Modern gaming has advanced in both graphics and mechanics in recent years, and classic titles are benefiting from these advancements through remakes and remasters of old games. This has helped shed new light on old titles and open the door to new ways to play that weren't possible during the game's original release. One franchise finally getting this treatment is BioWare's Mass Effect, which is releasing Legendary Edition in May. The sci-fi franchise not only offered one of the best narratives in gaming, but it also changed how video games are played and developed forever.
Mass Effect's success and impact can be traced back to the early days of BioWare and its Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games. BioWare introduced mechanics to that series that it would refine and perfect in future games. This includes everything from dialogue options to branching narratives that would change based on the player's choices. These features, which were uncommon in gaming at the time, would make Mass Effect feel like a sci-fi experience tailored exclusively to the player.
Character development was part of many games before Mass Effect, but the franchise showed the medium how every character can be as layered and detailed as a protagonist. These games allowed players to develop bonds with their teammates, and these relationships would follow the player throughout the original trilogy. These relationships also helped dictate the story. Even characters who operated outside of the main cast were as complex as Commander Shepherd.
Impacting these relationships was the dialogue wheel. While past games allowed dialogue options, Mass Effect placed them at the forefront of the narrative. Each choice could make a mission easier or harder, depending on what the player wants to say, an idea that would be implemented in games like The Witcher and Assassin's Creed. While these games didn't make the branching story the centerpiece the way that Mass Effect did, they still utilized consequences for making certain choices.
As each character in the Mass Effect world becomes closer to the player, the option to learn more about them becomes even more enticing. It may seem daunting to learn as much as possible about each extraterrestrial species that makes up the cast, but BioWare made this simple and fun. Aside from collectibles that can be found throughout the game, much of the series' lore regarding the different species can be discovered through dialogue. The strategy is simple but also genius, as players feel like they are growing closer with the NPC while also gathering information.
In addition to dialogue and narrative changes, Mass Effect also expanded how video games explore worldbuilding. The franchise's universe is full of various planets, each with its own ecosystem, history, economy and much more. Players could venture to these planets and simultaneously learn even more about the universe they exist in. Whether learning about The Legend of Zelda's land of Hyrule or the world of Sonic the Hedgehog, fans love studying a game's lore. By placing worldbuilding front and center in Mass Effect, BioWare encouraged fans to expect more from game worlds, and it has since become the backbone of many third-person adventure games.
Since the very first game, the Mass Effect series helped pave the way for future titles to succeed by following its example. With more Mass Effect on the way, fans can expect its already sprawling universe to expand even further. However, the real question is not how future games will expand Mass Effect's own universe, but rather how they will push forward gaming as a whole, yet again.