not have much to offer in terms of online play and older player’s are practically getting the same trilogy on a next-gen console, The amount of playability the game now has will be worth it in the long run for anyone who wants to jump back into the series, as well as for the developers at BioWare.
Works Cited
Fextralife. “Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Review Impressions: 100% Worth It (Gameplay — Before You Buy),” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBQD3esOaM4&t=292s, published on: 13 May 2021
Gamespot. “Mass Effect Legendary Edition Review In Progress Discussion,” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2gx54FDbI0, published on: 14 May 2021
IGN. “Mass Effect: Legendary Edition — Our First Impressions,” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IomFdEKts1c&t=318s, published on: 2 Feb 2021
IGN. “Mass Effect: Legendary Edition: The First 21 Minutes of Gameplay — 4k 60fps,” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqV4gnB6-jw&t=262s, published on: 13 May 2021
