It’s been a long time coming, but fans of Bioware’s spacefaring RPG adventure series Mass Effect have finally got their wish. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition bundles the first three games into one neat current-gen package, and it’s coming in 2021.
If you’re new to the series and interested in what it could offer you, or a diehard veteran looking for a reason to double dip, we’ve got you covered. From its release date to all the visual and technical enhancements on offer, here’s everything you need to know about Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Release Date And Platforms
If you just want to know when and where you’ll be able to play these preened ports, you’ll be pleased to know that the release date isn’t too far away. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will launch on May 14, 2021. As for what platforms it will arrive on, the game will be playable on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. If you’re lucky enough to own one of the next-gen consoles, sadly there won’t be any dedicated upgrades or optimised patches on the way.
However, while it won’t be that noticeable, the games will receive the typical boosts provided by the extra horsepower of the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X and S. Nothing is set in stone, but most games get at least a little lift, so there’s something to look forward to there. It seems like it would be a really good fit, but currently there are no plans to put the game on the Nintendo Switch. Here’s hoping for the future though!
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition New And Upgraded Content
If you’re unfamiliar with Mass Effect, it’s a galactic RPG where you play as Commander Shepard. Shepard travels among the stars recruiting companions, destroying hostile threats and romancing space aliens. Players hold it fondly for its charming writing and memorable characters.
In the Legendary Edition version of the game, Bioware hasn’t remade these games, they’ve remastered them. The package will contain all of the DLC and promotional cosmetics from the original trilogy, but there is no restored cut content to enjoy, so don’t expect anything new if you’re already familiar. The only piece missing from the holistic package is Pinnacle Station, as the source code was sadly corrupted, making it unsalvageable. Bioware has also taken the opportunity to tweak some camera shots that were seen as gratuitous after some distance from the project.
All three of the games in the set are running in the original engine (Unreal Engine 3) albeit with some serious aesthetic upgrades. You can play all of the games in 4K HDR with better loading times, controls and animations. It’ll essentially be a lot smoother than going back to the originals.
Mass Effect in particular has been considerably tweaked to bring it in line with its sequels, with better AI, rebalanced weapons and boss encounters and a souped-up HUD. You can check out some direct comparison shots on Twitter, courtesy of the official Mass Effect account.
