Mass Effect Legendary Edition Review (WeeHammy)
I have to admit, I have N E V E R played the original Mass Effect Trilogy. I have always heard how it was a good game and that it had some of the best characters and story in video-gaming history.
Here I am in 2025, playing Mass Effect Legendary Edition for the first time in my life and I have to say... I am blown away with how phenomenal these games are.
Usually I do a big Pro's and Con's list but because you get 3 games in one, I will make a separate section for each game explaining my thoughts and opinions on each game and then, I will have my final verdict on all 3 games! First a quick disclaimer below!!
This review is MY opinion, MY own personal experience and MY thoughts. I am brutally honest when it comes to reviewing games. If you do not like my opinion, my time or respect my personal experience, please move on.
Mass Effect 1 - Pro's
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3476378010
⚫I loved the fact that you need to talk to your squadmates to get to know them and for them to open up to you, and trust you, is amazing. The amount of work and effort you need to put in to earn their "loyalty" and "trust"... makes them feel so... alive. Real, even. Game's nowadays lack this when it comes to squadmates.
⚫The story of ME1 is amazing. Arguably one of the best I have ever played, even in 2025... (sorry, no spoilers!)
⚫The animations for the weapons going on your back/hip are so cool. Watching them fold is so cool and unique.
⚫Your choices actually MATTER. What you say and do affects the world and people in the world around you (especially your squadmates). You can get your own squadmates killed... and this... all of the choices carry over from ME1 to ME2, then to ME3. (more about this below on the other games)
⚫The races like the Asari, Krogan, Salarians, Quarrians, Geth... all of these races are expertly written and have so much impact on the world around you.
⚫The lore of the races and world goes so far in depth it's crazy... there is so much to soak in and learn. Take the Genophage for example... (sorry again, no spoilers!!!)
⚫Fantastic soundtrack to accompany the game also!!!
⚫Pssst - you can use the Citadel rapid transport terminals to farm "Use X ability 25x" (Just a tip I learned from Cynic!!)
⚫A custom character story,,,, literally no game can pull this off like the Mass Effect series (cause it all transfers over to the next game!!)
Mass Effect 1 - Con's
⚫No way to reset your skills. As a new player I made... mistakes buying the same skills on other characters leaving myself open to... poor combat choices.
⚫The map/navigation can be a bit rough at times. Especially in the Citadel. For a new player it get's kind of convoluted when you try to figure out where certain locations are.
⚫Exploring planets in the MAKO (the tank/APC) I got stutter/FPS drops and it got bad at times.
⚫Almost all buildings and interiors are identical to one another. This somewhat made the game feel... stale or made the other race's architecture feel... uninspired/not unique at all.
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Mass Effect 2 - Pro's
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3477317614
⚫You can fully customise your armour with colours and patterns, albeit it's limited but it's a step up from ME1! You can even change your CASUAL outfit!!
⚫The weapons and their animations got so much better this game!
⚫The combat lost that clunky feel to it and it got refined a LOT!
⚫The movement got so much better too! You can now vault over objects, something ME1 sorely needed. You were so slow and clunky in ME1 and ME2 fixed that with one movement addition!!
⚫The map is so much easier to use now! You can press RS on a controller and it opens up a map and shows the EXACT locations with their names! Map is also detailed with stairs and walls too, I know this is nothing to boast but means I know exactly where the doors are and walls haha!
⚫You can also request a new squadmate from the normandy door rather than having to load out of a mission and back into the mission or location you were just in!
⚫It has this awesome segment in the Shadow Broker mission where you pilot a "taxi"... and oh my... it's very "Attack of the Clones" and I loved it.
⚫They also added in a way to reset your skills which I LOVED!! I needed this so much!
⚫Again, like ME1, the lore of the world and races are amazing to learn about. Who they are at war with and so on!
⚫The story of ME2 is expanded upon greatly and, in my opinion, this is arguably one of the best story's of all time for a video-game. I fell hard in love with ME2.
⚫All your choices you made in ME1 carry over to ME2 (so long as you import your character) and this affects the world, people and relationships you build. I LOVE THIS!!
⚫Amazing soundtrack and Audio design!
⚫Graphics are great! Given it's original age, its exceptional in 2025 for what the game offers!
⚫A custom character story,,,, literally no game can pull this off like the Mass Effect series (cause it all transfers over to the next game!!)
Mass Effect 2 - Con's
⚫N/A - This game is a masterpiece!!!!
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Mass Effect 3 - Pro's
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3479325516
⚫I loved the "WAR ASSET" aspect of ME3. It makes you really want to explore all the regions and do all the quests!
⚫How you upgrade your guns in ME3 is fantastic... you search the missions for attachments the improve your guns stability, damage and sight (just as an example). All of this is NEEDED for harder difficulties. You can also upgrade your guns levels!
⚫All of your choices from ME1. ME2 (if you imported your character) affect this game heavily based on relationships, war assets and so much more... it is really impressive that no game can replicate how well Mass Effect does this.
⚫The combat was amazing in ME3. It got improved upon HEAVILY. Melee gets a "HOLD IN BUTTON TO MAKE IT DEAL MORE DAMAGE". Gunplay felt smoother and much more rewarding on headshots... so much more...
⚫The movement got worked on AGAIN. You can now dodge roll in ANY direction. Left, right, forward and back. This is so helpful!! You can also cover to cover move which again, was sorely needed!!
⚫The soundtrack is just utterly gorgeous!!
⚫A custom character story,,,, literally no game can pull this off like the Mass Effect series (cause it all transfers over to the next game!!)
⚫They also added in a way to reset yours and your companion skills!! Again, this is a massive step up from ME1 and a step up from ME2!
⚫Again, the lore about the races and world... goes heavily in depth in ME3 and it was an incredible journey learning about all of them and this gorgeous world!
⚫The story, much like ME2, is a masterpiece. Unforgetable. It also... almost made me cry during certain moments and choices I had to make... I lost some characters that I liked and the way they went... it broke my heart...
Mass Effect 3 - Con's
⚫N/A - Again, much like ME2... this game is a masterpiece.
My Verdict
I can say this as a FIRST TIME PLAYER to Mass Effect... these 3 games are arguably one of the best trilogies in video-gaming history. How much the world, lore, characters goes in depth and explains to you who and what everything is... shows love, passion and dedication from the developers that worked on this game.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3480204049
I hate myself for missing these games... but now that I have played them, I'm head over heels in love with the ME games, characters and lore. My favourite race - Krogans. Favourite character - Wrex. Favourite lore topic - Genophage.
It even goes on sale for £4.99 ALL THE TIME!!!! BARGAIN!!
11/10 They don't make games like this anymore