Mass Effect Legendary Edition: Gameplay, content, redesign … we take stock – news

Game news Mass Effect Legendary Edition: gameplay, content, redesign … we take stock

While there has been more talk about Bioware for the sudden end to the Anthem redesign in the past few weeks, it’s easy to forget that the expected titles are in development, including the next installment in the Dragon saga. Age. But the hearts of fans of the studio are also hoping for much of the new Mass Effect opus, and when it will undoubtedly be necessary to wait patiently before they have concrete information about it, Commander Shepard lovers can plunge back into its original adventures with Mass Effect Legendary Edition. It is therefore possible to take stock of all the information we have about it.

Almost all content in one version

The Mass Effect trilogy’s adventure between its first episode and its final DLC lasted 6 years. Between 2007 and 2013, the saga, which grew in popularity over the years to cult, expanded with many DLC, some free and anecdotal, others, far more important, to the point that episodes were for the second and In the third some additional content critical to a better understanding of the problems and history of the franchise. For a period of time, the game’s DLC, especially on PC, had been quite a hassle, sometimes even unaffordable years after its release, depriving some of the public of the many charms of the various expansions. Aside from the graphical makeover, which we’ll come back to, the main interest of this legendary edition is to finally have a unique version of the trilogy.

When you start the adventure you will have the pleasure of being able to start The Shadow Broker, Arise of Ashes, Citadel or Leviathan without having to start a previous save again. Integrating the elements of the story (the prostheses, the development of Liara, or even an unforgettable party with the crew members) into the whole adventure will add much more depth to it, extend its life and also allow those who missed it to enjoy it in a coherent and fluid way. A very good way to discover or rediscover the franchise with no less than 40 DLC in totalEven if the subscribers do not have Pinnacle Station, the source code of the DLC has been lost. Not a drama, the content was frankly anecdotal which is why the developers did not think it appropriate to invest resources in its cleanup to include it in the credits.

• And the Mass Effect 3 multi in all of that?

This is a tricky question for both developers and fans of Mass Effect. Is it relevant or even feasible today to restart Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer, which was basically a horde mode but whose popularity has been constant throughout the life of the mode in question? Unfortunately, don’t expect to build a roster and fend off the Cerberus onslaught online. Multiplayer will not be included in the Legendary Edition. Bioware explained it in Game Informer Columns and justified the decision to exclude this possibility for reasons of time and feasibility. In short, integrating a multiplayer mode also meant redesigning it, re-adapting its economic model, and providing post-launch support that is not specifically provided for in the specifications. The implementation of multiplayer should therefore have come at the expense of other elements of the remaster that Bioware did not favor.

More than just a remaster?

• Improved technology

Here, rightly, are the main questions about this legendary edition. If we know that Mass Effect is an excellent episode in the first place, today it suffers from the weight of its age, while even at that time Mass Effect 2 was intended as a drastic advancement of the mechanics of the first part and as a major correction from the mistakes of the the latter is still pretty playable today. Based on this observation, if a “simple” update to the textures of Episodes 2 and 3 could make sense, Redesigning the former was deadly more work, Bioware said. It seems, therefore, that this legendary edition navigates a bit between the two terms remaster and remake, the line between which is often thin.

First of all, you can play the games in 4K / HDR. The title will of course be compatible with the latest monitors and screens (ultra-wide is accepted), but what’s the end of stretching an image if you don’t want to benefit from finer, more modern rendering? To answer that question, Bioware actually did more retouching in the first episode than in the following ones, while improving the definition of all elements of the game. As the few presentations in this compilation show, the textures of the first opus were largely redesignedThe rendering is more modern and detailed, whether it’s the characters or the environment.

In addition, loading times have been significantly reduced, and those still dreading the famous Citadel elevator tours will be delighted to learn that the load hidden here has been drastically reduced to at least ten seconds, where the waiting time was de rigueur in the original version. And finally, you should know that customizing your Shepard will be more detailed as it is being created, as new customization options will be introduced in the Legendary Edition and it will be possible to play with the default profile defined at that time. In terms of compatibility with your old saves, you should know that it is possible in the first place to import your original Shepard into the Legendary Edition, even if some imports are in progress due to the new character creator will work “better than others”. The interface is also being modernizedwhich, given the severity of the original, certainly won’t be a bad thing. And as a reminder, yes, some images that have greatly enlarged Miranda Lawson’s anatomy are no longer offered in this issue.

• Slightly retouched mechanics and gameplay

As we just mentioned, Mass Effect 1 has received a bit more attention than its two successors, and this will be explicitly reflected in the handle of the game. In addition to the general plastic of the three episodes, and according to Marc Walters at the head of this legendary edition, if The weapon overheating system is well preserved, the positioning of the camera, the grip, the aiming, the cover system or the control of your squad and the boss fights have benefited from adjustments. And if you were wondering, yes, the Mako will be way more maneuverable than the fun, but oh-so-improbable physics of the base vehicle.

Finally, note that just in case you do not expect new content in this legendary edition, the system of selection of dialogues, which depends on your pragmatism or your reconciliation, even for the most radical situations that were required at the time , slightly adjusted, for example, chose only one branch and not another to defuse a conflict.

Release date, platforms and requirements

We’ll have the opportunity to dive into or re-dive into the Mass Effect saga from the internet May 14th. On PC, the title will be available through Origin and Steam and will also be released on the PS4 / PS5 / Xbox One / Xbox series. It will be charged $ 59.99.