Mass Effect Legendary Edition and re-experiencing games for the first time

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Garrus Source: Electronic Arts

We all have comfort games. Everyone has those games that are mired in nostalgia and tin be replayed fourth dimension and time again. However, even if we've played them multiple times, they still get added to the dreaded backlog until nosotros can actually play through it properly. Whether it'south existence also busy with work, or dealing with some kind of stress, you realize that you're not in the right headspace to play something and demand to go out it solitary until yous can actually give it the attention it deserves.

That's how I was with Mass Outcome Legendary Edition. I call back it was a combination of factors — stress from work, family problems, the loss of a love pet — and so for ane reason or another, I wasn't able to carve out the time to play through the three games over again, despite really wanting to, especially after rewatching the teaser for the side by side Mass Effect multiple times.

Even however, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was one of my favorite games to talk nearly in 2022. It not only reignited my dear for the franchise, merely as well helped me understand that y'all don't need to play a game in guild to bask information technology.

Despite the ubiquity of the franchise in gaming circles, many people I know who picked up Mass Effect Legendary Edition were experiencing the games for the kickoff time. My mom, for instance, actually decided to play through them for the start time. I'd asked her to requite them a effort in the past, knowing her burgeoning enjoyment of narrative-driven games, only it was with the announcement of the collection that she finally decided to jump on board and play through the trilogy. She wasn't alone, given how Mass Effect Legendary Edition exceeded Electronic Arts' expectations.

Needless to say, she absolutely loved them. And it was through conversations with her over the grade of the two months she spent playing them that I got to re-experience those games all over over again, despite non personally playing them. I've played the original games multiple times (the first game more times than I can count) and I've gone through all the DLC packs at least one time, if not more. I know the story beats, conversations and characters as well any other basic facts.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Citadel Reaper Source: Electronic Arts

And yet, at every point, I found myself surprised. I was surprised at some of the choices she fabricated or contemplated making (Kaidan? Really?), but more surprised because it gave me a newfound appreciation for all three games. It was the closest thing I've ever experienced to going through a piece of media for the first time over again. Those conversations, daily or weekly, became a driving force for me as much as my own time with games, in my spare time or for work.

It made me appreciate more than than ever just how unique the Mass Effect games are, flowing from ane title to the next.

As early as the first Mass Result, I had to stay updated on how things were going. I had to know what her theories were ahead of the iconic reveal of Sovereign, who she left behind on Virmire (information technology was Ashley), who her favorite teammates were (Garrus and Tali), and what she idea of the chat with Vigil. It went into overdrive with Mass Upshot ii — the best of the trilogy nonetheless, let'due south get that squared abroad — and knowing the inevitable suicide mission was coming up.

Like the majority of the characters in the second game, she was initially wary of Grunt, but later on talking with him repeatedly ahead of his loyalty mission, she came to view him equally a heavily-armored, 400-pound son, with Shepard as Grunt'due south surrogate mother. Many people (myself included) definitely picked upward on that family relationship building throughout the game, only she identified a lot of the issues Grunt was facing even before annihilation was brought up or revealed in dialogue.

"He'south hit puberty," I recollect her wrily noting when watching him stalk dorsum and along across the Normandy, talking about wanting to kill things.

I've always been interested in what others thought of games that I also enjoyed, but this was something unlike. It made me appreciate more than ever just how unique the Mass Issue games are, flowing from one title to the next. It'south not really three separate games and then much every bit it is Mass Upshot: Part 1, Part 2 and Part Three. That unique progression meant I was able to re-experience the trilogy through someone else'due south eyes. In the hellish year that was 2022, it was a special experience.

When I asked her why she enjoyed the Mass Effect trilogy so much, she said it was just everything, and how it all came together in the closure of the trilogy equally different cultures butting heads came together under the correct leadership. "The size of the world, the cultures, the depth of the characters, romances, side quests, mining," she said. The concluding of those might seem out of place, but she loved the mining. She spent hours strip-mining the galaxy for resources. I remember she spent more than credits on probes than all the other upgrades put together.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Tim Source: Electronic Arts

Interestingly, one of the strongest aspects of Mass Upshot 3 for her was, essentially, a reflection of my ain experience this year. Javik the Prothean unexpectedly shot up as one of her favorite characters, as she appreciated experiencing the universe through him and how differently he saw things.

It helped u.s. bail in a style nosotros never actually take before, despite playing and talking about games together since I outset owned the original Xbox 15 years ago. It'southward ane thing to ask someone'south thoughts on a story. Information technology's some other to see a journey beginning to end through a completely different lens, removed from your own opinions on something.

I may not have had fourth dimension to play through these games like I wanted through 2022, merely I still went through them all over once again, even if I had to relive that story through someone else, while growing closer and better understanding who that person is. It'due south been 1 of my favorite, strongest experiences of the year. 10 years after finishing Mass Effect 3 for the starting time time, I accept a newfound appreciation for just how special these stories and characters truly are.

Perhaps I'll even play the trilogy over my vacation interruption.

The legend returns

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Reco

Mass Outcome: Legendary Edition

Commander Shepard'due south story

The first three Mass Issue games are a truly special experience in gaming, and you tin play through them all with (practically) every bit of DLC in the Legendary Edition.

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