The Mass Effect Trilogy is nothing short of a work of art. The team at Bioware has been hard at work to remaster all three games to run spectacularly on last and current gen hardware. Many games like the Outer Worlds or the Dragon Age series have borrowed much from this amazing franchise. Despite its one hiccup in the franchise, it will not be going away anytime soon with another sequel on the horizon.
Concept and Story (Thumbs Up!)
This collection brings the incredible saga of the Mass Effect Trilogy to modern consoles. The games story and concepts still hold up and can go toe to toe with anything out there today. I have personally played through this story many times over and am still finding minor differences with each playthrough from doing things differently or even skipping them entirely. There are a lot of secrets to witness and no shortage of intense moments. For the old fans and new alike this game will keep you at the edge of your seat from start to finish and leave you emotionally drained by the end.
Gameplay and Polish (Thumbs Up!)
The game plays smoother than ever and is a lot more polished than it was during the 360 era. If you are one of the lucky ones to nab a Series X you can enjoy it at up to 120 fps. Mass Effect 1 has seen the most care and love put into it. Gunplay and the cover mechanics are the same but much more polished with a lot of the restrictions removed. The Mako is a lot smoother to handle but it still a little “floppy”. ME 2 and 3 are mostly unchanged but the experience feels much smoother. They have done a great job fixing the glitches but some annoying ones still remain (looking at you Conrad Verner). Ironically, the one where I experienced the most bugs was in ME3 but nothing major to speak of.
Sound and Music (Thumbs Up!)
The sound of these games is still superb. You are just sucked into this world from the moment you hear the Normandy theme or the Citadel theme. It really captures your attention. The dialog is still great with stellar performances from the cast. You can help but fall in love with these characters and that is mostly due to the amazing actors behind them. The sci-fi sounds lend to this amazingly crafted world and nothing is more intimidating than a Reapers screech. Bioware did an amazing job with the soundtrack of these games and know what to emote at the right moments. It stands the test of time and I would be as bold as to say that ME3 has the greatest soundtrack of all time.
Graphics and Art Style (Thumbs Up!)
The game has aged very well but this is not a remake. This is a remaster. You will get improved textures, better resolution and framerate without that annoying texture pop in the old games had. There is a lot more detail added to the world of the original Mass Effect and you get improved lighting with HDR across the board. A lot of love and care went into the visuals of this game but it does show its still running on Ureal Engine 3.
Lasting Impact (Thumbs Up!)
If you needed evidence for the argument of “Are video games art” look no further. These games will make you feel things as you immerse yourself in this world. The characters will live in your heart rent free. Additionally, now that you can play all 3 back-to-back, it is a roller-coaster ride that builds to a crescendo. If you were on the fence on trying the series, let me say you will not regret picking this one up. I fully recommend this title.
That’s 5 thumbs up! A title worthy of your downloading, whether you’re new to mass effect or a long term veteran, download it and play, you won’t regret it! O7 commanders!
Gilberto Cortes
Follow XECO on our other socials!
Discord The Xbox Ecosystem https://discord.gg/Y7MuHSHmGe
Facebook The Xbox Ecosystem https://www.facebook.com/groups/thexboxecosystem/?ref=share
Tiktok @xecosystem https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8P8DLR9/
Twitch The_Xbox_Ecosystem https://twitch.tv/the_xbox_ecosystem
Twitter @TheXecosystem https://mobile.twitter.com/TheXecosystem
YouTube
The Xbox Ecosystem https://youtube.com/c/xboxecosystem