In the early 2000s, the Bioware studio was unquestionably the king of Western RPGs! After the (amply deserved) successes of Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and above all Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, the studio took quite a turn in 2005 by developing its own franchises, this time drawn from original universes, first with place Jade Empire, but especially later Dragon Age and the game that interests us today: Mass Effect.
Released in 2007, the game places us in a futuristic universe where humanity, after having found an extraterrestrial artifact allowing it to push the limits of the exploration of the universe, discovered that it is far from being alone and that galaxies are populated by many other species.
We then embody Commander Shepard, a human who will stand up against a renegade Specter named Saren (the Specters are basically the BAC of extraterrestrials) and try to counter a threat that is beyond everyone.
In 2021, a remastered collection bringing together the three Mass Effect opuses (Shepard's trilogy, not Andromeda) is born: the Legendary Edition. And that's what we're going to talk about right now!
Dated gameplay...
... but (a little) brought up to date, fortunately. If the Mass Effect of 2007 had the success it had, it is, among other things, thanks to a gameplay oscillating between tactics and action. But what was working very well in 2007 clearly took a hit 14 years later.
Bioware had the very good idea of leaving aside this aging gameplay to use the one used on the two suites, namely a more advanced action side (even if we retain a certain tactical aspect of powers and teammates). Well almost. Despite everything, Shepard remains a little clumsy in his movements, in particular the race. And the cover system still requires you to stick to the surface, instead of pressing a button in the following games.
A heaviness which is also felt, to a lesser extent, in the gunfights. While we still see a marked improvement at this level, with more dynamic fights, the gap between Mass Effect 1 and its sequel remains very significant. It's very obvious when you go from one game to another. While the fights are very fluid in the 2, that the powers are used in an intuitive way, the first fishes a little by its lack of dynamism.
Add to that an outdated and not always very clear or practical interface, with many recovered and useless objects, which will have to be constantly recycled.
But then, it is zero?
But no ! Quite the contrary! Yes, the gameplay has aged a bit despite the improvements made. Yes, Shepard shows the weight of years when he runs.
But that doesn't really matter, because everything that made Mass Effect so successful is there: an epic story, an in-depth narrative, endearing characters and a coherent universe.
This is where we see the full extent of Bioware's talent at the time. We follow the adventures of Shepard... no, in fact, we follow his own adventures, so much we get involved emotionally, with undisguised pleasure, whether exploring a city like the Citadel, a hostile planet or zigzagging Geths with a vengeance.
Especially since this Legendary Edition uses the backup system already in place. Clearly, you create your character in Mass Effect 1, it can follow you throughout the three games, with the choices you have made and the consequences that flow from them. A real mastery of narration, which involves us even more in our character.
And is it beautiful?
For several years, we have seen remasters, made with more or less care. As much to say it right away, Bioware has gone into overdrive to rework textures, lighting and other effects and bring its baby up to date.
The changes are, inevitably, more visible on the first opus, which had to benefit from a large part of the work. Time having done its job, it is clear that the original game had aged rather badly (it dates from 2003, let's remember!) and this "little" polishing touch was clearly welcome. This is felt on the one hand on the environments, which are more detailed and more visually pleasing, but also on the characters who, if they still have somewhat heavy animations, have gained in detail (a lot) and in credibility (a little) .
Conclusion
Mass Effect is one of those cult sagas that will be remembered for a long time and, personally, I think it's important to preserve traces of our video game heritage, without necessarily falling into excessive nostalgia.
In the case of Mass Effect, when the game is soon blowing its 20th birthday, it is an excellent idea to offer this remaster, especially since it is of excellent quality. Let's be clear, if you want to discover the saga, or to redo it again, this Legendary Edition is the best experience you can have for it.
Boutique Origin
