A masterclass in comprehensive storytelling spanning an epic trilogy. Mass Effect may be showing its age now, albeit the fresh coat of paint, but it still is a saga worth experiencing.

Pros:

1) In-depth voiced interactions with several characters, thus allowing you to really roleplay your way throughout the course of the series. Your choices matter, your choices will affect your relations with the people around you, your decisions will decide the extent of success of your missions.

2) The games manage to properly capture the aura of being 'just one advanced race amongst many advanced others' very well. If you take the time to explore all the dialogue options and texts related to the lore, there is just so much to learn about this world.

3) By the end of the trilogy, your crew really start to feel like your friends. Joker, Tali, Liara, Garrus, EDI, and all the others; they're there for you, right to the very end. When the third game comes to a close, you're left with a gaping hole in your chest, knowing that you no longer have any time left with them.

4) The ending has been notoriously polarising, but I commend the creators for going ahead and making the game end in a unique fashion. The ending I chose (Synthesis), is an interesting, thought provoking concept, especially in the current day and age where we are actually seeing A.I. go through its stages of infancy.

Cons:

1) There is no hiding the age of the mechanics and animations of the series, especially in the first two games. Characters can be stiff and clunky to move around, and cut-scenes can be hilariously awkward to watch.

2) The pre-rendered cinematics have not been remastered in any way and often seem muddy or blurry to watch on modern systems. It would have been fantastic to have seen a Halo 2 remaster style of treatment given to the cinematics here.

3) Several armour sets in the game are locked as full body-suits without even the option to hide the helmet. It would have been nice to see them broken up into individual parts to further add to the customisation options, but alas, no such thing has been done.


NOTE: The Mass Effect Trilogy really isn't a game that you want to rush through. Running through the main story missions and ignoring all the others will probably result in you having a rough experience. If you do decide to pick it up, take your time, relax, and enjoy it slowly and in its entirety.

A masterclass in comprehensive storytelling spanning an epic trilogy. Mass Effect may be showing its age now, albeit the fresh coat of paint, but it still is a saga worth experiencing. Pros: 1) In-depth voiced interactions with several characters, thus allowing you to really roleplay your way throughout the course of the series. Your choices matter, your choices will affect your relations with the people around you, your decisions will decide the extent of success of your missions. 2) The games manage to properly capture the aura of being 'just one advanced race amongst many advanced others' very well. If you take the time to explore all the dialogue options and texts related to the lore, there is just so much to learn about this world. 3) By the end of the trilogy, your crew really start to feel like your friends. Joker, Tali, Liara, Garrus, EDI, and all the others; they're there for you, right to the very end. When the third game comes to a close, you're left with a gaping hole in your chest, knowing that you no longer have any time left with them. 4) The ending has been notoriously polarising, but I commend the creators for going ahead and making the game end in a unique fashion. The ending I chose (Synthesis), is an interesting, thought provoking concept, especially in the current day and age where we are actually seeing A.I. go through its stages of infancy. Cons: 1) There is no hiding the age of the mechanics and animations of the series, especially in the first two games. Characters can be stiff and clunky to move around, and cut-scenes can be hilariously awkward to watch. 2) The pre-rendered cinematics have not been remastered in any way and often seem muddy or blurry to watch on modern systems. It would have been fantastic to have seen a Halo 2 remaster style of treatment given to the cinematics here. 3) Several armour sets in the game are locked as full body-suits without even the option to hide the helmet. It would have been nice to see them broken up into individual parts to further add to the customisation options, but alas, no such thing has been done. NOTE: The Mass Effect Trilogy really isn't a game that you want to rush through. Running through the main story missions and ignoring all the others will probably result in you having a rough experience. If you do decide to pick it up, take your time, relax, and enjoy it slowly and in its entirety.