I wonder if Bioware would implement any changes in the gameplay too.
Unlikely, judging from the blog post. Looks like this "Legendary Edition" bundle is strictly limited to become a cosmetic update which will run on modern consoles. Then again, it remains to be seen how the official enhanced graphics will fare against fan-made 4k enhancement mods such as A Lot of Textures.
Either way, guess it will be interesting to see if owners of the original titles will receive a loyalty discount. And whenever or not its steam release will still require the bloody Origin launcher to be installed as well. But given how other Bioware titles were run on steam.... they'll probably won't change a thing on their approach here.
The Origin and Uplay launchers for games bought on Steam is probably the most annoying thing in all of PC gaming. Bethesda doesn't require their launcher for their titles. The Origin launcher, especially, causes major in-game performance problems unless you know what settings to turn off.
Steam is a lightweight launcher. Origin and Uplay are full of so much extracurricular crap that it isn't even funny.
Give them a consistent set of combat mechanics through all three games, as well as consistent leveling.
Rethink the ending.
Vulkan's a better renderer
HDR is good. Ray tracing is good.
Some of that seems dicey. Which combat mechanics should be used? I really liked 3's, but there's no way everybody does.
*whispers* I really like the ending.
Honestly, I like the ending too but some people still get really angry about it.
3's combat is objectively the best, with the most options. Unlike 1, it's designed properly around the third person cover shooter mechanic. Unlike 2, powers interact in interesting ways.
I agree that the combat mechanics in 3 are the best but I they double up on repeating enemy waves. So while it is has the best combat it is also the game where I tire of it the most, since I feel there is too much filler combat.
Don't really like the plot resolution in ME3 - the Crucible thing just comes out of nowhere. And the controlling intelligence's motivations and choices it gives you do not really hold up to scrutiny.
This is actually kinda good. Hudson returned to the company as GM as 2017. Since then, BioWare released Andromeda and Anthem. Two lacklustre games where actual direction was lacking.
Not to mention it was he who wrecked the ending of ME3 after the original ending was leaked.
The company needs a new vision and has been bleeding it’s best talents for decades now.
And I still demand playable hanars. And elcors. And vorchas for that matter.
Down with the human Shepard supremancy!
I agree, but I think the main character should be preset. Games with created characters struggle to have the same narrative impact as ones with preset characters, since you go from having a handful of background possibilities to almost infinite. A few stand out, but it's more the exception to the rule. I would like Mass Effect to remain a narrative-first series.
So I'd rather they make a Mass Effect game with party control over your companions who are a diverse array of races with unique powers, rather than letting the main character be potentially any kind of alien.
This is actually kinda good. Hudson returned to the company as GM as 2017. Since then, BioWare released Andromeda and Anthem. Two lacklustre games where actual direction was lacking.
Not to mention it was he who wrecked the ending of ME3 after the original ending was leaked.
The company needs a new vision and has been bleeding it’s best talents for decades now.
I didnt know... any of that. Interesting.
In either case, I would guess this doesnt actually meaningfully impact the ME remaster set we'll get. Dragon Age 4 OTOH - I would expect this to be a big deal for that, good or bad.
This is actually kinda good. Hudson returned to the company as GM as 2017. Since then, BioWare released Andromeda and Anthem. Two lacklustre games where actual direction was lacking.
Not to mention it was he who wrecked the ending of ME3 after the original ending was leaked.
The company needs a new vision and has been bleeding it’s best talents for decades now.
I didnt know... any of that. Interesting.
In either case, I would guess this doesnt actually meaningfully impact the ME remaster set we'll get. Dragon Age 4 OTOH - I would expect this to be a big deal for that, good or bad.
I always viewed DA as Gaider's baby. Without him working on it, I already am having my doubts. (not to mention Bioware isn't creating amazing games like it use to). Same with Mass Effect. It was Drew Karpyshyn's baby. I personally found ME3 lacking after he left. I think ME3 is the only (older) Bioware game I haven't played more than once.
