The Mass Effect Trilogy
Availability (Legendary Edition): Windows (Steam Deck YMMV*), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5
So you wanna explore the vastness of space and meet all kinds of new people and make decisions that will have lasting implications throughout your gaming experience but you’re bummed you have to wait until September for Starfield? Girl, Mass Effect is right there. And with Mass Effect Legendary Edition, the recent re-release of the games bundled together and updated with reworked visuals and faster loading times, losing 100+ hours to a video game has never been easier.
BioWare’s space-faring trilogy has it all: malevolent creators of the universe hell-bent on restarting its biological clock and wiping out all organic life, a ragtag, diverse group of heroes fucking and fighting their way through space, and a leader you can mold and shape to your liking in Commander Shepard. If you want to be an asshole in Mass Effect, that’s your prerogative, but please make sure you play as FemShep for Jennifer Hale alone.
Pick Mass Effect up if you’re a fan of fantastic, fleshed-out characters and epic, beautifully written stories, or if you’re in the mood to explore every available corner of the galaxy while verbally sparring with an alien you find incredibly attractive. But if you’re looking for a solid third-person shooter you may want to take a sec to consider. While many don’t mind Mass Effect’s somewhat gluey shooting and movement mechanics, this is not going to feel like Fortnite. Personally, I find playing through the series as a Vanguard (half gun-toting soldier, half move-shit-with-your-mind biotics) makes the gunplay feel far less offensive, and hurling enemies through the air with blue magic is fun as hell.
Mass Effect 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, and you’d be remiss if you didn’t check it out ahead of Starfield. The characters and their stories will get you fully invested before you learn the deep secrets of the stars, the revelations of which have profound implications for the fate of the galaxy. — Alyssa Mercante, Senior Editor
*Your Mileage May Vary
