Hi all! It’s been a while since the release of the first Mass Effect 14 years old – This is quite a lot by the standards of the gaming industry. During this time, it has changed considerably: many things that seemed innovative then have now become commonplace and even more: they have added.
Just “yesterday” they were moving the industry forward, but “today” you can’t look at them without tears.
Moreover, therefore, in my opinion, it is quite interesting to “go back” and read what they said about certain games at the time of release.
Happy reading !
Mass Effect
Maxim Kulakov
Returning to the topic of excellence, I would like to note that you shouldn’t be so surprised by the many awards and engage in self-hypnosis, trying to make sure that the game is truly a masterpiece. There aren’t enough large-scale RPGs coming out on consoles to really compete – that’s why Mass Effect takes gold. On the PC, the situation is somewhat different, and here we cannot do without mentioning “The Witcher” from CD Project – the Poles looked up to the “elders” from BioWare, as a result of which they completely surpassed them. The Witcher is not only a real alternative to Mass Effect, but also a much deeper, more interesting and original role-playing game. Another space saga is recommended for purchase only for ardent fans of sci-fi and science fiction.
You can always see how it all looks in dynamics, as well as learn more about the advantages and good sides of Mass Effect by referring to our video review.
Pros: beautiful graphics; excellent voice acting and music; high-quality action component; non-linear plot;
Cons: empty world; chewed history; short campaign.
Mass Effect 2
Konstantin Trostenyuk
Mass Effect 2 is an amazing sequel to a great game. The developers tried to take into account all the main complaints: they threw out unnecessary races on ugly planets on Mako, abolished elevators, improved the combat system, added QTE elements to the dialogues. Of course, there were some shortcomings. Many will be disappointed by the very sluggish development of the main plot, the half-dead leveling of characters, the almost complete absence of loot and the hated scanning of planets in addition, but all these are trifles compared to the main thing. Mass Effect 2 is a grandiose and spectacular adventure in the company of devilishly charismatic comrades. An adventure in which you choose how events will unfold.
Pros: cinematic; great characters; humor; the ability to import your hero; interesting dialogues; scope and epicness.
Cons: The main storyline is disappointing; tedious collection of resources; you can’t with Samara.
Mass Effect
Georgy Kurgan
Mass Effect, it seems to us, is direct evidence of the renaissance of interactive entertainment: a game assembled from gameplay elements as ancient as the world looks great due to things that until recently were completely atypical for games: directing, staging and the creative potential of the scriptwriters. This is a very good sign: technology in games is gradually coming to serve the gameplay, and not vice versa. This is far from the first such example: BioShock, Kane & Lynch, the domestic King’s Bounty, and finally. All this indicates the birth of a new subspecies of games that can be called art without a twinge of conscience and corrections for numerous “buts”. At least that’s what we really want to believe.
P.S. By the way, localization of the game from Snowball Interactive should go on sale simultaneously with the worldwide release of the game on PC. In addition, a special version is expected in the fall, in which all the dialogues will be translated and bonus content released at that time will be included.
Mass Effect 2
Georgy Kurgan
If we continue the analogy https://rushbetcasino.co.uk/games/ with “Star Wars”, then the first part of Mass Effect will be comparable in its impression to the fifth episode: a spectacular, unexpectedly mature and even dark game. The sequel is more like “A New Hope”: the setting seems to be interesting, the plot is decent, and the characters are bright, but at the same time the game is full of naive design errors, which is the last thing you expect from BioWare.
The developers will not be able to convince the hardcore players who were dissatisfied with the first part: by the sequel, Mass Effect has become even less like a traditional role-playing game and even more like a sci-fi action movie. But the creators completed their task: they polished the mechanics and dumped so much new content on the fans that they could choke. The main thing now is to make the third part at least twice as good. Otherwise, there won’t be any Star Wars.
Mass Effect 3
Maxim Eremeev
That’s not to say Mass Effect 3 was everything we hoped it would be. In some places it lacks banal polishing – especially in terms of dialogue – but these are minor things. Something else is much more important: one of the best space operas in the history of the industry is coming to an end before our eyes. The story of the war with the Reapers may be over, but in the end they will slam the door so hard that your ears will be blocked from the roar.
Mass Effect
NomaD
Mass Effect is a strong B-class action game, after which you won’t regret wasting your time. She entertains well and shows beautiful shots, leaving quickly fading memories. Sorry it didn’t work out better.
However, BioWare still has a chance to improve – judging by reports from the fronts, the fight against the Ancient Evil will be extended into a trilogy.
1Two at once (!) tabs in Jewel with the localized version advertise the “golden edition”, coming out in the fall with Russian dubbing, bonus materials and, I assume, a polished translation. Considering the dubious quality and zero content of the June set, the slogan “Did you buy the gold edition?» incredibly cynical.
Mass Effect 2
NomaD
Mass Effect 2 seems to be drifting to where Heavy Rain is about to land. Take the cliched shootouts out of the equation and you’ll get a good action movie that’s not a sin to watch once. I don’t recommend going for a second run – if you miss space fiction, it’s better to buy five seasons of Babylon 5. At the same time, you will find out where Canadian developers get their ideas from.
P.S. It’s a pity there is no final song. Two years ago, BioWare Edmonton presented the world with talented fellow countrymen – the post-rock quartet Faunts with the composition “M4 (Part II)”. In ME2 the credits roll to simply nice electronic music by Jack Wall.