I always viewed DA as Gaider's baby. Without him working on it, I already am having my doubts. (not to mention Bioware isn't creating amazing games like it use to). Same with Mass Effect. It was Drew Karpyshyn's baby. I personally found ME3 lacking after he left. I think ME3 is the only (older) Bioware game I haven't played more than once.
Completely agree. Usually settings are the brainchild of one person in particular (to use an example closer to home, I'd argue that Ed Greenwood is the soul behind the Forgotten Realms), since they have a fairly cohesive theme for the world as a whole that ties all the cultures, nations and peoples together for a story. While I don't know if the ME setting was primarily the work of Karpyshyn, or a team of writers, I feel that his departure really hurt ME3 in the sense that ME3 always felt like it was floundering a bit to find a really powerful theme that ties the trilogy together. (In fairness though, it kind of already felt like the series was losing its way a bit in ME2, when it started to pivot away from hard science fiction in favour of space drama. This isn't necessarily a BAD thing, but changing the tone and focus of a setting so dramatically mid-way through usually results in a ton of problems with the "feel" of a game that can badly alienate fans.)
I always understood that the Forgotten Realms was originally Ed Greenwood's game world for his PnP gaming group that was then taken up by TSR at a later date.
And Casey worked in BioWare since 1998. 1998! The fact Darrah kept working on DA4 is what kept me believing the game would have "some" aspects from the old games. Now, it might happen eventually or it might not, who knows?
Now, many "old guard" people are gone. For some, it might be good. But for some, like me, this is like seeing the last piece of your childhood puzzle burning in fire. BG, DA, ME - these games defined our childhood. No, not games. The people behind them. And now it's all gone. They are not together anymore.
I'm looking forward to new projects from them, just as I'm looking forward to Gaider's Chorus, just as I'm looking forward to Laidlaw's Yellow Brick Games. Just as y'all should be looking forward to Beamdog's next games. And of course, I'm still looking forward to BioWare's next games. And of course, I think BioWare still has many amazing talents in them, including people from previous DA games, eg. Patrick Weekes.
But I'm sad, and this is the biggest feeling I have from that news. Just as I was sad when Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka left.
yeah Mark Darrah leaveing just makes me feel bioware is officially dead as no one from the old guard is there anymore. and it's clear the new guard has no idea what they are doing.
And I still demand playable hanars. And elcors. And vorchas for that matter.
Down with the human Shepard supremancy!
I agree, but I think the main character should be preset. Games with created characters struggle to have the same narrative impact as ones with preset characters, since you go from having a handful of background possibilities to almost infinite. A few stand out, but it's more the exception to the rule. I would like Mass Effect to remain a narrative-first series.
So I'd rather they make a Mass Effect game with party control over your companions who are a diverse array of races with unique powers, rather than letting the main character be potentially any kind of alien.
Humans are boring. Either give us an alien protag to go with your alien federation setting, or gives us a handful of presets so we can pick and choose.
I'm not being contrary, but "humans are boring" isn't much of an argument. And generally speaking, humans are actually really interesting.
Not when there are a bajillion other races to choose from, no. I get enough interesting humans irl. If I'm playing a game, I want to interact with things that aren't possible irl.
That trailer had something puzzling. During it the text says that it includes over 40 dlc then right at the very end it say single player content only at the bottom right. TBH I don't recall there being that many single player only dlc. Odd.
That trailer had something puzzling. During it the text says that it includes over 40 dlc then right at the very end it say single player content only at the bottom right. TBH I don't recall there being that many single player only dlc. Odd.
TR
From the Steam Page:
Mass Effect Legendary Edition includes single-player base content for all 3 titles (Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3), your favorite single-player story DLC, promo weapons, armors and packs:
DLC: Bring Down the Sky, Genesis, Zaeed — The Price of Revenge, Kasumi — Stolen Memory, Lair of the Shadow Broker, Firewalker Pack, Overlord, Normandy Crash Site, Arrival, Genesis 2, From Ashes, Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, Leviathan, Omega and Citadel.
