Mass Effect Legendary Edition my Review
Hello, after we have all beaten the ME LE various times I guess it's about time we review the games and the DLC as they are. I will be touching story contents so if you are starting this wonderful journey please be aware of the SPOILERS in here and in the replies. This is on the PS4:
-Mass Effect 1: this is clearly where the majority of the fixes for this edition went to, from some sidequest which didn't imported properly to ME2 to a more tolerable control system but with the option to have the classic controls (which I did and it felt very alien). The characters and the twists and turns are there but I found that the elevator conversations didn't trigger as much as before. 9/10 (overall)
-Bring Down the Sky: a wonderful piece of content which shed more light into the conflict between the Alliance and the Batarians but sadly didn't feature the squad banter we grew accostumed to have in the game main missions and sidequest. 3/5
-Pinnacle Station: N/A. The demo for ME3 multiplayer and the ME3 Citadel DLC Arena is sadly out of the picture as the spurce code is gone which is a shame as Bioware could have improved some aspects as thry did with the main game.
-Mass Effect 2: this entry is largely unaltered (until the unwanted Credit transfer bonus rework and other issues both old and new, some of the new ones introduced by patches) except for the fact that all the DLC is in the game and most of the DLC weapons and armor are relocated to either Mordin Lab or in the different stores located in the 3 HUBS. The squad interactions are there, the side quests which seemed to not have transfered correctly in the original ME to ME2 seems to be resolved (like the Terra Firme situation), the DLC missions are just as fun but for both Arrival and Lair of the Shadow Broker they seems to have been introduced way to early when you receive them. The final main mission still puts to shame the last mission in Mass Effect 3 with a ton of different choices and acquired assets mattering on the accomplishment and trophies earned. Pre patches 9.7/10 post patches (and an apperant silence as the EA servers are under a massive ransomware attempt) 7/10.
-The various weapons and armor packs: well, they went from being in the player inventories to some having to some being automatically added to players inventories, research them or buy them from stores. 6/10
- Zaeed Massani: this guy is on fire, it is a short mission to both acquire this merc and his loyalty mission comes with more than one twist. I would recomend going with a high enough Paragon count if you want to keep his loyalty and save the refinery. 8/10
-Kasumi Goto: oh boy is this woman adorable but creepy, her recruitment and loyalty quests are some of the most fun in the game that I couldn't believe how in ME3 the Normandy reporter called her planet a small colony in development when the game codex tells you it is very developed (someone missed their homework when they were writing the character of Diana Allers but that's normal for ME3), Berkenstein looks like a human Illum. The vault mission was cool and answered how the galaxy is more dependent on the scum of the Terminus Systems than what the moral high of the Alliance and Council loves to remind you at every chance they get. The choice at the end of the mission can be in either way helpful in ME3 so it just goes doen to which you prefer. 8/10
-Fire Walker: Bioware attempt at fixing the ground vehicle in ME1 and while the Hammerhead controls are womderful it is a darn shame we can't upgrade it as we could for the Normandy SR-2. Something tells me that both this and the Zaeed DLC were originally meant to be part of the main game but at the time publishers were looking for ways to reduce used game sales so they gave you this one use codes with new copies for players to get the free DLC missions. 6/10
-Normandy Crash Site: a quiet journey where players wade throught the ghosts of the last game to make sure their 20 unaccounted crew members get recognition (took the Alliance two years to somehow locate the rest after the Normandy SR-1 rescue which we never got to hear about they avoided the Collectors in escape pods) and earn Shepard damaged N7 helmet. 5/10
-Overlord (DLC): the most brutal of the DLC quests that rivals some of the main game experiences both in terms of the beauty of the maps to how the story progresses. This is one that is hard for me to play as I have an autistic brother and the rage against Cerberus everytime I get to that final section is a volcano. Well done Bioware, well done. 10/10
-Lair of the Shadoe Broker: a womderful cream where answers are given, the darkness of the Shadow Broker was breached and we get to meet our 3rd Specter in the series outside of Shepard (makes me wonder if the Council had knowledge of Tesla mission). We return to Illum for the first half of the content and the new areas of Nos Astra are amazing, I still prefer Omega as its more honest but man does this city look lit. The Broker base is equally impressive no matter how many times I visit it and his reveal continues to impress. 10/10
-Arrival: the final piece of content for ME2 and when Bioware remembered that they needed to address the Reapers themselves and involve them more considering that's what sequels do. This was a bittersweet and somehow rushed content as it contrasts a lot with how the Suicide Mission went to such few choices taken (Shepard squad won't even talk with him post mission as they do on all DLC content). The premise is solid and made me qonder how many deep cover operatives the Alliance had investigating the Reapers because they couldn't confirm them publicly, probably they told themselves they could defeate them alone. We know this was done rushed because Joker doesn't have his dialog as his VA was on vacation when Bioware was developing the DLC but his quiet look and the way he acts sells the illusion that he can't believe what Shepard did. I would have loved to be able to meet again both the Virmire Survivor and Adm Anderson other than meeting Fleet Admiral Hackett. Would have been a great moment to something similar that Liara got at the end of her DLC (which Bioware removed her Stasis bonus power) but we got what we got. 5/10
-Mass Effect 3: ok so this gem is the one which was supported the least in its transfer to this Legendary Edition and it shows with the amount of new and old bugs present in the experience (which again, considering the ransom ware attacks and that we haven't gotten any response from the official modders this is now an abandoned ware). It is basically the original game mindset (to the dumb Gunsmith Trophy logic) but with DLC that should have been part of the game (Javik, Leviathan and Extended Cut PowerPoint edition). As you know by now other than the additions of dialog from both Leviathan and Extended Cut there is no chance to the game endings and so far no MOD support for consoles. The Genophage and Geth/Quarian conflict are there, the blasted Asari Republics are there and so on. 9/10
-Javik: the best character that is fully part of a lot of the main game missions gets left out on DLC only to now form part of the main game. His mannerisms and attitudes are wonderful as are his skills. Its a great joy to have this guy now part of the regular experience. 9/10
-Leviathan: the origins of the Reapers is now part of the main game, unlike last time. 9/10
-Omega: a small but sweet return to what I consider is the best ME HUB in the game series but we can't go back to visit the place after liberating it. 7/10
-Weapons and armor packs: integrated into stores or one in player inventory. 3/10
-N7 Hoodie and Mech Dog: both good additions but the mech sadly doesn't have many interactions save for scanning the ship (nice job during Citadeld DLC). 3/10
-Citadel DLC: a great crazy content that hits differently when you play it during the main story. This is meant to be played prior to Cerberus HQ and it has some great credit grind, very late in the game, and as someone who didn't played this DLC I am glad to have done so. 9/10
Overall score: 9/10
What do you think of this review?
