Let me just start by saying, this is the absolute best trilogy of video games I have played IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!! There is so much that I can say about these games and I just can't get enough of it. So about a week ago, I downloaded the Mass Effect Legendary Edition trilogy due to the amount of insanely good reviews and positive feedback these games have been getting as a whole. So I decided to give them a try. And one thing I learned from playing the trilogy is that I should have played them sooner.
Starting with Mass Effect 1, the game itself is a gem. Some might say it's the best one simply because it's the original. This one is likely my least favorite of the trilogy, however I still don't have much negative comments about it. The free roam of the various planets while driving a space rover is something I've never seen in a video game, and it's really cool. Sure the graphics are outdated, but it's an old game so what do you expect? The voice acting is great and the characters become more and more likable as the game progresses. And don't even get me started on the storyline. However, the only flaw I have with it is the romance interactions. I just didn't feel like Shepard had as much emotion when he was speaking romantically to the character I was romancing. It sounded more like my character was just saying romantic lines in a natural tone instead of a passionate one. However the introduction in romance options made this game even more immersive so this game is a 10/10.
As for Mass Effect 2, this one seemed to be the highest rated one of the trilogy, and I can see why. The game is a phenomenon. The storyline is completely kicked up a notch and made more violent, more intense, and possibly even more heartbreaking, (depending on what happens to your characters based on the choices you make throughout). The direction this story takes was very intriguing and not something I thought I would see in a video game. As opposed to the first game, the side missions in this game were more story driven and had better content instead of having just the same locations and a quick mission objective. Each mission had its own storyline to make it unique. The addition to the new characters was great as well. Each character had their own background history and different interactions with Shepard overall and were actually likable, but the worst part about it was the very small appearances of some of the characters from the first game, which really makes you miss them, but knowing the plot line of this game, it makes a lot of sense. Based off my choices, I don't know what the romances are like in this game, but I imagine they are better. Overall, I rate this game a 10/10 as well, and is my 2nd favorite game of the trilogy.
Lastly, Mass Effect 3. Likely my favorite of the trilogy as a whole. Serving as the grand finale of the Shepard trilogy, this game contains everything that I was looking for throughout all three games and kicks it up like 10 notches. It adds a breathtaking storyline and becomes so much darker and so much more heartbreaking than the previous two games. Due to it being the finale of the trilogy, this game can leave you in tears the farther you progress because you grow attached to these amazing characters as a whole and can end up watching them get ripped away from you in the blink of an eye. The side missions, although containing a lot of them and hours of gameplay like the predecessors, unfortunately are not as unique and detailed as Mass Effect 2, although still fun. The addition of your original beloved characters from Mass Effect 1 as well as the characters you grew to like in Mass Effect 2 adds more to the story and really makes it feel like a "family reunion" type of situation, especially when it comes to the infamous Citadel DLC! And now for the romances. The romance in this game takes a huge step up from the first game and actually feels like a more passionate and loving romance and really shows you how much Shepard and your chosen romance option really love each other which just adds more a immersive feeling to the story as a whole and even makes you want to cry because this game decides to show you the horrors of the galactic war and shows just how much it screws with your characters head. Overall, this game became my favorite simply because of its increased intensity, more heart wrenching moments and dark and frightening scenes. You've come so far and grown so close to these characters, that it becomes hard for some to say goodbye to them and with the addition to the sad moments, it makes it twice as difficult to watch. And if you plan on getting into a romance with one of your squad mates or another character, the ending is more heartbreaking. The ending is probably where I have the biggest problem overall. Although there are multiple endings, each of them leave you with a similar outcome and really saddens you, but that's what makes this game so intense and immersive, which is something most gamers look for in a video game.
Overall, these games prove to be the most immersive and most amazing experiences I have ever witnessed in my 15+ years of gaming. The storyline following Commander Shepard and his band of misfits makes you want more and more and gives you the want for it to never end and when it does end, some might be left feeling speechless. The best part about these games is that the choices that you make in Mass Effect 1 can carry to the sequels in Mass Effect 3 and affect the overall outcome of the trilogy as a whole, so pick your decisions wisely, because the second you create your Commander Shepard and start the adventure, every decision you make from that point on can determine the fate of the galaxy and your squad mates, and make sure you take care of everything that each game has to offer, including side missions, as those can have a major impact on the future for Commander Shepard and his allies. Take it from someone who went into these games blindly, I started the trilogy a week ago, and I'm already on my 2nd playthrough of the trilogy and on the 3rd game again with over 150 hours of game time racked up. It becomes so addicting that you just can't put it down. So sit back, relax, and prepare for hours and hours of gameplay as you take control of the legendary Commander Shepard and lead your team of family, friends, and loved ones on a mission to save the Galaxy from mass extinction, because the fate of humanity and every alien race depends on your decisions and dialogue choices and dedication to finishing everything that the games have to offer. Good luck and have fun!!!
And to the developers at BioWare who brought us this absolute masterpiece of a trilogy and dedicated their time and effort to make the games as perfect as they could possibly make them, thank you for delivering such a tear jerking, immersive story. I will never be able to find a story driven story as amazing as this one!!