Mass Effect 3
NomaD
However, even with an epic scale, you can’t please everyone, and BioWare realized this. Completing an iconic trilogy isn’t easy; tying knots on dozens of plot threads woven by players into unique fabrics is a colossal task. Mass Effect 3 was the first to not collapse under the weight of this snowball.
1Taking this opportunity, I want Chapaev to swim across the Ural River, I dream of watching “Remember” in normal order and demand to be told whether the top will fall or not. Funds raised through the petition will go to the fund to fight human naivety.
Mass Effect
Vitaly Kazunov
Looking back at Mass Effect, you gain real respect for those people who took on such a complex and large-scale project. The first thing that attracts attention is the innovative dialogue system. For the first time in a role-playing game with a variety of answer options, with the ability to create your own character, with a huge number of staged scenes, every phrase, every action of the characters is voiced and animated. Secondly, this is a huge, well-developed and interesting universe, where young races sort out their relationships on the ruins of the old. You read the “Code”, communicate with aliens, and it becomes a damn shame for the impenetrable boundaries of a computer game, which do not allow you to visit and see the mentioned, but for this reason, even more attractive worlds. Third is the plot, with many interesting characters, constant development of events and a dashingly twisted ending. Because of this approach and organic visuals, Mass Effect is tempting to be placed not on a shelf with games, but next to a collection of space series. Somewhere between Battlestar: Galactica and Babylon 5.
The mechanics of a tactical shooter and rides on a bouncy all-terrain vehicle serve as an excellent diluent for the standard RPG ingredients of cracking chests, exploring locations, completing dozens of varied missions and communicating with characters who patiently wait for Commander Shepard in their places. Everything here is the same as before, “Bioware-style”, except that you don’t need to rob the corpses (all things from evaporated carcasses instantly end up in the inventory), and safe hacking is designed as a fun mini-game for reaction.
An outlet for a fan of the genre, a magnificent, spectacular, interesting game that offers multiple playthroughs – so it’s a human shame that problems with poor optimization of the graphics engine prevent you from fully enjoying it. Slowdowns, loading textures – as if some bastard had thrown bread crumbs into a soft, warm, cozy bed. You spin, spin, little by little you get used to it, close your eyes and see magical dreams about stars, fantasy worlds and proud heroes.
A huge, thoroughly developed universe with its own history, races and complex relationships between them;
An innovative approach to a dialogue system that no longer forces you to read long sentences of answer options;
Fully voiced and animated dialogues, making the game look like an interactive film;
Mass Effect 2
Mikhail Shkredov
Great game. Bright, not quite role-playing, but with a fascinating, addictive story, colorful characters and strong potential for replaying… both parts, since key decisions in Mass Effect do not greatly affect the events in Mass Effect 2. Psychologically strong moment: not just seeing the face of a familiar Shepard, but from time to time stumbling upon references to actions committed a long time ago.
Every conversation makes you watch the unfolding performance with interest, and the new system of interactive skits adds excitement. Previously unknown facets of this cruel universe open up before Shepard. Quests, both main and side, never cease to present surprises. The implementation of shootouts would be the envy of any other tactical shooter. Unfortunately, many role-playing elements have been either simplified or eliminated. On the one hand, there is no need to be distracted by extraneous matters. On the other hand, Mass Effect 2 began to look more like an action-adventure game with an advanced dialogue system than a role-playing game. Considering the quality of the project’s execution, you can easily close your eyes to this, play and constantly get vivid, unforgettable impressions. But I’m getting a little scared for the third part. No matter how it turns into some kind of Gears Effect: Mass of Duty, if Bioware maintains the vector of development of the series.
Mass Effect 3
Vitaly Kazunov
The final part of the trilogy is not without its shortcomings. For especially devoted fans of the universe, the proposed endings may seem unnecessarily vague and not entirely correct. Although the study of planetary systems has been reworked, it hasn’t become any more fun. There are minor glitches every now and then in the multiplayer and single-player campaigns. The game has come close to its RPG roots only in terms of the number of weapons and armor.
However, the dark spots are barely visible on the brightly shining star called Mass Effect 3. You watch the fate of the heroes with bated breath. You admire their dedication and devotion to ideals, their willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of a higher goal. Commander Shepard’s earlier decisions are coming to their logical conclusion. History answers many questions, global conflicts end, a new era begins, which not everyone is destined to see. The combat part has become much more dynamic, more exciting and looks worthy compared to even such mastodons as Gears of War 3. The designers managed to fill the universe with picturesque views. Finally, co-op multiplayer complements this wonderful adventure perfectly.
Reading the authors’ reviews, it becomes clear: even then Mass Effect was not ideal, but a very good, solid game with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some noted that in the sequels the series became even more conventional, becoming more of an action game in its combat gameplay than a role-playing game; others argued that the choice was rather meager, and still others praised it for revolutionizing the RPG genre – everyone was right in their own way, and the rest is history, which can still be read in the archives of this or that site.
Let’s just say that the release of Mass Effect Legendary Edition turned out to be controversial: many reviewers note that not everything is good everywhere, as they say: one thing is treated, another is crippled. However, in my opinion, the main value of the remaster is not in the updated textures, shaders and lighting, but in the huge information feed, which, if not completely, but partially brought back 2007 and gave Mass Effect another round of popularity.
If you don’t like “improvements” and “remakes” – yes please, no one is forcing you to buy, and the original versions are still available on digital platforms.
The main thing is, be sure to at least try it, because it’s a classic, and you need to know it!