As a remaster, Mass Effect Legendary Edition isn't going to reinvent the wheel when it comes to the Mass Effect trilogy. However, it won't come without some improvements on the games. In addition to the graphical enhancements expected of a remaster, Legendary Edition will have some quality-of-life improvements when it comes to gameplay -- some of which fans have been asking for since the first Mass Effect was released in 2007.
BioWare Community Manager Jay Ingram detailed the gameplay improvements on the PlayStation Blog. First among them is bringing the gunplay in the original Mass Effect in line with its sequels. ME1 played more like a classic RPG than subsequent games. Weapons were less reliable, meaning accuracy depended more on probability and stats than the player's aim.
For Legendary Edition, BioWare has "tuned" ME1's shooting mechanics to make it more consistent while still making players manage the shots and overheat meters. Weapon cooldowns will be quicker, though. It keeps the spirit of the original game's combat intact while giving the combat the same precision and quick pace of the later games.
The camera view when players aim down gun sights has been tightened, making it similar to the sequels. Snipers in particular will be happy to know that weapon sway has been removed from sniper rifles, making long distance combat less onerous. Headshot damage will effect all relevant enemies, which wasn't true in the original game. Ammo-mods for all weapons will continue to drop throughout the game, instead of eventually disappearing for high level players. Players will also be able to use all weapons regardless of class, though specializations are still class specific.
Small changes will add up to make the experience of re-playing Mass Effect smoother. Melee attacks will now be mapped to a specific button instead of being contextual actions as they were in the originals. Player who want their Commander Shepherd to be in a hurry to deal with rogue Spectre Saren and the Geth can now sprint out of combat. Inventory management has also been streamlined so that items can be marked as junk and converted to Omni-gel or sold quickly.
Boss fights have been improved to make them fairer to players while still being more challenging. In particular, the blog blog hints that the infamously frustrating battle with Asari Matriach Benezia on Noveria will see some tweaks, which is something director Mac Walters previously brought up in an interview with Game Informer. The battle will take place in a less cramped space, and Benezia won't be able to manhandle your party as much as she did in the original.
Another gameplay mechanic being added to Mass Effect involves your squad. Orders can now be issued to individual squadmates in the original game, a mechanic introduced in Mass Effect 2. You'll be able to direct them behind increased cover in some encounters. Moving to and from cover, a major part of the strategy in any Mass Effect firefight, has also been made more reliable.
XP has been made more consistent throughout ME1, including its home stretch. Players who complete "most aspects" of the game should be able to reach higher levels on their first playthrough instead of grinding through multiple runs to improve their character's stats. Their first run of the game will no longer have a level cap either.
Of course, element of the game most in need of improvement (aside from the lengthy elevator rides) is its vehicle sections. The Mako's bizarre physics, which made it feel light and bouncy, made it a chore to drive. For Legendary Edition, BioWare has "calibrated" the Mako's handling for a smoother experience in the game's vehicle sections.
Shield recharging on the Mako has been improved. New thrusters have also been added to the vehicle's rear, allowing players to attempt to scale "near-vertical cliffs." These can be used in tandem with the Mako's jumpjets. The best news for game progression is that touching lava no longer results in a game over, but instead deals damage. The XP penalty for using the Mako has also been removed.
As for content introduced to the originals as DLC, that will be integrated into the game naturally. Items from weapon and armor packs can be unlocked by research or purchased from merchants like any other in game item. While it means some gear will take longer to obtain than it did in the originals, this is meant to ensure balance and progression across Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3.
With multiplayer not being available in Legendary Edition, player's choices and how much they complete in previous games will have an even greater impact on the Galactic Readiness stat that decides how the final battle with the Reapers will go down. Players who skip straight to ME3 will likely have trouble preparing for the final battle compared to players who play the entire trilogy from the beginning. Still, no matter what route they take, BioWare has fixed bugs that negatively impacted the carryover of reputation stats, making dialogue options that were previously closed off in error accessible.
Legendary Edition is shaping up to be the ultimate version of the Mass Effect trilogy. BioWare appears to be putting a lot of care into making sure that the game redeems the studio after the disappointment of Mass Effect Andromeda and the failure of Anthem. These gameplay improvements are a promising sign of what's to come, and should make fans feel good about this long-awaited remaster.