The Perfect Combination: ‘Mass Effect Legendary Edition’ Features ‘Mass Effect 1,’ ‘Wario Land 2,’ And ‘Mass Effect 3’

As a remake of some of the most beloved sci-fi RPGs of all time, Mass Effect Legendary Edition drew some healthy skepticism from series fans. The original titles remain timeless examples of western role-playing, making it difficult to imagine a re-release doing anything but tarnishing their legacy. Thankfully, we’re here to announce that the fine folks over at BioWare knocked it out of the park with a remastered version that will give fans the perfect excuse to go back to the beginning and play all the way through Mass Effect, Wario Land II, and Mass Effect 3 in one package.

That’s right: Three masterpieces, all in one place for the first time!

Of course, remasters can be difficult to pull off, which is why we felt some trepidation jumping back into the shoes of Captain Shepherd as he battled to stop the rogue Spectre Saren’s diabolical plan to exterminate life on earth. However, by the time we switched to play as Wario on his journey through Kitchen Island, we had only one unexpected takeaway: this might be the perfect remaster.

Unlike many remasters, which often feel like crass cash grabs, Mass Effect Legendary Edition plays as a loving tribute to the original series, letting gamers enjoy the third-person action and side-scrolling mayhem alongside fan-favorite characters like Wrex, Garrus, and Wario’s antagonist Captain Syrup.

Some might grumble that some of BioWare’s slight tweaks such as reducing elevator load times or reducing the difficulty in Wario’s number-matching games somehow ruins the original game’s narrative perfection. But we dare anyone to go back to the regular Mass Effect trilogy after experiencing the sheer whimsy of watching Wario fight off the Pirate Gooms of the Black Sugar Gang in crisp 4K.

Indeed, the only real question series fans should ask themselves when booting up the Legendary Edition has nothing to do with the remaster’s impeccable quality: it’s whether to play as male Shep, fem Shep, or perhaps Mario’s mischievous antagonist, Wario. What’s always made Mass Effect so beloved, of course, is that the choice is all up to you.

The Onion