Weapons and Armor: Cerberus Weapons and Armor, Arc Projector, Collector's Weapon and Armor, Terminus Weapon and Armor, M-21 Incisor, Blood Dragon Armor, Inferno Armor, Recon Hood, Sentry Interface, Umbra Visor, N7 Warfare Gear, AT-12 Raider, Chakram Launcher, M-55 Argus, M-90 Indra and Reckoner Knight Armor.
It's a hard pass from me as the 3 decade old games are priced the same as a new AAA game, that I'd rather play something else in May instead. I'll wait for a discount as the only things I haven't played from the above are the ME3 DLCs as I never felt the need to return to the game but this bundle might finally nudge me there.
Hmm, I really have mixed feelings about it. I feel the item only DLCs in ME2 and ME3 feel very pay-to-win - you get them totally isolated from any content, so they are not really integrated except you might get an email from Illusive Man about them or whatever. And they are not balanced either. I do not **want** them in my game. It's easy enough to say don't use them - but I just feel they detract more from the game than they add.
Greater graphics are nice, but I am a bit concerned about how much the coloring changed for Feros. It looks quite different, and I think I prefer the original lighting.
EDIT: to give an example, in ME2 the Carnifex you get from Mordin is a very nice upgrade, but not if you have the Phalanx from the Firepower DLC.
Comments
The Origin and Uplay launchers for games bought on Steam is probably the most annoying thing in all of PC gaming. Bethesda doesn't require their launcher for their titles. The Origin launcher, especially, causes major in-game performance problems unless you know what settings to turn off.
Steam is a lightweight launcher. Origin and Uplay are full of so much extracurricular crap that it isn't even funny.
Honestly, I like the ending too but some people still get really angry about it.
3's combat is objectively the best, with the most options. Unlike 1, it's designed properly around the third person cover shooter mechanic. Unlike 2, powers interact in interesting ways.
I hate Origin.
Don't really like the plot resolution in ME3 - the Crucible thing just comes out of nowhere. And the controlling intelligence's motivations and choices it gives you do not really hold up to scrutiny.
This is actually kinda good. Hudson returned to the company as GM as 2017. Since then, BioWare released Andromeda and Anthem. Two lacklustre games where actual direction was lacking.
Not to mention it was he who wrecked the ending of ME3 after the original ending was leaked.
The company needs a new vision and has been bleeding it’s best talents for decades now.
I agree, but I think the main character should be preset. Games with created characters struggle to have the same narrative impact as ones with preset characters, since you go from having a handful of background possibilities to almost infinite. A few stand out, but it's more the exception to the rule. I would like Mass Effect to remain a narrative-first series.
So I'd rather they make a Mass Effect game with party control over your companions who are a diverse array of races with unique powers, rather than letting the main character be potentially any kind of alien.
I didnt know... any of that. Interesting.
In either case, I would guess this doesnt actually meaningfully impact the ME remaster set we'll get. Dragon Age 4 OTOH - I would expect this to be a big deal for that, good or bad.
I always viewed DA as Gaider's baby. Without him working on it, I already am having my doubts. (not to mention Bioware isn't creating amazing games like it use to). Same with Mass Effect. It was Drew Karpyshyn's baby. I personally found ME3 lacking after he left. I think ME3 is the only (older) Bioware game I haven't played more than once.
Completely agree. Usually settings are the brainchild of one person in particular (to use an example closer to home, I'd argue that Ed Greenwood is the soul behind the Forgotten Realms), since they have a fairly cohesive theme for the world as a whole that ties all the cultures, nations and peoples together for a story. While I don't know if the ME setting was primarily the work of Karpyshyn, or a team of writers, I feel that his departure really hurt ME3 in the sense that ME3 always felt like it was floundering a bit to find a really powerful theme that ties the trilogy together. (In fairness though, it kind of already felt like the series was losing its way a bit in ME2, when it started to pivot away from hard science fiction in favour of space drama. This isn't necessarily a BAD thing, but changing the tone and focus of a setting so dramatically mid-way through usually results in a ton of problems with the "feel" of a game that can badly alienate fans.)
