Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is less than a month away and Mass Effect fans are undoubtedly excited to get their hands on it. The remastered edition of all three original Mass Effect trilogy games was originally announced on N7 Day (November 7) and fans have been looking forward to all the updates in the games. As the release day gets closer, more and more is revealed about the remastered games that only heighten players’ excitement.
There have been tons of different updates that will make Mass Effect: Legendary Edition a familiar yet new experience for dedicated fans. When a game is remastered, players can anticipate that the graphics will improve drastically from the original game. The graphical improvements of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition already look incredible, but there’s a lot more that’s gotten enhanced in all three games. Out of the original Mass Effect trilogy, though, the first title in the franchise definitely needed the most work.
The Issues With the Original Mass Effect
The debut Mass Effect game is, for all intents and purposes, a crucial part of the franchise. Without the first game, the franchise wouldn’t have the dedicated following and fanbase that it does. However, after acknowledging how important the first Mass Effect game is for the legacy of the RPG, it’s hard not to point out some of its flaws. At the time, some of these issues could be overlooked because Mass Effect was new, exciting, and fun. Now it’s easy to look back and pinpoint the issues that needed drastic improvement.
The first is not always the best, especially when it comes to older games. With each Mass Effect game, the graphics and mechanics improved for the better. Going back to play the first Mass Effect game, especially after getting used to the improvements of the later games, is extremely difficult and frustrating. The combat mechanics are unrefined and can inhibit the enjoyment of the game. Shooting a weapon in the original Mass Effect game isn’t as enjoyable an experience as players might remember it to be.
Visiting other planets and driving around the Mako was also unnecessarily difficult and a bit boring. The mechanics of the Mako were incredibly frustrating, and many players cite this as being a least-favorite part of the original game. Driving around the other planets, especially when it was only a side mission and not relevant to the main storyline, made many players question if the exploration was even worth it.
How the Original Mass Effect Has Improved
Being the oldest of the games, it’s not surprising that the original Mass Effect needed the most work when it came to remastering. Graphically, the game already looks loads better than how it did when it first debuted. However, players have a lot more to look forward to than just the gorgeous new aesthetic of all three trilogy games. BioWare has taken a ton of care to change what it felt was necessary to create a cohesive experience across all three games.
One of the most important updates comes in the form of gameplay mechanics. Gunplay will be more responsive as well as having more balanced combat abilities; melee attacks will even be mapped to a button this time around. The developer also revamped boss fights to be more appropriate and less frustrating to beat. The Mako has gotten an overhaul too, making it easier to control and rebalancing some features to make using it a more tolerable experience.
The original Mass Effect released in 2007, making it 14 years old this year. Given its age, it’s no surprise that its dated mechanics needed more work than the rest of the Mass Effect games. Regardless, fans will surely be excited to sink their teeth into the first Mass Effect game when Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is available to play.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition releases May 14 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