TR
Mark Darrah was one of the last real veterans there. Yeah, DA is "Gaider's baby", but it was Darrah's as well. And BG1 & BG2 were. Remember Daer'Ragh?
And Casey worked in BioWare since 1998. 1998! The fact Darrah kept working on DA4 is what kept me believing the game would have "some" aspects from the old games. Now, it might happen eventually or it might not, who knows?
Now, many "old guard" people are gone. For some, it might be good. But for some, like me, this is like seeing the last piece of your childhood puzzle burning in fire. BG, DA, ME - these games defined our childhood. No, not games. The people behind them. And now it's all gone. They are not together anymore.
I'm looking forward to new projects from them, just as I'm looking forward to Gaider's Chorus, just as I'm looking forward to Laidlaw's Yellow Brick Games. Just as y'all should be looking forward to Beamdog's next games.
But I'm sad, and this is the biggest feeling I have from that news. Just as I was sad when Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka left.
Humans are boring. Either give us an alien protag to go with your alien federation setting, or gives us a handful of presets so we can pick and choose.
Not when there are a bajillion other races to choose from, no. I get enough interesting humans irl. If I'm playing a game, I want to interact with things that aren't possible irl.
TR
In reality, it seems to be a continuation of both the main games AND Andromeda.
https://kotaku.com/what-the-hell-is-going-on-in-that-mass-effect-trailer-1845864620
TR
From the Steam Page:
Mass Effect Legendary Edition includes single-player base content for all 3 titles (Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3), your favorite single-player story DLC, promo weapons, armors and packs:
DLC: Bring Down the Sky, Genesis, Zaeed — The Price of Revenge, Kasumi — Stolen Memory, Lair of the Shadow Broker, Firewalker Pack, Overlord, Normandy Crash Site, Arrival, Genesis 2, From Ashes, Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, Leviathan, Omega and Citadel.
Weapons and Armor: Cerberus Weapons and Armor, Arc Projector, Collector's Weapon and Armor, Terminus Weapon and Armor, M-21 Incisor, Blood Dragon Armor, Inferno Armor, Recon Hood, Sentry Interface, Umbra Visor, N7 Warfare Gear, AT-12 Raider, Chakram Launcher, M-55 Argus, M-90 Indra and Reckoner Knight Armor.
Packs: Equalizer Pack, Aegis Pack, Firepower Pack, Groundside Resistance Pack, Recon Operations Pack, Firefight Pack, ME2 Alternate Appearance Pack 1, ME2 Alternate Appearance Pack 2, ME3 Alternate Appearance Pack 1, and N7 Collector's Edition Pack.
So 41 Downloadable Content packs in total.
It's a hard pass from me as the 3 decade old games are priced the same as a new AAA game, that I'd rather play something else in May instead. I'll wait for a discount as the only things I haven't played from the above are the ME3 DLCs as I never felt the need to return to the game but this bundle might finally nudge me there.
Greater graphics are nice, but I am a bit concerned about how much the coloring changed for Feros. It looks quite different, and I think I prefer the original lighting.
EDIT: to give an example, in ME2 the Carnifex you get from Mordin is a very nice upgrade, but not if you have the Phalanx from the Firepower DLC.
https://www.thegamer.com/mass-effect-ending-indoctrination-theory-shepard-canon/
"...Enjoy whatever floats your boat, because it's a cool way to interpret the game" - this is what I've been doing, and will continue to do so.
https://www.me3tweaks.com/blog/modding/mass-effect-legendary-edition-lead-modding-tools-developer-perspective/
It's looking good. It's still on a wait and see (and maybe discount) list for me, but everything shown does look promising.